A/N: Have a great day, that's all I have to say before you read this chapter.

Disclaimer: I do not have much knowledge about medicine. So, please don't take the medical stuff here at face value.

Chapter 11: Arizona

Present Day

The past is what shapes us into becoming who we are today. We say we don't want pain or trauma in our lives, but the truth is, without our scars who are we? Because we've suffered, we've learned to move forward, we've learned to overcome our demons and wake up to a new and better day.

I have had a tough time to deal with everything that has happened to me. I have done things I wouldn't do to anyone in a million years. I have hurt people, people who meant the world to me and now I'm stuck dealing with the consequences of my own actions.

I just didn't expect to hurt someone past their breaking point. I knew Callie was strong and she could handle it and that's where I went wrong. I pushed her past her limit and now… my daughter is the one paying the prize. I watched all of Callie's surgeries today. I couldn't get to see any of them completely because I had a few surgeries of my own and a few consults, but from what I saw I was impressed.

I knew Callie was strong but this research is groundbreaking and I can tell that she knows it. I quickly change out of my scrubs. I'm done for the day and it's only 5 pm. That's rare.

"Oh.. um hey" I turn around as I straighten my top as I see Callie entering the doctors lounge with a cup of coffee in her hand. She's still hooked on caffeine. Well it's good to know that some things haven't changed.

"Hey Callie, impressive work today"

"What? Oh yeah thanks" she replies.

Callie seems nervous. Why is she nervous? Oh that's right, it's been a while since we talked. Callie and I had decided that it's best if we don't talk to each other because whenever we did, we'd argue.

"Callie?" I tried to get her attention. Ever since she came to Seattle she has been glued to that thing.

"Yeah?"

"Sofia has been very happy since the weekend"

"Yeah, thank you so much for letting her hog your phone"

"She's your daughter too, she should get to talk to you"

Callie pauses for a while. That's new. I was sure she would unload another one of her rage mountains on me.

"Umm… yeah" she replies. Calliope Torres backing out of a fight? I think I have officially seen everything. I wait for her to say something to me but she quietly starts stripping out of her scrub top before grabbing a shirt and putting it on.

Wait, why am I staring at her changing? She's my ex-wife, I probably shouldn't be looking at her like this.

"Callie? Would you like to have dinner?" I ask but I can tell she didn't really hear me as her eyes were still staring at her phone as she texted away. God! I want to throw that thing out of the window.

"I'm sorry, I didn't quite get you," she replies.

"I asked, if you… if you wanted to have dinner… at my place tonight"

She finally looks up as she puts her phone away. Finally!

"Umm Arizona, I'm sorry I can't-"

"Callie I'm trying, I'm extending an olive branch here! Sofia wants you back in her life and she's clearly happier since you came back to Seattle. Why can't you just…" I waited for Callie to interrupt me. She has never let me finish my goddamn sentence ever before and now she let me get away with two of them? "You know what? Sorry I asked!" I replied as I grabbed my purse.

"I… I meant I can't have dinner today. You remember Louise O'Malley?"

I nodded "She's George's mother right?"

"Yeah, she invited me to her house today for dinner"

"You still talk to her?" I asked. I didn't mean to pry, but this is the most normal conversation we have had in awhile.

"Yeah, she cleaned the puke out of my hair this morning, I guess the least I can do is have a meal with her" she says sadly.

That used to be my job. I was the one who supported her, gave her courage and stood by her. Not her dead ex-husband's mother.

"Oh…" I replied not really knowing what I can say.

"I'm free tomorrow, that is if you are free too. We could have dinner tomorrow, that is if you still want to have dinner with me"

I broke her didn't I? Callie used to walk into a room as if she owned the room, well technically she owns a part of the hospital. But I have never seen her second guessing herself, not since early in our relationship.

"Yeah we can have dinner tomorrow" I replied.

"Great, does... Does Sofia have a sleepover or something tomorrow or… ?"

"Umm no, not that I know of, did Meredith tell you something?" I asked.

"No, but you are inviting me over to your house, I just… I'm not sure if you're comfortable with me coming back into Sofia's life again"

"When I asked you to dinner, I asked you to have dinner with Sofia and I"

"Really? Are-are you sure?" Callie asks as a giant smile makes its way on her face.

"Yeah, it's about time we put our differences in the past and put our daughter first"

"Thank you, Arizona," Callie replies as she takes a couple of steps forward. She goes in for a hug but at the very last moment offers me her hand.

Things have definitely changed. Where is the woman who wore her heart on the sleeve? Is she hiding somewhere?

I take her hand in mine and shake it. I'm pretty sure that I too have a smile on my face.

I take a step back as Callie drops her hand to her side. I already miss her touch.

I start making my way towards the door.

"Arizona?"

"Yeah"

"I… Would you… umm… would you scrub in on tomorrow's surgery?"

Wow, here I was sure that I was never going to get into an OR with her and now she literally offered it to me.

