Chapter 2

Summary: Callie & Arizona AU fic. Arizona is lost in a whirlwind of circumstances, relying on her motor cycle to give her clarity. Will this ride lead to the change that she needs, or lead to further hurt and heartache, or is this just the journey that she needs?

Chapter: 2/?

Disclaimer: All characters from Grey's Anatomy belong to the Queen that is Shonda Rhimes… I only wish I was old enough and wise enough to come up with them first….

"Crap, shit, fuck…. Stupid, stupid….ugh…..why am I in so much pain?" Arizona was attempting to fight through the last of the sedation that still clouded her being. "Where the hell am I?" sensing the sterile air, and easily recognizing the beeping of the monitors maintaining her stats "ugh….a hospital…great! Because this is one more thing that I needed…"

"You going to keep moaning, or are you going to actually wake up?" Daniel's voice cut through the haze that Arizona was still attempting to fight through.

Eyes still closed "shut up…or at least cut the volume down a few notches please." a very groggy Arizona responded, feeling around attempting to assess the extent of her injuries.

"Maybe I should just step out and call mom, that should give you plenty of peace and quiet" Daniel threatened, knowing exactly the effect his threat would illicit.

"Don't be a jerk, can I please have some water before you start in?" the young blond croaked, throat still dry from the tube that was necessary during surgery. Barely opening her eyes, she was still struggling to get her bearings straight. Taking a sip of water from the offered cup, the thrill seeker attempted to piece together what exact set of events landed her in this hospital bed.

Yes, she knew she was on her bike, and there was an accident. But the details to how that had even happened, were currently escaping her. But, beyond the accident… How did her life, her life that was seemingly perfect not too long ago, land her here in this hospital bed? Was this all a bad dream that she had yet to wake up from? There was the physical pain, and with the medicine wearing off, the edge was gaining intensity by the minute. But there was something worse than that; something that sent her into a tailspin that she doesn't know how to stop. This pain, this indescribable pain, this pain that no one is ever really ready for, ever wants to face. This pain coursing through her right now was heartache.

And just like that, it hit her like an anvil "dad died…." a lone tear slowly fell from her eye, cascading down her cheek.

All of the anger the older sibling was feeling towards his sister seemed to melt away, seeing her struggling to understand her world without her favorite superhero. With two quick strides he crossed the room, gently wiping her cheek, enveloping her tiny hand within his. The more she tried to stifle the tears, the faster they came.

"It's alright, I'm here." Daniel began to climb in from the right side of the bed, to avoid her leg. As gently as possibly his larger frame surrounded that of his little sister as the sobs began to take over her body. "Let it out, I'm right here….we're going to get through this."

No matter how hard she attempted to control her feelings, and push them back into the box they broke loose from, the tears were determined to make their appearance known. From the time she saw the two black SUV's pull up to her parents home, through seeing his coffin removed from the plane in the hangar, to seeing the casket lowered into the ground, she had never cried.

She was not taught to cry, to just give in to her emotions. She was Arizona Robbins; she was taught to stand tall, be strong, and to never let anyone see you sweat. Although she didn't go into the military, she was trained by the best Marine she around. She was a soldier by blood, and crying was not what she was trained to do. But now, now she didn't know how to be a good man in the storm. Right now, body battered, bruised and broken, she couldn't stand tall, back straight, with her shoulders squared. Right now, she needed to fall apart.

Everyone closest to her knew it would come sooner or later, and they tried to be prepared for when it would. Barely above a whisper "He's gone… I'm never going to see him again" Now her emotions were revolting against her at every attempt to close pandora's box that once contained them. Giving in, she buried her body into that of her older brother's, allowing his shoulder to swallow, every wail that escaped. For now she would let go, clinging onto her brother as if it was all she could do to not lose him too.

In this moment all Daniel could do as his little sister clawed at his shirt, was be her good man in the storm. He couldn't take away the heartache, or give her reason to not cry and fall apart right now. But he could lay here, he could lay right here and hold his baby sister and let her mourn her father, their father.

Flashback

"Hello… can you hear me? Hello, hellooo…. Can you see me yet? I only see a black screen. Is this thing broken?"

"Patience Daniel, patience, I think Timmy just about has it."

And just like that, the screen jumped to life "Hey! Alright now… Hey sweet, it is good to see you" Daniel took a moment just to take in the site of his wife. He could see the worry that she was attempting to mask. But when you've been married for as long as they have, he could see it. "You love, are a sight for sore eyes" At this, a genuine smile arose from his beautiful wife. "So is this a one sided conversation here? I, mean you know me, I can keep on talking for days, but, the one thing I like to hear more than my own voice is my wife"

A gentle chuckle escaped Barbara Robbins throat at that. Taking in the grey blue eyes that adorned her husband, and the lines of experience written across his face; Barbara just wanted a minute to soak it in. These video calls were nowhere near as often as she liked. But for now her husband was in front of her, and she wasn't exactly on cloud nine, but she was floating towards it. "I, miss you…" that wasn't what she intended to come out, but it didn't make it any less true.

