A/N: So here's a new story I'm trying out. RYLAH is still in progress but I've had a hard time getting into the swing with that one. I think I'm still hoping my flash drive will magically show up. Anyhow reviews are always welcome.
I own nothing related to Grey's Anatomy, Callie or Arizona. If I did, no other characters on the show would great screen time.
"I don't know what to do. This is the fifth time he's had a suspension, in-school or out-of-school, in the last two months. The school was really understanding at first. They excused a lot of his behavior when he first started, went the extra mile to be patient with him and frankly with me, but then things started to settle down. He seemed to adjust and now it's like we're back to where we were exactly 10 months ago. He's moody, defiant, and seems angry all the time. When he's not angry, he's just got his headphones in and tunes out the rest of the world, including me. I don't know what's going on and I don't know what to do." Callie Torres was speaking to her nephew's caseworker and was as dejected as the caseworker had ever seen her. It had been a rough 10 months for the "new parent." The caseworker knew she was trying her best but her nephew was exhibiting significant behavior problems that the caseworker had warned Callie about. Warning and actually experiencing, however, were two different stories.
"You're doing great, Callie. Given the circumstances, you are doing great. I can only imagine how challenging this is and yet here you are, you're trying and asking for help. Let's see if we can get some extra support for you. I'll file for respite so you can have some time off from Mateo."
Callie went to interject, taking offense at the idea of wanting a break from her nephew but the caseworker spoke first, "Before you say you don't need a break, every parent needs a break from their child once in a while. It's not a weakness or an indictment. We aren't going to view it as a black mark on your record."
Callie still looked worried so she continued, "Callie, we know this is the best placement for Teo. We just want to try to make the adjustment as smooth as possible and there are things we may be able to do to help with that. Can you take the help we are offering?"
"You're sure this isn't going to come back to hurt me or Teo?" Callie asked as he wrung her hands nervously.
"No, I promise. These visits aren't really about evaluating the placement. We finished that evaluation 6 months into his placement. This is about making sure things stay on track so we continue to follow-up over the next year. Teo has a lot of needs, as would any kid in his situation, so we're just checking on you guys to see how we can help you both."
"I guess respite would be ok."
"Ok let me make a call and get the paperwork started. I'll check in on you guys in a week or so."
"Thank you."
"You're welcome, Callie."
"Teo? " Melissa, the caseworker called upstairs to her client. "He's probably got his earphones in. I'll just take my leave then. Tell him I'll see him soon."
Callie saw Melissa to the door and closed the door behind her. Letting out a heavy sigh, she turned and leaned against the door, taking deep breaths to steady herself. Once composed she walked up the stairs towards her nephew's room.
"Teo, can I come in?" Callie asked from behind the closed door. Receiving no response, she quietly opened the door to peer in on her nephew. There he was in his "normal" position as of late. Laying flat on his back, eyes open and starting straight up at the ceiling, with headphones in listening to his ipod, so loudly that Callie could hear the lyrics from where she stood.
She approached the bed and shook his sneaker covered foot, "Teo, headphones out. I need to talk to you."
Callie registered that Teo seemed to have upped the volume, causing her to roll her eyes. She swatted his foot and glared at him for his disrespectful behavior. That seemed to get Teo's attention as he returned the roll of eyes and took off his headphones.
"What?" the 8-year-old replied almost caustically.
"Don't you "what?" me Mateo Santos! Try again!"
"Yes, you want to talk to me?" The little boy replied, not without some noticeable attitude.
"Better." Callie replied as she sat down on the bed. 'Pick your battles, Callie' she reiterated to herself. She had more important issues to talk with her nephew about.
"Teo, what's been going on? You've got to talk to me, please? I don't know how to help you when you don't talk to me."
"Nothing's going on."
