The 502 Stories

By AmboDriver

Disclaimer: As usual, I don't own anything. I'm just playing around with them. They are owned by Shondaland, ABC, and probably a lot of other really rich folks.

A/N: Sorry for the delay in all my writing. Been suffering some serious writer's block of late. I hope it improves soon because I'd really like to make some headway on these two stories I still have going (not to mention I have a short story that doesn't fit into either that I'm wanting to write but can't find the hook to get going).

As always, thank you for all the comments. I do so truly appreciate them and am grateful that you are enjoying these little scenes when I manage to get them out.

Chapter 7 – Water Under the Bridge

"Are you sure this is a good idea?"

Arizona looked up sharply at Callie and sighed. "Did I tell you not to push yourself after the car accident? I mean, in hindsight, I probably should have, but I supported you right up until you collapsed in my arms. Can you just support me in this?"

Callie took a sharp breath and shook her head. "I'm supportive, Arizona. Of course I'm supportive. But David must have a reason why he didn't want you walking with a cane yet." She motioned toward the object in question, which sat propped against the couch. "He's the expert."

"You're an orthopedist. Is there any reason this could hurt me?" Arizona slid forward on the couch, leaning on her thighs. "Callie, I'm sick of those damned crutches. I can't carry anything with them. I can't even go get a drink of water. How am I supposed to get back to living if I can't even get a drink of water?"

Callie ran her hand through her hair in frustration. Of course she wanted to support Arizona and she wanted her to become more mobile. It tore her apart every time she saw Arizona struggle. And she knew from all her experience that if she could just work on walking that it wouldn't be long before she would be walking with few problems. But Callie was also so afraid of her suffering a setback that would frustrate her. Arizona had just started to have some hope, but she still teetered so close to the edge of the darkness that had engulfed her after the amputation. Callie wasn't sure she could bare it if her wife fell back down into that despair. "What if you fall?"

"I'm going to fall, Callie. A lot. I'm learning to walk again. Would you tell Sofia not to walk because she falls down a lot?"

"Of course not," Callie said with a loud sigh.

"So don't tell me that. Give me the cane and be supportive. If I fall, I'll get back up." The hard expression on her face softened and she smiled. "I'll even let you help me get up, how's that?"

Callie reached over and put her hand on the cane. "Promise?"

"Cross my heart. Now, give me." She motioned with her fingers toward the cane.

"Okay, but please be careful."

Arizona rolled her eyes. "I'm not going to try to run, Callie. I just want to walk from this couch to that one to start, okay?"

"Okay," Callie said, finally laughing just a little. She got up and grabbed the cane. She walked over and started to hold it out to Arizona. When her wife reached for it, Callie pulled it back. "What do you say?"

"Oh my God, give me the damned cane. That's what I say." While Arizona's words were harsh, there was just a hint of laughter to her tone.

"Yeah, that's not the magic word, but okay," Callie replied as she handed her wife the cane.

Arizona rolled her eyes as she took the cane in her right hand. She then took a deep breath and slowly started to push to a standing position. "Not so bad," she said as she came to a full standing position. But then she lost her balance and quickly fell back down onto the couch.

"Spoke too soon, huh?"

"Oh shut up," Arizona said with another quiet laugh. She then smiled up at Callie. "Like I said, if I fall, I'll just try again. Isn't that what you've been telling me to do?"

Callie just quirked her eyebrow at her wife. She was enjoying their little banter. It felt like them.

Arizona smiled as she pushed back to a standing position. This time she was steadier and she grinned as she leaned slightly on the cane in her right hand. Callie watched her as she seemed to be contemplating something and then she took a step with her right foot, still leaning heavily on the cane to provide a balance to her prosthetic. She then quickly swung the prosthetic forward and let the heel hit the ground before moving the cane forward. She took another breath and then put her weight on it, quickly taking another step with her right leg, all the while using the cane to balance.

Callie smiled as Arizona continued taking the small, quick steps across the living room from one couch to the other. "You're doing great," she finally let out as Arizona approached the other couch.

"See, told you. Easy peasy." Arizona looked over her shoulder and smiled at Callie. And then she promptly lost her balance and went falling into the other couch.

"Are you okay?" Callie rushed over to check on Arizona.

Arizona rolled over on the couch so that she was facing Callie. "Yes, of course I am. The couch broke my fall. My God, Callie, just quit hovering." She used the couch and the cane to help steady her as she stood back up to face Callie.

Callie stopped as if she had been slapped. "I'm sorry," she let out, feeling the good mood she'd had at their earlier banter dissipate. "I don't mean to."

"Well, you are. I'm disabled, not an invalid," Arizona shot back.

Now Callie's temper started to flare. "Well, I'm glad you realize that finally, Arizona. Because to be honest, until recently you could have fooled me."

"You try having only one leg Callie. You have no idea how hard this is," Arizona spat back.

"Don't you think I would if I could? Don't you think I'd give you my own leg if I could? I'm sorry, Arizona. How many times do I have to tell you that?" The tears sprang to her eyes and she felt her throat close up with emotion as she barely was able to repeat, "I'm just so sorry."

