'So you have a small tear in your abdomen which I'm going to have to go in to fix.' Bailey says as she gestures at the scans. 'Although not serious at the moment, I would prefer to fix it now than hope that it resolves itself' she continues as she addresses Callie as she lies in bed. Mark and Christina stand back and listen to Bailey's assessment in silence. Callie mutely nods her head in agreement, slightly overwhelmed that she has to have another surgery. Mark, unable to keep quiet any longer starts talking once Bailey takes a breath.

'Callie, I think you…'

But before he can finish, Christina slyly elbows him in the side as she doesn't want Mark bringing up Arizona while Callie's preparing for surgery. Whatever Mark was going to say dies on his tongue and a glances at Christina with a wounded look. Callie unaware of what Mark was going to say, places the her dog tags back around her neck and runs her hand over the letter in her chest pocket. Callie wonders what Arizona is doing and if she is aware that Callie is back. Shaking the thoughts from her head, Callie focusses in Bailey talk her through the impending operation.

'I will make a small incision to the left side of your abdomen. A few stiches will need to be placed and you'll be under general anaesthetic for the procedure. It shouldn't take any more than two hours. I've booked OR4 and your slated in for 4.00pm. Any questions?' Bailey says direction her question to all three surgeons in the room. Understanding Sloan and Yang's need to be close to Callie, Bailey attempts to include them in the discussion. Again, Callie answers with a shake of her head. Bailey reaches out and grasps Callie's hand, 'I'm glad you are back in one piece, you put us all through quite a scare when we didn't know where you were. But you are back, so that's all that matters.' She says meeting Callie's eye.

'It's good to see you to Bailey', Callie mumbles out. Letting go of Callie's hand, Bailey leaves the room leaving the three surgeons in the room. Callie focusses on her bedspread, refusing to meet their glances as she doesn't want their pity. Reaching into her uniform pocket, Callie pulls out the letter and runs it through her fingers in a calming motion. Mark, instantly recognising the writing on the envelope, can't keep his mouth closed any longer and exclaims.

'How come you never read it?' Christina again elbows him in the side as Callie shrugs her shoulder and continues to play with the letter in her hand. It had become a habit she'd developed while overseas to flip the letter around in her hand. 'But weren't you even slightly curious to what she said' Mark presses. Realising that Mark isn't going to drop the subject, Callie answers him.

'I didn't want her to say that she didn't care. I didn't want to say that nothing had changed, that we were over and always would be. I didn't want her to say that there was no need to run away because there wasn't anything left between us. That she was over me.' Ending her statement in a whisper.

'Do you really think Robbins would send you a letter like that while you were in a war zone?' Mark questions. Callie gives an indifferent shrug as she takes in what Mark says. 'You should read it, even if it's just for closure.' He continues. Lightly kissing Callie on the top of her head, he leaves the room, Yang a step behind. Continuing to turn the letter over in her hand, Callie looks at the letter. The envelope has become a dull yellow, marked with dirt and blood. Pondering what Mark says, she rips open the envelope and pulls the single sheet of paper out.

To my dearest Calliope,

You left, you packed you bags and walked out on me. I'm sorry that I didn't talk to you after that day, or even call you. But I was scared, scared of the power you have on me in that you make me question everything that I thought my life would become. Scared, you no longer wanted me, that I had missed my chance to be with you. The night we broke up was the worst moment of my life. I thought that what I was doing was right, for both of us. You would find someone new, who could give you everything you wanted. I never wanted a child, when I thought about what I would become, children were never factored in. But they were your dream, so I thought I had to let you go. We could eventually be friend after the pain had lessened. But then the lock down happened and everything changed. Harsh words were thrown around and cheap jabs were made as I attempted to comprehend the end of our relationship.

Deep down I know that I am different from George O'Malley, Erica Hahn, Mark Slone and anyone else that you have been with. But I just needed for you to prove that I was different, to make a gesture that it was indeed true that you were in love with ME. I made all the big steps; the 'I love you', the meet the parents and so on. I'm not blaming you because I do like to be in control. But then you wanted a baby, and you skipped a whole heap of steps. All I wanted to move in together, a marriage and to meet your mother first, but you went straight to the baby. You needed a family a baby to make your life complete, and I didn't. And we never really talked about, you assumed and I shut-down. And before either of us could stop it, we were over. And I lost you for good.

