Chapter 8

Flash back

Callie got on the plane Arizona's phone still firmly grasped in her hand, feeling numb, what had happened? Had Arizona really believed she had said such horrible things? She helped Sofia pick a movie before scrolling through the text messages she had apparently sent.

They were awful, truely hurtful, as bad as the one's Arizona had sent her. No wonder Meredith had been pissed. There was only one person Callie could think who would do this, only one person's whose eyes tightened whose lips screwed up when Arizona's name was mentioned. One person who'd repeatedly said Sofia was better off without Arizona in her life, who'd brought home studies of the affect on children growing up in a home with PTSD, Depression, leaving them where Callie could find. Penny.

They landed in New York, Penny was thankfully at work. Curious to see how this worked Callie sent a text to Arizona,

Hey, just to let you know we landed safely, Sofia had a great time, hope we can do it again, maybe thanksgiving? C

It was exactly the type of text she'd been sending for months, almost straight away Arizona's phone had a message

Hope you enjoyed seeing Sofia, couldn't even be bothered to drop her off, hope you said goodbye, its the last time you'll ever see her. C

Callie almost dropped the phone in shock, how did Penny know Arizona hadn't dropped Sofia off. Was she being followed, was Arizona? Instead Callie took Arizona phone, she knew her ex wife well enough to know what she would text back.

Please Callie, I was with her as much as I could, I got an appendicitis, I had to have surgery, but I love Sofia please don't keep her away from me. A

Callie typed and waited, to see what she would receive.

Callie, I had Sofia like you wanted, I think its best if we try doing a clean slate, Sofia loves you and Penny, and its distressing for Sofia to keep flying between us. You know i never wanted children, i never signed up for this, A

Callie bit her lip taking deep breaths trying to reign in her temper, as she used her phone to call Arizona, unsurprisingly nobody answered as had been happening for months. She instead began making different phone calls, one to her chief to resign, Sofia's old school to try to get a place, a moving company. For months she'd been unhappy with Penny, only staying because it was easier, but this had opened her eyes, Seattle was her home, Arizona was her home. With Penny due home soon Callie dropped Sofia at her neighbours, this was a conversation best had in private. With a few minutes private Callie set about booking a hotel, and contacting her lawyer to find out if what Penny did was a crime and to start proceedings for a restraining order. Before packing Sofia's and her own belongings ready to go.

Penny arrived home soon after.

"Hey how was your conferance, I missed you" Penny said dropping her work bag walking over intent on kissing Callie, who moved away.

"What?" Penny questioned.

"What?" Callie repeated, she held up Arizona's phone, "I know Penny, I know you've been texting me and Arizona pretending to be the other person, sending horrible text messages, trying to drive a wedge, what i don't know is why? Why Penny? I chose you I moved to New York with my child for you why?" Callie cried, still struggling to believe the woman she loved could be so cruel. Wait was that right, was Penny the woman she loved. Arizona came to mind, despite them breaking up.

"Why?" Penny laughed, "Why you really have to ask me that? You may have moved away with your brat but your heart is still with her. You still call her your wife, you smile when Sofia says her name, you still wear her old college jersey. Sofia hates me, I've tried to get her to like me but everything I do isn't how Mommy does it." Penny ranted,

"I gave everything to you, I left my job, my family, I took my daughter away from her Mommy for you," Callie sobbed, this was painful, she had trusted Penny.

"It wasn't enough," Penny spat back, "I never had you, not really, not when nothing I did was as good as Arizona" she mocked Arizona as she said it,

"Why interfere with our texts? Why keep this going?" Callie asked hurt.

"Intially because I was convienced something was going on between you too, so I changed the numbers to my burner, the texts were so sappy, so pathetic, so I changed them, like I wanted to spend every weekend flying to Seattle, or having your ex-wife here." Penny gave a malicous smile, "Maybe you should ask yourself why you believed them?"

It took Callie aback, she was right. They'd both believed in those texts believed their ex lover to be that harsh. She needed to talk to Arizona to sit down and go through it but first.

"You know your right, you were always second place to Arizona, you are a horrible person, I'm out of here, my lawyer will contact you" Callie grabbed her and Sofia's packed bags, walking out of their shared home, feeling free for the first time in months. With Sofia safe at the babysitters, Callie met her lawyer at the local police prescint. It was time to make a complaint a get chargers filed.

