Disclaimer: The characters in this story are not mine and belong to Grey's Anatomy.
Thanks all who are reading this story. Thanks for all the followers, favorites, reviews and pm's. And an specially thank to "cycworker" for helping me to fix my errors. (I know is a hard work.)
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"Arizona... " Callie's face lit up and she grinned widely. "Oh my God... I never thought that could be you when I opened the door ..." Callie rushed to embrace her. "I can't believe it... " She separated from Arizona for a seconds and took Arizona's face between her hands and kissed Arizona's lips. Arizona remained silent, simply taki"Hello Calliope"
ng in Callie's reaction.
"Please, come in..." Callie said, still smiling. "I thought you were in London" " Callie pointed out with joy.
"I - I was... We were on our, but we had to make an extra stopover because of some bad weather. While we were waiting I realized I wanted to see you..." Arizona said hesitantly.
Callie closed the door and Arizona continued glancing around the apartment. She looked at Callie but didn't say anything. Callie noticed Arizona's discomfort and approached her.
"Arizona, are you ok?" She asked, concerned. As she reached for Arizona's hand, the other woman took a step back. "Arizona...?" Callie's concern increased suddenly. Arizona seemed to be distracted and upset. As Callie calmed down, she realized she was missing important information.
"Arizona, did you come here by yourself?"
Arizona paused, then answered coldly. "I was trying to find the apartment... and I walked... I walked a lot..."
"Arizona, why you don't sit down?" Callie suggested kindly. Arizona ignored her and began pacing around the room.
"How do you know where I live, Arizona. Did Teddy tell you?" Callie asked doubtfully.
"Teddy! I need to call Teddy!" Arizona exclaimed. "If I'd called her earlier, I would've found the apartment sooner. I should've done that." Arizona said to herself.
"Arizona, you're worrying me... Do you feel alright...? I don't know... Do you want something to drink... or eat... I guess the flight was exhaus-"
"I don't like sandwiches." Arizona stated, stopping Callie in her tracks.
Callie was confused by Arizona's attitude. "It's ok... I have lasagna... Is that ok for you? You like lasagna, right?" Callie smiled at her, trying to figure out why Arizona was acting so weird.
"I like the girl who has the sandwiches..." Arizona said, looking deeply into Callie's eyes.
"What? What did you say, Arizona?" Suddenly, all Callie's senses were on phrase immediately brought Callie back to an early moment in her relationship with Arizona.
"Arizona, what did you call me when I opened the door...?" Callie started to put two and two together. Since they had found each other again, Arizona had never used her full name. It was one of the few things that Callie missed about the old Arizona.
"And I hate camping, but you know that...and you know how to make a camping night something unforgettable..." Arizona said softly, her eyes watering.
"Arizona... Do you... Do you..." Callie was trying to form the words but she was so afraid of the answer that all she could do was babble. She saw the tears cascading down Arizona's cheek and walked towards her. "Honey... do you know who am I?" .
"Calliope Iphenia Torres," Arizona stated with confidence. Callie sobbed. She hadn't told Arizona her middle name recently.
"You know... I mean, have you recovered your-" Her voice was trembling with the emotion. She could feel her heart beating fast.
Arizona closed her eyes and sighed. "I can remember, Callie... I - I started to remember..." She covered her face and began to cry. "I was on the plane and my head was killing me... and then... I had memories of you and I together... we were younger than we are now... and we were in places that I didn't recognize.." Arizona explained in sobs and Callie's heart sank.
Callie hugged her tightly. "Baby... I love you... I love you..." She repeated while caressing Arizona's back, trying to calm her down. "Don't cry, please... I don't like seeing you cry..." Callie said lovingly in Arizona's ear.
"I know..." Arizona answered trying to stop the cry.
Callie took a short step back from Arizona to see her face. Both women had her faces covered with tears. Callie tried to kissed Arizona but she stepped back. She looked at her with surprised.
"Honey, what's wrong? Is it your head? Are you feeling ill?" Callie asked, worried.
Until now, she hadn't thought about Arizona's condition. She was so happy that Arizona had her memory back that she completely forgot the implications of that. "Come here, have a seat..." Callie offered gently.
"I don't care about my head right now. It have been hurting me for long time. It can wait." Arizona answered sharply.