Running a hand through her hair, Callie was getting frustrated and she hated herself for it. Her nephew had been through hell and back and she felt guilty for getting upset at him. He had been doing so well and then all of a sudden things changed and reverted back to how things were when he first entered her custody. Callie Torres always wanted to be a mother but she wasn't quite ready to be a parent when everything changed 10 months ago. Ten months ago her sister and brother-in-law were returning from a business trip in South America when the airliner they were flying on crashed. There were no survivors among the 176 passengers and 9 crew members onboard. Her beloved sister and her brother-in-law were gone, just like that. Her best friend growing up was gone and she was heartbroken. She didn't know how to cope with the tragedy but her coping and mourning were cast aside as she thought about her nephew and the utter devastation the crash has caused him. In one second, his world was destroyed and his life was changed forever. Aria and Wil were planners, always had been, and had talked to Callie about taking Mateo in the event of some unforeseen and premature tragedy. When Callie agreed, she had no clue the will would actually be needed. She desperately wished it wasn't. But as shell shocked as she was, she immediately flew to Miami, and never left Mateo's side. A few weeks after the funeral, she and Mateo were on their way back to Seattle to start a life they both weren't sure of. They would have to figure it out as they went along. Initially, Mateo was clingy and tearful, never wanting his Aunt Callie to leave his side. The anxiety was almost paralyzing. Then it transitioned to pure anger. He yelled, screamed, broke things. He would tantrum almost like a toddler and Callie had to restrain him to keep him from hurting her or hurting himself. He was that out of control during one of his episodes. Then things seemed to calm down. He seemed to get into a bit of a routine and he started a "new normal", a "new life" with his aunt. He even seemed to find a groove at his new school, making new friends, and going to birthday parties. He even participated in a pen pal program at school with soldiers serving abroad. His "buddy" was "so cool" and someone he really seemed to take to. Callie thought maybe it was therapeutic, having someone to talk to who wasn't his aunt or his grandparents. Plus, Teo was always a military buff, having a fascination with all branches of the military. The excitement he had about his pen pal was one of the few things that brought back the light in his smile. For a little bit there, Teo was starting to resemble the 7-year-old boy he used to be, before life dealt him a shitty hand. Then all of a sudden things changed and it was like the past few months never happened. Callie wasn't sure if it was his parents or something else that was behind it. All she knew was that Teo had been through more than most adults had been through and she desperately wanted to just help him. She just didn't know how.
"Nothing, Teo, really?"
"So you just punched Davis because it was fun?" Callie asked with sarcasm lacing her tone.
"No I punched him because he's stupid."
"Mateo, you can't do things like that." Callie started to tear a bit but did her best to shield him from the sight. She turned her back to him but continued to speak, "I know something is going on and I just want to help you but you have to meet me halfway. Por favor, Teo. I'm trying, I really am. I need you to try to, please."
Turning back around, Callie saw his brown eyes searching his room, a habit he picked up from his mom. It was a cue that Aria was thinking hard about something and for Teo it was the same, he was contemplating his next move.
Sensing an opening, Callie broached the difficult topic, "It is about your mami and papi?"
Teo looked up at his aunt as she slowly sat in front of him, taking his hand in hers. A film came over his beautiful brown eyes and Callie's heart broke a little each time at the sight. "Sort of…" he whispered.
"You can talk to me, Teo…. about anything, you know that right?"
"I know. It's just…"
"It's just what?"
"It's just… my mami and papi died…" Teo struggled to speak as tears ran down his cheeks.
"I know, baby" Callie said as she pulled her nephew to her in an embrace.
He clutched at his aunt's back, almost willing her to never let go, "And I think… I think…" he attempted to continue.
Callie rubbing his back attempting to soothe him as he pressed on, "I think… I think… Tim is dead too. Everyone else is getting their letters from their buddy still. I haven't gotten one in 2 months. They keep telling me that it's coming but I never get one. He wrote me all the time. I think he's dead, Auntie Callie. I think he's dead. Why do the people I love, why do they have to die?"
And with that sobs racked Teo's little body.
"Oh honey, I don't know what's happening with Tim's letters, but we don't know anything. He's probably on some top secret mission and he can't write right now."
