7.
Walking into the cafeteria Jo immediately spotted the woman she was looking for. "Sofia asked me to remind you that it's her turn to bring the snacks tomorrow."
Callie nodded, not looking up from her lunch. "Thanks."
"She also asked if I could take her to the park tomorrow, I said I would check with you," Jo continued.
"That should be ok," Callie agreed.
Jo leaned back, slurping loudly on her drink. "She wants a soft grey nursery, with a rocking chair, white crib, world map and animal pictures."
"What?" Callie asked, her face furrowed into a frown.
"Arizona she's trying so hard to fight through the darkness and she's getting there, having Sofia here, having you here it means more to her than she will ever say. She's fighting back," Jo told the other woman.
Callie looked up, confusion written across her face. "What has that got to do with a nursery?"
"I know you're trying too, she told me about the house, about what you said and she also told me that she's not ready yet but she will be, because she's fighting so I just thought you should know that, she wants a soft grey nursery just in case you were wondering when you were deciding how to decorate all those extra rooms you have," Jo smiled as she stole a fry from the other woman's plate before getting up and leaving her alone.
She barely had time to contemplate what had just happened before she was joined at the table by Meredith.
"You look confused," the general surgeon observed.
"That's because I am," Callie admitted.
"Arizona?" Meredith wondered.
Callie shook her head. "Wilson."
"Alex's Wilson?" Meredith asked, now just as confused as the other woman.
Slowly, Callie nodded. "Yeah."
"Ok, I'm officially lost," Meredith huffed, taking a handful of fries from Callie's plate.
"Why does everyone keep doing that?" Callie wondered.
Meredith finished her mouthful. "Doing what?
"Stealing my food," Callie sulked.
Meredith watched as Callie moved her plate out of reach. "Is this really all about fries?" she asked, genuinely confused as to the direction this conversation was going.
"No. She was giving me decorating advice." Callie elaborated.
"So your bid was accepted?" Meredith grinned. "I mean not that I don't love having you and Sofia at the house but her and Zola seem to think it's one big sleepover which means that they are pushing the bedtime limits."
Callie couldn't help but laugh, the two young girls has been partying until nearly 11 ever night ever since Sofia moved back, as if they were making up for lost time. "Yeah, my dad is pushing through the paperwork and we should be able to move in a few weeks."
"That's good right?" Meredith wondered.
"Yeah, it's good," Callie sighed.
"Then why do you look like someone just told you that you can't have a puppy?" Meredith wondered.
Callie pushed her plate away, suddenly not feeling very hungry. "Because everything is moving so fast. 2 weeks ago, I was living in New York, Penny and I were fighting but I thought we had a chance. Arizona was … I could push her out of my mind but now here I am, back in Seattle, buying a new house and wondering if things will ever be easy again."
"Like you said, it's been 2 weeks, give it time," Meredith suggested.
"I want to give her a soft grey nursery with animal pictures Meredith," Callie whispered.
Meredith leaned back in her chair. "You know they are hoping to discharge her today?"
"Hoping?" Callie questioned. "Why what's happened? Has she deteriorated?"
"No," Meredith reassured her. "Everything is looking good, her numbers are good, she's off the albuterol and she's managing oral antibiotics, last I heard they were just waiting for her latest labs and if her infection markers are normal then she gets to go home."
Standing up Callie pushed her chair back. "Home."
Watching her friend leave Meredith debated going after her for a few seconds before deciding that she needed to be alone. That she needed time to figure out whatever it was she was wrestling with.
Callie hadn't even given any thought to where she was going until she found herself outside Arizona's room. She hadn't been to see her in a few days, giving her the time, and the space she said she needed when she requested she had stayed away. Instead leaving packages of food, her favorite magazines and a selection of DVD's in her room for her, just a few little gestures to let her know that she was still there, still waiting for her.
"Hey," Callie greeted, walking into the room, relieved to find Arizona alone.
Putting down the magazine she was reading Arizona looked up. "Hey."
The first thing Callie noticed was that Arizona was dressed in casual clothes for the first time since her return. She was wearing a pair of black yoga pants and a grey V-neck top with a lavender oversized cardigan.
"My jeans don't fit," Arizona shrugged, feeling uncomfortable with the silence.
"Sorry I haven't been by," Callie apologized. "I was trying to give you space but Sofia said you were being discharged today and I just wanted to see you before they let you go," she admitted.
Arizona nodded. "I appreciate that."
"Which part? Me giving you space or wanting to see you?" Callie wondered.
"Both I guess," Arizona smiled tiredly.
Sitting down on the edge of the bed Callie's eyes drifted across her ex-wife. "You look tired."
