AN:/ Hey guys!
Sorry! I know this update is very late...
So here it is!
I'm going to write shorter chapter and update more often. What do you think?
Should be easier for eveybody : Me, my amazing beta Shy Alien. And It should be better for you too!
Hope you'll enjoy it.
Let me know what you think and leave a review! I love to read them!
Have a nice reading!
...
She was nervously drumming her fingers on the armrest of the uncomfortable chair she had been sitting in for almost an hour and a half, scrolling on her phone without really paying attention to what she was actually doing. She wanted time to move faster and it was killing her to feel so useless; to be so close to her yet so far away.
This hospital definitely needed to change its furniture. It was hard and cold, anything but what you need when you are waiting for a consult or for news about a loved one undergoing a surgery. Smirking, she thought 'her' hospital was better back in LA.
She had been directed here, to the ortho ward when she had presented herself at the front desk, offering the receptionist an uncomfortable smile. It was a quiet department for sure. There was of course a lot people coming and going, but it lacked the rush. Everything was in order and the hospital staff was at work. She had never taken the time to look around in LA, she was always being paged for an emergency or a consult.
Of course everything else seemed quiet to a fellow of trauma surgery. She spent most of her time out of the block in the ER with it's electric atmosphere, always working under pressure and stress.
So, it was definitely too quiet for her. Maybe when she would go back, she would make time to take a tour of the hospital she had been working in for years, and try to rediscover it with a new angle.
When she arrived in Seattle a few hours earlier, she was still under the shock of Teddy's revelation. She knew that Alex had taken the first plane to see her as soon as he had been aware of Arizona's whereabouts and she had done the exact same thing as well. She had not taken the time to warn her boss, just calling in from the airport, pretending to leave for a family emergency.
Of course she believed Alex and Teddy who had tried to hold her back.
She had listened to what they had to say to her, not really remembering every detail because her thoughts had been blurred by the shocking news, and even if they had repeated everything they said several times, she would have been unable to comprehend anything.
Arizona was alive, and apparently okay, it was the only thing that mattered to her. And as Alex had told her, she had asked directly for Dr. Torres when she had arrived at the reception desk where a really polite nurse had informed her that Dr. Torres wouldn't be here before 9 and that she should take an appointment to meet her.
She had insisted that she needed to see her and that it was a personal matter, so the nurse had indicated her where she could find the head of orthopedics' office and here she was, waiting for the woman whose existence she was unaware of a few hours before but who was key in finding her sister now.
Finally placing her phone in her pocket, she raised her head, and noticed she wasn't alone anymore in that waiting room.
There was a couple in front of her, quietly settled side by side. The man was reading a newspaper while the woman was simply looking at the daily life of the hospital going on around them, a tired smile on her face.
They seemed to be in their sixties and were dressed really elegantly. The white bearded man was wearing a tailored suit. It was a grey, really classy and it fitted him perfectly.
He was wearing glasses and was totally focused on reading.
She could see that he had blue eyes that were totally opposite to those of the woman sitting next to him; whom she assumed was his wife. The woman had soulful dark brown eyes and her gaze was really sweet. She had a soft smile at the corner of her mouth and she was tenderly squeezing the man's forearm.
The woman's tan skin made her think that she could be Hispanic, or maybe Arabic, or whatever... She was a really beautiful and distinguished woman.
Her parents were nothing like them. Her father was a sweet man, owner of a family factory on the east coast. He was a hard worker and had dedicated his life to his family.
She loved him, and respected him. He was the kindest person on earth, always ready to help people in need, like her mother, in a way.
But where her father was modern and open minded, her mother was way more conservative and that was the problem. Since what happened between Arizona and her, April had lost the little respect she had for her mother.
Of course she loved her, but that was it. She couldn't stand the way she thought, the words she had used, and above all she didn't understand her.
But she hadn't cut her off, listening to her father's advice and not wanting to lose the relationship she had with him, she had kept some minimum contact that she could with her mother and was trying to get along with her during her visitations.
