CHAPTER 29 – BACK TO CLASS

CALLIE'S POV

When I woke up this morning, I couldn't help but feel a little anxious. After a long 3 weeks, I am finally able to return to class. I'm not really sure how I am going to feel when I walk back into the auditorium where everything happened, but it's a fear that I have to overcome. Luckily Arizona will be there and I know that everything will be fine. Laying here in bed, I have so many things running through my mind but they all seem to disappear when I feel Arizona wake up and turn over to wrap her arm around me.

"Mmm, good morning" She mumbles into the back of my head. Burying her face into my hair.

"Good morning babe." I say back.

"Are you excited to get back to class? Have things go back to normal?" Arizona asks with her raspy, just woken up voice.

"I'm a little nervous actually. But I am more than ready to get out of this apartment." I say.

"Don't worry babe, I will be there with you. Everything will be ok. And everybody misses you, so we can have lunch with our friends. It will be nice." Arizona says as I start to turn over towards her.

"That is my favorite part about going back. Being able to see you more." I say before placing a soft kiss on her lips. Before I had a chance to possibly turn this small kiss into something more, the alarm begins going off on Arizona's phone.

"Well, we better get up. We don't want to be late on your first day back." Arizona say before giving me one more quick peck, and standing to walk towards the restroom. Just as she looks over her shoulder, she catches me pouting about the "almost sexy time" and says, "If we shower together, we might save time…" and with a wink she disappears behind the restroom door. Quickly followed by me.

After a VERY nice shower with my girlfriend, we grabbed our coffee mugs to go and set out towards campus. I loved having our own apartment, but it also meant that we had to leave earlier than we did from the dorms. But, the privacy and the fact that we live together makes it SO worth it.

When we got to school, Arizona and I were walking hand in hand on our way to A&P but I couldn't help but notice all the people that were staring at us. Every group of people we passed would point and whisper. Some people shouting "You Rock, or You're a Hero" before clapping was a big odd. I wasn't used to this kind of attention. I hadn't really thought of myself as a hero of any type. I was simply trying to protect my girlfriend, like anybody else would have done. Right? Arizona could sense my nervousness and tightened her grip on my hand as we made our way across the quad. What I definitely wasn't prepared for was what was waiting for me inside the auditorium. When we got to the double doors, Arizona pulled it open, and gestured for me to go first. And when I did, my jaw dropped.

The room was packed full of people. Students, faculty, even the Dean of our school was there. Balloons were tied all around and there was a huge table full of breakfast muffins, doughnuts etc. The dean, as well as my professor waved me over towards them and I turn to face Arizona. With a huge dimpled smile she gives me a little nudge in their direction. As I walked towards them, people were clapping and patting me on my back and shoulders as I passed. Once I made it to the front of the room, the dean stretched his arms out and instructed everyone to quiet down and have a seat. I felt the nerves inside of me begin to stir and I quickly found the blue eyes I knew would calm me and locked in on them.

"Callie Torres, I cannot begin to thank you for your bravery. You will forever be a hero in the eyes of this school. There is no way to know how many lives you saved by the actions you took, and I would like to thank you on behalf of all the students, faculty and family members for what you did. Please accept this plaque as a thank you from us all." The dean says, before extending his arm that had a plaque in it.

I didn't know what to say, I was completely shocked and not expecting this. I look towards Arizona once more and see big tears in her eyes, and her super magic smile on full display. Turning back to the dean I find my voice and thank him. Accepting the plaque while everyone clapped and cheered once more. As I walked back towards my desk Arizona stood and wrapped me in a tight hug and placed a kiss on my lips. Not caring who saw the two of us, and to our surprise the crowd cheered even louder. Knowing that I did what I did to protect this woman. Arizona looked down at the plaque and read it out loud to herself.

~Callie Torres – Thank you for your bravery & for being a true Johns Hopkins Hero~

"You're always going to be my hero baby. Always." Arizona says and I feel my own tears stinging in my eyes.

"I love you." I say, resting my forehead against hers and looking into her baby blue eyes.

"I love you too baby."

Once the dean left and the crowd began to fade, the only remaining people were the students scheduled for class. The professor wasted no time jumping into his lecture as semester finals were coming up this next week. I put all of my focus into what he was saying, because I was already weeks behind. Even with Arizona's notes I still have quite a bit of studying ahead of me if I plan on passing this semester.

ARIZONA'S POV

After Callie and I finished our first class together this morning, we had to go our separate ways for the next class. It felt good knowing that she was back, and that I would be able to see her in between classes and lunch. Our friends were all planning to meet up at the quad for lunch today, to celebrate Callie's first day back so I had text everyone to make sure we were still on. I was very happy to hear everyone say that yes, we were.