"Considering all I've done is sleep for the last 14 days you'd think I would have more energy," Arizona sighed, the frustration obvious in her voice.
"You're recovering," Callie reminded her.
"So everyone keeps telling me," Arizona snapped, feeling guilty the minute the words left her mouth. "Sorry, it's just … frustrating."
Callie shook her head, silently telling her that no apology was needed. "You've never been the most patient, especially when you're sick."
"I-"
"Remember the time you threw the thermometer at me?" Callie recalled, trying to prove her point.
Arizona laughed, remembering exactly the time Callie was referring to. "That was the fever, it made me crazy."
"Right," Callie sung. "Was it also the fever that made you hurl your magazine at the wall and accuse me of holding you hostage?"
"Yep," Arizona nodded, her voice popping on the word.
Pulling her legs up onto the bed Callie crossed them in front of her. "Of course."
"Thank you for the gifts, I mean I'm assuming the food packages, magazines and DVD's were from you because no one else would know to bring me them. No one else knows me like that," Arizona said, her voice almost hesitant.
Callie shrugged. "It's nothing."
"It's something," Arizona countered.
"We should talk about Sofia's schedule, I mean since we came back and things have been up in the air so we've been winging it but we should work something out," Callie suggested.
Arizona shuffled, wincing as her prosthetic rubbed every time she moved. "Yeah, we should all know where we stand."
Callie watched as Arizona slowly moved towards the edge of the bed, unable to hide the pain in her eyes as every movement sent a wave of pain through her body. "Everything ok?"
"Yeah," Arizona lied, limping towards the table and grabbing her drink before sitting down.
"That had better be decaf," Callie joked, remembering back to when she was pregnant with Sofia and how Arizona had forced her to give up caffeine.
Arizona held it up and nodded. "It a chai tea latte, my new addiction."
"Good, because it would be a bit of a double standard if you were drinking coffee when you banned me from drinking it when I was pregnant with Sofia," Callie pointed out.
"It's good, my body is a caffeine free zone," Arizona reassured her, shifting her weight backwards in the chair as she tried to get used to the weight of her leg again.
Callie tried not to react as she watched Arizona struggle against the pain her leg was obviously causing her. But she was an orthopedic surgeon and the woman she loved was in pain with an orthopedic problem. "Arizona-"
"It's fine Callie," Arizona insisted, knowing exactly where this was going. "It's just taking a little while to get used to it again, it's been the longest I've been without since I got it so it's pinching and chaffing … I just got to get used to it."
"It could be more than that," Callie worried, as she watched Arizona gently massage her residual limb.
Arizona looked up from her leg to face her ex-wife, her frustration fading as she saw nothing but concern in the other woman's eyes. "Like what?"
"You're pregnant Arizona. Your body is changing, pregnant women get swollen feet and you have a residual limb, it's closer to your heart so it's not entirely unlikely that it would become swollen earlier on in the pregnancy," Callie pointed out.
"Great," Arizona mumbled, kneading harshly at the offending limb. "I do not need to be confined to a wheelchair and crutches for the rest of this pregnancy," she worried.
Callie moved towards the end of the bed. "That won't happen Arizona. I won't let that happen. Can I?" she asked, motioning towards her leg.
"I … ok," Arizona agreed, after all Callie was a doctor.
Slowly Callie moved forward, helping Arizona to her feet as she undid the string of her pants and lowered them to the ground, a pair of black boy-shorts on underneath. Helping her sit back down she removed the leg, placing it on the floor, giving Arizona a few moments to get comfortable with the fact she was sat in her underwear before continuing.
"Is it ok if I put my hand on your leg now?" Callie asked, understanding that physical contact of any kind would be very hard for her right now.
Arizona nodded, her breath hitching. "Yes."
"I'm sorry," Callie apologized as she felt Arizona's whole body go tense.
"It's not you," Arizona tried to reassure her. "I trust you, I do, with this I do it's just …"
Callie gently continued her examination of Arizona's limb. "I know."
"Is it … will I be able to walk without pain," Arizona asked, trying not to remember the last time someone had their hands on her.
Feeling Arizona shake under her touch Callie removed her hands, helping Arizona replace her leg before getting back into her pants. "There's some swelling of your leg, it might be related to the fact you haven't been ambulatory for a while but if it continues there are socket adjustments we can make and if those don't work you might need a new socket but we will make it work Arizona. I promise."
"Thank-you," Arizona whispered.
"I should er …"
"We didn't sort out Sofia's schedule," Arizona reminded her.
Callie moved away from her, wanting to give her space. "We can sort it later."
"Are you sure? I mean I have time now … I have nothing but time at the moment," Arizona said, trying to move away from the uncomfortable situation they had found themselves in.