« Would you like a coffee? » a voice said as April was totally lost in her thoughts.
She blinked her eyes a few times and looked around her, discovering it was the woman in front of her who was talking to her.
« I'm sorry... What did you say? »
« I was going to get coffee. Would you like one? » The woman repeated.
« Oh... Yes, thank you... » April replied, receiving a bright smile from the older woman.
« I'll be right back. » She said, standing up and exiting the room, leaving a surprised April behind. Not only did the woman seem really warm and sweet, but she was also caring.
« She's addicted to coffee... » The man said, making April turn her gaze to him. « She already had one just before we arrived, and here she is, needing another one... »
Not really knowing what to do or say, April smiled at him awkwardly and nodded. She wasn't usually comfortable talking with strangers, and the circumstances of her presence in the hospital weren't helping her feel at ease either.
« You're waiting for Dr. Torres. Are you? » The man asked, apparently needing to talk.
« Yes, that's right. » April replied, still uncomfortable.
« We are too. She's a great doctor. Have you ever met her? »
« No, not yet, but I have heard that she is really... competent... » the redhead replied.
« She is... » The man said, putting his newspaper on the seat next to him, proudly smiling. « She is amazing. »
...
Callie opened her eyes suddenly, woken up by a short but loud noise. Laying on her back a little frozen by the sudden bang, she blinked several times before relaxing her body by stretching it and turning on her side. Arizona's hand that was resting on her stomach fell on the mattress but it didn't wake her up.
Callie smiled tenderly at the sight in front of her. Arizona was in deep sleep, her head smashed on the pillow, her mouth slightly open and was emanating little snores.
They were not loud or annoying, they were almost soothing and very regular, almost like the purring of a cat.
The two of them had fallen asleep quietly after a passionate make out session. As attracted as they were to each other, they had decided not to take the plunge and they hadn't gone further than kissing and cuddling.
And it had been intense and enough, at least for the moment. After all the revelations and the beginning of their relationship, Callie knew it was better this way. They have all the time in the world to learn more about each other, day after day, and they would breakthrough sooner rather than later.
For now, Callie was happy, and lost in her thoughts, she was smiling silly, happy to feel this way again.
« I don't like being stared at when I'm sleeping... » Arizona grumbled, outing Callie from her reverie.
« I'm sorry, I didn't mean to wake you up... » Callie apologized as Arizona raised her head and rested it on her elbow.
« I was joking... » She smiled at the brunette and at that moment, Callie's heartrate accelerated.
That smile was making her weak. It was sweet, playful and it softened Arizona's face and that was the most beautiful thing she had seen in quite some time.
« Hi... » The blonde said, leaning in and shyly kissing her cheek. « You slept okay? »
« Great... » Callie whispered, lingering the contact of those pink lips against her flesh.
Wrapping her arm around Arizona's back, she brushed her nose against hers and kissed her on the lips, with a bright smile on her face.
« Hi... » Callie said.
She looked in Arizona's piercing blue eyes for a moment, not really knowing what to say or what to do. The moments they had shared the night before had been the most intimate they had been together even if it hadn't been sexual. Both women had felt the connection they were sharing that had attracted them to each other in the first place.
« I have to be at the hospital at 9, Bailey will be waiting for me. » Arizona pouted, sitting on the edge of the bed. « She's on my back, I can't miss it... »
« Don't worry, I have an appointment with Avery at 9:15 anyway. » Callie explained as she checked the time on her phone. « And it's only 7.30 so … we can go for breakfast ...if you're up for it. »
Smiling, Arizona rolled her eyes. Callie was avoiding her gaze, her tone sounding unsure about the blonde's answer.
« Maybe... » She smirked, which made the ortho surgeon raise her head, disappointment all over her face.
« Maybe? » Callie repeated.
« Yeah, my schedule is kind of insane right now. So I'll get back to you... » Arizona said, trying to keep her poker face on.
« Oh... Okay. I understand. I will call you later then... » Callie replied, blushing and grabbing her shoes placed at the foot of the bed.
