A/N: Hey all, this is a little one shot that I did to the song "I'll walk" by Bucky Covington. Takes place during and after Erica's last scene in the show. Hope you enjoy it!
Disclaimer: I do not own and am not affiliated with Grey's Anatomy or Shonda Rhimes.
PS: Please Review
We were 18, it was prom night.
We had our first big fight.
She said "Pull this car over".
I did and then I told her, "I don't know what you are crying for".
I grabbed her hand, as she reached for the door.
Erica walked out of the doors of Seattle Grace with Callie by her side, wanting nothing more than to forget this day ever happened, which she knew would not be possible because her discoveries of the hospital that she was employed at were too huge to ignore.
"How's your patient doing?" Callie asked, breaking into Erica's thoughts.
"Well, he still needs a heart, but I bought him some time," she replied in a defeated and exhausted manner.
"Good, I'm glad."
Erica barely heard Callie comment because she had a thousand things going through her mind and she needed to vent, and Callie was the person closest to her and the only one that would see this side of her anyway.
"I went to the Chief today about Izzie Stevens and he completely shut me down," she stated, feeling the anger start to bubble in the pit of her stomach. "Well we'll see what he says when I report this to UNOS."
"Whoa, whoa, whoa, wait, why?" Callie asked, not entirely sure why Erica would want to drag something that happened three years ago into the present. "What…what good would come of that?"
Erica shook her head a little, confused. Why didn't Callie understand where she was coming from, what Izzie did was wrong…on so many different levels. "What do you mean?"
"What possible good would it do? I mean, would it benefit your patient?"
Are you serious? How can she not see this!? "My patient wouldn't be here if it wasn't for her!" she spat back at her.
"You're going to report this to UNOS and cost this hospital its transplant certification, cost our patients organs, cost people their jobs, cost Izzie Stevens her career," Callie flew back at her, because goddammit, this had been dealt with.
"Wait, so you're taking Izzie Steven's side in this, over mine?" the blonde was infuriated, because Callie, her best friend, her lover was not backing her up on this issue when she should.
Half of Callie's brain was telling her to shut up and let Erica do what she was going to do because Izzie, well that bitch betrayed her and she should be more than willing to see everything she worked for go down the toilet. She really wasn't taking Izzie's side, but the way the words were flowing out of her mouth, it was hard to tell. She was just trying to make a point and it just happened to be with Dr. Stevens.
"She's a doctor, one of our doctors, there is a reason we have each other's backs, Erica."
"Oh please do not talk to me about a code," the heart surgeon interrupted, "because this is not that."
"No, this is that. Look I don't know what happened between Denny Duquette and Izzie Steven that night but unless you were in the middle of that situation, I don't see how you can make a judgement."
"Easy," Erica fired back, "There's right and there's wrong, and this…was wrong…and illegal. There is no gray area here; you can't kind of think this is okay; you can't kind of side with Izzie Stevens; and you can't kind of be…a lesbian."
Callie was speechless, so this is really what it is all about. Them, not Izzie or Denny or this hospital, it all boiled down to them and their relationship or whatever it was. She licked her lips in order to soothe their throbbing and to gain some time for her brain to have words come out of her mouth. "Yes I can," she replied, not believing that Erica would say something like that because she knew…she knew how hard this was for her.
"I can't believe I didn't know this."
"Erica, the chief is right—
"No you. I don't know you…at all." With that, Erica turned around and walked toward her car. Callie stood speechless for thirty seconds before the half of her brain that remained silent for their whole argument kicked her ass and made her run after the blonde. She sprinted and grabbed Erica's hand when she reached her, "Erica, wait." Blue eyes met her own brown one's and all she saw was hurt and anger, something she never saw directed at herself.
She said, I'll walk.
Let go of my hand.
Right now I'm hurt, and you don't understand.
So just be quiet.
And later we will talk.
Just leave, don't worry.
I'll walk.
"No, Callie let me go." Erica told her, trying to ward off the emotional edge to her voice. She had no more fight in her, she didn't know where the lesbian comment came from, but you can't control your subconscious and apparently that was what was there. Callie didn't let go of her hand, and she really didn't want her to see the tears that were threatening to spill from her eyes.
