Disclaimer: I do not own the Robbins family or the Torres family. Everyone else in this story is my own creation. This is just for fun and entertainment, not for profit. Reprints of this story require my permission, however.

Author's Note: Hope you enjoy this. Things will start moving forward on the romance shortly, I promise. I just have some "housekeeping" to get through first.

Ripple Effects

by AmboDriver

Chapter 9

Tim shook his head at Ben Adams. "Am I understanding you correctly, Colonel?"

Ben nodded. "That bastard senator somehow found out she's gay, Timothy. His son, Brooks, has been up here the last two days having closed door meetings with almost every two star and up he could find. They are trying to plant a little bird in their ears so they'll push for her not to fly again."

"How did he find out?" Tim had known Arizona was gay for years, since she was a teenager actually, but he also knew the lengths she had gone to in order to keep it quiet for the sake of her career. He could count on his one hand the number of people outside of their family that knew, Ben being one of them. And he also knew she was overly cautious about what she said and did even off duty to keep it a secret. For most of her career she had to, and now she swore she still could feel the repercussions if she weren't careful. Tim had thought maybe she was overreacting but now it looked like she had been right. This was exactly the type of situation she had always dreaded and now it was coming true. He was sure it would just scare her further into the closet. And just when she had the chance to maybe find some love.

Ben leaned back in his office chair. "I heard Brooks tell someone that his wife's sister knows her. Do you know a Doctor Torres?"

"Callie? Wait, she's Brooks Hastings' sister-in-law? She never said a word to me." He shook his head, trying to think back to their conversations, and he knew she had never breathed a word of it. He looked back at the colonel on the other side of the desk. "You met her that day out at the airfield when we came to see Arizona fly. She and I were dating but we broke up. But she and Arizona became friends. Don't tell her I told you this, but she said there were some feelings developing between her and Callie but they decided not to do anything about them because of Arizona's career. To be honest, I think Arizona's leg and self-confidence are a big part of it, too. But, I know Callie knows about the senator's witch hunt against Arizona. We talked about it. I just can't believe she'd let that kind of information out to Brooks or his father. Hell, she's a Democrat, she must hate the fact that Tea Party asshole is her sister's father-in-law."

Ben sighed and shrugged. "Maybe she told her sister. You know, trying to get some sisterly advice? Perhaps she wasn't thinking when she let it slip at a family dinner or she needed someone to listen to her and that was more important than Arizona's career. You said they decided not to get involved because of Arizona's attempt to fly again. You don't think she could be sabotaging Arizona's case for reinstatement so that wouldn't stand in their way, do you?"

"No, that's not Callie. Not at all." He couldn't believe that she would do that. It made absolutely no sense. "I don't know what happened, but I'll find out."

Ben shrugged. "I guess it doesn't really matter anyway. The important thing is that they know and the shit is going to hit the fan real soon. You need to tell her."

"Me? Why do I have to tell her?" Just the thought of it made him horribly nervous.

"Really, Timothy? Just tell her." He got up from his desk and walked over to the door, holding it open. "Now get out and go find your sister."

"I guess," Tim said with a roll of his eyes. Once out in the hallway of the Pentagon he looked around and sighed. He pulled his cellphone out of his pocket and dialed Arizona. "Hey," he said before she could even say hello. "Where are you?"

"I just got done meeting with General Rogers. I was going to stop by Ben's office and see if he's heard anything."

Tim suppressed a cough. "Um, yeah, I think he might have. Listen, I just saw him and he told me something that you need to hear. Can we meet somewhere? How about we get some lunch at the food court?"

"Okay, I'll meet you there in twenty minutes."

"Great." Tim hung up and let out a deep sigh, dreading having to tell his sister what Ben had shared. But he still quickly made his way over to the nearby food court. He was starving so he went ahead and got some food before finding a table in an obvious location so Arizona would be able to see him.

Right on time she plopped down across from him, putting her tray down. She picked up her sandwich and took a bite before saying. "Okay, so what's the scoop?"

Luckily it was after one so the dining area was a little less than a quarter full. But still he knew he needed to be discreet about this conversation so he slid his chair over next to his sister. "You're not going to like this," he said quietly.

"That doesn't surprise me," she said with a little quirk of her eyebrow. "Lay it on me."

"Hastings knows you're gay."

Arizona swallowed the food that was in her mouth and then looked over at him, her eyes wide in surprise. "He what?"

"And I hate to tell you but Callie might be the person he found out from."

Arizona suddenly froze as she stared at him. It was a few long moments before she shook her head. "I don't understand. Why would Callie tell him? She knows he's coming after me."

He shook his head. "Well I doubt she told him directly. Were you aware that her sister is married to Brooks Hastings?"

"Dan's brother Brooks? Callie's sister is married to him?" She shook her head, obviously at a loss. "No, she didn't mention it. Do you think she mentioned what was going on with us to her sister and she told Brooks or did Callie go right to him?" She looked down at her hands and tossed the sandwich back onto her tray. "She could have told me when I went over there to talk about his witch hunt. She should have told me." She started to get up.