"Darling I miss you too, but I'll be home before you know it and we will hit the town"

"Hit the town, alright sir… and what will two old people do when they're hitting the town?"

At this Daniel feigned shock "Old, we are not old, we finally got everyone out the house. Hunny, it's our time to really shine now."

Taking on a more serious tone "How are you Daniel? And don't lie to me, I can see it in your face."

"I'm alright, showing these young guns how work really gets done around here… I'm alright, darling. Don't spend your days worrying about me." He wanted to say I miss you, he wanted to say, there's no place I'd rather be, then home eating one of your famous apple pies. But he wouldn't do that to his family. He taught them how to stand tall, and he would continue to be that example, even through a computer screen.

"I see you hiding back there Arizona, get your butt over here and say hi to your daddy!" Needing and wanting a change of focus, the Colonel wanted to bring his daughter in to support her momma.

"Hey daddy! You're looking good old man"

"Now we're going to get rid of that word right now, I am not old, thank you" always enjoying the playful banter with his children, the older man's smile lit up the screen. His wife could see that sparkle in his eyes that she fell in love with so long ago. "How's the studying going, are we ready to kick that test's ass?"

"Yes sir, Timmy here has been studying with me. I think we got this."

"Ah ah, don't think, know. Know you got this. You two are Robbins' even if you had a head cold, you got this." Looking over the screen at something out of view for a moment Daniel nodded. "Alright family, I need to back. Same time next week. I love you. Timmy give your momma a bear hug for me and a big sloppy kiss on her cheek."

"Yes sir!" Came the all to happy reply from his younger son.

"Daniel stay safe, I don't need you to be anyone's hero. A purple heart is pretty and all, but I don't want one." Nodding his head, no words were necessary, he knew exactly what she was telling him. "I love you" A blown kiss from each side of the screen, and then the frame that once held the face of her lover was now black. As promised, Tim came around just in time scooping up his mother in a tight bear hug, giving her just what she needed in that moment. And for good measure, a big sloppy kiss right on the cheek.

Two weeks later

Sitting in the middle of the floor, earbuds in, flash cards strewn all around. Arizona bopped to the music while deciding the right course of treatment for an 8yr old male coming into the ER complaining of abdominal pain in his lower right side, throwing up for the past two days, unable to keep anything down. Hasn't had a bowel movement in the past four days. Eyebrows furrowed, tapping her chin, she looked up in contemplation.

Here in the front room of her parents house, the sun was beaming through the large bay windows. She could smell the food her momma was working on in the kitchen. There weren't too many things better than a Barbara Robbins home cooked meal. Due to lack of skill on Arizona's part, Tim was chosen to help in the kitchen. Outside she could see the neighborhood children riding their bikes back and forth. Joseph didn't look too happy about Becky beating him in that race. Doing a little fist pump for girl power, Arizona went back to contemplating the right course of action for her patient.

Just then she could see two black SUV's whose emblem read "Denali" and housed government plates in the rear. It had been two weeks since she had seen or spoken to her father. So maybe this was him. He did said, he would be home before they knew it. Even though as far as they knew, he had another two months on his latest tour, maybe he was keeping a secret from them.

She was just about to yell for her momma, when the doors open. Hitting the gravel she saw two sets of shiny patent leather shoes. Eyes scanning upwards, she took in the deep blue, almost polyester looking, very well creased pants, with the signature red stripe down the side of each leg. Realization quickly dawned on the baby of the family, neither set of legs, were those of her father. Still cascading up, she bypassed the dark coat trimmed in gold buttons, and looked directly under the white hats with the black brim. No, these men were not her father.

Attempting to sound as normal as possible "Hey Tim, come here for a minute please…" at the end, her voice attempted to betray her.

At this, Tim quickly shuffled into the room. Standing in front of him stood his twin, struck still. Just past her, outside the window he was able to make out the two SUV's just like his sister. "Don't" he admonished.

"That's not dad, Tim" her voice lowered in attempt to keep the older blond that was still in the kitchen in her happy bubble for just a few seconds longer. "That's not dad…, where is Jr? You have to get him over here now."

"We need to see what they're here for first. Maybe they just want to tell us that communications to home are down and dad just wanted to check on us." Tim knew this was the most unlikely of circumstances. But he could hope. He shuffled closer to the door watching each step that the men took.

Before they could knock, Tim gently swung the door open. "Wait, just….for a minute… please wait." The soldiers were a little stunned, so they did as he asked. They stood there, hats removed, and tucked safely under their arms. "Let me tell my mom, please…if this is you coming to tell us that my father is dead, let me tell her, please" the last please came out, a little more harsh than initially intended. But he couldn't stand here as the man of the house and just allow these strangers to break his mother's heart.

