A/N - So sorry for the delay guys. Things are so busy over here but I do plan on continuing this story. Thanks for coming back to it and I hope you are all keeping safe and well.

On a side note, have you watched The Haunting of Bly Manor?! It's literally become my new obsession 3 Anyway, on with the next instalment.

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A Twist of Fate

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Chapter 12

With her exhausted body shuffling down a quiet corridor, Callie soon realised she didn't have the strength to make it to an on call room. Finding an abandoned hospital bed up against the wall on her right, she moved over to it, lifting herself up until she had her back against the wall; her legs dangling over the side of it.

It had been almost 10 hours since she and Arizona had been paged in. A fire had ignited in a hotel building across town resulting in mass casualties. Men, women and children had come in with severe burns, broken bones from attempting to jump from their windows aswell as smoke inhalation and other various injuries.

It had been all hands on deck and because of that, Callie hadn't had even a second to think about the previous night. Now however, as she let her mind relax, her thoughts immediately drifted off to the peds surgeon. She'd worked on and off with Arizona throughout the night but there had been no time to talk about anything but the task at hand.

It goes without saying that the job came first. Innocent lives in need of medical assistance would always take priority but that didn't diminish how frustrated she'd felt last night. Arizona had literally just touched her intimately for the first time and they'd been interrupted.

Ever since they'd admitted their likeness for one another a few weeks earlier, they just couldn't catch a break. Not only had something always gotten in the way of her talks with Owen but now their attempt at actually being together was being interrupted. Were they doomed? Was that it..? She hoped not. It was just a frustrating series of events. They'd get their moment together and as Arizona had promised last night, the wait would be worth it.

Along the corridor, Arizona and Addison were consulting on a patient when the blonde noticed Callie sat with her head back against the wall and her eyes closed. Wondering what had distracted her, Addison followed her line of sight. With a smile, she squeezed Arizona's arm. "I'll leave you guys to it."

With a smile and nod of her head, Arizona quietly wandered over to the Latina. Stopping just in front of the cardio doctor, she allowed herself a few extra moments of just looking at the woman. When she finally spoke, Callie visibly jumped. "You look how I feel..."

Opening her eyes, Callie found the blonde smiling back at her while climbing up onto the hospital bed beside her. She looked down at the coffee Arizona held out in offering. "Thanks" she said, grasping and bringing the cardboard cup to her mouth. Moaning her approval, she handed the coffee back. "Some day huh, and it's only..." she looked over at the clock along the hallway. "...9am."

The blonde laughed slightly. "Tell me about it. I'm so tired I feel like I could fall asleep standing up with my eyes open."

"Yea, its certainly been eventful."

Arizona nodded. "Yea and not in the way either of us had been hoping." She looked into understanding brown eyes. "I'm exhausted" she said before dropping her head onto the Latina's shoulder.

Callie placed her own head softly against the top of the blondes. "Me too." Within a couple of minutes, they'd fallen asleep.

"Hey, Arizona?"

Jerking awake, the blonde finally focused on April. "Huh, what?" She glanced to her right finding Callie still complete flat out, head against the wall and mouth hanging open.

"Sorry, I know you must be exhausted but they need you in the OR. The Ferguson kids in a bad way" April told her.

"Ok, I'm coming." She glanced at her watch realising she must have been sleeping for nearly an hour. Kepner had already left but before she followed, she took a pen and sticky note pad out of her lab coat. Scribbling down a message, she tore off the top sheet and placed it carefully in the Latina's half clenched hand. With a final look she turned and jogged towards the OR.

It was a further 30 minutes before Callie awoke from her nap. She moved her tongue around her mouth, trying to moisten the dryness that had formed there. Feeling something in her hand she looked down and frowned. Unfolding the paper, she read the note. You're a very comfortable pillow, Calliope. Duty called. Find me later? X

A smile instantly spread on her lips as she re-read the simple message several times. Deciding she wanted to keep the note, she slipped it into her bra just as Addison appeared.

"Hey sleeping beauty. Feeling better?"

Stretching out her aching muscles, Callie jumped down from the bed. "A little. It's been a long day and it's only...half ten."

"You're meant to be off today, aren't you?"

Callie shrugged. "Yea but I may aswell stick around here. See if I can be useful."

Addison nodded before a smirk formed on her lips. "Arizona's in OR 1 if you want to go watch?"

The Latina couldn't stop the small smile from appearing on her face. "Yea, why not." She wasn't gona be one to turn down an opportunity to watch Arizona work.

Making it to the empty gallery they made themselves comfortable before Callie divulged what had happened the night before. "I really like her, Addy."

Addison nodded. "And I can tell she likes you too. All the little looks you were giving eachother lastnight. It's really cute."

"Dr Torres..." Callie jumped slightly at the sound of Arizona saying her name. Looking down into the OR, she found blue eyes looking up at her. Moving to the intercom, she pressed the button. "Yea?"

