Callie reached out and took Mark's hand. She squeezed it lightly. She felt her anger simmering inside of her. Not because she was hurt that Arizona left her...no Callie was angry because Arizona was back. She said "What are you doing here Arizona?" Callie's voice was cool as a cucumber.
Arizona stared in disbelief at the engagement ring sitting snugly on Callie's finger. Arizona called Teddy once a week to catch up with her friend but also to get updates on her ex-girlfriend. Arizona knew that Mark had been by Callie's bed side during her recovery but Arizona assumed it was strictly in a friend capacity. Callie and Mark had always asserted that they were only friends. "I've wanted to call you, but I didn't know what to say to you. I decided it was better so say what was on my heart after I was back here in Seattle. I didn't want my words to sound hollow from a world away. I've been trying to get back to Seattle since your accident, but I had to wait for another doctor to come take my place. I couldn't leave the team there understaffed. But even before your accident I knew that I wanted to come back to you Calliope. I made a mistake leaving you here. It is probably the biggest mistake of my life and if I had to do it over and I would not make the same decision. I was miserable in Malawi without you. I couldn't stop crying. I realized that I need you in my life and if you would have me back..."
Although there was music playing in the background and the other patrons were talking loudly and laughing. The table of doctors was eerily silent as they watched this scene unfold. All of their eyes were firmly planted on Arizona, Callie, and Mark. It was no secret that Callie and Arizona were madly in love with one another. They were a couple that a lot of people thought would go the distance.
Callie's eyes narrowed after listening to Arizona's speech. "This is not the time or the place to have this conversation Arizona. I am not interested in hearing what you have to say. All I want to do is enjoy my first night out of the hospital. And I want to enjoy my first night as an engaged woman. And I could do both of those...much better if you'd remove yourself from the equation. Run away...you are good at that."
"Calliope Iphigenia Torres, you are the only woman that I want and if I have to beg and plead for your forgiveness then I will...I just want you back. Tell me what I have to do to get you back and I will do it. Walking away from you was the worst mistake that I've ever made in my life. I was upset and I made the wrong choice. But that doesn't mean that I shouldn't be forgiven. After everything we've been through you can't just turn your back on what we mean to one another. I am back and I am ready to pick up where we left off." said Arizona. She reached out and caressed Callie's cheek.
"This isn't about what you want. I don't care about what you want anymore. That died when you dumped me in an airport." said Callie brushing Arizona's hand away from her face.
Owen Hunt frowned. He was uncomfortable with this entire situation. He felt like they were eavesdropping on what was a very private conversation. Owen cleared his throat and spoke up. "Maybe we should give them some privacy." He looked around at the other doctors at the table.
Miranda had already had several drinks. She chuckled and said "No way. I am not missing this showdown. And even if I went to sit at the bar I'd be trying to read their lips from across the room." Miranda's attention was distracted briefly when Nurse Eli walked over to the table. Miranda and Eli had been seeing one another off and on. This was the first time that she had invited him out with her friends.
Derek said "It is Friday night. There really isn't anywhere else to sit right now." Derek's eyes scanned the room seeing that all of the tables were taken. Joe's was particularly full that night. Derek picked up his glass of beer and tried not to stare at the scene going on at the other end of the table.
Mark had been suspiciously quiet since Arizona walked up to their table. But he could see how upset her presence was making Callie. He liked Arizona but not enough to let her stress out Callie. He said "I think Callie and I are going to head home for the night." Mark looked to Callie to confirm that he had made the right call.
Callie nodded and said "That sounds like a very good idea to me. I think the night is pretty much dead...especially since I can't drink to forget this happened." She smiled a little and reached for her purse that was sitting on the table. "Thanks everyone from coming tonight. Good night." Callie maneuvered her wheelchair away from the table and headed for the door. She ignored Arizona completely.
Arizona attempted to follow Callie. Arizona couldn't believe that Callie could be so cold and just disregard her completely. "Callie...wait please. Just talk to me." pleaded Arizona loudly so that she could be heard over all of the noise in the bar.
