It was more of a peck on the lips than anything even remotely romantic and it didn't last very long but it still caught Arizona off guard. Who in their right mind just grabbed someone and started kissing them? Especially in front of their girlfriend's mother?
Her heart dropped to her toes at the thought of Rosa Torres standing there watching her in a lip lock with someone other than Callie. So much for liking her.
She was about to wedge her arm between herself and her attacker in a last ditch effort to salvage some of her pride when whoever it was pulled back. Her anger quickly turned to surprise when she saw who was holding her at arm's length. "Jayme?"
"Hey Z."
"Jayme!" A radiant smile lit up her face as threw her arms around the woman.
"It's good to see you too Z." Jayme readily returned the hug, whispering, "Is it against the law to hug in Seattle or something? Because that woman is giving us the evil eye."
"Oh." As hard as it was to imagine considering how worried she had been about Mrs. Torres just seconds ago she momentarily forgot about her in her excitement. "Rosa Torres this is Jayme McKinnon. Jayme this is Rosa Torres, Calliope's mother."
Jayme held out her right hand. "It's a pleasure Mrs. Torres."
Rosa gave her a once over as she took the proffered appendage. The girl was pretty enough with her lanky body, short black hair and piercing green eyes. Not anything compared to her Callie but she supposed some people would have found her attractive. She couldn't help but wonder how she knew Arizona.
"Jayme's been my best friend since high school." The blonde spoke, almost as if she had read the older woman's mind. "We met our first day of freshman year."
"Literally ran into each other in the hallway." Jayme added. "I helped her up and the rest, as they say, is history."
Rosa looked at the woman with renewed interest. She knew Callie and Arizona had a close knit group of friends at the hospital but her daughter had never mentioned any of Arizona's other friends.
"I can't believe you're really here." Arizona suddenly smacked her on the shoulder. "You haven't written in forever. I was worried!"
"Sorry." Jayme rubbed her arm. "Ow. You're a lot stronger than I remember."
"Whatever. Now you better tell me you haven't been home very long before I really have to hurt you."
"I just flew in this morning. I wanted to be here for your birthday but the weather on the east coast wasn't cooperating yesterday. Then I had to go on standby..." She shook her head. "But none of that matters. How was your birthday?"
After everything that happened with Callie Arizona completely forgot about it being her birthday the day before.
Jayme noticed the color leak from her friend's cheeks. "What's the matter?"
"I..." She swallowed hard, knowing she needed to just spit it out before she broke down completely. "There was a shooting here at the hospital yesterday. Calliope... she..."
"She saved Arizona's life." Rosa helped the struggling girl.
"Wait, are you saying Callie was shot? What? How?!"
"Two gang members came into the ER to hassle one of our patients." Arizona blinked back tears. "One of them had a gun."
"Was anyone else hurt?" Jayme breathed a silent sigh of relief when Arizona shook her head. "Did they catch the bastard?"
"Yes." Arizona answered.
Jayme gave Mrs. Torres a sidelong glance as Arizona nodded. "Sorry about that."
"No, you're right." Rosa agreed. "He's definitely a bastard."
Jayme rubbed Arizona's back. "Is Callie going to be all right?"
"Yes." Rosa quickly responded. "She's in the ICU right now but my daughter is a fighter. She's going to be just fine."
Jayme relaxed a little when she saw the same answer in Arizona's sad blue eyes. "I'm sorry Z." She pulled her into another hug.
Arizona wiped at the lone tear making its way down her cheek. "Did Mom know you were coming home? If so I'm going to have to yell at her for not telling me."
"No, Mom didn't know."
"Dad?"
"I didn't tell him but you know Dad and his connections."
"Why didn't you tell anyone?"
"I wanted it to be a birthday surprise."
Arizona put her arms around her friend. "You're one of the best presents I could ever ask for."
"Somehow I knew you were going to say that." Jayme held her tight. "That's why I came."
Rosa couldn't stop the corner of her mouth from turning up. Obviously the two women meant a lot to each other. It warmed her heart to know Arizona had someone to lean on right now.
"As much as I'm enjoying this, you should really be with Callie. I need to find a place to crash but how about if I come back later and we can grab some crappy cafeteria food for dinner?"
"You can stay at my place. I'll even lend you my car to get there. Calliope lives right across the street. I can stay there."
"Are you sure?"
"Of course. You're family."
"Thanks Z. Now why don't we head to the locker room so I can get the keys and you can get back to Callie?"
Rosa noticed the longing in Arizona's eyes. "Actually we were just on our way to the cafeteria. Maybe you could join us and still come back later for dinner."
"I don't want to impose."
"You're not." Rosa assured her.
Jayme grinned as she slung her arm around Arizona's shoulders. "Then it's a date."
Arizona put her arm around Jayme's waist, leaning against her friend as they continued toward the cafeteria. "So Mom doesn't know you're here?"
"No. I thought I would surprise her and Dad once I was done visiting you."
Rosa furrowed her brow. "I'm sorry but whose parents are you talking about? Yours or hers?"
"Hers." Jayme answered. "Mine don't have anything to do with me."
"Why?"
"That's a really long story but the short version is I'm a disappointment."
"Only in their opinion." Arizona tightened her grip on her friend. "She's been an honorary Robbins since the first time she came home with me."