When lunch time finally came, I text Callie and told her that I would meet her in the quad. I reached our group of friends before she did, and waited. Mark and Teddy were sitting together, holding hands and it had me a little tripped out. This was still a new development, and I hadn't gotten the full scoop about how this came about but I planned to very soon. Christina and Meredith were watching them intently and whispering back and forth without shame. Soon, I saw my beautiful girlfriend walking towards our table with Addison, and they were both talking and laughing. Huge smiles on both of their faces. Callie walked over to my side of the table, but before taking the seat I saved her, she leans down for a kiss. One that I gladly give her with a wink.

"Hey, has anybody seen Derek?" Addison asks when she sits down.

"Yeah, I saw him last period. He said he would be here." Meredith says and everyone continues talking.

A few minutes later, we see Derek walking towards us with a guy about the same height as he was, but with bright red hair, and blue eyes.

"Who…is…that?" Meredith asks while eyeing the new guy up and down. Before anyone could answer her, even though we had no clue, the two guys walk up to the table.

"Hey babe." Derek says to Addison before turning to the guy next to him. "Everybody, this is Owen Hunt. He's going into trauma. I thought he could hang out with us for lunch. Owen, this is the group. This is my girlfriend Addison. Those two over there are Christina and Meredith. That's Mark and his girlfriend Teddy. The one right there is Arizona and that's her girlfriend Callie." Derek says.

"It's nice to meet you all." He says while looking around the table. Everyone waving and saying their 'hi's and hello's' back to him. "You're Callie? Callie Torres right?" He asks my girlfriend and she looks up from her phone and nods with a confused look.

"Yeah, that's me… do I know you?" She asks.

"Oh, no. I just.. I heard what you did. You're a pretty popular name around here right now." He says with a smile, taking the empty seat next to Christina.

"Oh." Is all Callie says, and I place my hand under the table on her thigh. Giving her a squeeze and receiving a smile from my girlfriend.

"So are you new here or something?" Meredith asks Owen.

"No, I have been here. Just haven't really hung around much after classes. I am lab partners with Derek and he convinced me to come out for a bit." He says.

Small talk consumes our table over lunch, and before we know it we have to get back to class. Before the group split, Mark spoke up. "Okay, so everybody is meeting where tonight to study?" He asks.

"I say we all meet at Callie and Arizona's. They have the biggest place." Christina says, volunteering our apartment for the study pow-wow.

"Ok fine, but you guys bring your own food!" Callie says before everyone agrees to the plan and part ways.

"Have a good day baby. I'll meet you back here after our last class, and we can walk home together?" I ask my girlfriend.

"Sounds great. Love you."

With a kiss we head towards our individual classes. Christina comes up to walk next to me, and leans over to whisper. "So do you think that Owen guy is single?" she asks.

"What? The red headed guy? Seriously?" I ask her. Shocked at her interest in him.

"Uh yeah, shut up. I don't judge you for being a lady lover, so don't judge me!" She says and I laugh.

"Well, I don't know if he is or not, but I'm sure you could ask Addison to find out. I'm pretty positive she could get any information she needs out of Derek." I say.

"Good idea. I'll do that. Oh, and hopefully Derek invited him to come study with us tonight." She adds.

"Christina, are you speaking girl right now? Because I'm a little thrown off honestly." I say.

"Oh shut up blondie! I'm outta here." She says before speeding up ahead of me. When I laugh, she reaches her hand behind her back, sending me 'the bird'. Speaking up loudly I tell her, "You're not my type Yang!" before she disappears into the crowd.

I waste no time to whip out my cell phone and texting Callie.

You will NEVER guess who Christina has the hots for – A

Christina has feelings? – C

That was my first reaction too! But apparently yes. So guess – A

No idea. Who? – C

The redhead Mr. Hunt – A

That is very weird… I can't picture them together – C

I agree. But she is hoping he comes to the apartment tonight to 'study' – A

I'll text Derek and see what I can find out. And how do YOU know this? – C

Strangely enough… Christina came out and told me – A

Wow. Things sure have changed in the 3 weeks I was gone. You and Chris being BFF's. – C

Not even close Calliope – A

HA HA. Ok, let me c what I can find out. See you soon. Love you – C

Love you too – A

After I finished texting Callie, I put my phone away and got settled into my next class. Knowing that tonight was going to be an interesting night. Christina fumbling around in front of Owen. The whole Teddy and Mark situation was something I was sure to bring up as well, and knowing my group of friends… there would end up being some type of alcohol involved.

Life is definitely never boring with this group of people.