« Callie... » Arizona whispered, grabbing the brunette's hand before she could stand up. « I was just kidding... »
Knitting her eyebrows for a quarter of a second, Callie turned her head to the side, a little ashamed to have been unable to read Arizona's joke. But the feeling was quickly erased as the blonde offered her a bright smile that made Callie's heart beat faster and as a world class surgeon that she was, she needed to look at her chest to be sure it wasn't really noticeable.
« I'm going to fresh up a little. I'll be right back. » Arizona stated, waking up slowly and grabbing her crutch to get to the bathroom. Unfortunately one of the crutches fell down and naturally, Callie ran to get it from the floor.
« It's okay! Don't... » Arizona yelled, trying to stop Callie but it was too late.
Callie got back up and handed it to Arizona who avoided her gaze for a second.
« Hey, what's wrong? » She immediately worried, noticing the shift in Arizona's mood.
« I can do it on my own Callie... » She replied coldly.
Callie was taken aback by Arizona's reaction and gasped a little, felling reproach in the blonde's voice. Everything had been great between them and she wasn't expecting such a negative twist.
« Sorry... » Callie mumbled, simply taking off her hand from the crutch and stepping back. She walked to the corner of the room where there was a couch and sat on it, feeling uncomfortable.
Arizona's gaze was the same as the one on the first few days she met her, almost aggressive and really distant and it was something she thought was out of the picture now.
Still standing and knowing she had overreacted, Arizona looked at the ground, feeling guilty but determined to talk.
« I'm sorry... Please... Don't be mad... » Arizona pleaded, finally sitting back on the bed. « I'm such an idiot... »
Callie stood back up and walked towards her, kneeling in front of the blonde who was trying to keep it together. She was biting her lip, knowing she needed to explain to Callie the reason of that reaction.
« I just wanted to help. I'm sorry if you think it was something else. » Callie explained, taking Arizona's hand in hers.
« It's not you. It's me... » Arizona explained. « I told you I was socially damaged and that I didn't know how to interact normally... That's true. I'm working on it but there are still some little issues. But this was different. »
« You want to talk about it? »
« It's just... I feel so stupid because I am a doctor and I should know that having the amputation was for my own good... But since the crash, I can't stand to be assisted for the simple daily tasks, like grabbing a crutch. I've been stuck in a hospital bed, then helped by nurses and friends for everything that it became suffocating. I know that it was done with the best intentions, but when it happens every day for everything you're doing, it kills you from the inside. So I had been really awful towards everybody because I didn't know how to simply explain it. I don't want to be like that anymore. I have no problem with the fact that I have a disability now, but I don't want pity from people... »
« I wasn't pitying you... » Callie stated.
« I know... But it's an old habit of self-protection. It can come back around from time to time, so please, know that I'm sorry, in advance... » Arizona apologized sadly. She knew the dark side of her personality and even if she was able to let it go most of the times, she still had the tendency to over react sometimes.
« I thought that we were over the 'I'm sorry' thing... » Callie smirked, trying to convince Arizona that she didn't have to feel sorry. « And about helping you, I hope you'll understand that it had nothing to do with the fact that you have lost a leg. It's in my nature to help people. I've been raised like that. I need to help the people I care about. »
Arizona gently squeezed her hand, feeling really emotional by the words she just heard. Callie was so caring and patient with her. She wasn't used to being in a sentimental relationship like this with a woman. As far as she remembered, even if she had enjoyed some of her past relationship, even with Annie, the sweetness and support she was seeing in Callie's eye had no equal.
« And I care about you. A lot. » Callie insisted as she sat on the bed next to Arizona and locked her eyes with the blonde's. « So I hope we'll be able to keep this open heart communication between us, right? »
« That's what I'm doing naturally with you Callie. » Arizona replied, relieved to be able to talk to her lover so easily.
« That's perfect. So! Let's get ready for that breakfast I promised you! »
…...
