For the duration of the next few weeks, until Arizona had healed it was a lot of Maria going to work alone, sometimes taking the kids to daycare with her and other times not. Depending on how Arizona felt and how desperate she was for the company.

It was a very miserable existence for Arizona, being alone and meant to be resting all day. Her only saving graces being when Maria got someone to pop round to check on her, or while she was home in the evenings and on her days off.

It also wasn't a great existence for Maria. She missed having someone to go to work with in the mornings. She missed eating lunch with her wife and having sex if either one was horny and they both had enough time. She missed going home with someone at night.

It was one day that Arizona got a call from her mother saying her father had been admitted into hospital and was unlikely to make it through the next month that being alone and having nothing to distract her really hit her. This couldn't be happening. Not now. Not ever. Especially not when Maria was anywhere but right by her side.

She didn't know what else to do. Or how to wait until Maria got home without going completely crazy and spiralling into a cycle of depression so although she would normally respect that Maria was working and not call she did.

Maria instantly heard her wife's ringtone and was glad not to be in surgery but just consulting. "I'm sorry I have to take this." She excused, and went out of the consultation room before answering the phone.

"Arizona, is everything okay?" Maria asked.

"My dad's dying." She answered and instantly sobbed. "When are you off next?" She asked between the tears.

"I have Monday and Tuesday off. We can go over Sunday evening?" She offered.

"Please." Arizona answered. "I'm sorry."

"What for sweetheart?"

"Disturbing your work…"

"Arizona it's okay. Will you be okay until I get home?"

"Yes." She answered, although not sure she would be.

"Okay." Maria answered, noticing Arizona's hesitance. "I'll be home as early as I can."

"Okay Maria. Can you buy some ice cream on your way back?"

"Yes. Anything for you Ari." Maria responded.

"Thankyou. I'll see you later."

"You too Ari." Maria answered before ending the call and getting back to her patient.

When Maria came home she gave her wife the ice cream and a very tight hug. "It'll all be okay." She reassured. Kissing her after she spoke. "I love you."

"Thankyou Maria." She answered and held onto the hug for a while before letting go so she could eat her icecream.

"It's okay." She answered and sat beside her wife putting her arm round her to provide some comfort. "I know what you're going through."

"I know you do." Arizona answered. "Do you want some of my icecream?"

"No. I'm good Ari. Trying to lose all the baby weight."

"Okay. Just be careful." She reminded.

"I am being Ari." Maria answered and smiled softly.

"Good." Arizona answered.

Monday came and Maria was busy getting the twins ready while Arizona packed the car and made breakfast and coffee to go for their trip up to see her dad. It was 6am in the morning as they wanted an early start to see as much of Arizona's dad as they could as the both knew that they may never get another chance.

"Do you want me to drive?" Maria asked, once they were ready to go. Knowing Arizona was upset and hadn't been sleeping well as a result of the news about her dad.

"Please Ri." Arizona answered. "You know the way right?"

"Yeah. I know the way." She replied, giving Arizona one of the twins so they could strap them in the car and leave.

They arrived to Arizona's parents' home a few hours later, Arizona could tell Maria was in a lot of pain with her back as a result of sitting in the car for multiple hours so helped more than she normally would in taking the bags and the twins in. Not wanting to cause her wife any more discomfort than she was already in. "How about you stay here while I go to the hospital?" Arizona asked. Knowing sitting in a hospital chair would cause her even more pain. "I can see your in a lot of pain."

"Are you sure Ari? I don't want your parents to think badly of me." Maria answered.

"You're in severe pain darling. I can explain your absence." She answered and gave Maria a hug. "There's an ice pack in the freezer, ice it for as long as you can bare. It should at least numb you for a while."

"I will Arizona." Maria answered. "Thankyou."

Arizona made sure Maria was comfortable before she went to the hospital to see her dad. She worried about what she would see, even though she saw patients close to death all the time. She saw little kids close to death all the time. She knew what to expect. Maybe that's what it was that was scaring her. She knew what to expect and it wasn't just a patient this time – that she could somewhat distance herself from. It was her dad and he was going to die very soon.

"Hey dad." Arizona greeted when she went into his hospital room.

"Hey sweetheart." He greeted weakly, although trying to act healthier than he really was.

"I love you." Arizona told him. Wanting to make sure she'd said it to him one last time before he died. "How are you feeling?"

"Okay. The doctors here have me on some really good meds." He responded. Trying to make the present situation better than it was. Not because he was trying to avoid worrying Arizona because as a doctor she knew what was going on, but because he couldn't quite admit to himself that he was dying.

Arizona looked at his chart and gave a slight smile. "They are good meds."

"Where's Ri?" He asked her.

"Her back was causing her too much pain. I told her to rest back at the house."

"Poor girl. I hope she starts feeling better soon."

"So do I dad. I hate to see her in so much pain."

"I know you do sweetheart. You want to help her, you're a doctor."

"I want to help you too."

"There's nothing that can be done sweetheart." He answered bravely.

"I know." She answered, accepting the opinions of her father's doctors.

"Good. Come have a hug." He invited. Allowing Arizona to hug him.

"I'm going to miss you dad." She told him.

When visiting hours were over Arizona went back to her parents place, bringing home Chinese for her and Ria.

"How are you doing?" Arizona asked her, seeing her on the sofa watching TV.

"A bit better." She replied. "How's your dad doing?"

"Not good Ri. It's worse than I thought." She answered honestly.

"Can we just eat to take my mind off of it."

"Sure darling. I see you got Chinese."

"Yeah. That okay with you?"

"Fine by be." Maria answered.

The next day both Maria and Arizona went to see her dad, bringing the twins with them as they knew Arizona's family would want to meet them, and this would be her dads last chance.

"Hey dad." Arizona greeted.

"You brought the whole family with you!" He exclaimed happily.

"Yeah, we thought you might want to see the twins." She answered, introducing him to Hazel and Josephine.

"They're adorable." He answered. Cuddling Josephine, who was more willing to leave her mother's arms and go into a new persons than Hazel.

"They are." Maria answered and made a fuss of Hazel.

For the rest of the day they mostly stayed in the hospital as Maria knew Arizona wanted to see as much of her dad as they could before going home the next morning and her starting work again shortly after that.