Grey's Anatomy - Choices (20/23)
Title: Choices
Chapter 20/23
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: Arizona realizes what she wants out of life, 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
A/N: Sick as a dog and procrastinating school work, so decided to post this early. Seems we've lost a good chunk of you that were reading before, which is too bad. But thanks again to those who continue to comment and let us know what you think, we really appreciate it. Also, cold medication makes my head fuzzy, so if I missed any mistakes or something reads funny, that's my fault. Sorry in advance.
---
“Dr. Grey here will run some blood tests to confirm, but I’m pretty positive in my diagnosis.” Arizona nodded firmly as she spoke to Danielle’s parents outside of the girl’s room. She and her sister lay sound asleep together on Danielle’s bed on the other side of the glass window.
Martin and Amanda Harper watched Dr. Robbins closely, as if they were expecting her to shout ‘April Fools!’ at any moment. “So...you’re saying,” Amanda stuttered, blinking back tears that threatened to fall. “Dani will be okay? Really, she’ll finally be okay?”
Arizona smiled at the parents and nodded again. “I’m saying she’ll be okay. We can treat her symptoms with medication, and I’m confident that as she recovers from the brain tumor, her body will stabilize itself. You’ll need to watch her very closely during that time, because even with medication she might have another seizure if she’s not careful. We can go over her course of treatment later, right now I’m sure you want to be with your girls.”
Martin beamed widely and shook Arizona’s hand. “Thank you, Dr. Robbins,” he replied anxiously, and then headed into the room to talk to his daughters.
Arizona was surprised to suddenly find herself being hugged tightly by Mrs. Harper. For a petite woman, she was as strong as a bear. Smiling a little, Arizona patted her lightly on the back.
A few moments of silence stretched on as Amanda hugged the surgeon in an increasingly tighter grip. “I can't even begin to tell you what you've done for my family,” she whispered. A few stray tears fell from the corners of her eyes. She didn't seem to mind that they were right in the middle of the hallway, making a bit of a spectacle of themselves.
Arizona glanced around awkwardly, smiling weakly at every passer-by that stared.
Amanda's tight grip finally let up a little, but she kept Arizona locked into the hug. “Thank you, Arizona,” the grateful mother whispered into her ear once more. “You save childrens’ lives. There's a special place in Heaven for people like you.”
“Oh, that’s…sweet,” Arizona replied a little shyly, but she smiled none the less as the woman finally pulled away. “Dani’s a sweet girl, Amanda. She’s tough. She got herself through this by being a fighter.”
“You never let her give up,” Mrs. Harper instantly replied. “We’ve seen more than a few doctors over the last fifteen months, and you’re the only one she's ever liked or trusted. I’ve seen you sit with her, play games with her, talk to her like she’s a grown up, treat her like you would any other human being, and there’s no doubt in my mind that your attitude and abilities are why my daughter is still alive today. I could never thank you enough.”
Arizona blushed a little bit and gave a half-shrug. “Like I said, she’s a special little girl.”
Mrs. Harper nodded in return. Her eyes were still wet with tears. “She really is,” she breathed, putting a hand over her heart. She sniffled and glanced back over her shoulder. She took in the sight of her husband and two little girls through the window. “I didn't want Ani to have to grow up without her sister. She's young, but I don't think she'd ever get over losing her twin like that.”
Arizona's smile disappeared and she took in a shaky breath. “It's not an easy feat at any age,” she whispered in response. Her eyes drifted down to the floor.
Amanda turned back to the surgeon. A few moments passed before realization finally set it. “Oh,” she spoke softly. “I see.” She took a slow step forward, reaching out to place a hand on the doctor's arm. “But at least you have the love of a good woman to lean on.”
Arizona looked up, surprised, and gaped stupidly at Mrs. Harper for a moment. “Uh…” She was naturally a little wary, especially after the 'Heaven' comment.
“Oh, please,” Amanda chuckled. “The conversations I’ve overheard in this hospital since Dani’s been here would surprise you. I could draw you a map of who’s seeing who, or who’s married to who.”
“People do talk,” Arizona admitted with a light chuckle. Boy, did people ever talk here.
Mrs. Harper watched as Dr. Robbins looked through the window at the two kids, and it didn’t pass by her the way the surgeon's eyes sparkled or the way she smiled to herself at the sight of the happy children. “Dr. Torres is a lucky lady. You’ll make a good mother some day, Arizona. You have a gift with children.”
Arizona’s smile faded once more. “Maybe,” she said quietly. “Moments like these are the good ones. They make everything seem…better. When you can save a life. But other times…” She trailed off, not wanting to suddenly spill her guts to the poor woman just because she couldn’t get Callie and the huge question mark about their future off of her mind.
“But what?” Amanda asked tentatively. She met and held Arizona’s gaze, tilting her head curiously.
“But...” Arizona trailed off again with a weak shrug. “I don’t know if I can. Not with...everything.”
Amanda's hand squeezed a little more firmly against Arizona's arm. “The good times will far out number the bad. I promise you.” She paused for a moment to take in a breath, dropping her hand away. “I know you're doubting my word, all things considered.” She glanced back over her shoulder. “But even after everything she's been through, and after everything it's put the rest of us through...” She sighed heavily again before turning back to the blonde. “We're a better family for it. Stronger.”
