Grey's Anatomy - Choices (18 [Part One]/23)
Title: Choices
Chapter 18 (Part One)/23
Authors: Faith & Kye
Pairing: Callie/Arizona
Rating: NC-17
Story Summary: Post-6x17 "Push" -- Arizona prefers chickens to children, and Callie isn't okay with that. Heartbroken and lonely, the two women try unsuccessfully to move on with their lives, only to find they really are made for eachother.
Chapter Summary: Callie follows through on a promise, and finally makes her choice.
Disclaimer: All television shows, movies, books, and other copyrighted material referred to in this work, and the characters, settings, and events thereof, are the properties of their respective owners. As this work is an interpretation of the original material and not for-profit, it constitutes fair use. Reference to real persons, places, or events are made in a fictional context, and are not intended to be libelous, defamatory, or in any way factual.
Previous Chapters
---
Sunday came around much too fast.
After the fiasco with Carmen and sort of making peace with Callie, Arizona got really busy with work, and then suddenly it was Sunday.
She had been to military services before, but not since her brother had died. It wasn’t that she was opposed to remembering or honoring him, but something about the idea of going to a service right now was getting under her skin. It felt uncomfortable, forced, and completely alien to the life she had grown used to in Seattle. Her other life had yet to mesh with this one, and now that it was, it was shaking her newly formed foundation to its core. It had been ever since her father had mentioned the prospect of attending several weeks ago.
Truthfully, she was feeling more than a little scared. Which isn’t something she liked to feel, let alone something she liked to feel out in public.
The fact that she was now supposed to go to this thing alone wasn’t exactly helping matters.
All hopes she’d had of backing out of going to the service were dashed when her father actually showed up at the hospital. He claimed he had even brought armed guards to ensure her cooperation, that they were stationed downstairs and waiting.
Being a smart woman, Arizona knew he wasn’t being serious.
But this was her father, after all. So she could never be too certain.
“I said I’ll meet you in the car,” Arizona snapped at him for the tenth time while he hovered over her shoulder. She’d changed out of her scrubs into a respectable outfit and her long black coat, but she was hurrying to sign off on some last minute charts before heading out. “Dad, I’ll be down in five minutes. You need to let me finish up here first.” She gave her father an exasperated smile.
Colonel Robbins stiffened his posture, his right arm placed behind his back as his left held a service hat against his chest. “I’m perfectly aware of your attempts to delay, Arizona,” he replied very calmly. “But if you think that I am above dragging you from here, kicking and screaming...”
Arizona looked up from her chart, grinning crookedly at her father.
Daniel instantly returned the smile, relaxing a little. “Please hurry,” he pleaded softly after a moment passed. “I’d prefer to arrive early rather than right on time. Late is not an option.”
“Yes, sir,” Arizona replied absently, frowning as she scribbled some post-op notes down. She glanced over at him again. “I’m on my way. Just have to give instructions to my residents. I’m right behind you.” She stared pointedly until he finally sighed and turned to walk back toward the elevators.
Arizona had just looked back down at her chart when her father’s voice rang out.
“Thirty seconds, or I’m calling in the National Guard, Arizona Michelle Robbins.”
Arizona grinned to herself again, not taking her eyes off of her paperwork.
“I’d take the man seriously if I were you,” Derek Shepherd commented as he appeared beside Arizona, leaning back against the desk with his arms crossed over his chest. “My mother was a Navy nurse for twenty five years. They can be very serious when it comes to timeliness.”
“You’re telling me,” Arizona chuckled. “If I was so much as late for school or home after curfew, I didn’t see daylight for a week.”
She signed off on the last chart and closed it, adding it to the pile. “Karev!”
Alex wandered over, looking casually disinterested up until a stack of charts were thrust into his arms, nearly knocking him over. Arizona listed off about a hundred different instructions in rapid successsion, and he just stared at her for a few seconds when she eventually stopped talking.
The blonde arched a brow. “What are you waiting for? Go!” She turned him around by the shoulders and gave a slight push to propel him down the hallway. “I’ll be back in two, three hours tops!” she added, calling after him.
Derek shook his head as they watched Alex stumble away. “You're mean.”
Arizona turned to the Chief with a knowing smile. “Yeah, well,” she started as she buttoned her coat. “He slept with my girlfriend. It’s either torture him with paperwork or smash his head in with a brick, and I’m trying to curb my violent streak these days.” She turned and headed for the elevator, Shepherd falling into step beside her.
“Your girlfriend?” Derek echoed. “I didn't hear any 'ex's in there. Are you two are back together, then?”
Arizona shook her head a little sadly. “No, we’re most definitely not,” she sighed, jabbing her finger repeatedly against the ‘down’ button as soon as they reached the steel doors. “But that doesn’t mean I can’t still torture Karev to get my jollies.”
Derek chuckled and folded his arms. “I stand by what I said with ‘mean’.”
