Arizona sat at the bar of Wildrose nursing a top shelf scotch. It was a pretty busy night at the bar. The bar tender in front of her was performing some tricks with the bottles. She looked on as she reflected about the past couple days. April had been staying the last couple weeks with her and Andrew until Jackson had finally agreed to a second chance.
Arizona has loved the extra company. April had become a really good friend. They had laughed and cried about their love lost. April gave everything she could to the fight and Jackson still wouldn't bend. Until two days ago when he did.
"There is always hope Arizona. If you still love her, you have to try. You have to fight for her. At the very least tell her how you feel." That's what April had told her with a hug then she grabbed Jackson's hand and went home.
So two nights ago Arizona put on her big girl pants and she did it. She bared her soul to Callie. She begged for one more chance. She asked Callie to let Arizona take care of her for the rest of her life how Callie had always taken care of her.
Callie had acted shocked. She told Arizona she was confused. This was all too much to think about with all that had been going on with Penny. She really wanted to see if they could make it work.
Arizona ran as fast as her prosthetic would allow to an on-call room and had cried until she got paged for surgery. How hard was she supposed to fight? Callie didn't want her. Arizona decided she had to try to move on.
Applause brought her back to reality. She looked up to see the bartender spinning bottles that were on fire. He threw them up and one by one put them out with his mouth. There was more applause.
"This is pretty cool don't you think?" April said looking at the show in awe.
Arizona gave her an unamused look, "Yeah, it's awesome."
"Come on Arizona. At least try to have fun. Arizona just rolled her eyes and signed.
"I said I would come and drink April, I didn't say anything about having fun."
"You aren't even checking any of the hot ladies out." April couldn't even say it without blushing.
Arizona laughed. April was a good friend for offering to take her to the lesbian bar. So she could play along for a little. "OK April. You are supposed to be my wingman. Who are you thinking?" She said looking around.
"Let's see." April perused the bar and dance floor, mumbling nos, nopes and un uhs. "Oh perfect, right there." She said pointing to a tall brunette grinding on a short blonde.
Arizona looked over and frowned. "She looks like a poor man's Callie. And she isn't even half the dancer."
"You can't keep comparing women to Callie. You need to start fresh."
"Really? Two days ago you told me to go fight for her. Tell her how I felt. Listening to you hasn't worked out so well for me." Arizona drained the rest her scotch and held it up to the bar tender.
April gave her a hurt look.
"Ugh. I'm sorry April. I'm not angry at you. Just life. You have been a really great friend." Arizona said while rubbing her temple. The bar tender sat down her new drink.
"I honestly think she is just confused Arizona. Penny isn't that great."
"She is confused but still wants to try to work it out with her."
"I'm sorry honey." April said rubbing Arizona's arm. Then her pager went off. "Crap. It's the ER. I have to go." April took another sip of her water.
"It's fine. I'm not ready for this anyway. I'm gonna finish my drink and catch a cab."
"OK. I'll see you at lunch tomorrow?"
Arizona smiled with sad eyes and gave her a nod.
Arizona's phone beeped, a text from Callie. 'Can we talk?' What was there to talk about? How to make things less awkward? How Arizona needed to move on.
Arizona finished her drink as she thought what to type. 'Can you just give me a few days to be embarrassed?' she finally hit send then threw the phone in her purse.
Her bladder was starting to make itself known so she slapped some bills on the bar and headed to the restroom. She reached for the knob and turned but it was locked. "Perfect." She was a little pissed that a bar this size had one single bathroom. But she really needed to go so she waited. 'Oohs and aahs' behind her made her turn to look at the bar tender playing with fire bottles again. Then the door jiggled.
"Hello! Can anyone hear me? The damn door is jammed." The girl inside yelled.
Arizona reached for the knob and turned. It turned easily and opened.
"Thanks. It must be easier out here." The girl stepped out and walked away.
"Whatever." Arizona walked in and locked the door. She finished her business, washed her hands and tried to open the door. It wouldn't budge. "Oh what the hell!" That's when she heard the first scream.
Callie was just finishing a consult in the ER when she saw April. "Hey April have you seen Arizona I really need to talk to her?"
"Maybe you could just give her a minute Callie, she is pretty upset. I feel really bad because I'm the one that told her to tell you how she felt."
