A/N: I wrote this from a prompt request. I've had it written for over a month, unsure if I was going to post it. The Runaways has always been my baby and I didn't want to taint it by posting anything related to it that couldn't live up to the original. I only decided to post this because it could easily be a part of the original. It would have been a flashback scene after Arizona and Callie discussed Callie's helping Nick. I hope you all enjoy this trip back into The Runaways universe. Hard to believe I started writing it about a year ago! Enjoy!
Disclaimer: Grey's Anatomy and its characters are owned by ABC and not me.
...
Leo glanced at the man standing across from his desk and then glanced at the door to his boss's office. He didn't know what to do. His boss had told him that she didn't want any interruptions for the rest of the day. Being the boss, there was always someone wanting her attention but she needed some time to do her own work that day, not doing everyone elses'. She wanted to be left alone to finish her budgeting so that she could go home on time. But the man currently standing in the lobby to her office was demanding to see Dr. Arizona Robbins and didn't care that she was busy.
Leo sized up the man in front of him. Leo was a native Malawian and looked like it. He was tall but very slender. The standard African diet didn't allow people to really gain much muscle mass. The man standing across from Leo was the complete opposite. He was tall and muscular. He was white but his skin was darkened by the sun. From his accent, Leo placed him as an American. Leo had spent the last fifteen minutes trying to get the man to leave, promising to leave Dr. Robbins a message from him but the man refused to leave without seeing her in person. Leo didn't know what to do. He had other work that needed to be done but couldn't while the man was still arguing in the office. Leo thought about calling his boss to ask her if she wanted to see the man but he was reminded about how adamant she had been about not being disturbed and he didn't necessarily trust the American standing in front of him. Leo had never seen him before and Americans didn't really just wander into Mzuzu. And they really didn't just wander into small children's hospitals in Mzuzu asking for the director of the clinic. But the stranger refused to take no for an answer.
The stranger could sense Leo's uneasiness about him and tried his best to fix it. He put on his best smile that showed off his dazzling white teeth and tried one more time to get Leo to let him in. "Look, I'm an old friend of Dr. Robbins. She'll want to see me and she'll be mad if she finds out that I was here and you didn't tell her."
"She's very busy. If you leave your name and where you are staying, I will be sure to pass the message along to her," Leo was exasperated as he tried explaining for the third time but the man still wasn't giving up.
The stranger picked up the phone on Leo's desk, "I bet one of these buttons will get Dr. Robbins on the line, right? Just ask her. Just tell her that there is a man looking for Phoenix. She'll know who it is."
Leo shook his head, "She said no phone calls. No interruptions."
"Please? If she gets mad, I will tell her that I forced you to do it. I'll take the blame."
Leo stared at the man for a moment before caving and taking the phone from him and pressing the pound button. He really needed to do his work and didn't see any other way of getting the man to leave.
In her office, Arizona was in the middle of adding up numbers in her head when the ringing of the phone scared her and she immediately forgot what she was doing. "This better be good, Leo," Arizona muttered to herself before picking up the phone. "Leo, I thought I said I wasn't to be disturbed."
"There's a man here that won't leave until he sees you. Dr. Robbins," Leo spoke into the receiver. "He says to tell you that he's looking for Phoenix."
Leo waited for a response from his boss but he heard nothing coming from the phone. Instead, moments later Leo watched as the door to Arizona's office flung open and a flash of blonde hair came running out.
"Nick?" Arizona exclaimed in wonder as she launched herself into the man's arms.
Nick hugged Arizona tight and made eye contact with Leo over her shoulder, "Told you she'd want to see me."
Arizona pushed herself out of Nick's arms so that she could get a better look at him, "What the heck are you doing in Mzuzu?"
Nick pulled out a copy of Barbara Robbins' latest Christmas family newsletter, "I was in Kenya for work when I got this from your mom. I knew I had to come and see you. You have some explaining to do, Flagstaff."
Arizona knew what he was talking about when she saw the familiar family newsletter. Her life had become very different over the last two years and the changes were all over the newsletter.
