DISCLAIMER:: still not mine
A/N:: i apologize to arizona fans, because i really paint her in a bad light in this chapter. but i promise things do get better for her.
-----------------------------------------------------------------
If you want to, I can save you
I can take you away from here
So lonely inside, so busy out there
All you wanted was sombody who cares
-------------------------------------------------------------------
"Calliope, wake up." Arizona kissed Callie's forehead which earned her a couple pleasant grumbles from the ortho surgeon. She kissed her again, this time on her lips. "Calliope, wake up. It's time to go to work."
This time Callie grumbled, but not in a nice way. She opened her eyes to see Arizona's face inches from hers. She put a hand on the blonde's cheek and brought her lips down to her own. "Good morning."
Arizona pulled away and smiled. "Good morning."
They both got ready at a snail slow pace, stealing kisses every couple seconds. They were late to work, which normally Arizona hated being. They went their separate ways and changed into their scrubs. When they reconvened in front of the surgical board they were both caught by a nurse who approached them, out of breath from running.
--------------------------------------------------------------------
"Dr. Robbins, Dr. Torres. I thought you should see this." To Callie's horror the nurse held up the article in which Callie had first learned Elizabeth's true identity. "I found it while cleaning Elizabeth Kelly's room." She handed it to Arizona.
Arizona scanned it quickly. "She lied to me."
Callie put a hand on her arm.
Arizona looked at her and offered her the newspaper. "Read this."
Callie shook her head. "I don't need to. I already did."
Arizona studied her for a moment and Callie saw the anger rolling behind her eyes. "And you didn't feel the need to inform me? She's my patient Callie!" Arizona threw the newspaper down at her feet and started to head off.
"Where are you going?" Callie called after her.
Arizona didn't even bother to look back. "To clean up the mess you made."
Callie grabbed the article and went back into the locker room. She dug through her purse until she found her phone. She needed to do something and fast. She had no doubt of what Arizona planned to do. So she knew what she had to do. She pressed in a number that she didn't dial more than once a month. A man answered on the second ring.
"Hello?"
"Dad, it's me."
"Calliope? What is it? You sound upset."
"Dad. I'm in trouble. I need your help."
---------------------------------------------------------------
Chloe looked up at the three story house. It was bigger than their house in Florida had been for sure, but somehow it didn't feel the same.
"What do you think girls?"
Natalie, Bree, and Chloe looked up at their father. Natalie and Bree both just shrugged and headed up the pathway with some boxes. What should they care, they didn't have to live there full time with their father and their brother. Only Chloe did.
"It doesn't feel like home. I miss Miami."
"It'll take some getting used to Chloe, but just think of it as a new start. It should be a nice change."
Chloe knew that by 'nice change' he meant a place where they weren't reminded of her deceased mother.
"Richie is not going to like it."
-------------------------------------------------------------------
"It hurts." Chloe lifted her shirt, showing her older sister the three gashes beneath her left breast.
Bree frowned and ran her fingers over the wounds. "I know."
Chloe frowned. "I don't think I can make it to my eighteenth birthday."
"It's only five months away. Then you can come live with me. I promise I'll take care of you."
"I think he's going to kill me."
--------------------------------------------------------
"Wake up."
"Leave me alone." Chloe muttered before she tossed a pillow at the man in her doorway.
"I said wake up!"
"And I said leave me alone."
"So…" The man's voice cracked with anger. "You're not going to get up?"
"Not right now."
"Fine." He disappeared, closing the door behind him.
Chloe was not stupid enough to think he wouldn't come back. He would. She rubbed the sleep from her eyes. She had to be prepared for when he did.
It was nearly twenty minutes later when he returned. As the door was opened she saw his form silhouetted on the wall, framed by the hall light. She felt him draw closer. She had no idea what he would do yet but her gut and experience told her to be on her guard. She didn't see the flash of the weapon he held until it was flying towards her. She had just enough time to put her hand up to protect her face.
She knew her wrist was broken, possibly shattered, the second the hammer connected with it though shock prevented her from feeling any pain yet. It wouldn't matter when she did because she had learned better than to scream.
--------------------------------------------------------------------
"Are you sure you're ready to do this?"
"Yes."
"It's a month early Chloe. If you go now, there's no coming back from this. You will spend the rest of your life hiding."
"I've already spent my entire life hiding. I can't do this anymore. He's only gotten worse since we moved away from Florida. I don't have the luxury of time."
"But…"
"He broke my wrist Bree! I know the risk. I've thought long and hard about this. But the risk is even greater if I stay."
Bree hugged her and handed her the backpack she had been holding for her. "Tell no one who you are. And run like hell."
With that Chloe stepped on the bus that would take her to Baltimore.
-------------------------------------------------------------------
"What did I tell you?!" Arizona tossed the newspaper in front of Jason. He was sitting across from her at her desk.
He barely glanced at the article before pushing it away.
Arizona's eyes widened in understanding. "You knew?"
Jason stared at her blankly. He knew he would have to chose his words carefully here; Arizona seemed really upset.
"Answer me!"
Jason frowned. "Yes, I knew."
"She lied to you. She lied to me. She lied to everyone. How are you okay with this?"
"She was honest with me. As soon as this article surfaced and Callie found it, she explained everything. It's not what you think."
Arizona shook her head. "How could you trust her? How could you believe anything she told you?"
Jason breathed deeply. "You have been looking for some reason to despise her from the start. Is it because I care about her? Is that why you're acting this way? You have no reason..."
"I have every reason!" Arizona stood. She glared at Jason who glared back. She paced the room, a hand on her forehead. She hated shouting, she hated fighting, she hated being angry. How was everything falling apart? Callie was lying to her. Jason, her family, had betrayed her. Everything had been so perfect a week ago. What had happened?
She whirled on Jason. "You are restricted to normal visiting hours."
"WHAT?" He stood, stepping toe to toe with her. "You can't do this! You're not my mother!"
"But I am her doctor and I am restricting you to visiting hours only. And if I catch you in her room after hours, I will have you barred from the floor. Is that clear?"
Jason knew he had no power to argue here. He had lost this battle. But this wasn't over. He would talk to Callie; they would figure something out. Maybe he could get her to talk Arizona out of it. "Fine. But as soon as this goes down, consider me gone, for good."
Arizona felt as if her heart was breaking.
------------------------------------------------------------
"Dr. Robbins, can I speak with you?" Callie grabbed Arizona's arm and pulled her towards the nearest empty room.
"I'm really busy Dr. Torres."
Callie shut the door behind them. "Did you call Senator Hanley yet?"
Arizona set her jaw. "Calliope, that's none of your business."
"Who's not trusting who now?"
Arizona tensed. "Fine. Yes."
Callie nodded. "I hope you realize the consequences of the decision you just made." She strode past Arizona and out the door.
-------------------------------------------------------------
Callie smiled at the nurse as she exited Elizabeth's room.
"How are you feeling?" She asked it only for the nurse's benefit. The second she was out of range Callie leaned in. "Now listen carefully. Your father is on a plane from DC. It will be here at about 5AM. I need you to tell me something. Were you abused? Your injuries, did you get them before you left DC?"
Elizabeth nodded, tears in her eyes. "You can't let me go back there." Her voice was barely above a whisper, a desperate plea.
Callie nodded and swallowed hard. Knowing the truth in your gut and actually hearing it were two very different things.
She leaned down closer to Elizabeth, her mouth inches from the girl's ear. "I'm getting you out of here before that flight lands. I won't let you go back there, I promise."