Callie fell heavily down onto the couch and put her head in her hands as the tears continued to fall. She wasn't sure how long she sat there, it felt like perhaps a few minutes, but finally she felt the couch next to her dip as Arizona sat down. "Callie," she said, her voice more gentle than Callie could remember hearing it since before the crash.

"No, don't," Callie replied as she turned away slightly. She couldn't face Arizona's anger or her pity at that moment. She didn't deserve either, she knew. At that moment she didn't feel like she deserved much of anything.

"Look at me," Arizona said more insistently. There was a moment's pause and then Arizona's hand pulled at her shoulder, forcing her back around so they were facing each other. "Please, look at me."

Callie sniffed loudly as she wiped the tears from her cheeks before she let her eyes rise to meet Arizona's. "What?"

"I'm sorry. I know you did the right thing—"

"In your head," Callie cut in, reminding them both of how Arizona often referred to her feelings about Callie's approval to amputate her leg.

Arizona shook her head and let out a quiet sigh. "In my heart, too. Really. You saved my life. That's what's important and I'm grateful. I know I haven't really said that, but I am. You did the right thing."

Callie didn't really believe her. It was just Arizona trying to avoid conflict, which she supposed was an improvement in its own right. It was simply Arizona getting back to her old self, where she would run at the first sign of trouble. "Please don't just say that to make me feel better."

"I'm not." She let out a deep breath and then took both of Callie's hands in her own, leaving them all entangled on Callie's lap. "Look, I know it now. I really know it. I'm never going to be happy about it—"

"Me neither," Callie quickly tossed in.

"No, I know you aren't. So, we're both going to always hate that I took that turn for the worse and my leg had to be amputated. We're both going to always hate that I was on that plane in the first place. But it happened and we can't change it. And, really, it's time to stop hating. It's time to stop just being mad at the world and at life. I can't keep this up. It's exhausting."

"It's not you," Callie said, feeling a little of the hope return as she saw the sincerity in Arizona's eyes.

"No, it's not me. Until recently I just figured I'd changed, that this was me, the new me." She swallowed hard and Callie could see tears building in her eyes. "But I don't want this to be me. I want to find a way to be my old self again. Or as close to it as possible. It's just, I have a long way to go to be the old Arizona."

Callie looked down to where both their hands still sat in her lap and she smiled. "I'll help. I'll do whatever you need me to do."

"Whatever I can't do, you'll do. I remember that promise."

Callie thought back to that night in the ambulance bay with Arizona seeming so scared and lost. At the time, she had felt so horrible for Arizona's pain. She'd had no idea how small and simple those troubles with Nick would be compared to what was to come. "That's a promise I will always keep."

"I know." Arizona squeezed Callie's hands and ducked her head until she caught Callie's eye. Only when they were looking at one another again did she continue. "I'm sorry that I was angry at you. Or maybe I was more angry at everything and just took it out on you. I don't know. But I'm sorry either way. You've been so wonderful through all of this. You have. And, well, I'm just sorry."

Callie bit at her lip to keep fresh tears from streaming down her cheeks. It meant so much that Arizona was apologizing. It was certainly not the last they would need to say on the subject, because she knew they really needed to talk about all that had transpired over the last months and now was not that time, but still to have Arizona acknowledge that she had treated her so harshly and that she was now sorry about it, meant so much to Callie. "Thank you. I understand. I do."

"Thanks." Arizona gave Callie's hands another squeeze before withdrawing them and pushing herself to her feet. "Do you want something to drink?" she asked as she slowly started to walk toward the fridge, each step seeming steadier than the last.

Callie smiled. "How about a bottle of water? You can carry two of them in one hand now that you've got the cane."

Arizona turned slightly as she made it to the fridge and opened the door. "And they won't break if I fall on my way back either. Good choice." She leaned down to where the bottles of water were in the bottom of the fridge door.

"Arizona?"

She stood up and looked back over at Callie. "Yeah?"

"You'll find your way back. We both will."

The smile Arizona gave her then seemed more genuine than any she had worn since the crash. "We will." She pushed the door shut with her hip before slowly walking back over to the couch and handing Callie the bottle of water as she almost fell to sit beside her. "My God is that exhausting," she said as she cracked open her own bottle.

"You did awesome."

Arizona laughed and it was like music to Callie's ears. "Awesome? You're using the word awesome now?"

"I am. Got a problem with that?" Callie quirked an eyebrow in mock challenge.

"No, not at all. Not at all."

"Good," Callie said as she took a sip of water. "Now don't you dare tell David I went along with this. I have to work with him."

"My lips are sealed," Arizona said.

Callie smiled over at Arizona and gave her just the slightest of nods before reaching for the remote to turn on the TV. She knew they still had limits to how much they could open up to one another and she was afraid they would rapidly approach it if this continued. But this was good, awesome even. Things are going to keep getting better. That's definitely awesome.

TBC…