Hey! Sorry it took so long...work is a little crazy right now, and I had no inspiration for this chapter for the longest time :/ But i finished it! So Happy reading!

It had been a week since the shooting, and things were slowly getting back to normal at Seattle Grace. New security measures had been put in place the day after the incident, and it had everyone a little on edge. It felt different walking back into the hospital, a place they came to with the hope of saving lives was now the same place where they lost so many friends and colleagues.

Almost everyone was back to work, trying to make the hospital seem like it was before. Mark and Lexie stood at the nurse's station checking over charts when they saw Alex walk in. Lexie gave him a big smile "Dr. Karev, glad to see you."

"Uh. Thanks. You too." He said, giving a small smile. Alex didn't like to get emotional about things, and he didn't want to think about last week and how he almost died. "See ya…" Karev quickly grabbed some charts and headed up to the Peds floor.

Arizona still had a few days left before she could return to work, and of course Callie would not be going back without her. After the shooting, Arizona had stayed in the hospital for three days and Callie never left her side, not once, even though Mark had insisted she get some sleep. She couldn't leave, even though everything had gone okay Callie was still worried something might happen. So she stayed, and watched, thankfully nothing went wrong and they finally released Arizona from the hospital.

They had been home for a few days and they still hadn't talked, not about anything important anyway, Arizona let out a deep breath, pausing the movie she was watching she turned toward the kitchen where the brunette was making them lunch. "Callie?"

"Hmm?" Callie hummed, not looking up from the meal she was preparing.

Arizona wanted to talk about everything that happened before the shooting, but she wasn't sure how to bring it up. "I…um…" she started "Can we talk about what happened?"

Callie closed her eyes and let out a deep breath. She knew immediately that Arizona meant Erica, and not the shooting. "Um, yeah I guess we should." Callie finally said, setting their plates down at the table. Once they were both seated, it intensely quiet, neither woman knowing what to say first.

"Call...Ariz" They both started.

Callie smiled, finally breaking the tension. "Go ahead Arizona, ask."

Looking down at her plate, unsure of how this talk would go, she started "Callie I don't understand. What was that the other day? Why was she here?" She knew the answer to those questions but they were safer than what she really wanted to ask.

"I told you, that was nothing. She came here because she's sad and lonely and I`m not, and she hates that. Once she saw you here with me, I'm sure her whole plan was to get under your skin. To get you to hate me or leave me… I don't know what her reasons were." Callie looked across the table at her girlfriend, she wouldn't look up at her and it was breaking Callie`s heart. "Arizona please…"

Hearing the sadness in Callie voice Arizona finally looked up from the food she was pushing around on her plate. "Okay… but the fact that I didn't even know about you two…it just…" She trailed off and looked back down to her plate of half eaten food.

"Arizona I didn't tell you because it wasn't important to me anymore. I moved on from that part of my life and I didn't want to think about it anymore. I`m sorry I didn't tell you." Callie said, picking up their plates and moving to the kitchen, Arizona followed behind her. "It's just that Erica… she hurt me, she was cruel to me and would laugh at me, tell me I wasn't smart enough to be a surgeon. She never wanted to go out, and when we did she wouldn't even touch me. Then one day I came home and found her with someone else, and for a long time I blamed myself. I told myself it was me, I was the one with the problem." Callie said, her voice shaking.

Arizona stood in shock, how could anyone be so cruel? She thought. "Callie…" Arizona grabbed her and pulled her in for a hug, she stayed that way for a few minutes, not wanting to let go. She took in the familiar scent of the brunette and smiled. After a moment she stepped back and cupped Callie's cheek. "How could any of that possibly be your fault?" Arizona questioned, looking up into defeated brown eyes.

"I don't know, she just…she kind of controlled my life and when she cheated on me...I was devastated. I figured it must have been me, I must not have been good enough."

"I`m sorry Calliope, I'm sorry she treated you like that. You have to know none of that is true… Please tell me you don't still believe any of that stuff?" Arizona asked, worry written all over her face.

Callie smiled at the concern Arizona was showing for her, something Erica never did. "No, I don't. I haven't felt that way for a while, and do you know why?"

Callie was looking at her with such love and admiration, Arizona was at a loss for words, all she could do was shake her head, no.

"Because of you." Callie said, simply. "It was all you Arizona"

"Callie…"

"No, really Arizona. You showed me what love is, real love. You showed me kindness and compassion and happiness. I have you to thank for all that." Callie said, lifting the blondes' chin to meet her gaze.

