Chapter 54
Callie rushed into the hospital, she had left Arizona sleeping, dosed up on Panadol, but she wanted to get back to check on her. She found her first target, Alex, he was Arizona's 'boy', and the only one according to her wife that had looked after her post accident.
"Karev" She greeted the resident, "With me" she ordered going to an on-call room.
"Torres" he greeted smirking, about to make a smart-ass comment, she put her hand up to stop him, not in the mood.
"Karev, I need information, what happened while I was out, after the accident?" Callie asked bluntly, Alex winced, there was no escape, Callie was blocking the door.
"Look, it was a stressful time, we thought we were going to lose you and the baby. Robbins was fine, she was walking, I waited until I knew the baby was fine before stitching her up" Alex explained defensively. "I wasn't there for the fight, that was April and Bailey, I didn't even hear about it 'til after, you can't blame me for that"
"Fight?" Callie questioned, raising an eyebrow, this was the first she had heard of a fight.
"Wait, she didn't tell you about the fight…." Alex guessed "No, I'm not doing this I'm not getting involved, you need to talk to your baby daddy or your wife" he lectured quickly leaving the room.
Callie sighed, her mind racing, another puzzle piece, so there had been a fight between Arizona and Mark, Alex had also named 2 witnesses, Bailey and Kepnar. Bailey would be a hard crack but April, Callie grinned, April couldn't keep a secret to save her life.
Callie stalked the corridors a new prey in mind. Getting to the Pead's ward she found her reviewing charts at the desk.
"Kepnar, with me" she ordered. April followed Callie to another on-call room. Between Bailey, Mark, Arizona and April, April was clearly the weak link.
"I know about the fight between Mark and Arizona" Callie bluffed, watching as April's eye's widened,
"You do, thank God, I mean it was horrible, we had to decide what to do and who to save, you or the baby, and Dr Sloan wanted you to live, even if it killed Sofia, said you could just, you know, make a baby with him again, Dr Robbins went nuts, and said he was just a sperm donor, that you would want to give your baby every chance, even if it killed you, you would choose Sofia, then Dr Sloan said Dr Robbins was nothing and that she had no rights to pick you or Sofia, because she was nothing. She walked away after that, we didn't see her for a bit" April explained, "I'm so glad you know, I mean it was so tense" April sighed with relief finally noticing how tense Callie was.
"Are you okay?" she asked nervously, as the door to the on-call room opened, Bailey entered,
"Kepnar go" she ordered, April nodded quickly escaping, sensing Callie was going to explode.
"He called her nothing, he called Arizona nothing" Callie ranted pacing, nothing, Arizona was far from nothing, she had saved Sofia's life, she had saved Callie's heart after the breakup with Erica, thinking she was unlovable, Arizona had proven she was, and nothing, why did he have to call her nothing, the one word Arizona had grown up thinking she was. Nothing, Arizona was Sofia's mom, she was her fiancé, she wasn't nothing, and how dare Mark suggest they would just fuck and make another baby, like she was ever going to fuck him again. She was with Arizona, how could he not understand that, and why hadn't anyone told her. Why had they all been protecting him? Why was nobody protecting Arizona, couldn't they see how important she was?
"Torres, I need you to calm down" Bailey ordered, watching Callie pace, speaking Spanish at an incredible pace.
"Calm down, calm down," Callie ranted, her anger only building, "Why did nobody tell me, in fact, on the subject of nobody, why did nobody order my wife a CT scan? Why didn't anyone check her out? Why did only a resident stitch her head? She is an attending who was in an accident who lost consciousness for we don't know how long, who was actively vomiting, and nobody bothered to check her out, nobody bothered to defend her as she was called nothing. You know what I'm out" Callie screamed, frustratedly. The fact she was only finding this out now, weeks later, meant Arizona was right, it was like nobody here cared about her. Actions spoke louder than words, nobody had checked her out, and nobody had stood upto Mark, or even give them the heads up.
"Callie, sit down, what's happened?" Bailey asked softly. "Where is this coming from?"
Callie sat, realising tears were running down her face.
"Arizona is sick, not like hospital sick, not yet, I mean its flu, and she took Cristina's funky medicine, and that stuff is nasty, she was hallucinating last night, it could have been her temperature, it was really high, anyway she was saying she was nothing, apologising, it was heart breaking." Callie shared, rubbing her head, she felt so tired, and had learnt so much in the last 24 hours her world was changing, how had she been this closed off to her wife's needs.
"He apologised after, Sloan, he apologized" Bailey explained, "And you are right, we should have done better, I am sorry" she said, anger mollified slightly, Callie shrugged,
"I'm not the one you need to be saying that too. I'm not the one who thinks nobody here cares for her, or is bothered if she dies" Callie said coldly, not ready to forgive, or forget, not until everyone apologised to her wife. Standing, she wasn't sure where she was going to go, to Mark to give him a piece of her mind or to go back to her sick wife, and hug her until she felt better.
