29. Chapter 29

Disclaimer: This is AU. I do not own any of the characters from Grey's Anatomy. I just manipulate them to my will. Also, any line or phrase or setting that seems remotely familiar from any other show, movie or book, also not mine. I borrow…

AN: Alright, the wait is over. Just wanted to say thanks to everyone who has stuck out this long haul. Gold medal game is up! Enjoy!

Chapter 29

The sound of a gun going off is what jerks Arizona awake, the sound of screaming and shouting still fresh in her ears. It's the same dream that has haunted her for months, the dream where she witnesses her brother's death. Of course the Marine's and the government haven't disclosed the details of his death, just stating that he died during an act of heroism, but the surgeon's mind has more than made up for it. The specifics vary, from him jumping on a grenade, diving in front of a bullet, to saving a young child from certain demise, but the end is always the same. Arizona jolts awake with a layer of cold sweat over her body, the image of glassy, lifeless blue eyes staring right at her as her brother takes his last breath.

She rests an open palm against her chest, tracking her racing heart as the blonde tells herself again that it was just a dream. …Kind of. Her brother is still dead, there's no waking up from that nightmare.

Her heart starts to calm and Arizona sits up, her eyes roaming the room as she gets her bearings. The sun is barely peeking over the horizon and there is a beautiful tint to the grayish rainy sky over London. Beside her, in the twin bed pushed against hers to form a double, is Callie. The catcher is hanging precariously over the edge where any movement or surprise will send the Latina toppling over. A smile plays at pink lips, Arizona thinking back to last night, the two of them just… being with one another. It was so easy. No awkwardness, no forced smiles. Just… them.

A small part of her wishes, and craves, more. But Arizona is happy they didn't go any further last night, it would have been too soon. She doesn't regret the first night they had, it was amazing. But… right now Arizona is perfectly happy to just sleep with Callie. No sex, just sleeping in the same bed. That is a level of intimacy greatly overlooked, and it's something the Arizona finds herself very quickly becoming addicted to.

Arizona's fingertips tingle with want, her body craving the touch of the Latina. The way raven hair is splayed over a pillow and the catcher's strong body at its most relaxed is a sight that should be considered the world's eighth natural wonder.

She scoots across the bed, moving behind Callie, and breathes the Latina in. Her scent courses through Arizona's body, wiping away any vestiges of sleep that might have been left. The blonde places a soft hand on the curve of her catcher's hip, Callie shifting slightly under the touch, and pink lips lay a feather light kiss against the woman's warm, caramel flesh of her temple.

The pitcher could spend all day next to Callie but the sudden realization of what today is creates a wave of nervous energy that surges through the blonde's veins, and Arizona decides that her morning yoga routine would be just what the doctor ordered. She slides out of bed as smoothly as possible, Callie turning from her side to her back and letting out some sort of snort/snore crossbreed, but succeeds in not waking her roommate. Quickly grabbing some clothes to throw on, as well as a pair of shoes, Arizona tiptoes out of the room. Throwing one last glance at the sleeping woman, Arizona stops in her tracks. She doesn't want Callie to wake up and think she abandoned the Latina again, even if they didn't 'sleep together' sleep together last night. So she moves as stealthily back across the room as possible and leaves a note on her still dented pillow before closing the door behind her and heading off to her morning workout.

There are few things more refreshing than waking naturally, brown eyes fluttering open as Callie's mind pushes her slowly back into consciousness after 8 straight hours of pure sleep. Her gaze immediately falls on the scene just outside the bedroom, London dull and gray with heavy skies, the smell of rain in the air. It's one of those mornings you just don't want to get out of bed, and the perfect cocoon the Latina is wrapped in makes it even harder.

Torres raises her arms over her head and stretches as far as she can, a satisfied groan rattling around her throat, before she turns and faces the other direction. But when she doesn't find a sleeping blonde next to her a pang of regret pulls plump lips into a frown. She reaches out to the rumpled sheets and feels the last hints of warmth still present, her gaze flicking up to the pillow finding something left on it. That frown doesn't last long, a smile soon replacing it as Callie recognizes the paper flower set on the blonde's pillow. It's the same flower she gave Arizona when she picked the pitcher up for their first date here in London, and Callie immediately knows it's to let her know that Arizona will be back soon.

She lies back in bed, her eyes staring up at the textured ceiling above her, while her mind replays scenes from the last few months. Nothing about her relationship with Arizona has been, what most would consider, easy. Or normal. They seem to have been pissed and not talking to each other more often than they aren't, but when they are on, when they are working… it's amazing. When Arizona smiles at her it feels as if all the dark and twisty's inside Callie just evaporate, leaving nothing but happy feelings and lightness.

The opening of the apartment door catches Callie's attention, and a moment later the jiggling of the bedroom door handle announces Arizona's return. The blonde tries to be quiet, but she stubs her toe against the door jam and grunts in pain, biting her lip to contain the chain of expletives that are on the tip of her tongue.

A muffled laugh pulls blue eyes over to the bed where she finds Callie's signature smile lighting up the room. "Oh, you're up." Arizona says, smiling back at the Latina.

"Yep." Callie answers, sitting up in bed and letting the sheet fall down to her waist, exposing her tank top clad chest. Brown eyes spy the large bag in the blonde's hand and asks "You bring me a present?"

"Breakfast." The pitcher announces, shutting the bedroom door behind her and joining Callie by sitting on the edge of the bed.

Tanned fingers dip under the hem of her pitcher's shirt, finding slick skin beneath. "Ew, you're all sweaty." Callie teases, lightly tugging on Arizona's stained workout shirt.

"Yeah, I snuck in a quick workout this morning." The blonde replies, pulling out a couple Styrofoam containers from the bag, as well as two orange juices. "Hoped I'd be back before you woke up but I'm hoping that this…" She reveals Callie's breakfast with a flourish, "…makes up for it."