"Thank you for interrupting me, Leo. But for real, no more interruptions, okay?" Arizona nodded to her assistant as she grabbed Nick's hand and led him into her office.
Arizona took a seat on her office couch and pulled Nick to sit down next to her.
"You look good, Tucson," Nick said as he caressed her cheek, taking in his oldest and dearest friend. "I've missed you."
Arizona pulled him into another hug. She relished the familiar feeling of Nick in her arms. They had been through so much together as children and young adults - next to Timothy, Nick had always been her closest friend. "I've missed you too," she sighed. "We can't let it go another five years."
"Seven years," Nick corrected her on how long it had been since they had gotten together. Arizona couldn't believe it had been that long but after Tim died they both threw themselves into their work and let friendship wither away. For both of them, the other reminded them too much of Tim, and instead of dealing with the pain, they chose to ignore it and by extension - each other.
"So how have you been? What's new?" Arizona asked as released the hug but held on tight to Nick's hands as they sat facing each other on the couch.
"What's new with me?" Nick scoffed. "Me? I've just been working. Traveling the world taking pictures - the normal. But you? You? Mesa, what's new with you? I can see two new things just looking at you and I know you have two other new things at home."
Arizona subconsciously fiddled with her wedding ring while glancing down at her just starting to show pregnant belly. "I guess I do have a lot of new things."
Arizona spent the next half hour telling her oldest friend about her new family. She gushed over her sons and explained just how she fell in love and married a man. Nick was truly happy for her. He had seen her at her worst moment in life and knew first hand how badly she had been hurt in the past. She deserved every bit of the happiness she was experiencing.
Nick noticed a family picture on the bookshelf opposite where they were sitting. It was a picture of Alex, Arizona, Abe and Eli all dressed in nice clothes as they sat in front of a makeshift Christmas tree. He went and picked it up before sitting back down next to Arizona. "Tim would be really proud of you, you know that, right? For what you're doing here in Malawi and for your family. He would have been such a great uncle."
"Yeah," Arizona sniffled, trying not to cry. She would always wish that Tim had been able to meet his nephews and for them to know him as well. "He would have been the best."
Nick rested the picture on the coffee table in front of them, "I know I can't replace Tim but I think Uncle Nick could be pretty cool too."
"I think that the boys and this little one will love their Uncle Nick. Plus, they'll need someone to balance out Aunt Emily because we both know she can be just a little crazy," Arizona smiled through the tears that were welling up in her eyes. "How about we go meet them? Alex got off work early today so who knows what trouble they've gotten into at home."
"Don't you have work to do?" Nick asked knowing that he had to fight to even get to see Arizona because she was so busy.
Arizona shook her head before standing up to grab her things behind her desk, "It can wait until tomorrow. Family comes first."
...
Arizona walked Nick home the long way. She wanted to show him her home and not just her house; she wanted to show him Malawi. She had grown to love Mzuzu and Malawi and was always proud to show it off. Most people saw it as an impoverished city with nothing to offer anyone but Arizona saw the beauty and joy in it.
"This is it," Arizona said as she led them up the short dirt path to her home. "I know it's not much by American standards but here this is like a palace."
"I just spent a month sleeping on a mat made of grass. This is a palace to me too," Nick said as he took in the small brick home.
Arizona could hear laughter from the house before they even stepped foot inside.
"Honey, I'm home," she bellowed as she opened the door and led Nick inside.
Arizona couldn't see her family but she could hear laughter and squeals coming from the boys' room.
"Mama's home," she heard Alex tell their children. Immediately both boys stopped what they were doing and set out with a new goal in their minds - finding their mother.
"Mama! Mama! Mama!" two excited voices yelled as they ran out of their bedroom searching for their mother.
Arizona kneeled down to greet her sons, giving each kisses and hugs. Nick stood behind her and watched Arizona interact with her family. Never in his life did he picture Arizona Robbins' life turning out like this but he had to admit that it looked good on her.
Arizona looked up from the boys in her arms and noticed that Alex had a confused look on his face. She knew he was wondering who the strange man was in their house.
