Trigger Warning: This story initially focuses on an assault. The actual assault isn't described, but the after effects (injuries, etc.) are discussed. If this will bother you, this may not the be the best fic for you to read.
AN: I wanted to thank everyone who read, commented, followed, etc. for all of your support. I was really nervous to post the 1st chapter. I'm glad so many people seemed to enjoy it. Hopefully this doesn't disappoint. That being said I'm currently flying (writing) solo, so I would really appreciate a beta. If you are interested please message me and we can chat to see if we can work something out.
Chapter TwoCallie helped Arizona into a private trauma room in the pit. Luckily it was a slow night in the pit so having the private room wasn't a burden. Callie knew Arizona would want the privacy instead of allowing all of their colleagues to see her so beaten and broken. Callie settled Arizona onto the exam table and yelled out the door for April.
"Okay, Arizona, April is here to check you out. So, I'm going to go. You'll be okay." Callie calmly explained to Arizona. Callie wasn't sure how much longer she could see Arizona look like this. She was glad that April is Arizona's friend and knows her. Otherwise, this wouldn't look good – bringing her ex-wife in to the Emergency Room in the middle of the nigh obviously beaten. Not good at all.
"No. Stay. Please stay, Callie…please" Arizona begged and tried to grab Callie's arm.
Callie was shocked and wasn't sure Arizona really understood what she was asking. Or maybe she forgot they weren't together, maybe she has more brain damage than Callie originally thought. They have been separated for over 6 months and they'd both worked hard to give each other space and privacy. Staying could destroy the relative peace they had worked for. Callie no longer desired to throw Arizona out windows and Arizona has stopped yelling. They can't move backward, Callie couldn't handle going back. It had been so difficult. Before Callie can work out what to do and how to move forward April came into the room.
April was glad that Callie had warned her that she was bringing Arizona in and that Arizona wasn't in great condition. The warning helped April to maintain her composure. Arizona was not the patient in the worst condition April had that night, not by far, but working on friends was different.
"Hey Arizona, it is going to be okay." April greeted and immediately moved into doctor mode.
Arizona didn't even acknowledge April while she continued pleading with Callie. "Callie. Callie, please stay. Please stay."
"Hey, hey it is okay, Arizona. I'm right here. I'll stay with you. I'll take care of you. Okay?" Callie answered. She knew this could mean trouble, but she can't deny Arizona anything, not like this. Arizona nodded slightly and seemed to settle down a bit.
"So you were attacked?" April started her questions as she began her exam of Arizona.
"Y-yeah" Arizona answered obviously uncomfortable.
"Okay, so I've alerted the police so we can report the incident. None of your injuries look too bad, but we will need a CT and some x-rays. Let's set up an IV, get some pain meds in you and then we can take pictures for the police before we do the tests, okay?" April continued while she finished her quick exam of Arizona.
"No. No police. I'm not so bad, you said it yourself. I just want to go home. Callie can we go home, now?"
Callie immediately tensed. Deciding to start with the police issue first, Callie answered "No Arizona, we need to report this. You being beaten is not okay. This is not okay. You want to report this, right?"
Tears started to fill Callie's eyes as she thought of the different scenarios, what could have happened. Arizona nodded slightly, giving her consent to report the incident.
"Okay, so do we need examine anything else or do any other tests, Arizona?" April asked gently.
Arizona looked down and Callie immediately looked at April in bewilderment as she tried to understand what April was asking. Arizona had a head/face laceration. Why would that require more tests? It took just a moment for Callie to understand April's meaning. She looked again at Arizona; she had been trying to only look at Arizona's face since before Callie put her in the car. But Arizona's clothes were torn and bloody. More blood than just her head, probably.
"Oh, God." Callie choked out as she realized. Did April think Arizona was raped? Was she? Callie hadn't even considered that. She was so overwhelmed with Arizona's appearance at her door and getting her here, she hadn't even fully considered the possibilities. Callie was instantly glad that she previously emptied her stomach. As if tonight could get much worse.
Arizona held Callie's hand even tighter and quietly said "No. That's all."
"Okay, then, I'll go grab some scrubs for you Arizona so we can get you out of those clothes and bag them." April said hesitantly.
"I'll take care of her and start the pain meds, Kepner." Callie answers. It was as though, Arizona clinging to Callie flipped something for Callie. She gave in to her need to take care of Arizona, protect her as if that were possible.
