A/N – I'm so glad you guys enjoyed the previous chapter I was very nervous about it. Just a reminder my medical knowledge is only as good as what Google tells me. Thank you again for all wonderful reviews!
Chapter 15
"I can't believe you just finished filming your first movie," Arizona says excitedly peeking through the tissue paper and plastic wrap. Callie's trailer was yet again been filled to the brim with 'Thank You' gifts when they arrived on set today, brown-nosing seems to be one of Hollywood's favorite pastimes. Arizona opens up her arms letting the load fall onto the dining room table.
"It was so much fun, but I'm glad I can get back to my day job," Callie says as she is looking at everything on the table.
"Day job? You spend your nights performing sold-out concerts around the world. I'd hardly call that a day job."
Callie just shrugs as she smells one of the bath salts she found in one of the packages.
"Look muffins!" Arizona says picking up a basket to read the card. "Ew, it's pumpkin." She holds it away from her as it might bite her.
"I love pumpkin!" Callie takes the basket and pulls out a muffin diving right in. "Mmm, it's good." She says as some crumbs fall from her lips.
Arizona just scrunches up her nose, taking some of the gifts to put them away. Callie grabs another muffin before following her girlfriend.
-x-x-
After the long day, they are just relaxing on the couch watching some mindless TV. Callie is stretched out on the couch with her head in Arizona's lap, drawing little patterns on her thighs. It's little moments like these that Callie loves, no matter what they are doing they always manage to have some form of contact. Like there is a strong magnetic pull between them.
Looking up she can't help but smile at her beautiful girlfriend. Her brows are knit together in concentration, her tongue is peeking out of the corner of her mouth and her eyes are focused on her hands picking at her shirt.
"What are you doing?" Callie asks when her fidgeting doesn't stop.
"There is a hole on my shirt." She says pushing her finger through the hole and wiggling it to emphasize her point.
"Okay, just change your shirt instead of pocking it and making it bigger."
"But this is my favorite shirt." She says as she pouts. Callie sits up needing to kiss that adorable pout away.
"I'm sorry but it's gone. Unless you're going for the Swiss cheese look?" Callie says kissing her girlfriend on her cheek.
"Fine, I'll go change." Arizona gets up and goes upstairs to change, some of her clothes have recently taken up residency in Callie's closet.
Callie is flipping through the channels when she lands on some celebrity news show. There seems to be a never-ending stream of celebrity breakups, hookups, and mug shots. Callie drowns out most of the host's ramblings until a name catches her attention.
"Singer Erica Hahn has just announced that she is currently working on a new album. The singer told reporters that she did a lot of souls searching in preparation for this album and that this album will center around losing your true love and heartbreak." Callie snorts.
"Don't you need an actual heart for it to break?" She changes the channel before she gets an overwhelming urge to launch the remote straight through the TV. A movement next to her catches her eye. When she looks up she finds Arizona wearing that mischievous smile that means something bad is about to happen. "What are you up to?" She sees the blonde's hands behind her back. Callie sits up straight starting to get a little nervous.
"Guess what I found in your closet?"
"Well, it sure wasn't me because I've been out for a while." She says smiling at the blonde.
Arizona slaps her on her shoulder. "Ha ha, you're hilarious."
Callie puts on a straight face. "Sorry, what did you find?" Arizona pulls out a DVD from behind her back. Callie immediately recognizes it and jumps up from the couch. "How did you get that?" Arizona pulls it away when the singer tries to grab it.
"A good magician never reveals her secrets."
"Arizona sweetie, give me the DVD." She asks sweetly moving closer. Arizona taps her chin with the DVD pretending to think.
"No." She steps back again as Callie moves closer to her. "I think I will watch it."
"It's actually very boring." Callie quickly states desperately trying to get the DVD away from her girlfriend.
"Oh, so you're saying 'Calliope's first talent show' is boring?"
"Yeah, and it's not even me it's a totally different person."
"Because Calliope is such a popular name." Arizona challenges her as she puts her hands on her hips.
"Arizona give it to me!" Arizona squeals before running off. Callie chases her around the house, but she is just too slow as Arizona places the DVD inside the player before she can get to it. Grabbing remote Arizona plops down on the couch.
"Kill me please," Callie says embarrassed covering her face with her hands.
