Counting To Fifteen [Grey's Anatomy]

chapter twenty two - cats

Daisy and Calypso would be spending New Year's Eve at the apartment, which Daisy was happy about.

She didn't want to ever go to anymore holiday parties based off of the breakdown she had had at the Christmas party a couple days prior.

It was decided that Arizona would stay with the girls since Mark would be working. Callie was working too, and so were the vast majority of Arizona's friends. She truthfully didn't mind spending her night with the two children.

Mark and Callie walked through the main lobby of their apartment, both entering the elevator. Their shifts had ended around the same time, Mark having decided to wait for Callie since they would be spending the rest of the night together anyway.

Mark pressed his floor once both adults had entered the elevator, watching the button glow beneath his thumb.

The metal slid shut, the reflective doors sealing tightly as the elevator jolted upwards.

Mark could see both himself and Callie in the reflection of the doors, staring at the reflection.

Mark would be lying if he said he wasn't staring at himself, mostly. He looked great, he knew he always did.

But he took a look at Callie too, the dark-haired girl leaning with her head back against the elevator wall, her eyes shut tightly.

"You alright?"

"Tired." Callie responded meekly.

Mark nodded, looking down at his wristwatch. "I bet. It's almost midnight, we should be-"

"No, I'm tired." Callie groaned, opening her eyes abruptly. "Things are weird. Just all over, you know? And Arizona and I, we're...weird. And I'm tired of it."

"You're weird?" Mark questioned, not knowing what the woman meant by that.

Callie turned to Mark, having no problem with being as blunt as possible. "We haven't had sex in over a month. A month. I'm a married woman, and suddenly it's like...it's like I'm celibate all of a sudden. Kepner is probably getting more action than I am at this point and I..."

Callie trailed off as she groaned, not able to finish her thought.

The elevator doors opened up, both adults stepping out onto their floor.

"Just...tell me not to worry about it."

Mark shrugged. "Don't worry about it. What's the worst reason she could be abstaining from sex? A magical STD? Some secret affair?"

Mark was trying to be funny, trying to bring up scenarios that were so far-fetched they were laughable. Arizona wouldn't have an STD, and she most definitely would never cheat on Callie. Mark was certain.

But Callie groaned, finding no humor in the statement.

"Why would even say that?" Callie shut her eyes tightly, rubbing the sides of her forehead like she had a headache. "You've poisoned my brain. I wasn't even thinking like that until you...dammit, Mark!"

"Oh, come on." Mark rolled his eyes as they walked. "Arizona isn't cheating on you. And she doesn't have some STD she magically got. Well, I mean...I guess technically you can never say never, so it's always a possibility-"

"Mark." Callie spoke sharply, letting the man know very blatantly that he was not easing her nerves.

"Kidding." Mark assured as they finally approached the front door of Mark's apartment. "Okay? You don't have anything to worry about. Let it go."