Chapter Ten:

The blonde moved slowly up the stairs. Her back was aching from a long day in surgery; her head was beginning to pound from tiredness. She smiled as she heard that voice she loved, and felt a new-found energy to be reunited with her. She stopped as she heard the words being uttered, frowning. She felt the heat of tears in her eyes and the swell in her throat. She shook her head, convincing herself she heard wrong, as she moved faster up the stairs. She dropped her bag.

"Oh God!"

*******************

"I want my Mama!" Paco screamed as he pushed Callie's hand away.

"Paco, please," Callie pleaded, trying to persuade the little boy to trust her. She watched as Bailey walked in.

"Everything okay?" she asked gently as she watched the tearful little boy avoid Callie's eye contact. She approached the little boy, automatically understanding the universal plea for a mother. She looked at Callie who was fighting back tears. She put an arm around the small boy, allowing him to bury his head in her chest as he wept. She could not understand being murmured.

"Callie, you should get out of here…"Bailey suggested. "Give both of you a break…"

"I can't leave him. I promised his mother," Callie answered back.

"Go, get coffee, get a shower, change your clothes… just do something."

Callie stared at the short doctor before looking at the fragile little boy, and nodded, "I'll get coffee… and a book… Paco, I'll get you a brand new book."

Callie couldn't help but look back as she left the room, and it hurt to see the boy relax in her absence.

She looked over and saw nurses and doctors moving around, as if separated from her life. She suddenly felt claustrophobic and ran. She ran out of the hospital.

*****************

Arizona watched the dark-haired woman fight an internal battle before running. She frowned and slowly approached the small room. She watched as Bailey sat next to the small boy, soothing him with soft words and gentle strokes through his hair. She smiled as the little boy noticed her.

"Hey," she whispered softly, and Bailey nodded at her. "I really wished you were PEDs."

Bailey smiled, before muttering at her pager. "911…"

She moved away from the boy who immediately grabbed her arm, pleading. She put her hand on his arm and saw fear in his eyes. "Hey, I will come back…"

"I will stay," Arizona volunteered, not knowing why. She knew she was finishing for the day. She knew Lily was waiting for her, yet she knew she was staying. She moved to the other side of the bed, distracting the small boy from her colleague's immediate departure. She smiled widely at him.

"Hi, Paco… I am Arizona," she stated cheerfully, putting her hand out to be shaken. The little boy frowned at it. "Okay, no hand-shakes then… I really wish I knew Spanish now."

She pulled herself up on the bed next to him and saw the paper and crayons next to the bed, "Oh, you draw."

She grabbed the paper and crayons and placed them on the table, wheeling it towards them. Paco stared at them before looking at her. She smiled, "Okay, I'll draw first. I must warn you thought. I am awesome at drawing."

She tapped the crayon against her lips, pondering what her artistic creation should be. She grinned and started scribbling away on the paper. She grinned as she placed her crayon down. Paco picked up the sheet slowly, studying its content.

"Perro," he stated.

Arizona nodded, "Dog."

Paco smiled softly, "Perro."

"Dog," Arizona stated before making barking sounds. Paco smiled again.

She passed the crayon to the little boy who looked at it carefully before taking it and scribbling away.

Arizona studied it as he was drawing and smiled, "Horse?"

"Caballo," Paco declared.

Arizona made neighing sounds and the little boy grinned widely, displaying his dimples. Arizona matched that smile with her own dimples. She took the offered crayon and started drawing.

**************

Callie watched through the glass at the pair competing in a drawing competition. Pages had fallen to the floor as English and Spanish words pierced the air. She couldn't help but smile as Paco started laughing at Arizona's pout. She could understand that Paco was trying to tell the blonde that her picture looked nothing like an elephant. Arizona appeared to understand that too as she continued to draw.

Paco laughed again before noticing Callie. His laughter died and the blonde also looked at her and frowned. She stood up and started picking up the pieces of paper. Callie stepped inside the room. She smiled weakly at Paco as she asked him did he have fun. It hurt her when he didn't answer.

Arizona nodded at her, "We were just drawing. Paco is quite the artist."

Callie nodded as she approached the bed, "Yes he is."

Arizona watched as hurt danced in the dark eyes and wanted to intervene. "I should go… I… I finished my shift."

She turned to Paco, smiling widely, "I will see you tomorrow."

*************

Arizona smiled as she greeted Lily, "I am so sorry… I got held up."

Lily shrugged and stood up, "It's okay… I figured as much. Ready to go?"

The blonde nodded as she picked up her bag. She allowed the taller woman lead her out of the hospital, noticing the brunette she had just left in a hospital room on the bench outside. She saw Callie sit limply with her face in her hands.

"Can you give me a minute?" Arizona asked Lily, but without waiting for a reply she approached the brunette.

"Callie?"

The brunette looked up into concerned eyes, and swallowed her tears.

"Is everything okay?"

Callie nodded, "I think I'm just tired."

Arizona shook her head, and sat down next to her, "What happened?"

"He hates me," Callie whispered into thin air. "He is right though… it's my fault. None of this would have happened if I hadn't interfered."

"He doesn't hate you," Arizona reasoned. "He's just scared."