Callie leaned down next to Arizona to bring their faces level, "Are you sure? Were you raped? You can tell me baby, I'll take care of you." Callie gulped, she knew she needed to know, needed to be sure, but she wasn't sure she wanted the answer.
"No. H-he didn't rape me, Callie. I think he wanted to, but I fought. I promise I fought him."
Callie breathed a sigh of relief as tears began to fall from her eyes again. "It's okay. I believe you. You're a fighter, you always have been, sweetie." Callie used her thumb to gently rub Arizona's cheek where it wasn't purple, as though to comfort her.
Just then a new intern walked in, "Kepner said I needed to start an IV."
Without hesitation Callie stood up gave the Torres glare and said "Get out!"
The intern looked confused, but left quickly not wanting to anger yet another attending. Arizona also looked to Callie in confusion.
"I've got you, honey. So let's get you some pain meds, huh?"
Callie quickly got the IV in and pain meds for Arizona.
"I haven't put an IV in myself in quite some time." Callie attempted to joke with Arizona, "But only the best for you."
Callie tried to offer Arizona a smile while she put the IV in and for the first time that night Arizona returned it. It wasn't one of her magic smiles, but it was a marked improvement. Callie grabbed the electronic chart and began to quickly order the tests Kepner had previously discussed and she added a few extras just to be sure. Callie was about to draw some blood, as a precaution she thought, when April reappeared with scrubs and a disposable camera. Callie quickly finished the blood draw while speaking quiet reassurances to Arizona the whole time.
"Okay, I can go for this part, but I won't leave, okay?" Callie was sure that even if Arizona wanted her there to comfort her she wouldn't want Callie there while she changed – their comfort didn't extend that far.
"Please stay, Callie. It's okay. Please stay." Arizona asked again.
"You're sure?"
"Yes. Please Callie."
"Okay. Let's do this"
Callie took the items from April and April quickly left the room closing the door behind her. Callie took photos of Arizona's injuries and helped her change into the scrubs without much trouble or too many more tears. Callie decided to use the full body x-ray on Arizona before she took her to CT. Callie stayed in the booth the whole time Arizona was in the machine, occasionally telling Arizona reassuring things through the intercom system. While the scan was still going, April stopped by to check on Arizona.
"April, I need a favor. Can you page Jackson in? I know he isn't on call tonight, but I don't want anyone else to touch her face. The wound is pretty nasty and I think we would all prefer for Arizona not to have a visible scar from tonight. I, mean, I want to fix her, fix this, but…" Callie rambled.
"He's the plastic surgeon. I get it." April said while she paged Jackson. "Do you think she'll be okay with him? I mean she was even hesitant around me."
"I'll stay with her. I'll do it if I need to. I just would prefer the plastic surgeon touch. God. I miss Mark. Sorry. I didn't mean that Jackson wasn't qualified."
"It's okay. Mark was family." April soothed. "Jackson is on his way. He'll meet you in an exam room when you're done here."
"Thanks, April. I appreciate it."
April was glad to help and that Arizona seemed to be able to depend on Callie tonight, but she wasn't so sure. She knew the hard work that it took to get Callie and Arizona to even such a fragile relationship. She wasn't sure that the two of them being so dependent on each other, even in this situation, was such a good idea. Arizona's tears after Callie said she was dead at the gala, when Callie wanted to be free, when Callie said any number of things to Arizona were all too fresh in April's mind for her to be on board with the idea of Callie and Arizona.
The scans revealed a mild concussion and a sprained wrist, nothing major; however Callie and April decide to keep Arizona at the hospital for the rest of the night for observation. Arizona seemed mostly okay while Jackson stitched up her head wound and a few other various gashes. Though Callie was constantly holding both her hands and whispering reassurances. As soon as she was all stitched up, Callie helped settle Arizona into her room, holding her hand until she fell asleep.
When Arizona fell asleep Callie quietly slipped out of the room to make the call she'd been dreading all night. She knew she had to call the Robbins to tell them, but didn't want to do it in front of Arizona. She hadn't spoken to Barb or the Colonel since before she and Arizona split up. She didn't even know if they knew that they weren't together. Heck, Mrs. O'Malley was making baby clothes for her when she and George had been broken up for nearly a year. Callie checked her watch. It was 4 am. 8 on the East Coast, a perfectly reasonable time to call and she dialed the Robbins home number. Barb answered on the second ring.
"Hello?"
"Hi…Mrs. Robbins?" Callie wasn't sure what she should call Arizona's mom anymore. Initially it had been Barb, then she was insistent on mom after the wedding. But Callie was no longer married to her daughter.