"Wait, where are you going?" He tried to grab onto her arm but she moved away from him too quickly.

"I'm going to find Callie and give her a piece of my mind."

"Oh, are you sure you want to do that?" He knew his sister had a horrible temper sometimes so this could be a very bad idea for her to rush over to Callie and yell at her.

"Oh, I'm very sure," she said before striding off, leaving Tim all alone in the dining area.

He thought about giving Callie a warning, but then he realized he didn't want to get more involved in this than he already was. Perhaps it was a good thing for them to have it out about this and lots of other things. He just hoped that when it was all done they were still speaking to one another. Or at the very least that he didn't need to pay bail to get Arizona out of jail.

Arizona pounded on Callie's front door. "Callie, get out here," she yelled angrily.

She could hear loud footsteps on the other side of the door and then Callie's muffled voice telling her son to go to his room. There was a long pause when she was likely waiting for Matthew to heed her wishes, before the door whipped open. "What the fuck, Arizona?"

"What the fuck? What the fuck? Really, Callie? How about what the fuck why didn't you tell me your sister is married to Brooks Hastings?" She felt the anger that she had been trying to keep just in control the entire drive around the Beltway from the Pentagon flood through her. "Did you tell him yourself that I'm gay or did your sister do the dirty work?"

"What?" The look of horror on Callie's face helped answer the question. "Arizona, I swear to you I didn't say a thing and I know Aria wouldn't have."

"But you told her."

"About us. About my feelings for you, that's it."

"That's more than enough," Arizona huffed as she crossed her arms over her chest. "Somehow that bastard and his father found out and now their witch hunt just went full Salem. There's no way I'm getting back in a cockpit now. He'll use it to demonize me to the brass and that'll be it. Before he's done I won't even be allowed to be a pencil pusher. My career is over."

"What?" Callie's voice was softer now, more empathetic. "Arizona, your career isn't over yet. I have to believe that they'll see what an amazing officer you are, what an amazing pilot you are. I mean you sacrificed your leg for this country, isn't it the least they can do to support you?"

With tears streaking down her cheeks, Arizona shook her head violently. "There are plenty of powerful people in the military who hate that Don't Ask Don't Tell got repealed and they'll love to exact a little revenge on someone like me. They can just say I can't cut it anymore but really what they'll be saying is they don't want a dyke in their Corps." She let out a mirthless laugh. "Jokes on them, because there are plenty of us there already. Although I imagine they'd be even more scandalized by the number of gay men in the military and to think they took showers with them. Oh, it's all so horrible for morale and unit cohesion." She shook her head sadly and finally wiped at the wetness on her cheeks. "Trust me, Callie, it's over."

Callie came over and put her hands on Arizona's shoulders. "I'm so sorry, Arizona. And I swear to you, I didn't tell Brooks or his asshole father. I needed to talk to my sister about what was going on in my life. I was a little freaked out and confused. Hell, I still am. But I just needed someone I could turn to. And I trust Aria implicitly. There's no way she went blabbing to Brooks. Hell, it's not like they even have a truly happy marriage. They're both just sort of stuck there, so it's not like she'd tell him because she feels loyal to him and his family."

"Did he overhear you?" Arizona asked, relieved now that she knew Callie wasn't at fault, and yet still so scared about what could happen in the days to come now that the man out to get her knew her biggest secret.

"We thought he was at work but he came home early. Maybe he overheard something then. But Aria specifically told me that she didn't tell Brooks that I knew you, because she was afraid he'd use that to get information on you." She let out a deep sigh. "I guess it didn't matter in the end. What a bastard weasel he is."

Arizona couldn't help but smile a little. "I'm guessing you don't sit around the Christmas tree singing carols together every year?"

Callie shuddered. "I tolerate the Hastings family as little as I have to. But he's the father of my niece and nephew and I adore them. So, I suck it up. But when his father is around, I find myself sitting on my hands so I don't deck him when he walks by."

The image made Arizona smile. "Yeah, he's a real lowlife. I don't get how Florida could elect him."

Callie's eyebrow rose. "Have you ignored the news the last few elections? Florida has turned bat shit crazy. I'm glad I got out when I did, but my parents are still there, and they love to schmooze with the Republican elite. All that money just floating around and no one doing a damned good thing with it." She looked around her and then shrugged. "Guess I shouldn't talk. It's not like I live in a hovel or something."

Arizona shook her head. "But you are doing amazing research. You could have just lived off your parents' money but you chose to do something remarkable with your life, Callie. You're special."

"Gee thanks." Callie took a deep breath and shook her head. "Listen, I don't mean to kick you out or anything, because you know there's nothing more I'd like to do than spend time with you, but we can't, right? And besides, I need to go see my sister and figure out what the hell happened."

"Don't jump to conclusions," Arizona suggested, afraid that Callie's temper would flare and she'd say something that she would regret.