"Please…just…I can't be around you right now. I need…I need to be away from you and this hospital. And maybe…tomorrow…we can talk, but I am angry and exhausted and I need you to let me go for right now."
Callie felt her own eyes fill with tears as she dropped Erica's hand and nodded slightly. She watched as the blonde got in her car and drove out of sight. She tried to sigh, only to have it catch in her throat and tears started streaming down her tanned face. She started walking to her new apartment, thankful that Cristina would be with Meredith all night.
It was a dark night, a black dress.
Driver never saw her, around the bend.
I never will forget the call, or driving to the hospital
when they told me her legs still wouldn't move.
I cried, when I walked into her room.
Callie had been sitting on her couch for nearly forty five minutes, staring at a blank television. She jumped when she felt her phone vibrate from her pocket. Fishing it out, she glanced at the screen that told her Mark was calling. She tossed the phone aside, not wanting to talk to anyone, especially Mark and continued to stare at the black screened TV. Her phone stopped vibrated from its place on the cushion next her, only to start up again five seconds later. What the fuck?! The brunette groaned and she grabbed her phone, noticing it was Mark again and forcefully opened it.
"What?!" she yelled, making it perfectly clear she didn't want to be bothered.
"Callie, come to the hospital," Mark told her, not telling her why or what for.
"Mark, I really don't feel like—
"Cal," he interrupted softly, "It's Erica. Come to the hospital now."
She didn't even hear his last sentence; once she heard Erica's name, she closed her phone, sprinted out the door and down a block to Seattle Grace. Once she got there she flew through the doors, only to have Mark forcefully embrace her.
"Mark, I have to go, I have to see her," she cried, nearly hyperventilating.
"Callie…Cal, calm down. You can't see her like this."
He continued to hold her until her breathing started to return to normal. He heard her mumble something into his shirt, but he hadn't been able to understand a word. "What?" he asked softly, being careful around her, knowing how fragile she could be behind her tough kick ass Ortho chick façade.
"What happened?" she asked again.
"She was in a car accident. The driver of the other car was drunk and die on the scene. The airbag saved her life, but her legs got pinned and so far she hasn't been able to move them."
"Oh god," Callie exhaled, "Mark, I need to see her, please."
Tears continued down her already puffy face as she saw him nod and he led her to Erica's room. Upon reaching the door, Callie started panicking. Did she even want to see me? She realized it didn't matter, because she was not going to let her go through this alone. Mark opened the door and the tears started coming down heavier when she saw bright blue eyes staring back at her.
She said, I'll walk.
Please come and hold my hand.
Right now I'm hurt, and I don't understand.
Lets just be quiet, and later we can talk.
Please stay, don't worry.
I'll walk.
"Erica, oh god, I'm so sorry," Callie whimpered as she made her way to Erica's bedside. "This is my fault, I should have taken your side and we could be at Joe's, and oh god."
The blonde had tears rolling down her own cheeks. "Shh, it's not your fault," she replied, reaching out for Callie's hand, pulling her down on the bed with her. Erica cupped her face, trying to wipe away the tears but they were coming down faster than she could get rid of them. Callie's hands mimicked those of Erica's, as she brought their heads together, resting foreheads. Tears mingled as their lips gently brushed together, forgiving and forgetting everything that happened not even two hours ago.
"Please stay with me," Erica pleaded, opening her eyes to lock onto chocolate pools. "I can beat this, but I need you to be here with me, please."
Callie felt fresh tears roll down her cheeks with Erica's pleas for help. She had never seen the very deep inside of Erica Hahn, and her heart was breaking to see her like this.
"I promise I will be here."
I held her hand through everything.
The weeks and months of therapy.
And I held her hand and asked her, to be my bride.
She's dreamed from a little girl, to have her daddy bring her down the aisle.
So from her wheelchair, she looks up to him and smiles.
