Callie has a nightmare. Arizona comforts her. (Set post 11x19)
Callie: sitting in a dark corner of Seattle Grace's third floor conference room, her knees tucked into her chest and her teeth chattering in fear.
She can't see anything. The room is black. She hears Arizona's haunting screams in the distance. She gets up to find her wife, but she can't. The screams come from all directions. She doesn't know where to go.
She smells burning metal and damp leaves.
Mark's voice joins in: a call for help. Callie can hear them, but she can't see them. Their screams of agony course through her, but she's helpless. She can't find them. Can't reach them. Can't help.
A phone rings. She hears a voice as someone picks it up and answers. Owen. Callie looks towards his voice. The room falls silent as he listens to the news.
Suddenly, the room is lit up by bright red eyes. Owen's eyes sear holes into her skin, but she can't look away. She needs to know what happened.
Owen: "They're dead."
Callie bolted upright in bed, her ears ringing, her heart taking off in her chest, and her body covered in a layer of sweat.
Callie tried to take a deep breath, but it was uneven and unsteady. "I'm okay," she whispered to herself. "It was just a nightmare. It's not real. I got to say goodbye to Mark and Arizona survived. She's okay. I'm okay."
No matter how many times Callie told herself this, though, she couldn't will herself to calm down. She had nightmares like these occasionally, and they really took a toll on her. It was even worse now, though, because before, Callie could look beside her and know that Arizona was okay. Now she couldn't.
And, though they weren't together anymore, Callie still cared about whether Arizona lived or died. She loved her, even if it was different now. Arizona was Sofia's mother. She needed to know her ex-wife was okay.
Before Callie could stop herself, she reached over to the bedside table and fumbled with her phone. She looked at the time. Shit. 3:02 a.m.
Still, before she could stop herself, she was dialing Arizona's cell phone number. She knew it by heart.
Callie's heart beat in her ears as it rang:
One.
Two.
Three.
Four.
Five.
Six times.
No answer. Callie felt her anxiety grow. Her chest physically hurt, even though deep down, she knew she had no reason to worry.
She redialed without thinking. Again, the phone rang:
One.
Two.
Thre— "Hello?" Arizona answered groggily.
Callie let out a trembling breath, only then realizing she had been holding it. "Arizona."
"Callie?" Arizona was quickly aware and attentive. "What's wrong? Is Sofia okay?"
Callie paused before answering. She couldn't find her voice.
"Callie?! What happened?!" Arizona shrilled.
Callie heard rustling on the other end of the line, as if Arizona was getting up and dressed.
Finally, hearing the maternal desperation in her wife's voice, Callie offered, "Oh! No, Sofia's fine. She's fine. She's asleep."
"Oh," Arizona sighed in relief.
Callie remained silent.
"Was there something...else...? It's 3:00 a.m."
"I know. I'm sorry," Callie apologized.
"I had a nightmare," she admitted. "I just wanted to make sure you were okay."
"Oh," Arizona's exhale was a mixture of surprise, concern, and understanding.
"I'm sorry," Callie bumbled, backtracking. "I know I don't have the right to just c—"
"No, Callie. It's okay. Just follow the advice you always used to give me. Lie back down on your back, close your eyes, and think of something good. Think of a happy memory."
Callie took a deep breath as her heart slowed. Just hearing Arizona's voice and gentle reassurances had left her at peace.
"Okay," Callie whispered. "I will." Finally, she sincerely vowed, "Thank you."
"You're welcome," Arizona murmured back, smiling slightly through the phone.
"Sorry I woke you up. Really. Sleep well," Callie concluded.
"You, too. Goodnight."
"Goodnight."
Both women hung up their phones and set them back on their side tables.
Then, Arizona settled back into her bed, hoping to fall back asleep easily. She had work early that morning. She smiled wistfully as she remembered the memory that she had always thought of when she used to have debilitating nightmares: her and Callie's wedding.
Meanwhile, Callie settled back into her bed, lying on her back and closing her eyes. Finally, she willed her brain to think of a happy memory to help her fall back asleep.
She could only think of her and Arizona's wedding.
This may not be super realistic, but hey, I thought it was cute. And since the show is playing them as somewhat friends who have forgiven each other, I don't think it's too far off base.
Let me know if you like it, please! And any ideas are more than welcome :)
