A/N: Some lines & situations taken directly from the show, others slightly adapted. If you hate Leah Murphy you'll probably hate much of this chapter. Tough shit because I love her. Also I'm messing with the timelines a bit here, condensing some of seasons 10 and 11 because I want to and I can.

X-X-X-X

Alex arrived in the ER to take in the chaos off on one side. The screaming of an older woman in labor mixed with the furious shouting of a rather large man moving towards the woman laying on a gurney. A tiny dark-haired doctor appeared, followed a few steps behind by security guards. As the man approached, she hip-checked him into the nearby wall, then clipped him at the shins with her foot. He roared, but the security guards grabbed him, dragging him off towards where a few police officers were making their way into the ER at a hurried pace.

Grinning, he checked in with the nurse's station, "I was paged? No details, though."

Nurse Tia glanced up as she plugged in her patient's stats, pointing, "Screaming lady for you. Doc's here concentrating on the mother but they're worried the baby's in distress."

He groaned, pregnant women were not his favorite type of patient at all. A hundred cranky toddlers needing their appendixes removed were better. Jogging over, he introduced himself to his fellow doctor. "Alex Karev, Peds. What do you need me to do?"

She glanced up at him as he towered over her, "Emma Marling, maternal-fetal specialist. Jenny Albrecht here is in premature labor with twins, and her blood pressure's up a good bit higher than I'd like." She lowered her voice as the woman screamed yet again, filling him in on the specifics of the case. "Addison's on her way," she continued at a more normal voice as she punched the button for the OR floor, soothing Jenny gently as she did, "But I need another pair of hands for Twin 2. Read up," she passed him a tablet detailing the case.

Two hours later, scrubbing out, Alex grinned. He'd delivered a lot of babies in Malawi, but it was always a good feeling when he helped an infant pull through a complex delivery. Jenny Albrecht's twins would be fine after some time in the NICU. He turned to his fellow surgeon, "Sweet hip check on the guy yelling at her, by the way."

Emma smirked at him, "Division I ice hockey. He's lucky I didn't have my stick in hand."

Alex laughed, shaking his hands before drying them and pointing at his own chest. "Nice. Division I wrestling."

"Ahhh… Well good work in there, Doctor Karev. You're one of the ones just back from Malawi, right? The Peds Fellow?"

He nodded, "Yeah. Have you met Robbins or Altman yet?"

"No, not yet. Robbins is the Carter-Madison winner?"

Alex nodded again, "Altman is cardio, but she sort of semi-specialized in pediatric cardio while she was in Malawi."

"It'll be nice to have your team's abilities to draw on. We've been scrambling without a peds department head since I've been here."

His pager sounded off, "Ah, my consult's here. See you around."

Emma grinned as he headed towards the elevator.

X-X-X-X

Callie felt her emotions roil in her gut. Anger, loneliness, frustration, resentment, love, it all churned into a chaotic mess within her. If her ex didn't stop giving her sad puppy eyes every time they were near one another, she couldn't promise what her reaction would be.

Dragging her feet, she entered the attendings locker room, intent on changing, picking up her daughter from daycare, and going home. With luck, Sofia would go down easily and she could have a glass of wine afterwards. Maybe more than one glass of wine.

The locker room was empty but for one of the showers. Sighing, Callie trudged to her locker, stripping off her scrub top and long-sleeved tee. In just her bra, she dug for the shirt she'd worn that morning in the mess her locker had become over the course of her overlong day.

Behind her, the shower taps went quiet, then the inhabitant of the stall could be heard drying off and the whisper of clothing. Callie grabbed her shirt and pulled it on just as the soft slap of bare feet entering the locker room proper sounded, accompanied by a soft exhalation of surprise.

Callie turned, hands on her hips, unconcerned until she saw who had padded out of the shower area. Hair damp and tangled, braless in a t-shirt and jeans, Arizona dumped her filthy scrubs into the nearest hamper before sighing. Callie couldn't help but stare. Freshly-washed Arizona was one of her favorite sights in the world, with drops of water sliding down pale cheeks and the neck of her shirt damp as her nipples poked at thin cotton in the cool locker room. It was a glorious view she had been denied for over three years. With a start, Callie shook herself even as she felt her cheeks warm. Turning back to her locker, she dug around for her jeans as Arizona's eyes bore into the back of her head. Kicking off her work sneakers, she shimmied out of her scrub pants, silently wishing she'd worn better underwear that day even as she cursed herself for the thought. The soft breathing behind her got heavy as she pulled on her jeans and sat down to fasten her boots. Once both her feet were clad in black leather she stood and twirled around, making sure her eyes didn't drop below Arizona's chin. "Stop staring," she snapped, letting the anger out. "You don't get to look at me like that."