The police took a lot of interest, the district attorny had recently taken up a charge on cyber crimes and malicous messages, with reports of cyper crime on the rise, this was exactly the time of crime he wanted to take a stand on. They took all 3 phones Callie had with her, her own, Arizona's and even Sofia's into evidence. By the time Callie had finished with her statement they had a preliminary report on Callie's. As well as changing Arizona's number she'd also installed a tracking app so she knew where Callie was every moment of the day and a listening app, so she could hear what Callie was saying whenever she wanted. Callie had a horrible feeling Penny had listened to her theapry sessions, it would explain how she had known about some of the things she had texted to Arizona, things only Callie, Arizona and her therapist had known.

Callie also made sure a restraining order was issued against Penny for herself and Sofia, so Penny legally couldn't contact them. Getting a small amount of satisfaction when they served it at work, and arrested her right in front of the fellowship committee likely at the same time they arrested her. Callie only wished she could have seen it.

The charges were wide and varied but Callie's lawyer believed the more they charged her with the more that would stick, even agreeing to help file them. Penny was looking at a hefty fine and a prison sentance. There was a family offense, aggrevated harressment, computer tampering, stalking, eavesdropping, possession of an eavesdropping device, criminal impersonation, harressment, and identity theft. (I'm not a lawyer so I'm guessing charges)

The fact Arizona was disabled also meant the charges were more severe. Texts that Callie had found burried in months worth of texts that made her sob,

Sofia deserves 2 happy healthy moms, she has that Penny and I, you couldn't even get yourself to the bathroom how can you care for a child?

Sofia doesnt want you to come to parents evening she is embarressed to have a cripple as a parent

Callie spent the rest of her time in New York working her notice, packing the rest of her stuff, seeing her counsiller and spending time with Sofia. She kept in touch with Meredith who was the only person in Seattle who knew what was going on. She desperately wanted to call Arizona to explain, to apologise, but everytime she held the phone to call the Grey Sloan switch board the words died in her throat. What could she say? How did she even make this up to her? Especially over the phone. Callie knew they both needed to sit down and have a long overdue conversation. She'd spent a lot of time with her therapist trying to put words to her feelings knowing she needed to be in a good headspace before dealing with Arizona.

Callie rang Meredith, "I've booked the flight, we arrive home today at 1200"

"Great, I'll pick you up, you know Arizona gets released today?" Meredith stated, "She needs someone to stay with her at all times, Bailey's orders, I was going to offer her my spare room but I'm guessing she'd prefer to stay with Sofia and you."

"We can give her the choice?" Callie suggested, she desperately hoped Arizona would choose her. Hanging up from Meredith Callie turned to Sofia.

"Are you ready to go and see Mommy?" she asked, her little girl jumping up and down with excitement.

"And that's when we met you outside the hospital" Callie explained, "Penny was right, i never truely was over you"

"I never was truely over you either" Arizona replied back, her fingers interlocking with Callie's. That day was spent cuddling, drawing and watching Disney movies. Callie making sure that the snacks continued throughout the day, it hadn't escaped her attention how much weight Arizona had lost, and she suspected it wasn't just the last few days that she hadn't been eating.

Day 3 came, Callie and Sofia came with her to the hospital, Sofia going to day care, Callie going to find Bailey and ask for her job back. As they hadn't recruited a head of Ortho yet and she was on the board she was hopeful. Arizona began her list of appointments, first was blood draw then counselling, after the last 3 days, Callie returning, finding out Penny sent the texts Arizona needed an impartial ear. Someone who would voice no opinion about her or Callie but allow her time and freedom to work out for herself what she wanted to do. Dr Wyatt was surprised when Arizona told her Callie was back. The last time Wyatt had seen Callie she walked out of the session after breaking up with her wife. Judging Callie wasn't her job, that was saved for in between sessions. For now it was asking open questions allowing Arizona to form her own conclusions and reminding Arizona of the communication tools they had learnt.

Next was Dr Bailey. Callie was already in the waiting room

"I got my job back and my lab"

"that's great Callie, so it's real then" Arizona couldn't get over the fact Callie was back, Dr Wyatt had told her to verbalise her insecurities.

"It's real, we are back, for good" Callie promised rubbing her thumb over Arizona's hand.