"You're such a drama queen." Arizona rolls her eyes as she pulls Callie down next to her on the couch.
The music from Cyndi Lauper's Girls Just Wants To Have Fun starts to play. Arizona can't help her smile when little eight-year-old Callie appears on-screen shaking her little booty as she sings wholeheartedly. Callie can see Arizona is enjoying this way too much, she curses herself for even having the DVD in the first place. The entire time they are watching the video Callie wishes she can just spontaneous combust and disappear. With the finale note as little Callie takes her bow, Arizona turns to the now grown-up singer. She really has come a long way from singing for a school talent show to sold-out stadiums. Arizona can see Callie is feeling very uncomfortable and embarrassed. Arizona places her hand against Callie's cheek making her look at her.
"I have never been more in love with you." Callie just looks at her trying to see if she is just playing with her, but she only sees love in those deep blue eyes. Arizona leans forward capturing her lips. Callie smile against her lips, every time they kiss it still takes her breath away. She pulling away and Arizona places another kiss on the tip of her nose before turning back to the TV. "Let's watch it again!"
"No!" Callie grabs the remote from the laughing blonde.
-x-x-
Beep-Beep-Beep
Arizona slams her hand down on Callie's alarm clock. Slowly opening her eyes scanning the room, it's barely even light and Callie is nowhere to be found. Groaning she pulls the covers over her head. After a few minutes, she untangles herself from the covers and goes in search of her girlfriend. She goes down to the kitchen finding Callie flipping pancakes. Arizona wraps her arms around her girlfriend kissing her neck.
"Morning." She mumbles into her shoulder.
"Morning beautiful, I made your favorite pancakes."
"Why are you so damn perfect?" Callie chuckles. "Why are you up so early, I hate waking up without you?" Arizona moves over to the coffeemaker pouring them each a cup knowing just how Callie likes it.
"Sorry, I just wanted to do a few changes to the new songs before rehearsal." Callie places the plate on the table, the blonde looks at it confused.
"Aren't you hungry?"
Callie jumps onto the counter grabbing a muffin from the basket. "Nah, I'm good."
"Ugh, I don't know how you can eat that." Arizona places the cup of coffee next to Callie, but before she can walk away Callie pulls her closer by locking her legs around her waist.
"It's good you should try it." Callie pulls her into a kiss. Arizona pushes on Callie's shoulders breaking the kiss to wipe her mouth.
"I prefer my Callie pumpkin free." Callie puts down the muffin, taking her face in her hands, and gives her a proper kiss.
"Much better," Arizona whispers against her lips, she gives her one more kiss before sitting down at the table pouring syrup over her pancakes.
"You want some pancakes with your syrup?" Callie asks eyeing the mountain of sugar on the blonde's plate.
"Just trying to get the right pancake to syrup ratio." She takes a bite and moans in pleasure. A stray drop of syrup runs down her lip before she licks it. Callie is staring blankly at her. Arizona smirks she knows exactly what she is doing to her. "Are you sure you don't want some pancakes?" Arizona asks licking her fingers clean, she can see Callie swallow.
"Um," Callie clears her throat trying to get rid of the images in her head. She jumps off the counter. "We-we better get um going." Callie starts backing out of the kitchen her eyes never leaving the blonde until she walks straight into the door slamming her arm into the doorknob.
"Son of a…" She rubs her arm and looks up at the amused blonde. "Don't you laugh, this is your fault!"
"Hey, this is your house I just thought by now you would know where all the doors are."
-x-x-
After breakfast, they are heading to meet the band at rehearsal. The next few days are going to be brutal before they leave to continue with the tour. Bailey has arranged for as much publicity as possible. With the tour, movie, and now her new girlfriend reporters have been hammering on her door to get the inside scoop.
It's the first rehearsal since they returned home. While Callie was busy filming the band had a little downtime, she is afraid they might be a little rusty and everyone knows when it comes to her music she will settle for nothing but perfection. Walking out onto the stage hand-in-hand they find the band in an in-depth argument with each other.
"Sometimes I feel a lot like Jane Goodall," Arizona whispers to Callie as she watches them all.
"I know it's like watching a living freak show, but I can't look away." Arizona chuckles knowing exactly what she means.
Everyone turns their attention to the couple who have just arrived.
"Why is it every time I see you guys there is no practicing going on?" Callie asks eyeing them.