Arizona looked into the brunettes eyes, filled with compassion, she couldn't believe she had made Callie so happy, when the Brunette hand done the same for her. "I'm sorry for acting so childish Callie, I just, I didn't want to lose you. You make me so happy and I can't imagine not being with you." Arizona said, not being able to look at Callie any longer, she turned and walked out of the kitchen.

"Arizona, where are you going?" Callie followed the retreating blonde, and found her sitting on the couch. Callie moved to sit next to her seeing that she was crying. "Hey, hey…" she pulled the smaller woman close and wiped her tears.

"I'm sorry…" Arizona started, "I don't deserve you Callie, you`re so great and …" she paused to take a breath and stop the tears from coming.

"Baby, what are you talking about?" Callie said, as a look of concern spread across her face.

"I don't deserve you, I acted like a bitch when I had no right and I walked away before I even gave you a chance to explain…and then you…you saved my life Callie, you jumped in front of a bullet, for me! Even when I didn't deserve it…and and and…" Arizona was breathless, she finally said what had bothered her ever since that day. Why would she do that for me? I`m not worth her life… She kept thinking.

Stunned, Callie looked down into Arizona's tear-filled eyes, "Oh Arizona" she pulled her close, placing a gentle kiss into her soft blond curls. Callie's eyes brimming with tears, "How could you possibly think you didn't deserve to live? … Arizona there was no way I wasn't going to try to save you, fighting or not, I still love you more than I can even fathom…And I would do it exactly the same, every time." Wiping the tears from the blondes face, she pressed a soft kiss to her lips. "There is nothing I wouldn't do for you Arizona."

Looking into those beautiful chocolate-brown eyes she had fallen in love with, Arizona felt nothing but love. "There`s nothing I wouldn't do for you Calliope." She reached up to tuck a fallen strand of hair behind the brunette's ear. "I love you so much."

"I love you too Arizona." Callie said, repositioning herself on the couch and pulling the blonde close. They sat that way for a while, in silence, eventually Callie noticed the even rise and fall of Arizona's breathing, signaling that she had fallen asleep. Reaching over to grab a blanket, Callie slid down on the couch to make them more comfortable as she threw the blanket over them. The past few hours had been exhausting, she closed her eyes and it only took minutes for Callie to fall asleep.

Arizona woke up the next morning, alone on the couch, frowning, she sat up and stretched her arms out. Sleeping on the couch was not a good idea, I need coffee…she thought. As she headed to the kitchen she heard the shower running, deciding to take a detour to the bathroom Arizona smiled at the silhouette of her girlfriend through the shower door. Quickly taking offer her clothes and stepping towards the shower, she slowly opened the door, taking a second to stare at her girlfriends' hot wet body, "Can I join you?"

Gasping at the sudden presence of her girlfriend, Callie shook her head yes and smiled when she saw that Arizona was already naked. "Hi…" she said, wrapping her warm wet body around the blonde and pressing a kiss to her cheek.

"Why didn't you wake me?" Arizona asked, switching places with Callie so that she now stood under the hot water.

"You looked so peaceful, I thought you would want to rest." Callie said, as she rubbed shampoo into Arizona's soft blonde hair.

Turning to face the brunette, Arizona smiled, "Callie, given the choice of sleeping or showering with you…I will ALWAYS choose showering, always."

With that, Callie had Arizona pinned up against the wall, careful not to hurt her, she smashed their lips together so fast she thought it might leave a bruise, but she didn't care. "I love you" Callie said with a heavy breath, resting her forehead on Arizona's.

"I love you too." Arizona said, pushing them off one wall and onto another, wincing a little at the sudden movement. Ignoring the pain Arizona pressed her lips to Callie`s, wishing they could stay that way forever.

Noticing Arizona may be in pain, Callie broke away for air and to make sure she was alright. "Hey" she said running her hand over the bandage, remembering that Arizona wasn't supposed to get it wet. "Are you okay? You really shouldn't get it wet" Callie said still staring at the wound.

"I'm fine, I promise." Arizona said, placing her hand over Callie`s. "You can check it when we get out okay?"

"Okay" Callie agreed, placing a soft kiss on the blondes' temple.

After checking and re checking Arizona's wound Callie finally decided that the blonde was fine and placed a new bandage over the stitches. "All set." Callie said, standing up and pulling Arizona's to back down.