Arizona grinned sideways at him, pushing the button impatiently a few more times. “Just because I wear Heelys and have cute, fluffy bears on my scrub cap doesn’t mean I’m not a hardass teacher.”
“I can see that.” Derek watched closely as she fidgeted in place. “I think you should take the rest of the day off. Karev can handle post and pre ops. Bailey can do your afternoon appy.”
Arizona shook her head distractedly, reaching in a third time and mashing on the button with a slight growl under her breath. “No, it’s fine. I’ll be in and out of this thing in no time, provided this elevator decides to work sometime today.” There was no hiding the irritation in her voice.
“That wasn't a request,” Derek replied, smirking.
Arizona looked over to see the intensity in his blue eyes.
Apparently, it wasn’t.
She released a sigh as the ‘ding’ of the elevator finally announced its arrival.
Derek reached out to place a hand on her shoulder. “Just be with your family,” he told her gently. “That's all that matters right now. We can handle things here. I don't want to see you back for at least twenty-four hours.”
“Let me guess,” Arizona chuckled as she stepped into the elevator. She quirked a somewhat forced grin as the doors began to close. “That's an order?”
Derek just smiled as they slid shut, cutting him off from view.
***
Shortly after banning one of this attendings from the hospital for the day, Derek was doing some rearranging on the OR board when Sloan popped up beside him holding two cups of coffee.
“Oh, thanks, I need that,” he sighed in relief, reaching out expectantly.
Mark lifted a brow and pulled it away from him. “It’s not for you.” Callie appeared beside him seconds later and he thrust the coffee at her. “You.”
Derek sighed and went back to scribbling in names. He erased Arizona’s to replace it with Bailey’s.
Callie noticed. “Any reason Arizona isn't in surgery today?” she asked casually, but all three knew her true intentions.
Callie just couldn't help herself. Her natural curiosity was turning into some sort of sickness or addiction. Arizona was [i]constantly[/i] on her mind.
It kind of sucked.
Derek smiled as he continued to write without looking over. “Nothing painful,” he replied. “At least, not physically.”
Dr. Torres frowned as she took a slow sip from her coffee.
“It's the...thing today,” Mark supplied as he took a swig from his own. “Y'know,” he added, waving his free hand around. “The...military thing.”
Callie searched her brain, and her eyes suddenly widened. “The memorial,” she blurted. “I can't believe I forgot.”
The Chief looked to his best friend. “You remembered and she didn't?”
“What?” Mark shot back. “She only told me about it a thousand times.”
Derek slowly turned to look at the other surgeon.
Callie shrunk back just a little. “It was important to Arizona,” she replied defensively.
Derek just shook his head and turned back to the board. “Better get going, then.”
“What?” Callie blinked at him, while Mark just smirked and hid behind his coffee.
Derek didn’t look away from the board as he spoke. “It starts in forty five minutes. You should still be able to get there if you hurry.”
Mark watched Callie frown and look thoughtful. “Oh for Gods sakes, Torres, you’ll be obsessing about it the entire day if you don’t. Driving me crazy, and anyone else within hearing range.”
“Just make sure she doesn’t come back,” Derek added before Callie could reply. “I told her I don’t want to see her inside the four walls of this hospital for the rest of today, but she doesn’t always listen to me. So be sure she knows she’s fired if she comes back into work before eight AM tomorrow.”
Callie glanced from her boss to her best friend.
There were a thousand different reasons she shouldn’t go. But at the same time, there were a thousand different reasons that she really felt she should.
Only Callie really knew how hard this was going to be for Arizona, despite the brave face her ex was putting on. Arizona wasn’t one who liked to show her cracks to the world, but she had let Callie in just enough for her to know the truth.
Callie hadn’t missed the flicker of hope in Arizona’s eyes when she had offered to attend, prior to their sudden and seemingly permanent split. She knew how hard it was for Arizona to ask for help, or to accept it when offered. The blonde had seemed genuinely grateful and relieved at the prospect of having Callie by her side for support.
Truthfully, even after everything that had transpired the last few weeks, part of Callie just wanted to look past it all and be there for Arizona. She wasn’t one to break her promises, especially not to those she loved.
No matter what had happened between them or with other people.
There was still that moment of hesitation, where Callie took all of these facts into consideration.
But the hesitation only lasted a nano second.
Callie looked up and sent Derek a grateful smile, patting him on the arm. “Thanks, Chief.” She turned and quicky jogged down the hallway, heading for the locker room.
Both men watched her go.
“You think they'll do it?” Mark asked, not taking his eyes from his friend's rapidly retreating form.
Derek turned to him, lifting a brow.
Mark's grin faltered. “I meant get back together.”
Derek replaced the cap on the marker. “Sure you did.” He placed it next to the board and turned to leave.
Sloan frowned. “I really did.”
The Chief continued to walk away, still smirking to himself.
“Why does everyone think that's all I think about?” Mark complained as he followed. “I’m perfectly capable of having thoughts not involving sex.”