"I'm not going to upset her. I haven't been able to stop thinking about her since she told me. I broke up with Penny the next night, yesterday. I keep asking her to talk, but she is avoiding me."
"You think you might want to get back together?" April asked clearly excited.
"I think we have a lot of work ahead of us, but I'm willing to fight if she is. She is the love of my life April."
April smiled and gave Callie a huge hug. "I'm so happy. Arizona will be thrilled."
Everyone behind them started buzzing. "Everyone get ready. We are talking 3rd degree burns and smoke inhalation. Triage so we get the worst first. White, yellow, blue, red. Red being the ones with too much damage."
"What's going on?" Callie grabbed a running nurse. The nurse pointed towards the TV showing a fire at Wildrose.
"Oh my God!" April screamed.
"What?"
"That's where we were. She was finishing her drink before she left."
"Who?"
"Arizona! We were there I had to…"
Callie couldn't hear anymore. She looked around. Patients were screaming in pain in every direction. She looked at the one closest to her, she had obvious third degree burns and didn't appear to be breathing. She had a red tag. She looked at the next lady. She looked bad too, but was screaming. She had a blue tag.
Just when they had both decided to fight, it could be all over before it began, Callie thought. She glanced at April who was helping a lady with a blue tag. Where is she!" Callie was hysterical. Tears were streaming down her face. That's when it all went black.
Callie awoke on a gurney. She sat up quickly and almost passed out again. "Whoa Dr. Torres, you need to rest a little while. You passed out." Callie looks over, she assumed it was an intern.
"Have you seen Arizona!?" Callie yelled.
"I'm sorry, is that a friend of yours or a patient."
"No you idiot, it's a doctor. Dr. Robbins! She my, she my… oh forget it I have to find her." Callie jumped up and pushed the intern out of the way.
She ran out of the room and back to the ER. It was still hectic. She saw a few gurneys with patients that were now covered with a sheet. No. This wasn't happening. Where is she? Callie ran by all the patients, she saw some in a side hallway. That's when she saw her. The blonde hair she had woken up next to for all those years.
She slowly walked in Arizona's direction. She wasn't moving. God she wasn't moving. There was a tag on her, but for the life of her Callie couldn't remember what color meant what. She stepped up to her and lowered her eyes over Arizona's body. Her face was covered in soot so she couldn't really tell how bad it was. Her prosthetic leg was missing. Her other leg was bruised on the knee.
She saw her chart and grabbed it. She took a deep breath and began to read.
'Slight Intoxication, mild smoke inhalation, mild contusion. Allow patient to sleep it off then discharge.'
Callie looked at Arizona again, there didn't really appear to be much damage. That's when she noticed the banana bag attached to her arm. She didn't know whether to laugh or cry. So she did both. She heard Arizona groan then open her eyes.
"Calliope."
"Oh thank God! Arizona I was so worried. What the hell happened? Where is your leg?"
"I got stuck in the bathroom, I had to use it to bash my way out. Thank God there was a bouncer running by and saw me crawling out. But the fire was mostly out by then anyway. It really just got the people sitting at the bar. At least that is what I heard. There was a ton of smoke though." Arizona explained and then coughed.
"You're sure you're alright?" Callie asked feeling Arizona's bruised knee.
"Physically, yes." She broke eye contact with Callie.
"About that, I need to tell you something."
"Callie can we not, it's been a horrible night. I just want to go home.
"I broke up with Penny last night."
"What! Why?"
"Arizona, I haven't been able to think of anything else but you since we talked. Penny just isn't you. And when you told me there might be a chance I kept comparing her to you with everything she did. She isn't you. No one can ever compare. You are the love of my life."
Arizona didn't need to hear anymore. She grabbed Callie by the lapel of her lab coat and pulled her down to meet in a long overdue kiss. Each woman poured everything into that kiss.
When they finally broke Arizona spoke. "We have a lot we still need to discuss and maybe more therapy."
"I agree. But for tonight can we just be together. I just need to hold you, it's been a rough night. I thought I lost you."
"I usually wait until the third date, but Calliope would you like to come back to my place?"
"I can't think of anything better. Let me grab Sofia from the babysitter and we will get you discharged."
"Sounds awesome."