Jo Wilson was reviewing some charts on the nurse's desk in front her mentor's office. It was the part of her job that she hated the most, but it had to be done and she knew it would make Callie happy. And if Dr. Torres was happy, she would probably let her scrub in for more serious and unusual cases. And apparently, there were going to be a lot of patients today, guessing with the amount of people waiting for her this morning.
But for the moment, the only thing that mattered was the file she wasn't able to open on the tablet and the error message was getting on her nerves.
« Come on! » the young fellow pleaded, her teeth clenched. « Don't do this to me... Not now... »
« Something wrong Wilson? » A voice made her raise her head in surprise.
« There's always something wrong with Wilson. » a second voice made the both of them turn their heads to see Addison.
« Dr. Montgomery, hello... » Jo replied, annoyed by the older woman's joke. She was used to it whenever Addison was visiting her mentor, but she didn't really appreciate it.
« Hi... Oh, and hi to you young stranger... » Addison replied, looking at Jackson Avery with a flirty smirk. « Who are you? »
« I'm Jackson Avery. I'm working with Dr. Torres on her project. » He replied, clearing his throat, feeling nervous by Addison's presence. « It's an honor to meet you Dr. Montgomery. Your reputation precedes you. »
« You're a sweet talker... And you have amazing eyes, and you're too young. But my biggest concern is that I'm married. » Addison teased the young man who blushed. « I was looking for your boss. Is she here? »
« No, she's supposed to get here around 9. So you can wait for her if you want. » Jo replied, still focused on the tablet and pointing towards the waiting room.
Addison looked at the people settled and suddenly smiled.
« Mr. and Mrs. Torres! » She said, walking to the elder couple who was sitting in the room, quietly settled.
« Oh my god, Addison! What are you doing here, dear? » Lucia Torres said, standing up, quickly followed by her husband.
« It's been a long time! » Addison said, opening her arms and embracing Callie's mother.
Even if they hadn't seen each other many times, Addison had immediately bonded with Callie's parents. Since Callie arrived in Seattle for her residency, the two women had become friends even if Addison was already an attending.
As she wasn't close to her own family, she had been a little skeptical at the beginning when Callie had talked about her parents and how supportive they were. Leaving Miami had been a huge step in her life and living so far from them was complicated.
So Lucia and Carlos Torres came to see their daughter regularly all the way to the other side of the country. She was becoming one of the most promising orthopedic surgeons after all and that is how they had met her best friend, Addison. They had invited her several times for Christmas and whenever Callie visited and she had always loved to be a part of the trip, feeling like a member of that united family.
« What are you doing here? » She asked the couple.
« We can ask you the same! Aren't you supposed to be in Los Angeles? And about us, we're visiting Calliope as a surprise. It's been a long time since we've seen her. » Carlos explained.
« I'm here for work, so I took some time out to spend it with my best friend! » Addison replied. « I had dinner with her last night! »
« I hope she's not working too much. She's been pretty stressed over her trial lately. » Lucia worried.
« It's about to happen. Apparently, she and her team are working on it. But, believe me, she's making time for herself and she's not only busy with work lately. » Addison smirked.
« What are you trying to say? » Carlos raised one eyebrow. « Is there something going on? »
« Carlos... » Lucia warned her husband.
As a very protective father, Carlos Torres always worried about his daughter's terrible track record in her sentimental life.
He had been there after her divorces and when she had ended things with Erica Hahn. He knew his daughter was a really romantic woman and that she gave everything that she had when she was in a romantic relationship.
There was no grey for Calliope Iphigenia Torres when it came to love. She was all in, she was falling hard and every time till now, she had ended up heart broken and she hadn't even learnt any lessons from her past involvements.
« Is she dating someone? » The older man asked Addison with concern in his voice.
« Carlos, it's none of your business! » Lucia tried to make her husband cool down.
« Of course it is! She doesn't need distraction right now! She has to focus on her research! » Carlos almost yelled. « She always falls for losers! She deserves a real partner by her side, someone who will love her unconditionally, someone who will be there in the good and bad moments, and above all, a person who will have the same expectations from life as her. But she also needs someone who will be as amazing as her, which is not easy! »
Smirking, Addison, couldn't help but think Callie had the best parents in the world. Something she had never felt for her parents for sure.