"Not bad." Torres sighs, feigning disinterest in her delivered breakfast. "But I know of something better." She adds, the fists the material of the blonde's shirt and pulls her down for a slow and passionate kiss. When Arizona pulls away she has to shake her head and clear her throat, all ability to form any coherent thoughts having lost her after that fiery embrace. Callie chuckles, loving the effect she has on the blonde, and asks confidently "You ok there, Battleship?"

"Uh, yeah." The blonde answers, her voice thick with want. Needing to get on some sort of even playing field, she adds "Morning breath never tasted so good."

"Hey!" Callie whines, shoving her pitcher playfully. "That was mean." But it had its desired effect and Callie consciously pulls her blanket up to cover her mouth.

Arizona just chuckles, then pushes the Latina's food closer to her. "Eat, Calliope. We got a big day today."

"So, let's jump right into it." A smiling and bright eyed woman states, crossing her legs and settling into her chair while the little red light behind her flicks on. "Gold Medal game. What's it mean?"

"Means everything." Webber answers, the man sitting in the middle of his two captains, with Arizona on Callie Torres's left.

"You've lost both times you've faced Japan in these games, and USA lost to them in their last matchup in 2008, what do you have to do differently today to change that today?" The interviewer asks.

"Last game wasn't really a loss." Arizona muses, getting a couple head nods in agreement. "More of a… officiating blunder."

"Does that affect your mental state?" The woman asks. "Knowing that something this important can come down to a bad call? Will that be in the back of your heads when you step out on the field again today?"

Tanned fingers fidget, a heat rising in Callie's face from the camera trained at her, but she answers "We've all been playing for years. Bad calls happen, it's a part of playing a sport such as softball. …And football. Basketball. Volleyball. …It's not a timed sport, such as running. You can't argue a time, but you can argue human judgment. There will always been that factor of human error. But… we can't let that become our focus. And we won't."

"Actually, it just fires up more." Teddy continues with Torres's train of thought. "We just have to increase the lead so that one bad call won't make such a huge difference."

"Is that the game plan?" Their interviewer asks.

"Well… it's always the game plan to win." Arizona states, making the four others chuckle. "But, you know… we just have to play our game. Bring the heat. And leave no doubt."

Cold slaps the USA team in the face as two near perfect lines of women jog around the field. Today is not what most dreamed of when picturing a gold medal game. Instead of a shining sun and beautiful skies, London has instead delivered dreary and depressing grey clouds, constantly threatening a torrential downfall that could delay the game for hours. But that doesn't diminish the woman's taste for victory, instead giving them one more obstacle to overcome.

"Circle up." Callie calls, her breathing a bit ragged from the extra few laps she lead her team in in hopes to fight off the bone chilling cold that is present in the air.

"God damn, it's cold." King groans, pulling her sweatshirt sleeves down further and fisting the ends in her hands. "My nipples could cut glass over here."

"I'd like to see that." Addison muses, getting a shove from her teammate as she passes.

"Come on, ladies. Circle up." Callie calls again, trying not to let her own anxiety take over.

The team warms up, taking extra time to stretch out their muscles because of the cold atmosphere, and start their drills. Hunt hits soft grounders to the infielders while Derek sends fly balls to the outfield, each player getting their footing in on the damp surface. Not only is softball a game of skill, but also being able to adapt. Rain changes the dirt and grass, altering how the ball reacts while in play. Outfielder's cleats slip and slide while infielders may get stuck in the muck of the dirt. A pitcher will lose not only tactility of the ball, but also control and movement. All these obstacles come while playing in the rain, and each player silently prays that the clouds hold off for just a couple more hours.

The game is only minutes from starting when Arizona walks up behind Callie and asks "How she looking?"

Torres turns, a smile immediately showing up on her face at the sight of the blonde in front of her, blonde hair braided beautifully, and replies, "Good. She's looking really good. Nervous but…"

"Aren't we all." Arizona muses, giggling softly and pulling her arms tighter around her in efforts to ward off the cold. "She'll do well though."

"She'll do until you come in." The catcher adds, giving the woman a sultry wink. The coaches have decided to put Lucy on the mound to start, keeping Arizona fresh to come in as relief. It's a risky move since Japan had had earned more bases against the newer pitcher in the last game, and now that they've seen her already Japan will be even hotter, but with Arizona at short they have a stronger infield. If and when Lucy starts to struggle, that will be when Arizona goes in to pitch, but the coaches are hoping to be able to hold off the Japanese batters while USA is able to earn a couple early game runs.

"Let's not jinx it, huh?" The blonde plays. "Me stepping on the mound means we're losing." The rest of their team is shuffling around the dugout, doing their last minute rituals as the two teams coaches have a chat out on home plate. A hum of excitement makes the stadium rattle, thousands of spectators braving the cold and rain to watch the two softball giants battle it out for gold.

Despite being watched by fans and camera's, the Latina steps into the blondes personal space and places her hands on Arizona's slim hips, leaning in to whisper "We're not going to lose."

"Bring it in ladies!" Webber shouts, this entourage of coaches following in his wake as he steps down into the dugout. "Alright, because of Japan's winning record, we are visitors. Meaning we're up to bat first. So let's hit em hard and hit em fast, alright? Bring the fire and leave no doubt." The women hoot and shout in agreement, those butterflies and nerves quickly manifesting into competitive drive. "Robbins, you're starting us off just like always. Let's see you put those wheels to good use. …Torres, send it off."

"Hands in!" Callie yells, a mass of hands, some in batting gloves, some tapped, some with red, white and blue nail polish, even some even chewed from anxiety, form in the center of their circle. Rich brown eyes find sad blue ones across from her, and the captain says "Erica, send it up."

