Summary: I tried to work out a prompt given by LJ user saffinity. :) So it's AU and set in December. Because of the holiday spirit I also integrated some of Arizona's family.
Disclaimer: I do not own the characters or anything related to Grey's Anatomy. That's courtesy of Shonda Rimes and ABC. This fiction is not meant to make money or to be harmful in any way. It's just pure for amusement.
Author's Note: I discovered I had this fic laying around from December, written as a secret santa gift for LJ user saffinity. I wrote out the following prompt: A Callie/Arizona beginning that does not necessarily correspond with the show. I hope you enjoy it!
Passing A Corner
Generally, December is my favorite month of the year, along with the hockey season. Not because of the holiday spirit, as you might think, but because of the cold. Cold combined with the Seattle rain makes ice. Ice makes people slip and fall, which causes me to have a lot of work. I don't want to make the impression that I would want people to break things and get hurt, but I like my job and I like bad ass surgeries. But this year has been different; it isn't even that cold yet because of the climate shift and the days at work have been slow and unfulfilling. Every day is like the one before; nothing exciting is happening and I can see other people live their lives at the speed of sound. However, I am standing still. No, this December isn't working out for me. The whole year hasn't been working out for me.
I am just finishing my post-ops of that day when my pager starts buzzing against my legs. They need me in the emergency room; so I make my way downstairs. One of the nurses points me towards a bed with a little girl on it, who is being treated by Steve. Rolling my sleeves up I walk over to them.
"You paged me?"
Steve turns around with the usual dumbfounded look on his face. "Dr. Torres," I can see him swallow. "A seven year old patient with trauma to her wrist. I suspect it's a sprain, but I'm not sure."
I nod at him and smile at the little girl. She has dark blonde curls dropping to her shoulders. Grabbing a stool, I position myself in front of her. "Hey there, I am Dr. Torres but you can call me Callie if you want. What's your name?"
She looks at me with big blue eyes. There is no fear in them, only curiosity, a hint of guilt and maybe a little worry.
"Lucy. Lucy Robbins," she tells me shyly.
"Hi Lucy. I'm here to take a look at your wrist. How did you hurt yourself?" I touch the girl's leg soothingly, trying to get her a little more comfortable.
"I fell down outside and tried to catch myself," Lucy answers. I gently take her wrist into my hands. "It hurts," she says furrowing her eyebrows.
"Does it hurt anywhere else but your wrist?" She shakes her head. "I have to examine your wrist for a moment and that might hurt a little, okay? Let me know if it hurts or not." I carefully test her wrist movements, reflexes and feel for her bone structure. In the meanwhile I ask her a couple more questions.
"Any reason why you fell down, Lucy?"
"I wasn't being careful. My aunt gave me wheelie sneaks as an early Christmas gift and I was practising outside. Then I fell down," I can see her pouting a little and I notice that she is beginning to feel more at ease. Then I look down at her feet and see that she is indeed wearing Heelys.
"You know, those shoes can be pretty dangerous if you're not careful," I tell her as I put her wrist back in her lap. Then I turn to Steve who has been standing beside me, observing closely.
"I'm fairly certain it's a sprain but I want an x-ray to be sure, we don't want to miss a possible break which could effect wrist movement later on. Also, page someone from the Peds department, they need to notified as well." The intern nods and scurries away.
"We're going to have to take a photo of your wrist in a little while to be sure it's not broken, okay?" Lucy nods, her curls bouncing up and down a little. "Where is your Mommy or Daddy?"
"My Dad died about a year ago," she says quietly. I tilt my head to the side sympathetically.
"I'm sorry."
"He was the best soldier in the army," she tells me proudly and I can see a little light in her eyes. "But now Mommy and I are staying at my auntie Zonie's place for Christmas!" Her lips curl into a smile and so do mine at the mention of the nickname for her aunt. She must have an interesting full name.
"That sounds like fun," I tell her.
"It is," she nods. "But today my Mommy is looking for a new house for us to live and I was supposed to go buy her a gift with auntie Zonie for Christmas."
"Where is your aunt now?"
"She had to go to the hospital to work just when we were about to leave. She said it only would take a little while and I should wait in the lobby, but I went outside to play with my new shoes," she looks at me with guilt in her eyes.
"Your aunt works here?"
The same proud look returns in her eyes. "Auntie Zonie is a doctor, like you. Only she works with children... like me."
"I don't think I've met her before. I'll tell you what, we will page her right this minute. Dr. Robbins, was it?" I glance at the chart next to me. I can recall seeing that name on the board a few times, but I have no idea who she is. I haven't really been paying attention to anything the last couple of months. "Or is your aunt married?"
The girl shakes her head. "No, her name is Robbins, like me. Grandpa says it's something to be really proud of," Lucy chatters away. "But she isn't married, which is stupid." I raise my eyebrows a little. "She can't get married because she likes women. My Mommy always teaches me about not judging someone on their appearance or on who or what they like," she recites and glances at my coat before she continues to speak. "What do you think about it, dr. Torres? Are you married?"
I feel a little embarrassed about the topic and question but decide not to make a big deal out of it. Obviously this kid is very open minded. "I used to be, but I am not anymore. But I do believe in equal rights for everyone," I tell her. She looks thoughtful and stays quiet for a few seconds.
Behind her I see another doctor entering the ER, rolling towards the nurses station. That's right, rolling. What has gotten into everyone lately? Shoes are made to walk on, not roll around on. If you want to slide, go ice skating or something. I realize I must have been rolling my eyes because my patient looks at me a little funny.
"I'm sorry," I quickly say at smile at her. "Let me give you something to make you a little more comfortable until we can get some photos, okay?" As I grab a triangle bandage from the tray beside me I see one of the nurses pointing that same doctor towards me. As she turns around and walks over to me, I can't help but notice that she's very pretty. By the monkey stitched on her lab coat I assume she's the Peds consult we paged.
