Chapter Eleven:

The blonde moved quickly, forcing her tears back as she fled the apartment. She wanted to go back but the hurt wouldn't let her. She struggled to put the key in the lock, dropping it several times before finally pushing open the door into darkness. The apartment felt strange, empty and she felt alien to it. It was supposed to be her home but it didn't feel like it. Home was… she couldn't let herself think. Once she closed the door and dropped the key to the floor, she allowed the tears to fall. She pulled her knees to her chest as she slid to the floor, leaning against the door.

"Why?" she sobbed to nothing and no-one.

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

Arizona allowed the water cascade over her body, as she closed her eyes. She felt arms wrap around her waist, and she turned around looking into green eyes. She smiled softly.

"Sorry, I never came back," the blonde said quietly.

Lily kissed her softly, "I am just glad you came back."

Lily kissed her again, urging for more, but Arizona shook her head.

"I just want to crawl into bed and sleep… I am back at the hospital in five hours."

Lily sighed and grabbed the soap. She watched as the blonde stepped out and wrapped a towel around her.

"Ari… should I be worried?"

The blonde shook her head and kissed her. Lily watched her leave the bathroom and frowned.

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

Paco was sleeping as Callie flicked aimlessly through a magazine Lexie left for her. She sighed in frustration.

"Whoa Torres… you can always read something else?" Mark joked as he pulled up a chair next to her.

She looked at him, and saw kind eyes, "She stayed with me all night."

Mark raised an eyebrow, "And?"

"And then she left… I am a world-class idiot! I thought that…"

"You thought she would forget you running away and forgive you and fall back into your arms?"

Callie looked away and nodded.

"Torres, the world didn't stop… everyone moved on. Look around you… we've all moved on…"

"I know… and I know I'm being selfish… it's just… it hurts."

Mark wrapped an arm around his old friend, "When is his surgery?"

Callie glanced at the clock, "In five hours… Derek said it's a slim chance… but a chance is better than nothing…"

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

The blonde avoided Paco's room as much as she could but when it came to pre-surgery, she had to allow her professionalism play its part. She couldn't help but grin at Paco's wide smile as she took her place at the back of the room. She knew Callie was seeking out her eyes, but she wouldn't look. She listened as Derek explained the procedure he was performing, and relaxed into the soft tones of the brunette as she translated. She saw Paco's concerned eyes and for the first time since he had arrived, he looked at Callie without anger.

She watched as Callie sat on the bed next to him, kissing him on the forehead, whispering to him. The brunette then turned to Derek, "Let's do it."

It was then, Arizona let herself meet brown eyes, and she moved quickly out of the room.

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

Callie followed the gurney as they transported Paco to the surgery, and felt an arm tug her back. She looked at the blonde.

"You know you can't go in there."

"I am a surgeon, and a damn good one… and I am the only person that kid has," Callie argued as she shook the arm off.

"Yes, and that is why you can't go in…"

"Arizona, I have come all this way with him… you are not stopping me!" Callie felt her anger flare.

"That's where you're wrong and I will call security if I have to," Arizona almost shouted back.

Callie stood back and watched as the gurney disappeared around the corner. Arizona moved closer and spoke softly, "You're the closest thing to family that kid has, and I know you know that I am right."

"I'm scared," Callie trembled.

Arizona touched her cheek softly, "I know you are… I know."

The brunette watched as the blonde disappeared, feeling that familiar flutter in her chest as she touched her cheek.

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

Arizona held Paco's hand reciting all the animal names in Spanish that she had been taught by the little boy. She could see trust in his eyes as he fluttered them closed under the effects of anaesthesia.

"It's a beautiful day to save lives," Derek announced. "Turn him over."

They gently turned the boy onto his stomach.

"Scalpel," Derek announced, and Arizona watched as Derek deftly started to open the boy's lower back up, feeling in awe of the older surgeon's talent once again.

She glanced up to the gallery and saw Callie sitting next to Yang, her eyes not leaving Derek. She could see her lips moving slowly as if dictating to the neurologist what to do next. She looked back at the table and stepped in to play her role.