Arizona stood up with both boys perched on her hips. "Alex, this is Nick, one of my oldest and dearest friends," Arizona then turned to the man still standing slightly behind her. "Nick, this is my husband Alex. Nick was in Kenya for work and wanted to come see Malawi," Arizona explained as the two men shook hands.
Alex was relieved when Arizona introduced Nick. With their upcoming move out of the country, Alex and Arizona had both been worried that the government would suddenly decide to not let them leave with Abe and Eli. After all they had been through to adopt the boys they had become wary of unfamiliar faces. But the man standing in his living room wasn't a stranger after all; Alex had heard many stories over the last two years about Nick, Arizona and Tim that it felt like he already knew him.
"Nice to meet you," Alex smiled as he lifted a squirmy Abe out of his mother's arms. Arizona was just over four months pregnant and carrying both boys at the same time like she was used to was starting to get difficult as both she and the boys grew bigger. "And this is Abraham."
"And this is Elijah," Arizona introduced her son to her old friend. "Boys this is your Uncle Nick. He's one of Mama's very best friends."
"Can you say hi, Abe?" Alex prodded the boy in his arms.
"Hi Abe," Nick greeted the boy who was looking at him curiously. "Do you know what a high five is?"
Abe nodded and Nick held out his hand. Abe immediately stretched out of his father's hold to try and reach Nick's hand. He ended up jumping right into Nick's arms. "Hi," he said as his little hand slapped Nick's much larger hand.
While Abe was the never shy twin, Eli was burrowing his head into his mothers neck as the strange man held out his hand to him.
"Eli," Arizona whispered. "Can you say hi to your Uncle Nick."
Eli shook his head no and stuck his thumb in his mouth. He didn't want anything to do with the man that his mother was calling his uncle.
"It's okay," Nick said as he dropped his hand. He understood that kids were fickle and he wasn't going to push the toddler into anything.
"No, it's not," Arizona protested and shifted Eli so that she could look him in the eyes. "Elijah, you're being rude to our guest. He is one of Mama's very best friends. Like Abe is your very best friend. So, can you say hi to him so that we don't make him feel bad?"
Eli knew the tone of his mother's voice was one not to be messed with. He needed to do what she asked or he'd end up in time out. "Hi," Eli said meekly around the thumb in his mouth as his brown eyes flashed to Nick's for a brief moment.
Nick dared to put his hand out to Eli again. To everyone's surprise, Eli took his thumb out of his mouth and swatted his hand at Nick's.
"It is very nice to meet you, Eli. Your grandmother talks about you a lot."
"Love Gramma," Eli stated as he nuzzled his head back into his mother's shoulder.
Nick nodded in agreement, "Me too."
Learning that Nick too loved his grandmother seemed to make Eli less afraid of the stranger. While he still clung to Arizona, he was willing to at least make eye contact with Nick.
Nick spent the evening getting to know his new nephews. Abe was quickly comfortable with him and invited Nick into their bedroom to play. At first Eli ignored Nick and was content to play with his stuffed dog. Nick didn't pressure Eli to play with him but over the course of time, Eli couldn't ignore the laughter of his brother as he played with Nick and their toy superheroes. Not wanting to be left out, Eli acquiesced and put his puppy off to the side so that he had room to play with his favorite Ironman toy. Nick smiled when Eli took his Ironman toy and used it to start a fight with Nick's Incredible Hulk toy. Eli was still fairly shy around him but he was coming around. By bedtime Abe had a new best friend in Nick and even requested that his new uncle be the one to read him his bedtime story.
Most of the night, Arizona and Alex hung back and let Nick get to know his nephews. While Arizona wanted to spend the evening catching up with her old friend, she knew it was important for Nick to establish his relationship with her sons because she did truly want him to be their Uncle Nick. Once Arizona and Alex closed the boys' bedroom door after finally getting them to sleep, Arizona was looking forward to spending the rest of the night with her old friend but instead they found him already snoring on their couch. Arizona grabbed the blanket off the top of the couch and gently laid it over him while he slept. They'd have to wait another day to catch up.
