Disclaimer: I don't own Grey's Anatomy, I just borrowed the name of the characters for entertaining, no intention to violate any copyrights.

A/N : I was planning to tell this part of story in one chapter but it went longer than I expected, I was too distracted (lame excuse, I know) to finish it yet. So here it is, the first half of this plot. Umm... I have a bad news about the second half. I made a mistake, one mistake that deleted the 1.5K that I finished...

Big thanks to Calzonaforever35's amazing deta work. How can you balance school, work, friend *cough*, and now writing your own story, and editing my crappy works and still remain the best is a mystery ;-)

Chapter 29

"George! Why are you in here?!" Callie screamed from the top of her lungs.

Everyone in the room turned around to look between the furious Latina and the sheepish looking quiet man. Their staring was stirred by a loud beeping sound from one of the machines.

"He's v-fib." Owen took over the paddles that were handed to him by the nurse. "Charge to 200… clear!"

Carlos's body jerked forcefully, but the beeping didn't stop.

"Oh my god!" Callie brought a hand over her mouth, brown eyes filled with tears. If it wasn't for Arizona's hand wrapping around her hips, she would have collapsed on the floor already.

The beeping normalized after another shock. Callie released the breath that she was holding, and a giant tear rolled down on her cheek. Arizona used her free hand to wipe it away and then clasped her girlfriend's hand tightly.

"George!" Remembering her anger and confusion, the Latina struggled away from Arizona's hold and rushed to the other end of the room to confront the man. "What did you do?"

"Callie, I didn't do anything." The shorter man took a step back, while his green eyes filled with panic. "I swear."

"Who is that guy?" Owen whispered to Cristina, who was standing on the opposite side of the bed, listening to Carlos' chest with her stethoscope.

"Callie's husband." Cristina said coldly. Owen's eyes almost popped out of his eye sockets, but he didn't get time to process the information. The beeping started again.

"He needs a temporary pacemaker, page Dr. Altman." Cristina ordered. In the meantime, Owen placed the paddles on Carlos chests again. "Charge 300… Clear!"

Arizona walked over to hold the brunette again. She could feel the body next to her jerk each time a sound came from the machine, or another needle was stuck into the pale body. All she could do was to tighten her hold.

"It's getting too crowded in here." Owen turned to the three people that stood by the wall after Carlos was stabilized. "Go wait in the waiting room. I'll come to update you as soon as possible, ok?"

"No Owen, I'm staying." Callie said with her watery eyes, and shook her head rapidly. "I'm his daughter, I need to be in here."

"Callie…" The trauma surgeon looked at the woman with sympathy, but he knew he couldn't let them stay in the room. So he turned to his fellow peds surgeon. "Arizona, please."

"Callie, honey, please listen." Arizona leaned forward to speak softly into Callie's ear. "We can't do anything in here. Let's go out and give them the room to do their job, ok?"

The brunette didn't answer but glued her eyes on her father. She couldn't tear away her eyes from the man, who was laughing with her an hour ago. And 15 minutes ago, he was just sitting next to her, listening to the mistake she made with George. Dad was fine 15 minutes ago… Another giant tear fell from the big brown eye.

"What do we got?" Teddy asked as soon as she passed through the door, putting the stethoscope in her ears, she was surprise to see Callie and Arizona in the room. But she didn't get the time to ask question.

"Carlos Torres, 56. Coded 2 times. BP's dropping. He needs a pacemaker before sending him to the cath lab." Cristina reported, already got the pacemaker kit ready.

"Callie," Arizona cooed again. "Teddy's here. Your dad is in good hands. Let's go, let's wait outside, ok?" She dragged the brunette toward the door. Callie moved slowly but her eyes never left her father.

"Callie," Teddy called over her shoulder while putting on gloves. "I'm pretty good at my job, don't worry."

"Wait!" Arizona stopped after they passed the doorframe. She called back into the room. "Where is Mr. Torres's belonging? Is his cellphone in here?"