"Baby, that's no good... I'm really, really glad that you're remembering, but we need to talk with Derek. I'll call Derek and we'll go to the hospital." Callie was looking for her phone. "Do you remember Derek?"
"Stop" Arizona commanded.
"I know you don't want go to the hospital honey, but we have to... I got it!" She exclaimed when she found the cellphone.
"I said stop it!" Arizona yelled, startling Callie. "Don't call anyone." Arizona stated, more softly.
"Arizona, please, we need - "
"I remember, Callie..." Arizona stated with shaky voice.
"I know honey... that's why I want go. The earlier we... You said your head was hurting, I'll be more calm if we go now..." Callie took Arizona's hands. "You know that brain injuries are unpredictable..." Callie was really worried now. All her medical background was taking over. She didn't want to overwhelm Arizona but she also knew that they should go to the hospital as soon as possible.
"You don't get it, do you?" Arizona asked upset.
Callie shrugged confused. "I don't... sorry... Arizona, please, tell me what's happening."
"I remember, Callie." She repeated. Her eyes were closed and Callie tried to kiss her lips and get Arizona to agree to go to the hospital.
"Don't"
"You're right, Arizona. I'm lost here... Why do you seem so distant with me...? It's the second time you've pulled away from me..."
"When I was walking here, I remembered Mark... You and Mark specifically..."
"Mark and me..." Callie repeated, without understanding what Arizona was trying to say.
"I guess I wasn't that important to you, huh? Arizona asked bitterly.
Callie opened her mouth to answer, but she was too hurt to form a response.. How could Arizona think something like that? Callie was in love of her!.
"Whaaat?" She hoped that all of this was a misunderstanding.
"You couldn't even wait for me for what…? Two months? Arizona's eyes were now red with both tears and anger. .
"Ok, stop right there, Arizona. You're angry and upset with me and I don't understand why! What are you talking about?" Callie was starting to be annoyed.
"Africa! I'm talking about Africa!" When that word came out, Arizona broke in sobs.
Callie sighed. "Arizona..." Callie said calmly.
"When you told me that you loved me, was that true?"
"Of course it was! Arizona. You know I loved you." Callie paused. Arizona's crying was breaking her heart. "And I love you now, honey... I love you..."
"Can I believe you or will you get pregnant again the next time I head out the door?" Arizona asked defiantly.
Callie opened her eyes. Arizona was trying to hurt her and she was succeeding. "Arizona, I won't have this conversation right now."
"Oh, yeah... What do you want Callie? Did you hope I just not get that memory back so you wouldn't have to explain it to me?"
Callie was losing her patience. She was worried about Arizona, who only seemed to want to fight with her.
"I understand that you're upset but that was five years ago, Arizona. Five years!."
"Five years for you! For me it's just a few hours... "She sat on the couch and buried her head in her hands. "Just a few hours..." Murmured again.
"Arizona..." At that moment Callie understood. For Arizona all her memories were too vivid.
Arizona stood brusquely and started to walk wildly in the apartment. "I should have known better...Of course you'd sleep with Mark the first chance you could... I was so stupid!"
"What? I didn't do anything wrong." That was too much for Callie. If Arizona wanted have this argument, they'd have it..
"Come on, Callie! I stayed in Africa for three months! Was I really not worth the wait?"
Callie laughed bitterly. "You left me in the middle of the airport! Do you not remember that part? You broke up with me, Arizona!"
"I do! I remember that I left you, but I also remember that I did it because you didn't want come with me." Arizona reproached her.
"That's not how I remember it, and I'm not who lost her memory." Callie said ironically.
Arizona looked at her, wounded, and spoke more calmly. "Of course you don't. You never told me, but you were angry all the time... You wouldn't have been happy there, and I couldn't allow that. You deserved to be happy, Callie and you made it clear to me that you weren't happy to be going to Malawi with me.
"Well... well... well. The old Arizona is back... As always that was my fault too. You left me and it's my fault." Callie was shaking her hands with anger.
"It's not about fault. It's the true. I did it because I loved you!"
"If you loved me, you would never have left me! I was destroyed, Arizona!" She was trying to hold back tears but was impossible.