Arizona let the woman’s words sink in. “She’s your little girl,” she said softly after a moment. “And she…”
“Almost died? Yes, she did.” Amanda followed Arizona’s gaze into the room where Dani and her sister were giggling together while Lexi Grey chatted with their dad. “But no matter what would have happened, even if you hadn’t been able to save her, it would have been worth it. The joy children bring to our lives can’t be duplicated in any other way.” She looked at Arizona, watching the blonde’s eyes cloud over as she thought deeply on the matter. “You’d be a good mother. Through the good times and the bad. It’s all worth it, no matter what happens. When you find the right person, the one you want to spend the rest of your life with…raising a child together is the most rewarding experience you’ll ever have.”
Arizona already knew, without a doubt in her mind, that she’d found that person in Calliope Torres. And suddenly, all she could think about was a little girl with Callie’s smile, nose, cheeks, and dimples running around their apartment, laughing that infectious laugh of the brunette’s she loved so much.
“I thought Martin was the shrink in the family, not you,” Arizona teased, shooting Amanda a small grin.
Mrs. Harper laughed as she tipped her head back just slightly. “He may have the Ph.D, but I'm a mother,” she shot back as her smile slowly began to grow. “The things I've learned, they can't teach you in any school.”
Arizona began to mirror the other woman's smile just as the door to the room flew open and the sound of tiny, rapid footsteps echoed in the hallway. Her body jolted slightly when forty-eight pounds of pure giggles suddenly slammed into her at full force.
“You saved her!” Annabelle squealed as she hugged the surgeon tightly around the legs. “You saved my sister, Zona! I love you!” She closed her eyes and squeezed with all her might.
Arizona flailed a little as her balance wavered, but she grinned and patted Annabelle on the back. Her heart melted a little in her chest. “She couldn’t have done it without you,” she pointed out with a grin. “You were her rock, Ani. You saved her, too.”
“I wanna take you in for show and tell!” Annabelle squealed. “You’d be so cool! You and the brain doctor! Can I, mom?”
Arizona had to laugh at that, and she ruffled the seven-year-old’s hair affectionately. She glanced up to see Lexi standing in the doorway, smirking at her.
“Go run the blood tests, Little Grey,” she ordered, though she couldn’t fight the grin that was forming.
Lexi just nodded. “Yes, Dr. Robbins.” She kept her knowing smile and the eye contact with her attending as she slowly walked by, file in hand.
“You have to come play with us, Zona!” Ani laughed as she pulled away and began to tug on Arizona's hand with both of her own. “Dani's super great at Uno! She promised to teach me how.”
Mrs. Harper's heart swelled a little in her chest as she looked from her daughter up to Arizona.
But Arizona's gaze was focused intently on the set of bright green eyes staring back up at her from waist level.
She was a little torn. She was really, really feeling the urge to just run and find Callie right that very second. But, at the same time…
Who could resist such a cute plea like that?
“She can teach you, and you can teach me, how’s that sound?” Arizona took one of Annabelle’s hands, while the girl’s mother took the other, and allowed herself to be pulled into the room by one super enthusiastic kid.
***
The sound of a high tech bone drill was the first thing that met Arizona’s ears as she pushed through the doorway and into Callie’s OR. She stopped just inside for a moment, tying a surgical mask behind her neck and up over the back of her scrub cap as she watched the look of pure concentration on Callie’s face.
Arizona found it super sexy.
When the bolt was in the patient’s leg and the drilling noise stopped for the time being, Arizona made a beeline for her girlfriend, grinning a little from behind her mask. “Calliope."
Dr. Torres jumped about a mile in the air, which made Arizona grin even more.
“We need to talk.” Arizona clasped both hands behind her back and she peered over into the open leg, bouncing on the balls of her feet. “Ew. That’s a little gross.” She wrinkled her nose.
Callie's dark eyes widened. “Arizona?” she called, still not quite believing what she was seeing. “What're you doing in here?”
The blonde shook her head to rid it of bloody image as she pulled her gaze up to meet Callie's. She smiled behind the cover of her mask. “I want to have a baby.”
Every set of eyes in the room turned to them. But she didn't noticed a single pair except for the deep, familiar brown right next to her.
“What?” Callie asked, her brow furrowing. She slowly set the drill down onto the nearest surgical table.
“With you,” Arizona added with a slight, emphasizing pitch forward. Her smile widened behind her mask. “I want to have a baby with you.”
Callie's eyes widened even more. “You wanna have a baby with me?” she repeated slowly, never looking away from her girlfriend. She was still a little hesitant to believe such abrupt words.
But there was no denying the sudden swell of hope and happiness that nearly ruptured her heart. “And you couldn't wait to tell me this when I was, I don't know...” She waved a gloved hand through the air. “Not right in the middle of surgery?” Glancing around, she saw all eyes trained on them. She leaned toward her girlfriend and dropped her voice into a low, growling hiss. “Or in front of my entire orthopedic staff?”
The grin on Arizona’s face was about to split her surgical mask right open. “Nope. Couldn’t wait. Needed you to know.” The peds surgeon had a purely happy, playful look in her shining blue eyes.
The word ‘perky’ had never suited her more until this moment.
Since she couldn’t technically touch Callie without being scrubbed in, she had to settle for nudging the brunette’s foot with her own. “And now you do. So…please, continue with your…thing.” She glanced over to the gross mess of a leg and scrunched her nose again. “And come find me when you’re done.”
Without even waiting for a reply, Arizona beamed once more at her partner, then turned and Heely-wheeled herself back to the exit.
Callie stood frozen in place as she watched the door slowly seal shut behind her girlfriend.
One of the nurses stepped up next to her left shoulder. “Dr. Torres?” she called softly as her green eyes glanced toward the patient. “I think that's an unusual amount of blood.”