A crooked smile forms on Hahn's lips, the blonde having been wallowing in pity of herself for losing her opportunity to partake in today's game, and mouths a silent 'thank you' before exclaiming, "Alright ladies, our time now. Our time. …USA!"

"ALL THE WAY!" The team shouts in unison, those in the stadium closest to the USA's dugout cheering with them.

Arizona pulls on her blue batting gloves, her stomach knotting at the thought of stepping into the batter's box for a gold medal Olympic game. She can feel not just her team, Japan's team, and all in attendance here watching her, but all of America as well. Knowing that her nation is watching this match, cheering on their fellow countrymen, brings her back to the first surgery she ever performed. It was an appendectomy on a 46 year old man. …And she chocked under the pressure. All of her fellow interns, residents and Attendings watching her from the OR gallery, betting on when she would lose it. It was too much, and the patient nearly died. He would have if Arizona's resident didn't step in. Sure, that was years and years ago, and Arizona proved to everyone that she is, in fact, an outstanding surgeon. …At least, she was. Now she's a softball player. And she's about to show everyone just exactly why she was picked above all those other women at tryouts.

When a hand taps her butt lightly, Arizona is startled out of her daydreaming. "You got this, Battleship." Callie whispers in her ear from behind.

"Batter!" The ump calls, waving Arizona onto the field but her legs seem to be weighed down now.

"Show us how it's done, baby." Callie purrs, skimming her lips across the blonde's ear before nudging the woman forward.

The pitcher trips out onto the field, her eyes immediately scanning the large crowd packed in the seats. As much as she knows she's going to let herself down, Arizona quickly looks for a familiar face. Her mom, her dad… Tim. But no one is there, only strangers. This, like everything else since Tim's death, is something Arizona must conquer on her own.

She crosses in front of the Japanese catcher, dark eyes watching the blonde every step. Arizona glances down the third base line, catching Shepherd's sign to slap, and takes a couple practice swings. Arizona slaps her helmet, taking a deep breath and finding the gaze of the home plate ump, the same home plate ump who made the very bad call that cost USA their last win against Japan.

"Did you wear your glasses today, Blue?" She asks with a smile, getting a hard stare from the man in return.

"Batter." He calls again, gesturing her to step into the box.

"Just checking." She says, giving him one of her signature dimpled smile before taking her stance within the chalk lines. "Wouldn't want a repeat of the last game."

Japan quickly dispenses three outs to USA and the Americans soon take the field. Everyone tries to play off the nerves that are coursing through their bodies, but as they cross the chalk line and hit the Olympic field the stadium erupts. Some feed off the crowd, while other's shrink from it.

"You ok, Fields?" Arizona asks as she walks out on the dirt with the starting pitcher. "Looking a little pasty."

"Uh, yeah." Lucy replies, her eyes scanning the large crowd surrounding all sides of the field and fighting back the urge to vomit right there on her pitching mound. "I'm just uhhh… wow, this is so much bigger than nationals." She sighs.

"Hey, everyone alright?" Callie asks as she joins the circle around the pitching rubber and finds Addison, Teddy and Arizona all watching the newest blonde nervously.

"Think she's a bit nervous." Arizona whispers.

"No need to be." The captain says, clapping the pitchers shoulder. "You got me behind the plate, and your team has your back. Just do your thing."

"Right." Lucy replies shakily. "Right, just do my thing. That's it."

"There you go. You got it." Callie tells her, placing the ball in the woman's mitt before pulling her mask down and retreats to her position.

"We got ya, girl." Teddy tells the pitcher, the circle of players excepting a round of high fives like always. After all, the gold medal game is not the time to break from tradition. "You just worry about smoking those Japanese out of the box, we'll handle the rest."

The home plate umpire calls up the first Japan batter, and USA gets set in their positions. Bailey at center calls out the play to her fellow outfielders while Arizona alerts the infield as to where to go. Callie quickly scans her team, making sure all her players are positioned correctly for the batter who is just stepping up. Teddy moves up a bit to cover a bunt, as well as Naomi at third while Addison and Arizona shift to cover even more of the dirt if needed. The outfielders move in slightly, while center takes a couple steps back. All these things happen within a second, like a finely tuned clock, a single moving cog creating a chain reaction.

Torres locks gazes with the batter from behind her mask as the woman steps up, giving her a crooked smile before looking back to her pitcher and calling for a high and tight fastball. …There's no greeting like a little brush off, after all.

"Strike!" The umpire calls, the Japanese batter just watching it fly by.

"That right, baby! Right there." Arizona shouts, bouncing on the balls of her feet and resetting. "Alright, no outs. Plays at one, ladies. Watch the corners."

USA gets set again and Lucy winds up, testing the batters patience by sending the same pitch again, only for it to clip the strike zone and get called a ball. The next pitch comes and the batter squares around and shows a bunt. Teddy and Naomi move up instinctively, the ping of ball on bat causing a whirl of action to happen.

Addison sprints to first, Yang in right running in to back up the throw just in case. The Japanese batter takes off like a rocket, running past the still rolling ball. Teddy gets to it first but doesn't touch it. The mass of leather starts to veer to the right, the wet dirt giving it an easier surface to roll.

"Let it roll!" Callie calls needlessly as she watches the first baseman follow it, only bending down and touching it when it rolls across the chalk line.

"Foul!" The home plate umpire calls, earning a groan from the entire Japanese bench.

The batter, who had already made it to first, jogs back and steps back into the box, pissed that her base was just taken from her. And because she's still upset, she takes a less than perfect hack at the next pitch she sees, sending a pop fly into right which Cristina easily fields, earning USA their first out.