Arizona squared her shoulders, "Like what?"

Angry, Callie pointed a finger at the other woman, "Like that, Arizona. You're three years too late for the contrite act, so stop it."

Blue eyes narrowed as Arizona stepped forward, "If you think I regret going to Malawi, you're out of your mind."

A hoarse, bitter laugh made its way out of Callie's throat. "Of course you don't regret it. Of course. I should have known better than that, huh? So stop fucking staring at me like I kicked your puppy. You got what you wanted."

"What I wanted was you, in Malawi, with me! But I didn't get that, now did I?" Stalking up to her ex, she dumped her small shower tote on the bench and drew in a breath to continue. But that breath brought with it the scent of Callie herself – the harsh antiseptic of the hospital that clung to everything and everyone within its walls, the smell of sweat and soap, the faintest hint of the organic hand lotion she had gotten her ex to switch to shortly after they started dating. The anger bled out of her; her shoulders slumped. "I don't think either of us got everything we wanted, Calliope."

Callie watched as Arizona seemed to deflate before her very eyes and yet felt a shiver of pleasure at hearing her full name. Having the other woman so close physically, yet emotionally so distant broke her heart once more. She couldn't resist, and reached out with one hand to cup Arizona's cheek. "No, I don't think we did," she replied softly, letting herself meet Arizona's eyes fully. Her ex seemed like she was about to shrug off the soft touch, and Callie couldn't let that happen. Not yet.

She surged forward, Arizona's body sandwiched between hers and the wall. Feeling no resistance, Callie pressed their lips together, the contact almost chaste. Until Arizona moaned and slid her hands down Callie's sides, dragging their hips firmly into one another. Then it was all lips, tongue, teeth, and wandering hands. Callie slid her knee between Arizona's legs, the position eminently familiar and wonderful. She hadn't touched Arizona in three years but it felt like nothing had changed. It was still everything she had ever wanted.

A hand made its way under her shirt, skin pressing into skin, and they both froze. They broke apart, panting, unable to meet one another's eyes. It was too much, beautifully and wonderfully overwhelming.

Callie stepped back unsteadily, her hands clutching at her sides. A long moment passed, and then she shoved her arms into her jacket and grabbed her purse, practically running from the locker room. Arizona slid down the wall until she was curled up on the floor, and cried.

X-X-X-X

Addison sighed, "Thank you for bringing this to my attention, Bernice. I wish I had heard about this sooner."

The human resources director shrugged, "It's seen as fairly acceptable behavior in the hospital, despite policy to the contrary. You're the first Chief to actually discipline a doctor for sexual harassment, when you formally reprimanded Myers last year."

Addison frowned, "I adore Richard, but he was absolutely ineffective about this, and for the love of God, Derek and Hunt both married residents."

The other woman shook her head, "We aren't known for our progressive policy, and we're certainly known for almost never enforcing it."

"Alright, well, I'll deal with this and get back to you with the paperwork as soon as I can." She shuffled the forms in front of her. "What disappoints me the most is that Brooks' girlfriend went to you, instead of her and Brooks coming to me directly," she muttered. "Do I not seem approachable? I mean, I know I'm busy, but I grabbed Brooks as an intern. She knows me."

Bernice shifted in her seat. "You are, as a surgeon. As the Chief, this is a matter of hospital culture as a whole that we need to change. I have tried before, but all I got was lip service to the idea of enforcing harassment policy and protecting those who engage in fraternization." She took a breath, "And hospital gossip still ties you to Doctor Sloan, whose behavior should have had him fired repeatedly."

"Okay." Running a hand through thick red hair, Addison gave her subordinate a wry grin, "Please tell me all the i's are dotted and t's crossed, because I'm going to have to suspend Harper Avery's grandson and I fully expect Catherine Avery to land on me like a ton of bricks as soon as she hears."