"Tim is downstairs. He's locked out of my apartment. Is there any chance you could you take him my keys so he can go collect his stuff before he has to make his flight?"

"Yea, sure thing."

The blonde turned to her intern. "Summers, could you please take my locker key up to Dr Torres. It's in my pocket here."

"Ofcourse, Dr Robbins."

Looking back up, Arizona smiled beneath her mask at the Latina. "Thanks."

With a nod of her head, Callie looked at a smirking Addison.

"You already sound like a married couple…running errands for eachother. Next you'll be picking up her dry cleaning."

"Bite me Addy. I'll see you later."

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"So you think things between you and your husband will stay amicable?"

Callie blew on her coffee as she nodded her head. "Yea, I honestly believe we can do it." She looked over at Tim who was sat on the island chair beside her in Arizona's apartment. After getting the keys from Arizona's locker, she'd gone down to the main entrance to meet Tim. After asking the Latina if she was free to join him so he wouldn't need to come back over to drop the keys in, she'd accepted the invitation and followed him over the street.

She knew in a roundabout way that this was his way of perhaps getting to know her a bit more away from Arizona. He obviously wanted to make sure she was genuine in her feelings for his little sister.

"He's a good man, we just never worked."

"Is that because you're secretly a lesbian?" he said with a wink.

She laughed at his playful face which reminded her so much of the peds surgeon. "I wouldn't say I'm a lesbian as such. I still like men too but...I guess really, I have more of an inclination towards women. Despite the fact my history with men well out weighs my history with women. I just buried those feelings for a long time, you know?"

"Well you've certainly made an impression on my sister."

Callie smiled. "The same could be said for her on me."

He studied her for several moments while deep in thought. "I presume you know her full history with Lauren?"

She nodded. "Yea, she's talked about it. I can't imagine going through something like that. I mean, my husband recently cheated on me but circumstances were different. We weren't in a loving, seemingly happy relationship."

"Yea, well that woman destroyed her. You see, Zee's always been very soft natured. She's a very loving and protective person. When we were kids, I had pneumonia. I actually died for a couple of minutes. Totally flat-lined but after the quick work and determination of our peds surgeon back in Missouri, he brought me back. I'm pretty sure that's why Zee decided that's what she wanted to be when she was older. From then on she was obsessed with all things doctor related. Any fancy dress or halloween party she went to, she went as a doctor."

Callie smiled as she imagined a small Arizona Robbins dressed up in her doctor attire.

"Anyway, when she first got into medical school and things got real, she didn't know if she'd be able to hack it. Her first week of the intern programme, she lost her first patient. It was a 4 year girl, I've forgotten what was wrong with her but it really affected Zee. She rang me to say she didn't know if she could do it but I flew over and persuaded her to stick with it. Sure it was inevitable she was going to lose patients, but hopefully the saves would well outweigh the losses. Over time she's been able to build up that wall and separate herself between work life and personal life, which I'm sure you have too."

Callie nodded understandingly but allowed Tim to continue.

"She's the nicest person you'll ever have the pleasure of meeting and that's why it affected her so much when Lauren cheated on her with Simon. She loved her so much and had done everything for her but all the while Lauren and Simon had been seeing eachother behind her back." He stopped for a few moments to take a sip of his coffee. "It took a long time for her to recover from that but since then, she's been happy. She focused on her work and she's had casual hook ups with women in her spare time. That's worked for her...until she met the hot cardio doctor in Seattle."

Callie allowed a small laugh to emit from her lips. She looked down at her coffee bashfully. "So I have alot it answer for, huh?" He wasn't grilling her, she knew that. He clearly just wanted her to know what his sister had been through.

"Yea, you do" Tim said, his lips curling into a smirk that was the spitting double of his sister's. "Were both adults Callie. I'm not gona sit here and lay the law down, I just want you to know how much Zee means to me. I look out for her, even when she doesn't realise it. She likes you and I can tell just from lastnight how much you like her too. So please, just promise me, if the 2 of you become something more, don't break her. She didn't deserve it last time and she certainly wouldn't deserve it to happen a second."

Callie's brown eyes looked back into Tim's deep blue. "You know, you're the best brother a women could ever ask for. Arizona's lucky she has you as I'm sure you are her." Placing her cup on the counter, she looked back at Tim determinedly. "Look Tim, I don't know what's going to happen between Arizona and I but what I do know is I like her. Alot. She's not only the most beautiful person I've ever met but she's also one of the kindest, most interesting and smartest too. I would never do anything to intentionally hurt her. I'm not a cheater so that would never happen. Although my marriage is only just ending, I'd love that for one day in the foreseeable future, we had a chance at finding happiness together."

Tim studied her for a few moments before smiling. "Well, all I can say is that you'd make a good addition to the Robbins family, Callie. My mom would love you. I can tell already. They always say mother knows best and she never cared for Lauren."

"Well maybe one day I'll get to meet her."

