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Chapter 4
Oh God packing is such a pain in the ass, Callie thought to herself as she heaved a rather heavy box into the living room. For some strange reason, no one seemed to want to help her pack. She had asked Mark but he quickly said that he had plans with Derek to go to Joe's, and Cristina was nowhere in sight.
She let out an audible sigh and sat on one of her boxes. She was sitting in silence until her phone started ringing.
She took a look at the caller ID and answered immediately.
"Addie! What's up darling?"
"Oh nothing much, just calling to tell you I'm right outside your door."
"You what?"
Without ending the call she rushed to her front door and opened it.
"OMG what are you doing here?" She exclaimed while giving the redhead a hug.
"Well, our dear friend Mark felt guilty for not helping you pack. So he gave me a call and here I am!"
She made it sound as if she lived next door or something but Callie was extremely grateful. Although Addison wouldn't be able to lug as much boxes as Mark, anyone would do!
"So how's the packing going?"
"Uhm, I never knew how much stuff I had."
"So where are these things going? Storage?"
"Nah my father is sending a truck to pick up my stuff and get 'em going to Miami."
"What? Why? Won't you need them when you get back?" Addie put her hands on her hips and looked expectantly at Callie.
"Oohhh dear. I know that look Callie Torres."
"What? There's no look!"
"That's the there's-something-i-need-to-tell-everyone-that's-dreadfully-important-but-I've-been-hiding-it look." She sighs and sits down on the box that Callie was sitting on before Addie had called.
"Well… Oh alright… I don't have a job here anymore."
"Webber FIRED you? You're the best damn orthopedic surgeon Seattle has ever seen!"
"No no no it's not like that, I mean… my first tour is a year long. I can't expect him to hire someone and then fire them just because I'll be back."
"Wait… YOUR TOUR IS A YEAR LONG?" She stood up as she said this and semi-shouted in disbelief.
"Uhm, yea?"
Callie tried to give a smile to enlighten to situation but Addie was having none of it.
"I guess that's up to you… But what about Arizona?"
I knew this was going to come up, Callie thought to herself.
"She said she loved me."
"Of course she does Callie. But the question is what are you going to do about it."
"I can't ask her to wait for me Addie. I mean, I joined the army to pretty much freaking find myself! She deserves someone way better who knows who they are and… not…"
"Not what?"
She sat down on the couch and whispered the most painful sentence, she could physically feel her heart hurt, "Not want kids…"
The truck came to pick up Callie's stuff the next morning. She was due to fly to Afghanistan to begin her first tour in two days time. Thankfully, the driver was kind enough to help her load all her boxes into the truck. Callie made sure to tip him generously before he left.
She was feeling relieved as she bounded up the stairs and back into the apartment when the sight of the living room made her halt.
It was… so empty. Callie had no idea that there were so many things around the apartment that belonged to her.
Callie heard keys jingling and the door opening but she didn't move from her spot.
"Well, the apartment looks really empty now."
"I'm sorry."
"When are you coming back?"
"I don't know."
Cristina made her way over to the couch and sat herself down. She didn't even remove her coat or put her bag down.
Callie slowly walked over and sat beside her.
"I asked Owen to move in."
"I'll get the landlord to transfer my portion of the lease to him then. I'll sign the papers first thing in the morning."
Cristina stood up and abruptly walked towards her room. But midway to her destination, she stopped and turned around.
There were tears.
"Cristina, what's-"
"You better come back alive." She wasn't crying, but slow tears were falling down her face.
Callie knew better than to make empty promises.
Silence fell for a while until Cristina decided it was probably better if they just ended the conversation.
Callie felt nothing short of horrible, heavy-hearted and just plain sad. Everyone around her seemed to be walking on eggshells. And all of them repeated the same thing. That she had to come back alive. If she could guarantee that a hundred per cent she could laugh it off and tell them, "Of course I'm coming back alive!", but Callie wasn't that kind of person. She knew the risks, came to accept them whole-heartedly and was prepared if the worst was to befall on her.
She was through her second glass of wine when a knock on the door came.
Ooh maybe it's Mark she thought to herself as she got up from the sofa.
She opened the door to come face to face with none other than Arizona Robbins.
Before I can even register the fact that she was standing right in front of me, she barges in and puts her lips to mine before I can even react.
I kiss her back with as much passion as I can, putting everything into the single kiss, when she pulls away.
Only then do I realise that she was crying.
"Arizona, I-"
"Don't go… Please don't go. Stay in Seattle. Stay with me. But don't go. Don't go…" She pleads as she places her hands on my waist and brings me into her warmth.
"As much as I'd like that… You know we can't. There's so many issues between us that we can't solve."
She only cries harder as I speak. Geez, i think I have a new talent other than surgery. Making people around me cry.
I bring her over to the sofa, she's still clutching on to me for dear life.
It takes a while for her to calm down enough for her to speak, but her arms are still around me.
"I knew you would say that… but I had to try."
I stroke her gorgeous blond hair and breathe her scent in.
"This might be a lot to ask…"
"You can ask me anything."
"Ok then. Do you think we can still keep in contact while you're on tour? My dad used to send me letters while he was on tour and I used to write to him too."
"Of course we can Arizona."
She lets go of me and gives me a small smile.
"I love you."
The confession surprises me a little, and this time it's my arms that go wrap around her.
"I love you too." I mumble into her shirt. It's probably not the best thing to say before leaving on a year long tour which may or may not end up very well on Callie's end, but she couldn't help herself.
She chuckles and squeezes me lightly. "This kinda feels like our break up."
I squeeze back and give a small laugh.
"Calliope?"
"Yea?"
"I'll wait for you."
Did she just say? I bring myself out of her embrace and I see disappointment flash into her eyes. But they disappear just as quickly.
She clears her throat and repeats it.
"I'll wait for you Calliope Torres."
I don't know how to respond so I close my eyes. She brings her arms around me and I let my tears fall freely.
This chapter was a little hard to write...But i managed it in the end!
The next chapter will feature the letters between Callie and her friends. This idea is dedicated to one of my readers. The next chapter is for you! You know who you are =)