Bullet Wounds and Broken Noses (Chapter 4)
Author: rcruz
Disclaimer:If I owned them, things would look a lot different. The characters, settings, established histories, and general Grey's Anatomy universe referenced in this work are properties of their respective owners. This is a work of fiction for entertainment purposes only. No copyright infringement is intended.
Chapter 4 – Conclusion
Sometimes at the end of things, we can overcome our individual weaknesses. For just a moment one person moves faster, processes quicker, and realizes what she is in danger of losing. The other person slows down enough to take the curve at just the right pace, and stay on course. At the end of things, when that happens, they stand together and together must decide the pace and the road and the things they will not take for granted.
Outside, Mark was nowhere to be found. Sam hoped he had done the right thing and headed back to the hospital to have his nose looked at. He probably had. He was too pretty not to know it and guys like that wanted nothing messing up their pretty little faces.
She caught up to Erica who was making a beeline for her car at breakneck speed.
"Hey slow down."
Erica slowed, but when she noticed the other person trotting to catch up to them she stopped entirely, leveling a stare at Sam that left Sam feeling very, very cold.
"What?" Sam shrugged.
Callie caught up to them looking from Sam to Erica with concern.
"Um...everything okay?" she asked timidly.
"No," said Erica her voice sounding a little too even and controlled for Sam's comfort. "Everything is not okay." She was still staring at Sam.
Sam opted for self-preservation and lied.
"I saw Dr. Torres at the bar. She wanted to see the club." That's right Ruiz, pretend you don't know anything about them, pretend Callie didn't just spill her guts to you minutes ago.
Erica switched gears. She looked at Callie, but Sam noticed that some of the coldness faded.
"Cal...Dr. Torres, would you mind giving us..." Erica closed her eyes clearly struggling with what to say.
"Please don't do that, Erica. Don't call me Dr. Torres like, like we were never...like we were never friends."
Erica looked defeated.
"Look, you all have fun. I'm going home."
Sam knew better than to grab her, but taking a chance, she stood in front of Erica, ready to take the charge.
"You promised me dinner and I told everyone you were coming."
"Sam. Get. Out. Of. My. Way."
Erica was seething.
Sam tilted her head.
"You said you were going to tell me something and I want to hear it. Plus, you quit your job today Erica."
"WHAT? You did what?" shouted Callie.
Callie had been listening intently, trying to figure out whether she should leave, when she heard Sam's plea and statement.
She surged forward pushing Sam aside and planting herself in front of Erica. She was no longer the whiny, slightly drunk, insecure woman Sam had seen at the bar.
"When the hell did this happen? Erica you can't leave."
The vehemence startled both Erica and Sam. Sam stepped back further and watched the two women. She had wanted a chance to see Erica and Callie together, wanting a better sense of Erica's feelings in all of this. This is not how she had envisioned it happening, though. She didn't know whether to really trust Callie's alcohol laced confessions, but on the surface at least she seemed to care for Erica.
She told herself that she needed to stick around, that Erica would need her. She had stepped back further to give them space, but in the dark still night, in a nearly empty parking lot, even whispers carry.
Erica shifted her focus from Callie to the stars in the sky, pointedly looking up and letting out a breath.
Callie must be a little beyond sense, thought Sam, watching her invade Erica's space and casually place her hands on Erica's chest. But Erica did not back away. She closed her eyes tightly and brought her head back down. Although her focus was no longer on the sky, she seemed to not want to look at Callie. She turned away.
"I can't stay here, Callie."
"Why not? Forget that. I don't want to talk about the hospital. I want to talk about me and you."
"There is no me and you."
Callie was silent for a moment.
"Look me in the eye and tell me there is no me and you."
Callie just stood there, hands still on Erica's chest, standing so close that Sam imagined they were breathing each other's air. She waited.
Sam saw the struggle. She heard Erica's uneven breaths, saw that her body was shaking probably from wanting simultaneously to be right there with the woman in front of her and wanting to run away. She saw the clenched white-knuckled fists at Erica's side and how Erica's eyes closed tighter, trying in vain to contain the tears that had started to slide down her face.
Callie continued to stand her ground and much to Sam's surprise, Erica opened her eyes. Callie curled her fingers around the collar on Erica's jacket and brought her closer, her eyes intensely focused on the glittering ones in front of her.
In a bare whisper she said, "Tell me there is no me and you, that you don't feel this, us."
"I can't," she heard Erica say in a hoarse whisper. "You know I can't."
"Then don't. Erica...I...I love you." Callie's own face glistened now, tears making silvery paths down her face.
Erica sucked in a breath and brought her hands up trying to push Callie away, but Callie held on.
"Don't," said Callie still whispering. "Don't make the same mistake I made. Don't push me away like I did to you. I need this. I need you. Please. Let me love you."
Sam was surprised by Callie's declaration and the intensity with which she was steadfastly hanging on to Erica. It seemed that the possibility of Erica leaving had helped clarify things for Callie.