"I can see that... You were so sad that the first thing you did was fall into bed with Mark!"
"You were thousands of miles away! You broke my dreams. We had plans together!"
"So I returned. I came back for you! I came back to you because I loved you. Because I understood that I had lived my whole life thinking that I had a dream, and my dream was to try to change the world... to make it a little better... and I thought that being in Africa would make it possible..." Arizona voice broke. "But there I was so unhappy that knew that you had changed my dream... You were my dream now. But you were too busy with Mark..." The last words showed all the Arizona's pain.
"So really, you're saying that you're upset that it was Mark? If it had been anyone else you would be ok with that..., right?" Callie asked hurt. Arizona was being hurtful.
"Maybe... Maybe if you would cheated on me with someone else.. I - "
"I didn't cheat on you! We weren't together. I was free!" She yelled, trying to defend herself.
"You had sex with Mark! You promised me that you didn't have feelings for Mark and that you were in love with me! With ME, Callie!"
"Of course I was! But I was so so angry and lost... and.. And I was drunk and - "
"Is not as if you were in a bar and had sex with another drunk and spiteful lady just trying to erase the pain of my departure. If you wanted hurt me, you did.." The last words were broken in the air.
"And Mark again! Is not that you're upset with me because I sleep with someone else, it's because it was a man! That's insane... You knew I'm bisexual, Arizona. You can't just wait that I - "
"You got pregnant!" Arizona interrupted Callie. Arizona took a seat again. Her hands were shaking. "You had his baby..." She looked at Callie, their faces both were full of tears. Pain, anger, love, regrets... so many emotions hung in the air. So many feelings fought in their hearts.
"I didn't plan it." Callie shrugged. "I swear I didn't, Arizona." She glanced at her and walked slowly over to the couch. She knelt in front Arizona and put her hand over Arizona's knee. "You have to believe me Arizona, I wasn't looking to hurt you..." She laid her hand onl Arizona's cheek. "I don't want to fight with you, Arizona. I love you, and you're here with me and I don't want that the past to take away from me the happiness of being with you..." Arizona just looking at her without saying a word. "I was in love of you in that moment... and I'm truly in love with you right now... Don't let the past destroy us... We've both made mistakes..."
Arizona moved away from Callie. "I have to go"
"Arizona..." Callie called her and tried to catch her hand.
"No!" At that moment another sharp pain hit her and she grabbed the wall, trying not to fall on the floor.
Callie noticed immediately. "Arizona!" She held Arizona's waist and carried her to the couch.
"I need water, please." Arizona asked quietly. When Callie returned with the water she asked for her bag so she could take her pills. "Thank you."
"How are you feeling? I'll take you the hospital," Callie asked a few minutes later, still worried.
"It's not necessary. I'll go to the hotel." Arizona said nonchalantly.
"What? You're not going anywhere, Arizona"
"I'm fine. Please get out of my way." Callie stood in front of the door, blocking Arizona's access to it. .
"You're not fine. Sorry, but if you don't want to go the hospital right now, then at the very least you're spending the night here so I can keep you safe."
"I can't be in the same room with you right now, Calliope!" Arizona yelled
Callie's heart broke at those words. "You can stay my room. I'll sleep on the couch or Sofia's bed." Before Arizona could answer, Callie was preparing the bed for Arizona.
"Sofia... where is she?" Arizona asked hesitant. She had forget completely about Sofia.
"She is with her father." With that, Callie left the room with a pair of sheets. "Try to rest, if you need anything just call me." She said from the other side of the door. No matter how sad, upset or angry she was with Arizona, she was worried about her and she needed to be sure that she would l be ok. "Goodnight"
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Callie sighed as she stared at the coffee machine.. She didn't know whether to laugh or cry. She thought she would never Arizona again and now the love of her life was sleeping just a few feet away from her. However, the same circumstances that caused problems between them years ago were the reason for their fight now.
Destiny seemed play dirty tricks on them. Every time they were happy and together something happened. Callie sipped her coffee, trying to relax. She closed her eyes. trying to gain the peace she didn't have last night. She hadn't slept a wink the previous night. She was so worried about Arizona that she spent the whole night going to check on Arizona.
