Title: Pipe Dreams
Pairing: Callie/Arizona
Rating: T
Disclaimer: Just in case you thought I did, no I don't own any of these characters.
Author's Note: First go at fan fiction. Forewarning, all my school teachers said I had an odd way of putting things when I write, so we'll see how it goes. I apologize in advance.
Arizona brought another pail of water to boil. She ran o carefully ran out the rag from inside and took it over to where her father lay with a fever in his bed. She lightly washed his face, listening to his labored breathing.
They hadn't even been in Leadville three months and they were already into the first snow of winter. To Arizona it all still seemed like a bad dream. Mark had approached her father with a get rich scheme, move to the mines out west and make their fortune. Arizona's father, a retired Army Colonel, had squandered his money on booze and other foolish endeavors; so he saw no other way but to agree to let Mark marry his only daughter and move with them out West.
The little shack Mark had bought which was a full day travel by horse to town was hardly what Arizona had anticipated. Now Mark had been gone three days in search of the town's doctor and Arizona was beginning to worry that by the time he got back it would be too late.
Arizona pulled on her bulky winter clothes and made her way outside to get more wood. She was thankful that Mark had cut her an extra supply before he left. She felt a little bad knowing she hadn't treated him very nicely since they had been married. She was still a little miffed that she hadn't been consulted in the arrangement of the marriage or the move; but she had to admit he had a few endearing qualities. Mark had been her best friend back in Virginia and she supposed there could be a lot worse things than having to marry your best friend.
As she made her way to the wood pile Arizona noticed shoe prints and a light trail of blood. She gasped immediately thinking Mark had been injured and quickly followed the tracks to the other side of the wood. What she found instead a young Indian boy unconscious, his mid section covered in blood.
Fear ran cold through Arizona as she looked around. She had heard horror stories of savage Indians that had attacked and murdered settlers as they moved out west. The boy himself was obviously no threat in his present state, but was there more out there, were they watching her?
Arizona shook her head trying to get her wits about her. She looked down at the boy again who was in obvious need of help. She bent down and hooked her arms under his armpits and dragged him into her house.
After laying him down on the floor she clean his midsection and quickly saw a deep gash to his side that blood was still flowing from. She quickly got out a needle and thread. She was slightly thankful that her father had sent her to live on her uncle's ranch when she was younger. Her natural curiosities always lead her to follow the vet around on his numerous visits. And even though this was a far cry from anything she'd seen done on the families herd, it gave her just enough confidence to try to help.
Arizona made quick but neat work of sewing the boys side up and then got a pile of blankets to cover him up, trying to make him as comfortable and warm as possible. As she calmed down from the initial high, she just became more confused. What was she going to do if the boy didn't wake up? Worse yet, what was she going to do if he did?