"I'm sure you will" he smiled. "So, just be patient with Zee, yea? After what happened, it might take her some time to open up completely about her feelings. She's alot more guarded these days but once she lets you in, you'll feel like the luckiest person alive."

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It was later that day when Evelyn Hunt returned Allegra and the boys back to their mother whilst Owen was still stuck in surgery. Despite feeling like a walking corpse, Callie had been overjoyed to have her babies back with her. They ofcourse had been beyond excited and had many stories to tell her from their weekend away.

After the nightly routine with the kids, Callie soaked in the bath for a good hour before deciding on getting into bed before 9. As she sat there, rubbing moisturiser into her face, her cell began to ring. Quickly wiping the excess cream over her arms, she reached over, a smile gracing her lips when she saw who the caller was. "Hey there."

"Good evening Calliope. I didn't wake you, did I?"

"No, don't worry, I've only just got into bed here."

"Same here. I only got back in an hour ago."

"Seriously? Jeez, you must be exhausted. How did that kid do?"

There was silence on the other end for a few seconds. "He didn't make it."

Callie could hear the sadness in the blondes voice. "Oh Arizona, I'm sorry." She felt a pang of longing, wishing the blonde was there for her to comfort. She hated the thought of her being all alone across town.

"Yea. I'm trying to look at it from a different perspective. He had horrific burns that would have affected him emotionally and physically for the rest of his life. He was a little fighter though, right to the end."

Callie smiled sadly down the phone. "Poor kid. I wish there was something I could do to help take your mind off it coz I know how devastating a loss like that can be."

"Well, you're distracting me now so that's helping. Plus, my bed smells of you which I have to admit is kind of nice."

The Latina laughed softly. "I'm surprised the smells lingered. I was barely in it more than 3 or 4 minutes."

A pout formed on the blondes face. "Yea, that part blows but like I said, the wait will be worth it."

"I know it will."

"So I hear you came back to the apartment with Tim earlier? Do I need to be apologising on his behalf?"

Callie laughed. "No ofcourse not. He asked if I wanted to go with him and take the key back so he wouldn't need to come back over with it to the hospital. We ended up having a nice chat over a coffee."

Curiosity was getting the better of the peds surgeon. "So...what did you guys talk about?" She'd been feeling slightly nervous ever since Tim had text from the airport saying he'd had a talk with Callie while she worked.

"Well, mainly you. I think he perhaps gave me the big brother speech if you know what I mean.."

The blonde cringed. "Oh God, Cal I'm so sorry. He had no right to do that."

"Hey, it's fine. Its good you have someone looking out for you like that. If it helps, I think I passed his test."

Smiling, Arizona turned over on to her side in bed. "Well that doesn't surprise. You've always come across as someone who excels in tests."

Laughing, Callie shuffled her body until she was fully laid down, tucked under the blanket. "And you'd be right, missus."

"So, I was thinking about how you still owe me a date to see Twilight."

"Oh yea, how could I forget?" the Latina laughed. "I can't believe our first date is going to see that ridiculous movie."

"Well, that doesn't have to be an official date. It could be just 2 friends, catching a movie together."

Callie thought on. "What if I want to hold your hand?"

Arizona smiled as she felt herself fall even harder for the Latina. "Friends hold hands..." she told her.

The cardio surgeon smiled down the phone. "Just like friends kiss too huh?"

"Precisely..."

Callie shook her head as she laughed down the phone. "I don't think we're kidding anyone with the whole friends kiss and hold hands thing, Arizona."

Her teeth bit down into her bottom lip as the blonde suppressed a grin. "I fear you might be right, Calliope."

"Yea, it happens often."

"What does?"

"The whole me being right thing. It happens alot" Callie shot back nonchalantly.

Arizona rolled her eyes as she let out a small laugh. "You know, its just aswell you're pretty. It takes the focus of that exceptionally large head of yours."

The Latina's head pushed back into the pillow as she laughed. After a few seconds, she settled down. "You think I'm pretty?"

The blonde smiled as she nodded. "I think you're beautiful, Calliope. Inside and out."

The compliment caused a warming sensation to spread throughout the Latina's body. "Thank you" she softly replied.

A few moments of silence passed between the two women before a yawn crept up on the blonde. She laughed before apologising.

"Hey, there's no need for apologies" Callie told her. "You've had a really long day…which is a complete understatement considering you never went to bed lastnight. I think it's time we both got some well deserved sleep to be honest."

"Yea. As much as I'm enjoying talking to you, I'm about ready to crash out."

Smiling, Callie turned over onto her side. "Go on, get yourself to sleep. We'll talk in the morning."

"I'll look forward to it. Goodnight, Calliope. Sweet dreams."

"Same to you, Arizona. Night." Hanging up, Callie reached out and grabbed her charger, slipping the end into the bottom of her phone. Quickly turning out the light she flopped back onto the mattress and closed her eyes. The last thing on her mind before sleep took over was the thought of a bright and exciting future with Arizona Robbins.

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