Callie blinked and then quickly whipped her head back down to the operating table. “Shit,” she cursed as she moved back to replace her hands inside the open wound. “Suction.”
***
Teddy's eyes were wide as she stared back at the giddy blonde next to her. “You told her right in the middle of the O.R.?” She wore a similar smirk of her own, but there was an air of disbelief to her words. “Just like that?”
Arizona grinned over the rim of her coffee. “Just like that.” She took a sip and burned her tongue, but that didn’t keep her from laughing.
She felt like she was on Cloud Nine right now. Nothing could ruin this moment.
“I think she might be mad at me. Pretty much everyone that works for her looked at me like I was nuts. But I couldn’t wait.” Arizona toyed with the coffee cup in her hands as she leaned back into the couch, her legs comfortably resting up on the table in front of them. She reached up to swipe at a strand of hair that had fallen loose from a bobby pin, tucking it behind her ear as she thought of Callie and how badly she couldn’t wait to see her.
Several seconds later, however, that elation began to turn into sheer panic.
“You don’t think she’ll say no, do you?” Arizona asked abruptly. “Like, it was something she thought she wanted, up until she realized she really could have it, and now she really realizes she doesn’t really want it with me in the first place?”
Teddy lifted an eyebrow before making a show of leaning over and glancing into the coffee cup in her friend's hand. “You sure coffee is the only thing you’ve got in there?”
Arizona pouted a little. “Helping,” she whined. “You're supposed to be helping.”
Dr. Altman kept her slightly arched brow as she lifted a hand and waved it in front of the blonde's face. “Hello? Anyone in there?” she teased. “Are you being serious right now?”
Arizona kept pouting.
“The way you said she talked about it, I was beginning to think 'I', 'want', and 'babies' were the only words in her entire vocabulary," Teddy pointed out.
Arizona sighed as she dropped her coffee cup to rest against her thigh.
“I'm helping here,” Teddy shot back with a growing smile. “You're all sudden with the 'crazy talk' and I'm trying to...un-crazy-talk you.”
“But is it crazy? Am I crazy?” Arizona jerked her head over to the other woman, suddenly looking fearful and even more panicky than before. “Oh God, I am crazy! I marched into her freakin’ O.R. a-and went all crazy woman on her, in front of other people. She’s going to kill me, and make the babies with the next available hot chick who isn’t a complete whack job!”
Arizona groaned and lifted the coffee back to her lips, immediately burning herself again and swearing underneath her breath.
Teddy snatched the cup out of Arizona’s hands before she could do permanent damage, and leaned forward to set it on the table. “No more caffeine for you. Just relax.”
Arizona sank down further into the couch, looking solemn and pouty. “She’s probably gonna be in surgery for hours, and now all I’m gonna be able to do is sit here and panic.” She looked over at Teddy. “Quick. Distract me.”
“I had sex with Mark on this couch,” Teddy instantly blurted before her eyes suddenly got very wide.
And so did Arizona's. “Ew! Are you serious? Eww!” She immediately leapt up from the couch, jerking and groaning as she shook her arms in disgust. She quickly turned back to the other surgeon, narrowing her eyes. “People sleep in here. A-and they...eat.” She moved over to fall down onto the nearest bed.
Teddy laughed. “Oh, please.” She got up from the couch to follow the blonde over to the bed. She fell down next to her, leveling Arizona with a playful glare. “Like you and Torres haven't gotten in on in an on-call room before.”
Arizona froze and glanced down at the bed they were currently sitting on. Teddy watched the shift her eyes, her own widening just a bit.
Arizona smiled sheepishly.
Teddy immediately leapt up. “Okay, from now on, I’m either gonna stand or just sit on a blanket.”
Laughing, Arizona sat up and snagged her coffee again before relaxing with her back against the wall. “Hey, at least it’s a hospital. Pretty sure the sheets get changed twice a day. I hope.”
Though she was never sitting on that couch ever, ever again.
“So, you and Mark are still…mashing genitals. How’s that workin’ out for ya?” Arizona sipped her coffee and blinked innocently up at Teddy.
Dr. Altman sighed as she pushed herself back onto the bed, dropping her head to rest against the wall. She crossed her arms over her chest and turned her eyes toward the ceiling. “The sex is so amazing. I mean he's just...” She trailed off, unable to find the right words. She shook her head with dreamy sigh. “And let me tell you, I've never been with a man with such a big-”
Arizona's hand flew up, and she barely managed not to choke on her mouthful of coffee.
Teddy smirked. “Big ego. I was going to say ego.”
Arizona grimaced and was now covered in coffee. “Oh God. I don’t believe you. The last thing I ever want to picture is Mark Sloan’s giant…’ego’.” She shuddered violently.
“Just for curiosity’s sake, you’ve never even…once, with a guy, when you were young…?” Teddy asked.
“Ew, no,” Arizona instantly shot back. “C’mon, seriously? I knew I was gayer than a sailor since I was five.”
“Fair enough,” Teddy chuckled, holding up a hand in surrender. “Are you two on speaking terms yet?”
“Mark and I? No,” Arizona replied with a weak shrug. “The last conversation we had involved him lying to my face, and me punching his. Since then we’ve exchanged nothing more than a few dirty looks.”
Teddy sighed. “He's not a bad guy,” she said as her eyes shifted to a spot on the opposite wall. She shook her head. “He's just a guy.” She turned her gaze back to the blonde. “So how 'bout cutting him some slack? He's probably the only other person in this world that could even come close to loving Torres as much as you do.”
Arizona's shoulders slumped and she released a heavy sigh of her own.