Arizona seemed deep in sleep but Callie knew her well enough to know that was she was faking it, so she only watched without say a word. They would have the next day to keep talking. Now, the most important thing was Arizona's health.
The noise of keys opening the door brought her to the reality. "We're here!" Callie heard Mark calling out to her..
"Mommy, I need my books." Sofia said when Callie appeared in the living room with a look of confusion.
"Hi baby." Callie kissed Sofia's head and looked at Mark. "I didn't expect you here until tonight..."
"I know but your daughter insisted she needed that book..." Mark shrugged. "But I sent you a message, didn't you see it?" Mark looked around and saw the sheets in the couch and noticed the dark circles under Callie's eyes. "Torres, are you ok, you look like crap..."
Before Callie could answer Sofia came running. "Daddy, I found it!" Sofia yelled with a book in her hands.
"Shh, Sof. Please don't yell." Callie hushed.
"Torres?" Mark asked intrigued because Callie's behavior.
"She is sleeping, Mark. She is here..." Callie murmured.
"She?" Mark thought for a second. "Oh, Torres! you slept with someone last night! You should have told me earlier. Sorry, we're living." He squeezed Callie's arm. "Well done, Callie." He winked.
"Mark, is not what you think..." Callie tried to explain.
"Sof, honey, say bye to mommy, we're interrupting."
"Mark! She is here..." Mark shook his head, waiting for a better explanation.
"Daddy, look!" Sofia showed Mark a doll. "I'll take her too and I'll look for my bear in my room."
"Sofia, please. Stop yelling." Callie glanced at Mark. "She don't want talk to me because she knows about us…"
"Who is sleeping, Callie?" Mark asked. intrigued.
"Hello, Mark." Both turned their heads towards the voice. Arizona was standing there, with disheveled hair and sleepy face. "I guess she was talking about me."
"Dr. Robbins..." He hesitated. "I didn't know you were here..." He looked at Callie, who looked away.
"Dr. Robbins? Since when have you ever called me that?" She asked playfully.
"I I'm... " He was lost.
"She has her memory back..." Callie whispered.
"You...?" Mark smiled at Arizona who nodded smiling back at him\.
Arizona walked towards him and hugged him. "Hello, Mark. Long time no see."
"Blondie! It's nice you're you again! I've missed you."
Callie looked at them, astonished. Arizona barely looked at her and now she was hugging Mark.
"Arizona, you came!" Sofia exclaimed when she saw her.
"Hey! Sweetie. How are you?" Arizona opened her arms waiting for Sofia.
"You've kept your promise!" Sofia ran towards her.
Mark approached to Callie, who was observing Arizona. "Callie, what's wrong?"
"What's wrong? Are you asking what's wrong? I remember I fucked with you, and she was so happy to see you and yet she can't stand to look at me..." Callie said rudely. "He's her father, you know?"
"Great, Torres. That'll help... Why you don't calm down and talk to her..." Mark suggested. Arizona glanced up at Callie but kept smiling to Sofia who was talking non stop.
Callie laughed sadly. "She doesn't want be near to me. I'm sure she has a lot to tell you now that you two are big friends..." Callie left the living room and went to the kitchen.
"Sof, come on. We have to go." Mark told Sofia.
"Can I stay here, with Arizona, daddy?, Please?" Sofia asked
"No, honey, Mommy and Arizona have to talk. We can come back later." Mark explained patiently. "Because you two have to talk, right?" Mark whispered to Arizona.
"Mark..." Arizona started to protest.
"Arizona, come on! We talked about that before... Do you remember that, right?" He asked confused about the situation. When Arizona nodded he kept talking. "Now you have to give her the chance... Go!"
Arizona smiled and went to the kitchen where Callie was drinking her coffee.
"Can I have a glass of water? I need take my medication." Arizona said softly.
Callie's expression changed instantly. "Sure. Are you ok?" She asked, worried.
Arizona nodded. "You were wrong, you know?" Arizona stated.
"Of course. I'm always wrong... Don't worry, I'll leave you alone, so you don't have to see me..."
Arizona could feel Callie's pain in her words. "You were wrong, Calliope. Of course I was happy to see Mark again, He helped me a lot... and I could hug him because I could leave him in a second..." Callie just watched Arizona, trying to understand. Arizona extended her hand and took Callie's. "But, I knew if I touched you, I wouldn't likely ever be able to leave you again, Calliope..." Arizona declared, tearing up.