"Oh. Callie. Hello" Mrs. Robbins seemed distant and cold. This had never been the case anytime Callie had spoken with Barb. She was always so warm and friendly. Callie often felt closer with her than her own parents.
"You know Callie, we haven't heard from you in months. I know things aren't good between you and Arizona right now, but I expected more from you. I haven't seen new pictures of Sofia in almost 9 months."
Had it really been that long Callie wondered? She had stopped sending them before she and Arizona officially split up. When they were on a break and not talking Callie had let her relationship with the Robbins slip. She assumed that Arizona was talking to them, sending pictures, all the things they both usually did.
"I know you're busy but it doesn't take very long to send pictures, Callie. And it isn't like Arizona can send pictures of the daughter she never sees. I know it may not be my place, and you may have given birth to Sofia, but she is also Arizona's daughter. You agreed to that. Separating them now isn't okay, Callie, no matter what your relationship with Arizona looks like you need to be fair. Arizona only seeing Sofia once a week and rarely having her overnight is not good for any of you." Once Mrs. Robbins started going it didn't seem to stop.
"Whoa. Mrs. Robbins, I'm sorry you haven't been getting pictures. I thought Arizona" Callie tried to interject. This is not how she wanted this conversation to go. It was supposed to be quick. Explain what happened to Arizona and get off the phone. Instead she was in this muddled mess she didn't even know what to do with. She wanted to fight the accusations. Explain the truth behind the circumstances. But she knew it was much more important to tell them about Arizona and deal with the rest later, with Arizona, not her parents.
"Arizona hardly sees Sofia, Callie. How could she be sending me pictures?" Barb accused. Callie heard the Colonel in the background telling his wife to "Leave the girl alone."
"I'll send pictures this week. But that's not why I'm calling. Something happened." Callie quickly interjected.
"Oh, dear. Is everyone alright?"
"Umm. Actually, no. Arizona was attacked last night. Her injuries aren't severe, a few lacerations, sprained wrist, mild concussion. She should be okay, but we kept her overnight for observation." Callie explained glad she could focus on the medicine.
"Arizona's hurt?" Barb asked in shock. "Will she be okay? Are you with her? Can I talk to her? We were planning to come out in a few months we could come now."
"Mrs. Robbins, slow down. Arizona will be okay. I've been with her all night. She just fell asleep. I will have her call you when she wakes up and is feeling a bit better and you two can discuss all of this."
Callie looked in the window of Arizona's room and noticed her stirring.
"I'm glad you could be with her Callie." There was gratitude in Barb's voice, but also hesitation.
"Sure. Um. I should go. I'll have Arizona call you Mrs. Robbins."
"Thank you Callie." This time it wasn't gratitude, it was distant, the polite answer you give to a stranger.
After Callie hung up the phone she couldn't help but stare at it. She wanted to scream, cry, throw her phone and yell at Arizona all at the same time. The whole conversation was perplexing. She wasn't keeping Sofia from Arizona, she practically begged Arizona to spend more time with Sofia. Arizona had her fellowship, which kept her busy, and she lived in that damn frat house, which is no place to raise a child or even have one overnight. She knew she should have been in better contact with the Robbins, but she really thought Arizona was, and she couldn't bring herself to call yet another ex-mother-in-law. The distance in Barb's voice really hurt. Barb had in many ways taken the place of her own mother, and even her father at times. She seemed to be burning through parental figures these days. Callie's mind was spinning.
Arizona stirred again and softly moaned in pain. Even from the doorway Callie instantly recognized the look of pain on Arizona's face. She saw that look too often after the plane crash. Callie called for a nurse to bring some pain meds and went to sit by Arizona.
"Callie. Don't leave Callie. Please Callie" Arizona mumbled in her sleep.
Callie took Arizona's hand in hers.
"It's okay Arizona. I'm here, honey"
Instantly Callie bit her tongue. Honey. She called Arizona honey. Arizona hadn't been hers for months. Even before that their relationship was stressed and strained and terms of endearment had become few and far between with them. Callie realized she had been doing it all night, comforting Arizona with pet names. Honey. Sweetie. Baby. God, so much for distance.
Comfort. That is all it was Callie told herself. The endearments were just comfort for Arizona, a way to make her more comfortable and help her to feel safe after something so traumatic. It didn't mean anything, other than it was a night made of nightmares. This didn't have any bearing on their current status…or feelings. Callie tried to convince herself. She could extricate herself from Arizona. These weren't steps back. She was helping a friend. Right?