...
The next day even though Arizona wanted to stay home and spend time with Nick, she had to go to work; the budget that she had been working on was due in the afternoon and she still had at least a few hours of work to go on it. Not wanting to leave Nick alone in a strange country, Arizona was able to reschedule Alex's day so that he could have off to spend with their guest. Plus, she thought that it would be good for them to get to know each other better. Nick used the time like any good friend would - grilling his friend's new husband to make sure he was good enough for her. By lunch time, Alex had passed Nick's test with flying colors. Nick could tell that Alex clearly loved Arizona the day before and after spending the morning watching him with his sons Nick approved of Alex.
After helping to feed the boys lunch, Nick set about doing something that he once swore he would do if Arizona ever have children - get them to call her by the name of one of the cities in Arizona. When they were kids Arizona used to hate being picked on for her name. Everyone would always tell her that her parents named her that because that is where she was conceived and tease her because of it. Kids didn't care about hearing about her grandfather who saved nineteen men. It was much more fun to tease her about her parents having sex. Nick took the teasing to another level. He liked to annoy her by instead of calling her by her real name, he would call her a city in Arizona. Arizona telling him to stop his teasing only resulted in him doing it more. Eventually, Arizona gave up and just accepted the fact that to Nick she would always be Phoenix or a different city name.
Alex had just finished washing dishes in the kitchen when he walked into the living room to find Nick sitting cross-legged on the floor with both boys across from him, playing with trucks.
"Feeeeee - nix," Nick drawled out slowly trying to teach the boys how to say Phoenix.
"Nix," Abe repeated as he crashed his two toy trucks into each other.
"Fee," Nick repeated. "Can you say Fee?"
Abe looked up from his toys and repeated, "Fee."
"Now say nix," Nick instructed.
"Nix," Abe repeated again.
"Now put it together. Fee-nix."
Abe looked back at his trucks, "Nix."
Nick took a deep breath. Teaching twenty-eight month olds was a lot more difficult than he thought it would be. Their attention spans weren't longer than those of a gnat and he couldn't compete with toys.
Alex, who had been watching from the doorway, decided to see just what Nick was up to.
Alex lifted Eli up and stole his spot on the floor, sitting down with Eli in his lap. "Care to tell me why you're trying to teach my boys how to say Phoenix? I gotta say it's better than teaching them how to swear but..."
Nick laughed as he watched Eli run his toy car along Alex's arm, "When we were kids, I started calling Arizona after the cities in the state. I even told her that one day I would teach her kids to do it too. So that's what I'm trying to do. But I'm thinking that might have to wait until they're older."
Alex got up quickly, putting Eli back down in his spot on the floor. He went into the kitchen and reappeared a minute later with a bag of Reese's Pieces in his hand. After taking his spot on the floor back, he handed the bag to Nick. "Use these and they'll do whatever you want. They were potty trained in less than a week thanks to these things."
Nick looked at the candy in the bag then back up to Alex, "You're actually helping me to annoy your wife."
Alex grinned, "Dude, I think that it's hilarious. Arizona's face will be priceless."
"Really?" Nick asked, making sure that Alex was on board with this plan.
"Really. Plus you'll totally get all the blame." Alex grabbed an Reese's Pieces out of the bag and held it in front of Abe's face, "Abe, can you say fee?"
"Feeeeee," Abe said excitedly when he saw the small piece of chocolate.
Once Abe said it, Alex handed him the small chocolate candy and he gobbled it down quickly.
Alex then looked down at the boy in his lap, "Eli, can you say fee?"
Eli nodded his head vigorously and started grabbing for the candy, "Fee, Daddy."
"See?" Alex laughed at Nick after showing him just how easy it would be to get the boys to do what he wanted them to do.
In a half hours time both Abe and Eli could say Phoenix. With Arizona not due home for another couple of hours, they would need a refresher course on it but Nick was confident that they would be able to pull off the stunt to shock Arizona.
...
Arizona walked into her home expecting to hear laughter and voices chattering away. Instead she was met with an uneasy silence.