***
The crowd was a lot bigger than Arizona had thought it would be.
She stood near the back, having assured her father she would be fine on her own while he stood up front. Her mother sat in a reserved seat near the temporary stage.
The blonde pulled her coat tighter around herself as a cool breeze made her shiver, and her eyes traveled from the General at the podium, down the line of decorated war heroes, to settle on her father. He looked like a pillar of strength and power, just as he always did. He looked proud.
Arizona didn’t feel very proud.
Well, yes, she did, for him and for her brother, but mostly…she felt empty inside. Whatever words the General were saying went in one ear and out the other without her hearing or understanding a single one of them.
She was raised in a military family. She was a woman who had great respect for the people who served and gave their lives overseas. She was a woman who would defend the George O’Malley’s of the world when they decided to step up and enlist while everyone else tried to talk them out of it.
But right now, she was just a little girl who missed her best friend and brother terribly. So much so that she wasn’t sure how she was going to make it through the next twenty seconds, let alone the next twenty minutes. Tears stung the back of her eyes and she fought like hell to swallow back the lump in her throat.
Her resolve was starting to crack, and she was very close to turning around and fleeing.
But Arizona jumped when she suddenly felt a warm hand slide easily into her own. She looked to the left just as Callie stepped up next to her.
The brunette didn't say a single word as she gave the hand in her own a supportive squeeze. Her gaze remained trained on the General speaking at the podium, never wavering or looking away. She just held Arizona’s hand and watched the service unfold.
Arizona couldn’t take her eyes off of Callie for a long moment. She felt a rush of gratitude that seemed to instantly break down the barrier she had erected inside to keep from feeling anything.
Her lips parted slightly, as if she wanted to say something, but she blinked back a sudden onslaught of tears and looked forward again.
Callie smiled to herself, even though she knew Arizona was crying. It was something she truly felt the blonde needed to do, to stop hiding her emotions in all of this and just let everything go for once. She simply stepped a little closer and ran her thumb soothingly along the back Arizona's hand.
They stood there in silence and watched for the next twenty minutes as the service went on.
Arizona jumped and closed her eyes when the ceremonial guns went off at the end, shooting blanks with a definitive loud ‘crack’. With each successive fire she flinched and remembered the last time she had heard that sound.
Callie leaned in closer and tightened her grip on the blonde’s hand, reaching over with her other to run it soothingly along the woman's forearm.
Arizona squeezed her eyes shut tightly and she buried her face into Callie’s shoulder. She instantly felt a pair of arms circle her waist and tug her in closer.
***
“Dr. Torres.” Colonel Robbins greeted Callie with a warm smile as she and his daughter slowly approached where he was standing with his wife.
Callie automatically offered him the same smile in return. “I thought I told you to call me Callie.”
Daniel pulled the woman into a firm hug. “Right,” he chuckled into her ear. “Of course.” He stepped back to meet her dark eyes with his own blue gaze. “Callie.”
Arizona smiled as she watched the interaction.
It still surprised her how much her father had taken to Callie. Well, maybe surprised wasn’t the right word - Callie was very, very likable. It just took a lot to impress the Colonel.
He’d scared away more than one girlfriend back in high school and college.
Colonel Robbins turned his attention to his daughter, and upon seeing her red, puffy eyes, pulled her into a bear hug as well. “I’m glad you came, Zonie. Thank you.”
Arizona closed her eyes and tightened her arms around her father’s midsection. “You looked real good up there, daddy,” she whispered back.
Callie watched the exchange, and as Arizona and her father broke the hug, her eyes flickered over to Arizona’s mother.
Arizona, too, turned her attention to the woman. “Mom, I-”
“I’ll be in the car,” Mrs. Robbins cut in abruptly with a strained voice. “Be quick, Daniel, we don’t want to keep the General waiting.” She turned and walked briskly away.
But not before Callie saw the glimmer of unshed tears.
Arizona watched her mother go with sad eyes, her heart sinking in her chest. “Is she ever going to forgive me?” she asked her father weakly.
Daniel sighed as he watched his wife walk away. “It's not you, Zona,” he replied softly. “You're just the easiest way to work out all of her anger and pain over what happened to Aaron.” He looked down at his daughter with a sad smile. “She'd turn it on me, but I think she's too afraid I'd leave her.” He paused as his smile brightened just a little. “You and I both know I never could.”
Arizona mustered enough energy to return the gesture, and she knew it was true. No matter what her mother put her father through, he loved her more than his own breath. And she had the sneaking suspicion that the feeling was very mutual.
“She loves you, Arizona, don’t forget that.” Daniel watched his daughter stare in the direction her mother had retreated to, sadness evident in her eyes.
Callie suddenly felt like she was intruding upon a very private and intimate family moment. Just as she stepped back to try and quietly slink away, Daniel immediately looked in her direction, pinning her to the spot with his bright blue eyes. She had to smile a little at that.
Like father, like daughter.