Mark shook his head and said "Arizona...just back off...for now at least. Callie isn't ready to talk to you let alone forgive you. You need to give her some time but you also need to realize that she and I are together now and I don't see that changing at all." Mark followed Callie out of the bar and walked beside her wheelchair. They made it to the car and Mark helped her into the passenger seat. He kneeled down next to her door and looked at her. "Are you going to be okay?" asked Mark. Sure he put on a good show for Arizona but the truth was he knew how much Callie loved Arizona. He knew there was a very real possibility that when Callie got over being hurt and angry that she might want to rekindle her romance with Arizona. But for now he wasn't going to worry with it.
"I am pissed." said Callie plainly. She smiled at him and said "But it doesn't hurt as much as I thought it would to see her again. I don't know...maybe almost dying puts some things into perspective for you. I thought seeing her again would tug at those familiar heart strings, but strangely enough...I didn't feel anything. I wasn't angry at her for leaving me. I was angry that she interrupted my night. Are you okay? You went a little pale on me while we were in the bar." said Callie with a small smile.
"Well, I have to admit I didn't really know what to expect...from either of you in that situation. I am sorry the night was ruined but maybe we can salvage it at home. We can watch a movie in bed together...maybe have something to snack on..." said Mark. He leaned up and kissed Callie on the lips before standing up again.
"I'd like that Mark." said Callie. She reached out for his hand. "I am not going anywhere Mark...I am with the person I want to be with." said Callie seriously.
Mark smirked and said "I know that sweet cheeks." Mark closed her door after letting her hand go. Mark got the wheelchair into the back of the SUV and then walked around to his side of the car. He climbed in and out on his seat belt. He didn't want to admit it but he was a little relieved to hear that Callie didn't want Arizona back. But he also knew that this was only her initial reaction. There was still a long road ahead. Mark started the car and drove them home.
The car ride home was incredibly quiet. Callie looked over at Mark. She knew that he was worried about her going back to Arizona. She held back a sigh. She would just have to prove herself to him. She smiled as they pulled into the garage at their rental house.
"Home sweet home." said Callie chuckling softly. With Mark's help Callie got back into her wheelchair and they headed into the house for the night. Callie went to their bedroom and changed into a night gown. Callie attempted to get out of her chair on her own and nearly fell to the floor as pain tore through her.
Mark walked into the room carrying snacks and nearly dropped them seeing Callie. He tossed them onto the bed and ran over collecting Callie into his arms. "What the hell are you doing?" Mark's heart was racing as he helped her into the bed. "I know that you want to be independent, but you could really hurt yourself. And if you do you could land yourself back into the hospital where you don't want to be." said Mark in a caring but stern voice. He took her hand and put it to his chest. "Do you feel that?" asked Mark.
Callie felt his heart beating out of control. "Mark...I am sorry. I didn't mean to scare you so. I just thought that I could do it on my own...but I realize that I do need you to help me transfer from the wheelchair to the bed. Pushing up on my own hurts. I need your help. I know in the hospital I said that I didn't want those forearm braced crutches...but maybe I was a little too hasty?"
Mark nodded and said "I know it is hard for you to depend on anyone but you need to lean on me in this situation. I think the crutches are a great idea. I'll make a few calls in the morning and see how soon we can get some for you..." he kissed the top of her head and said "I am going to change for bed. I will be back in a few minutes. You can choose a movie for us to watch when I come back." Mark grabbed some pajama bottoms and went into the bathroom to change for bed. But mostly he was in there to steady his nerves. Walking in on Callie close to falling on the floor had shaken him up. Mark changed and walked out of the bathroom and over to their bed. Mark climbed into bed with Callie and chuckled seeing that she was already eating the cheddar popcorn. "Did you find anything on TV to watch?"
Callie said "The movie The Departed is on...you know how I love that movie." Callie scooted so that she was closed to Mark and relaxed against the headboard watching the movie with him. She passed the popcorn over to Mark and laid her head on his shoulder.
Mark put an arm around Callie's back and kissed the top of her head. He tried to relax and watch the movie but at the moment all he could think about was whether or not Callie was going to go back to Arizona. When the movie ended Mark looked over at Callie and smiled seeing that she had fallen asleep. Mark collected their snacks and took them back to the kitchen. He came back to the bedroom and climbed into bed with Callie. He wrapped his arms around her and closed his eyes tiredly.