"Yes, Dr. Robbins." One of the nurses jogged toward the doctor and passed her the phone. She answered Callie's questioned eyes. "In case you wanna call someone? Maybe your mom?" The Latina nodded vacantly, and then they walked slowly to the waiting area in silence.

Arizona helped the Latina sit down on one of the wooden chairs, and she sat down next to her with her hand still clasping the shaky hand from the pale looking woman. Callie's watery brown eyes stared straight ahead, until a sheepishly looking George stood directly in front of her.

"Callie..."

Hearing the voice, Callie brought her eyes up to meet the green ones.

"Callie... I swear. I didn't do anything, it just happened."

"What just happened?" Arizona asked for Callie, who still looked a little unfocused.

"He collapsed!" George shouted out in panic. "He came in the clinic. He walked toward me when he saw me. And then he fell down! He covered his chest with a hand and then fell down."

"Oh my god!" Hearing the story, the Latina dropped her head in her hands and groaned. "He was having a heart attack! I gave him a heart attack!"

"No Callie, don't..." Arizona leaned forward to wrap a protective arm around her girlfriend. Callie buried her face in Arizona's neck and started to cry. The blonde's heart was broken when the body in her arms shook from crying. She tightened the hold and whispered softly, "don't worry. He will be ok. Teddy is taking care of him. He will be ok."

George stared at the two women powerlessly. He wanted to comfort his wife, he wanted to hold his sobbing wife but his place had been taken by another woman. He took a step closer, bent down a bit and placed his hand on Callie's shoulder blade.

"Your dad will be alright, Callie. Is there anything I can do for you?"

Fueled by the words coming out from the man, the Latina shot up from her seat and faced George fully.

"How do you know he will be alright? Huh? You were the reason he got a heart attack!" Callie shouted from the top of her lungs. People in the waiting area turned and stared at her. "You've done enough! Get out! I don't want to see you ever again!"

"Callie..." George took 2 steps backward, but he reached out a hand tried to hold the furious Latina's hand.

"I said get out!" Callie slapped the hand away instantly. She was about to take a step forward to push the man out of the waiting area, but she was stopped by a firm grasp on her wrist from behind.

Arizona stood up and slipped between the two. A hand still grabbing Callie's wrist and the free hand was rubbing the tense woman's upper arm. "Callie, babe, breathe, just take a deep breath." She tried to sound as soft and calm as she could but her choking voice betrayed her. She was worried about Carlos and she was also worried about her girlfriend.

Callie shifted her attention to the woman standing in front of her, who just loosened the grip on her wrist, but slid her hand to clasp hers tightly. The brunette relaxed a little bit, taking deep breath after deep breath under the coaching of her girlfriend.

George wanted to try to talk to his wife again. He opened his mouth but was stopped by Arizona. The woman gave him a hard stare and shook her head. Before he could protest, Arizona helped Callie sit down again, and she stood between the married couple.

"George, maybe you should leave. I will let you know when we know what's happening with Carlos. OK?"

"Dr. Robbins... I didn't do anything, I..."

"I know. I know." Arizona nodded. "I am sorry to say this but Callie is worried about her father right now. You being in here is just going to make her more upset. I'll let you know how he is doing as soon as we know more from Dr. Altman, ok?"

After receiving a weak nod from the man in front of her, Arizona flopped back on the chair to wrap her arms around her girlfriend. At this moment in time age didn't have anytime for anyone else. She didn't care how George stopped several times to glance back over his shoulder, looking at the two women longingly.

"Callie, maybe we should call your mom?" She asked after a while of silence. Then grabbed a sheet of tissue for the weeping woman.

"Right." Callie took a deep breath. "I don't have her number, I need to use dads cell."

Arizona took it out from her coat pocket. She tried to turn it on while Callie wiped the tears with the offered tissue, but the device was locked. She looked at the brunette, who returned the gaze and then looked down at the cellphone.

"Try 0223, his birthday." Callie said softly.

It didn't work.

Callie took the phone and frowned. Finally, she typed in another 4 digits, and got the mobile unlocked. She sighed heavily. "My birthday."