Erica's hands had curled themselves around Callie's arms. She seemed stuck, undecided about whether she should pull Callie closer, or push her away. She closed her eyes again, but she leaned forward, resting her forehead on Callie's.
"I can't," she said, but the declaration sounded hollow to Sam who was still just standing there unsure of what to do, but fairly certain that she should probably do something like leave. But she found the drama unfolding before her holding her right there.
"I love you, Callie, but I can't. I can't. I don't want to hurt anymore."
"We are doing this Erica. Remember when you said that to me? I know it's hard, but we will get through this. Give me a chance to stop the hurt. Please. I want you. I want to love you, only you."
"You're not ready."
"I will make myself ready," said Callie with vehemence.
Erica lifted her head and shook it. "No. I don't want that. I don't want you to make yourself ready. I want you to be ready. I want you to want me."
Erica was looking at her with questioning eyes. "I'm not what you want, Callie."
She started pushing Callie away, but Sam could see the struggle she was still engaged it. Callie closed her eyes, causing the moistness collecting in her eyes to spill over. She clutched Erica's collar tighter and held her ground.
"Yes, you are. You are what I want. Please, don't do this, Erica. Please."
The plea was heart wrenching. Sam felt a lump forming in her throat. She saw Erica's resolve falter. She stopped pushing Callie away, bent her head again, letting it rest on Callie's.
"Please don't make this hard," she said.
"I want to make it impossible," responded Callie.
"Callie..."
"I love you, Erica. That's all that matters. I love you. I want to be with you. We can work this out. Please, just give us that chance."
"It's not that easy Callie."
"Yes, it is."
Erica lifted her head again and looked at Callie, whose hands were still wrapped in her jacket.
"A thousand pieces," said Callie. "I will break into a thousand pieces if you walk away."
"I'm already in a thousand pieces," said Erica.
But her hands had migrated to Callie's waist, her fist had uncurled and delicate fingers now rested lightly on Callie's hips. The wall, Sam realized was crumbling. Callie needed to just hang on tightly and wait for it to fall entirely, shield both her and Erica from the debris and step over it into the future.
Callie released Erica's collar. Sam watched the slow movement of Callie's hand as it made its way to Erica's cheek. She heard them both take in a breath as their flesh connected.
"Let me put you back together. I promise to put you back together, piece by piece and never let you break," Callie managed to get out though her voice shook.
Erica had her eyes closed again. They were swaying Sam noted, moving together to some unheard rhythm. Their mouths were moving closer.
"Cal..." said Erica.
"Heart and soul, Erica. I love you heart and soul. Let me show you."
"Okay," she heard Erica whisper, before the two women's lips finally met.
Sam could hear Callie's sigh from where she was. She turned around and thought about returning to Joe's and finding her car, but she waited. She still needed to do something.
She heard them taking deep breaths and risked turning around. They were staring at each other, hands clasped and smiling impossibly.
Sam cleared her throat.
"Listen I'm going to get going. We'll have dinner another time, all of us. Maybe tomorrow?" She asked, smiling at them. Callie had wrapped herself around Erica encircling her waist and just leaning into Erica's shoulder.
"Okay," she said.
Erica seemed dazed.
"I think I owe you an explanation. I'm sorry about all of this..." she looked at the woman next to her in wonder.
"I'll be happy to listen to your explanations over dinner. Callie?"
"Yeah," murmured Callie.
"A word?"
Callie straightened, eyes widening in alarm. She looked at Erica unsure and reluctantly disengaged herself from Erica's arms, walking over to Sam with her hands in her pockets. She was looking everywhere but at Sam.
"Hey," she said trying to sound casual.
Sam smiled. "You hurt her again, and I will kill you," she said her smile never faltering.
"If I hurt her again, you won't have to. It would destroy me."
Sam patted her shoulder. "Glad we understand each other."
Sam walked back toward Erica engulfing her in a hug.
"I'm happy for you."
She stepped back giving Erica a long look before shaking her head. "I guess you were just waiting for the right woman after all."
Erica rolled her eyes, but she chuckled lightly. She looked wistfully at Callie standing a few feet away, trying to give them some space.
"I'm scared," she said. "I've been here before and had the rug pulled out from under me."
"There are no guarantees. You know that," said Sam.
"I won't survive it again." she looked at Callie again momentarily before looking down at her shoes. "But it's just too strong..." she shook her head.
"For what it's worth, I think she loves you. I think she wants to make it work."
"I hope so," said Erica.
"I think you know so," said Sam. "Go, get your girl. Tell me all about it tomorrow."
She watched Erica walk towards Callie again. She looked a little weary and tired as she walked. Callie, however, was confident, easily eating up the distance between them in a few steps and barreling right into Erica hugging her again and then stepping back and cupping her face, looking at her intently, almost as if she was willing Erica's doubts and reservations away. She kissed her again. Erica responded eagerly pulling Callie closer, kissing her back.
Sam started to walk away. They would work it out.
"See you girls tomorrow," she said. "And no more drama. I've filled my quota for this year."
The End
Author's Note: Final Chapter. It's been fun. Special thanks to those of you who have reviewed. It is as always most appreciated.