"You are right" Bailey agreed. "Go home, be with your wife, get some sleep, Sloan has waited this long" she advised, Callie nodded, Bailey was right, Arizona was sick, she needed her.
She returned to the apartment to find Arizona sitting in the wardrobe hugging her teddies, sobbing hysterically.
"Arizona, what's wrong? What happened?" Callie asked worriedly, blue eyes met brown,
"You left me, I told you and you left me," she cried, rocking slightly hugging herself trying to get comfort where she could. "Everyone leaves," she muttered,
"No baby, I went out, but I came back, I didn't leave" Callie reassured running over hugging her wife, gently pulling her out of the wardrobe, gently sitting her on the bed, "I'm back, I'll always come back, for you" she promised, "I love you, you are my everything, I will never leave you" she swore
She held Arizona tightly, feeling the heat radiating off her girlfriend, as her words made Arizona cry more,
"You can't promise that, nobody can" She sobbed, that's what Timmy had promised, and he had lied, he hadn't come home.
"You are my heart, even when we aren't together you are here" Callie gently touched her chest, "and in Sofia's heart, and I know we are in yours, just like Tim is. The people who love you, they are always with you, and I love you so much,"
"I love you too" Arizona whispered, feeling calmer, listening to Callie's heartbeat. There was a sense of relief that Callie knew the truth she was damaged, and she was still here.
"But we do need to talk" Callie said firmly stroking Arizona's hair, feeling her wife tense. "I went to the hospital, I needed to find out what happened between you and Mark" she explained,
"It was fine, it's fine, he apologised" Arizona said defensively, pulling away from Callie slightly. Why did Callie insist on bringing this up. Mark had every right to be angry, she had nearly killed them both.
"It's not fine, nothing about it is fine" Callie replied sighing. How to explain to someone who thought she was nothing, that had spent years of her life being beaten that she was everything, that she deserved the world. "You are my everything," Callie promised gently stroking Arizona's arm, Arizona sighed, not sure she believed Callie, she sounded like Tim and her parents. Callie sensed the disbelief
"I love you so much, when I see you it's like my world has colour again, I feel free, I feel like I can do anything, because you are by my side. If I have too spend every day for the rest of my life making you feel like you are my everything I will. Because I love you"
Arizona began crying again, unable to believe that despite knowing everything Callie still loved her.
"I love you too" she whispered leaning into Callie grateful of the support her wife was showing her, suddenly in the safety of Callie's arm exhaustion began taking over, a combination of crying and the flue meant she closed her eyes, and again, Callie noticed,
"Do you want to cuddle, I'll let you be little spoon" she offered, Arizona nodded, biting her lip nervously, "what babe?" Callie asked, Arizona smiled, she normally hated being called babe, but coming from Callie it sounded sexy.
"Will you still be here, when I wake up, I mean if you have time, it's okay if you don't" Arizona babbled nervously, Callie gently stroked her face, leaning forwards and capturing her lips.
"There is nowhere I would rather be" she reassured. Arizona shifted, so Callie's arms were wrapped around her back.
"When I was little, I used to sleep in Timmy's arms, and even though I knew I'd get beaten, I always felt safe, even when Mom and Dad adopted us, I'd still sleep with Timmy, because it was safe. When Timmy…died…" Arizona paused, she hated saying that she felt Callie kiss her shoulder in silent support giving her the strength to continue, "I thought I'd never feel safe ever again, thought I'd never be happy again, then I met you….and I feel happy," Arizona said, "And dizzy"
"Your heart is racing" Callie noted, Arizona frowned, a memory springing into her head,
"Were you ever a lifeguard in Miami?" she asked, Callie nodded confused,
"Yeah, for a summer, daddy wanted me to get work experience, or at least that's what he said, I was really socially awkward and had no friends, I was the weird girl chewing my hair in class so I think he actually wanted me out of the house." Callie explained, "Wait, how did you know?" she asked, frowning as a memory tickled her mind,
"I think you saved my life" Arizona muttered,
"Oh my God, you were the adorable blond kid I pulled out of the rip, with the intimidating dad, wow you were cute."
Arizona pouted she hadn't been cute, she had been bad ass.
"Wait, you fancied me" Callie gloated, "the racing heart, the tongue tied, the blushing, you lurved me" she joked, as Arizona blushed, deciding to turn the conversation back on itself
"You were beautiful, and you had just saved my life, Timmy and I were obsessed with Baywatch and you were like a real life Baywatch babe" Arizona replied as Callie blushed. "Wait do you still have that swimsuit?"
"Maybe at my parent's house, why?" Callie asked, as Arizona leered at her,
"I've had several hot dreams about that swimsuit" she confided, Callie grinned, leaning forwards kissing her wife, positive that when she was better, they could definitely recreate that fantasy.