"Hello?" she echoed throughout the small house.
"In here," she heard Nick call from the living room.
Arizona dropped her bag by the door and went in search of her family. When she walked into the living room, she found Nick on the floor with both boys in his arms, whispering into their ears.
"What's going on?" Arizona wondered.
"Ok?" Abe said softly as he looked up at Nick for confirmation.
Nick nodded, "Yes."
"Really what are you doing to my kids?" Arizona asked again. She knew that Nick was up to no good.
Abe stood up and ran into his mother's legs and wrapped his arms around them, "Mama Phoenix!"
Because Abe had been speaking into her leg, she wasn't sure she heard her son correctly, "What was that, Abe?"
Eli answered for his brother as he too got up out of Nick's lap to greet his mother, "Mama Feeee-nix!"
Abe looked up from his spot attached to his mother's leg and said it again, "Up, Mama Phoenix."
Arizona's eyebrows furrowed and she glared at the man still sitting on the floor as she lifted Abe up into her arms, "You are dead, Nicholas."
Nick didn't look bothered as he shrugged his shoulders, "Told you I'd do it."
Arizona took a seat on the couch with Abe on her side while Eli scrambled up to sit next to her as well. "Boys don't listen to anything Uncle Nick tells you to do. Okay?"
"Okay, Mama Feeee-nix," Abe said dutifully as he stretched out the e's in Phoenix.
Arizona groaned and rolled her eyes, "And no saying Phoenix anymore, okay? I'm Mama."
"No?" Eli asked as he looked at her with big brown eyes.
"No more."
"But Daddy said..." Eli looked confused at his mother. His father had told him to say it but now his mother was telling him not to do it. He didn't know what to do.
"Alex," Arizona muttered under her breath before looking back at both of her boys who were watching her carefully. "No Phoenix. Now you two stay here with Uncle Nick while Mama goes to find Daddy."
"Okay, Mama Phoenix," Abe said as he turned his attention to the television. His two-year old brain not understanding that he wasn't supposed to say that anymore. Arizona was sure that it was going to take at least a week to train the kids to not call her Mama Phoenix anymore. Arizona lifted Abe off of her lap and threw one last glare at Nick before stomping off to the kitchen to give Alex a piece of her mind for helping Nick out.
...
"So are you going to tell me the real reason you're here in Mzuzu?" Alex asked as he walked out of the bathroom where Arizona was giving the boys a bath.
Nick looked up from his laptop, "What do you mean? I'm here to see one of my oldest friends and meet her new family."
"You sure that's the only reason?" Alex leaned forward in his seat, challenging the man across from him.
"Yeah. Of course it is," Nick answered without making eye contact.
"Then why did I see you taking some pills after breakfast this morning. And when you got up off the floor earlier your face winced in pain. I think you're here because you need help."
Nick let out a soft sigh. He had been trying to be careful but obviously he wasn't careful enough. He didn't want to worry his friend. "I have bone cancer. Just found out about six months ago. I just wanted to see Arizona and meet you all before I left for treatment."
Alex didn't get too worried when Nick revealed that he had bone cancer. As far as cancers went, bone cancer wasn't too bad. It was slow growing and if it was treated, the survival rate was very high.
"Why haven't you just told her that? Bone cancer is no big deal," Alex questioned.
Nick rubbed his forehead. He knew that Alex wasn't going to like his answer. "Because Flagstaff won't approve of the fact that I don't want traditional treatment. I'm going to Tibet to work with a naturopath."
Like almost all medical doctors, Alex didn't understand the desire to seek alternative treatments. "Naturopaths are quacks. Just see a real doctor and you'll be good as new in a few months."
"I'm going to Tibet tomorrow."
Alex was starting to get angry at Nick's refusal to see a doctor and his voice raised, "You can't just come into my home, make my kids love you and then break their hearts and Arizona's by dying of cancer. Because that is what is going to happen if you see a hippy, tea-leaf reader and not a real doctor."
The only thing that saved Nick from Alex unloading on him even more was the sound of a door closing and tiny feet running across the floor, moving from the bathroom to their bedroom.