"You just missed it. You should have seen it, it was good." Owen says smiling picking up his guitar.
"What are you guys plotting this time, a murder, a nuclear attack? Whatever it is I don't want any part of it. I don't want you to be calling me in the middle of the night having to help you drag a dead body across the living room floor."
"Oh come on Cal don't be a coward, you only live once," Cristina says twirling her drum sticks.
"That's what I'm afraid of!"
"How about you Rollergirl you up for some world domination?"
"Cristina why is it every time I talk to you I feel like I should get hazard pay?"
"Don't worry I am wining you over, I can feel it," Cristina says smugly.
Callie hands each one of the band sheet music with one of the new songs. They each study it intently while Callie talks them through what she envisioned for the song. She is using musical terms and Arizona has no idea what she is talking about.
-x-x-
Arizona finishes her call with her parents outside when she returns Owen and Meredith are talking to each other, Cristina is in her own little world doing some form of air drumming while George is making notes on his sheet music and Callie is talking with April and Lexie about the backup vocals. Arizona never understood how a bunch of dots and lines on a page can turn into such beautiful music. Arizona takes a seat next to Jackson.
"So, how does this work? Shouldn't they record the songs first before performing it?" She asks watching her girlfriend moving around the stage.
"No, not necessarily. Whenever they are in the middle of a tour and Callie writes new songs they always like to test it out first. They perform it for the fans and see their reaction, if the fans like it they record it."
"And if they don't like it?"
"I don't know it's never happened before." He smiles at her.
The band is hard at work, they haven't done one complete run-through of the song because someone always manages to screw up or Callie stops them to change something. They are taking a much-needed water break when Arizona comes rolling in.
"Callie it's time to go we need to get you to the photoshoot." Callie lets out a groan. Photoshoots are not her favorite part of the job. Putting on a fake smile and posing for a camera who apparently loves you, is not her idea of a fun time.
"Do we have to? We still have a lot of work to do." She asks motioning to the band.
"Fine, I'll just send them your driver's license photo to use."
Callie looks at her trying to figure out if she is bluffing, but the intense glare she was giving her told her she is dead serious.
"You don't play fair." She reluctantly gets up and puts on her leather jacket.
"Come on superstar let's go!" Arizona says taking Callie's hand. Callie catches the weird look on the blonde's face.
"Hey, what's wrong?" Arizona shakes her head.
"Nothing, it's just your hands are cold."
"It's a cold day."
"Yeah, but your hands are never cold." Arizona gets this weird feeling something is not right. "Callie, are you feeling okay?" She asks concerned.
"I'm fine I just have a slight headache."
"Do you want me to get you something for it, maybe coffee?"
"I think I know a cure for a headache that doesn't involve coffee." She whispers suggestively into the blonde's ear.
"Nice try, we are still going to the photoshoot." She tugs a pouting Callie towards the exit.
-x-x-
The drive over is slow hitting afternoon traffic. Arizona is typing away on her phone, there is still so much that needs to be done before they leave at the end of the week. Arizona glances over at Callie finding her girlfriend fast asleep. The sun streaming in through the window illuminating her beautiful features. Even if she is beyond exhausted she still looks breathtaking.
Callie recently interviewed with one of the country's largest health magazines. The article mainly focused on how she keeps in shape during her world tour but they somehow managed to ask the question everyone has been dying to ask her, namely Arizona. After going public with their relationship Callie was more than happy to tell the world how much she loves the blonde, but she knows how bad it is to have people snooping around in your personal life. She is not going to subject Arizona to that just because of who she is.
The shoot went smoothly Callie was photographed doing different types of exercises. Arizona is sure the pictures are going to be sexy as hell. People all over the world will be swooning over her, they can look all they want but like Callie said in the interview she is only Arizona's. After the shoot, they went back to rehearsal for a few more hours before going back to Callie's house.
Arizona is relaxing on Callie's bed reading her emails on her iPad. Her legs are crossed and her loose blonde hair is creating a curtain around her as she looks over the screen. Callie comes into the room wearing only her silk robe. She watches her girlfriend for a moment before walking to the foot of the bed.
"What's ya doing?"
"Working and you?" Not looking up from her iPad.
"I was thinking about taking a long relaxing bubble bath. I was wondering if you would like to join me?" That gets Arizona's attention, she looks up her eyes gliding over the singer's body.
