Disclaimer: I don't own Grey's Anatomy, I just borrowed the name of the characters for entertaining, no intention to violate any copyrights.
This is a companion pieces of I don't believe U.
A/N : I'm so grateful that you all like the last chapter, and thanks to come back for this new one.
Super, super thanks to my wonderful beta calzonaforever35, you are amazing.
Chapter 9
"Good morning beautiful." A kiss on my cheek startled me. Hmm… freshly bathed Arizona smells so good.
Good morning to you too, gorgeous.
"I brought you some flowers. I know, I know. I'm such a terrible girlfriend. We've been together a year and I still don't know what your favorite flower is. I stood in the middle of the shop and realized I have never sent you any flowers. Why didn't you remind me?"
I did. Remember the time I told you a patient brought me a bouquet with a bunch of bright colored flowers? I said I prefer roses, plain, simple, and direct. That was why I sent you red roses – but I don't think you remember the roses because you just threw them back at me.
"Luckily, the cute florist helped me out. She told me rose is a safe choice. And when I looked over to the section of roses, I didn't have to think twice before picking up the red one because I'm positive that red is your color."
Yes. But red is also your favorite color on me, admit it. You always found me in a red dress hot.
"And then Peggy… well, the cute florist. She asked me how many roses I wanted. This is the first time I bought you flowers. I want it to mean something, you know. She printed out a list for me."
Wait a minute, how long did you stay there talking to this Peggy? A cute florist? Seriously?
"Do you know 1 rose means you are the one? So I wanted to get you 1 long stem rose. But one rose seems kinda sad, right? And I know 3 roses are I love you. 6 roses mean I want to be yours… Well, I'm already yours."
I'm yours too. So tell me, how many roses did you get me?
"Good morning Arizona. How are you today?"
Oh, Shepherd is here.
"I'm… fine. I went home to get changed, and brought Callie some flowers." I closed my eyes to savor the gentle caress on my face. I love the soft touch and her lavender hand cream. Wait, my eyes are already closed. "How is she today?"
"Arizona, at this point, I don't know. Her EKG showed brain activity, but when she's going to come back from the coma, it's up to her."
What do you mean you don't know? Derek Shepherd, didn't you call yourself a neuro god? Useless!
"Does she respond?"
No, no no no. Please don't start crying Arizona, please. Don't start crying again, not when I can't hold you, please don't…
"I have to do some quick exams, would you mind stepping outside for a minute?"
"Come on Arizona. Let's go get you some coffee."
Oh great, Tim is here too. Take care of her, my man!
Arizona's POV
"What if she doesn't come back, Tim?" I rubbed my face with my hands, trying to wipe away the tear stains off my face, but the stupid tears just wouldn't stop.
"Don't say that. Derek said it's too soon to tell…"
"It has been 3 days since the surgery. He lowered the meds yesterday, Calliope should be out from the medically induced coma by now. But she just…" I couldn't help but bawl again. I don't know how many times I had cried like this over the last 3 days; and the exhaustion didn't help it at all.
Tim sat down next to me on the couch, and pulled me in his arms immediately. His strong hands held me tight, and didn't even flinch when my tears drenched his scrub top.
"She just needs some rest, you know how much she loves her sleep. She'll wake up when she's ready." He coaxed, but that just made me cry harder.
"She loves to sleep and she always complains that she doesn't get enough of it. What if she doesn't want to wake up?" I grasped the front of his shirt as I cried, just like I did the thousands of times when we were kids. "I don't know what to do without her. I can't live without her."
"Do you know what other thing she loves more than sleep? You. She loves you more than anything. She won't leave you. She will come back. Her brain will come back." He stated firmly, wanting me to believe his words while rocking me back and forth lightly to smooth my sadness. Like he always did.
Soon Tim was paged to the pit. He told me to take a nap in the attending lounge to get some rest. But how could I stay away from Callie? I stepped in her room, not surprised when I looked up and saw Mark there.
"Tim said he was gonna drag you to the lounge for some rest, so I'm here." He cast a glance at me, then his gaze went back to Callie.
"I don't want to go anywhere else." I sighed out. My voice is getting hoarse from all the crying. I start to worry if Callie would recognize my voice in her oblivion.
Since Mark took my usual spot, I pulled a plastic chair and settled on the opposite side of the bed. My hands went to cover the motionless hand of Callie's.
"Derek said she opened her eyes, but didn't follow command." Mark said to me. Even though I didn't turn my gaze to him, I know he's still staring at Callie, just like I am.
We sat in silence, drowning in our own thoughts. After a while Mark stood up, but he stopped half way and stepped closer to me.
"Brian asked about you." He said in a flat tone. I inhaled deeply and then exhaled slowly. I never left Callie's side except the short hour in the morning to get changed at home, and I cancelled everything around me because there is nothing more important than my love lying on this bed. Wyatt took over my critical cases, such as Brian Weston. "He wants to apologize to you and Callie."
"It wasn't his fault." I don't blame him. He's not the one I blame. "How is his recovery?"
