Prompt: How about one where a patient refuses Arizona to treat their child because they saw Callie and Arizona kiss before the surgery.. Maybe Arizona then gets pushed and falls and Callie to the rescue.. idk
AN: Sometimes you're a surgeon and sometimes you're not. Either way you're still a doctor.
Written by: Maisie :D Had a lot of fun with this one, more to prompts to be filled this evening!
Arizona was occupied with the last minute preparations for a pediatric patients liver transplant when she felt a hand around her waist. She knew who it was without looking. Callie had somehow managed the art of the subtle introduction, using fleeting touches and low murmured greetings to make Arizona feel like they were the only two in the hospital. Today was no exception, with the trailing hand leaving her waist as soon as had arrived and the tell tale thump of a patient file slapping down into the nurses station next to the blond "When's your surgery?"
Glancing at the clock Arizona let out a short sigh "Twenty minutes, I've got the interns prepping the patient now and I've got to run the parents through what's going to be happening one last time."
"Again?" Callie asked, glancing over at her wife "I thought you already did that yesterday."
"And the day before that and this morning." Arizona amended "But it only takes a minute and it helps the interns remember what they're supposed to be doing. They're just a pair of worried parents, it happens all the time."
"I know" Callie replied "But I've seen they way they treat the nurses, they're uptight and-"
"They're parents." Arizona said "Parents to a child who's been sick for a very long time. They just want to make sure that everything is done right because they know they only have one shot at this." She was rambling and she knew it, but the pressure the parents and the Chief had been putting on her to make sure this surgery went seamlessly was finally getting to her.
Callie read all of this in an instant, taking in her wife's tense shoulders and they way she standing with all her weight on her left leg, protecting her prosthesis with a well placed hand "Hey" she said quietly, wrapping one of her hands around Arizona's wrist and entangling their fingers "You're going to be fine."
The blond looked up at her wife and was met with the steady, strong gaze that had held her together through so many other storms (even those that she didn't know she was in) "I know." She said quietly "I just want people to let me do my job. This isn't my first transplant, but this isn't the first time I've dealt with over bearing parents either."
"So what makes this time different?"
"I don't know." Arizona cast a glance across the hall to where the parents were standing in their sons room "I just get bad juju from them."
"Well ignore the bad juju" Callie reassured her "Once you're in the OR you'll be able to work your magic." Arizona hummed as Callie pulled her into light hug, sneaking in a small kiss as she did so "I'll see you tonight" Her wife said "after you kick ass in your surgery."
"Love you." Arizona whispered, hugging her wife and instantly missing their kiss and the comfort of her wife's arms as they pulled apart.
Grabbing the patient file, Arizona turned to walk into her patients room when she saw the father walking towards her. She let out a breath and tried to ease her nerves as he approached but something about the way her was looking at her set her on edge "Hi" she greeted, as brightly as she could manage "Everything okay."
"Who is the other doctor on my sons case?" he asked, aggression lacing his voice
"Uh-" Arizona hesitated for a moment "Dr. Karev is also working with me on your sons case."
"Can he perform the surgery?"
Arizona was floundering, yes of course Alex could perform the surgery but she'd been with this patient since the beginning "He has a couple other surgeries today, but I'm all prepared to do the transplant for your son. Is everything okay Mr. Williams?"
"I don't want you anywhere near my son." The father spat, sudden anger slipping past the tension in his voice.
Already Arizona could feel the some of the nurses watching on with mild interest, but none of this helped her. She didn't know what had set off the father to be so adamant against her saving his sons life "Mr. Williams, I can walk you through the procedure again if you'd like, but I assure you that I am more than capable of performing the surgery your son needs." she was trying to stay calm but it seemed that every word she said only served to piss this father off more.
"I don't want you to tell me about the surgery. I don't want you looking at my sons charts, I don't want you on this case in any capacity Dr. Robbins." As he said this, his voice increasing with every word, he lunged for the chart Arizona was holding.
She reacted instinctively and took a step back but it was an unsteady step and Mr. Williams forward momentum crashed into her, knocking her backwards as he grabbed the file. Instantly Arizona felt herself begin to fall, but with one hand holding onto the patient file, that only left her with one to try and stabilize herself.
It was too late though, gravity was already pulling her to the ground as a couple of nurses rushed forward to try and catch her. Arizona landed hard, Mr. Williams still trying to get the file from her, but at the moment that was the least of her problems. The jarring impact had knocked her prosthesis loose and she knew that until it was fixed she wouldn't be able to stand. That combined with an increasingly angry parent she was way out of her depth and no one seemed to be helping. And then-
"Sir" a familiar voice said "Sir I need you to back up right now."
Karev.
Arizona held the sons file tighter, fixing the husband with a cold look as he backed up, wiping his hands on his pants "I will not have some-some lesbian whore operating on my son."