Arizona could hear the raised voices as she exited the bathroom and followed her sons into their bedroom. She didn't hear what they were saying but she knew that both men were talking loudly. She had thought that everyone was getting along really well. It killed her to think that her husband and one of her oldest friends weren't getting along.
When she walked into the living room after changing the boys things were silent and both men were staring at each other. Arizona cleared her throat, "The boys want you both to come tuck them in."
Alex and Nick both mumbled that they were coming and got up off of their respective couches.
"And when you're done, I want to know what is going on here," Arizona said sharply.
Both men knew that she knew that something was up. There was going to be no getting around this conversation.
Alex whispered to Nick as he walked past him, "Don't even think about lying to her. You tell her the truth. It needs to come from you and not from me."
Alex didn't wait for an answer. He was furious that this man was about to hurt Arizona and there was nothing that he could do to stop it.
...
"So," Arizona said as she sat on one end of the couch. Alex sat next to her on the same couch while Nick sat on the one opposite her. "Who wants to tell me why two of my favorite people were yelling at each other?"
Nick and Alex stared at each other. It was Nick's responsibility to tell Arizona - not his.
"No one?" Arizona asked after neither one made an effort to speak. "I think you two spent too much time with the two year olds today because you're acting just like them. We will sit here until one of you speaks."
After another minute of silence, Nick finally spoke, "I'm leaving for Tibet tomorrow."
"That sounds like fun," Arizona said tentatively, not sure why Tibet would cause the raised voices she heard earlier.
"Tell her why," Alex said through gritted teeth.
Arizona's head whipped around to look at Nick, "Why? Nick? What's with Tibet?"
Nick shifted forward so that his elbows were resting on his knees and stared at the palms of his hands, "I have bone cancer. There's a naturopath there that is going to treat me."
"No!" Arizona said loudly. Arizona wasn't sure if the no response was in disbelief that someone close to her had cancer or to his ridiculous idea that he was going to seek alternative treatment.
"Phoenix," Nick sighed.
Alex scooted over on the couch to hold Arizona's hand and try to comfort her.
"No!" Arizona said again even louder as she pulled her hand out of Alex's grasp. "No. You will go back to the U.S. and get the tumor removed and get chemo."
"That's not what I want," Nick said softly.
Arizona shook her head, "I don't give a damn what you want."
"Please understand. I need you to understand," Nick looked up to meet her eyes that were slowly filling with tears.
Arizona shook her head again and stood up off the couch. She stormed out of the room.
"Should I go after her?" Nick asked Alex.
Before Alex could answer Arizona had returned from the bedroom. She shoved a picture into Nick's hands. It was an old but familiar picture. It was a faded picture of Nick, Tim and Arizona standing next to their bicycles. Nick remembered when the picture was taken. It was taken the same day he "married" Arizona in the Robbins' backyard.
"I've already lost one of the boys in that picture," Arizona cried, letting her tears flow freely. "I can't lose you too."
"Arizona," Nick whispered as he wrapped his arms tightly around her.
Arizona latched on tightly to Nick's shoulders and pulled him as close as possible. She had already lost one brother, she couldn't lose another.
"Please," Arizona pleaded. "Please just go see a real doctor. For me. I couldn't save Tim but I can help you. Go to Seattle."
"Why Seattle?" Nick asked softly as he ran his hands up and down Arizona's back, trying to calm her down.
"Callie Torres," Alex answered for his wife. "She's one of the most innovative orthopedic surgeons in the country."
Arizona nodded into Nick's chest, signaling that Alex had given the correct response. Nick didn't say anything. He just held Arizona as she slowly stopped crying. Arizona pushed him away and wiped the few tears that lingered on her cheeks, "Please, do this for me. Just go see Callie. See what she says. Then decide if you still want Tibet."
"You trust Callie? Even after everything?" Nick questioned as he watched his friend try to compose herself. Even though he and Arizona had lost touch for many years, he still knew all about Callie Torres. Nick's mother and Arizona's mother had been friends longer than their kids had and Nick's mom always kept him up to date on his friend's life.