Callie was asleep but was startled awake by the sound of someone mumbling frantically. Callie looked over at him. "Mark?" It was then that Callie realized that Mark was having a nightmare. "Mark...!" asked Callie in a louder voice trying to wake him up.
"Callie! No!" screamed Mark. He sat up straight in the bed. His eyes were wide with fear and it felt like his heart was going to beat right out of his chest. Mark's hand went to his heart and sat there a minute trying to collect himself.
Callie struggled to sit up in the bed and turned on the bedside lamp. "Mark...what's wrong?" She saw a stray tear on his cheek. She reached out and touched the tear. Callie had never really seen Mark cry.
Mark looked away and shook his head. "I just had a nightmare is all...I didn't mean to wake you up with it. You need your rest." Mark leaned in and kissed her softly. He rested his forehead against hers for a moment as he held her in his arms.
"Mark...you are obviously upset. Don't shut me out please. You can tell me anything...you know that." whispered Callie. She put her hand on his chest feeling how fast his heart was beating. "You told me when Lexie broke your penis." said Callie laughing softly trying to lighten the intense mood.
"It was just a nightmare...we were back in the hospital and...your heart stopped beating and you were gone. It just scared me but I am fine now." said Mark. The truth was the nightmare had shaken him to his core. There were many times when Callie was in the hospital that Mark was scared that he was going to lose Callie for good. His nightmare was the manifestation of that fear. But he didn't want to scare her or upset her talking about how close she had really come to leaving him.
Callie held his face his face in her hands and kissed him softly. "Baby, I am fine. I am not going anywhere. I am right here...you aren't going to lose me...not to death...not to Arizona. You are stuck with me until you croak." Callie's heart ached seeing Mark so upset. He was trying to hide it but she could see through him.
"Until I croak?" asked Mark with a small smile. His forehead was still resting on hers and he held her. "You expecting me to die sometime soon?" asked Mark chuckling. "I did make you the beneficiary of my life insurance policies so I guess right now is as good a time as any to bump me off."
"No, I figure you will die at 85 or 90 years old. Probably having sex with me. I figure you'll go first because you are a man and you are older than me." said Callie with a small smirk. "I am okay Mark...I am out of the hospital and out of the woods. Well, you know I made you the beneficiary of mine when my father disowned me. I figured...who knows me better than you."
"Hmm...that does sound like me. If I have to go I'd rather it be during sex. Preferably with you on top...I want a good view when I go." said Mark. "I know that you are okay now...you getting shot just reminded me how unpredictable life can really be. When you left that afternoon...you said that you loved me and I didn't say it back to you...because I was a moron. And I told myself that I would just say it to you when you came back. And at first when it took you so long to make it back...I thought maybe you were mad at me for responding to I love you with...bring back garlic bread. When Derek called to tell me that you were at the hospital...I thought it was you...I picked up the phone apologizing. And then Derek..." Mark couldn't even finish that statement. "I felt like my entire world collapsed around me Cal. I realized that the single most important woman in my life was clinging to life. I don't even really remember driving to the hospital...the first thing I remember is walking into the operating." Mark quit talking.
Callie didn't expect Mark to say anything else. She knew that he had expressed more emotions that he cared to. "Let's get married." said Callie
Mark pulled back and chuckled. "We are already engaged or did you forget?" asked Mark. Mark smiled looking into her eyes.
She laughed and said "No, I mean...let's get married like soon. Why wait a long time for something we both really want..." Callie ran her fingers over the scruff on his face.
"I didn't think you'd want to get married in your wheelchair..." said Mark seriously. She hadn't expressed that feeling but he knew her well enough to know how prideful she was. He just couldn't imagine Callie being comfortable with wheeling down the aisle.
"We don't know how long my recovery might take. Why wait? We love each other and we want to get married. We should do it. Besides you took some time off of work. It will be good. We can spend it together as newlyweds. We could wait a couple of weeks and get married. Just think about it." said Callie.
Mark smiled thinking about what Callie was proposing and honestly he liked the idea. "I think we could make that happen. What kind of wedding do you want?" asked Mark looking into her eyes.
"Something simple...something that is about you and me and no one else." said Callie with a smile. She kissed him softly. "I was wondering how convincing I would have to be." said Callie laughing softly.
"When have I ever said no to you?" asked Mark chuckling softly.