"He's doing fine. But Wyatt said he started to show signs of depression again. Maybe you should go see him." Mark remained in the same flat tone. I know he doesn't mean to criticize me, but in my state of exhaustion, I couldn't help but be provoked easily.
"I know I'm being selfish. I know I shouldn't abandon my patient, but Calliope is in a coma, I think I'm allowed to put myself first. She is my priority." I said through my clenched teeth, and peeled my eyes away from Callie for the first time since I entered the room, glaring at Mark with fire.
I don't know if was my fierceness caused me to jerk my hands, or Callie actually gave me a reaction, I felt a twitch from a finger under my hands.
Mark didn't notice it. He murmured a sorry and then turned to leave the room.
I stared at the hand beneath mine until tears blurred my eyes again. Then I looked up, Callie's still sleeping peacefully, just like she has the past 3 days.
"Was that a sign to tell me not to be rude to Mark? You always do it. You always take his side over mine." I picked up her hand, and played with her fingers one by one. I whispered to hide my broken voice. "Have you ever thought that you are the reason I don't get along with him? I hate it when you value his feelings more than mine from time to time. I hate that he knows you better than me."
She gave me no response. I took a deep breath to calm myself, but the tears just wouldn't stop. I took another deep breath, and the smell of the roses I brought to the room entered my nose.
"I haven't told you how many roses I brought you, have I?" I pulled my lips to a bitter smile. "I wanted to get you 99 roses. According to the list that Peggy gave me, it means 'I will love you forever'. But I know Bailey would never let me enter the room with that many flowers. So instead, I bought you 9 roses."
I sighed heavily, and looked over to the flowers in the vase I put by her bedside cabinet. 9 long stem red roses embellished with baby's breath. I wished she could see it.
"9 roses mean 'everlasting love'. I love you, Calliope. I will never stop loving you. No matter what happens… Even if you…" I bit my lips to a pout and shook my head slowly. I couldn't bring myself to say it aloud. "But we still have so many things ahead of us. We are going to get married, and we're going to have kids. You need to wake up, Calliope."
I clasped her hand tightly as a sob got caught in my throat. I leaned forward, rested my elbows on the bed and brought her hand to my lips.
"I thought that it mattered what we said, or where we said it. Then I realized the only thing that matters is that you made me complete. I want you to marry me. I need you to wake up and marry me, Calliope. I don't know how to go on without you. Can you live? Please, can you live for me?"
I pressed her hand to my cheek, wailing for the possibility that my love is going to leave me forever… Suddenly, I felt another twitch from the finger on my face. My head snapped up instantly. Through my watery eyes, I see Callie's long eyelashes flutter slowly.
I don't know how to react. I took sharp breath after sharp breath through my open mouth as I stared at Callie's face, seeing her make efforts to open her puffy eyes. She couldn't open them fully but the brown eyes are looking at me. Even though they are clouded with grogginess, she is looking at me.
"Calliope… Calliope…" I rose from the chair slowly, afraid it is a dream and I would end it if I moved too fast. She's trying to say something but she could only make inarticulate noises. "What? Calliope, what?"
"No…" She tried again, and it got clearer this time. "Not… marry…"
Callie's POV
"Welcome back, Callie." Derek entered the room with his usual smug. "You gave us quite a few days."
I smiled back to him weakly. He checked my eyes with a flashlight, and then gave me a grin of satisfaction.
"How is she?" My girlfriend who sits on the chair next to my bed asked nervously. Teddy is standing behind Arizona with hands on her shoulders. They both look at Shepherd with the same eagerness in their eyes.
I turned my palm up with difficulty. It turned out a GSW to the chest and a brain surgery would take a lot of energy of a person. I don't have any control of my body. Who would have known to lift a hand could be that hard?
Arizona knew what I wanted. She glided her hand into mine quickly and relaxed.
"Everything looks good. I'll arrange another scan to be sure, ok? Just don't worry." He winked at Arizona, who still looks kind of anxious.
Arizona and I didn't get much time to talk. Shortly after Derek left the room, Tim, Cristina and Bailey came for their checkups. And words travelled fast in this hospital, people stopped by greeting me from surviving a nearly death experience. Soon after the team of Ortho nurses left my room, Bailey sent the 2 most experienced nurses to take my gurney for a spin. Well, to have the scan.
Of course Arizona went with us. She held my hand the whole time but we didn't say much. Talking is still hard for me but I'm more alert of my surroundings; and it seems Arizona's anxiety had eased because I could see a genuine smile on her face when we walked down the hallway.
Oh boy, was I wrong.
Once we arrived in the scan room, Eli and Allen, the best male nurses on the floor about to transfer me from the gurney to the bed of the CT scan. Arizona ran around the bed and was going to help. Bailey's voice came through the speaker.
"Dr. Robbins, what are you doing?"
"I'm here, I can help." She looked between me, Eli, and Allen. The poor men didn't dare to move a muscle. After all, Arizona is also a doctor in this hospital.
I waited patiently on the bed, knowing how stubborn my girlfriend could be. Seconds later, something happened. I couldn't swivel my head to look but from the sound of it, Bailey had entered the room.