Arizona sniffled, "When it comes to surgery, I do."
Nick took a deep breath and looked up at Arizona. "Fine, I'll go to Seattle." He hated to see Arizona upset and only knew of one way to stop it. He'd go to Seattle and see Callie Torres just to give Arizona peace of mind before he went to Tibet.
Arizona launched herself into his arms. "Thank you. Thank you. Thank you," she repeated over and over again.
...
The next day, Nick gathered his things and was ready to leave. He read his nephews one more story before promising that he would see them soon. Leaving the boys at home with their nanny, Alex and Arizona used a borrowed truck from the clinic to take Nick to the airport.
After unloading his bag from the back of the truck, Nick held his hand out to Alex. Alex grabbed it and then pulled Nick in for a hug. To Arizona, it looked like they were just being friendly but Alex was using the closeness to give Nick some parting words.
"If you hurt her by not getting yourself to a doctor, I will hurt you if you are still alive. You got me?" Alex said quietly before releasing Nick with a pat on the back.
"Yeah. It was great meeting you too," Nick gave a forced smile to Alex before turning toward Arizona who was waiting with open arms.
"You take care of yourself," Nick told her as he wrapped her up in one last hug. "Don't be a stranger with the e-mails. I expect a lot of pictures of those boys and this little one."
"You take care of yourself. Keep me updated and let me know what Callie says," Arizona nodded into his chest, trying to hold back the tears again. Being pregnant was making her cry at the drop of the hat. Arizona always hated goodbyes and knowing that Nick was sick only made this goodbye worse. She hoped it wasn't going to be the last time she was going to see him.
Nick released Arizona and picked up his bag. "Thank you guys. For everything."
Alex wrapped his arm around his emotional wife as they watched Nick walk toward the airport.
"Love you, Phoenix," Nick called just before he walked into the airport.
"Love you too," Arizona hollered back.
Once Nick was out of sight, Arizona let the tears flow again.
"Hey," Alex said as he pulled Arizona into a hug. "He's going to be fine. Callie will take good care of him."
"I know," Arizona whispered as she released a sob and pulled Alex tighter against her. "Promise me you'll never leave."
"What?" Alex asked as he pushed Arizona out of the embrace so that he could see her eyes.
"Promise me," she choked out. "I can't lose you too."
Alex caressed her cheek and pulled her in for a soft kiss, "I'll never leave. You're stuck with me. That's how this whole marriage thing works."
Arizona just nodded her head up and down as she bit on her lip trying to stop the tears.
Alex again pulled her in close. "I love you," he said quietly as he kissed the top of her head.
"I love you too."
"And I'll never leave you. But you can't leave me either, okay?"
Arizona released Alex and pulled his head down for a deep, slow kiss. "I will never leave you."
Alex and Arizona stayed to watch Nick's plane leave. Flights out of Mzuzu were just small planes that would connect him to Lilongwe where he could get a flight back to civilization. As they watched the tiny plane reach the clouds, Arizona let out a long sigh. She had done all that she could do. She couldn't force Nick's hand. It was up to him whether he got on a plane to Seattle or Tibet or if he'd go to Seattle and then Tibet. She needed to let Nick go and focus on her own life again. She had two perfect baby boys who needed her, another baby on the way and a big move back to the United States coming up. Nick's fate was in his own hands as he left Mzuzu.
"Hey, how about a family day?" Alex asked as he held the door to the truck open for her and helped her into it. "Me. You. Our two sons," Alex reached down and caressed Arizona's small baby bump, "And this little guy too. We could go to the park and have a picnic or something."
"Sounds great, babe," Arizona flashed him a smile as he walked to the drivers' side of the vehicle.
Once Alex was in the truck he leaned over the console and pulled Arizona's face toward him, "I promise you, I'm not going anywhere. Ever. Nothing will ever take me away from you."
Arizona nodded her head and leaned forward to kiss him softly. While Nick might have been her rock after Tim's death, Alex was her rock now and she wasn't willing to ever let him go.
...