Chapter 8

"Did it just get colder in here?" Mark asked as we watched the two women separate and followed them in to the main hall. The play was just starting.

"I can't believe after everything we went through and all we did to try to get our friendship back, this is how we end up." I admitted sadly. In my time now even though we are arguing over New York, I would still classify us as friends.

"A lot of things happened to get you here." Mark said. "Things weren't pretty before you left. It involved a custody battle, friends picking sides. It got nasty."

"A custody battle?" I asked.

"Yeah. Arizona took you to court to stop you taking Sofia." Mark explained sadly.

"Well obviously I won." I would never have gone to New York without Sofia.

"Actually no, you didn't." Mark answered. "Arizona won but in the end she gave in and let you take Sofia to New York with you. Even though it wasn't want she wanted but it was only supposed to be for a year so she thought she'd be ok."

I can't believe we both let it get that far. We'd always been so good at co-parenting. Why had it all gone as bad as it had? Why did I apparently break off all verbal contact with Arizona when she had given me everything I wanted? None of it really made sense to me. "So what changed? Why didn't we come back?" I asked.

"You were happy. You had a job that was working out for you. Fewer hours, more money and more time for research. Penny was offered a good permanent job. Sofia liked her school." Mark answered. "Penny wouldn't have had a job if you moved back to Seattle."

"I take it that didn't go down too well with Arizona?" I can imagine it didn't. I know how I would feel.

"No it didn't." Mark confirmed. "She was devastated. She quit her job, took two months off before selling her shares in the hospital and starting The Seattle Women's Clinic. It's one of the only clinics like it in the country."

"She seems to be doing well for herself." I mumbled. I was glad Arizona had moved on and was doing well for herself but part of me was sad that our friendship seemed to be the casualty.

"She is." Mark admitted. "She's one of the most sort after Fetal surgeons in the country and she has quite a bit of money. So between the both of you, Sofia will never want for anything."

"That's good." I hoped she wasn't too spoilt. Something Arizona and I had agreed on when we were together was we never wanted Sofia to think money could solve everything. "I can't believe she quit her job though."

Mark nodded his head in agreement. "Like I said, a lot of things happened before and after you left for New York. Arizona didn't trust most of the people at the hospital anymore, especially after people she thought were good friends refused to support her when she went for custody. Then finding out people knew before she did that you weren't planning on coming back was the final straw. She avoids Grey and Hunt. She refuses to speak to April and it took her a while to speak to Alex but she had to in the end because she still works with him quite a bit."

"So she not only lost Sofia, she lost her whole support network." I realised sadly, wondering what could have possibly happened to turn Arizona against April. They are best friends and I couldn't believe that April would refuse to support her in a custody battle. Even if they hadn't made up after Arizona telling Jackson about the pregnancy.

"She did but in a way it was a good thing. She wouldn't be where she is now if she hadn't." Mark told her. "Now come on, chin up. We've got one more place to visit tonight."

"Where are we off to now?" I asked, holding my hand for Mark to take.

"We are actually going to see Arizona's future. If this is the one you choose."

"Great." I muttered sarcastically.

I opened my eyes and recognise the Grey-Sloan pediatric ward immediately. My thoughts go straight to Sofia.

"Sofia is fine." Mark must have read my mind. "She's safe and sound with you in New York."

So I was confused. "Why are we here then?"

"So far we've seen what happens for you, if you choose Penny. Now we see the consequences for Arizona." Mark explained and I noticed Arizona limping towards an on-call room.

-GA-

"Hey Robbins." Alex walked over to her. "You coming to Deluca's leaving party tonight?"

"I'm not sure yet." Arizona admitted. "I've been on my feet all day and my leg is killing me."

"Well you've got an hour before your next surgery so try to get some rest." Alex pushed the on-call room door open and held it as Arizona walked in.

"Thanks, Alex." Arizona moved over to the bed and sat down. "Page me if I'm needed."

"Will do." Alex smiled then turned and left. Alex, along with Richard, had been a godsend to her over the last few months. He'd made sure she got out of the house at least once a week. He'd made sure she went home at least three times a week when she would have been happy sleeping in an on-call room. She could hardly stand being in the house on her own. She still missed Sofia too much. Being in the hospital, surrounded by other people's children seemed to help. It certainly made the time go quicker. Anything that made the time until she saw Sofia go quicker was great for her.

Arizona debated taking her leg off for a while but decided taking it off for an hour was probably worse than leaving it on. She had just stretched out on the bed when her phone started ringing. "Urgh." She grumbled before she looked at the display but her breath caught in her throat when Callie's name popped up. Sofia would be in school so she couldn't be calling. "Callie?"