"Dr. Robbins, let the trained professionals do their jobs." Bailey stated firmly.
"But…" Arizona protested, but no one could beat Bailey's famous glare. I shared a snicker with the 2 guys when my blonde stepped aside, and then they set to lift me up from the gurney.
"Easy… easy…" I couldn't see Arizona from my position, but I'm sure she's standing behind Eli and scolding at him. "Eli! Mind your hands. And- and- Allen, be gentle! She had a surgery! Eli! Your hands!"
"Arizona! Out!" Bailey shouted. I couldn't see her face because I had to close my eyes to fight the urge to laugh out loud. My chest kinda tingled when I talked, I'm sure it's gonna hurt like a mother if I laugh.
"You can't kick me out, I'm her girlfriend." I turned my head in time to see Arizona raise her eyebrows, stepping closer to Bailey, who has her hands on her hips with a frown on her face. Once I was settled in bed safely, the 2 men pushed the gurney to the far end of the room to stay away from the 2 women.
"Exactly! You are her girlfriend. Not even her wife or her proxy. I gave you an exception to come in here, and I can kick you out if you keep impeding us from doing our jobs." My colleague said with her usual Dr. Bailey stateliness.
"You won't do that." Arizona squinted at the shorter woman.
"You wanna try me?" Bailey gave her another glare. I had to bite my lips to hide the smirk when Arizona dragged herself out of the room, murmuring under her breath along the way.
And- It continued all the way back to my room.
"I can't believe you kicked me out of the room."
"I can't believe you're still rumbling about it." Bailey cast a sidelong glance at her, then she turned to me. "I'm glad you woke up, no one else could put up with that."
I just looked between them with a smile.
As soon as my ride arrived in the room, my nostrils were assailed by a strong aroma. I was gone for the scan less than an hour, someone has turned my hospital room to a sea of flowers and couple of floating balloons in the air.
"What in God's name happened in here?" I could hear Bailey's voice follow me as we entered the room. I smiled genuinely – although I'm getting tired, I couldn't help to beam with delight.
"Oh Bailey, the colleagues just want to show solicitude for their favorite doctor. They couldn't stop bringing flowers to Callie." Teddy answered from the corner of the room where she is arranging the bouquets, and then gazed at me over her shoulder. "They really like you, you know that?"
"Yeah." I looked around while the nurses parked my gurney back in place. The flowers are colorful, full of joy and happiness. Little too bright for my liking, but I'm grateful. It's nice to know people care about you.
Then my eyes landed on the simple red roses sitting on my cabinet. My lips spread to a wide grin when I counted them.
"Calliope?" Arizona tugged my hand from the other side of the bed. She brought it to her lips and asked. "What are you thinking?"
"I am counting the 9 roses you gave me." I answered weakly, still wearing the grin on my face.
"You knew those were from me?" She stared at me with surprise. I nodded.
"I heard everything you said."
"You did?" Both Arizona and Bailey said in unison. My surgeon stopped her writing hand.
"If you were conscious, why didn't you wake up earlier?" Bailey frowned.
"The brain is the human body's most mysterious organ." I panted out. "You should ask Shepherd. I break bones."
"Shh… Take it easy." Arizona stroked my arm softly. "Getting you wake up was the goal for today. You need to take it easy, don't talk."
"That's right. Get some rest. I'll come check your incision later." Bailey shut the chart, smiled to me over her shoulder, "Welcome back, Callie."
We watched her leave the room, and then Teddy pulled a chair next to Arizona. "That's right, welcome back. We through we're going to lose both you and Arizona."
"Theodora!" Arizona scolded, but Teddy just shrugged.
"You cried for 3 days straight. Tim almost hooked up an IV on your arm to keep you hydrated."
"You're exaggerating…" Arizona was about to bicker back, I squeezed her hand to get her attention.
"I heard you, remember?" I laughed lightly when she ducked her head to hide her embarrassment. But then I winced from the pain on my chest.
"Are you ok?" My girlfriend widened her eyes in panic. I just shook my head and exhaled slowly.
"A little pain on my chest, it's normal after a surgery. But I'm getting tired, I think I'm gonna take a nap."
"Right, you need to rest. Close your eyes, I'll be here when you woke up again."
"No, I want you to go home." I closed my eyes, breathed in and out deeply and slowly. When I opened my eyes again, I found both Arizona and Teddy gazing at me dumbfounded. "Arizona, you were here for 3 days. You didn't get any rest and you're exhausted."
I'm getting short of breath but still managed to breathe out before she protested. "It's gonna be a long and tough recovery. The last thing I want is for you to get sick. Teddy, please take her home."
"But…" Arizona opened her mouth trying to argue, but she stopped when she saw me have to blink my eyes to fight back the tiredness.
"I'm serious. If you stay, I'm not going to talk to you for the rest of the day." I bluffed, but I know she won't take the chance.
"Fine." Arizona rolled her eyes and pouted. "But can I stay until you fell asleep?"
"Give me a kiss." I closed my eyes, and smiled when I felt soft lips against mine. Then I drifted off to much needed sleep.