Two innings in and the score is still tied zero-zero, each team putting away batters quickly after only facing four or five batters, at most. Lucy has settled into the mound and is pitching much more confidently, feeling protected under the watchful eye of her captain behind the plate. For as much as Callie's insides are twisting, on the outside she is as cool as a cucumber. …So to speak.

After facing two batters, earning her first strike out but allowing the following Japanese player on base with a hard hit grounder up the center, Lucy finds herself facing the lead off batter again. Blue eyes flick between first and her catcher behind home, Arizona trying to catch Callie's gaze. Japan is known for stealing, and Arizona knows that if there is an arm out there that can catch a runner high and dry, it's Calliope Torres.

The captain motions for first and third to move up in anticipation for a sacrifice bunt, Japan wanting to advance their runner on first and putting her in scoring position. Teddy and Naomi cautiously tip toe further up the base lines, Addison shifting towards first and Arizona shifting towards second. Callie perches up on her toes a bit more, leaning forward so she can bolt from her squat even faster if need be.

Just before she sets her glove up for Lucy, Callie finds sharp blue eyes staring at her, Arizona silently conveying a message to the Latina. And imperceptible nod is all Robbins needs to know that a big play is about to unfold.

Fields winds up and sends a scorcher up and away, but the Japan batter chases it, the ball falling softly to the ground and landing just a foot in front of home. The runner on first takes advantage of her short lead off, nearly halfway to second by the time Callie is out of her squat and getting her hand on the ball. The usual play to make is the sure out at first, but Callie wants to send a message and instead fires off the ball towards second.

A flash of yellow is all Arizona sees and she barely makes it to the bag in time to catch the ball and tag the base. The same second her hand closes around the ball, the runner from first comes sliding into second, the two's legs becoming tangled and bringing Arizona down.

The umpire runs up to the bag, looking for the ball. When Arizona raises the ball still clutched in her glove, the entire stadium erupts when the umpire calls "She's out!"

A hard glare comes from the runner when Arizona rolls off her, a fair hand reaching out to offer assistance. Even if they are at the Olympics, the highest level of competition, and are fighting for gold, that doesn't mean Arizona isn't about to be nice. And sometimes she's nice just to piss the other players off even more. It's almost like a game to her. …Kill em with kindness. One of her mom's favorite phrases.

Arizona tosses the ball back to Lucy, the infield exchanging a quick round of high fives at the pitching circle before backing up to their positions again. Blue eyes connect with brown hidden under her catcher's mask and Callie gives the blonde a nod, a big smile barely visible on the Latina's face. One that the camera doesn't miss nor does every American currently watching the game back home.

"Go go go go!" Arizona screams as if her cheering pushes Meredith Grey around the bases even faster. She watches the blonde streak from home to first, then rounding the bag at Mark Sloan's signal, setting her sights on second. The Japanese left outfielder finally fields the ball and sends it to the cutoff, their shortstop turning to find Grey hitting the dirt and popping up on second like it was no effort at all. The entire USA bench, and all of its fans, cheer and applaud as Meredith turns her smile to them and waves.

With another ripping of the Velcro at her batting gloves, Arizona steps up to the batter's box for her second at bat for the game. The first at bat didn't result in getting on base, but now that her nerves have settled a bit, Arizona is ready to make the Japanese cry.

The pitcher facing her knows that the blonde is a bunter and a slapper, relying more on her speed than her bat to make it on base, and starts to throw the surgeon junk. Arizona remains patient, watching a couple balls go by before chasing a curve and tipping it foul. Her team keeps her head up, blue eyes remaining focused on the prize.

Another pitch comes and Arizona makes contact, bolting out of the batter's box as soon as she feels her bat vibrate. But she is immediately called back because it flew back behind the catcher from being tipped. Now she is down in the count with two strikes, and she steps over to the other batter's box. On two strikes, a foul tip equates to a third strike and an out. So now she has to actually swing.

Glancing towards Derek at third out of habit all she gets is a supportive nod, and her eyes trail over to the American bench to find Callie watching her intensely. After a second of staring into serious brown eyes, something shakes Torres of her thoughts and a smile forms on plump lips. The blonde can't make out all of what the Latina mouths to her, but she distinctly makes out the word 'Battleship'.

After barely holding back from swinging at a down and out ball, Arizona takes a big hack at the next pitch, the ball flying off the bat and sailing just over the infield, dropping to the ground in shallow left field. Because the blonde had routinely been hitting right, the outfield had shifted that way and now the left fielder has even further to go to field the ball. Coach Sloan capitalizes on it and instead of signaling his runner to hold up on first, he signals her to second. A split second of doubt crosses the blonde's mind, but she immediately swings wide and rounds the bag, kicking off the corner and pushes her body faster down the base line.

The roar of blood rushing through her body is all she hears, the cheering of her team and the crowd going unheard, and the surgeon falls into a perfect slide well ahead of any play being made. When the dust clears she see's Meredith still at third, not chancing being thrown out if trying to take home. Now USA has two runners in scoring position and no outs. This is the best set up they've had yet, and now it's up to the meat of the batting order to take advantage.

Yang is up next, only catching a piece of it and sending a soft blooper to second who quickly throws her out at first. Next up is Naomi, one of the few the team deems a 'power hitter', and the Japanese outfielders take couple steps back. The imposing woman steps into the batter's box, and after taking a couple pitches she connects for a hard grounder. Shepherd sends Grey home, Arizona quickly jumping from second, but the Japanese throw home instead of going after Campbell.

After a messy collision, Meredith is called out at home and Derek throws his hat into the fence in anger after sending the runner.

While Japan is celebrating their small victory Callie prepares to take her at bat, the Latina taking deep and steady breaths. There are two outs, with runners on second and third. Perfect scoring position. All Torres needs to do is put the ball in play and she knows that Arizona will be able to make it home without even breaking a sweat. But… putting the ball into play is the difficult part. The Japan pitcher seems to have Callie's ticket, keeping the ball away from the captain's sweet spot and making her chase anything and everything.