“He'd never say it, but we both know it,” Teddy went on softly. “He was just trying to do what he thought was right for her. What was going to make her happy.” She laughed again. “But he's still a man. It's really not his fault he went about it stupidly.”
“I know he’s not a bad guy,” Arizona admitted. “I actually like him. Or, I did, originally. But I’m pretty sure he’s not a huge fan of mine at the moment, either.” She toyed with her coffee, swirling what was left of it around in the bottom of the cup. “Can’t say I blame him, to a certain extent. I just hope he lets up a little on the guilt trip now that Callie and I are okay again.”
That thought made her sigh heavily once more, and her eyes flickered over to the clock on the wall. “God, I’m gonna die of an anxiety attack before she even gets out of surgery. How long does it take to slap a couple of steal rods into place and make sure they’re screwed on tight?”
Right on cue, the door to the on-call room burst opened and a very frantic, haggard looking Calliope Torres stepped in. Her hand was still holding the door handle as her brown eyes shifted from one woman to the next. “You,” she said to Arizona. “Stay. Talk.” She turned to Teddy. “You. Out.”
Dr. Altman's eyes widened a little before her smirk slowly returned. She glanced over at Arizona. “Good luck,” she whispered as she moved to push herself off the bed. She shot a quick smile at Callie as she reached down to grab her coffee from the table on her way out the door.
Callie didn't even turn to watch her go as she let the door shut quietly behind her. She kept her gaze leveled on Arizona. “Have you completely lost your mind?”
Looking guilty as all hell, Arizona slowly sat up on the bed, setting her coffee onto the floor and wiping her hands nervously against her dark blue scrubs. “Um…” She bit her lower lip and glanced up at Callie rather meekly. “That’s entirely a possibility, yes.”
Callie’s glare was rather intense, and Arizona looked away with a grimace. “I am so sorry, by the way,” she added with a nervous laugh as she very, very slowly stood up. “I didn’t mean to…with the…whole thing. I-I just had this, this e-epiphany, and I’m not good at holding in my feelings when they’re joyful, they tend to just come…spilling out a-as verbal diarrhea, which is just bad, bad, I know that, I know, I shouldn’t have marched in there in front of the entire world and said that thing that I said, but…” Arizona’s shoulders finally slumped and she gave Callie a weak, kind of pathetic shrug. “It seemed like a good idea at the time?” She scratched at the back of her neck.
That was the best she could come up with, seeing as her mouth and brain were failing her at this very moment.
Callie's anger slowly ebbed away. She took a few steps further into the room, never taking her focus from bright blue eyes. “Did you mean it?” she whispered, barely audible.
Arizona frowned as she strained to hear the words. “What?”
“Did you mean it?” Callie repeated in a much louder, more confident voice. “Did you mean it when you said you wanna have a baby with me? Or are you just saying it because...because...” She trailed off, unable to come up with any other reason.
Besides her actually meaning it.
Callie's dark brow furrowed and she tilted her head to the side. “Why did you say it?”
The corners of Arizona’s mouth twitched. “Because I meant it.” She took a careful step toward Callie, afraid she might set her off again if she moved too quickly. “Every single word of it.”
She frowned when Callie still didn’t look convinced. She looked more like she thought Arizona was yanking her chain or something.
Well then. She’d just have to make her believe it.
“Calliope Iphegenia Torres,” Arizona started with a smile, continuing to step toward her girlfriend. “I want to have a baby with you. Not in a year, or two, or five. I want to have a baby with you, as soon as and whenever you’re ready.” She stopped when she was about three feet away from the brunette, watching her apprehensively, waiting for her to react in some way.
Callie's only reaction was a slow, shaky smile. Tears sprang up into her eyes. “You really mean it?” she whispered, her defenses finally starting to crumble.
Arizona smiled as she nodded. “I really mean it,” she whispered in return.
A few more seconds ticked by before Callie finally burst into tears, completely overwhelmed by everything that had been building since the beginning of their break-up.
“Oh God, baby,” the brunette whispered in a rush as she reached out to pull Arizona’s body hard against her own. “I love you,” she whispered as she turned her head to kiss the shell of Arizona's ear.
But she didn't stop there.
Callie trailed her kisses down the side of the blonde’s throat, pausing to murmur incoherently after every gentle touch.
Arizona was caught off-guard by the sudden onslaught of tears from her girlfriend. “I love you too,” she whispered sincerely right back, her left arm circling the brunette’s waist and pulling her in tight while her right hand reached up to softly stroke the back of her head. “Hey, it’s okay, this is happy, you don’t need to cry. This is happy.”
But she’d be lying if she denied the tears she was blinking back herself.
“I love you,” Arizona repeated, breathing softly against Callie’s ear. “I love you so much…”
Callie sniffled as she finally managed to tear herself away from the warmth of her lover. “Happy,” she whispered softly as more tears leaked from her eyes to burn a path down her cheeks. “Happy tears,” she corrected after she paused to take in a much-needed, shaky breath.
Brown eyes shifted toward the empty bed, and then back to the bright blue in front of her.
“I've got a few minutes,” Callie whispered huskily. “You got a few minutes?” She leaned forward to pull the blonde into a deep kiss.
Arizona instantly returned it, pushing her weight forward until Callie backpedaled into the door with a soft ‘thud’.
“Bed,” the brunette murmured into the kiss, not stopping even though they had gone the wrong way.
“Door,” Arizona groaned as she pulled back, reaching over with her right hand to twist the lock. She smirked back at her lover. “Now bed.”
This time, it was Arizona who backpedaled across the small room, right up until they collapsed in a tangle of limbs onto the hard mattress, never once breaking the searing kiss.
