4
Arizona's POV
The first 24 hours went by fast, Addison and Meredith were both ready within 75 minutes, they really pushed them selves. Teddy decided it was necessary to do the valve repair after Meredith finished up, this went good as well. She came to me afterwards telling me that it wasn't in her hearts best interest to put her under within the next 5 days. Derek wouldn't hear of it, he said he could wait 12 hours at the most, if he'd go in later he was almost certain that the risk of loss of brain function would increase every hour. He left me and Mark outside Callie's room to discuss what our next step would be. But I didn't know what to do, and neither did Mark.
''If this was any other patient I'd say wait as long as you can'' I turn around and see Christina standing beside me.
''But this isn't any other patient, it's Torres. She's badass at what she does. Teddy told me why I couldn't be in the OR, first I thought that you were high because of lack of sleep. But then I felt kind of proud, I'm not so robot after all I guess.''
She continues with a weird smile on her face
''She's a doctor Arizona, a badass surgeon. If she looses brain function that'd be it for her. She won't be happy doing anything else you know that. You know that besides the butterflies and cheeriness and rainbows you've seem to infect her with, she's still McHardcore, ask any other resident and they'll agree. You can't make her put down her scalpel Roller girl. So as her former roommate and drinking buddy, but especially as a badass surgeon myself, I ask you to make the right decision here.''
She wanted to walk away but I stopped her
''Christina, thank you'' I say barely above a whisper.
She shrugged her shoulders ''whatever, but if either one of you tells this to anyone else I will hunt you both down and kick your asses'' she added before walking away.
As she turns the corner I know what I have to do ''page Sheppard, tell him to be ready to operate on Callie within 8 hours'' I tell Mark before stepping into the room and taking my place at Callie's bed again.
It took Derek 5 and a half hours to come over to us, that's almost twice the amount of time that he'd thought it would take him in the first place. But as he enters the room I know she's alright, he has this smile in his eyes, very McDreamy like.
''The bleeder was harder to locate then I originally thought, but she pulled through'' he said with a hint of a smile on his face.
Mark stood up to hug his buddy and let out a sigh of relief. Teddy joined us,
''we think she'll be ready to wake up with a week or so. But because of everything that has happened we don't know if she lost any brain function until she wakes up.'' Derek continued.
''Thank you, thank you both very much'' I whisper to them, but they caught it and both smiled at me.
''Now why don't you and Mark go home and take a shower, when you'll be back she'll be all settled in'' Teddy suggests, but it wasn't really open for discussion from the tone she used.
If Callie pulled through this I know she'll be able to handle it for another half a hour, I think happily when Mark and I cross the road to our apartment building.
The next days were hard, I went back to one single task which was sitting next to Calliope's side, too afraid to not be here when she'll wake up. I talked to Mr. Torres at least four times a day. Her family left after the third week on my request, I couldn't handle their sadness as well. They were still in Seattle but only stopped by when I wasn't there, when they came by unexpected I hid in a empty on call room. I couldn't face them knowing that I was the reason their beloved daughter and sister was laying in a hospital bed.
I have a weird feeling when I hang up the phone, Carlos just told me he and his family were going home for a couple of weeks. Why would they do that? Had they given up on her? She was almost there, it was a matter of days, hours maybe before she'd wake up.
''You just talked to her dad didn't you?'' Mark asks as I enter her room.
''Yeah and he told me the strangest thing'' I start
''I know, I talked him in to leaving for a while'' he interrupts me.
''Why would you do that?'' I ask him surprised but kind of relieved.
''When she wakes up it'll be only the beginning. I figured it's going to be hard enough for the both of you without them smuttering you'' he smiled.
''Thanks Mark, you're a big help'' I give him a kiss on his cheek and move another chair next to her bed.
We sit in silence for a while, each starring at Calliope.
''She loves you, you know'' he says all of a sudden,
''I know, she loves you too'' I reply.
''I know'' he smiles and stands up ''want to get some dirty cafeteria food?'' he offers.
''I'll get it, you stay here'' and before he can argue I stand up and leave the room.
I have a sudden urge to scream, so I run to the nearest elevator. When everyone else leaves I start screaming at the top of my voice. This feels so good, and it helps, at least for a while. I got some nasty looking pastries and run up the steps taking two at a time. I hate it that everyone stares at me, all caring and feeling sorry for me.
I throw a pastry in Mark's direction ''thanks'' he says with a disgusted look on his face. We laugh a bit, it's funny how we became so close in such a short period of time. When he leaves to go to the bathroom I gulp in sudden need of oxygen. Her fingers moved! Or am I hallucinating again? No! Here it is again, she's moving her fingers!
''MARK COME OVER HERE!'' I yell at the closed bathroom door, he comes rushing back.
''MARK! She's moving her fingers! Page Derek!'' I'm still yelling at him.
I start to cry but this time they're happy tears. When Mark runs out to page Derek I start talking to her
''Come on sweetie you can do this, come on open your eyes!'' I whisper softly in her ear. I stroke her cheek, and then very slowly she opens her eyes.
''There you are beautiful'' I say while there're tears streaming down my face.
There's something in her eyes I can't quite place.
''How do you feel? Do you need something?'' I ask her, she moves her lips but I can't hear what she's saying.
I move my ear next to her mouth ''where am I?'' she asks me softly. She's been in a coma for nearly 7 weeks, of course she's confused.
''You're in the hospital sweetie, you were in a accident. But don't think about that now, what's most important is that you're alive and awake'' I smile at her.
She tries asking me something so I move my ear closer to her again, I can't totally understand what she's saying. When I listen closely it sounds like… I stand up and back off towards the wall in shock. This can't be happening! I look at her eyes, fear, that's what I saw in them earlier. In that moment Mark runs in closely followed by Derek and Teddy. They start running all kinds of test, Mark walks up to me not understanding why I'm not euphoric.
''Arizona what's wrong?'' he asks me concerned.
I can't tell him, I can't talk, I can only stare at Calliope in disbelief.
''Her heart sounds good'' Teddy tells us,
''Reflexes are good too'' Derek adds.
''Now Callie can you tell me what year it is?'' he asks her with a big smile plastered over his face.
He thinks he's asking her just another protocol question, which she'll answer without any hesitation and everything will be okay.
''My…. My….. my name is Callie?'' she asks terrified.