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

Callie didn't even notice her former room-mate as she sat down. She ignored warnings for her not to go in. She watched as the blonde soothed the little boy as he went under, and she couldn't help but touch her cheek again. She watched the surgeons do what they do best but she couldn't help feel fear. She was unaware that she was creeping forward on her seat. She was unaware that her breathing was getting faster. She was unaware that Christina was talking to her. She was unaware that Mark had sat on her other side. She was unaware that his hand was on her arm. She was unaware that she was standing. She was unaware that she was shouting. She was unaware that there were two people holding her back. She was unaware of her hands on the glass. She was only aware of the heart monitor going erratic.

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

"What the hell?" Derek yelled as the monitor started beeping loudly and quickly. "Suction please… I can't see anything."

Arizona pulled the suction to the side as she also raced to find the cause.

"He is in de-fib," Lexie yelled.

"Dammit, turn him over," Derek yelled and assisted in turning the boy on his side.

"Paddles," Arizona yelled. "And get Altman! Charge to 160."

She watched as nothing happened, "We need to open him up."

Derek looked at her, "Not with his back already open!"

"How long?" Arizona yelled and ignored the answer as she saw the pained eyes of the brunette above her. "Get me the rib-spreaders."

"Dr. Robbins, what the hell are you doing?"

"The kid will die if we don't…"

She took a deep breath as she cut the boy open again, knowing that this could cost her her license. "The heart is pale pink."

"A clot?" Shepherd questioned knowing it was rhetorical. He saw Altman rushing to scrub in, her face of horror as she watched the poorly positioned boy.

Arizona stuck her hand in, ignoring everyone around her, trusting herself, "Okay, found it!"

She proceeded to flush it out, and smiled as the heart started beating again, "You are one hell of a fighter."

She looked up at the terrified Callie and nodded at her, her eyes sparkling, "Calliope, he's okay."

She knew the brunette couldn't hear her.

"Okay, close him up, we can't proceed today…" Derek announced as he looked at Arizona.

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

Callie sat next to the sleeping boy, seeing the bright red scar on his tanned skin.

"We can try again, but for now he needs to rest," Derek stated. "Arizona saved his life…"

Callie looked at the blonde who was standing at the nurse's counter, "The clot?"

"We could never have seen it coming," Derek admitted. "We don't have to do anything…"

"No," Callie interrupted. "He is a fighter and he will walk again."

She nodded as Derek left and watched the blonde greet the tall woman again. She watched the gentle touch on the smaller woman's back, the teasing smile, and the soft words in the blonde's ear. She watched as Arizona nodded, replacing the charts before following the taller woman.

"Hey," Christina announced as she walked into the room.

Callie surprised to see the woman who had been almost invisible since her return.

"Hi," she answered as she watched Christina flip through Paco's chart.

"Okay so the man-whore asked me to bring you to Joe's and he will meet you there," Christina stated.

"I can't…" Callie gestured to the sleeping boy.

"Okay, the kid is going to be asleep for at least twelve hours and you know it, and you are being annoying in the sense that you are turning into hospital wallpaper so I am going to get you drunk and you are going to like it," Christina stated and Callie knew she was not going to argue.

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

"Oh marshmallow," Christina stated as she finished another shot. Callie couldn't help but giggle at the nick-name. "She is so damn perky, perkier than McPerky which was once thought impossible… and oh her smile… she has perfect, straight white teeth!"

Callie downed her shot in one, not knowing why she brought up her ex-girlfriend's new girlfriend, but she was a glutton for punishment. Christina turned to her.

"You screwed up and she moved on to that bag of sugar, scarier than Mary Poppins woman. What did you think would happen?"

Callie shrugged, and poured another shot from the bottle she had pried from Joe's hand an hour earlier.

"Where did you go anyway?"

"Bolivia," Callie answered. "You should go… no one cares how you operate. Oh look it's your twin."

Callie noticed Meredith walk in and order another shot glass.

She studied the younger woman's profile, "How long does it take him to do his hair?"

Christina spat out her drink and Meredith laughed, "About an hour… so you are back."

