The Break-Up – Revised

Slightly different version of the airport scene

I wrote this before 7x07 aired based on spoiler speculation and the airport photos. I've watched the break-up scene a few times and I really don't like it. It's not that I didn't anticipate a harsher break-up than the last one (and frankly kind of wanted some shouting) but what we witnessed didn't give us any new insight. It made Arizona come across as harsher than she needed to, in my opinion.

As with everyone, I own nothing and have the bills to prove it.

Airport

"So, when were you going to tell me?" Arizona finally asked as they approached their gate, breaking the stilted silence that had been the taxi ride to the airport, baggage check, and the quick meal they had shared at the bar, during which time Callie had managed to pound three shots of tequila.

"Tell you what?" Callie asked, not really paying attention until Arizona grabbed her arm, stopping her and forcing her to make the eye contact that she'd been so successfully avoiding.

"That you don't really want to go to Africa." And there it was – the truth. It was written all over Callie's very expressive face. And a part of Arizona wanted to cry, but another part of her, the part that she usually managed to keep a handle on, wanted to yell and scream and vent at Callie for keeping this rather monumental secret for the past month.

"Fine." Callie took a deep breath and nodded. "Fine then. I don't want to go to Africa. But I'm going, okay? I'm…going." Callie tried to give Arizona a reassuring, if lopsided, smile and continue to the gate, but Arizona blocked her from moving forward.

"You're, you're going? That's, that's all you have to say?"

"What am I supposed to say Arizona?" Callie asked, somewhat aggravated by the whole line of questioning. "I'm doing the best I can here…You're going to Africa, I'm going to Africa. That's how this is supposed to work."

"What – so you can resent me? Make me feel guilty? Throw it in my face for the next three years?"

"What choice did you give me? YOU were accepting the grant. YOU were moving to Africa. Let's face it. I, I was an inconvenience."

"How can you say that!"

"Because it's the truth! I know you Arizona – 'You don't do long distance relationships,'" Callie attempted, yet again, to head towards their gate, but was rebuffed by Arizona.

"Wait…just wait. You're, you're judging me based on something I said over a year ago? We'd barely been dating, I wasn't even sure if I was your girlfriend – so what, you think I accepted this grant with the plan to, to…"

"Dump me." Callie finished, confident in her own insecurity that she had this right. "Oh it would have been for my own good – You'd have made it all friendly, but you know…you know…that that was where this was heading."

Arizona just shook her head – "No. No I don't know that because you solved everything by martyring yourself. You didn't give us a chance to find a solution that worked for both of us."

Callie's heart started to pound in real fear as she recognized the look in Arizona's eyes. "Well, I'm going," she stated, adjusting her backpack and pushing herself past Arizona to head towards their gate.

Arizona simply stood there and said the words that broke both of their hearts. "No…no you're not."

Callie stopped, and took a couple of deep breaths before she turned back around, attempting, one last time, to make light of everything so that they'd be okay. "What are you talking about? We're at the airport. Our plane is boarding, come on…"

Arizona did start to walk towards her, but it was with a solemn finality that had Callie tearing up… "I am going to Africa to set up a pediatric surgery center. The only pediatric surgery center in the region. I'm going to be working 24/7 – good work, great work, but it's going to be hard. I don't have time for…for this…"

"For this! That's all we are to you? So what, you're breaking up with me because I'm not all 'yeah Africa'?"

"Calliope, I love you – I do – but you're not coming with me. Wait for me, don't wait for me, it's your decision. But this time, make sure it's what YOU want, and don't do me any more favors." And with that, Arizona turned and boarded her plane.