A short car journey later and they were stood outside of a large white building with "ADAMS'S HOUSE" plastered in large red letters above the door.
"Why Adams's house?"
"Miss Adams was one of my teachers at school. She was one of the few who really understood and she stuck up for me a lot about my attendance." Callie explained. "Come on." She took Arizona's hand and led her inside. As soon as they entered, the noise of children laughing hit them. Before they reached the end of a small hallway, a young boy- roughly 13- was stood in they're way.
"Hey Billy." Callie greeted him. "You okay?" The boy nodded but his attention was mainly on Arizona which made her feel slightly uncomfortable. "This is Arizona. She is allowed here whenever she wants." The Latina bent down to whisper a little too loudly: "She is kind of awesome." Billy took another look at the blonde and smiled widely.
"Hello Arizona."
"Hi Billy." She replied but he had already gone further into the building. She turned to Callie with a questioning look.
"Some kids with ABIs also have symptoms of OCD, Autism and ADHD. Billy likes to know everyone in the room in order to feel relaxed. You're new so he wasn't sure."
"And what, you tell him I'm awesome and he just believes you?"
"Yeah, he trusts me. And he will never forget your name or face so he won't stop you in the future."
Arizona just beamed at her with pride, unsure when she would stop being surprised by this woman. She followed when Callie moved into the open area and took note of how busy it was. There were kids on computers and video games whilst others just sat around talking animatedly. None had even noticed them until the brunette shouted:
"Morning!" Everyone was suddenly focused their attention onto Callie.
"How's James?" One boy shouted from his position on the gaming chair.
"He had to have surgery but he's doing well. I spoke to him earlier and he said to tell you, Harry, that you will never beat his high score on Mario Brothers." When the laughing died down, she spoke again, "Everybody this is Arizona Robbins," As she spoke she placed her arm on her shoulders, "She wanted to meet you guys so don't be afraid to ask questions."
The kids soon went back to their previous activities. "What's up?" she asked Arizona when she saw her staring at one of the children.
"That girl?" She nodded in the direction of a red headed girl.
"Hannah."
"She was one of my patients. Hit by a car right?"
"Yeah." Callie responded sadly.
"I patched up her insides whilst Derek performed surgery on her head. It was a couple of years ago. We just sent her on her way and never thought..." Callie grabbed both of her shoulders and forced eye contact.
"You did your job and saved her life. And then another kid needed you to save theirs and you did because you are an amazing surgeon. You are the reason that Hannah is here."
Arizona leant forward, forgetting where they were momentarily and kissed Callie. It was over quickly but not quick enough.
"Wahoo!" Screamed one of the boys.
"Go Callie!" Yelled another.
"Whoops." Arizona whispered.
"Okay shows over you lot." Callie began to walk off and the blonde was quick on her heels. "This," She said when they reached the next room, "Is the kitchen, obviously. Mainly here because the kids need food but also because," Another pause followed as she went to stand next a man who was cooking something in a large pot, "Also because a lot of them get nervous."
"Nervous?"
"Well there are things which can hurt them, knives and flames for example, and sometimes feeling incapable stresses them out and then they shut down, do something wrong and hurt themselves. It's a vicious circle. So this is a safe place where they can try to cook if they want because it's always supervised. Isn't that right, Simon?"
"Yes Callie." He answered. "You must be Arizona." He shook her hand, "The one who caused all the noise out there."
"Lunch almost ready?" Callie interrupted to save her blushes.
"Ten minutes." He informed her.
The brunette took Arizona's hand again and they walked back through the main area to some stairs leading up.
"What's up there?" She asked as she sat so her and the Latina were side by side on the stairs, watching the teenagers.
"My office and room's for the support workers and tutors."
"Tutors?"
"It's hard enough to get through a whole day of school so to come home and face mountains of homework is impossible so we offer support. There is also a gym downstairs, also fully supervised."
"I thought these guys struggle with fatigue though?" Callie was glad that Arizona was so interested in this place. She never really let anyone into this part of her life but couldn't help but trust the blonde.
