2. conversation 16

Hi! Firstly: thank you for reading 'Escape the Nest' (at least I assume you did, as reading this chapter is the next logical step after reading chapter 1). Secondly: I didn't plan on putting this chapter on already, but I think the story needs it. (I know I said I would put it on soon, but I didn't plan it this soon. I just thought the story needed some more action).

Anyway, same as always: love to hear what you guys think of it!

ARIZONA

She and Bailey were leaning on the nurses' station when a door further in the hall was slammed. She watched the figure of Derek Shepherd approaching. They quickly jumped aside as he passed by. A couple of minutes later, dr. Montgomery came out of her office, her eyes bloodshot.
"Troubles in paradise," Bailey mumbled, sipping her coffee, her eyes on Addison's back.
Arizona chewed on her bottom lip and ran across the last couple of months. "I think… do you think they were really happy?"
Bailey chuckled: "Of course they were! They're the Shepherds, they're expecting a baby…"
"Have you actually seen them talking? Or even laughing at each other?" Arizona suddenly felt very sorry for the neonatologist.
"Every relationship has its ups and downs, dr. Robbins," the smaller woman said, "even the Shepherd's apparently."

"Hi, chief!" she said in a perky tone.
Owen gave her a polite smile.
She gave Tim his cup of coffee. He thanked her.
"Didn't you have this friend who's a cardiothoracic surgeon?" he suddenly asked her.
She raised her eyebrows in surprise: "Teddy?"
Arizona was too busy making sure her brother was lying comfortable, she didn't notice Owen's face lost all colour.
"Yeah, I remember you mentioning her. Owen says the board is putting pressure on him because he hasn't got a cardiothoracic surgeon since Erica Hahn left after her dispute with this Yang."
"You could hire her! She's awesome!" she screamed happily, turning at Owen, she grabbed a pen and wrote Teddy's number down, "here, you can call her right away."
Hunt grabbed the number, thanked her and left the room with his typical 'chief-frown'.
"Yay!" Arizona said happily turning her focus back to her brother.
"He's changed," he said calmly.
Arizona shrugged her shoulders: "I know, but I'm happy you didn't," she beamed at him.
"So tell me little sister, did you meet a nice girl in this Rain City?"
Arizona sat back down on the chair. She had a couple of relationships in the past two years, but none of them had lasted longer than four months and the past half year she had a lot of one-night-stands, but she figured that wasn't what Tim meant by 'meeting a nice girl'.
"Nope"
He gave her a little push: "So you've been womanizing again? Seriously? You're saying you've been working in this hospital for the past two years and you didn't meet anyone?"
"You didn't come home with a girlfriend either," she said quite matter-of-factly.
He rolled his eyes: "Come on, Arizona! You are surrounded by hot woman! I mean, have you seen that Latina? What was her name again, dr. ….?"
Arizona chuckled: "That hot Latina is your best friend's wife."
His mouth dropped open with surprise: "So she's Callie?! Jeez, I knew Owen was married with a doctor, but I guess I really missed a lot…"
"He's got kids, you know," she said, thinking of the little girl and the blonde twins she had seen Callie bring to day-care so often.
"Yeah, I know. A little girl and two boys, right?
She nodded, thinking how sexy the Latina was. Even with three kids at her side, her body still screamed: hot.
"So you admit she's hot," she saw his twinkling eyes.
"I don't," she said quickly, avoiding his interested gaze.
"Oh come on, Arizona, you've got to say the woman's hot," he said teasingly.
"She's my boss's wife!" she tried to hide her nerves.
He shrugged his shoulders, immediately followed by a twinge of pain: "And she's my best friend's wife. There's nothing wrong if I say his wife is hot. Besides, you've already been thinking it, you just won't admit it."
"I have not!" she said quickly. Too quickly, because his eyes narrowed and his smile slowly faded away. Realising she had betrayed herself she quickly left the room, saying she had to check on patients.
It was probably the lamest excuse she had ever used, even lamer (as she had a couple of days off) than that time her mother had watched the poster of Cindy Crawford in her room and she had said: "She's got this very interesting mob." Arizona remembered watching her mother's eyes narrowing, just like Tim's had five seconds ago.