Hearing this exchange, it all of a sudden felt like Arizona was under water. Note cards crashed to the floor, ear buds, long forgotten. The happy dance that she was performing ten minutes ago, amounted to nothing. Every thing seemed garbled, like someone was trying to get her attention, but she just couldn't hear or see, or was it that she needed to focus better? So she tried… and that attempt failed. She could feel herself sitting down on the couch, but she wasn't placing herself there. No, someone was sitting her down.

"Momma…" Tim called into the kitchen. He trained for a lot of things in his life, he trained for football, he trained for basketball, he trained for track, he trained at the butt crack of dawn with his father. His entire life, he trained for a lot of things. But nothing, absolutely nothing prepared him for delivering this news to his mother. "Hey momma…. Come in here for me please" He was Tim Robbins, he could do this. His older brother wasn't here right now, so he was going to step up. He was going to do this for his father.

"Hey baby…." Barbara stepped into the room. Arizona's back was to her, but she could see from her posture that something was going on. She stopped for a moment. Something was wrong with her family. It couldn't be Jr. because she was just on the phone with him in the kitchen.

Tim stood tall, back straight, shoulders squared just like his father taught him. "Momma, come sit here for me please" Tim gently beckoned his mother to keep stepping forward. As she moved closer to him, she could see the same black SUV's that alerted her children, and just inside her doorway she could see the two officers in their dress blues. No one was getting married at her home today, so she knew. Right then she knew.

Her steps started to falter, she wanted to be strong for her children. She was a military wife for a long time. She had seen this play out for other military wives. She didn't need them to say it. She already knew. The purple heart she told her husband was pretty, but she didn't want one, it was coming anyways.

Tim could see the realization hit his mother. Then he could also see the battle she was fighting inside. Be strong for her children, or fall apart. His entire life, his mother was strong, but now he would stand tall and be strong. Now it was her turn to cry, and let him hold her. But still he was unprepared for what came next.

"No…. NO!" Barbara's emotions won over.

"Ma'am we are here on behalf…" one of the officers started.

Quickly Tim turned on them "I said no, let me tell her" he attempted to be stern, but the plea came out in more of a begging. " I have to do this, let me do this." He turned back around to face his mother, quickly holding onto her. "Momma, these men have news about daddy… I'm right here. We are going to get through this." Tim attempted to assure his mother "Daddy is gone momma, he's gone…" His voice became shaky with each word, as if while he was saying it, it actually became true to him.

The wail that escaped his mother in that moment, shook even the military officers. The sobs took over her body as she fell into her sons strong arms. And he caught her, because he was taught to stand tall, back straight, shoulders squared. He may not have enlisted, but he was a soldier, and he was going to stand strong for his family. A lone tear fell from his face as his mother wept in his arms. He looked across to his twin, she sat there still, unmoving, no tears, just still. It seemed, if she sat perfectly still, she could be oblivious to the screams of "NO" from her mother. The two men at the door wouldn't exist, and those two SUV's, the never appeared; if she would just sit perfectly still. Her father was still alive, he was fine.

Four days later standing in an airport hangar was, Daniel Jr, Tim, Barbara, and Arizona. They stood as the coffins were unloaded. Whimpers could be heard from the other families around the hangar. Small children eyed the coffins that were draped in the American flag. They were tucked tight, the breeze floating past them did nothing to rattle these flags, adorning these coffins. Even with the coffin in front of her, still her father, Colonel Daniel Robbins, was still alive.

Two days later, sitting at the cemetery eight feet from a rectangle shaped hole with a coffin held just above, Arizona sat there. As the priest sprinkled the dirt and read "ashes to ashes, dust to dust" her father was still alive. She flinched just a little as the officers shot into the sky. You wouldn't believe how loud those guns are. Slightly turning her head to the left, Arizona watched as the flag was placed in her mother's arms and listened as gratitude was offered for her father's service. But still, to Arizona, her father, her father was still alive. So there were no tears, because she had no reason to have any.

After this ceremony, there was only one thing Arizona wanted to do. Running was good, but she needed something faster than her feet could take her. She needed her custom, black Kawasaki Ninja, adorned in hot pink rims, and pink flames on each side of the body. Arizona was going to put on her helmet and ride, ride fast, until something in the world made sense again.

XxxxxxxxxxxxxxX

Present

In the hall, as she pulled the patient chart from the shelf at the nurses station, Callie could see the exchange from the two siblings through the glass doors that led to the blonde's room. Not wanting to intrude, she felt it necessary to wait and allow time for the sibling's to resolve the situation that seemed too intimate for any outsider to intervene.

