Chapter 10

Monday brought a change in pace, with it being Sofia's first day at school and Arizona returning to work on reduced hours. It took some time in the morning for both of them to wake up and get ready, both needing to get into a new routine of making packed lunches and preparing school bags. Sofia was excited to start school and had to change her outfit 3 times, then insisted on a complex plait in her hair. She wanted to look her best when she arrived.

Arizona having started at many new schools in her life endulged her daughter, first impressions were everything, but so was feeling like a million dollars when you walked into a new school and after everything she had been through Sofia deserved a confidence boost.

She arrived at work a few minutes late, after getting caught in a drop off queue at school, and wanting to go inside and make sure Sofia was okay and found her class. Immediately she was dragged into consults that appeared from nowhere, interns queuing up to have her consult leading to 3 procedures. Luckily, she managed to escape as school let out picking Sofia up and dropping her to day care at the hospital so she could finish her mammoth day. So much for school hours. The whole drive over Sofia bounced on her seat telling her every part of her day from the swings in the play ground to the colouring she did in lessons. Stranglely today was an underwater theme, colouring different fish, given that they had spent the previous day at the sea life centre. Arizona was now the proud owner of a new piece of artwork that was going to take pride of place on her fridge.

Checking her phone, walking out of day care she saw she had several messages, Bailey needed to talk to her as did the social worker and Callie. Sighing at the long list of people queuing to talk to her, in this never-ending day, Arizona began returning the calls.

Her first priority was ringing the social worker, Sofia her priority. It was good news, after Callie's interview she was no longer a suspect, and the supervised visits could be stopped. With that in mind she called Callie, Arizona arranged for her to collect Sofia from day care and drop her off before bedtime. It was much better for them to spend time together than have Sofia at daycare.

Checking the schedule, she started her consults waiting for Bailey to finish her surgery before she walked to Bailey's office.

"Torres came to see me today she wants her job back, as you know we haven't managed to find a head of ortho yet, but I wanted to check you were okay with your ex-wife re-joining the team especially under the current circumstances." Bailey stated getting straight down to business. Arizona sat on the chair opposite; the door was shut but the glass windows meant she had to keep her composure. She took a minute to think about it, Callie working back at the hospital. It meant she would be in Seattle,it meant she could see Sofia all the time, Sofia would have 2 mom's again. As soon as Arizona thought about Sofia she knew she had to agree, no matter what she thought about Callie and how mad she was at her ex-wife for not noticing Sofia came first.

"Its fine, Callie is an amazing doctor, we'd be stupid to turn her down and it would be good for Sofia to have both mom's in Seattle."

"How is Sofia?" Bailey asked,

"Traumatised, but doing better, seeing Callie has done her good she was convinced we'd be mad at her for being abused, she's seeing a councillor twice a week, she's eating more, her bruises and wounds are healing."

"Has she said who?" Bailey questioned curiously.

"Penny, perfect Penny whipped, beat and abused my daughter" Arizona spat allowing her hatred and anger to emerged for just a moment.

"I'll inform security her privileges will be revoked, she'll be banned from site" Bailey offered, she couldn't do a lot to help the situation, but she could do that. "How are you?" Bailey asked concerned. Arizona sighed, she hadn't really taken the time to think about how she was doing, all her time and energy was focused on Sofia, on making sure she was okay, safe and happy.

"I have no idea," she admitted honnestly, considering the question. In all the drama her focus had been mostly on Sofia and more recenlty Callie, she hadn't really taken the time to consider how she was.

"I'm keeping it together, I've seen my counsellor twice I feel more messed up each time, but I have to keep it together for Sofia. The police are investigating so I can't talk to people only you, and Alex know, Callie knows bits, they lifted supervised visits today. The police are waiting for DNA results on the belt before they arrest and charge Penny, I have a restraining order for myself and Sofia, but I keep asking myself, what did we do to deserve this, what did Sofia do to deserve this? Has our family not been through enough already" Arizona was sobbing now not caring if people were staring through the glass window. Bailey stood walking around the desk hugging Arizona tightly, there wasn't many people she'd let cry on her shoulder but the mother in her heart was breaking just thinking if it was Tuck going to his dad's coming back with bruises. As a mother it was a thought to horrific to contemplate, the thought of your child being abused, but that's what Arizona was living through.

"And I know Callie is sorry, and I believe she didn't know, I saw her face when she found out, but that just makes me mad. How could she not know? How could she not notice, I trusted her with Sofia, I trusted her with the most precious thing in my life. I trusted Callie and I trusted Penny. I'm so angry with her but Callie is so sorry, so sad and feeling so guilty that I can't even shout at her, I can't make her feel worse" Arizona ranted.

"You still love her" Bailey pointed out, Arizona sighed, not confirming, she didn't need to.

"Sorry," Arizona apologised, "That's twice in a week I've cried all over you"

"Don't apologise, just don't make a habit of it" Bailey said firmly. "Now you should get home I believe we agreed school hours and its currently 1800." She insisted.

"I just have a few more case files to review" Arizona protested, she hated to leave thing unfinished and after taking so much time off she felt she needed to stay and complete her work.

"Anything emergent?" Bailey asked, Arizona shook her head no,

"Then go home" Bailey ordered, "And spoil that girl of yours. Don't argue Robbin's I'm the chief" Bailey ordered.

"Thanks Chief"

Arizona stood up going to her office and locking up, updating the last few plans that couldn't wait, before making her way out of the hospital. Callie had promised her dinner tonight, Arizona smiled, she just hoped Sofia had opened up to her and Callie wasn't feeling to guilty. Steeling herself up for an emotinonal night Arizona walked out.

Getting to her car she stood shocked. The car was destroyed, the front window smashed, the side window's spray painted along the side. Underneath the windows the word bitch was written along the side in bright red paint that looked at first glance like blood. Touching the red paint she found it was still wet, as it came off onto her hand.

Shocked and puzzled as to who would do this, Arizona reached for her phone to call security, take pictures for her insurance, and call a ride, when she heard something from behind. Footsteps? Assuming it was another member of staff Arizona turned to look, she felt a blinding pain across the back of her head, then she was falling to the floor trying to fight darkness.

The pain in her head was growing she raised her arm feeling where the pain came from finding only blood, lots of blood. She saw a figure approach but it was blurry, why was her vision blurry? She blinked trying to clear her vision, but before she could make out who before blackness overtook her, she felt weightless and the world got further and further away.

Any guesses as to who it could be?

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