« Don't worry Mr. T, She's in good hands, and she's happy. » She said, putting a friendly hand on the man's shoulder. « And if you'll excuse me, I have a consult with my very rich patient, so I have to go. »
« Wait Addison! » Carlos tried to call her back but she didn't turn back.
As Lucia was sitting back, she smiled awkwardly at April who hadn't missed even a single piece of the conversation.
« I'm sorry... » She apologized to the younger woman as Carlos sat next to her, grumbling incomprehensible words through clenched teeth. « He's a little over protective over our daughter... »
« I have to be! She might be the smartest and most brilliant surgeon, but she's a fool when she's in love... »
« Carlos Torres! Cállate Por favor! » Lucia insisted, giving a death glare to her husband. « You're not alone here! »
« You... You're right... » Carlos cleared his throat then looked at April with embarrassment. « I'm really sorry Miss... »
« It's okay, really... » April replied, still not getting what's going on. « You don't have to apologize... »
…...
It was the first time they were doing it, and both of them were very nervous.
It was something they had already done, even together, but not since they were a little more intimate and it was what felt weird to them.
They didn't want to bring attention on them, entering the hospital doors together, but after spending the night together, it wasn't easy for them to get away from each other.
After their heartfelt talk earlier, they were closer than ever, and on their ride to the hospital, Arizona's hand never left Callie's thigh. They had laughed, talked, even sang in the car and now in front of the giant glass door, they were embarrassed.
« I have to go to Bailey's office, but I don't know where it is. » Arizona explained.
« Oh, it's not so far from mine. » Callie replied, a bright smile on her face. « So you can follow me and I'll show you. »
« Okay... » Arizona said, unsure about how to act around Callie in the hospital. She wanted to take her hand and to kiss her so badly, but she knew it wasn't a good idea. So when Callie was about to pass the door, Arizona remained frozen, lost in her thoughts.
« Are you coming? » Callie laughed at the strange expression on the blonde face.
« I... We should keep our distance... Shouldn't we? »
« Arizona... No one is going to look at us... » Callie smiled. « You can come with me, it's not the first time we'll be seen together... »
« I know... » The blonde smiled awkwardly before following Callie through the hallways.
Looking around her, she tried to stay a little away from Callie, thinking she was already the center of the hospital gossip mill.
« It's open... » Callie informed her, too busy watching everything around her.
« What? »
« The doors of the elevator! » Callie smiled at the goofiness on her blonde's face. « Hey, don't make that face, it's okay... »
« I know... I just... I just don't want to embarrass you in any way... » Arizona explained. « I mean, I don't want your friends or colleagues to … I don't want you to feel uncomfortable. I'll keep my mouth shut, and I won't do anything weird. »
« What are you talking about? » Callie asked, not really getting the point of Arizona's stress.
« We don't even know what's going between us, and I don't want to ... »
« You're talking about people finding out about us? » The brunette asked as the ring indicated the doors opening and she received a nod from Arizona who followed her out of the elevator. « Well, don't worry about that. I don't care about their gossip, I'm over it. I can do whatever I want, it doesn't concern anyone here. At all... »
Arizona smiled, walking slightly behind Callie. She was relieved to hear such a statement from Callie. She seemed all in the relationship and not concerned about other people's weird looks or disapproval.
« Everybody around here knows about my pathetic love life, so I guess when they notice ... »
Stopping in the middle of the corridor, Callie turned in an instant, facing Arizona who almost bumped into her.
« Hey! » the blonde interjected.
« What are they going to notice exactly? » Callie asked, receiving a puzzled look from Arizona. « I mean, what are people supposed to notice... something like we're dating or something? »
She asked Arizona the question, looking at the ground to avoid her questioning gaze. If she had been asking herself what Arizona and she were in the past days, she now needed some label on it. But she almost regretted asking it, knowing Arizona could be so unpredictable some times.