X-X-X-X

Leah Murphy had not expected the kind of drama she found in her residency at Seattle Grace. A seething pot of sex, plane crashes, and the more mundane types of disasters seemed to regularly befall the doctors – and patients – of her hospital. The nurses were more gossipy than her all-girls prep school classmates. She'd already heard about the scandalous beginnings of McDreamy and Medusa's relationship. About 007 getting hit by a bus a day before leaving for the Army. About the shooting. About Dr Torres and Dr Kepner's car accident. About the plane crash that killed the late unlamented Dr Stark, the scandalous Dr Sloan, and taken the leg of Lexie Grey. Oh yes, Seattle Grace's nurses were very gossipy. And the higher-up residents also liked to talk, a lot.

Leah figured if the sexcapades were so widespread in the hospital, no one really would pay attention to her and Heather. And overall, they hadn't. Together for six months by the time Dr Robbins, Dr Altman, and Dr Karev came back from Malawi, Leah had gotten used to watching the various social blowouts impact the hospital. She'd even gotten used to the high level of drama Seattle Grace seemed to generate.

What she hadn't adapted to was Dr Avery's low-level but fairly regular passes, directed at both herself and Heather. Hospital gossip being what it was, she knew he was aware of their actual monogamous relationship – no matter how awkwardly they got together, no matter the circumstances of which Jackson was well aware – they were a couple. And besides, she'd turned him down three times by telling him she was involved and clearly uninterested. Heather had told him the same thing at least four times that she'd mentioned. Frustrated, she'd gone to Human Resources, and an email had been sent to all staff just that morning that directed everyone to reread the hospital's sexual harassment policy. Gossip buzzing around said Dr Avery had been suspended which was probably true, given that his name had been taken off the surgical board before she even got in to work. She frowned; she'd actually been assigned to his service for the past week and the other plastic surgeons had yet to divvy up Avery's surgeries that couldn't wait for him to return.

"Murphy!" Leah twirled around, coming face to face with Dr Montgomery. "I know you were on Avery's service this week. Why don't you spend it with Little Grey in the ER? She could use the help. We'll get you back to Plastics for a bit later on." The older woman stepped forward, lowering her voice, "And thank you, for coming forward. It takes a lot of strength to do that, especially in this hospital." She stepped back, accepting a tablet Heather held out for her and sighing. "Brooks, take a minute and get us some coffee on your way back from walking Murphy to the ER, would you? We'll need it to get through today." She nodded at the two younger women and walked off.

Heather grinned up at her, bumping their elbows together affectionately. "Hey."

Leah smiled back, her expression softening. Her girlfriend's happy face was always enough to lift her spirits.

Two days later, however, Leah felt sick. Sick was, perhaps, putting it gently. After throwing up in her mouth during surgery, she'd stumbled after scrubbing out, leaning heavily on her IV pole, towards the locker room. Barely managing to change from her scrubs – and really she gave up after dragging on jeans and her boots, leaving the sweat-soaked scrub shirt on – she moved slowly towards her car across the parking lot, finally reaching it only to collapse against its reassuring solidity. As she fumbled with her keys, blackness came over her vision and she fell to the ground, sprawled on the asphalt.

X-X-X-X

Thankful that Nick was able to keep Zola home as a vicious flu bug ravaged the hospital staff, daycare regulars, and a seeming never-ending stream of patients, Arizona groaned as her superpowers activated, warning of her own exposure to the illness going around. She texted her surrogate brother, asking if he could keep Zola for the next day or more so she wouldn't pass on the bug to her own daughter.

Nick: No prob. Text me when you're better.

Arizona: Will do. Thanks.

Nick: Hey, you can't take care of lil Zo with your head in a toilet. Mom's off tom. – we'll go 2 the museum.

Arizona: She'll love that.

Nick: Lil Zo or mom? ;-)

Arizona: Yes. :-D

Laughing even as she felt some bile rise in the back of her throat, Arizona slid her jacket on and headed for the staff parking lot. She was nearly at her vehicle when she noticed a random IV pole next to a car. Grumbling, she moved to drag it back into the hospital when she noticed it was attached to a very unconscious resident.