She was smiling at the little babies in the maternity ward.
"Hey, I've been looking everywhere for you!"
She jumped at the hearing of the voice. She knew that one out of thousands, as she carefully listened every time she got the occasion.
Callie Torres came standing next to her: "Your brother asked me if you were always so devoted to your patients, or only on your days-off when he lies in the same hospital," the Latina smiled too at the little babies.
Arizona watched the taller woman in profile: beautiful red lips, long eyelashes, intense brown eyes and raven black hair.
When Callie turned back to her, she quickly forced her gaze back on the babies.
"He also says he's sorry if he upset you."
Arizona tried to avoid those questioning warm brown eyes. "I'm… I'll go see him."
When the Latina finally caught her gaze, Arizona felt this sparkling feeling rushing through her veins.
"I… thank you for… er… for being… the messenger…" she stumbled.
Congratulations Arizona, you've just returned to high school…
She shut her eyes at that horrible last sentence and ran off quickly.

When she was walking to his room, her thoughts wavered between I'll kill him! and When did I change back in this shy teenager?! I'm Arizona Robbins! Woman are lining up for me. I'm hot!
"What the hell were you thinking?!" she shouted into the room from the minute she opened the door with a dramatic slam.
"Oh God! I'm sorry, I was talking to him," she quickly said to the nurse who stared at her with a shocked expression. Thinking that sort of things always happened to her, she apologised.
Timothy was doing his very best to keep his smile under control.
"I'm sorry," Arizona mumbled, before the nurse slammed the door.
She turned to her brother: "There goes my excellent reputation with the nurses!"
"I see you've got my message," he smirked.
"What the hell were you thinking? Do you think that was funny? Sending Callie Torres as a messenger?!"
"Figured you would listen to her," he said innocently.
She stared at him in rage, trying to figure out what to say.
"But tell me something more about that excellent reputation you have with the nurses," he smirked.
Arizona was glad he changed the subject and immediately said: "I haven't been womanizing in this hospital, if that's what you're alluding to."
He stared sheepishly at her, looking at her and accepting she wasn't lying to him. "You're still a lesbian, right?"
Arizona quickly glanced around: "About that… I haven't really told anybody…"
"You haven't told anybody you're gay?!"
"Inside voice, please," she whispered.
"Why not?" he whispered.
"Because I… At work the opportunity has never occurred, it's not that I'm keeping it a secret, but it's not just a thing you say while introducing yourself: Hi, I'm Arizona Robbins, I'm the new head of PEDS and I'm a lesbian. Nice to meet you too... Besides, it's not like it's their business who I like to spend the night with… And outside work, well… when you're already in somebody's panty they've already figured it out, so there's no use mentioning it," a naughty smile appeared on her face.
He leant back listening to his sister's rambling: "So they really don't know?"
She shrugged her shoulders: "Maybe. I don't know. I don't think so. I don't care. Owen knows of course, but he's not much of a gossip, so I don't think he has told anyone."

OWEN

He stared at the phone number in front of him.
The board had been very clear on their last assembly. They needed a head of cardio and if that function wasn't filled in by their next meeting, the function of chief of surgery would be free, the board assured him.
Owen Hunt sighed. He didn't really like his job, but it was feeling a lot better than not being the chief.
The rational thing would be to hire Teddy Altman right away. The problem were the irrational consequences that decision would have. Employing his mistress wasn't a wise decision as his wife worked in the exact same hospital. It was only a matter of time before things would go horribly wrong.
He looked at their family portrait on his desk. He was carrying Matthew and Nathan, while Callie was holding Alice.
Owen sighed. He loved his family. He didn't want to destroy it, but as the minutes passed by, he realised he had started doing that a long time ago.
He dialled the number, thinking he had to talk to his wife after this phone call.

CALLIOPE

She knocked the door twice.
"Addie, it's me. Can I come in, please?"
"Callie, is that you?"
The Latina entered the room, finding her friend curled up in a corner. She didn't need to ask how their conversation went.
"He hates me! Derek hates me, Callie!"
She watched her friends face, her expression was twisted by pain. Callie grabbed the box of tissues and offered them to Addison.
The red head grabbed the box and threw it at the door, screaming: "I hate Mark Sloan!"

