Hi There. I haven't been writing lately, and I really wanted to get this beta'd before posting it. Unfortunately I haven't found anyone willing to beta for me. If you are so inclined to want to beta for me (we could trade stories to beta if you need someone to look over a story of yours?)... please feel free to drop me a PM. Anyhow, as usual constructive criticism is always welcome!

Disclaimer: All copyrighted materials referenced in this fanfiction do not belong to me. I do not own Grey's Anatomy or any of the characters from Grey's. This is for entertainment purposes only and I make no money from posting this here. Any real people, places, events etc referenced within this fanfiction are done so in an entirely fictitious manner.

Arizona had taken some time to visit Derek in the surgery wing a number of times since the hospital reopened a few weeks ago. She had seen the endless flow of people and known that he'd been well looked after. She had known that he was doing well, but every time she had had some time free to drop in and say 'hi', he had had a visitor. She could see the distance in his eyes, particularly when she happened to come across Alex Karev visiting one evening.

Arizona really liked Derek. While her personality took on a little more perk than his, they were both fuelled by compassion, which made her feel like she had found a kindred spirit.

She got to his room and found it empty, except for the patient himself. He was sitting up and staring out the window. Surprised that she finally had him alone she watched him stare for a few minutes.

Eventually the blonde cleared her throat loudly, gaining his attention immediately. She smiled and saw him adopt a hasty smile. She sighed internally.

"I know this is a stupid question... But how are you?"

"Getting better" he shrugged slightly.

"I'm really glad that you are alive." she said quietly.

"I'm kind of glad too." he smiled

"I heard about the baby. I'm sorry"

He didn't say anything. There were a few moments when silence reigned. Both people alone with their thoughts.

"You know, my brother died in Iraq?"

He looked up confused about this piece of information and why she had shared it with him.

"He was in the Marines, but they were actually involved in the rebuilding of some infrastructure. Schools, hospitals and that sort of thing. It was his way of helping. It was his way of serving his country. He was in charge of a number of projects, he was always an overachiever."

She took a breath and looked out the window, just as he had been doing earlier. "One of his buildings collapsed. Two people died. I spoke to him shortly after. He was devastated. He felt awful, blamed himself even. I tried to get him to see that it wasn't his fault... But it doesn't matter how he saw it, because someone saw it differently. They saw the need to walk into the base of operations with a vest full of explosives and blow themselves and my brother's team up."

She looks at him tears brimming a little in her eyes.

"I know you take on a lot of guilt about that day. I can see it with what my Dad calls the Vietnam stare... You do your job, you do it well. Don't take on something that isn't yours. It was the fault of a man who saw things differently than us. Who refused to see that we help. That we give. I've seen you talk to Karev, I've seen your sorrow. That whole... thing? You did your job as you meant to."

"I get it now."

It was her turn for confusion.

"They are calling you McDreamy 2. I didn't really get it before, but..."

They share a smile. She starts to blush

"You did know that they call you that right? I'm married by the way... In case you thought I was coming onto you, and I hear you and Callie took a quick trip to Canada, so congratulations."

She nods.

"I wouldn't really call it a quick trip – A very threatening conversation with Mr Torres and then 30 guests later. Apparently I'm now related to most of them." She smiles as she jokingly makes her 'Yikes!' face. "Thank you, just the same. But, seriously..." She doesn't need to ask, he immediately knows what she's asking.

"I'll be ok." Arizona does her toughest stare down she could, she soon realises that it has none of the effect of either Callie or Bailey and rates about a 'Lexie' on the Hugs and Puppies meter.

"Really?"

"I know it wasn't my fault. I know that he was at fault. He. He just took away so much."

"He did. But we give so much back. We help people when there is no hope and sometimes we get to work miracles."

"You really believe in miracles? Even after that day?"

"Sometimes." She laughs to herself before continuing. "More often than not. I mean, Callie stood between me and a gunman, and we got married... You are somehow still alive even though there were no attendings around to do one of the most complex surgeries in the world... I have to believe, because there is little else that explains it." She shrugs "I believe in miracles."

He thinks for a moment about the events. Meredith and he were still alive. Their baby would never be forgotten and the people that he truly loved were safe and well. Even through the disaster of that day his wife, her sister, Richard, and all of their closest friends were alive and safe. The few that were killed would always be saddening. They would all mourn the losses and they would all have to deal with the pain, but he was alive, which was more than just good luck. He had his wife and their future ahead of them. He thinks of the possibility of a future, with a less heavy heart. The blonde in front of him, making sure that his shoulders were less burdened, even if only a little. He thinks about a possible future and for the first time in weeks he truly smiles.

"Me too."