Within minutes Arizona had called the ER desk and had them send out a gurney. With the help of an orderly and the new head of Trauma, Dr Pierce, they lifted Murphy up and got her tucked into a trauma room.

"They let this woman be a doctor today?" Pierce marveled, even as she glanced over worriedly at Arizona who was leaning unsteadily against Murphy's bed.

Groaning, Leah came to. "What?"

"You passed out next to your car, Murphy," Arizona said, fighting back a wave of nausea.

"And you're not quite bad off enough to warrant admitting," Maggie sighed. "Do you have anyone that can take care of you?"

"Is Brooks free?" Arizona asked.

Leah shook her head and then groaned as the movement worsened her pounding headache. "She's got that twin-to-twin transfusion syndrome surgery with Montgomery this afternoon. She's been so excited. Please don't bother her. Just put me in an on-call room."

Arizona sighed. It was an uncommon surgery and something a second-year resident rarely got to witness. "She can come home with me."

"And who exactly is going to take care of you?" Maggie asked, eyebrow raised.

Teddy appeared in the doorway, already changed out of scrubs. "I am, apparently. I got your text. Who else am I babysitting?"

Leah carefully raised her hand from the bed.

Teddy looked back and forth between the two standing women. "I'm borrowing a wheelchair, just so you know," she remarked to Pierce.

"That's probably a good idea. I'll get you some banana bags. About the only smart decision Murphy's made today was hooking herself up. She's pretty dehydrated," the head of trauma stalked off, shaking her head at stubborn surgeons.

"You should probably find a bucket too," Arizona said shakily.

Teddy sighed and grabbed the nearest wastebasket, shoving it in her friend's arms just in time.

X-X-X-X

Lexie sighed as she watched Pierce and a shaky Robbins do a workup on Murphy. The younger woman had been working cases in the ER for a few days off and on until she got pulled away by Meredith and Richard that afternoon. Lexie shook her head, she should have noticed the illness that had been creeping up on the resident; the two were somewhat friendly. Then again, half the hospital was in various stages of dying from the bug going around.

It wasn't just Murphy being sick. It was the new head of Trauma. Maggie Pierce was a year older than her and already a head of department. According to Meredith, she had come, at least partially, to Seattle to learn about her birth mother Ellis Grey. She'd found instead her birth father and a half-sister. The situation was tense; Meredith completely flabbergasted to again be confronted with a biological relative she hadn't a clue about. Lexie didn't know how to feel either. Her sister's sister was basically her boss.

April sidled up next to her, standing perhaps a hair's breath too close. Lexie didn't seem to notice, relaxing unconsciously as she leaned even further into their own little bubble. "How are you doing?" came the quiet inquiry.

"I'm fine. Though with Robbins and Murphy down for the count…" Lexie trailed off. She was tired, and reaching the end of her endurance.

"I need to eat something before I collapse, and you need to get off your leg," April murmured. "I have your favorite dumplings on the way and you can have them all if you'll sit down with me in the lounge for a bit."

Lexie nodded, checking in awkwardly with Pierce, who shooed her off to eat and rest. Halfway to their favorite lounge, her leg buckled under her. April was there immediately, one strong arm around her waist and the other balancing them against the wall.

"Thanks," Lexie mumbled, thankful for the support even as she hated needing it.

"No problem, buddy," April replied, grinning brightly as she tried to ignore the tingles running up and down her side wherever they touched.

X-X-X-X

"You want some breakfast?" Arizona asked, shivering in the chill of an open window. Her stomach was rumbling if still testy, and her mouth tasted like something had died in it. She sniffed and the faint trace of vomit lingered in her room, underneath the early November chill. Someone must have opened the window to air things out.

"You don't have to do this," Leah said, embarrassed by how weak she felt as well as slightly mortified by being in unfamiliar clothes in her boss's bed. She was fairly certain this might be skirting a line that the hospital had been trying to firm up, but she was too sick to really remember all the new rules HR had put in place. At least this time she was in a superior's bed, it wasn't Jackson Avery and she was dressed.