I'm so sorry that you felt that you needed to escape from me and all the mess that we created. To enlist of all things. The first argument that we ever had was about George O'Malley enlisting. And that's what you did, you enlisted in the army. We always sucked at communicating, which in the end spelt the end of our relationship. We would fight and then make-up, sweeping the issue under the covers. And in the end, this destroyed it. I never voiced my concerns about having a child and you never asked. So here is me communicating, showing you my dream that I have for my life with you. I can live without you. Now all I see that life that we could have – with kids. I dream about a mini-Calliope who has your bad-ass attitude. When I close my eyes at night, it's all I see. It took me losing you to realise that your dream was my dream all along. I can't live without you, so please come back to me and make me whole. Come back for me.

Yours, forever and always

Love Arizona

Tears stream down Callie's face as she finishes reading the letter. Taking in all that Arizona has written down on the page leaves her swimming in emotions. Finally realising that her hasty retreat from Seattle all those months ago may have been the worst decision of her life, Callie lets out a small sob. When Arizona wrote this letter, she wanted Callie. She wanted children with Callie. Callie struggles to comprehend the blonde's backflip on the baby issue. But what does Arizona think now, all these months later?

XXX

Unknown to Callie, Teddy was standing out the front of her room, watching Callie read the letter and come to terms with its contents. Although unaware of the full content of the letter, Arizona had shared with the cardio surgeon that she'd reneged on her promise to never have children. And from the look on Callie's face, she found this statement somewhat unbelievable as she quietly cried in her hospital bed. From Mark when he'd left Callie's room, Teddy was aware that the letter had remained unread until now. Something that had to be shared with Arizona. Seeking out Arizona in the Ped's floor, she spots out the blonde playing an active game of Go Fish with a patient. Waiting til the game has finished with a victorious child, Teddy announcers her presence and says she needs Arizona's presence for a consult.

Arizona gets up and follows Teddy out of the room and asks her about the consult. 'Oh that, it was just a ruse to get you out of the patient's room. You and I need to have a chat about the return of your wayward surgeon.' Teddy replies as she herds Arizona into an on call room, shutting the door behind her. 'So…?' Teddy asks as Arizona flops down on the bed.

'I don't know? I really don't. After all these months she just shows up without a word that she's returning. And she's injured. She never send word about that – in fact she didn't contact anyone while she was away.' Arizona says as she lets out an exasperated sigh. 'It's not Calliope, she doesn't shut down like that. It's as if she was trying to break all ties with me with the no contact. I mean I'm glad she's back safe. But how do I feel about her. I'm not sure. She never even read the letter I sent her. I found in unopened in her uniform.' Arizona finishes with as she runs her had through her hair.

'She read the letter now. I saw her do it while she was in the bed. She's been admitted as a patient and Bailey's operating on her this afternoon.' Teddy says as she takes a seat next to Arizona. 'Do you want to be an 'us' with Callie anymore' Teddy slowly asks, slightly apprehensive of the blonde surgeon's answer considering her previous statements. Arizona's eyes shoot up to look at Teddy in mild shock at the question.

'Of course I do, my feelings for Calliope haven't changed. I need to be with her. I'm not saying this because she's injured and I need to fix her, either. I need to be with her.' Arizona proclaims. 'I just need to talk to her, see if she still wants me' Arizona ends with a mumble. 'Teddy what happens if she doesn't want me?' She asks in a small voice.

Teddy, reading the look of desperation on her face musters all the confidence she can find and replies 'She'll want you, Callie loves you, and you know that.' Reaching out to grasp at Arizona's hand to pull her upright ' Come on, her surgery starts soon and Yang managed to convince Bailey that she should be the resident. Let's go sit in the gallery for peace of mind.'

Arizona pulls her hand out of Teddy's and replies 'I'll come down soon, I just need to sort everything out first. Save me a seat?' Turing away from Teddy, Arizona curls up on the bed signalling that she wants to be left alone.