Chapter 7

The one thing that Callie had always been warned against was misleading Penny. It had taken her a long time to develop deeper feelings for Penny. The first time Penny had told Callie that she loved her, Callie thanked her.

It hadn't felt quite right, even when everything with Penny had gone so well. Then there was Arizona. They now would talk from time to time. Arizona would ask how Penny was doing? Told Callie that Penny could meet Sofia whenever Callie wanted her to. Told Callie that she liked Penny a lot. Callie had heard she'd recently starting dating again. She had been dating a lot. And she looked happy. Which made Callie feel something. She didn't know what exactly.

So Callie had introduced Penny to Sofia. Callie had told Penny that she loved her. Callie had gone all in.

And now Penny was moving. 24 months, it had been 2 years since the accident. It had taken her a long time to feel something, anything again, and now Penny was leaving for a grant. Callie cried a lot.

"Callie," Arizona said. Callie was currently starring at a chart, but she had no idea what it said. Callie looked up to meet Arizona's face, and gasped slightly.

"Arizona, what the hell," Callie said as she stood up to get a closer look at Arizona's face. She had a black left eye.

"I- uh... was hoping you could take a look at my hand for me," Arizona held out her right hand, which looked red and swollen. Callie reached for it quickly, and Arizona winced slightly when Callie grabbed her hand.

"Were you in a fight?" Callie asked with confusion. Arizona pulled her hand away from Callie.

"I don't want to talk about it," She answered. "Can you just- Bailey said I needed you to clear me."

"Okay," Callie said nodding her head. "Follow me."

Arizona did, and Callie took her to get x-rays. Arizona's hand wasn't broken, and so Callie would administer a steroid shot. It would hurt like a bitch at first, but it would help Arizona get through her workload.

"How did this happen?" Callie asked quietly, as she gave Arizona the shot. Arizona who was currently sitting on an exam table, with her head bowed in shame. She didn't want to be having this conversation, but she would not lie.

"I took up boxing," Arizona said.

"What?" Callie said loudly. She sounded furious actually. "Do you know how stupid it is for a surgeon to do that. Your hands!"

"I know, but it's been helping me. My... my therapist said I should take up a hobby, a stress reliever, she wasn't too thrilled about boxing, but I was just hitting the bag you know? So whenever I'm free I hit the bag, and I'm not so... angry. But then last night I decided to actually try sparring, and the girl didn't look that tough, but I kind of got my ass kicked," Arizona added sheepishly.

"Looks like an understatement," Callie said while rolling her eyes. Then she asked quietly, "You've been angry?"

"Yes," Arizona answered honestly. She had been angry all the time, but she just bottled everything up inside, and so her therapist suggested finding an outlet. Beating on a heavy bag had proven a pretty effective outlet. "I haven't been so angry since," She stopped talking, they both knew, they both remembered how angry she was after everything Webber had put them through. That thought went through both of their minds, and silence hung thick in the air.

"I thought you were seeing someone," Callie finally admitted before she could stop herself. She hadn't meant to say that, and Arizona was caught off by the fact that Callie even cared.

"No, I- uh, haven't seen anyone," Arizona said.

"Penny's leaving," Callie shrugged. Arizona's stomach churned. She really liked Penny as a person, but also harbored such resentment towards the woman for being able to be with the one person Arizona wanted.

"Why?" Arizona asked despite her better judgement.

"She got the Preminger grant, in New York, and it's a great opportunity for her," Callie said. She looked sad. Those hugely expressive eyes showcased her sadness, and Arizona couldn't stand it.

"You could turn down the grant you know," Arizona said, and Penny quickly turned to face her. Arizona had found her rummaging through a supply closet.

"Dr. Robbins," Penny looked around the small closet, as if looking for someone else to come save her. "I... It's an amazing opportunity for me, my career," She said.

"Callie's worth staying for," Arizona replied.

"I know... I wanted her to move with me, but obviously that won't work," Penny added. She also looked frustrated by the whole situation. Why was everyone so unhappy?

"Here," Arizona said while handing Callie an envelope.

"What is this," Callie said in utter confusion. She didn't know what Arizona was doing in her research lab.

"You should move with Penny," Arizona said. Callie felt like her heart stop. She couldn't describe this feeling. Callie looked into the envelope. There were plane tickets, two of them.

"Arizona, I don't understand?"

"I don't want to be without Sofia, but you and I can work something out. I can fly out to see her, I'm head of the department, so I can- I'll delegate. Karev isn't totally incompetent," Arizona was beginning to ramble.

"Why are you doing this?" Callie asked. Arizona just starred at Callie. Wasn't it obvious?

"I've never been able to stand seeing you unhappy," She answered quietly. "Penny has made you happy. And so I don't know exactly how we'll make it work with Sofia being too young to fly on her own, but we'll make it work," Arizona finished nodding her head with finality. She could see that Callie was in shock so she decided to leave. "Take care now," she added before leaving the lab.

Arizona made it back home, and sent Jo away. She spent the rest of her evening playing with Sofia before having to put her down for bed. Now Arizona was sitting in the living room trying to mentally prepare herself for what was coming. Callie and Sofia would leave Seattle soon. Arizona wished she could punch something. She heard her front door open, and she assumed it was Jo having forgot something, but the voice that spoke was not that of Jo.

"You always want to fix me," Callie said, as she stood in front of Arizona. Her voice was accusatory, which didn't sit well with Arizona, but she felt too tired to fight.

"I just love you enough to let you go," Arizona responded tiredly.

"Well maybe I don't want to go," Callie said. Arizona felt that boiling anger inside her once again. She rose from the couch.

"Then please tell me what you want? I'll do anything you ask of me, but please just tell me what you want from me?" Arizona said fiercely. She had scrunched her hand into a tight ball, but didn't even notice the pain, the steroid still taking affect. Callie noticed her hand though, and reached for it, taking Arizona's hand in her own. Arizona's hand instantly relaxed, her whole body did for a moment, then-

"I want you to come home."

AN: I think of this as sort of the end of Act I of this story. Thanks for reading.