"Oh, you do?"
"Yes, I'm just trying to help the environment," Callie says nonchalantly.
"The environment?"
"Yes, save water bath with a friend." Callie lets the side of the robe fall of her shoulder, she sees the confused look on Arizona's face. "Okay, not the look I was going for."
"What happened to your arm?" She gets up moving closer to Callie.
Callie looks down to see a purple bruise on her arm. "Oh, that's where I hit my arm this morning but I didn't think it was this bad."
"Does it hurt?" Arizona asks applying pressure.
"No." She cups the blonde's cheek making her look at her. "Hey I'm fine, nothing a long hot bath and ice-cold champagne can't fix." She turns around and disappears into the bathroom. Arizona just looks at the spot her girlfriend previously occupied, when Callie's robe falls in front of her feet she takes off after her without another thought.
-x-x-
Arizona is doing some much-needed shopping. Callie is planning a special dinner for them tonight, but much like the first time she cooked for her Arizona is send to the store to get everything for their dinner. She is walking around looking at everything on the shelves when her phone rings. She smiles when she sees her girlfriend's face light up the screen.
"Hey, pretty lady, how is the rehearsal going?"
"They are slowly driving me crazy, so nothing new." Arizona chuckles, there are some very strong personalities in the band, but they are all the best at what they do. Arizona has this weird feeling like someone is following her. Looking behind her she sees three teenage girls looking at her. Ignoring it she goes about her business.
"I think I'm being followed by teenage girls."
"Are you wearing your wheelie shoes?" Knowing that would get the blonde a few looks.
"No, I'm wheel free." Rolling her eyes she knows that Callie has an issue with her choice of footwear. "I almost have everything on your list. I can't wait for tonight, I love your cooking. Also, you look really hot when you cook."
"Oh really?" Turning around Arizona sees the girls are still following her.
"Okay, they are totally following me."
"If I was a teenage girl I would follow you around too."
"That would be kind of disturbing." She stops at the magazine rack when she sees a photo of her and Callie at the premier. The girls are talking among themselves pointing at her and the magazine. "I think I solved the mystery of teenage girls."
"And what's that?"
" I think they are fans of my super awesome girlfriend."
"I'm sorry if they are bothering you can just…" This is what Callie was afraid of.
"Calliope it's fine really. I can handle a few stares it's not a big deal. I will see you after I drop everything off at home." Callie doesn't miss Arizona calling her house home and she really hopes soon it will be their home.
"Okay, see you soon. Love you."
"Love you too."
Arriving at Callie's house Arizona unpacks everything she bought, when she spots the basket of muffins, there is only a few left since Callie has been basically living off of them the past couple of days. She quickly drops them in the garbage. She really can't see how Callie can eat those things.
-x-x-
Callie had made them the most amazing dinner and they emptied a bottle or two of wine. Now they are cuddling on the couch watching a romantic movie Arizona picked out for them while Arizona is feeding Callie ice cream.
"Have you heard back from Aria yet?"
"Nope, radio silence."
"Maybe she is just busy," Arizona says taking a bite herself.
"Busy with what?"
"Whatever it is Aria does." She shrugs.
Callie's head is starting to feel a little fuzzy and her stomach starts to turn. Arizona sees the color drain from Callie's face.
"Hey, what's wrong?" She asks alarmed sitting up.
"Nothing. Just a little brain freeze." Callie gives her a reassuring smile but Arizona doesn't buy it.
"I think that's enough ice cream for tonight," Arizona says getting up taking the bowl back to the kitchen.
Something tickles Callie's lip, running her fingers over it she pulls back to see blood. "What the?"
Arizona walks back into the room. "Maybe I can make us some hot chocolate to warm you back up?" She freezes when she sees the blood dripping from Callie's nose.
"Arizona." Is all she can say before everything goes black.
-x-x-
Arizona feels helpless, she is pacing up and down in the waiting room. This is the first time in months she wishes she was wearing her scrubs just to get some damn answers out of these doctors. As soon as they arrived at the ER Callie was brought into a private room, but Arizona is forced to wait in the waiting room.
Recognizing one of Callie's doctors walking past, she grabs the young man's arm.
"Can you please tell me what is wrong with her?" She asks him, he looks more like a boy scout than a doctor.