"Hey." Callie answered, sounding a little unsure. Which Arizona knew was understandable. They hadn't spoken to each other since Callie had left Seattle. Any communicating was done by text, email or through Sofia.

"What's wrong? Has something happened to Sofia?" Arizona sat back up panicked, there was no other reason for Callie to be calling.

"No, no. Sofia's fine." Callie assured her and listened as Arizona let out a sigh of relief. "I'm ringing because I needed to talk to you about something. I wanted you to hear it from me."

"Hear what?" Arizona asked, suddenly glad she was sitting down.

"When Penny's year is up." Callie started, uncertainly. "We won't be coming back to Seattle."

Arizona was sure she felt her heart stop. She had expected Callie to say her and Penny were getting or they were having another baby. Not this. "What do you mean?"

"Penny has been offered a great job here. My job here is better than I expected and Sofia is finally getting settled. We're staying here."

Arizona's throat closed and she couldn't get any words out. 'Arizona.' She heard Callie say after a minute of silence. "That isn't what we agreed, Callie."

"I know it's not what we agreed, Arizona but it's what's best." Callie said.

"Best for who? You?" Arizona growled as she stood up and started to pace. "What about what's best for Sofia? Or Me?"

"Sofia's in a great school. She's doing really well and she's happy. I don't want to disrupt her." Callie told her.

"Oh but it's fine to rip here away from her family and friends when it suits you." Arizona argued.

"Arizona I'm not going to argue with you." Callie said. "I only rang to let you know what was happening. I'm sorry."

"You know what, Callie." Arizona said. "You can go to hell." With that she hung up and threw her phone at the wall. As the shattered pieces fell to the fall, so did Arizona. Her sobs the only sound left coming from the room.

-GA-

I stood there and watched as my ex-wife fell apart on the floor and I felt my heart break along with hers.

"That was harsh." Mark said softly, almost like he didn't want to disturb Arizona. "It makes it even more obvious that you've changed a lot over the last couple of years."

"What do you mean?" I asked, although I'm not sure his remark needed an explanation.

"The Callie Torres I remember would never make a decision like that without at least discussing the possibility with Arizona beforehand." Mark informed her. "And she certainly would never have been so indifferent about devastating a woman she used to love."

Mark was right. I have changed a lot in the last few years. Obviously even more in the year from now. My heart seemed to harden against Arizona when we were apart. I don't really understand why. "You're right." I told him. "I see how much I've changed over the last few years and I'm not sure I like who I'm becoming. I know I'm being selfish and I really don't know why. It's like when Arizona and I split up I became harder. More angry I guess, especially towards her and I just started looking out for me. No matter what the cost."

"Well you know what they say about a thin line between love and hate. It doesn't have to be that way though." Mark replied. "You can go back to the way it was before. You have stop treating Arizona like she's nothing to Sofia. You might not mean to but by assuming you can take Sofia to New York without having a proper discussion with her and listening to her concerns, you are. If I was still alive would you be thinking about taking Sofia to New York then?" I didn't have to answer him because he already knew the answer. I wouldn't. I'm not sure what that said about me. Do I really think Mark is more of a parent than Arizona? Or is it just that I know Mark wouldn't stand for it. He'd put up a fight and I've become so used to Arizona giving in to me since the divorce that I just expected her to do that know. "If you go to New York, you have to work out the best possible solution for all three of you. Not just you."

I take in everything he said as I looked back at Arizona sadly. "Is this when she quits her job?" I've seen Arizona upset before but I've never seen her like this.

"It's not long after this." Mark confirms.

I watched as Arizona continued to cry and I just want to go over and comfort her but I know I can't. "Can we go please?" I asked. "I don't want to be here anymore."

"Sure." Mark holds his hand out and I grab it tightly, holding it as tightly as I wish I was holding Arizona.

-GA-

When I open my eyes this time, I'm back in my own bedroom and Penny is still asleep in my bed. "What's going on now?"

"That's it for tonight." Mark said, as he pointed to the clock and I noticed it was only about 5 minutes after I heard the bang that woke me up. "You need to sleep."

"I thought you were showing me my future with Arizona too." I asked, confused.

Mark nodded. "I am. Tomorrow. Don't want to overload that brain of yours in one night."

"Seriously?" I couldn't believe it. "Am I even going to remember all this tomorrow?"

"You will think you had a wonderful dream starring yours truly but you wont remember what it was about. When I come back tomorrow night you'll remember it all."

"So I'll just think it was a figment of my imagination?" I asked.

"Yep, that's right." Mark answered leaning down to kiss me on the head. "Now sleep. I have to go."

Without another word he was gone.

"I'm going crazy." I mumbled as I walked back to bed and hoped I could go back to sleep. One messed up dream is all I could handle that night.