“Are you two joining us for brunch with the General?” Daniel questioned, looking from Callie to Arizona and back again.
“Oh no,” Arizona immediately cut in. “You and mom can do the formal lunch thing. We’ve, uh…got work, a-and -”
“I get it,” Daniel interrupted with a light chuckle. “All I needed was a no.” He pulled is daughter into one more hug, holding her close for a long moment before releasing her.
Gesturing at Callie to come forward, he gathered her into his arms as well. “In case we don’t see each other again before I leave, it was wonderful meeting you, Calliope. A true delight.”
Arizona watched the exchange with a tiny grin on her face.
Callie laughed quietly into the man's shoulder. She returned the hug as if he were her own father. It was kind of scary how easily comfortable that felt to her. “It was super to meet you too, Danny.”
The Colonel laughed.
Arizona arched a brow. “Danny?”
Her father winked at her with a twinkle in his eye. Returning his attention to Callie, he stepped closer, leaning over to whisper into her ear. “You take care of my little girl, you understand?”
Callie's smile faltered just a little as her gaze shifted over to her ex. “Yes, sir,” she whispered quietly.
With one last wave and a nod, Daniel turned and followed in the direction his wife had gone.
Finally alone again, Arizona realized they hadn’t actually spoken directly to eachother yet. She turned to face Callie, both women a little tense at first.
Releasing a breath, Arizona finally took a small step closer. “Thank you. It means…everything that you’re here, Calliope.” She smiled softly and glanced down, swallowing back. “More than you can possibly know.”
A hand reached out to gently touch her chin. With an encouraging tug, blue eyes once again met brown.
“There's not a single place on Earth I'd rather be right now,” Callie replied honestly.
Arizona nodded silently and blinked back more tears.
Callie’s smile faltered a bit as she slowly dropped her hand away from the other woman's chin.
There was another weighted moment of silence between them.
“I should go,” Arizona finally spoke. “I have surgery in a few hours, and I want to keep an eye on some of the kids.” She bit her lip, her eyes lingering on Callie for a second longer before she finally turned away.
There was a split second while she did so, during which Callie finally made her choice.
“I don't care.”
Callie spoke with a firm resolve for the first time since this whole mess had started. Arizona turned back to look at her curiously. “I don't care what you did. I don't care what we said.” She stepped forward and raised her hand again, this time to brush back a strand of silky blonde hair and tuck it behind Arizona’s ear. “I just don't care about any of it anymore. I love you too much to just walk away from this. From us."
Simple words though they were, a huge weight felt like it was suddenly lifted from Arizona’s shoulders. She was so sick of having to pretend that she wasn’t in love with this woman; it was exhausting. “Callie…”
Simultaneously, both women stepped into eachother. Arizona waited very little time in placing her hands on Callie’s hips and tugging her in a little closer.
The moment her arms circled Callie’s waist, she felt like she was home again.
Arizona couldn’t look away from the dark haired Goddess in front of her. It felt like it had been forever since they’d been this close. “I’m gonna kiss you now,” she informed the brunette in a whisper, before closing her eyes and leaning in to do so.
Callie hovered there, but pulled back at the last possible second before contact.
A moment passed before one blue eye popped open.
Callie chuckled softly before leaning in the short distance to place her lips against the blonde’s ear. “Not here,” she whispered huskily as she reached down with her right hand to grasp Arizona's left hip. “Let me take you home.”
Arizona pouted, deflating a little bit. “I don’t wanna go home.” Her voice was heavy with exhaustion. She was emotionally drained, and the prospect of returning to her dreary apartment wasn’t an all together pleasant one. Just the thought of going home and crying all afternoon made her feel even more tired. “It’s all…empty, and there’s no food. And I haven’t cleaned.”
“You talk too much,” Callie pointed out with a sly smirk. “Besides, I was talking about home. Our home.” When they were together, Arizona had all but ‘officially’ lived in her apartment. That was home to both of them. And the last thing Callie wanted was to leave the blonde alone for the rest of the afternoon when she clearly needed some company.
Chuckling, Arizona leaned in to nuzzle against the side of Callie’s neck. “That sounds like a divine idea. But, work…I should probably go check in. I kind of unloaded eight or nine patient work-ups on Karev.”
Callie's eyes slipped closed and she began to smile. There was one thing she knew for sure that would get Arizona to forget all about Seattle Grace and her job.
It was a tactic that had yet to fail.
“You could do that,” she whispered huskily into Arizona’s ear. “Meanwhile, I'm gonna be in our home, in our bed.” Her right hand slowly slid up along the blonde’s side. She stopped just as she reached the swell of a perfect breast, hidden beneath Arizona's coat. “All alone. Probably naked and extremely horny.”
It didn’t take any more than that to convince the other surgeon, just as Callie knew it wouldn’t.
A small giggle escaped Arizona’s lips. “Okay then, home it is. Now please.” She reached over to snag Callie’s hand in her own and tugged her back toward the parking lot.
Callie allowed herself to be willingly lead away.