When Erica was finally released from the hospital two weeks later, Callie had just finished taking the last of her things to the blonde's house. They knew this was fast but Callie promised to be there for her in this, and something like this opens your eyes and it tells you who you truly love. The Chief had told Callie to take as much time off as she needed to help Erica heal, and since she was in Ortho, she was allowed to do Erica's physical therapy at home. In the two weeks that Erica remained at the hospital, Callie had called people to go and make Erica's home more accessible, because she was going to be in a wheelchair for a while. She wished she could just make it all better, but since that wasn't possible, she was just thankful that the Chief was understanding and didn't bat an eye when he walked in on Callie sleeping on Erica's hospital bed with her. It did break hospital code, but he decided to let it go as he had slowly walked out the door, decided to talk to them later.
XXXX
Months went by and Erica was slowly beginning to get feeling and a little bit of movement back in her legs. Callie was being absolutely incredible and although this was frustrating for Erica, she believed that this happened because something had to smack them both on the head and push them together, so she was being optimistic. Once night, they had just finished her physical therapy and Erica came out of the bathroom from brushing her teeth and scrubbing her face, to see something on her pillow. Callie was already in bed and turned away from her, so she cautiously rolled her way toward the bed. Upon closer inspection, Erica realized that it was a jewelry box, small enough to contain either a ring or earrings.
"Callie…" Erica whispered, watching the brunette roll over with a smile shining on her face. She grabbed the box and opened it, letting out a small gasp as she saw two identical diamond rings sparkle up at her.
"Erica, I love you, and I want to be your wife. I know it has no legal standing here, but it will in our hearts," Callie said, as she crawled over to Erica's side of the bed and took her hand. "So Erica Marie Hahn, will you marry me?"
Erica looked up at Callie in shock and then back down to the rings, only to bring her gaze up once again. Her face broke out in a huge grin as she grabbed Callie face and pulled it to her, crushing their lips together.
"Yes…yes I will marry you." She whispered, as they both started crying.
Callie pulled one of the rings from the box and slid it onto Erica's left ring finger, as the blonde did the same thing. Their lips touched again, allowing all the promises and hopes they had be exchanged between them.
"I love you," Erica said softly, resting her forehead on Callie's.
"I love you too, baby."
And she says, I'll walk.
Please hold my hand.
I know that this will hurt, I know you understand.
Please daddy don't cry.
This is already hard.
Let's go, don't worry.
I'll walk.
The six months they had between their engagement and their wedding seemed to come and go, and the wedding day was here. Erica was doing a lot better, but walking was still a bit on the rocks. They invited many of their friends and co-workers from Seattle Grace, none seemed too surprised, despite the fact that they hadn't formally come out at work. Callie insisted that she and Erica stay apart during the day because she wanted to be surprised. They were both being walked down the aisle by their fathers because the place they had found had three different aisles that lead to the altar. One that was straight up the middle and two on the outside that curved inward.
They had both called their parents months before that inviting them to come stay the weekend with them so they could talk. Neither set of parents knew that they other set would be there and they just thought that their daughter was missing them and wanted to spend some time with them close to the holiday season. Callie and Erica planned it to where their parents would meet them at a restaurant so they could tell both at the same time. It had gone exceptionally well, and both Callie and Erica's parent had been overjoyed to see their only child in love and happy, and it didn't matter that it was with a woman. They had told them that they were going to get married and the couple couldn't remember a time with either of their parents had been so elated.
Now on this day, Erica sat in her wheelchair in her stunning white dress with red jewels running from the top of the strapless, in a line formation to the train, only to fan out once it got there.
"Daddy?" Erica whispered, staring into eyes that mirrored her own blue ones.
"Yes sweetie?"
"I want to walk. I want to walk down the aisle toward my beautiful Callie, not roll in this thing. I know it's going to hurt, but I have been trying extra hard in PT so I can do this, and I really think I'm ready. Will you help me?"
David Hahn peered down at his daughter, his vision blurring as he heard the music start to play that signaled for them to start walking. "Come on darling, you have some walking to do," he whispered as he helped Erica out of the chair and stand on wobbly legs. Looping his arm around hers and grasping her hand, he slowly led Erica on two feet toward Callie, who had just finished walking toward the front. Erica's breath caught in her throat when she saw the beauty that was standing a few feet away, waiting for her. Callie froze in place when she saw how gorgeous Erica looked, but when she realized that she was walking...actually walking toward her, all of the rest of the world just fell away.
