Title: What are Best Friends for?

Rating: Pg-13

Author: Y3lhsa

Disclaimer: I make no money off this and the Characters belong to Shonda Rhimes and Co.

A few weeks after the shooting…

Mark was taking a shower when he realized that he wasn't going to listen to Callie and not talk to Arizona about her love life. He just had to figure out the best time to do that. It wasn't fair that Callie finally find someone who loved her as much as she only to have her past thrown in her face every time they had an argument. The more time past the more frustrated and pissed off he got. He figured he would probably not be as tactful and considerate if he let it fester. So, he was going to do this. He just hoped Callie forgives him for it and if not maybe Arizona will quit throwing her own insecurities in Callie's face.

When Mark saw Arizona climbing the stairs a couple days later he took the opportunity as he realized Callie shouldn't be home for at least another half hour. "Callie was never in love with me you know." Mark announced to Arizona in the hallway outside his apartment as she approached. She looked up from her bag to see him lounging in his doorway, looking for all the world as if he had planned to ambush her. Of course she wouldn't put it past him.

"Excuse me?" She pulled her keys from the bag and entered the apartment. She turned around to shut the door and realized Mark had followed her and slipped into the living room. "What are you talking about?"

"You keep accusing her of falling in love with everyone so I thought it was time I set you straight. It was only sex." At Arizona's flabbergasted look, he continued. "When we first met, it was only sex. I was going through a breakup, of sorts, and so was she. George had cheated on her and she had to see him and the woman he slept with at work. The whole hospital was talking about it and no one was being very careful about whether she knew it."

Pausing to give Arizona time to process before he continued, he grabbed a water from the fridge before offering one to Arizona. When she took it he leaned against the sink and watched her climb onto the stool at the counter.

"I don't think I feel comfortable talking about Callie with you."

"Tough. She isn't gonna say anything so I as her best friend am obliged to. She did love him, but it's hard to love someone who won't or can't love you back. She tried so hard to make it work, she gave everything she had and he still left. He really knocked her on her ass and before she fully recovered there was Erica Hahn."

"I know this Mark." Arizona interrupted with a tilt of her head.

Standing up Mark stepped up to the counter and leaned in. "Not all of it you don't, you think you do and that's where you're wrong." He took a deep breath before continuing. "It took Callie awhile to accept that she was attracted to Erica. She's not like you; she didn't grow up liking women. She had just gotten divorced when she and Erica became friends. They were becoming close and of course I teased them. Erica's very easy to irritate and I was very good at irritating her. She found out Callie and I were sleeping together and by then, I knew which way the tables were turning. It wasn't easy for her to accept that her interests had changed. They talked, dated. When they finally got it together, Erica freaked on her. She figured maybe she'd been sleeping with the wrong gender the whole time. Callie never had that problem so she's thinking what does that mean? Is there something wrong with me? Shouldn't I feel the same way? She didn't know what to do and maybe she made some mistakes with it but she tried and maybe if Erica hadn't left they would've made something of it. They had a disagreement about a patient and Izzie Stevens of all people and Erica just leaves. Doesn't call, doesn't leave a note, nothing."

Arizona looked up at that.

Mark took a drink of water and walked around the counter knowing that Callie should be home any minute. He knew he was dumping a lot on Arizona but it was his job to protect his best friend, even if that meant telling the woman she loved the bad and the good. Turning around, he faced Arizona again. She sat there looking at him, thoughtful, and he took that as a good sign. She hadn't told him to shut up anyway. "I've never seen her as happy as she is with you. You don't even have to be in the same room for her to smile, to laugh. She talks about you all the time, she loves everything about you: from your way with kids to your inability to stand up to the chief without crying. I was the one to make her tell you about wanting kids. She didn't want to, but it wasn't fair to her or to you. Quit punishing her for caring. Just because she cares, doesn't mean she loves you any less. It took a lot of courage for her to ask you out."

Hearing a key turn in the lock, he spins around and pulls the door open. "Hey look who's home. I was gonna order Chinese and want to know if you two wanted to join me." Thankfully he planned what to say cuz he had no time to make something up.

Throwing him a puzzled look, Callie sets her bag on the couch before asking Arizona. "You up for Chinese tonight?"

Nodding enthusiastically she grins at Callie and kisses her before walking towards Mark. "Sure, Chinese it is. How about you order and bring it over when it gets here. We'll just change and set things up over here." Shoving Mark out the door, the last thing he sees is her mouth Thank you before the door shuts in his face.