---
Chapter 20/23
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: Arizona realizes what she wants out of life, 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
A/N: Sick as a dog and procrastinating school work, so decided to post this early. Seems we've lost a good chunk of you that were reading before, which is too bad. But thanks again to those who continue to comment and let us know what you think, we really appreciate it. Also, cold medication makes my head fuzzy, so if I missed any mistakes or something reads funny, that's my fault. Sorry in advance.
---
“Dr. Grey here will run some blood tests to confirm, but I’m pretty positive in my diagnosis.” Arizona nodded firmly as she spoke to Danielle’s parents outside of the girl’s room. She and her sister lay sound asleep together on Danielle’s bed on the other side of the glass window.
Martin and Amanda Harper watched Dr. Robbins closely, as if they were expecting her to shout ‘April Fools!’ at any moment. “So...you’re saying,” Amanda stuttered, blinking back tears that threatened to fall. “Dani will be okay? Really, she’ll finally be okay?”
Arizona smiled at the parents and nodded again. “I’m saying she’ll be okay. We can treat her symptoms with medication, and I’m confident that as she recovers from the brain tumor, her body will stabilize itself. You’ll need to watch her very closely during that time, because even with medication she might have another seizure if she’s not careful. We can go over her course of treatment later, right now I’m sure you want to be with your girls.”
Martin beamed widely and shook Arizona’s hand. “Thank you, Dr. Robbins,” he replied anxiously, and then headed into the room to talk to his daughters.
Arizona was surprised to suddenly find herself being hugged tightly by Mrs. Harper. For a petite woman, she was as strong as a bear. Smiling a little, Arizona patted her lightly on the back.
A few moments of silence stretched on as Amanda hugged the surgeon in an increasingly tighter grip. “I can't even begin to tell you what you've done for my family,” she whispered. A few stray tears fell from the corners of her eyes. She didn't seem to mind that they were right in the middle of the hallway, making a bit of a spectacle of themselves.
Arizona glanced around awkwardly, smiling weakly at every passer-by that stared.
Amanda's tight grip finally let up a little, but she kept Arizona locked into the hug. “Thank you, Arizona,” the grateful mother whispered into her ear once more. “You save childrens’ lives. There's a special place in Heaven for people like you.”
“Oh, that’s…sweet,” Arizona replied a little shyly, but she smiled none the less as the woman finally pulled away. “Dani’s a sweet girl, Amanda. She’s tough. She got herself through this by being a fighter.”
“You never let her give up,” Mrs. Harper instantly replied. “We’ve seen more than a few doctors over the last fifteen months, and you’re the only one she's ever liked or trusted. I’ve seen you sit with her, play games with her, talk to her like she’s a grown up, treat her like you would any other human being, and there’s no doubt in my mind that your attitude and abilities are why my daughter is still alive today. I could never thank you enough.”
Arizona blushed a little bit and gave a half-shrug. “Like I said, she’s a special little girl.”
Mrs. Harper nodded in return. Her eyes were still wet with tears. “She really is,” she breathed, putting a hand over her heart. She sniffled and glanced back over her shoulder. She took in the sight of her husband and two little girls through the window. “I didn't want Ani to have to grow up without her sister. She's young, but I don't think she'd ever get over losing her twin like that.”
Arizona's smile disappeared and she took in a shaky breath. “It's not an easy feat at any age,” she whispered in response. Her eyes drifted down to the floor.
Amanda turned back to the surgeon. A few moments passed before realization finally set it. “Oh,” she spoke softly. “I see.” She took a slow step forward, reaching out to place a hand on the doctor's arm. “But at least you have the love of a good woman to lean on.”
Arizona looked up, surprised, and gaped stupidly at Mrs. Harper for a moment. “Uh…” She was naturally a little wary, especially after the 'Heaven' comment.
“Oh, please,” Amanda chuckled. “The conversations I’ve overheard in this hospital since Dani’s been here would surprise you. I could draw you a map of who’s seeing who, or who’s married to who.”
“People do talk,” Arizona admitted with a light chuckle. Boy, did people ever talk here.
Mrs. Harper watched as Dr. Robbins looked through the window at the two kids, and it didn’t pass by her the way the surgeon's eyes sparkled or the way she smiled to herself at the sight of the happy children. “Dr. Torres is a lucky lady. You’ll make a good mother some day, Arizona. You have a gift with children.”
Arizona’s smile faded once more. “Maybe,” she said quietly. “Moments like these are the good ones. They make everything seem…better. When you can save a life. But other times…” She trailed off, not wanting to suddenly spill her guts to the poor woman just because she couldn’t get Callie and the huge question mark about their future off of her mind.
“But what?” Amanda asked tentatively. She met and held Arizona’s gaze, tilting her head curiously.
“But...” Arizona trailed off again with a weak shrug. “I don’t know if I can. Not with...everything.”
Amanda's hand squeezed a little more firmly against Arizona's arm. “The good times will far out number the bad. I promise you.” She paused for a moment to take in a breath, dropping her hand away. “I know you're doubting my word, all things considered.” She glanced back over her shoulder. “But even after everything she's been through, and after everything it's put the rest of us through...” She sighed heavily again before turning back to the blonde. “We're a better family for it. Stronger.”