"Just because we get mentally tired doesn't mean we do physically and that can sometimes make it impossible to sleep. So if they want they can use the gym and as well, like I said before, keeping fit generally can help us to manage our condition better. Besides a lot of boys join gyms when they turn sixteen/ seventeen and this way we can keep an eye on them and their parents are more comfortable."
"So do you use the gym when you're need to wear yourself out?" Her voice had lowered incase anybody was listening. Callie whispered in her ear:
"I can usually find more fun ways to work up a sweat." Once Arizona had got over the chills she replied:
"We almost went twenty-four hours without sex being mentioned."
"I never said anything about sex, you have a one track mind."
"When is this place open?"
"Weekends: 10 till 10 and weekdays: 10 till 8."
"Aren't the kids in school?"
"Most of the time." Arizona needed more of an explanation. "When I was at school I would miss at least one day a week, these guys are the same. And then there are those that ditch and need a place to go."
"You just let them ditch?" Callie took a deep breath and tried to explain.
"I'm guessing you liked school."
"Yeah."
"Right because you were pretty, smart, funny and so probably very popular. For us, school is hell. It's five different lessons, requiring five different skills and five different lots of homework and equipment to remember. And in between there is so much social interaction with peers and authority figures. The whole thing is exhausting. School is the number one way to make an ABI kid shut down. When that happens we get off our school bus at the wrong stop and forget how to get home. Or we can't even have a conversation with our own parents because we can't understand what they are saying, can't remember the answer to their question or just stumble over our words. School does that and those guys are brave as hell for facing it when they do but, for the sake of their sanity, sometimes they have to ditch." Arizona was floored by how involved Callie was in all this. Every time she spoke it made her realise that she had gone through this to, was going through this.
"You're amazing, you know that?"
"Lunch!" Simon yelled from the kitchen and the pair joined everyone else around the huge dinner table. There were roughly twenty teenagers and five adults. Conversation flowed as they ate their meal till one voice asked:
"Arizona?"
"Yes?" She answered the mousy haired boy.
"Why are you named after a state?"
"I'm not." She answered coyly.
"Okay, why are you named after a battleship?"
"What?" A very confused Callie asked.
"The U.S.S Arizona was bombed in Pearl Harbour." He said as if everyone knew. The Latina whispered to her,
"George is good with facts and figures, especially war."
"Well, George my Granddad was serving on it when the Japanese hit and he saved nineteen men. My Dad thought it was a good name."
"How come I didn't know that?"
"It never came up." Before she had a chance to take another mouthful,
"Arizona?" This time it was a girl, "What do you do, like for a job?"
"I'm a surgeon." Suddenly the room went quiet.
"We don't like doctors." Hannah supplied.
"Hey!" Callie interrupted, "Doctors like Arizona save lives, lives like yours so you are gonna have to see past the M.D at the end of her name, I did."
"Arizona?"
"Are you guys gonna let her eat?"
"Its fine Calliope, what is it Harry?"
"Are you Callie's girlfriend?" Callie chocked slightly on her food but the blonde just responded,
"Yes."
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After their lunch, Callie excused herself to go sort out some things in her office so Arizona just hung out with the kids. Time flew past and she didn't realise that it was already evening. When the brunette came down the stairs, she found all the kids crowding round a T.V screen, cheering. She soon realised that Arizona was in the middle.
"Come on Arizona!" Harry was screaming. There was a quiet second before...
"Yes!" was shouted at the tops of everyone's voices. After a round of high fives, George explained that Arizona had beaten James's high score. The blonde over-enthusiastically ran into Callie's arms.
"I'm glad you are having fun but seeing as I got pulled away..."
"To your hiding place." Arizona finished with a nudge.
"I wondered if you'd let me cook for you."
"That sounds prefect."
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It took another fifteen minutes to say goodbye but eventually they were back by the car.
"Would you mind driving?"
"No, are you okay Calliope?"
Callie turned to look her square in the eye, almost insulted by the question. "I am getting a little tired so I would like you to drive so I can rest. This isn't like the other night."
"Alright, I was just checking."