"Come on, Cal!" Arizona shouts from third. "Come on, bring me home baby. One time. That's all we need. One time!"

As much as the Latina tries to maintain her stone faced, hardcore façade, the sound of the pet name 'baby' coming from Arizona makes her smile. The couple's eyes meet for a fraction of a second before Callie turns her back to the blonde at third and steps into the batter's box.

For as quick at the interaction happens it does not go unnoticed. Coach Shepherd clears his throat and gives his runner a knowing look.

Blue eyes roll and Arizona growls, "Shut up."

"Hey, I didn't say a word." Derek replies with a smile.

"Let's keep it that way." The blonde tells him, and then shifts back into game mode.

Callie battles the pitcher until she has a 3-1 count. After a quick scan of the field she can't find a single, exposed weakness in the other team's defense. …At least, not one that she would normally use. But the gold medal game isn't the time to play it safe. It's the time to take chances.

So she steps back into the box with a whole new plan, and get's set. As soon as the pitcher starts her wind up the Latina squares around for a bunt, catching the infield completely off guard… as well as her own team and coaches.

The captain connects ball with bat, the yellow ball rolling down the first base line. The first baseman rushes the ball, anticipating an easy third out. But Callie knows the rules, and she knows Arizona. Instead of running on through to first, the Latina halts in the base line, forcing the first baseman to either run up and tag her, or back track to the bag. And because there were two outs, as soon as Arizona saw the ball bounce of her captain's bat she took off at full speed.

That added second it takes for the first baseman to make up her mind, rushing up the base line to lay a tag on Torres, is the added second Arizona needs to make it to home plate.

"Safe-" "Out!" Are called at nearly the same time. …Nearly. But before the third out was made, Arizona made it home.

All eyes and ears turn to the home plate umpire, waiting for the official ruling. It doesn't take long, and when he signals that the runner was safe at home USA erupts. After three innings of fighting they've finally made it on the board.

Callie jogs back to the dugout, but get's intercepted by an ecstatic blonde. "You are AWESOME!" Arizona shouts, their excited embrace quickly added to when the rest of their team joins in.

"Alright! Come on ladies, we still got a game to play!" Webber calls, the dog pile breaking up as US players make their way back on field to face the next set of Japanese batters. As Callie is quickly suiting herself up, Richard puts a hand on her shoulder and adds "That's how you lead, Torres. Way to work."

"Thanks, Coach." Torres replies, a swelling of pride filling her body. Maybe, just maybe, this is their game.

Six innings in and the score is 2-0, USA in the lead. Lucy was pulled in the middle of the third inning after Japan was getting the better of her, not that the runners were getting very far, but Mark wasn't about to test it. Instead he had Arizona go in as relief, and was not disappointed. It took a couple batters for the blonde to loosen up, the bone chilling cold from before never leaving the air. But now… it's starting to rain.

Robbins turns her face up to the grey skies above, cold droplets of water spattering her skin and feeling little tiny pin pricks. During the past hour of play she has grown accustomed to the cold, a small level of numbness now surrounding her body, but adding rain to the mix is not something the blonde appreciates. Being cold is one thing. Being cold and is a whole different ball game.

"You got your towel?" Someone asks, making Arizona snap back to the present and finding a suited up Torres standing in front of her.

"Got it, Boss." Arizona answers, reaching behind her and physically checking that she does, in fact, have a clean and dry towel to wipe her hand off. "Got your windshield wipers?"

"Look at you, with the jokes." Callie plays which makes the blonde giggle.

"Pitcher!" The home plate umpire calls.

"Do your thing, Battleship." Torres purrs, a brown eye winking before she retreats to her spot behind home plate.

Arizona and the rest of the US team battle for two more innings, the plays becoming more intense and more dangerous. When one team is feeling the pressure they push harder, making the other team push just as hard back. Soon slides that take down fielders weren't intentional earlier in the game become intentional. Cleats start moving higher and higher, seeking soft skin to dig into. Torres takes more than one rough hit while protecting home plate but not a single Japanese runner is enough to get through the wall. Teddy becomes a human vacuum and sucks up any throw within ten feet of her, and the outfielders lay it all on the line by going full out on more than one fly ball.

By the time the seventh inning rolls around, everyone has been played through and once immaculate uniforms are wet and stained, some with dirt, some with grass. Those previously in the game but now benched wrap themselves up in sweatshirts and jackets to try and fend off the cold and those still playing keep moving to prevent their muscles from icing over during the slow moments. Arizona is asked nearly every minute if she is alright, more than one of her teammates offering her their jacket to keep her arm warm. April Kepner even goes so far as to wrap the blonde up in a tight hug, lending Arizona the redhead's own body heat.

With the score at 3-1, USA still up by two, the Americans prepare to bat for what could be the last time. All those nerves that settled over the course of the game come roaring back, the crowd around the stadium buzzing with excitement because everyone can sense the end is near. The Japanese have put up a hell of a counter attack, trying to hack away at the American defense and managing to get more than a couple runners in scoring position. But USA always manages to save the inning, jogging off the field with their lead still intact.

"Ok ladies, it's King, Grey, then we're back at the top of the lineup." Shepherd announces, the first few batters quickly pulling on their batting gloves and finding their helmet.

Arizona wraps herself in a jacket and takes a seat in the corner of the dugout where a small space heater has been plugged in. It doesn't do much, but it is able to cut the chill just a bit. Next to her is a defeated looking Erica Hahn, Robbins only now realizing how silent the ex-captain has been all day.

"You ok, Erica?" Arizona asks earnestly.