« I don't know... » The blonde replied. « Are we dating? »
« I guess we are... Aren't we? » Callie raised her head a little and her eyes locked with Arizona's who was clearly uncomfortable at the moment.
« We are! » She suddenly replied, nodding firmly. « We totally are. And if I'm asked by one of your colleagues, should I say it? »
« Why would they ask you that? »
« Because some of them already asked me... »
« Seriously? » Callie asked, stopping her movement in the middle of the hallway. « What the hell... »
She didn't finish her sentence when Arizona got to her, which immediately worried the blonde. Had she said too much in her attempt to joke about the situation? For sure Amelia had asked her if she was falling for Callie and she had told her a part of the truth. She also knew that some of her friends had been teasing her days ago and it had bothered her, so she had surely crossed a line by revealing that she had talked about it with anybody.
« I'm sorry... » Arizona mumbled, feeling uncomfortable. But as she pronounced those words, looking at Callie with worry, she noticed that she wasn't listening to her and that a bright smile was drawing on her face.
« What are you doing here? » Callie yelled, walking faster towards a bunch of people who were sitting in front of her office, apparently waiting for her.
« Mija! » Carlos Torres said, opening his arms to embrace his daughter, quickly followed by his wife.
Looking from far, Arizona didn't take long to understand who the couple was. She remembered the pictures she had seen at Callie's apartment. She smiled tenderly while remaining away from the family reunion. It was right in front of her, something she never really had and that she would never live, she was sure of that.
« What are you doing here guys! » Callie said, pulling away from her parents embrace.
« We wanted to see you as you're too busy to come to Miami, or give us call... » Carlos lightly reproached, in a teasing mood.
« We missed our daughter, that's all. » Lucia Torres added.
« I missed you too. » Callie replied, hugging her mother back
Taking advantage of the outpouring of feelings, Arizona tried to walk to Bailey's office where she was expected, without attracting attention. She wanted Callie to enjoy the moment and of course, there was no way she was going to meet her parents, it was way too soon.
But as she reached them, doing everything she can not to cross Callie's eyes, Carlos Torres took a step towards her and gave her his hand to shake.
« Nice to meet you, I'm Carlos Torres. »
Immediately raising her head, Callie cut him off. « Dad, what are you doing? »
« Nothing mija. I'm just greeting this young lady who was walking with you. » Carlos said, looking directly into his daughter's eyes.
There was an awkward silence and Callie didn't want to make Arizona uncomfortable. She knew how her father could be.
« And you are? »
« I... uuh... I'm Ar... » Arizona mumbled, feeling Carlos' inquisitive look on her.
« Dad, what are you doing? » Callie insisted, clenching her teeth in annoyance. How her father had been able to suspect there was something going on between her and the blonde was beyond her. He might have seen them walking in the hallway, but how could he have guessed the nature of their relationship.
And as all those questions jostled in her mind, she noticed that Arizona's face had turned white.
« Hey, it's okay, he's just messing with you... » Callie told her, surprised by the strength of Arizona's reaction. « Dad please... »
Callie gave her father a death glare, warning him to keep his mouth shut when they were all interrupted by a little voice coming from behind Lucia's back.
« Hi... » the younger redhead woman shyly said, waving her hand discreetly.
« Hi... » Callie replied, looking from head to toe at April. « Do we have an appointment? »
« Actually I'm here to see Dr. Robbins. » April replied, crossing the look of her sister who was gulping, her face still so pale.
The emotion was palpable, Arizona almost in a state of shock, April restraining her tears.
She had promised herself not to cry over her long lost sister but the moment was too emotional.
« Hi... » Arizona replied without a hint of emotion in her voice.
Where she had been surprised and a little scared to see Alex after leaving him without any news from her for almost two years, she was relieved and even moved to see her younger sibling in front of her.
« What's going on? » Lucia asked slowly to Callie, not willing to interrupt anything.
« I don't know... » Callie confessed, trying to read any expression on Arizona's face.
« I have to go, Bailey is waiting for me. » Arizona mumbled, staring at April for a moment before trying to walk away.