"Arizona" Bailey called. Arizona went in, Callie remained seated. Arizona stood at the door confused,

"Callie did you want to come?" Arizona asked,

"I don't want to intrude" Callie said still seating,

"You won't be, I mean we live together, you should know" Arizona offered wanting to say more but to unsure in their relationship to offer anything else.

"Of course," Callie got up walking in. After a full exam with Bailey weight, height, blood pressure, pulse, temp, stool and urine sampling, every part of her felt poked or prodded.

"Okay, I think you need another week of antibiotics although the infection markers have improved. You have maintained your weight, but I'd like to see you gain more weight. Keep an eye on your bowels, they should normalise soon."

"When can I get back to work?" Arizona asked going over her schedule in her head, there were several surgeries that were time critical and needed doing this week.

"10 days" Bailey said

"No, I need to come back before then I have surgeries planned, surgeries that can't wait." Arizona felt herself getting anxious she could picture the board with her surgeries listed, the children that would die if she didn't operate. The mom's who would go through the same pain she had been through knowing they weren't good enough to keep their babies safe.

"We will reschedule them" Bailey offered.

"You can't, Margaret Holtman I should have operated last week if I wait 10 days her baby will die most likely taking her with it, Cathy Freeman, needs surgery by Friday or both of her twins will die." Arizona pleaded with Bailey who was deep in thought. Fetal medicine wasn't like general there wasn't a surgeon that could easily come in and take over, there weren't that many in the world let alone the US. She knew that she had used all her contacts trying to find one already to cover Arizona's service.

"3 hours a day." Bailey offered, "With an intern, and when your back you start teaching a fellow"

"Bailey no, she needs to rest" Callie protested

"Callie, I need to work, I need to help these women, I don't want to let any more babies die. Trust me, I know what I can handle and what I need" Arizona pleaded.

"Okay," Callie agreed. "But you rest afterwards,"

"I'll

rest afterwards" Arizona agreed glad Callie wasn't babying her. After Bailey had finished Callie escorted Arizona to the prosthetics lab. David was waiting.

"Hey Callie, welcome back" he said enthusiastically, "You'll love the new leg Arizona, it has some of the sensors Callie developed. She is really revolutionising the world of prosthetics. If we could get you the implant surgery, we could go the whole way."

"Callie is very gifted" Arizona agreed with the praise, slightly pissed he brought up the surgery in front of Callie. There was a reason she had refused it time after time she just couldn't face another surgery, she'd had so many in the last few years, debridement's, amputations, drainages of collections, removal of products post miscarriage. Then there was the recovery time, for 2-3 weeks afterwards she wouldn't be able to wear her prosthetic while the sites healed, which meant depending on a chair or crutches which meant no surgeries. It also meant she was dependant again, she'd need someone to cook for her, clean for her, get the groceries all her friends were surgeons and there was no way she was hiring help. Not when the prosthetic she wanted did everything she needed it to do.

"The surgery though it's not complex and would give you more options" Callie added supporting David.

"Callie" Arizona's voice dropped, begging her to leave it.

"But we could get Amelia to do it, it's not even a big procedure" Callie continued.

"Callie, get out" Arizona ordered, "Leave" she repeated when Callie didn't move. This was like last time, with Callie being her doctor and not being her wife. She hadn't even asked the reasons why she hadn't had the procedure instead automatically looking at the benefits. Callie left clearly hurt, Arizona knew they'd be fighting later but right now she wanted to try her new leg that hopefully didn't rub.

"Don't you start" Arizona pointed at David not wanting any comments. She knew it seemed like she had treated Callie harshly, but she couldn't get into that again. She couldn't have Callie as her doctor, not if she wanted Callie as her wife.

"Let's try the leg" David decided not to comment unsure what he had witnessed.

Arizona walked out 45 minutes later wondering where Callie was, she wasn't in the waiting room. Had she blown it already, ruined the fledging relationship before it had really started. She began walking to collect Sofia hoping her ex-wife hadn't run and taken her daughter with her.

Sofia was playing in day care. Arizona felt a waved of relief going inside picking her daughter up. She'd start her surgeries tomorrow, today was about getting use to her new leg. They caught a taxi home Arizona not wanting to wait for Callie to drive them. She needed space.