"Umm, I don't want you to think that you have to let me scrub in because I'm letting you see your daughter again. It's not that I don't want to. I really do, trust me I want to be there, but I totally understand if you don't want to let me into your OR. Besides you have Dr. Heron, she's an excellent surgeon" I said.

Yet again, Callie let me finish my sentences. This is really weird. I'm not used to this.

"Arizona, you are an excellent surgeon too. I'm letting you into my OR just because of your surgical skills and nothing else. You should know the procedure too. If you get a patient who you think would benefit from this procedure, you should be able to do it without me or sending your patient to New York"

Oh that's right, Callie isn't back in Seattle, she's just visiting. This is temporary. After she's done with her surgeries she's going to hop back onto a plane and leave Seattle, just like she did last time.

Just then Callie's phone starts ringing.

Callie turns towards me.

"I would really like it if you decide to scrub in tomorrow, okay?" she picks up her phone and points at it "It's Mrs. O'Malley, she's coming here to pick me up. Just let me know what you decide about tomorrow, the surgery as well as dinner" she replies before she excuses herself to take her call.

Five years ago

I raise my hand and knock on the door. Today has been a hectic day, it's difficult to get a four-year-old on a five hour plane especially when flights still continue to make me anxious. She was crying throughout the entire plane ride because of the change in air pressure before she passed out from exhaustion. I had to carry her all the way from the airplane to Callie's apartment.

I know it's not a difficult task but my leg really hurts with all this additional walking and carrying her around.

"Hey!" Callie says as she opens the door.

Sofia stirs in my arm as she hears her Momma's voice. Sofia leaps out of my grasp and darts towards Callie as she crouches on the floor to pick her up.

"Did you come straight from the airport?" Callie asks.

"Yeah, little miss over here was getting too restless, so I thought you should get to spend time with her before she crashes again"

"Is that right Sofia? Have you been bothering Mommy?"

"No, I'm a good girl," Sofia replied.

"Here let me help you with Sofia's bags" Callie asks as she puts Sofia down.

Sofia whines and begs Callie to hold her again. But Callie just asks her to wait for a couple of minutes. Sofia pouts but makes her way inside.

"I got the bags, its okay, I can-"

"It was a long flight Arizona, you must be tired and your leg must be sore, let me help you"

"I GOT IT CALLIE" I didn't mean to yell.

"I'm just trying to help you Arizona that's all"

"I don't need your help Callie. If I did then-"

"I know you don't need my help, but I'm offering" Callie cuts me off… again!

I would have let her help me because my leg is actually killing me, but now it's a matter of principle. Just then Penny comes out.

"Dr. Robbins, here let me help you with the luggage" she says as she takes Sofia's pretty pink suitcase inside.

"So, it's just my help you wont accept?"

"Callie- I"

"Whatever just come inside" she says as she storms inside.

Well that went about as great as any of our conversations are going on right now. I took a deep breath before I entered. I was just here for the weekend because it's Sofia's birthday. Callie and I promised each other that we won't split her birthdays. Callie told me that because of her research, there was no way she could come to Seattle, so I offered to come to New York instead.

I thought that we wouldn't fight as much if Sofia was around, but clearly I was wrong.

I should probably head back to my hotel, but I guess I should say goodbye to Callie first before I leave, besides I really want to kiss my daughter before I leave for the night.

I made my way into Sofia's bedroom and saw her crying in Callie's arms.

"What's the matter sweetie? Are you tired?" I asked.

"I…I want Zola"

"Zola isn't here right now, she's in Seattle with Auntie Mer" Callie replies as she rubs her back "Why do you want Zola? Are you missing her?"

"It's my birthday tomorrow and she's my friend. I want Uncle Alex and Auntie April too" she sobs.

"But look honey, Momma's here! You were telling me how much you missed her" I said as I took a seat on her bed right beside her.

"I want to go back!" Sofia screams as she starts squirming in Callie's arms before she untangles herself and takes off running.

I look at Callie's face which is fresh with tears.

"This is just great, my daughter would rather spend time with Karev and freaking Kepner than me" she replies as she wipes her face.

"Callie, she wants to spend time with you"

"Yeah right!"

"She's just too tired from the plane ride give her some-"

"It's not that easy Arizona!"

"WILL YOU LET ME FINISH MY GODDAMN SENTENCE FOR ONCE?!" I yelled.

"Fine, go ahead. Try and make the sinking ship sail"

I get why Callie is upset, I really do. I would have been sad too if Sofia told me something like this... But she already has. Kids don't know what they are saying half the time. Sofia once told me that Callie was a better mother when I am because I didn't let her have ice cream after dinner. I know children don't mean to hurt you. But Callie has to know that she's hurting me too.

"Sofia is just tired, let her sleep and tomorrow we can decide what we want to do for her birthday. Anyway, I'll get back to my cab and go to the hotel. I'll call you before Sofia's bed time" I said as I made my way outside.

A/N: I really liked writing this chapter, especially the contrast between the flashback and the present day.