« Arizona? Wait! » Callie said, immediately worried by the blonde's attempted escape. She was acting the way she used to before her and Callie became closer.
She tried to grab her wrist but failed to restrain her.
« Arizona! Do not walk away from me! » Callie insisted making the blonde shiver and then stop just in front Miranda's office.
« Can somebody explain to me what's going on? « Carlos Torres broke the uncomfortable silence as April passed in front of him, tears in her eyes.
The mix of emotions was too strong for the two sisters, between Arizona's guilty shame and April's bitter happiness to see her sister alive after so long.
« Calliope? » Lucia called her daughter who was also lost between the surprise to see her parents and what was happening to Arizona.
« I'm fine Callie. » Arizona finally spoke, turning toward Callie. « Go and spend time with your parents. »
« Are you sure everything is okay? » Callie tenderly asked, coming closer to Arizona who had plastered what she thought was a confident smile on her face.
« Yeah, I have a consult with Bailey... »
« I know... »
« She's going to be mad... » Arizona said, no more able to restrain the tears she had been holding.
« I will stay with you... » Callie stated, not wanting to leave her so vulnerable. She knew how unpredictable Arizona could be when she was on edge, and the unexpected visit from the younger woman seemed to have upset her strongly.
She leaned in and lightly brushed Arizona's cheek with her thumb to reassure her she would be there for her.
« Please, just enjoy the time with your parents. I'm okay. » Arizona tried to reason with Callie.
« Don't worry about that right now. I just want to be sure you're alright and that you'd tell me if anything was bothering you. » Callie insisted looking directly in confused blue eyes.
« We will talk about it later okay? » Arizona suggested, feeling April's eyes on her from far. « I have to go now... »
« Call me when you're done. Okay? »
« Okay... »
Looking at Arizona joining Bailey who had just appeared at the end of the hallway, Callie let escape a breath she didn't know she was holding.
Here they were, once again acting with too much caution towards each other but this time it felt more natural.
Arizona didn't seem to mind Callie's worries about her and she was happy to notice that.
Now, she had a lot going on. She had patients to see, Jackson Avery to work with, and her parents to deal with, not counting that mysterious woman who was now leaving her floor without looking back, walking too fast.
Not thinking twice, Callie followed her, passing her parents who didn't have any idea about what was going on.
« Miss, Please, Wait! » She yelled as she reached her, not wanting to grab her arm and maybe create an unexpected reaction.
April stopped and turned immediately towards a surprised Callie. « I'm sorry, I should have called her first, but I ... »
Feeling the emotion in the younger woman's voice, Callie decided she wouldn't push her. The reunion with Arizona had upset both of them and she supposed she would need some time to process it.
« Don't apologize. » Callie said, offering April a compassionate smile. « I'm Callie Torres, nice to meet you. »
« I'm April Kepner. »
« Oh, so you're Arizona's sister! » Callie genuinely replied. « Her reaction makes sense now. »
« How do you know who I am to her? » April asked in disbelief. So Arizona was talking about her to a perfect stranger. From what she knew, Callie Torres was just the contact that would help her locate Arizona in Seattle, but apparently she was more than that.
Back in the day when Arizona was in LA, she never mentioned to anyone they were related, except to her close friends or colleagues. So how this woman, she knew for a few weeks, could be aware about her existence.
« We've been talking. » Callie replied. « A lot actually. About our lives, our family and friends. I don't know everything but she told me about her younger sister. »
A little taken aback by the revelation, April eyes went wide and finally she shrugged. « I thought you were just in charge of a prosthetic trial she's in. Seems like you're more than that. »
« It's not the right place to talk about that. But here is my card. I'd like to talk with you more. And I'm sure Arizona would too. So how about we meet tonight at the pub across the street? You can't miss it, it's the only one around. »
« I don't know... »
« I'll be there at 8. I'll try to bring Arizona with me. » Callie insisted. « I will leave you two alone if you would like that. »
« It's not a good idea... »
« Let's give it a try. Please. »
« I... I'll let you know. »