"I'm sorry I can't…"
"I don't care about stupid hospital policy! Please that's the woman I love in there, please." She begs.
He runs his hand through his shaggy hair, contemplating whether or not he should say anything.
"We are not sure yet, we have to wait for the test results. Her blood pressure is very low and showing signs of anemia."
"This cannot be happening." She whispers, her eyes are scanning the room, she can feel her entire body start to shake.
"In most of these cases people with her kind of work schedule and pressure of being in the public eye it's just stress." Her eyes snap up at his green eyes gives him a death glare.
"What? You are seriously saying that this is all just because of stress? Are you kidding me?!"
He takes an involuntary step away from the blonde. "I understand Ms. Robbins but…"
"Actually it's Dr. Robbins." She corrects him.
"I should have figured." He says under his breath.
"Excuse me?" Arizona is ready to let all her pent up frustrations out, and right now there is a giant bulls-eye painted on his forehead.
"I'm sorry Dr. Robbins but we are doing everything we can." He tries to step around her but she blocks his way.
"Don't give me some bullshit line about stress just because you're too stupid to figure out what is really wrong with her! I don't care if you have to do every damn test in this hospital and while you are at it get a real doctor who didn't get his medical degree at a yard sale!"
"Arizona!" The blonde turns around to see Addison running towards her still in her pajamas. The doctor takes this as his chance and escapes the wrath of the blonde.
"Addison." She says hugging her, relaxing slightly into her embrace.
"What happened, is she okay?" She asks holding Arizona at arm's length to get a good look at her.
"They don't know yet they are still running tests." Arizona quickly wipes at her cheeks.
"Oh Arizona, are you okay?"
"Yes." Addison looks at her seeing tears ready to fall at any moment. "No." She pulls her into another hug.
"Hey, everything will be fine. Don't worry she will be okay." She tries to soothe her.
"How can you be so sure?"
"Because she is too pretty to die." That actually gets a smile from Arizona.
-x-x-
Addison, Bailey, and Arizona are sitting in the waiting room. Bailey is talking none stop on her phone ever since she arrived at the hospital. Because Mark is in Miami he has called earlier making Addison promise to call him immediately if there is any news.
Addison thinks back to months ago when she was in a pretty similar situation only it was an anxious Callie who sat next to her. Arizona is talking to herself, Addison can see her mind going a million miles a second. To anyone else, she would appear to be a crazy person but after a while, Addison recognizes a few medical terms, she is trying to figure out what possibly could be wrong with her girlfriend.
Time feels like it's standing still. Addison basically pushed Arizona out of the waiting room telling her to take a walk or get some coffee, anything to calm her nerves a little before she gives the waiting room an unwanted trench from all her pacing. She walked around for a little while but her mind was running wild. She needs to know what is wrong with Callie, and after meeting her so-called doctor her faith isn't very high in the medical expertise of St. Ambrose Hospital. Pulling out her phone she dials the only number of someone who can help her right now.
"Hey Ab Fab!" Teddy's voice rings through the earpiece. "So I was thinking, do you know if Callie can use a Cardiothoracic surgeon in her entourage?"
"Teddy,"
"Yeah, that's a stupid question. But I'm a really good pitcher actually, maybe she needs a pitcher for her Hollywood softball league?"
"Teddy,"
"Does she even have an entourage? Because if she doesn't she needs to get one all the…"
"Teddy!" Arizona losing what little patients she had left.
"Sorry, geez what's got your panties in a twist?" She only received silence from the other end. "Arizona what's wrong?" Immediately picking up that something is wrong.
"It's Callie, she's in the hospital. Some things have been off these last couple of days and tonight her nose started to bleed and she fainted." Arizona fights hard to keep her emotions at bay.
"Holy shit is she okay?"
"I- I don't know, the doctors are still running tests. They are saying that it is anemia caused by stress and that's the biggest load of crap I ever heard!"
"I guess it could be stress I mean it hasn't been the easiest time in her life and…"
"It's not stress!" Arizona gets some looks from passing nurses.
"Okay okay, calm down. Hey, why don't you see if you can get them to send me her scans and test results, just to make sure they didn't miss anything?"
"Thank you, Teddy." She takes a shaky breath.
"Are you okay?" She asks she can only imagine what Arizona must be going through.