Callie looked into the blue eyes before seeing Lily. She nodded in the direction of the other woman, "I think someone is waiting for you…"

Arizona looked up at the tall woman watching them closely but trying not to. She nodded before turning to the brunette, "Cal…"

"Arizona, please don't be nice to me… I can't handle you being nice to me…"

Arizona stood up and sighed before turning to her girlfriend.

Callie watched the two women kiss lightly before the blonde leaned in to whisper. She watched as the tall woman frowned in her direction before returning her attention to Arizona. She kissed her again before walking away.

Arizona returned to the bench and sat down next to Callie, "I am not being nice to you. Don't ever think I am being nice… nice… I am a concerned doctor whose patient happens to be in your care. Beyond that…"

Callie watched a battle of emotions play in the blue eyes, "Beyond that?"

Arizona shook her head, "There is no beyond that."

Callie dipped her head again, allowing herself be bathed in that familiar sense of shame, "His brother died, was shot as I was trying to get him out of the country… he couldn't take it and ran off only to be knocked down… his mother then couldn't come here because I couldn't afford it… so yes he can hate me… everyone can hate me…"

"God Callie… you don't get to be self-pitying…" Arizona exclaimed in disbelief. She ignored the brunette's flinch as she continued. "That boy is terrified and the circumstances as to why are not your fault…"

Callie stood up and looked at the blonde, "I really wished you weren't here."

Arizona struggled to reply as she watched the brunette walk away. She swore to herself as she turned towards home.

***************

"This is all the cool stuff, Paco. The stuff I was telling you about," Callie said as she watched the little boy be transferred to the MRI table.

His eyes were empty but for fear. Lexie placed a gentle hand on his, reassuring him with a smile.

She spoke softly to him and Callie perked up, "You speak Spanish?"

"I learned some in school… it's not great." Lexie blushed.

"Okay Paco, we will be in the next room," Callie promised kindly. "We will be back very soon."

Callie walked in to other room, her eyes watching the silent boy.

"Dr. Torres?" Derek asked.

"Do not exclude me from this," Callie almost threatened.

Derek nodded as he waited for the images to appear on the screen. He sighs loudly as he leans closer. Callie leans in over his shoulder as does Lexie. Callie frowns, "Shit."

Derek shook his head, "I really don't think there is anything…"

"Of course there is," Arizona announced as she walked in. She ignored the questioning looks she received. "You could cut that there, before placing the pin…."

"Nerve damage?" Derek asked, his interest piqued as a surgeon. "Hang on, instead of cutting there… we could…"

"Cut that, before shaving there?" Arizona stated as she tapped the screen with a pen.

"Print these off," Derek ordered before speaking into the microphone. "Paco, you did great… tell him he did great."

Callie translated softly, torn between her need to be a surgeon and her need to be with Paco as Arizona and Derek left with the files.

She watched through the glass as Lexie assisted sliding Paco to his gurney and wheeled him out. If ever there was a time to run away, this was that time. Callie scolded herself, knowing she couldn't.

She followed the bed back to his room, and watched as Lexie spoke with the quiet Paco. She watched as Bailey re-entered, and grimaced at the smile Paco showed her. She left.

"Dr. Torres!" Bailey shouted. "Do not walk away now!"

Callie sighed before turning around to face the shorter doctor, "It's too much…"

"It's too much? Do not make me laugh. You chose to take responsibility for that little boy… Do Not Abandon Him!"

"He doesn't need me here… no one does."

"Torres, what happened to you?"

"He died, he died and I couldn't stop it… and every time I close my eyes I see it, but I am not allowed to cry because that kid in there won't let me! That kid in there hates me because he died!" Callie felt the tears streaming down her face as she shouted at Bailey who was approaching her with shock in her eyes. Callie ignored their audience. "And I come back to home, except it's not home… I have no home, nothing and no one. And I am expected to be responsible… but I can't! Because I get to see the dead body of a boy I couldn't save every time I close my eyes… Don't talk to me about responsibility… I feel it all the damn time!"

"Hey!" Arizona shouted as she returned to the ward. She saw the pain in Callie's dark eyes and watched as the taller woman trembled. She spoke gently as she came closer to the brunette, "Hey."

Callie looked at her and sobbed uncontrollably as she allowed herself fall to the floor. Bailey and Arizona quickly moved to her sides, pulling her to her feet and carefully leading her to an on-call room, whilst delivering the onlookers admonishes.

****************

Arizona couldn't help but run her fingers through the dark tresses as the brunette slept using her lap as a pillow. She couldn't help but let her fingertips trace the old tear tracks on her cheek, nor could she help but pull her closer as murmurs escaped the brunette's lips. She had remained in the same position for almost six hours, ignoring phone-calls from her girlfriend. She doesn't know why she came back inside. Well, she did know why, but she didn't know why she stayed. She really didn't. Her back was aching from not moving, her eyes were sore from the constant adjustment to lights, her head was pounding from lack of sleep, and her arms were tingling from remaining still. She desperately wanted to stretch and couldn't stifle a groan.

Dark brown eyes opened and looked up into blue eyes. Callie moved quickly before looking back at the blonde, "You're still here…"