Arizona let the woman’s words sink in. “She’s your little girl,” she said softly after a moment. “And she…”
“Almost died? Yes, she did.” Amanda followed Arizona’s gaze into the room where Dani and her sister were giggling together while Lexi Grey chatted with their dad. “But no matter what would have happened, even if you hadn’t been able to save her, it would have been worth it. The joy children bring to our lives can’t be duplicated in any other way.” She looked at Arizona, watching the blonde’s eyes cloud over as she thought deeply on the matter. “You’d be a good mother. Through the good times and the bad. It’s all worth it, no matter what happens. When you find the right person, the one you want to spend the rest of your life with…raising a child together is the most rewarding experience you’ll ever have.”
Arizona already knew, without a doubt in her mind, that she’d found that person in Calliope Torres. And suddenly, all she could think about was a little girl with Callie’s smile, nose, cheeks, and dimples running around their apartment, laughing that infectious laugh of the brunette’s she loved so much.
“I thought Martin was the shrink in the family, not you,” Arizona teased, shooting Amanda a small grin.
Mrs. Harper laughed as she tipped her head back just slightly. “He may have the Ph.D, but I'm a mother,” she shot back as her smile slowly began to grow. “The things I've learned, they can't teach you in any school.”
Arizona began to mirror the other woman's smile just as the door to the room flew open and the sound of tiny, rapid footsteps echoed in the hallway. Her body jolted slightly when forty-eight pounds of pure giggles suddenly slammed into her at full force.
“You saved her!” Annabelle squealed as she hugged the surgeon tightly around the legs. “You saved my sister, Zona! I love you!” She closed her eyes and squeezed with all her might.
Arizona flailed a little as her balance wavered, but she grinned and patted Annabelle on the back. Her heart melted a little in her chest. “She couldn’t have done it without you,” she pointed out with a grin. “You were her rock, Ani. You saved her, too.”
“I wanna take you in for show and tell!” Annabelle squealed. “You’d be so cool! You and the brain doctor! Can I, mom?”
Arizona had to laugh at that, and she ruffled the seven-year-old’s hair affectionately. She glanced up to see Lexi standing in the doorway, smirking at her.
“Go run the blood tests, Little Grey,” she ordered, though she couldn’t fight the grin that was forming.
Lexi just nodded. “Yes, Dr. Robbins.” She kept her knowing smile and the eye contact with her attending as she slowly walked by, file in hand.
“You have to come play with us, Zona!” Ani laughed as she pulled away and began to tug on Arizona's hand with both of her own. “Dani's super great at Uno! She promised to teach me how.”
Mrs. Harper's heart swelled a little in her chest as she looked from her daughter up to Arizona.
But Arizona's gaze was focused intently on the set of bright green eyes staring back up at her from waist level.
She was a little torn. She was really, really feeling the urge to just run and find Callie right that very second. But, at the same time…
Who could resist such a cute plea like that?
“She can teach you, and you can teach me, how’s that sound?” Arizona took one of Annabelle’s hands, while the girl’s mother took the other, and allowed herself to be pulled into the room by one super enthusiastic kid.
***
The sound of a high tech bone drill was the first thing that met Arizona’s ears as she pushed through the doorway and into Callie’s OR. She stopped just inside for a moment, tying a surgical mask behind her neck and up over the back of her scrub cap as she watched the look of pure concentration on Callie’s face.
Arizona found it super sexy.
When the bolt was in the patient’s leg and the drilling noise stopped for the time being, Arizona made a beeline for her girlfriend, grinning a little from behind her mask. “Calliope."
Dr. Torres jumped about a mile in the air, which made Arizona grin even more.
“We need to talk.” Arizona clasped both hands behind her back and she peered over into the open leg, bouncing on the balls of her feet. “Ew. That’s a little gross.” She wrinkled her nose.
Callie's dark eyes widened. “Arizona?” she called, still not quite believing what she was seeing. “What're you doing in here?”
The blonde shook her head to rid it of bloody image as she pulled her gaze up to meet Callie's. She smiled behind the cover of her mask. “I want to have a baby.”
Every set of eyes in the room turned to them. But she didn't noticed a single pair except for the deep, familiar brown right next to her.
“What?” Callie asked, her brow furrowing. She slowly set the drill down onto the nearest surgical table.
“With you,” Arizona added with a slight, emphasizing pitch forward. Her smile widened behind her mask. “I want to have a baby with you.”
Callie's eyes widened even more. “You wanna have a baby with me?” she repeated slowly, never looking away from her girlfriend. She was still a little hesitant to believe such abrupt words.
But there was no denying the sudden swell of hope and happiness that nearly ruptured her heart. “And you couldn't wait to tell me this when I was, I don't know...” She waved a gloved hand through the air. “Not right in the middle of surgery?” Glancing around, she saw all eyes trained on them. She leaned toward her girlfriend and dropped her voice into a low, growling hiss. “Or in front of my entire orthopedic staff?”
The grin on Arizona’s face was about to split her surgical mask right open. “Nope. Couldn’t wait. Needed you to know.” The peds surgeon had a purely happy, playful look in her shining blue eyes.
The word ‘perky’ had never suited her more until this moment.
Since she couldn’t technically touch Callie without being scrubbed in, she had to settle for nudging the brunette’s foot with her own. “And now you do. So…please, continue with your…thing.” She glanced over to the gross mess of a leg and scrunched her nose again. “And come find me when you’re done.”
Without even waiting for a reply, Arizona beamed once more at her partner, then turned and Heely-wheeled herself back to the exit.
Callie stood frozen in place as she watched the door slowly seal shut behind her girlfriend.
One of the nurses stepped up next to her left shoulder. “Dr. Torres?” she called softly as her green eyes glanced toward the patient. “I think that's an unusual amount of blood.”
Callie blinked and then quickly whipped her head back down to the operating table. “Shit,” she cursed as she moved back to replace her hands inside the open wound. “Suction.”