"I was so angry... when I knew about your pregnancy, - even worse, when I knew that it was Mark's baby - I felt like my world was crashing down around me... I felt my heart shatter in a thousand pieces..." She dried the tears that were falling from her eyes. She sighed and continued. "I didn't know what to think... I'd left you for a few months and when I came back you had a new life with him."
"Arizona, that's not how it happened." Callie interrupted. She was sobbing hearing Arizona's words. "I didn't plan to sleep with Mark. I've told you...that just... happened..."
Arizona smiled sadly. "I know, Mark told me..."
"You two became a really good friends, didn't you?" Callie said more for herself than as a question.
"But, not at first... I even punched him..." Arizona remembered.
Callie laughed between sobs. "You, what?" Asked surprised
"Yeah, I've told you already... I was really mad... I needed to vent..." She teased
"And how did that work for you?" Callie inquired enjoying the story. Arizona seemed so relaxed.
Arizona thought a few seconds. "Well, it worked for a bit... Then not so much..." She shrugged.
Callie brushed a lock of hair away from Arizona's face and gently caressed her cheek. "I was so lost in those days... " Arizona closed her eyes. "Arizona, I really want us to be able to talk to each other as reasonable people, but right now, I need you have a decent breakfast and take your meds, ok? And then will go see Derek. No matter how this conversation ends, we're going to see Derek. I don't care if you're still mad at me. You need to go to the hospital. Ok?" Callie looked at her with love in her eyes.
"Callie..." Arizona started to protest.
"Please..." Callie begged when Arizona wanted to make excuses.
Arizona nodded in agreement. "Do you want panqueques?" Callie offered.
"No, thank you. I'm ok. Just water for the pills for me, please."
"You need a decent breakfast, honey. At the very least you need milk for your stomach. I don't know..." Callie opened her fridge to look for some ingredients. "Aha! I can make you a French toast. What do you think?"
Arizona couldn't but smile at Callie's expression, so bright, so tender. "I don't know, Callie... I'm really not hungry..." Arizona doubted. She appreciated Callie's sweetness but she didn't think she could eat that much..
"Are you saying no to my french toast?" Callie pouted. "Where is my girlfriend? She never would do that."
Arizona smiled sadly at Callie's words. "I'm sorry... it's just a habit to call you my girlfriend... I know we have more to talk about and I understand that you're still mad at me... but here, " Callie put her hand over her chest, "You're still mine..."
"I'll take the french toast if you share it with me." Arizona decided to avoid any heavy conversation for now.
"It's a deal.." Callie grinned. "Now go to the couch, I'll make it right away."
"I'll help you." Arizona offered.
"Oh, no. You go there "Callie said, pointing to the "and take it easy."
"I'm good here with you." Arizona declared without thinking.
Callie turned to look at her. "I'm more than good with you near to me, Arizona. I love you near to me. I just want you to be comfortable."
A few minutes later both women were sitting in the couch eating breakfast. "Do you like it?" Callie asked as she watched Arizona eat.
"It's incredible as always. Thank you." Arizona said gratefullyl.
Callie frowned. "It doesn't seems..." Callie noticed Arizona struggling in her effort to eat.
"I'm sorry... It's just I'm not feeling well."
"I'm taking you to the hospital." Callie stated instantly. "I'm going to change and we're going." Callie rose quickly .
"Wait." Arizona took Callie's hand. "I needed to be mad at you Callie... I needed time to process all..."
Callie glanced at her. She knew that Arizona wanted to finish their talk. "Arizona, we don't need to have this conversation right now, ok? We can talk later when you feel better. I'm not asking you to get over everything right now." Callie smiled warmly.
Arizona shook her head. "I need to say this now. Please." She waited for Callie to sit next to her. "Thank you." Arizona let out a relieved sigh when saw Callie agree with her.
"But then we're going to the hospital, Arizona. No matter what. I'm serious."
"I felt betrayed... I know what you'll say... that we were separated." Arizona rushed to speak when saw Callie open her mouth. "But that's how I felt... Yes, maybe it wasn't fair to you, but the anger won at that moment."