Arizona leaned forward to plant a kiss on the brunette's shoulder, while her hand never loosened it's grip wrapping the woman tightly. Callie gave her a bitter smile while clicking open the address book.

"Mom is in London for a meeting right now. I hope she won't be too scared." She took a deep breath and placed the phone by her ear. "She could arrange a flight to come back. How long does it take to fly back from London?"

"I think is 9 to 10 hours." Arizona said, and she could hear that someone had answered the phone. She saw her girlfriend open her mouth about to answer but the other side beat her to it.

"Hola. Are you coming back already? I thought you're gonna miss dinner. Should I change the reservation to table for 4?"

"Mom?" Callie scrunched up her face.

"Calliope?" The other side answered after a moment of silence.

"Mom? Aren't you supposed to be in London? Dad said you're in London." Callie turned her gaze to Arizona, who had the matching confused look on her face. "That's why you couldn't come to Seattle…"

"I... I… Why do you have your father's phone?" Lucia asked, avoiding the question.

"Yes, right." Callie licked her lips and continued. "Mom, dad is in the emergency room at Seattle Grace Mercy West hospital. We don't know what exactly happened yet, the doctors are working on him.

"What? What happened?"

"He… he collapsed. That's what I heard."

"Jesus… What do you mean as you heard? He went there to meet you, why weren't you with him?" Mrs. Torres was practically screaming in the phone. Callie managed to stutter a reply through her trembling lips, tears found the way back in the big brown eyes again.

"I… Mom, I'm sorry… I'm so sorry…"

"Shh… babe, give me the phone." Arizona gave her girlfriend a firm squeeze on the shoulder, and then snatched the phone not waiting for a reaction from the weeping woman.

"Um… Mrs. Torres, this is Arizona Robbins, I'm a friend of Callie."

"What is happening? Can someone tell me how my husband is doing?" A spasm of panic sweeping over, when her usually tenacious daughter broke down crying. Arizona tried to sound as calm as she could.

"Mrs. Torres, we just got here. Carlos is still in the emergency room, the doctors are trying to find out what is happening. They'll come to us once Carlos is stabilized"

"I… I should come over. Where is he again?" The woman on the other side of the line sounded a bit out of breath, apparently walking in pace in the room as they were talking.

"We are here in Seattle, Seattle Grace Mercy West hospital."

"I'm going to take the jet. I'm going to call my assistant to arrange it. And… and… a car to take me to the hospital…"

"Mrs. Torres, do you want us to come pick you up?" Arizona asked, meeting her girlfriend's questioning teary eyes.

"No, just… stay there with him. And do not make any medical decisions without my consent."

"Callie, do you want some water? Or coffee?" Mark asked from across the waiting room.

It had been 5 hours since Callie was told that her father was sent to the emergency room. Everyone, the friends of Callie and Arizona, took the time to show their support between work. Even Miranda Bailey came over to give the worried woman a hand on the shoulder.

Teddy and Cristina came out shortly after Callie finished the call with her mother. The doctors said that Carlos was stable after they put in the temporary pacemaker, and that they were going to run some more tests and scans to see what caused the problem. Callie was allowed to stay at his bed side between tests, but Carlos was too weak to talk, and Callie was too emotional to say anything.

Currently, the Latina had retreated to the waiting room because Cristina had wheeled her father to the cath lab.

Hearing Mark's question, Callie shook her head without lifting up from Arizona's shoulder. The blonde chanced a side glance to her girlfriend, let out a heavy sigh and then placed her free hand over their linked hand.

Suddenly, there was a sound of heels running down the hall and it stopped just outside the waiting room. The three of them, and Lexie who was sitting next to Mark quietly, turned their gaze to the door and found an older and shorter version of Callie standing there. Lucia Torres was a classy woman. Even though she was slightly out of breath, she still looked graceful and elegant in her tailored wrap dress and well styled hairdo.

Callie swallowed hard, eyes glued on her mother as she stood up from her seat.