She was done fighting it.
---
Chapter 18 (Part One)/23
Authors: Faith & Kye
Pairing: Callie/Arizona
Rating: NC-17
Story Summary: Post-6x17 "Push" -- Arizona prefers chickens to children, and Callie isn't okay with that. Heartbroken and lonely, the two women try unsuccessfully to move on with their lives, only to find they really are made for eachother.
Chapter Summary: Callie follows through on a promise, and finally makes her choice.
Disclaimer: All television shows, movies, books, and other copyrighted material referred to in this work, and the characters, settings, and events thereof, are the properties of their respective owners. As this work is an interpretation of the original material and not for-profit, it constitutes fair use. Reference to real persons, places, or events are made in a fictional context, and are not intended to be libelous, defamatory, or in any way factual.
Previous Chapters
---
Sunday came around much too fast.
After the fiasco with Carmen and sort of making peace with Callie, Arizona got really busy with work, and then suddenly it was Sunday.
She had been to military services before, but not since her brother had died. It wasn’t that she was opposed to remembering or honoring him, but something about the idea of going to a service right now was getting under her skin. It felt uncomfortable, forced, and completely alien to the life she had grown used to in Seattle. Her other life had yet to mesh with this one, and now that it was, it was shaking her newly formed foundation to its core. It had been ever since her father had mentioned the prospect of attending several weeks ago.
Truthfully, she was feeling more than a little scared. Which isn’t something she liked to feel, let alone something she liked to feel out in public.
The fact that she was now supposed to go to this thing alone wasn’t exactly helping matters.
All hopes she’d had of backing out of going to the service were dashed when her father actually showed up at the hospital. He claimed he had even brought armed guards to ensure her cooperation, that they were stationed downstairs and waiting.
Being a smart woman, Arizona knew he wasn’t being serious.
But this was her father, after all. So she could never be too certain.
“I said I’ll meet you in the car,” Arizona snapped at him for the tenth time while he hovered over her shoulder. She’d changed out of her scrubs into a respectable outfit and her long black coat, but she was hurrying to sign off on some last minute charts before heading out. “Dad, I’ll be down in five minutes. You need to let me finish up here first.” She gave her father an exasperated smile.
Colonel Robbins stiffened his posture, his right arm placed behind his back as his left held a service hat against his chest. “I’m perfectly aware of your attempts to delay, Arizona,” he replied very calmly. “But if you think that I am above dragging you from here, kicking and screaming...”
Arizona looked up from her chart, grinning crookedly at her father.
Daniel instantly returned the smile, relaxing a little. “Please hurry,” he pleaded softly after a moment passed. “I’d prefer to arrive early rather than right on time. Late is not an option.”
“Yes, sir,” Arizona replied absently, frowning as she scribbled some post-op notes down. She glanced over at him again. “I’m on my way. Just have to give instructions to my residents. I’m right behind you.” She stared pointedly until he finally sighed and turned to walk back toward the elevators.
Arizona had just looked back down at her chart when her father’s voice rang out.
“Thirty seconds, or I’m calling in the National Guard, Arizona Michelle Robbins.”
Arizona grinned to herself again, not taking her eyes off of her paperwork.
“I’d take the man seriously if I were you,” Derek Shepherd commented as he appeared beside Arizona, leaning back against the desk with his arms crossed over his chest. “My mother was a Navy nurse for twenty five years. They can be very serious when it comes to timeliness.”
“You’re telling me,” Arizona chuckled. “If I was so much as late for school or home after curfew, I didn’t see daylight for a week.”
She signed off on the last chart and closed it, adding it to the pile. “Karev!”
Alex wandered over, looking casually disinterested up until a stack of charts were thrust into his arms, nearly knocking him over. Arizona listed off about a hundred different instructions in rapid successsion, and he just stared at her for a few seconds when she eventually stopped talking.
The blonde arched a brow. “What are you waiting for? Go!” She turned him around by the shoulders and gave a slight push to propel him down the hallway. “I’ll be back in two, three hours tops!” she added, calling after him.
Derek shook his head as they watched Alex stumble away. “You're mean.”
Arizona turned to the Chief with a knowing smile. “Yeah, well,” she started as she buttoned her coat. “He slept with my girlfriend. It’s either torture him with paperwork or smash his head in with a brick, and I’m trying to curb my violent streak these days.” She turned and headed for the elevator, Shepherd falling into step beside her.
“Your girlfriend?” Derek echoed. “I didn't hear any 'ex's in there. Are you two are back together, then?”
Arizona shook her head a little sadly. “No, we’re most definitely not,” she sighed, jabbing her finger repeatedly against the ‘down’ button as soon as they reached the steel doors. “But that doesn’t mean I can’t still torture Karev to get my jollies.”
Derek chuckled and folded his arms. “I stand by what I said with ‘mean’.”
Arizona grinned sideways at him, pushing the button impatiently a few more times. “Just because I wear Heelys and have cute, fluffy bears on my scrub cap doesn’t mean I’m not a hardass teacher.”