"I don't want to-"
Arizona shook her head. "It's ok Callie, honestly, I needed help and you were helping, me being … it's not you."
"Ok," Callie agreed.
"Er, I'm staying at Alex's place, I wasn't sure if you knew that but I am," Arizona told her.
Callie recalled Arizona mentioning it a few days back whilst they had been trying to explain to Sofia why they couldn't all live in the same house. "You mentioned it, yes."
"I haven't been able to go back to the house since, I should probably sell it but my minds been on other things," Arizona sighed.
"If there's anything I can do to help," Callie offered.
Arizona smiled gratefully. "Thank-you. So I probably won't be back at work until the issues with my leg are sorted out so I could take Sofia as much as you like."
"You need to rest too," Callie replied. "You're still recovering Arizona. And I know that's not what you want to keep hearing but it's true."
"I know," Arizona sighed. "But that doesn't mean I can't lie on the sofa with my daughter and watch the singing movie over and over again," she pointed out.
Callie considered things for a minute before speaking. "I know we said we should work out a schedule but how about we just keep playing it by ear, you can have her whenever you want. Then when things are more settled and we are all back in a routine we can work something more concrete out."
"I'd like that," Arizona nodded.
"Sofia too, she's so happy since we moved back here, in New York … she was losing herself and it was my fault but now, being back here she's back, it's almost like nothing ever happened, she even had French toast for breakfast today," Callie laughed.
Arizona frowned. "I don't understand … she loves French toast."
"Yes. But in New York she wouldn't eat it because it's what she used to have for breakfast when she was with you, she said eating it without you made her sad," Callie informed her. "And I did that, I made my daughter sad, but she's happy again now and she's eating French toast."
"Maybe we can take her out for breakfast at the weekend," Arizona suggested.
Callie's eyes practically lit up. "I'd … she'd like that, she'd really, really like that."
"Me too," Arizona smiled. "So I guess we need to figure out a way to get this leg working for me again by the weekend, because right now I can just about make it to the bathroom."
"I guess we do," Callie agreed, unable to hide her smile as she realized that perhaps Meredith was right, that giving Arizona space, taking small steps and allowing her to be in control would lead them both back to where they wanted to be.
GA – GA – GA
Walking into Alex's house Arizona practically collapsed onto the sofa, the pain in her leg causing tears to pool in her eyes.
"Give me a freaking break," she muttered, her eyes glancing up at the ceiling.
"Everything ok?" Richard asked, sensing her distress.
Arizona started nodding, then stopped midway through and shook her head. "No. It seems my prosthetic hates that fact I have been off of it for so long and is also protesting the changes pregnancy is making to my body."
"Who's your prosthetist?" Richard asked.
"David Moore," Arizona sighed. "Callie has already contacted him when I first noticed the changes this morning," she informed him.
Richard nodded, sitting down next to her. "If you need me to pull any strings, make things go faster let me know, ok? I mean I may not be Chief anymore but I still have some pull."
"You'll always be Chief," Arizona smiled tiredly. "Just don't tell Bailey I said that. Because she's Chief too, you're just the OC."
"OC?" Richard frowned.
Arizona chuckled. "Original Chief."
"OC, I like that," Richard said, nodding his approval of the nickname.
Arizona closed her eyes, grateful to be away from the hum and smells of the hospital, being a doctor at the hospital was one thing but being a patient there was a completely different set of emotions.
"I er, would you like me to make some dinner?" Richard offered.
Slowly, Arizona shook her head. "No. Callie is bringing Sofia round in an hour and we are going to order pizza and watch a movie."
"We?" Richard wondered.
"Sofia and I, I think, I mean Callie didn't say anything about staying for the evening," Arizona stammered, suddenly wondering if perhaps she should have offered, after all the other woman had been going out of her to make things easier for her since returning from New York. Perhaps it was time she gave her a little in return.
Richard immediately sensed the hesitation in her voice. "Would you be opposed to her staying?"
"I don't think so," Arizona shrugged. "I mean things are ok between us, I thought us being friends was something that would be hard but even with me resisting that seems to be what's happening and … it doesn't feel wrong," she admitted.
"That's a good thing, right?" Richard prompted, wondering exactly where her head was at.
Arizona nodded. "I think so. It's just unexpected."
"Sometimes the best things in life are the things we don't expect," Richard sighed, watching as she massaged her leg. "Is there anything I can get for you? Before I leave?"
"No," Arizona breathed. "I just took some Tylenol and all I need now is to take this off and give my leg a chance to breath," she explained.
Richard stood up. "I should leave you to it," he said, leaning down and pressing a protective kiss to her head. "You know where I am if I need anything," he finished before leaving her alone with her thoughts.
