What everyone has been waiting for the custody trial

Chapter 13

6 weeks after filing for sole custody and the court date came. Neither woman wanted to delay this, dragging it out longer. For Callie Penny was moving to New York monday and she wanted to follow while Arizona just wanted the stress of this to end before she went to court for the rape case.

Arizona had anxiety asking her friends to testify ending up with Richard, Andrew, and Miranda. While Amelia had offered, her lawyer wasn't sure about having an ex-drug user testifying was the best idea. Amelia had moved back to Meredith's understanding she would only hurt Arizona's chances. Andrew had moved in with his girlfriend, Sam but had agreed to testify, Lucinda had agreed he was suitable, he had seen Arizona and Sofia together and despite moving out was still babysat on occasion if needed, it went to it takes a village defence.

April too was considered too unstable to be on the stand. Arizona had after all fired her as a patient and betrayed her oath as a doctor to tell Jackson about the baby, these weren't traits Lucinda wanted the judge to know about. Plus, April was 8 months pregnant and the last thing Arizona wanted do was put extra stress on her or her baby especially after last time.

Callie on the other hand had Penny, Owen, Meredith, and Miranda. Alex had refused to help both of them which had hurt Arizona a lot, they'd worked together for 8 years in Peds. He'd been there when nobody else had. Both Callie and Arizona had agreed that Sofia could stay with Maggie while at court and both had agreed not to tell Sofia what was going on, it's all they could agree.

The morning of the court case came, Callie had Sofia, Arizona was at work again waking up at 0400 going to check up on her patients before spending the day at court.

Arriving at the court, Richard was waiting outside holding a large coffee offering his support. Over the weeks they had become closer going to trivia several times a week always after a support group. Arizona had started opening up more to him about why she was there and why she was going to 3 different groups.

Owen was the first witness, speaking very highly of Callie playing the veteran card and the charity work. Andrew was next also very strong. Then Penny, who was strong until asked what grade Sofia was in becoming flustered. They were in the lead but not by much. Bailey evened the score, with how many unscheduled surgeries she had to attend. How many times she had left her daughter to save someone else's child. It was heart breaking, the fact most of those surgeries were between 9-5 didn't seem to matter, that in fetal medicine once parents knew something was wrong with their child, they wanted the surgeries asap which meant her operations were scheduled that day. After court she went straight to the hospital needing to check on her patients before collecting Sofia.

The stress of the court case had made the nightmares worse, which meant Arizona waking screaming, Sofia jumping in the bed with her. She was extra clingy, worried about her mommy and not wanting her to be alone, she refused to eat breakfast if Arizona didn't, which she couldn't because she felt too nauseous to eat.

"I hate you" Sofia said as she dropped her at Meredith's,

"She'll be fine" Amelia promised, as tears welled up Arizona's eyes the door closed, she returned to the car having a cry before putting on her mask going to court.

Meredith was first on the stand, her attorney twisting her to support Arizona's case. Sofia's family was in Seattle.

Then Richard. She asked her about Trivia nights about the frequency they went, 25 wins in 6 months. 34 times swapping in 6 months, not counting the times Callie had swapped back but counting every single day of the 2 weeks Callie had had Sofia while Arizona recovered, that was 17 times 'swapping'. Their lawyer making out that trivia was an excuse for her to be out meeting women. Richard not correcting them, it wasn't his place to reveal the support groups they attended or why she attended them.

They requested a recess,

"I was wrong about keeping what happened to you a secret. If you tell the truth we can win this" her lawyer urged, Arizona shook her head no, she didn't want anyone to know how broken she was, if anyone found out how broken she was she'd never get custody. Callie was next, her testimony was moving, speaking how she stayed alive for Sofia.

Then it was lunch, Arizona darted out alone needing space, the memories of the accident flooding into her mind. She needed to clear her mind, regroup before she testified. She sat in the gardens next to the court, working through her breathing exercises. The peace and quiet of nature helping to centre her thoughts at least until voices disturbed her.

"Did you get it?" her interest was piqued by the voice of Callie's lawyer,

"Everything and boy did we score. We have testimonies from nurses, Doctors, x-ray tech's when Doctor Robbins first arrived in Seattle that she slept with, and a Dr Leah Murphy and Dr Lauren Boswell I couldn't find anyone since. I have testimony from one nurse that the biological father called her nothing, said she had no legal rights. I know he changed his mind later, but you could use it"

"Anything else we paid for the best private investigation possible?" the lawyer asked, hungrily, Arizona fought the urge to scoff, wasn't that enough, "Mrs Torres was quite specific she wanted Dr Robbins destroyed" The lawyer stated, sending a shard of glass through Arizona's heart as it shattered into pieces smaller than she ever thought possible.