Callie shook her head. "Don't worry. I'm pretty sure the blame is sitting squarely at Brooks' feet. But Aria needs to know this isn't a game and maybe, if we're lucky, she can find a way to throw him off the scent. I don't know. I guess it's worth a try." She paused before looking down at Arizona. "I'm sorry I didn't tell you about Brooks. With everything that's been going on with us, well it just didn't seem like the right time. But I should have."

"You should have." Arizona saw the true remorse in Callie's brown eyes and nodded. "It's okay. I understand." She bit at the inside of her lip. "And I'm sorry for storming over here and pounding on your door like some crazed woman."

Callie's lip turned up into one of the sexiest half-smiles Arizona had ever seen. "You can come pound on my door anytime." There was a moment's pause where Callie kept the sexy expression on her face before she laughed. "God, did I just say that? I'm so out of practice."

Arizona laughed along with her. "Yeah that was pretty bad." She got serious again, pushing the familiar stirrings of desire as far down as she possibly could. "I'll let you go. I need to get home anyway. Talk to you later."

Callie looked like she wanted to say something but then she just sighed quietly. "Yeah, talk to you later."

Arizona quickly left the porch and got into her car. She watched as Callie waved at her and then disappeared inside the house before turning the key and throwing the gear shift into reverse before backing out of the driveway. Only once she was on the road did she let a small smile come to her lips. "Thank God it wasn't her. I'm not sure I could have handled that, too."

"You didn't tell him, did you?" Callie felt a sick ball in her stomach at the doubt she suddenly felt. She had told Arizona that there was no way that Aria had been the culprit, but she had to admit she had just a little bit of doubt, and so she had driven straight over to her sister's house to get to the bottom of it.

"About you and Arizona?"

"About Arizona being gay," Callie said. "There is no me and Arizona." At least right now.

Aria frowned for a moment and then shook her head. "Of course I didn't tell him anything, Callie. I don't know whether Arizona is guilty of negligence in the crash, but I know she doesn't deserve to be vilified for being gay. Brooks and his father might think that's a legitimate reason to go after someone, but that's just bullshit."

Callie wondered if she needed to press her sister, to make sure that she was telling the truth, but then she looked into her sister's dark brown eyes and could tell that she wasn't lying. "Okay, I believe you. So, do you think he overheard us then?"

Aria bit her lip and then nodded slowly. "He did." She deflated slightly and cringed. "He threatened me, Callie. He told me not to tell you that he heard us. I'm sorry, but you know how he is."

Callie felt anger well up in her but she held it in check. She had seen how horrible Brooks could be to her sister over the years. She had lost track how many times she had tried to talk Aria into leaving him, but no matter how blue in the face she got, her sister had refused to do it. What really had always bothered Callie was that Aria wasn't just using the kids as an excuse either. She had somehow bought into that theory that she had made a vow that couldn't be broken when she'd married Brooks. And what was worse was that Aria had been rather judgmental when she had divorced Rick, even though he had been horrible to her through their entire marriage. And now to think that Aria was still letting herself be bullied by her asshole of a husband really burned Callie, but she couldn't say anything. Aria had made her bed, but it was Arizona that seemed to be forced to lie in it this time. "Let's not go there."

"Let's not."

Callie shook her head, feeling so at a loss as to what to do to help her friend. "How can we fix this?"

Aria sighed. "You can't, Callie. The wheels are in motion and you know how those two are. They are going to use this and they are going to go after her hard for it. I'm sorry."

"Yeah, me too."

"You can be there for her at least." Aria looked genuinely concerned about the situation.

Callie sighed heavily, thinking of how strained their friendship, if she could even call it that, had become. She wanted nothing more than to be the one who stood by Arizona through this, who could comfort her when it was hard and hopefully celebrate with her when things ended up not being nearly as bad as Arizona thought. But she knew that what little chance she had of getting Arizona to consider acting on her feelings was gone with this news that Senator Hastings and his son now knew her secret. Or at least that is what she would use as an excuse. "I don't think she'd let me be there for her. She's certainly afraid of confirming anything by having me in her life, but she's also just so terrified of letting anyone close to her. She's got so many walls built up and I'm not sure I'd ever be able to tear them down. And this just built those walls up that much higher."

"Give her time, Callie. It's been only six months since the crash. She's had so much to come to terms with in that time and on top of that, old habits die hard. But I know if you are your usual tenacious self, she'll cave eventually." Aria wrapped her arms around Callie's shoulders and pulled her in tightly before resting her head on her shoulder. "Who can deny my big sister when she puts her mind to it?"

Callie let out a dry laugh. "Um, where should I start?"

"Oh stop," Aria said with a quick swat at her arm. "I truly believe that she'll come around if she feels half as much for you as you obviously do for her."

"You think?"

"Be patient, Callie. I know that's not your strong suit, but she'll come around once all this blows over if not sooner. I practically promise." She smiled and then winked at her sister.

"Is that going to be your out? The practically?"

"Yup." Aria answered, her smile turning just a little playfully smug.

"Sisters," Callie said with an exasperated sigh and roll of her eyes.

To Be Continued...