"I was upset too. You know? And not just with you, I was upset with myself as well." Callie was being honest. If they were going to have this conversation they both needed to be honest.
At some point, I forgave you, but you never could know it... actually you never knew that I hated you.." She saw Callie's face fell with the chosen words. "Well, not really hate you, I guess... I couldn't hate you, even if I wanted..."
"Have you ever wanted hated me?" Callie asked, hurt.
"It would be easiest, Calliope..."
"I understand." Although it hurt Callie, she knew that Arizona was right because she couldn't deny that she tried to hate Arizona at one point..
"Sorry." Arizona felt guilty, knowing she was hurting Callie.
Callie shook her head. "It's ok, really."
Arizona sighed. "The point is, Calliope, that I'm done trying to be mad at you... the time has passed, even though it's only been a few hours. Last night was a hell for me, being so near to you and at the same time so far away... When I'm with you I feel alive... even when I didn't know who you were... " Arizona stopped her speech. "Did you feel sorry for me? Is that why you looked for me in Portland?"
Callie frowned in disagreement. "What? Of course not, Arizona. I thought it was pretty clear that I love you. That's why I was with you, because I felt in love with you all over again... because I love you Arizona... I don't feel anything but love and admiration... but pity? No... I couldn't feel that for you... If I didn't say anything about our past that's because it was complicated..."
"I'm dying, Callie. People feel that..." Arizona replied.
"No, Arizona. I won't waste time thinking about that. I love you. Whatever time we have left, I want to be with you. You deserve to be loved... do you understand me?" She caressed Arizona's cheek and approached her. When she was barely an inch away from Arizona's lips she whispered, "I love you"
Arizona choked back her tears. "I love you. I want to leave the past behind and start over... We ... We could try..." Arizona said timidly.
"We could... nothing would make me happier... We'll try sweetie..." Callie smiled lovingly. The kiss started softly and turned into a passionate kiss. The tears falling in theirs cheek.
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They parked in the Seattle Grace Mercy West. Callie noticed the fear in Arizona's eyes. Truthfully, Callie was equally scared, but she was doing her best to hide it. Neither spoke during the trip. After their heart to heart conversation, Arizona had a fainting spell which was the final straw for Callie.
Callie's heart stopped for a second when that happened, and none of Arizona's arguments could convince her that she didn't need to see Derek immediately, especially when Callie noticed that Arizona was a little hot. She knew that Arizona was terrified and she tried to calm her down. Callie squeezed Arizona's hand making her get back to the reality. "Baby, are you ok?"
"Callie.. I ... I can't do this..." Arizona whispered.
"Of course you can. I'm right here with you..." Callie could feel Arizona's anguish and that was killing her.
Arizona shook her head. "I can't deal with a bunch of people right now... I just... I can't..." Arizona's eyes were filled with tears.
"No, baby... don't cry... Look, I'll call Derek and you can just see to him, is that ok?" Callie asked concerned.
"Will you be there the whole time?" Arizona's voice was flickering and her breathing was hard. She didn't want to go there. She didn't want to face her old friends and colleagues.. They would feel bad for her, she would explain where she was all these years, she would need talk about her past... and she wasn't prepared for that yet. She barely had started to recover her memories; she didn't need more stress right now.
"Hey, hey... I promise I'll be right there. Always." Callie took Arizona's face between her hands. "Forever, ok?" Arizona nodded and smiled at her.
Arizona sighed as she sat on the stretcher while she waited for Derek. Callie had left her there and went to find him ten minutes ago. Nothing seemed have changed to much in the hospital. She looked around and felt sadness.
She missed the place, the people, the smells, the noises... even the inevitable gossip... she missed work there, she missed her past...
Callie opened the door with a guilty look on her face. "Arizona, honey..." She cleared her throat. "Derek is in the OR..."
"It's ok, Callie. We can come back tomorrow." Arizona stood rapidly as someone else entered the room.
"Dr. Robbins, it's good to see you again." Bailey said nonchalantly.
Callie was grateful that Bailey understood the situation and was trying to make it easier for Arizona. "I'm sorry..." Callie whispered when Arizona gave her a rebuking glance.
"Bailey, it's good to see you too..." Arizona said in low tone.