Emotions ran through the face of Mrs. Torres. She looked distraught and haggard over her husband, but a hint of delight in her eyes when she locked eyes with her once favorite daughter… until her gaze shifted to the linked hands of Callie and Arizona's.

Unconsciously, the younger Latina loosened the hold of her girlfriends', shoved her hands in the jeans back pockets, and walked toward her mother in a slow pace before taking a deep breath to brace herself.

"Mom." She leaned forward to give her mother a hug. But her heart clenched when she felt the woman tense in her arms.

"Callie," Lucia said while returning the hug stiffly, and then pulled away after a second. "How is your father?"

"He's stable, for now." Callie answered, her hands shoved back in her back pockets nervously. "The doctors took him for another test about 20 minutes ago, should be back soon."

"And they still don't know what is wrong?" Lucia frowned, and her daughter just shook her head.

"Not yet, they already took some scans, and they're in the cath lab right now." Callie chewed her lips. "Mom, we may have to wait for a while longer, come sit down. Do you want something to drink?"

Lucia shook her head, but followed Callie to the chairs. Both Mark and Arizona stood up from their seats.

"Mom, this is Arizona Robbins, she's my…" Callie stood next to the blonde, trying to introduce her girlfriend to her mother. But the older woman cut her off before she could finished.

"Right, you were the one on the phone. Thank you, Ms. Robbins." Lucia gave the blonde a polite smile. Her hands grasped at her purse tightly, had no intension of exchanging a hand shake or a greeting hug at all.

"No problem, Mrs. Torres. I just glad I could help." Arizona returned with a tight smile. She glanced at Callie, who looked a little stunned by her mother's reaction. Luckily, Teddy and Cristina appeared at the door to break the embarrassing situation.

"Teddy, this is my mother." Callie introduced. Her mother gave her an amazed gaze as her address the doctor by her first name. "Mom, Dr. Teddy Altman. She's a friend and colleague of Arizona's."

"Mrs. Torres." Teddy greeted the woman while they exchanged a hand shake. "We have the result about Mr. Torres. The cath lab confirmed that there's a tear in one of his coronary arteries."

"What caused that? Stress?" Callie asked impatiently. Arizona stood closer to her and linked their hands together, trying to offer her some support subtly.

"More like the steaks and goose livers he enjoyed." Cristina shrugged behind Teddy, earned a frown from her attending. "What? His cholesterol is over the chart."

"We stabilized him with a balloon pump," Teddy continued after another glare to the Asian. "But I'm gonna have to operate on him to repair the tear."

"An open-heart surgery?" Lucia gasped. Callie freed her hand from Arizona, stood close by her mother and held her shoulders with both hands.

"Right. And I think we have to act quickly." Teddy nodded firmly.

"I- I need another opinion. I- I am going to transfer him back to Miami. I'll feel better with him having the surgery at Jackson Memorial." Lucia said as she fumbled to find her phone from her purse.

"Mom…" Callie said as she leaned closer to the shaky woman. Even though she wasn't a real doctor yet, but according to her education, she knew it won't be a good call to transfer the man when there had a tear in his heart.

"Mrs. Torres, I understand that there are a lot of concerns here. But we all have the same goal." Teddy said in her Dr. Altman posture. "Mr. Torres' condition is not suitable to be transferred, let alone taking a plane ride."

"With all due respect, Dr. Altman. I believe you are a good doctor, but I don't know you well enough to let you operate on my husband." Lucia said without looking at Teddy, she clicked on her phone and speed-dialing her assistant.

"Mom!"

"Callie, it's fine." Teddy gave her friend a smile. "Mrs. Torres, I'm the chief of cardiothoracic department in this 5th ranking hospital, I think you don't have to worry if I'm not fine enough. And I'll page the chief of trauma to assist on this surgery. Our success rate of this surgery is pretty high."

"It's a big decision, I need sometime." Putting the phone next to her ear, the older Torres woman asked the doctor. "Can I see my husband? Before I make the decision?"

"Of course, of course. He should be in the ICU right now. He's kinda weak but he's fully conscious, you can go see him. Just try not to tire him out."