Chapter 9: Life and Death
MARK'S POV September 21 9:29 a.m.
"Callie, it's Mark, how ya doing gal?' The sound of Mark's voice made Callie cry even more. At least he got out in time.
"Mark, I'm hurt real bad. I really fucked up royally didn't I?"
"No, no Torres, you listen we are coming, do you hear that? We are coming and don't you dare give up! You've already screwed up my birthday surprise for ya, so don't you go and do anything stupid like give up. Just keep talking to me." Mark was trying to keep Callie awake. "Callie, we have the pack tracker, we got you Callie, and we are just on the other side of the wall, just a few more minutes Callie."
"Mark, I need you to do me a favor." Callie pleaded, "Tell Arizona that I have loved her from the first moment I saw her. She captured my heart with her smile, and dimples, and endless perkiness. She is everything to me. Tell her I never wanted her to have to see the red car pull up, to have you guys tell her I wasn't coming home. To have to see the flag draped coffin. Promise me you'll stay with her Mark, she won't be able to handle this. Make her continue living for me. Please Mark, just make sure she lives."
"Callie, Callie, damn it Callie, you're going to tell her yourself..." Mark frantically called over the radio. He turned to Karev, Avery and Lt. Hunt, and began screaming at them.
"Let's go guys, I'm fucking losing her! How much farther do you have?"
"We are making our final cut now, keep her talking Sloan." Hunt directed
"Cal, I know your in pain, but remember St. Patty's Day, how much fun we had, and I never told you this but Arizona and I had a talk that day before you went all cavewoman on her." Mark slowly slid down the wall and recalled the events.
MARCH 17 ST PATTY'S DAY
I always loved this day. Green Beer, whiskey and the parade were some of my favorite things. This year Rescue 73 was leading the parade. We all met at the station and lined up in our spots. I must say when we wear our Class "A" uniform we do look sharp. After the parade everyone met back at Joe's to continue the celebration. I invited Lexie, and man did she look hot in her green skirt! After several hours we were all pretty drunk.
"Sloan! I taking your girlfriend to the dance floor." Callie slurred as she grabbed Lexie's hand and pulled her up to dance. That left Arizona and I at the table. I knew that Arizona wasn't my biggest fan, but on more then on occasion I let her see I was more then just the "man-whore" everyone thought I was.
"Mark, can I ask you a question?" Arizona slid her chair over next to me and as I shook my head yes she began. "Umm, this is difficult for me to ask you so please don't make any of your usual comments ok? I'm totally 100% in love with Calliope. Like butterflies, and kids, and marriage, in love with her. I haven't told her though because I am worried. You guys work in the most dangerous of professions. At first it wasn't a big deal, but now I find myself worrying sick everytime she goes to work. Is she a good firefighter? You're her partner, you spend most of your time with her. does she take too many risks? She tells me stories and all it does is reinforce this fear i have. I don't want to begin to think of a future with a woman who may not make it to the future.
Arizona was rambling and I could tell this way weighing on her mind. "Blondie, Torres is one of the finest firefighters I know. I didn't think too much of her at first, being a woman and trying to do what I thought was a "man's" job, but she proved me wrong. She performs her job better than 90% of the guys. Of course there is a risk, but Callie does her best to avoid being in those circumstances. Plus she has me, and I wouldn't ever let anything happen to her." I looked Arizona directly in her eyes and softly spoke, "Callie is in love with you too, she walks around on cloud nine, every single day. You are always on her mind, and I know because she gets this goofy grin. Talk to her about your fears. She'll listen and understand, but don't force her to choose between the job and you. It'll will tear her apart. I can promise you though, I will never let anything happen to her on my watch."
I leaned over and kissed Arizona on the cheek, just as Callie walked back with Lexie in tow.
"Sloan, get the hell away from my woman! I hit you with a brick!" Callie pushed me in my chest playfully
"Hey, you took my woman and was grinding with her on the dance floor, so I think it's only fair Blondie and I get to have a little fun." I winked at Arizona who began to giggle.
"Oh, you do, do you? Well I would say that if you like you famous Sloan smile to remain intact, don't kiss my girlfriend again." Callie and I always were joking back and forth with each other. I was reaaly glad she was my best friend.