"Really? Tell that to your face, though." She teased.
Arizona grinned. In fact, she was happy to see Bailey. "Are the residents giving you too much work?"
"You have no idea, Robbins." Bailey approached to her in doctor mode. "Ok, what's the problem with you?" She actually knew what the problem was because Callie told her, but she was trying to break the ice.
"I - I'm ..." Arizona attempted to talk but the words refused to come out..
Callie saw the Arizona's discomfort. "She's not feeling well. I think she has fever and I'm worried because she recovered her memories suddenly... I wanted Derek do all the tests he needed but as he is in the OR at least I want to be sure Arizona is fine..."
"Ok, let's see..." Bailey started to check Arizona. "We'll run some tests, including an MRI, just to be sure. We need a blood test as well." Bailey explained.
"Bailey, I don't want - " Arizona started to say but Bailey already knew what she was trying to say.
"I'll do it myself. Robbins. Don't worry." She squeezed Arizona's arm when the blond thanked her.
They spent a few hours in the hospital. Arizona did have a fever. Bailey said that her white blood cell count was low, she was anaemic and she had arrhythmia. They needed to figure out if that was because of the medication or something else.
Knowing about recent events, Bailey was sure that stress was part of Arizona's problem, and that her body was paying the price. Even she was starting to catch flu. Surely another consequence of that.
Both Bailey and Derek agreed that Arizona should rest for the weekend. They warned Callie not to put any kind of stress on her. However, Callie was reluctant to accept the diagnosis. She thought they needed to do more for Arizona, but both of them concluded that this was the best for Arizona at this point. There was nothing they could do, not even Derek, and Callie had to accept it. Inside, she knew they were right. Arizona needed a break, at least for a few days. She would do anything she could to make that happen.
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Callie had finished in the shower. Arizona was exhausted from the events of the past few days. She needed sleep and her fever was up, so she was resting in Callie's bed. She had initially insisted that she'd go to a hotel, Callie refused to even consider the idea. Arizona was sick and Callie was determined to provide the care she needed. She wanted be there for Arizona. She needed to.
"How're you feeling?" Callie asked while was drying her hair with the towel.
"I'm fine." The answer was short.
"I'll make us a dinner. What do you want to eat?"
"I'm not hungry." She knew that answer wouldn't work but she had to try.
Callie sighed. Arizona wouldn't help herself if she remained with that kind of attitude. "Honey, please... you need to eat, you heard Bailey..." She said lovingly. "It's early yet. I'll ask again later and you'll tell me what you'd like, ok?"
Arizona nodded, resigned. "You shouldn't worry."
"I'm not worrying; I'm taking care of you. That's all." She smiled and walked towards Arizona and kissed her tenderly. "I love you." She took the opportunity to check Arizona's fever. "It's not going down. Do you want take a bath. That could help..." She suggested.
"No. I'm fine. Maybe later..." She watched Callie as she put on a T-shirt.
Callie noticed the faraway look in Arizona's eye. "What's wrong?. Everything alright?"
Arizona smiled sadly. "Yes... I think I'm just remembering... I used to love to watch you get changed..."
Callie laughed. "Yes... I remember that too... and I still think that's weird..."
"It's not weird. You're beautiful." She replied, not taking her eyes off Callie.
"I don't think you can enjoy the view as you did in past... The years have left its marks... and mostly Sofia did... although I have to say that I've almost lost all the weight I gained when I was pregnant" Callie remembered that time. "I felt like an elephant..." She shook her head. "a big top..."
"You were absolutely beautiful... you were stunning..." She said honestly.
Callie smiled at such lovely words. "You don't know... believe me, I was awful." Callie laid down next to Arizona.
"I do, Callie. I used to observe you..." Arizona glanced down and bit her lips, trying to control her feelings.
"You...? You did that?" Callie asked surprised.
"Yes..Mark gave me some pictures of you... even some of Sofia, but not that for short, I lost my memory a few time after you had Sofia. As Callie didn't say a word she tried to soften the moment. "But don't think I'm a stalker..."
Callie couldn't choke back her tears and a sob was escaped. Arizona looked at her with fear. "Callie? What's wrong?" She dried her tears.
"I'm sorry..." Callie murmured. "I'm sorry, Arizona, really..."