The next morning came way too soon, the sound of the alarm startled both women Callie reached over Arizona and hit the clock three times before finding the snooze button. "Ugh" she groaned, pulling the covers over her head.

"Callie, we have to go back to work." Arizona said, sleep still filling her voice.

"Noooooo" Callie whinnied from under the covers.

Turning to face the brunette, Arizona snuggled down under the covers so she could see Callie`s face. "I'm sorry, but yes, we do." She said, placing a soft kiss to Callie`s nose and flinging the blanket off both of them.

"Hey…cold!" Callie whined, pulling Arizona close to stay warm.

"You won't be cold if you get up and get dressed." Arizona said, pressing her lips to Callie`s, and slipping out of the brunettes grasp. If they didn't leave soon they were both going to be very late, and Arizona hated being late.

"Mmphh" Callie pouted failing to reach the blankets she finally decided to get up.

Thirty minutes later they were standing in front of the hospital, Callie grabbed Arizona's hand as they walked toward the entrance. "You okay?" Callie asked, noticing Arizona's breathing had deepened.

Giving Callie`s hand a tight squeeze she smiled, "yeah, I just needed a second. I`m ready now." She said pulling Callie through the entrance.

Once inside the hospital, things quickly went back to normal for both women, the past week pushed to the back of their minds as they scrubbed into one surgery after another. As Callie scrubbed out of her third and thankfully, last surgery of the day she was making plans to visit Arizona on the Peds floor and hoped the blonde would be finished with work and ready to go home. Pressing the button for the elevator, she caught a glimpse of Erica Hahn heading her way, she's the last person Callie wanted to see right now.

"Callie, hey…" Erica said as she stood next to the brunette.

No response. Callie was completely ignoring her, just hoping that she would go away.

"Seriously? Callie come on…" Erica tried again…

Turning to face her Callie shook her head, "no, Erica, I'm done. You don't get to talk anymore…" she said, turning towards the stairs.

Following her into the stairwell, Erica reached out and grabbed Callie`s arm before she could go any further. "Callie, you are joking right? I know you still love me! We can work this out."

Gritting her teeth, Callie grabbed Erica's hand, removing the vice grip she had on her arm. "Erica stop! Just stop okay?! I don't love you, I don't think I ever did… you…you don't get to do this! Not after the way you treated me, after what you did."

"Oh you never loved me? Yeah okay and I'm supposed to believe that you're in love with the bimbo from Peds?" Erica laughed.

"Shut up! You don't get to talk about Arizona. I LOVE HER!" Callie shouted. "She is amazingly smart and funny and brave. She's kind and caring and she`s one of the most beautiful women I have ever met, inside and out. You don't get to talk about her ever again. And don't ever think you can talk to me this way ever again. I'm done with this. Leave us alone." Callie said, trying to calm herself down.

Stepping back, stunned at the way Callie had just spoken to her, Erica was at a loss for words. "Wait are you serious?" Erica asked. Getting no response other than a harsh glare, Erica turned to leave, just then a pager went off. Leaning over the railing to see where the noise was coming from she looked down to see Arizona frozen mid-step in the stairwell. "Unbelievable…" Erica muttered as she swung open the door and made a quick exit.

"Crap." Arizona whispered, looking up to see Callie peeking over the railing.

"Arizona…how long have you been there?" Callie asked, hoping she hadn't heard the rude things Erica had said.

"Um… Since you guys got in here." Arizona walked up to where Callie was, putting her pager in her pocket once she saw that it wasn't an emergency. "I'm sorry, I wasn't trying to spy…I was on my way to see you and...Callie I'm so proud of you, and I love you too." Arizona said, pulling the brunette in for a hug.

"Wait. You`re not mad?" Callie questioned pulling back to look into the blondes deep ocean blue eyes.

"No, Callie Why would I be mad? Erica is crazy and you finally got to tell her how you feel about what she did to you. Its good, now I hope she leaves us alone or I may have to take things into my own hands." Arizona said with a smile.

With a laugh Callie pulled Arizona close, pressing their lips together. "Oh? Now that I want to see…" Callie said, grinning into another kiss.

So what did you think? Did the talk satisfy you? I hope so :) No more Erica! YAY! I was tired of thinking about her anyway so shes as good as dead as far as I`m concerned. annnyway... So whats next... Any opinions on the next chapter of the adventures of calzona? Or should I just end the story? Please let me know what you think!