"That's not the best bit, as you know we followed Dr Robbins for the last 6 weeks." The investigator said

"And…." The lawyer asked impatiently.

"She is messed up, when she was in the plane crash, she refused to let Callie amputate saying she would rather die, rather leave her child without a mother"

"Interesting"

Arizona's breath hitched Callie wouldn't use that would she use her worse moments against her? Would she? Despite everything Callie wouldn't do that, she couldn't? Did she really hate her that much?

"But you paid for the best and as you know the best comes last. 8 weeks ago, she was raped and forced to operate on her patients against her will. Since she has been seeing a counsellor, she has been going to support groups 3 times a week, PTSD, anxiety, depression, but you must wonder how safe a child is in that environment?" Arizona peeked through the hedge to see a man passing a manilla folder to the lawyer feeling sick and signs of her panic attacks coming back.

"I reached out to the man she is accusing he is willing to testify it was consensual," The investigator smirked, "Put that with the testimonies of all the previous witnesses,"

"And we make out Doctor Robbins is mentally ill slut who sleeps around and has even started operating on patients outside the hospital environment," the lawyer grinned. "Now getting the evidence from the upcoming trial in might be difficult, but I think I can. Mrs Torres will be very happy with this information"

They walked away leaving a distraught Arizona behind on the bench sobbing, whatever happened she had lost her daughter. Bailey found her first,

"Court is in session soon" she said placing her hand on her knee. "We should go in,"

"I can't," Arizona sobbed her breaths coming in short bursts, "I can't move,"

Bailey moved her hand to her arm, "Slow your breathing, you're safe" She reassured,

"No, I'm not, they know everything" Arizona muttered, "They know everything, they're going to use it" her breathing was faster, "I can't win," her mind was racing,

"Slow your breathing, breath with me, inhale, exhale" Bailey coached, watching as Arizona worked through her calming exercises. "The Arizona Robbins I knew would never back down from a fight this important. She'd stand up and explain what happened, that it wasn't your fault, that you risked your own life saving other people." Bailey said, stroking Arizona's arm grounding her. Finally getting her breathing under control Arizona stood up.

She knew what she had to do. If Callie's lawyer brought up Graham she'd have a panic attack, Torres knew, she'd set out to ruin her life, she had her followed, brought up her surgical history, her text history. Left Arizona feeling violated again, now she was going to be publicly humiliated, her outstanding surgical career brought into disrepute, her ability to mother questioned. This was one victory Mrs Torres wouldn't get.

Inside the court room her lawyer was waiting in the room they'd been assigned,

"There you are I wanted to go over your testimony," she said,

"No, I'm done, they've won" Arizona told her, "Torres can take her," tears ran down her face, Lucinda came over,

"Arizona it might not feel like it, but we are doing well, better than you think" she reassured.

"No, I overheard Torres's lawyer, they know everything, and they are right, Sofia deserves better than me." She sobbed, "Sofia deserves a normal mom, a mom that doesn't wake up screaming, a mom that can take her swimming or skating."

"A lot is inadmissible," Lucinda pointed out,

"They will find a way of doing it. This morning my daughter told me she hated me, and I know she didn't mean it, but she was tired and hungry because she woke up to me screaming as I had another nightmare. She came into my room and woke me up. She was hungry because she wanted to eat breakfast with me, but after the nightmare I vomited and was too nauseous to eat. That's what my daughter woke up to. She deserves stability, to wake up and not worry why Mommy is screaming. She deserves to have a mom who can take her bike riding and swimming, she deserves a mom that hasn't had to leave her with babysitters while she goes to support group, or for an emergency at the hospital. I love her so much this breaks my heart." Arizona sobbed feeling dizzy, her chest hurt, her head began spinning, her arms numb. She knew it was panic attack but couldn't stop it.

"Okay Arizona, I'm with you," Lucinda knelt by her client, "Can you tell me your favourite colour?" she asked

"Pink" Arizona rasped, her eyes making contact with the lawyer's

"And Sofia's favourite colour?"

"Blue, like the ocean"

"What day is it today?" Lucinda continued

"Tuesday" She felt a cool towel being placed on the back of her neck, a glass of water placed in front of her

"Take small sips, you're at the courthouse, we were discussing Sofia" Lucinda reminded, Arizona took the glass her hands feeling more connected with her the coolness of the flannel on her neck and water on her throat bringing her out of her attack.

"I have to go, I'm not fighting anymore" Arizona stood.

"You know that means Callie gets full custody, you may not even get visitation." Lucinda reminded her, Arizona wanted to say Callie would never deny her visitation, never deny Sofia her mother. But she never thought Callie would move cross country, never thought she'd use work against her, or going out in the evenings, and never ever thought she'd use rape and kidnap to win custody. This trial had proven she had never known Callie not really.

You can't have a custody case without drama, hopefully that was dramatic enough.