DISCLAIMER:: not mine. yada yada.
A/N:: i was shocked (pleasantly) at the reactions to the last chapter. everybody has weighed in on where their loyalties lie. so thanks for that. this is another short chapter, but alas i am a workaholic, have to be at my job, and time to write only comes during breaks and lunches which are few and far between. the final five chapters remain. will elizabeth confront her family? will arizona forgive callie? will they ever find true happiness? and where does erica fit in all this? more answers to come, so stay tuned!
and as a side note, to those of you who read and enjoyed my first chapter fic, queen of hearts, i have posted the first chapter for the revised sequel, matters of the heart. read and enjoy!
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Hello Seattle
I am a mountaineer
In the hills and highlands
I fall asleep in hospital parking lots
Take me above your light
Carry me through the night
Hold me secure in flight
Sing me to sleep tonight
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Callie, under normal circumstances, loved to fly. She loved sitting by the window and watching the world floating by below her. But as she took off on her flight back to Seattle, the apprehension in her gut told her it was going to be a long flight.
Arizona had several hours on her. She knew she shouldn't worry; it wasn't like Arizona was going to quit her job at Seattle Grace and leave the city. She had just gone home. But there was just an instinctive feeling of dread that lingered.
The two hour flight seemed to drag by and Callie's tension only eased up slightly when the pilot announced they were circling SeaTac and bringing her down.
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It took Erica almost an hour to gather the energy to go downstairs.
When she did, Bree met her in the foyer.
"Callie went after her."
Erica would never get used to the way Bree spoke with clear certainty, confirming facts that sometimes it seemed impossible that she could know. She nodded. "Yeah, she did."
"Well then we have to go after her."
Both women turned to Elizabeth. The girl stared back at them with a determined gaze from the doorway of the living room. She looked much better after having slept through the night and most of the day.
"No, we don't"
Elizabeth frowned. "Don't tell me you're giving up? C'mon Erica, don't let her slip away now."
Erica shook her head, feeling the energy draining from her again. "Arizona gave up. She walked out on Callie this morning after telling me she didn't want to fight for her. But when Callie woke up this morning, Arizona was the person she asked for, the person she wanted. I know when I've lost and I'm a big enough person to admit defeat when it's staring me in the face." Erica turned to go back to the kitchen.
Elizabeth shook her head. "Well, I'm going back, whether you two come or not."
Erica and Bree Whirled around in sync. "What?"
"You do realize Dad and Richie are still there?" Bree could count the number of times she'd broken her composure on one hand, but she looked noticeably stricken.
"You do realize you're still sick?" Erica had her sternest professional face on.
Elizabeth rolled her eyes. "You do realize I'm eighteen?" She glanced at Bree, deep sadness flooding into her eyes. "You said yourself, they'll keep searching until I turn up, one way or another. I made the best go of it I could. But it's time to, like Erica said, admit defeat."
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Callie stood, looking up at Seattle Grace. She was now among the ranks of those who had left this place, only to return. SGH had a strange draw to it. You may leave but you could never really forget it.
"I hope you don't expect to get your room back."
Callie looked over and smiled at Yang.
Yang had paused next to her. She didn't look at Callie, just stared straight ahead.
"I didn't."
"Good. Because I have a new roommate already lined up."
Christina walked forward without another word.
"Missed you too Christina." Callie smiled and followed Yang towards the front doors.
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Elizabeth got off the plane in Seattle with Bree in tow. Bree had no reason to stay in San Francisco. Her responsibility was to Elizabeth. She would go wherever her sister led, even if it was into the lion's den.
And behind them came Erica Hahn.
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"Hello Mark."
Sloan turned around. "Torres, I knew you'd be back for more."
"Oh yeah Mark, I just can't get enough of you." Callie rolled her eyes and laughed dryly.
"What else would bring you back to Seattle?"
"Um, maybe my girlfriend?"
Mark smiled slyly. "Which one?"
Callie narrowed her eyes. "Funny. Very funny."
"I know I am."
Callie socked his arm.
He winced and grabbed his arm where she had hit him. "I forgot how hard you hit." He looked down the hallway both ways to make sure the coast was clear and then bent close to Callie to whisper. "So, tell me the truth, did you sleep with Hahn?"
Callie narrowed her eyes again and socked the other arm before turning on her heel and setting off to find Arizona.
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"I'm not going!" Erica shook her head and crossed her arms, sitting back on the bed and crossing her arms. "I will not go back to that place and face all the accusing stares and judgments. If Callie changes her mind about who she wants to be with, I'll be here, at the Archfield, waiting for her."
Elizabeth rolled her eyes. "Fine. Have it your way. Are you coming Bree?"
Bree glanced at Erica, a slightly puzzled expression on her face. "It's funny."
Erica quirked an eyebrow. "What is?"
"I thought she was going to pick you."
"Aren't you ever wrong?" Erica asked dryly, still upset over the events that had brought her back here to Seattle.
"Not often."
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Senator Hanley's presence had been felt intensely at SGH. Everywhere he went, press followed. His stay was highly publicized and though he didn't spend all his time at the hospital he made it aware that he was not leaving the city until his daughter was returned to them. To avoid bad press the Chief had assigned the interns to make calls to every hospital in every state in rotating shifts.
Little progress had been made and the Senator was spending more time at the hospital, assisting, but generally just bitching.
"How come nobody around this damn place can get anything done?!"
Chief Richard Webber cleared his throat and tried hard to control his temper, a task that was getting more difficult each time he spoke to Senator Hanley. "We are doing the best we can to locate your daughter, Senator, but it's like trying to find a needle in a haystack."
"Maybe if you put more manpower on this…"
"I have given you all I can spare. This is a hospital and we still need doctors available to run it. With all due respect sir, your daughter was gone for a month with all factions of law enforcement on her tail and they found no trace of her. We found out who she was…"
"And then you let her escape!"
"An unfortunate circumstance, but we are doing all we can to try and fix it."
"Excuse me miss, you can't go in there. The Chief is in a meeting…"
The door opened and both men turned to see Bree standing in the doorway.
"Bree! What is the meaning of this?"
A small, frail girl stepped around from behind Bree. "Hello Father."