Callie nodded, feeling the affects of the alcohol, "In the flesh."

"She is being annoying and sad," Christina stated as she poured more shots.

"Why sad? Derek said the boy made it."

"It's not about Pepe…"

"Paco," Callie interrupted.

"Pepe-Paco, whatever. The point is it's not about him… it's about Bolivia, and the dead people, and the ex-girlfriend she ran out on and abandoned… and oh, of course, the fact that she doesn't feel like she belongs… which to me is straight from a badly-written movie… only stupid people say crap like that."

Meredith saw Callie's glare and counteracted, "Don't you say that every time you are the wrong department, 'I don't belong'."

"She says that by being just on Earth," Callie muttered and Meredith laughed and she couldn't help but join in.

By the time Mark arrived at the bar, Callie was very intoxicated as were her two companions and Joe was pleading for help.

"You're drunk," he stated and Callie nodded and hiccupped. "Yang, you got her drunk!"

"I did not," Christina defended herself. "Who wants to dance?"

Callie pulled Mark on the dance floor, allowing her body move to the music with ease. She almost fell and Mark caught her. She laughed and caught her breath as she looked at him. She went to kiss him but he pushed her back, "Torres, you're drunk and you're going to hate yourself if you remember this moment… you should go home."

"I haven't got a home," Callie laughed. "Ha, I could live in the basement again!"

"Yang, take her home…" Mark ordered the other woman.

"I have to go back to Paco…" Callie argued, feeling dizzy all of a sudden.

She rushed to the bathroom, and emptied the contents of her stomach. She leant over the sink, washing her face before looking up at the mirror. She could almost see the blonde in the reflection as she allowed herself remember their first meeting. She paled as she realised that there was no one there but her former room-mate.

"You okay?"

Callie shook her head.

"Come on, you're staying at mine."

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

Christina giggled as Callie pushed open the door.

"Ah the place looks the same as always…" she stated as she looked around noticing two other women on the couch, "Except there's a marshmallow and…"

Christina laughed loudly as Arizona stood up glaring.

"Arizona!" Callie yelled, waving her almost empty bottle of tequila in the air. "What are you doing here?"

"I live here," Arizona answered before turning to her room-mate. "You got her drunk!"

Christina pointed at her, "Why is everyone saying that to me?"

She turned to Callie who was looking meek, "Did I pour the tequila down your throat? Did I force you to drink? Did I threaten you if you remained sober?"

Callie shook her head, "No ma-am."

Christina turned back to the angry blonde, "See… I did not get her drunk. And now I am going to bed."

She went to leave before turning to Lily who had remained seated throughout the whole arrival, "Callie is sleeping there."

Lily stood up and watched as Callie sat down.

Callie looked at the two women and laughed, "This is awkward."

Arizona went to her girlfriend, whispering to her, "I can't throw her out… go to bed, and I will get her a blanket."

Lily sighed before throwing her arms in the air. Arizona turned to Callie who was doing her best to stay focused.

"I can't believe you're drunk," Arizona reprimanded.

"Tequila, it brings out the worse in me," Callie said as she lifted the bottle. She frowned as Arizona took it off her, emptying it down the sink. "So you live here?"

Arizona nodded, "Christina needed a house-mate."

Callie bowed her head, "I am sorry… I should never have left… Arizona, I am sorry."

Brown eyes met blue eyes and the two women stood in silence for a short moment.

"I should get you some blankets and something to sleep in…"

"I really thought the world would stop," Callie interrupted. "I really thought I would come back and everything would be as I left it. Because the world stopped for me… every single day I wanted to come back… I would phone just to hear you, but I got scared and would hang up."

Arizona's expression softened, "I knew it was you…"

"I never thought about you as you are now, I really thought you would be the same as I left you… I thought you would still love me."

Arizona gulped, before leaving.

When she returned with blankets, she saw Callie sleeping on the couch. She covered her with the blanket gently and watched her for a moment, before bending to kiss her softly on the forehead.

"The world did stop Calliope," she whispered to the night air as she switched off the lights.

Her bedroom door closed gently, and brown eyes opened again.