"You paged for a pediatric consult?"
The second she starts talking Lucy turns around.
"Auntie Zonie?"
I look back and forth between my patient and the other doctor, which I assume is Dr. Robbins.
"Luce?" she gasps. "What happened?"
"I went outside to roll around on my wheelie sneaks and then I tripped over a branch or something."
"Are you okay?" she walks over to my side of the bed as I put the triangle bandage around Lucy's shoulder.
Lucy nods and looks at me. Now I can definitely see the resemblance between the two of them, they both have the same very distinct blue colored eyes.
"I think she sprained her wrist, but we're going to make a few photos just be sure," I tell the blonde woman beside me.
She quickly nods and then gasps again. "I'm sorry, I'm being rude," she stretches out her hand. "Dr. Torres, right? I'm Arizona Robbins." I smile at the mention of her full name and shake her hand.
"Hi, it's okay," I reply and look down at her shoes. "You know, those Heelys can be quite dangerous," I attempt to lecture her.
I can see a hint of guilt and hurt in her eyes and I regret my comment immediately.
"It's my fault, dr. Torres," Lucy says and looks at her aunt. "Auntie Zonie specifically told me 'only to use my wheelie sneaks inside on clean and dry surfaces'."
"And to never speed too much," dr. Robbins adds, nodding.
"Oh," I mumble and look at her apologetically and then I turn to Lucy again. "Well, I do advise you not to wear them again until your wrist is all better, okay?"
Lucy pouts again and looks for support at her aunt.
"Hey, I'm immune to that pouting, lady. I see pouting little faces every single day, Luce. Dr. Torres here is right," she nods sternly and throws me a smile. I can't help but notice the two prominent dimples in her cheeks and I grin back.
"No fair," Lucy says. Then she caughts us smiling at each other and her eyes light up. "Hey, I've got an idea. Why doesn't dr. Torres come to our Christmas dinner?" Lucy exclaims excitedly. "Nobody should be alone at Christmas, neither should you or Auntie Zonie!" she nudges the blonde with her other, uninjured arm.
My cheeks fluster at the unsubtle matchmaking of Lucy and I also see a little blush appear on the cheeks of the blonde beside me. Lucy does nail it right on the spot though, I am indeed alone at Christmas. After Erica left I've been living my life celibate again, hopeless of the future. Before Arizona has a chance to revoke the offer, I decline it to avoid any more awkwardness.
"Thank you for the offer, Lucy, but I don't think that's a good idea. I have to work at Christmas. Besides, your aunt isn't alone, is she? I thought you and your Mom were staying over."
Lucy rolls her eyes and sighs. "Whatever," she mumbles and I see the color on Arizona's cheeks darken.
Luckily my intern comes rushing towards us with a wheel chair. "Radiology is ready to x-ray," he tells us. "Lucy, why don't you hop in and we'll take a few photos of your wrist?" Lucy nods and Steve helps her get in the wheelchair. Subsequently he nods at us and then scurries off again with his patient.
I put my hands in my pocket and turn myself towards Arizona. "Is there anyone you would like me to notify?" I try ending the awkward silence.
She brings her hand towards her head and places a few fingers at her temple. "Oh god.. I should probably call Evelyn."
I nod and give her a little smile. "Is that your sister?"
"Sister in law," she replies smiling and we walk over to the nurses station.
"There are also some forms you need to fill out," I say handing her the chart. "You know the drill," I add awkwardly as she takes a pen out of the pocket of her lab coat.
"Yeah," she says and flashes me another dimpled smile. As she starts filling out the forms I lean against the counter and think of something to say.
"Lucy seems like a nice girl," I eventually blurt out. I don't know why this woman makes me so nervous all of a sudden. Sure, she's very good looking but my mind hasn't gone to that place in weeks, months even.
"She really is," Arizona agrees. "I'm sorry about before... sometimes she doesn't know where personal boundaries end exactly."
"That's okay. Kids do that a lot..." After I end my sentence I realize how stupid that must've sound. "Which you know, 'cause you work in Peds."
The blonde doctor giggles softly as she finishes filling out the forms. Suddenly I feel very bold, even though I am acting like an idiot around her for the past few minutes.
"I was wondering..." I begin my sentence but then I start to feel a little freaked out. I used to do this all the time, but since past year I've felt more insecure than ever. I'm not sure if I can get over another rejection.
"Yes?" her blue orbs stare at me innocently.
"... if, uhm.. eh.. you would like to have dinner with me an other night than Christmas?" I'm so scared about her reply that I almost close my eyes, too scared to see her reaction.
"Seriously?" She is smiling, that's good. Right?
"Seriously," I nod and flash her an insecure smile.
"I would love that," she says and my smile widens.
"Great," I reply and at that moment Steve comes back with Lucy.
"Here are the photos, dr. Torres," he says as he hands me a folder. All four of us make our way over to the white monitor and I put the x-rays up.
"What do you see?" I ask the intern.
"No broken bones or tears. It's a sprain," he concludes.
I nod. "It's a sprain," I repeat and turn off the monitor. "Agreed, dr. Robbins?" I flash her a smile.
"Agreed." she says, showing off her dimples.
Lucy looks back and forth the both of us and frowns. "What does that mean?"
"That means that you should give it a few weeks rest," I tell her. She nods but she doesn't stop frowning. Her eyes shift between Arizona and me a couple of more times.
"Hmm."
"Let's get you home," the blonde says and winks at me without Steve nor Lucy noticing it.
"Bye Lucy," I call after them, my cheeks feeling flustered. Suddenly the rest of the year doesn't seem so dreadful anymore, I sigh happily. No, this December is going to be just fine.
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