“I can see that.” Derek watched closely as she fidgeted in place. “I think you should take the rest of the day off. Karev can handle post and pre ops. Bailey can do your afternoon appy.”
Arizona shook her head distractedly, reaching in a third time and mashing on the button with a slight growl under her breath. “No, it’s fine. I’ll be in and out of this thing in no time, provided this elevator decides to work sometime today.” There was no hiding the irritation in her voice.
“That wasn't a request,” Derek replied, smirking.
Arizona looked over to see the intensity in his blue eyes.
Apparently, it wasn’t.
She released a sigh as the ‘ding’ of the elevator finally announced its arrival.
Derek reached out to place a hand on her shoulder. “Just be with your family,” he told her gently. “That's all that matters right now. We can handle things here. I don't want to see you back for at least twenty-four hours.”
“Let me guess,” Arizona chuckled as she stepped into the elevator. She quirked a somewhat forced grin as the doors began to close. “That's an order?”
Derek just smiled as they slid shut, cutting him off from view.
***
Shortly after banning one of this attendings from the hospital for the day, Derek was doing some rearranging on the OR board when Sloan popped up beside him holding two cups of coffee.
“Oh, thanks, I need that,” he sighed in relief, reaching out expectantly.
Mark lifted a brow and pulled it away from him. “It’s not for you.” Callie appeared beside him seconds later and he thrust the coffee at her. “You.”
Derek sighed and went back to scribbling in names. He erased Arizona’s to replace it with Bailey’s.
Callie noticed. “Any reason Arizona isn't in surgery today?” she asked casually, but all three knew her true intentions.
Callie just couldn't help herself. Her natural curiosity was turning into some sort of sickness or addiction. Arizona was [i]constantly[/i] on her mind.
It kind of sucked.
Derek smiled as he continued to write without looking over. “Nothing painful,” he replied. “At least, not physically.”
Dr. Torres frowned as she took a slow sip from her coffee.
“It's the...thing today,” Mark supplied as he took a swig from his own. “Y'know,” he added, waving his free hand around. “The...military thing.”
Callie searched her brain, and her eyes suddenly widened. “The memorial,” she blurted. “I can't believe I forgot.”
The Chief looked to his best friend. “You remembered and she didn't?”
“What?” Mark shot back. “She only told me about it a thousand times.”
Derek slowly turned to look at the other surgeon.
Callie shrunk back just a little. “It was important to Arizona,” she replied defensively.
Derek just shook his head and turned back to the board. “Better get going, then.”
“What?” Callie blinked at him, while Mark just smirked and hid behind his coffee.
Derek didn’t look away from the board as he spoke. “It starts in forty five minutes. You should still be able to get there if you hurry.”
Mark watched Callie frown and look thoughtful. “Oh for Gods sakes, Torres, you’ll be obsessing about it the entire day if you don’t. Driving me crazy, and anyone else within hearing range.”
“Just make sure she doesn’t come back,” Derek added before Callie could reply. “I told her I don’t want to see her inside the four walls of this hospital for the rest of today, but she doesn’t always listen to me. So be sure she knows she’s fired if she comes back into work before eight AM tomorrow.”
Callie glanced from her boss to her best friend.
There were a thousand different reasons she shouldn’t go. But at the same time, there were a thousand different reasons that she really felt she should.
Only Callie really knew how hard this was going to be for Arizona, despite the brave face her ex was putting on. Arizona wasn’t one who liked to show her cracks to the world, but she had let Callie in just enough for her to know the truth.
Callie hadn’t missed the flicker of hope in Arizona’s eyes when she had offered to attend, prior to their sudden and seemingly permanent split. She knew how hard it was for Arizona to ask for help, or to accept it when offered. The blonde had seemed genuinely grateful and relieved at the prospect of having Callie by her side for support.
Truthfully, even after everything that had transpired the last few weeks, part of Callie just wanted to look past it all and be there for Arizona. She wasn’t one to break her promises, especially not to those she loved.
No matter what had happened between them or with other people.
There was still that moment of hesitation, where Callie took all of these facts into consideration.
But the hesitation only lasted a nano second.
Callie looked up and sent Derek a grateful smile, patting him on the arm. “Thanks, Chief.” She turned and quicky jogged down the hallway, heading for the locker room.
Both men watched her go.
“You think they'll do it?” Mark asked, not taking his eyes from his friend's rapidly retreating form.
Derek turned to him, lifting a brow.
Mark's grin faltered. “I meant get back together.”
Derek replaced the cap on the marker. “Sure you did.” He placed it next to the board and turned to leave.
Sloan frowned. “I really did.”
The Chief continued to walk away, still smirking to himself.
“Why does everyone think that's all I think about?” Mark complained as he followed. “I’m perfectly capable of having thoughts not involving sex.”
***
The crowd was a lot bigger than Arizona had thought it would be.