"Excuse me." A third voice said, a very angry, very worried third voice that Arizona knew better than even her own.
Callie.
"Callie don't." Arizona heard Karev warn, but it was almost too late.
Callie was standing right in front of Mr. Williams, her fists clenched "The sexual orientation of a surgeon does not determine how good they are at their job Mr. Williams. And if you want to take your son to another hospital, with a less talented surgeon, that is entirely your right. What isn't your right is insulting my wife. Or anyone in this hospital. Your son is sick and you're worried, I get that, but calling by wife a whore, that is unacceptable. Physically assaulting her so that she is knocked to the ground, that is-"
"Callie." Arizona said sharply, causing her wife to turn around "Leave it." Her voice was icy and cold "If Mr. Williams doesn't want me to perform the surgery, Karev is more than capable." Even as she spoke, Arizona could feel her entire body shaking, she wanted to get away from everyone.
Callie glanced between the indignant Mr. Williams and her wife for a few moments before coming to her wife's side. Arizona refused her help, determined to fix the strap so it would hold just long enough so she could get into an on-call room. Callie was there to help her stand though, one arm wrapped around her waist, the other holding her left arm.
Once stable on her feet, Arizona took a breath and changed her mind, she turned towards Mr. Williams, who stiffened as he saw he approach "Mr. Williams" she said, her voice calm but cold "I am the best pediatric surgeon in Washington State, one of the best in the country. I have performed this procedure more than a dozen times and have never lost a patient. This isn't about my personal life or your thoughts and opinions on my life choices. This is about saving your sons life. Now Dr. Karev is more than capable of performing this procedure if you so chose, but you came here because of me. Because of the quality of care you want for your son. If you want the best possible care for your son, if you want him to have the best chances of survival you will let me perform the surgery." She let out a long breath and turned away, Callie moving with her.
Mr. Williams didn't say anything, nor did Arizona want to hear anything from the man. She just wanted out. She needed to calm down, to just breathe without eager eyes watching her every move. Callie was the one who locked the on-call room door, but she didn't move from it as Arizona sat down to properly fix the prosthesis. It was only after it was properly adjusted that Callie came and sat next to her on the bed "That was amazing." She said "You were amazing."
Arizona looked over at her "What was so amazing about getting knocked over by a parent?" she asked, her words bitter
"How you handled yourself." Callie said "How you're still willing to do the surgery, how you gave him the choice. You amaze me." She said, her voice dropping to a whisper.
"It's not about the parents in Peds" Arizona said, resting her head on Callie's shoulder "It's about the kids, it's always about the kids and that boy shouldn't have to suffer because his parents are closed-minded."
"Not everyone would see it that way." Callie said, turning when there was a knock on the door.
"Arizona, you in here?" It was Alex.
Opening the door, Arizona walked out into the hallway relieved to see that most of the crowd had subsided and people were resuming their normal activities "Did the father decide?" she asked
"Yeah" Alex replied, shaking his head "He doesn't want you anywhere near his son."
"You'll do the surgery then." Arizona said immediately
"But I've-" Alex started
"You're going to do fine. I'll be in the gallery watching but Bailey will be there and can help you if things get bad." Arizona said
Alex took this in, nodding "It should be you in there." He said
"Yeah, well we can't win them all Karev, sometimes we just lose." Arizona replied, watching as Alex turned to make the final preparations for her surgery.
Six and a half hours later Arizona was still sitting in the gallery, watching as Alex performed the surgery with Bailey. It was going smoothly so far, with the hardest part just performed and Arizona was relaxed. When she had said Alex was more than capable of performing the surgery, she meant it. He was one of the best pediatric surgeons she'd seen in a long time (a surprise to everyone she knew) but she still wished that she was in that OR.
She heard the door behind her open and close, turning to see Callie walk in holding a cup of coffee and their daughter. Arizona brightened as her wife and four year old came to sit next to her "How's it going?" Callie asked
"Fine." Arizona responded "He's reconnecting the blood vessels now. How's my girl?" she asked, looking at Sofia.
"Momma!" her daughter responded, extending her arms so her momma could take her into her arms "I colorded pictures!"
"No way!" Arizona exclaimed "Can we hang them on the fridge at home?"
"Nope" Sofia replied, shaking her head and smiling brightly "Teacher said they go on the wall."
She was so happy and so proud of herself that Arizona couldn't help but let herself be infected by the four year olds glee. The last dregs of what had happened that day seemed to ebb away as Sofia launched into a description of what she'd colored (momma and mami playing with her in the park). She felt Callie's arm wrap around her shoulder and she leaned into it, catching her wife's eye and smiling brightly. This was how life was supposed to be, unconventional as it was to spend time with her daughter in the gallery of an operating room, Arizona wouldn't have it any other way.