"Yeah." Hahn answers softly, her shoulders slumped and eyes glued to the ground. "Just perfect." But the woman can feeling piercing blue eyes staring at her and Erica lifts her gaze to meet her teammates. "I just… It's nothing. I wish I could play."

Arizona nods solemnly, understanding why the woman feels that way. If she had made it all this way, only to have to sit out in the most important game of her life, Arizona would be pissed too.

The crack of a ball against a bat heralds a round of cheering as Robbins looks up just in time to see Charlotte make it to first just before the tag.

"Can you put weight on it?" Arizona asks quickly.

"What?" Hahn asks in confusion.

"Your ankle? Can you put weight on it?" The pitcher asks, knowing that if her plan is going to happen it needs to be decided quickly. "Can you play through the pain? I'm not asking as a doctor right now, I'm asking as your teammate. Can you play through the pain?"

Erica meets determined blue eyes, sensing her teammate is formulating something, and replies confidently "Hell yeah."

"Good." And with that Arizona rushes to Webber's side. Tugging the material of his sleeve, the surgeon has to nearly smack him upside the head to get his attention pulled away from the game. "Put Hahn in for me this inning." She says.

"Excuse me?" Webber asks, giving his player the 'you've gone off your rocker' look.

"Erica. Put her in for me. Let her bat." The blonde says again, sparing glances to Meredith Grey in the batter's box, each pitch passing being one less pitch Arizona has to make this happen.

"I put her in, and you have to come out." Richard explains. "And… if you haven't been paying attention, we kind of need you in the game, Robbins." By now a couple fellow teammates have overheard the panicked discussion and are listening in.

Callie, being one such eavesdropper, says "Pinch hitter. She can be Arizona's pinch hitter." Their coach's brow scrunches in thought and the Latina continues, "The pitcher is allowed to use a pinch hitter at anytime in the game as long as it's the same player batting for the same player. It's in the rulebook. I should know, I read it."

By now Grey had swung at strike three and the home plate umpire is calling "Batter!"

Webber quickly walks over to the depressed Erica Hahn and asks in his most serious tone "You ok to go in?"

"Yes, sir." Hahn answers, pushing up onto her feet and having to bite her lip to not groan in pain as pressure gets applied to her still tender ankle. "Just needed a little dirt on it."

Webber doesn't waste another second and quickly scales the steps out of the dugout to go and announce the change in lineup. Erica Hahn awkwardly hops around the dugout, finding her batting gloves, helmet and bat, and steps out on the field for the first time.

From her spot against the fence, Arizona feels something bump against her hip and she turns to find Callie Torres stepping up next to her, a dazzling smile on her face.

"What?" The blonde asks, melting slightly at the breathtakingly stunning woman before her, even if her uniform is wet, clinging to a strong and curvy body, with traces of dirt and grass all over. Somehow Callie makes even that look hot.

"I can't believe you just did that." Torres murmurs.

"Did what?" The surgeon asks again.

"That." Callie answers, nodding slightly towards Erica who is just stepping into the batter's box. "You gave up your last at bat just so Erica got some playing time."

The pitcher just shrugs her shoulders, turning her attention back to the game in front of them. "No big deal."

"No big deal?" The captain parrots, her voice rising in disbelief. "Yeah, sure… No big deal, Arizona. There are about a thousand girls out there that would kill to just sit on this bench with us, and you… You just…" When the Latina seems to struggle for exactly what she wants to say blue eyes find brown and suddenly everything crystallizes.

"You're amazing." Callie whispers.

Neither knows which one starts to lean in first but somehow their lips start to crave the touch of the other's. The team and everyone else in the stadium are focused on the gold medal debut of Erica Hahn, but Callie and Arizona only see each other. And just as they connect in the softest of kisses, the signature sound of a bat smacking a ball fills the air, immediately followed by the scream of a thousand people, an entire nation, rocks the ground.

"Batter up!" The head umpire calls and Callie jogs from behind the plate to join the rest of the infield circled around the pitcher's mound.

"You ladies ready to put them out of their misery?" She asks with a smile, a drop of rain making its way into her catcher's mask and tickling her nose.

"Shut em down!" Lexie says, trying her best to sound badass but somehow failing.

"Three up, three down. That's how we're going to do this." Teddy tells her fellow players.

"Send em home crying like a bunch of pansies." Charlotte adds, each woman giving the rest a quick high five. With a sharp smack on Arizona's ass by one of the four, they retreat back to their positions leaving just the blonde and the Latina left in the circle.

"How ya doing?" Callie asks, smiling at the small look of terror on her pitcher's face.

"Uh… feel like I could throw up at any second." Arizona answers.

Taking a half step closer, Torres lowers her voice and asks "Would it help or hurt things if I kissed you right now?"

"Uh…" Suddenly Robbins' mouth goes dry and she loses her train of thought.

"Pitcher!" The ump calls, he and the Japanese batter waiting for the Latina to come off the mound.

"Relax, Battleship." Callie tells her, backing up a step. "I'm just messing with you. …Just breathe and you'll be fine. Because this moment, your moment, it only comes once. Time to make it count." With a wink the Latina pulls her mask down over her face and jogs back to the plate.

Blue eyes close and Arizona takes a deep, calming breath. She pictures herself in the OR, a young patient sprawled out on her table, and goes through the same steps as she does to prepare herself for an intense surgery. Deep breaths, visualizing her movements, telling herself over and over again that she knows what to do, so just do it.

When she opens her eyes the blonde finds a waiting batter and a nice, fat glove just begging to feel the smack of her pitch. Accepting the sign from her catcher, Arizona winds up and sends a heater down and out, earning the first strike of the inning.

After battling her first batter for seven pitches, a soft grounder would have led to an easy out but Montgomery's throw is off target, her grip slipping from the rain falling, but Teddy keeps it contained. Addison looks like she's about to explode on herself but her teammates quickly calm her down and get her focused again. It's only one runner, and USA is up by three runs. Plenty of room to work with.