"I'm fine." Her voice cracking slightly, but it didn't go unnoticed by Teddy.
"I can hear you freaking."
"Teddy when I saw her… the blood, I just can do this again." She drops her head in her hand.
"I'm sure everything is going to be fine. You know what I'll go talk the Chief and see if I can get a day or two off and I'll be on the first flight to LA."
"Teddy you can't do that. You can't just drop everything." She tries to protest.
"Yes, I can Arizona you're my best friend and…"
"I'll be fine I promise, let's just wait and hear what the doctors say before you hightail it out here. I'm sure it's nothing serious."
"Okay," Teddy says satisfied that she has defused her friend's panic attack. Arizona smiles to herself.
"You think I don't know what you did there Theodora?"
"I don't know what you're talking about. Take care Arizona and call me if you need anything."
"Will do. Thank you, Teddy."
-x-x-
Callie wakes up to a pounding in her head, there is an annoying beeping sound next to her. After her eyes adjust to the bright white lights she sees blonde hair covering her right hand. She opens her mouth to speak but her throat is on fire like she swallowed a pinecone. Arizona starts to stir and her eyes fall on Callie's face. Callie masters up the best smile she can.
"Callie you're awake." Sitting up straight.
"Hi." Callie rasps out, Arizona gets up to get her some water and she places the straw between Callie's lips.
"Better?"
"Yes, thank you." Arizona kisses her hair before she leans her forehead against Callie's.
"You almost scared me to death back there," Arizona whispers, breathing a sigh of relief.
"Well, if I'm going down I'm taking you with me." Callie teases her.
"Hey look who is awake," Addison says coming into the room followed closely by Bailey.
"Hi Addie, Bailey."
"How are you feeling?" Addison asks squeezing her hand.
"Like I wrestled an elephant."
"Well you missed the show, your girlfriend here was freaking out," Bailey says pointing to Arizona.
"What are you talking about?"
"When I got here Arizona was screaming at this poor doctor, I thought he was going to pee his pants. It was awesome!" Addison winks at Arizona.
"You went all Dr. Robbins on them didn't you?"
"What good is a medical degree if I can't use it to help my girlfriend? Besides, that doctor was an idiot." She says defensively.
"Sweetie, let the doctors do their job. Not everyone can be the amazing Dr. Arizona Robbins with all your fancy degrees."
"Really?" Arizona asks giving her a raised eyebrow.
"It's true! You've got so many degrees I don't know if you're a doctor or thermometer." Callie laughs at her own joke.
"Good to see your sense of humor is still intact." Arizona rolls her eyes half heartedly, she is just to happy that Callie is okay.
"I'm glad to see your awake Ms. Torres." Everyone looks at the door to see a new doctor walk in. At least she doesn't look twelve years old like the previous idiot.
"Who are you and what are your credentials?" Arizona asks before she can say anything else.
"I am Dr. Charlotte King, Johns Hopkins MD, and currently Chief of staff at St. Ambrose Hospital and damn good at my job." She looks at Arizona. "I am assuming your Dr. Robbins, I must say you have quite the reputation over at Hopkins." Callie looks surprised, Arizona clears her throat hoping her cheeks aren't as red as they feel.
"So, Dr. King are you here to tell us its stress?" Arizona asks sarcastically.
"It's not stress."
"What?" Arizona's head snap.
"Here look for yourself." She hands Arizona the chart. She reads franticly through all the test results. Callie sees her entire body go rigid and eyes widen.
"Arizona you're starting to scare me what is it?" Callie asks after what feels like an hour of silence.
"Dr. Robbins would you like me to explain or do you want to?" Dr. King asks.
"I'll do it." She says handing back the chart.
"I'll be right outside if you have any questions." Dr. King nods before leaving.
Arizona repositions herself in the chair, nervously tucking a piece of hair behind her ear. At this point, Addison is also starting to get freaked out leaning forward in her seat. Arizona takes Callie's hand stroking the back of her hand with her thumb.
"Please don't tell me I'm pregnant." Callie tries to joke but it just gets a weak smile from Arizona.
"Your blood tests showed evidence of Anticoagulant Rodenticide poisoning."
"What is that?" Bailey asks getting scared as well.
Arizona shifts nervously in her seat before looking back at Callie.
"It's rat poison."