***
Teddy's eyes were wide as she stared back at the giddy blonde next to her. “You told her right in the middle of the O.R.?” She wore a similar smirk of her own, but there was an air of disbelief to her words. “Just like that?”
Arizona grinned over the rim of her coffee. “Just like that.” She took a sip and burned her tongue, but that didn’t keep her from laughing.
She felt like she was on Cloud Nine right now. Nothing could ruin this moment.
“I think she might be mad at me. Pretty much everyone that works for her looked at me like I was nuts. But I couldn’t wait.” Arizona toyed with the coffee cup in her hands as she leaned back into the couch, her legs comfortably resting up on the table in front of them. She reached up to swipe at a strand of hair that had fallen loose from a bobby pin, tucking it behind her ear as she thought of Callie and how badly she couldn’t wait to see her.
Several seconds later, however, that elation began to turn into sheer panic.
“You don’t think she’ll say no, do you?” Arizona asked abruptly. “Like, it was something she thought she wanted, up until she realized she really could have it, and now she really realizes she doesn’t really want it with me in the first place?”
Teddy lifted an eyebrow before making a show of leaning over and glancing into the coffee cup in her friend's hand. “You sure coffee is the only thing you’ve got in there?”
Arizona pouted a little. “Helping,” she whined. “You're supposed to be helping.”
Dr. Altman kept her slightly arched brow as she lifted a hand and waved it in front of the blonde's face. “Hello? Anyone in there?” she teased. “Are you being serious right now?”
Arizona kept pouting.
“The way you said she talked about it, I was beginning to think 'I', 'want', and 'babies' were the only words in her entire vocabulary," Teddy pointed out.
Arizona sighed as she dropped her coffee cup to rest against her thigh.
“I'm helping here,” Teddy shot back with a growing smile. “You're all sudden with the 'crazy talk' and I'm trying to...un-crazy-talk you.”
“But is it crazy? Am I crazy?” Arizona jerked her head over to the other woman, suddenly looking fearful and even more panicky than before. “Oh God, I am crazy! I marched into her freakin’ O.R. a-and went all crazy woman on her, in front of other people. She’s going to kill me, and make the babies with the next available hot chick who isn’t a complete whack job!”
Arizona groaned and lifted the coffee back to her lips, immediately burning herself again and swearing underneath her breath.
Teddy snatched the cup out of Arizona’s hands before she could do permanent damage, and leaned forward to set it on the table. “No more caffeine for you. Just relax.”
Arizona sank down further into the couch, looking solemn and pouty. “She’s probably gonna be in surgery for hours, and now all I’m gonna be able to do is sit here and panic.” She looked over at Teddy. “Quick. Distract me.”
“I had sex with Mark on this couch,” Teddy instantly blurted before her eyes suddenly got very wide.
And so did Arizona's. “Ew! Are you serious? Eww!” She immediately leapt up from the couch, jerking and groaning as she shook her arms in disgust. She quickly turned back to the other surgeon, narrowing her eyes. “People sleep in here. A-and they...eat.” She moved over to fall down onto the nearest bed.
Teddy laughed. “Oh, please.” She got up from the couch to follow the blonde over to the bed. She fell down next to her, leveling Arizona with a playful glare. “Like you and Torres haven't gotten in on in an on-call room before.”
Arizona froze and glanced down at the bed they were currently sitting on. Teddy watched the shift her eyes, her own widening just a bit.
Arizona smiled sheepishly.
Teddy immediately leapt up. “Okay, from now on, I’m either gonna stand or just sit on a blanket.”
Laughing, Arizona sat up and snagged her coffee again before relaxing with her back against the wall. “Hey, at least it’s a hospital. Pretty sure the sheets get changed twice a day. I hope.”
Though she was never sitting on that couch ever, ever again.
“So, you and Mark are still…mashing genitals. How’s that workin’ out for ya?” Arizona sipped her coffee and blinked innocently up at Teddy.
Dr. Altman sighed as she pushed herself back onto the bed, dropping her head to rest against the wall. She crossed her arms over her chest and turned her eyes toward the ceiling. “The sex is so amazing. I mean he's just...” She trailed off, unable to find the right words. She shook her head with dreamy sigh. “And let me tell you, I've never been with a man with such a big-”
Arizona's hand flew up, and she barely managed not to choke on her mouthful of coffee.
Teddy smirked. “Big ego. I was going to say ego.”
Arizona grimaced and was now covered in coffee. “Oh God. I don’t believe you. The last thing I ever want to picture is Mark Sloan’s giant…’ego’.” She shuddered violently.
“Just for curiosity’s sake, you’ve never even…once, with a guy, when you were young…?” Teddy asked.
“Ew, no,” Arizona instantly shot back. “C’mon, seriously? I knew I was gayer than a sailor since I was five.”
“Fair enough,” Teddy chuckled, holding up a hand in surrender. “Are you two on speaking terms yet?”
“Mark and I? No,” Arizona replied with a weak shrug. “The last conversation we had involved him lying to my face, and me punching his. Since then we’ve exchanged nothing more than a few dirty looks.”
Teddy sighed. “He's not a bad guy,” she said as her eyes shifted to a spot on the opposite wall. She shook her head. “He's just a guy.” She turned her gaze back to the blonde. “So how 'bout cutting him some slack? He's probably the only other person in this world that could even come close to loving Torres as much as you do.”
Arizona's shoulders slumped and she released a heavy sigh of her own.