Teo shook his head, "I looked… I looked up his unit on the internet. I saw a story about… about an attack. It was around the time the letters stopped, " he said as he continued to cry.
"Ok, shhh, it's ok. We'll find out, ok. We'll find out what happened to Tim. And then… " Callie swallowed a swell of emotion as she continued, "and then, we'll know."
In an apartment across the country in Baltimore, MD, Arizona Robbins was seated on her living room floor, music quietly playing in the background, as she went through another box of her brother's personal items. After his death in Afghanistan, his personal effects were given to their parents. Arizona's mother and father, a retired Colonel in his own right, had decided it was too difficult a task and asked Arizona to go through them. Arizona barely got through the first box, finding photos of her brother with family and friends. Also in the box, Arizona found personal letters written to her, her mother, and her father- letters that were only meant to be shared if he was gone. Reading Tim's last words to her was immensely difficult but she managed to find some solace, some comfort in them. She held his loving words close to her heart but it did little to numb the indescribable pain she felt. After going through the first box, Arizona was drained emotionally. She was spent and it took her a few weeks to seemingly recover. The second box, thus lay unopened until now. Now, here she was, painstakingly going through the second and last box of her brother's. She first came upon a tablet of drawings. Her brother, had doodled on everything as a kid, and his doodles transformed into works of art in later life. His drawings were amazing and it seemed he drew a lot while he was abroad. It was likely a means of coping for him, a means of distraction Arizona thought. She went through each one, tracing the lines with her fingers, getting choked up as she imagined her brother drawing and at peace in those moments. She also found notebooks, some filled with random notes and reminders to do things. She founds books he must have currently been in the process of reading. She opened up "Catcher in the Rye" which she knew to be his favorite book and one she knew he read over and over. As she opened up the front cover, she noticed stationary paper folded over. It looked to be similar to those written to her and her parents given a drawn emblem of angel wings in the corner.
Dear Mateo,
If you are reading this, then it must mean that something happened to me and I won't be around to write you anymore. I'm so sorry buddy. This is not what I wanted to happen but sometimes when we go on those secret missions to get the bad guys, we end up getting hurt. I'm really sorry. I have loved being your penpal. You have been the best little buddy that a guy could ask for. In fact, I'll tell you a little secret. Remember how I told you I have a sister? Well, I love my sister very much. She's awesome and the best sister I could ever have but I secretly always wanted to have a little brother too. And guess what? I got my wish when I got paired up with you. You've been like a little brother to me the past few months and I've loved every minute of it. Your letters were something I always looked forward to and no matter what was happening your letters always put a smile on my face. I will miss you very much, Teo. And I'm so sorry that I had to go. I know you're still having a tough time since your mom and dad died and I hate that I had to leave you too, but I promise you something. I promise that I will look after you just like your mom and dad are. Instead of two angels, you will have three. I will always be there for you. If you ever need to talk, just look up into the sky and know that I will hear you. You are a very special boy, Teo. You have so much to offer the world and I can't wait to see it all from heaven. I love you, Little Man. Take care of yourself and your Aunt Callie. She needs you just as much as you need her. So remember, don't be too hard on her, she's finding her way, just like you.
Love you lots, Little Man. Love you lots.
Your big brother, Tim Robbins.
Arizona cried as she read the letter from her brother to this young boy. She wondered if this Teo even knew what had happened to Tim. Maybe he was still waiting for a letter? She wasn't sure how the whole penpal thing worked. Knowing how special this boy was to Tim from his letter, Arizona scoured the box for more information about Teo. She came across a bundle of letters, wrapped in a rubber band, all from one Mateo Santos in Seattle, Washington. Holding the bundle of older letters in one hand and the letter Tim had written to Mateo in the other, she knew what she had to do. It was one last thing she could do for her brother, her best friend. Grabbing her laptop off the coffee table, she logged on to expedia searching for flights from Baltimore to Seattle.