"Callie, what are you talking about?"
"I'm sorry I've hurt you...That's was never my intention...I'm sorry..." Now both were crying. "I should have been there with you. If I had known, I swear I would have been there."
"It's ok baby... You didn't, it's not your fault" Arizona felt awful for making Callie cry.
"I didn't know what to do... I missed you so much that I just was trying to forget... and I'm really really sorry that I've hurt you.. but I can't regret what happened... because... because Sofia is the result of that mistake Arizona, and it's not fair to her that I feel sorry about that... She is my little angel... she was all I had all these years without you. I'm here because of her..." Callie breathed deeply, trying to calm down. "I missed you almost every day, Arizona... everything Sofia did... her first word... her first step... her birthdays... I wished so so much you were here with us... we had a life planned... a life planned together..."
Arizona took Callie's face in her hands. "I would never ask you to regret Sofia, Calliope. I'm sorry I missed all those things... I'm just immensely grateful to have found you two again... I'm sorry I wasn't able to keep my promise to you " Arizona stated.
Callie looked at Arizona quizzically. "Not, give us the ten kids I promised you..." the blond reminded her.
Callie laughed so as not to cry. "I think we exaggerated the number... Just one almost makes me crazy some days..."
"Maybe..." Arizona kissed her. "I'm sorry too, Callie... but there nothing we can do... We can't change the past..."
"That's right but, we can build a future..." Callie said timidly.
"I promise I'll do my best to recover what we had and make it even better this time... I love you, Calliope.."
"I love you, Arizona," She embraced her tightly and felt Arizona suddenly freeze in her arms. "Arizona?"
"I - I had a brother, right?" Callie nodded sadly when saw Arizona's eyes well up with tears.. "I can remember him... I remember Tim..." Arizona smiled weakly when the memories of her brother returned to her. "He was my best friend..." She closed her eyes, allowing the images from the past to pour over her. Her heart raced as she regain the memory of another important part of her life.
As the pieces of an incomplete puzzle struggled to fight for a place in her mind, her memories continued to come back with painful slowness. She didn't know what to
expect. She left as though someone was removing a blindfold she had worn for years. All she could to do was hope that her past wasn't that bad...
"He's dead, isn't he?" She asked, her voice breaking, as she looked at the woman in front of her and prayed that Callie would tell her she was wrong. That her
brother was alive and that wasn't a memory but a nightmare.
Callie's heart shattered into thousand pieces. "God... honey...I'm so sorry" She embraced her again, as she ran her hand up and down her back. "I promise
everything will be alright..." She whispered in Arizona's ear.
"I'm alone, Callie... I have nobody..." She murmured into Callie's neck.
Callie pushed her aside. "Arizona Robbins, listen to me. You aren't alone. Do you hear me? You have me, and Sofia... You have us forever... also you have Mark and Teddy... Don't ever think you're alone because you're not... Understand me?" Callie said full of emotion.
"What about my parents?" Arizona asked hesitant. Deep inside her, she knew the answer was something she didn't want to face.
"Shhh, we'll talk about that later..." Callie separated from Arizona and looked her in the eye. "Now, I need you to focus on getting better, ok? You rest
and think about all the things we'll do when you feel well..." She dried Arizona's cheeks and put a kiss in both.
"You, Sofia and me..." Arizona say softly. "When Sofia will be here? I've missed her so much today..." Arizona pouted.
Callie smiled, watching how caring Arizona was toward Sofia. "She's with Mark. I've asked him stay with she tonight." Callie explained. "Now get yourself in bed and sleep while I cook..."
"Don't go..." Arizona begged.
"I'll stay until you fall asleep." Callie cuddled with Arizona. Thirty minutes had passed. She could see by the expression on Arizona's face that she was in pain. "Can't you sleep?"
"No..." Arizona sighed without opening her eyes.
Callie started to massage Arizona's head. "This will help... You always fall asleep when I do this..."
Arizona smiled. "You still remember that..."
"Of course I do... I remember everything about you... I didn't forget you, not even a day..."
As if by magic, Arizona started to fall into a deep sleep. "I love you… but you shouldn't ask Mark not to bring Sofia..." she murmured before her dreams took over.