She stood near the back, having assured her father she would be fine on her own while he stood up front. Her mother sat in a reserved seat near the temporary stage.
The blonde pulled her coat tighter around herself as a cool breeze made her shiver, and her eyes traveled from the General at the podium, down the line of decorated war heroes, to settle on her father. He looked like a pillar of strength and power, just as he always did. He looked proud.
Arizona didn’t feel very proud.
Well, yes, she did, for him and for her brother, but mostly…she felt empty inside. Whatever words the General were saying went in one ear and out the other without her hearing or understanding a single one of them.
She was raised in a military family. She was a woman who had great respect for the people who served and gave their lives overseas. She was a woman who would defend the George O’Malley’s of the world when they decided to step up and enlist while everyone else tried to talk them out of it.
But right now, she was just a little girl who missed her best friend and brother terribly. So much so that she wasn’t sure how she was going to make it through the next twenty seconds, let alone the next twenty minutes. Tears stung the back of her eyes and she fought like hell to swallow back the lump in her throat.
Her resolve was starting to crack, and she was very close to turning around and fleeing.
But Arizona jumped when she suddenly felt a warm hand slide easily into her own. She looked to the left just as Callie stepped up next to her.
The brunette didn't say a single word as she gave the hand in her own a supportive squeeze. Her gaze remained trained on the General speaking at the podium, never wavering or looking away. She just held Arizona’s hand and watched the service unfold.
Arizona couldn’t take her eyes off of Callie for a long moment. She felt a rush of gratitude that seemed to instantly break down the barrier she had erected inside to keep from feeling anything.
Her lips parted slightly, as if she wanted to say something, but she blinked back a sudden onslaught of tears and looked forward again.
Callie smiled to herself, even though she knew Arizona was crying. It was something she truly felt the blonde needed to do, to stop hiding her emotions in all of this and just let everything go for once. She simply stepped a little closer and ran her thumb soothingly along the back Arizona's hand.
They stood there in silence and watched for the next twenty minutes as the service went on.
Arizona jumped and closed her eyes when the ceremonial guns went off at the end, shooting blanks with a definitive loud ‘crack’. With each successive fire she flinched and remembered the last time she had heard that sound.
Callie leaned in closer and tightened her grip on the blonde’s hand, reaching over with her other to run it soothingly along the woman's forearm.
Arizona squeezed her eyes shut tightly and she buried her face into Callie’s shoulder. She instantly felt a pair of arms circle her waist and tug her in closer.
***
“Dr. Torres.” Colonel Robbins greeted Callie with a warm smile as she and his daughter slowly approached where he was standing with his wife.
Callie automatically offered him the same smile in return. “I thought I told you to call me Callie.”
Daniel pulled the woman into a firm hug. “Right,” he chuckled into her ear. “Of course.” He stepped back to meet her dark eyes with his own blue gaze. “Callie.”
Arizona smiled as she watched the interaction.
It still surprised her how much her father had taken to Callie. Well, maybe surprised wasn’t the right word - Callie was very, very likable. It just took a lot to impress the Colonel.
He’d scared away more than one girlfriend back in high school and college.
Colonel Robbins turned his attention to his daughter, and upon seeing her red, puffy eyes, pulled her into a bear hug as well. “I’m glad you came, Zonie. Thank you.”
Arizona closed her eyes and tightened her arms around her father’s midsection. “You looked real good up there, daddy,” she whispered back.
Callie watched the exchange, and as Arizona and her father broke the hug, her eyes flickered over to Arizona’s mother.
Arizona, too, turned her attention to the woman. “Mom, I-”
“I’ll be in the car,” Mrs. Robbins cut in abruptly with a strained voice. “Be quick, Daniel, we don’t want to keep the General waiting.” She turned and walked briskly away.
But not before Callie saw the glimmer of unshed tears.
Arizona watched her mother go with sad eyes, her heart sinking in her chest. “Is she ever going to forgive me?” she asked her father weakly.
Daniel sighed as he watched his wife walk away. “It's not you, Zona,” he replied softly. “You're just the easiest way to work out all of her anger and pain over what happened to Aaron.” He looked down at his daughter with a sad smile. “She'd turn it on me, but I think she's too afraid I'd leave her.” He paused as his smile brightened just a little. “You and I both know I never could.”
Arizona mustered enough energy to return the gesture, and she knew it was true. No matter what her mother put her father through, he loved her more than his own breath. And she had the sneaking suspicion that the feeling was very mutual.
“She loves you, Arizona, don’t forget that.” Daniel watched his daughter stare in the direction her mother had retreated to, sadness evident in her eyes.
Callie suddenly felt like she was intruding upon a very private and intimate family moment. Just as she stepped back to try and quietly slink away, Daniel immediately looked in her direction, pinning her to the spot with his bright blue eyes. She had to smile a little at that.
Like father, like daughter.
“Are you two joining us for brunch with the General?” Daniel questioned, looking from Callie to Arizona and back again.