“He'd never say it, but we both know it,” Teddy went on softly. “He was just trying to do what he thought was right for her. What was going to make her happy.” She laughed again. “But he's still a man. It's really not his fault he went about it stupidly.”
“I know he’s not a bad guy,” Arizona admitted. “I actually like him. Or, I did, originally. But I’m pretty sure he’s not a huge fan of mine at the moment, either.” She toyed with her coffee, swirling what was left of it around in the bottom of the cup. “Can’t say I blame him, to a certain extent. I just hope he lets up a little on the guilt trip now that Callie and I are okay again.”
That thought made her sigh heavily once more, and her eyes flickered over to the clock on the wall. “God, I’m gonna die of an anxiety attack before she even gets out of surgery. How long does it take to slap a couple of steal rods into place and make sure they’re screwed on tight?”
Right on cue, the door to the on-call room burst opened and a very frantic, haggard looking Calliope Torres stepped in. Her hand was still holding the door handle as her brown eyes shifted from one woman to the next. “You,” she said to Arizona. “Stay. Talk.” She turned to Teddy. “You. Out.”
Dr. Altman's eyes widened a little before her smirk slowly returned. She glanced over at Arizona. “Good luck,” she whispered as she moved to push herself off the bed. She shot a quick smile at Callie as she reached down to grab her coffee from the table on her way out the door.
Callie didn't even turn to watch her go as she let the door shut quietly behind her. She kept her gaze leveled on Arizona. “Have you completely lost your mind?”
Looking guilty as all hell, Arizona slowly sat up on the bed, setting her coffee onto the floor and wiping her hands nervously against her dark blue scrubs. “Um…” She bit her lower lip and glanced up at Callie rather meekly. “That’s entirely a possibility, yes.”
Callie’s glare was rather intense, and Arizona looked away with a grimace. “I am so sorry, by the way,” she added with a nervous laugh as she very, very slowly stood up. “I didn’t mean to…with the…whole thing. I-I just had this, this e-epiphany, and I’m not good at holding in my feelings when they’re joyful, they tend to just come…spilling out a-as verbal diarrhea, which is just bad, bad, I know that, I know, I shouldn’t have marched in there in front of the entire world and said that thing that I said, but…” Arizona’s shoulders finally slumped and she gave Callie a weak, kind of pathetic shrug. “It seemed like a good idea at the time?” She scratched at the back of her neck.
That was the best she could come up with, seeing as her mouth and brain were failing her at this very moment.
Callie's anger slowly ebbed away. She took a few steps further into the room, never taking her focus from bright blue eyes. “Did you mean it?” she whispered, barely audible.
Arizona frowned as she strained to hear the words. “What?”
“Did you mean it?” Callie repeated in a much louder, more confident voice. “Did you mean it when you said you wanna have a baby with me? Or are you just saying it because...because...” She trailed off, unable to come up with any other reason.
Besides her actually meaning it.
Callie's dark brow furrowed and she tilted her head to the side. “Why did you say it?”
The corners of Arizona’s mouth twitched. “Because I meant it.” She took a careful step toward Callie, afraid she might set her off again if she moved too quickly. “Every single word of it.”
She frowned when Callie still didn’t look convinced. She looked more like she thought Arizona was yanking her chain or something.
Well then. She’d just have to make her believe it.
“Calliope Iphegenia Torres,” Arizona started with a smile, continuing to step toward her girlfriend. “I want to have a baby with you. Not in a year, or two, or five. I want to have a baby with you, as soon as and whenever you’re ready.” She stopped when she was about three feet away from the brunette, watching her apprehensively, waiting for her to react in some way.
Callie's only reaction was a slow, shaky smile. Tears sprang up into her eyes. “You really mean it?” she whispered, her defenses finally starting to crumble.
Arizona smiled as she nodded. “I really mean it,” she whispered in return.
A few more seconds ticked by before Callie finally burst into tears, completely overwhelmed by everything that had been building since the beginning of their break-up.
“Oh God, baby,” the brunette whispered in a rush as she reached out to pull Arizona’s body hard against her own. “I love you,” she whispered as she turned her head to kiss the shell of Arizona's ear.
But she didn't stop there.
Callie trailed her kisses down the side of the blonde’s throat, pausing to murmur incoherently after every gentle touch.
Arizona was caught off-guard by the sudden onslaught of tears from her girlfriend. “I love you too,” she whispered sincerely right back, her left arm circling the brunette’s waist and pulling her in tight while her right hand reached up to softly stroke the back of her head. “Hey, it’s okay, this is happy, you don’t need to cry. This is happy.”
But she’d be lying if she denied the tears she was blinking back herself.
“I love you,” Arizona repeated, breathing softly against Callie’s ear. “I love you so much…”
Callie sniffled as she finally managed to tear herself away from the warmth of her lover. “Happy,” she whispered softly as more tears leaked from her eyes to burn a path down her cheeks. “Happy tears,” she corrected after she paused to take in a much-needed, shaky breath.
Brown eyes shifted toward the empty bed, and then back to the bright blue in front of her.
“I've got a few minutes,” Callie whispered huskily. “You got a few minutes?” She leaned forward to pull the blonde into a deep kiss.
Arizona instantly returned it, pushing her weight forward until Callie backpedaled into the door with a soft ‘thud’.
“Bed,” the brunette murmured into the kiss, not stopping even though they had gone the wrong way.
“Door,” Arizona groaned as she pulled back, reaching over with her right hand to twist the lock. She smirked back at her lover. “Now bed.”
This time, it was Arizona who backpedaled across the small room, right up until they collapsed in a tangle of limbs onto the hard mattress, never once breaking the searing kiss.
---