Arizona sets up for the next batter but steps off when she can't get a feel on the ball, signaling Callie and the home plate ump for a new one. The pitcher takes another second to dry her hand and breathe some hot air into her fist, trying to ward off the numbness starting to cover her skin.

With another sign from Callie, Arizona sends her first pitch to her second batter of the inning. But her grip slips and the ball goes sailing past the Latina. Torres jumps from her squat immediately, ripping her mask off and sliding to the ball, winding her arm back to fire at a seconds notice. But the runner on base is content with just stealing one bag, not wanting to test the catcher's arm by trying third.

"Damn it." Arizona growls, quickly feeling herself starting to crumble under the pressure.

"Time Blue!" Sloan calls, then confidently strides out onto the field. He waves Torres and the rest of the infield off, wanting to only talk to his pitcher. "How you doing Blondie?" He asks in his deep voice.

"Good. Just slipped." Arizona answers, swapping out her towel with the fresh, warm one her coach brought out to her.

"I know." Mark replies. "Just thought you could use an extra second to relax. …So where do you think the team should go to celebrate?" He asks in such a carefree tone that it makes Arizona stumble. "I hear there is this club downtown that's pretty hot right now. Maybe we should-"

"How about we focus on actually winning first." Arizona interrupts.

"You got it, kiddo." Sloan replies, giving his player a strong clap on the shoulder before turning and heading off the field.

"And don't call me that!" Arizona shouts after him, earning a chuckle from her infield who overheard their conversation.

"Play ball!" The umpire calls, pulling the blonde's attention back to the game. Whatever Mark Sloan was trying to do, it worked. No longer is Arizona Robbins worried about the game, now she's just wondering what the hell is wrong with her coach. …And why he would think that the team would want to party with him. He's like their dad.

A tanned hand smacks at her glove, the sound echoing through the rain enough to reach her pitcher's ears and catch Arizona's attention. Callie doesn't know what their coach said to the woman, but Arizona now looks completely relaxed again, maybe even a bit confused.

The Latina flashes her sign between her thighs, getting a tight not in agreement from her pitcher, and then sets up. Where the last ball went sailing behind her, this one get's put right in Callie's hand with a very satisfying burn.

"Oh yeah, she's on it." Callie murmurs, not able to hide the confident smile any longer. She can taste it, she can actually feel the gold medal resting around her neck right now. Just one inning, three outs. And it's hers.

Another pitch, another strike. One last drop ball the falls just as the batter swings, and USA is only two outs away from gold. Their team erupts in cheers, the roar of the crowd almost deafening, but a calm has settled over Robbins. She's in the zone, just like she would be in the OR. It's not being cocky, or arrogant, but Arizona just knows she's got this. She's confident. She's sure. …And she hasn't felt like this since Tim died and her life fell around her.

The next batter up takes a chop at the first pitch she sees, the Japanese woman shaking slightly under the intense blue eyes staring down at her. It falls in between Bailey and Kepner, who is now in right, neither able to make any real play on it. This leaves two runners on with only one out. If both manage to score it would be a tied game, forcing overtime. But Arizona isn't about to let her gold medal match go into overtime. Nope, it's going to end with USA earning the last out. Showing the world once and for all who the best softball team really is.

Now the situation is USA up by two runs, Japan with one out and a runner on first and third. It's a given that the first pitch Arizona throws to the next batter earns the other team a stolen base, the runner on first taking a less than frantic stroll to second since the runner on third is preventing Callie from making any sort of play. Typically Torres wouldn't hesitate in firing to second, even if to just remind the other team that she has an arm, but with only one out on their side and the rain steadily falling, soaking everything and everyone, she isn't about to chance a wild throw.

The crack of a bat puts the ball into play, everyone on the field moving at once. It's a hard grounder just out of Arizona's reach, but Lexie is there at second to field it. With a quick look to the runner at third, halting her attempt at home, Little Grey shoots the ball to first. Japan is known for their speed and it's only because Teddy's arms and legs are so long, giving her a couple extra inches of reach, that she is able to make the tag before the batter makes contact.

"Out!" The first base umpire calls, the Japanese runner immediately arguing the call. Even their level headed coach steps out of the dugout to challenge it, not wanting to be on the receiving end of a lousy call this time. Sure, last time Japan came out on top, but it's totally different when the situation is reversed.

But after a couple minutes of arguing, all umpires convening for a quick huddle, the ruling remains the same and play continues.

"One out. One out. That's all you need, Robbins." Arizona murmurs to herself, using her wet towel to mop up the steady stream of rain falling down her face.

"Two outs, ladies! We got two outs!" Callie shouts from behind her plate. "Play's at one! Come on, let's finish this!"

A buzz fills the air and the entire USA team and crowd can feel it coming to an end. The next batter steps up, a veteran player that was on the Japanese team during the last Olympic Games in which USA came in second, and takes a deep breath. Runners in scoring position. If she is able to clean up the scored would become tied, forcing the game into overtime. She just needs to make solid contact, and she knows she will.

Brown eyes dart to her coach kneeling in the closest corner of USA's dugout, searching for a sign. But Mark doesn't offer her any. Torres has led the team this far, he's going to trust her to finish it out.

"Alright then." Callie whispers. "Let's see if you can play…" A quick flash of fingers between her legs and Arizona immediately accepts.

The first pitch comes, slicing in a bit too much and it gets called a ball. Second pitch, screwball that makes the batter dizzy trying to chase it, tying up the count. The third pitch is a straight and simple fast ball, high and tight that the batter just watches go by. Strike two. The entire US bench and it's crowd is on their feet, electricity connecting them all in a single mind set. …Victory.

