Arizona

I've just finished my first session with Dr Foster, one of our psych doctors. The best of our psych doctors, Alex assures me. It was... invasive. I felt like I had to talk about myself even when I didn't want to. But, I feel like she's helped me a little already. We've identified some goals and some obstacles and she's agreed to give me a recommendation for my 'return to work' process... As long as I continue the sessions for twelve weeks. Twelve sessions is a lot of time to talk about myself. I don't know how it's going to work out. I guess I'll just have to wait and see.

Proudly, I skip into Karev's office and place the piece of paper on his desk - my ticket back in.

"Arizona, what is this?" He looks at me with raised eyebrows.

"It's a recommendation from the woman you called the best psychiatric doctor in the hospital," I tell him, putting on my most charming smile. "It's there in black and white. I'm allowed to come back. Well... as long as I go to 12 more sessions whilst I'm working."

As he reads silently, his mouth curls to a smile on one side before turning serious again. "And, you're sure about this?" He asks, concerned. "It has only been 4 weeks..."

"I am more than ready to be back in that center," I say, determined. "The tiny humans need me, Chief. So do the students."

"You're damn right they do," he pulls me into an unexpected hug. This is rare. Like, super rare. It takes me a few seconds to hug back. "I'll see you on Monday."

On my way out of the hospital, I bump into a very tired Amelia. Her eyes are glued to the floor, her hands inside the pockets of her coat and her loose hair tucked behind her ears. The lack of scrubs or lab coat suggest she's on her way home. I run a little to catch up with her and gently take her arm in my hand.

"Hey," I say, quietly.

Amelia

At the end of a gruelling 16-hour night shift, this is exactly the face I need to see. She lifts my energy levels and my mood immediately. She's just great. We've been dating for a few weeks now, and I learn something fascinating about this woman every time we go out. Plus, the sex is earth-shattering.

"What are you doing here?" I ask, surprised. I stop walking and turn to look at her.

"You not pleased to see me?" She asks, playfully.

"I'd be more pleased if you'd brought coffee," I state, drily. My eyelids feel so heavy. She smiles at me, knowing those dimples are my weakness.

"It was my first session with Dr Foster today," she says.

"Oh, my God," I curse at myself. How could I forget this? "I'm so sorry, I completely forgot. How did it go?"

"It was fine actually," she says, honestly. "Intense... but not as bad as what I was expecting. And, guess who's coming back to work on Monday?"

Callie

I didn't know Arizona was here. I see her standing near the exit talking comfortably with Amelia. Even though I'm about 20 yards down the corridor, her flirtatious laugh fills my ears. There's also a lot of subtle touching.

Then, she gives her the look. A gentle smirk as she bites her lip, accompanied by wide blue eyes. I've seen that look before. Those are her bedroom eyes. I've never had to see her look at anybody else like that before. I wonder if her and Shepherd are a thing. Have they slept together? Have they been on a date? Are they dating? Are they girlfriends?! Or, am I just being completely paranoid? She loops one of her arms through Amelia's and they exit the building together. It makes my stomach flip. This must be what Arizona felt like when she met Penny at Meredith's dinner. No wonder she got so drunk.

'Don't ever leave,' she told me. I remember it as clear as day. It was years ago, just after she'd had to tell her lifelong friend Nick that he was going to die from some seriously aggressive cancer. We were outside the hospital and she was crying. I promised her it would never happen. I promised I would never leave. And, I believed it myself.

But, I did. I left. Over and over again. Now I realise that those were my stupidest decisions. I was selfish and pig-headed, and now I've got what I deserve. She's cut me out of her life. Not entirely, of course. She's civil with me for Sofia's sake. 'Sofia deserves two happy moms,' she told me. She did so much to make that work; to allow me happiness with a new woman. Yet, I did nothing in return.

Penny and I didn't last six months in New York. It was a stupid move, one that I regret. I took my daughter away from her stable life in Seattle and had her living in a confused state for a year and a half. Again, it was Arizona who made life normal for her, gave her routine and a safe space whilst I was searching for our ideal home. I never found it.

My phone vibrates aggressively, bringing me out of my thoughts. Caller ID doesn't recognise the phone number but I answer it anyway.

"Hello?"

"Callie?" A familiar voice comes out. A voice I haven't heard for a while.

"Penny?"

Speak of the devil...

...

Arizona

Amelia wouldn't let me get a taxi back from the hospital. She insisted on driving me home and making sure I was safe. She acts tough, but she's actually a big softy at heart.

We're lying down, snuggled up on the couch and watching trash TV. My leg rests over both of hers, and her head nestles into the crook of my neck. We're under my favourite cosy blanket. One of my hands is lazily stroking her hair and she's nearly asleep... Until my phone rings out loudly and makes her whole body jump. It shouldn't, but her confused face make me laugh a little.

"Sorry," I say, giving her my best smile and kissing her forehead. She simply groans and nuzzles back into my neck. I answer the phone, nonchalantly.

"Hello?"

Amelia

I feel Arizona's hand squeeze my shoulder. She motions for us to sit up and we do. Her face changes as she listens to the deep voice on the other end of the phone. She looks... frightened; like a deer caught in the headlights. I forget about how tired I am and give her all of my attention, watching her as she completes the phone call.

"Uh... Yeah... Okay... Thank you for letting me know," she says, groggily. She looks utterly lost. "Okay... Bye."

She hangs up the phone and her eyes begin to shimmer. Her brows are furrowed and her mouth hangs open slightly in disbelief.

"Hey... what's wrong?" I ask, taking both of her hands in mine. It takes a few seconds for her to reply.

"He's pleaded 'not guilty'," she chokes out. "January 3rd... I have to go to court."