Arizona grabbed Callie by her shirt and pulled her close to her face, she whispered something in Callie's ear and pulled back with this devilish grin. Suddenly Callie pulled Blondie up outta her chair and tossed her over her shoulder. Grabbing their purses, Callie called back to me, "Mark, take care of the bill, I'll settle up with you later." Then she smacked Blondie on the ass and walked out, giggling all the way.
I turned to Lexie, and motioned for the door, "Wanna get out here?"
"Sure."
MARK'S POV September 21 9:32 a.m.
"Were though! Sloan, you and Avery get in there and get her the fuck out." Lt Hunt yelled.
"Torres! Torres, we are here!" I was screaming as I made my way to her. She was unconscious, but breathing. She was bleeding from her head and her arm was obviously fractured. I yelled back to Hunt to grab a longboard and collar. After immbolizing Callie, we carried her out of the buliding. Cristina and Lexie were standing by waiting for us. Lexie looked at me and back to Callie, then back to me and I saw the concern in her eyes. Placing Callie on the stretcher, I moved out of the way, letting the girls work on my best friend.
"Mark, jump in and drive for us.' Lexie said as she jumped in the back with Yang.
"Ok, Lexie is she going to be ok? Please help her, I can't lose her. I promised Arizona I'd take care of her." I began to feel the tears forming in my eyes.
"Sloan, get in the fucking truck and get us to the hospital, NOW!" Yang shouted at me. I shut the doors and ran around to the front of the squad jumping in the drivers seat. Captain Sheppard was sitting in the passenger seat.
"I called Meredith and let them know who we are bringing in. They are standing by for us and the PD is escorting us the whole way. Just go, Mark, she'll make it.' Capt said to me, as I was pulling away from the scene. As I drove all I could do was keep it together long enough to get her to the hospital. I was pulling in when I heard Yang yell something about losing her. I jumped out, following my best friend in the Trauma bay. I looked up and saw Blondie begining to run towards us. I started to lose it right there when she stopped suddenly and her face became pale white. I walked over to her grabbing her in my arms and we just cried together as we both watched the girl we loved slipping away.
TRAUMA ROOM 2 September 21 9:43 a.m.
"Ok, hang 2 units O Neg, type and cross match. Get a CBC, Chem 7, and ABG. I want films on her head, neck, chest and pelvis as well as her right arm and leg. Have CT standing by. Ultrasound now,...she's crashing! V-Fib charge to 300, everybody clear? Bailey was listening to the report from Cristina when Callie coded. She shocked her but there was no change.
"Push Epi and Atropine, and begin CPR."
Cristina jumped up and began pushing on the Latina's chest. She kept saying something about cooking, and dancing and Tequila.
"Stop CPR, Charge to 360, clear!" Bailey shocked Callie again, this time the monitored beeps began rapidly. "Ok, check pulse, good. Let's get going we need to see what's going on with her." Bailey leaned over to Callie's ear and said, "Don't be doing that again girl, I'm not having you die on my table."
Everyone worked quickly. Teddy walked into the room, and assessed her injuries.
"She has a Tension Pneumothorax, and collapse lung on the right side. Get me a decompression kit. Place a chest tube and lets get her up to the OR." Teddy grabbed the needle and pushed it into Callie's chest. Immediately a whoosh of air began to escape and the alarms on the monitor stopped going off.
"Ok, let's move her."
As Callie was wheeled out and down the hall Teddy went to her best friend to give her an update.
"Arizona, she has a lot of bleeding, her liver is lacerated, and more then likey her spleen as well. Bailey will perform a exploratory Laparoscopy and repair anything she finds. She had a tension pneumothorax which collapsed her lung on the right side as well as a flail segment, with 7 broken ribs. We decompressed her chest and placed a chest tube. She has multiple fractures to her ulna, radius and humerus, as well as her shoulder was dislocated again. Her femur and pelvis is fractured and Dr. Smith will repair all the Ortho Surgery. What has me concerned is she suffered a Cardiac contusion. We have to wait and see how she responds to everything. Her head CT was clear, so that's good news." Teddy was hugging Arizona, who was hysterical crying. Teddy, gave one last squeeze and went to the OR to assist in Callie's multiple surgeries.
Turning around one last time, Teddy saw the Trauma Bay begin to fill with firefighters. Mark took over hugging Arizona as the doors to the elevator opened, she nodded to Mark, who still was crying himself. Pushing the button to the OR floor Teddy, began to let a few tears go as well.