The brunette began to busy herself with other patient charts, checking that her floor was prepared for her departure once the clock would permit her exit. Seeing the blonde unable to control her tears, Callie needed something else to focus on. Now was not the time to attempt to wrestle her own ghosts and heartache from the past. "How's Mrs. Murdoch in 5216? Have her stats been stabilized?"

"Yes, Dr…." the nurse quickly jumped in, "did you want me to go ahead and get her scheduled on the board?"

"No, not yet…. I want to see her infection go down a little more, before we get in there. We should be good to go in another two days or so. Let's keep pushing those antibiotics, and anti-inflammatories." Scratching down a few more notes in the chart Dr. Torres smoothly eyed the patient room that brought her back up to the floor. "Put Mr. Nelson on the board for his ankle replacement 7:00am Thursday morning, make sure cardio is nearby in case his hear decides to crap out on me again."

Noticing the somber events having calmed down, she decided to make her entrance. The faster she could get through this patient review, the faster she could get out of this place.

Hearing the door slowly shift across the track, red puffy eyes barely looked up surveying a very worn Latina, adorned in a white lab coat, sleeves rolled up half way, sluggishly moving forward. It was clear the smile the brunette attempted to plaster on her face was merely that of a taught doctor move to put the patient at ease when delivering news.

Placing the chart down on the tray beside the bed "I'm Dr. Torres, one of the surgeons on your case, how are you feeling?"

Not really in the mood for small talk, or and talk really, the young blond wanted the doctor to do her thing and go. "Extremely awesome…" she started in an annoyed tone.

Cutting in "Her stats have held steady, incision sites look good so far, no look of infection…" the naval officer spoke up in the stead of his sister. "Uh… Dr. Torres right?" a simple nod from the brunette "What are we looking at with her leg here?"

"The sutures look good, the swelling is going down, in another 48 hours I would like to get an updated x-Ray of the leg to make sure that it is healing on par" Re-applying the bandages that she removed to check her sutures, the ortho doc went back to the patient chart to notate further instructions to be followed during her day off. "I'm going to be off for soon, but in case any problems occur, I will be paged."

"Provided everything looks good on the x-ray, what's our sentence?" the older sibling seemed to be more involved in the care of his younger sibling, than the young blond herself.

"We're looking at about two weeks in here, and about two months of PT, in order to re-gain full function of the leg." A small flicker of relief could be seen on the younger sibling's face, and also an attempt to hide the amount of pain that she was in. Eyeing the hanging IV's, Dr. Torres noticed they needed to be changed. "I will send the nurse in with some pain med's for you, they should kick in pretty quickly and help to relieve the pain that you're in right now. Dr's Bailey, and Sloan will be in within the next few hours to check on their work."

Deciding she was done with the doctor the young blond turned to her brother "How's my bike?"

"You're bike isn't something that you need to be worried about right now Arizona!" Daniel stepped up showing his big brother stripes. "You can't even put pressure on your leg, which you already know…. You're lucky you didn't injure your hands."

At this the Latina's ears perked up, a little intrigued by the sibling duo displayed before her. "hmmm wonder why he's so concerned about her hands… maybe she's a beautician.."

Speaking up, Dr. Torres cut in "As your brother said, no pressure on the leg, for at least the next four weeks. Then we will ease you back in to being able to carry your weight in PT." with this, she could see the young biker roll her eyes. Taking this in, she decided to get while the getting was good. Eyeing her watch, provided her pager stayed asleep for the next fifteen minutes she had enough time to change and walk out the doors right on time. "Alright I will be in to check on you next shift."

Barely acknowledging the brunette "mhm."

"Thank you Dr. Torres, we really appreciate you" Daniel spoke up on behalf of his young sister. Turning to his sister "You don't have to act like a little brat, you are the one that put yourself here. Furthermore, riding that fast was stupid, and you know it. You could have damaged your hands, then what?"

"Then what…. Then what!? Does it really matter now? Does. It. Really. Matter. Now?" Arizona challenged her big brother. "Yeah, I don't see how it matters now either."

Just then, the nurse came in to change out the IV bags. Quickly taking her exit, sensing the intensity in the atmosphere.

"No matter what, riding that fast is dangerous and you know it. Do you really think mom needs to be burying you now too?" At this Arizona lowered her head. Feeling maybe he pushed a little too far "Get some sleep, we will talk when you wake up." Still the younger sister kept her head down, barely holding back the tears that were threatening to escape. "Don't worry, I'm not going to call mom until you're ready"

Arizona made an attempt to send her brother a smile. "Thank you" came out, just above a whisper.

Exiting the doctors lounge, freshly changed Callie pulled out her phone pressing speed dial number one. "Hey, it's me, I'll be there in about fifteen minutes…..alright, see you soon." Hanging up, the brunette eyed Mark down the hall, sending a wave in his direction she quickly made her exit before she could be sucked back in.