“Oh no,” Arizona immediately cut in. “You and mom can do the formal lunch thing. We’ve, uh…got work, a-and -”
“I get it,” Daniel interrupted with a light chuckle. “All I needed was a no.” He pulled is daughter into one more hug, holding her close for a long moment before releasing her.
Gesturing at Callie to come forward, he gathered her into his arms as well. “In case we don’t see each other again before I leave, it was wonderful meeting you, Calliope. A true delight.”
Arizona watched the exchange with a tiny grin on her face.
Callie laughed quietly into the man's shoulder. She returned the hug as if he were her own father. It was kind of scary how easily comfortable that felt to her. “It was super to meet you too, Danny.”
The Colonel laughed.
Arizona arched a brow. “Danny?”
Her father winked at her with a twinkle in his eye. Returning his attention to Callie, he stepped closer, leaning over to whisper into her ear. “You take care of my little girl, you understand?”
Callie's smile faltered just a little as her gaze shifted over to her ex. “Yes, sir,” she whispered quietly.
With one last wave and a nod, Daniel turned and followed in the direction his wife had gone.
Finally alone again, Arizona realized they hadn’t actually spoken directly to eachother yet. She turned to face Callie, both women a little tense at first.
Releasing a breath, Arizona finally took a small step closer. “Thank you. It means…everything that you’re here, Calliope.” She smiled softly and glanced down, swallowing back. “More than you can possibly know.”
A hand reached out to gently touch her chin. With an encouraging tug, blue eyes once again met brown.
“There's not a single place on Earth I'd rather be right now,” Callie replied honestly.
Arizona nodded silently and blinked back more tears.
Callie’s smile faltered a bit as she slowly dropped her hand away from the other woman's chin.
There was another weighted moment of silence between them.
“I should go,” Arizona finally spoke. “I have surgery in a few hours, and I want to keep an eye on some of the kids.” She bit her lip, her eyes lingering on Callie for a second longer before she finally turned away.
There was a split second while she did so, during which Callie finally made her choice.
“I don't care.”
Callie spoke with a firm resolve for the first time since this whole mess had started. Arizona turned back to look at her curiously. “I don't care what you did. I don't care what we said.” She stepped forward and raised her hand again, this time to brush back a strand of silky blonde hair and tuck it behind Arizona’s ear. “I just don't care about any of it anymore. I love you too much to just walk away from this. From us."
Simple words though they were, a huge weight felt like it was suddenly lifted from Arizona’s shoulders. She was so sick of having to pretend that she wasn’t in love with this woman; it was exhausting. “Callie…”
Simultaneously, both women stepped into eachother. Arizona waited very little time in placing her hands on Callie’s hips and tugging her in a little closer.
The moment her arms circled Callie’s waist, she felt like she was home again.
Arizona couldn’t look away from the dark haired Goddess in front of her. It felt like it had been forever since they’d been this close. “I’m gonna kiss you now,” she informed the brunette in a whisper, before closing her eyes and leaning in to do so.
Callie hovered there, but pulled back at the last possible second before contact.
A moment passed before one blue eye popped open.
Callie chuckled softly before leaning in the short distance to place her lips against the blonde’s ear. “Not here,” she whispered huskily as she reached down with her right hand to grasp Arizona's left hip. “Let me take you home.”
Arizona pouted, deflating a little bit. “I don’t wanna go home.” Her voice was heavy with exhaustion. She was emotionally drained, and the prospect of returning to her dreary apartment wasn’t an all together pleasant one. Just the thought of going home and crying all afternoon made her feel even more tired. “It’s all…empty, and there’s no food. And I haven’t cleaned.”
“You talk too much,” Callie pointed out with a sly smirk. “Besides, I was talking about home. Our home.” When they were together, Arizona had all but ‘officially’ lived in her apartment. That was home to both of them. And the last thing Callie wanted was to leave the blonde alone for the rest of the afternoon when she clearly needed some company.
Chuckling, Arizona leaned in to nuzzle against the side of Callie’s neck. “That sounds like a divine idea. But, work…I should probably go check in. I kind of unloaded eight or nine patient work-ups on Karev.”
Callie's eyes slipped closed and she began to smile. There was one thing she knew for sure that would get Arizona to forget all about Seattle Grace and her job.
It was a tactic that had yet to fail.
“You could do that,” she whispered huskily into Arizona’s ear. “Meanwhile, I'm gonna be in our home, in our bed.” Her right hand slowly slid up along the blonde’s side. She stopped just as she reached the swell of a perfect breast, hidden beneath Arizona's coat. “All alone. Probably naked and extremely horny.”
It didn’t take any more than that to convince the other surgeon, just as Callie knew it wouldn’t.
A small giggle escaped Arizona’s lips. “Okay then, home it is. Now please.” She reached over to snag Callie’s hand in her own and tugged her back toward the parking lot.
Callie allowed herself to be willingly lead away.
She was done fighting it.
---