"That's because Dan and Karen are amazing."
"They're pretty fond of you too."
"It sounds like you were away for a while." Rosa was trying to keep up. "Were you traveling?"
"I was in the army. Medevac in Iraq." Jayme rubbed Arizona's back again when she felt her tense up. "I just got home from my last tour."
"You're a doctor too?" Rosa gave her an appreciative look when she nodded. "God bless you for your service."
"You two pick a table, I'll be right back with some coffee." Arizona hurried away.
Rosa watched her go. "Did I say something wrong?"
"No." Jayme trailed her with her eyes too. "Arizona's brother Danny died in Iraq."
"I remember Callie mentioning that. She said she doesn't talk about it very much."
"It's still hard for her. They were really close. That's part of the reason she moved to Seattle. Too many memories at her parent's place in Montana."
"Is that where she's from?"
"As of high school yes. Her father, Daniel, inherited a ranch from his grandfather. He still traveled for the military as a recruiter but Karen insisted that she, Arizona and Danny finally have a permanent home. Now Daniel's retired and on the ranch full time."
"Did I just hear you say ranch? Please don't tell me you're playing at being a cowgirl now."
Jayme smiled when she saw an all too familiar face behind Rosa. "O."
"O?" Christina looked back and forth between them with her normal dour expression.
"Jayme." Owen clapped her on the shoulder. "It's nice to see you're still in one piece."
"You too." Jayme's smile stayed in place. "You work here?"
"I do."
"You know, Z mentioned an Owen but I never made the connection."
"Z?" Owen furrowed his brow.
"That would be me." Arizona spoke as she rejoined them, three coffee cups carefully balanced in her hands.
"You two know each other?" Christina asked.
Jayme nodded. "Since high school."
Christina mumbled, "Great. Another perky one."
"Owen Hunt, Christina Yang, this is Mrs. Torres, Calliope's mother." Arizona handled introductions as she gave Rosa and Jayme their coffee. "Christina is Calliope's roommate and Owen is her boyfriend. He also helped Dr. Bailey with Calliope's surgery yesterday."
"It's nice to meet you." Owen gave her a warm smile.
"Yes it is." Christina seconded.
"Bailey told me Callie stabilized overnight. That's great news."
"She did?" Christina glared at Owen. "Why didn't you tell me?"
Owen half shrugged. "I was going to while we were eating."
"It's nice to know Callie has so many friends." Rosa did what any self respecting mother would when they sensed an argument coming on, she changed the subject. "So Owen, how do you know Jayme?"
"Her medevac unit brought people to the field hospital I was based out of in Iraq. I even patched her up a few times."
Arizona frowned. "Patched you up?"
"Yeah. Once when her chopper went down and…"
"Your chopper went down?!" The blonde interrupted him.
"It wasn't a big deal." Jayme gave Owen a 'be quiet' look.
"She's right. She only had to stay at the hospital a little over a week."
"Hi, I'm Jayme McKinnon." Jayme offered her hand to Christina as a way of avoiding Arizona's inevitable questions.
"McKinnon?" Christina ignored her hand. "You wouldn't be related to EJ McKinnon would you?"
"You could say that." Jayme pursed her lips. "He's my father."
"Who's EJ McKinnon?" Rosa asked.
"Who's EJ McKinnon?" Christina repeated her question like she was crazy.
Arizona shot her a look. "He's a cardiothoracic surgeon."
"He's a cardio God." Christina corrected her. "Please tell me you're one too."
"Sorry, no such luck. I'm a lowly trauma surgeon."
Christina snorted. "Well that sucks. And I'm hungry. Are you coming Owen?"
"Yes." Owen gave Jayme an apologetic look for Christina's bluntness. "How long are you in town?"
"However long Z needs me."
"What's with calling people letters?" Christina scowled.
"It's her thing." Arizona stood up for her friend. "I like it."
"That figures." The Asian grumbled.
"We should get a drink sometime." Owen brought the subject back to where it had been. "Or dinner."
Jayme grinned as Christina rolled her eyes and started to walk away. "I'm sure we'll see each other around. We can talk about it more then."
"Right." Owen smiled. "It's great to see you again Jayme. And I'm glad you made it home safely."
"You too."
"Your chopper went down?" Arizona repeated her question as he walked away.
Jayme opened her mouth to answer but Arizona's pager went off. "Saved by the beep."
Arizona frowned at her as she read the display on her pager. Her face fell when she saw what it said. "It's Calliope."
Rosa swallowed hard. "Is something wrong?"
"Bailey says to get to her room."
"Then go." Jayme gestured in the general direction of the elevators. "I'll find the attending's locker room and find your keys."
"But…"
"I know my way around a hospital Z. And I'm sure you have mail in your locker with your address on it. Now go be with Callie. Mrs. Torres, it was nice to meet you and I'm sure I'll see you again soon. Here, give me these." She took their coffee cups.
Arizona pulled her into a sideways hug. "I want more detail later."
"And you'll get it. Now scoot."
Rosa nervously followed Arizona toward the elevators. "Do you think something happened?"
"She's probably waking up."
"But it could be something else couldn't it?"
Arizona said a barely audible, "I hope not," as they got on the elevator.