She spotted her husband further on the corridor. She waved at him. He hesitated but ran closer to her.
"Hi," she said, smiling at him.
"Can we talk?" he asked, checking if anyone was listening.
Callie frowned: "Eh, sure…"
He walked her to his office and silently closed the door. "I've found a new cardiothoracic surgeon."
"That's great, honey! You've been looking for one!" she gave him a warm smile.
He didn't return her smile, which made Callie's blood freeze: "What is it?"
His blue eyes flashed around wildly. "It's Teddy."
"I didn't know he's a surgeon," she said, still not understanding where this was going.
"Callie… I…" he was interrupted by his pager, he stared at it, his frown becoming deeper: "I have to go. See you tonight?"
"Actually no, Addie and I are planning on going to Joe's. Can you pick up the kids?"
He seemed to consider something, but ran off quickly, mumbling: "Ok."

Calliope Torres stared at her husband's back, running over the past few months. Everything was going well. Owen wasn't having any anger attacks since he had met this guy Teddy. He had never hit her again and the kids were safe.
She stared at the crowded corridor and smiled. She was looking forward to meeting Teddy. She made a mental note she had to thank him.
Life is going perfect!

ARIZONA

After work she decided to go to Joe's. She quickly scanned the room while sipping her drink. Her eye fell on a brunette she had been observing for a couple of evenings. Arizona stared at her for a while and when their gazes finally met, the other woman smiled, which was almost immediately answered. Right at the moment she was about to make a move, a male voice asked her: "Can I offer you something to drink?"
She turned around to see Mark Sloan smiling at her: "Come on, I've been trying for over seven months, it is only fair you accept it this time. So tell me something about yourself, Robbins."

ADDISON

She was feeling empty and lost. Completely lost, with absolutely no idea at all what to do. It felt like drowning in this ocean of life, with absolutely no idea how to swim. She could only try to hold on to the wreckages of what had been her ship. The ship that she had tried to build over the past few years. So she followed the Latina towards the bar. She stared at Callie, starting to feel jealous. Callie had a nice ship… She had three children with her husband, they were both excellent at their job, and the only thing Addison Forbes Montgomery had was a baby that wasn't even her husband's…
"I would love to get drunk," she sighed, knowing that was absolutely no option.
Joe the bartender raised his eyebrows, looking at her swollen belly. "I said I would love to, not that I'm planning it…" she hissed at him.
He gave Callie an understanding look and went off to the other side of the bar.
"Does ehm…" she could see Callie struggling with the words, "does Mark know?"
Addison quickly took some huge gulps of her coke, to give herself some time to assemble some courage.
"No."
She watched the soft face expression the Latina gave her.
"D'you think he should?"
Callie bit her lip and after a while she said: "I think he'll find out anyway. But I think you should be the one to tell him."
Addison sighed: "That will be a nice conversation: hi Mark, remember that time we slept together when we were drunk? Well congrats, 'cause you're a father."
Both woman laughed bitterly.
"No, I'm not telling him," Addison finally said. She had been trying to figure out what to do with Mark Sloan over the past few hours, and was happy she finally found out the answer, "I don't want Mark. Mark was once. I want Derek. The old Derek. The Derek I fell in love with…"
"Did you tell him that?"
"I tried," she took another big gulp, "I wished I could have an abortion."
Callie saw several heads turning in their direction: "She's just kidding," she quickly said, with a fake smile. The people returned back to their conversation, mumbling more agitated.
"You know it's too late for that," she whispered silently, but Addison wasn't listening to her friend. She stared at some place over the Latina's shoulders, looking scared.
The brunette turned around to see what was happening and saw Derek Shepherd standing in the doorway. His eyes met his wife's, but quickly moved on, stopping at some point at his right. He walked towards the left corner of the room. Addison tried to see over all the other barguests, and saw a blonde woman, whom she guessed was Arizona Robbins. She froze when she saw who she was talking to.
He's heading for Mark, she tried to shout, but the words never left her mouth.
"He's heading for Mark!" Callie looked at her with a expression that was pure panic.
Addison Forbes Montgomery sat still on her chair, thinking even the wreckages of her ship started to sink.

Thanks for reading! I'd love to know what you think of it :)