Callie signals for another fastball, this one on the outside, and she shifts slightly to her right. Blue eyes and brown connect and Torres can see the embroidered 'USA' on Arizona's chest rise and fall as her pitcher takes a deep breath. The infield steps forward on their toes and the outfield readies themselves. The runners dig their cleats into the soft ground, trying to find something to push off on. Everyone ceases to breathe in that moment.

Arizona winds up, pushing off her mound with force, and lets the ball fly. It's right on target, and the Japanese batter was waiting for it. The loud crack of a bat making contact echoes through the air and the runners immediately take off. Callie is out of her squat in an instant, ripping her mask off and tracking the ball. All eyes watch the ball sail, their third out. Their gold medal. It sails high in the sky, deep into right.

Miranda Bailey sprints as fast as she can while April Kepner's eyes go wide. Instincts kick in and she starts to move, tracking the ball and knowing nothing else. Her cleats slip under the slick grass, but she pushes through. The ball reaches its peak and starts to fall. The redhead angles herself to intercept it, all eyes on her.

"Get it…" Arizona whispers, oblivious to the runner that was on second now rounding third.

The ball sinks lower and lower in the sky, seemingly pushing itself further and further from Aprils reach. At the last second, the US player goes horizontal, pushing off the ground and getting air as she reaches out as far as she can go. …And she falls.

Everyone waits. Everyone watches.

Slowly, April rolls over and lifts her glove. A glint of yellow visible through the web.

"Out!" The umpire calls.

The stadium explodes. The crowd cheers and the US bench empties, players on the field jumping and yelling and throwing their gloves up in celebration. Music rips through the air and confetti falls from somewhere.

Callie, still standing in shock at home plate, is nearly tackled to the ground with Arizona runs up and jumps into her arms, the Latina easily supporting the blonde's weight.

"We did it." Arizona says in her ear, barely audible over the roar of everyone else around them.

"We did it." Callie replies, and doesn't think twice about kissing Arizona soundly on the lips.

They're broken up when the rest of their team surrounds them, a huge dog pile forming as they celebrate their epic victory. Kepner is the target of more than one tight hugs, the small and nervous redhead not believing that it was her out that synched the game. Some of the players find a couple tubs of Gatorade and soon all four ecstatic coaches are drenched in the drink, but none even attempt to play like they are upset. It's complete and utter chaos out on the field, and USA wouldn't have it any other way.

But their initial celebration has to be reeled in when they have to say their thanks to Japan while the stage gets wheeled out onto the field. The entire US team, even a wobbly Erica Hahn, steps up on the stage, their cheeks on fire from how hard they are smiling.

Japan is given their silver medals first, a presenter shaking each players hand and giving their congratulations before turning to the Americans. Callie and Arizona wait patiently in their line, catching each other's nervous gaze and discreetly holding hands.

One by one, each America player bows forward to receive their medal, the weight of the gold being a physical acknowledgement of their achievement. Reactions vary, from April who immediately bursts into tears, to Cristina who holds her medal up and starts to inspect it, to Erica who just smiles.

Callie receives her medal first, Arizona watching her captain lean forward and dip her head as the ribbon is placed around her neck, and a swell of pride hits her. This woman, this amazing woman, picked her.

When Torres straightens she immediately looks to her blonde and finds Arizona staring at her. Plump lips mouth 'your turn' and Robbins giggles as she leans over to accept her medal.

Each player is announced as their medals are given, and each player waves to the crowd as it applauds them, thanking not just USA but all the teams for their hard work, determination, and competitive spirit.

Finally, when the last America player has a shiny gold medal around their neck, the air fills with music and the announcer say of the PA, "Ladies and Gentlemen, the national anthem of the United States of America." An American Flag lowers from the stadium canopy, the Japan flag hung slightly lower, and all eyes turn to face them.

Hands and hats cover hearts of American country men, and the US team sings along with their anthem. It all comes crashing down on Arizona at this moment, everything she's worked for, all that she left just to be at this point right here, …the last time she really heard the national anthem. The last time she saw an American flag. It's all too much to keep in any longer and soon tears are mixing with the still falling rain.

Callie notices the soft singing voice next to her stop and when she glances over to Arizona she sees the blonde's lower lip trembling as the woman silently cries. Brown eyes turn back to the American Flag, Torres never missing a note, and places her left hand at the small of the pitcher's back just so Arizona knows she's not alone.

The anthem fades out but that's not the end of it. Pictures and autographs, more celebrating and some popped champagne bottles come into the mix. It's crazy and hectic, but the US won. It's their celebration. The months long trip, years and years for some, has finally paid off. Coaches get hugs from everyone, and some even go back for seconds. Lexie Grey shuts everyone up when she pulls Mark down by his face and plants a passionate kiss on his lips, only to get cheered on as that kiss continues past PG.

When the Latina looses track of Arizona in the mix, she looks around the field and finds the wet blonde standing at home plate, staring out across the field. She shuffles towards the woman, silently standing next to her until playfully hip checking Arizona, earning her a soft hip check back.

"It's over." Arizona says. It's not sad, or depressing, but more of a statement. Like it's just hit her.

"Yep. It is." Callie replies. "Feels kind of… strange, doesn't it? I mean, we've all had this as our goal for so long and new we've reached it."

A beat passes, the two of them watching their team make fools of themselves, and the Arizona asks, "Now what do we do?"

Plump lips slowly pull into a smile and dark brown eyes turn to find the blonde's gaze, and Callie says "Now, we celebrate."

AN2: Did you survive? Honestly I didn't plan for this chapter to be so long but… oh well. Next up, celebration and everything that comes after. I'm thinking two, maybe three chapters then it's a wrap. If you feel like it, please leave me feedback. I love hearing what you all have to think! Thanks.