"Speaking of hot, you are burning up, I'll get your medication, then you should get some rest" Callie ordered, Arizona nodded, curling up on the couch, pressing play on the TV choosing a movie, when Callie returned she took her medicine resting her head on Callie's lap. Despite still not feeling well lying next to Callie felt good it felt safe. Callie sat playing with Arizona's hair, her mind still spinning at everything she had learnt and just what she was going to say to Mark, once Arizona let her leave for now, she was quite content listening to her wife's soft snores, eventually falling asleep herself.
They woke up to the door knocking softly, Callie gently woke Arizona up pleased to feel her temperature was down, Arizona gave her a soft smile
"You stayed" she said awe in her voice,
"Of course, I love you, now I'll see who it is, why don't you shower and I'll make us something to eat" she offered. Rubbing her eyes Arizona nodded, Callie feeling her heart fill with love at her wife's actions, how did Arizona make even a bed head cute?
"I love you" Arizona muttered as if reading Callie's thoughts, Callie grinned,
"I love you too" she repeated watching her wife disappear into the bedroom.
At the door Mark stood with Sofia
"It's your turn tonight, I can keep her if Robbin's isn't up to it" he offered, Callie glared at him, this was the first time she had seen him since finding out what he had said to Arizona.
"What?" he asked confused as to why Callie was glaring at him. Callie said nothing just indicating for him to hand over their sleeping baby. Mark does so, carefully Callie places the sleeping baby into her cot, shutting the door, before returning to Mark dragging him out of their apartment.
"I can't believe you, selfish, stupid, idiotic," she said each time punching him.
"Ow Torres, what the hell?" he asked rubbing his arm where she had hit him.
"Arizona, Mark, how could you?" Callie cried,
"How could I what? Callie, stop hitting me" Mark complained,
"Arizona, you said she was nothing" Callie explained, "Arizona, my wife, my everything, you said she was nothing" she said genuinely hurt.
"That," Mark said, rubbing his head, "did she tell you that she called me a sperm donor?" he replied defensively, Callie sighed,
"No Mark, Arizona didn't tell me anything, she was explaining why she thinks nobody at the hospital cares about her, why she didn't get a CT scan after losing consciousness, why nobody stayed with her? I said surely not, surely the father of our child would make sure the mother of our child got great care, and you know what Mark, she laughed, and she refused to say anything else."
"So, who told you?" Mark asked angrily,
"That's what you are worried about?" Callie replied frustrated,
"Look, Robbins and I we argued we apologised we are good now, I mean its…."
"She is terrified of you" Callie interrupted, "In her dreams she cries out, I'm not nothing, she is scared that if anything happens to me, she will never see Sofia again." She explained, Mark frowned,
"But I apologised" he said, looking confused. Callie sighed, how to explain it to Mark when she was still processing everything that had happened in the last 24 hours and everything she had learnt without breaking Arizona's trust. Sometimes just saying your sorry wasn't enough,
"I know, but actions are louder than words. You are Sofia's father, legally, it's you and me, legally if I died you could take Sofia and Arizona would never see her again." Callie explained patiently, Mark deflated slightly dropping his head finally realising how much he had hurt her.
"I wouldn't do that, I was scared, and I guess she was too. I'll apologise again, and get something drawn up, legal stuff, so she feels safer," he offered. Callie hugged him,
"Thank you," she said, then "If you ever insult my wife again or insinuate she isn't everything to me then we are done, we will be co-parents only, not friends, or besties like we are now" Callie threatened poking his chest, Mark gulped,
"Understood" he said, "I really am sorry"
Callie gave her a sad smile,
"I know, make it right and we are good" Callie promised, shutting the door leaving him in the corridor. She took a breath resting her head on the door frame for a moment. As she tried to decide whether to check on her wife or daughter first. The decision was chosen for her when she turned finding Arizona sitting on the arm of the sofa crying.
"Baby, what's wrong?" Callie questioned running to her side. Hugging her with one arm cupping her face, wiping away the tears that had fallen, pleased she finally felt a normal temperture.
"You chose me" Arizona whispered, "You defended me"
"Of course," Calle said confused, "you are my wife, I love you and what Mark said was totally wrong and I will always defend you" she promised, gently kissing Arizona's lips.
"Only Timmy, mom and dad ever defended me before" Arizona whispered disbelievingly,
"That was then, now you have me, and I am always on your side. I grew up with the name Calliope, I'm tough" Callie joked, making Arizona smile.
"I love you" Arizona said, leaning on Callie,
"I love you too" Callie repeated, kissing Arizona as Sofia began to cry. "Go shower, I have our daughter" Callie said.
"Calliope, you know how only your dad and I can call you that, because we are special to you?" Arizona said suddenly,
"Yeah?" Callie questioned wondering where this was going,
"Zona, only Timmy, mom, dad, Nick, Dr Mabel and Dr Edna call me that but after Timmy….I didn't let anyone else call me that, but you can….I mean, only if you want to" Arizona said nervously,
"Zona, I like it" Callie said, "Zona, hey. I'm Calliope" Callie said, smiling softly, glad her wife felt safe with her.
One more chapter I think to wrap it up,
let me know what you thought,