Teddy appeared in the doorway, dressed for work. "Good, you're both awake. Murphy, lay down." Leah turned beet red and slipped back under the covers. "Your fever broke about 2am, but you'd soaked through the sheets and I dragged the mattress onto the back porch to air, which is why you're here and in different clothes." She turned to Arizona, "You haven't puked since one, but you're pretty dehydrated. Try to drink today or I'm hooking you up with an IV like your bedmate here." She checked her watch, "I have a bypass in an hour. I'll call to check in. I texted Brooks from your phone, Murphy, and she said she'd stop by when she was off shift. You two are to stay in bed unless you need the bathroom, and bring your phones," she gestured to each bedside table where their cells were plugged in and charging, "in case of emergency. Try not to go alone, okay? I know this is awkward, but I have to get in to the hospital, and you two shouldn't be on your own. Doctor's orders. I'll be right back with some drinks and crackers." By the time she got back from the kitchen, a tray full of beverages – ginger ale, electrolyte drinks, water, juice – and saltines in hand, the two sick doctors were already asleep. She settled it on Arizona's side of the bed and used her hand to check both their fevers before leaving for the day. She hoped they'd sleep it off, given enough time and fluids.

X-X-X-X

Two days later, Callie watched with curiosity as an unexpected group made their way into the hospital. A pale and sweaty Brooks was sandwiched between Arizona and Leah Murphy, both of whom looked only slightly less sick as they held the small woman up. Pierce met them as they entered the ER from the parking lot. She crept closer to listen in.

"I don't want either one of you in here. You should be home in bed and how the hell is Brooks even upright?" Pierce demanded.

Arizona shook her head, "I'm just picking up some paperwork before heading back home. And I need you to look at Brooks. She got the worst of both mine and Leah's symptoms and while her fever isn't as bad as it was yesterday, she can't keep anything down. I don't have the right medications, not that she can take, and we're out of banana bags. I'm going to talk to the Chief, let her know all three of us will be out for a bit longer."

Maggie nodded, "Okay, I'll do a workup on both of these two, just to be safe. When you're done, come down and find us. We should check on you as well. I'll send you home with enough fluids to hydrate a Texan football team. And your mom brought your daughter to daycare a little while ago, if you want to see her."

Arizona sighed, eyes a little teary, "No, I'm probably still contagious so I'm not risking it. I talked to her this morning, she's fine having a bit of a vacation with her grandma."

Leah spoke up, voice scratchy, "At least walk by the daycare and take a look, Arizona. You've been moping." Brooks nodded carefully, the slight motion turning her a bit green. Callie was close enough to leap forward with a basin, the sick woman clutching it as she heaved fruitlessly.

Leah pulled Heather close, and addressed Maggie, "She's really sensitive to anti-emetics. None of the over-the-counter drugs she can even take have worked. If it's not already in her file here I've got the list she gave me of her sensitivities and allergies."

"Alright, let's see what we can do," Maggie replied, gently pressing Brooks into a nearby wheelchair. "Arizona, when you're done, I'm going to want to do a full workup."

"That's fine. I shouldn't be long." Arizona started off towards the Chief's office before Callie tagged after and interrupted her.

"Addie's in surgery this morning. Leave a message on her voicemail and I'll make sure she's checked it if I see her at lunch."

A wan smile was Arizona's reply, "Thanks, Callie. I'm going to sneak up to my office for some budget paperwork I need and make sure Alex hasn't let the department run amuck."

"I was up there earlier. He's a little ragged with you being out but fine otherwise," Callie said softly.

She sighed, nodding, "He stopped by last night with some groceries for us." At Callie's cocked eyebrow, she continued, "Leah and Heather are staying with me right now. They're both too sick to be on their own. Teddy, Alex, and my mom have been checking on all of us."

Callie's grimace was not unexpected but still funny, "That sucks."

Arizona shook her head, too sick to enjoy having a civil conversation with her ex, especially after the way their encounter in the locker room had gone, "Not really. They're becoming friends. Of a sort." She swayed on her feet a little.

"You shouldn't overexert yourself, Arizona," Callie reached out to grab the other woman, steadying her as she ushered her into the elevator and smacked the button for the peds floor. "I'm coming with you. Don't touch anything or you'll end up being the outbreak monkey."

Arizona grinned as her own words from years ago were thrown in her face, "What about you?"

"I'll disinfect myself when you're headed back home with your resident entourage," Callie shrugged.

tbc…