Leaning back against the soft cushions she took a few deep breaths before leaning forward again and removing her leg. A hiss of pain escaping her lips as the cool air hit the angry red skin of her residual limb. Placing a cushion under it she adjusted her position so she was curled up on her left hand side, one hand under her head as the other one rested on her stomach.
She has just planned to close her eyes for a few minutes, allow her body a chance to rest and recover from her suddenly increased activity levels. However, a few minutes turned into over an hour and the next thing she was aware of was a pair of soft, gentle familiar hands grabbing her cheeks.
"Mommy, mommy, mommy," Sofia sung softly.
Pushing herself into a sitting position she smiled at the youngster. "Hey Goose."
Climbing up next to her Sofia placed a kiss on each cheek, one on her forehead and another one on her mouth. "It's time for your scription, 4 super-magic kisses."
"And I feel so much better now I've had it," Arizona assured the youngster.
"Mama says that we are having a pizza and movie night tonight," Sofia said, cuddling into her mother's side.
Arizona ran her hand through Sofia's silky locks. "We sure are?"
"Am I sleeping here tonight?" Sofia wondered. "Or are you picking me up later?" she asked, addressing the second part in Callie's direction.
"Er," Callie wasn't sure how to answer the question, she wasn't sure if Arizona would be up to having Sofia stay over on her first night home. But she didn't want to make assumptions and upset the other woman, she didn't want her to think that she didn't trust her. Right now she felt like she felt like she was building her house on sand and one wrong move could send it all tumbling down.
Sensing Callie's hesitation Arizona made a snap decision. "You should stay," she said.
"Arizona. I-"
"If you want to that is," Arizona shrugged. "Alex and Jo are at the hospital, one of the kids matched with UNOS so they will probably be there till the morning. And … you should stay."
Walking into the room Callie removed her coat. "I'd like that."
"Me too," Arizona whispered as she started to wonder if perhaps Callie was right, that they could do this, that they could build a friendship.
"We brought Moana," Sofia announced, pulling the DVD out of her backpack and handing it to her mommy.
Callie pulled her phone out of her bag. "Shall I order the pizza?"
Arizona nodded, her eyes flickering up towards the other woman as a small, genuine smile crossed her lips. "I'll have the usual but with extra olives."
"You hate olives," Callie remembered.
"I do," Arizona giggled, her hand motioning towards her stomach. "Seems like someone else doesn't though."
Placing the order Callie leaned back in the chair, watching as Sofia pulled an assortment of coloring books out of her bag, a game of travel-size connect 4 and a well-loved stuffed animal. It wasn't until she was back in this moment, listening to her ex-wife and daughter laughing together, enjoying each other's company and just being with each other that she realized how much she had missed being a part of it.
"You ok?" Arizona asked, concerned about the other woman's silence.
"I'm good," Callie reassured her. "In fact, I'm better than good," she whispered.
Jumping up from her place on Arizona's lap Sofia practically ran over to her other mother, grabbing her by the hand and dragging her towards where Arizona sat. "Play with us mama," she requested.
"But it's for 2 people only," Callie pointed out as Sofia began to sort out the red and yellow counters.
"You can be on mommy's team, because I'm the best at this game so she will need some help," Sofia explained.
Arizona laughed, playfully nudging the little-girl. "Is that right Little Miss Modest?"
"Yep. I'm the best," Sofia announced, her chest puffing out and her hands resting on her hips.
"When did our 6-year-old turn 16?" Arizona wondered as Callie joined her where they were currently sat on cushions around the small coffee table.
Callie laughed in response. "About 10 minutes ago it seems. Are you ok?" she asked, she couldn't imagine that being sat on the floor was very comfortable for Arizona, especially with the way her leg had been playing up.
"I'm ok," Arizona reassured her as her gaze shifted between her ex-wife and daughter. "In fact, for the first time in a long time I'm more than ok. I'm good."
And as she said the words Arizona realized that they were true, she really did feel better than she had on a long-time. She knew she had a lot to work through, that there was so much going on in her life that she didn't even know where to start. But right now, in this moment, she also realized that she had a lot to be grateful for.
She had a beautiful, healthy, happy daughter who was back home in Seattle where she belonged. She was getting her health back and her unborn daughter was growing and thriving inside her and her and Callie were finally comfortable in each other's company. They were moving forward into unchartered territory, consciously or not they were learning how to be friends, and despite her earlier protests she realized she was ok with that, in fact she was more than ok with it she liked how it felt. Being friends with Callie felt right.
GA
GA
GA
GA
So I realize I am bombarding you with updates but I am making the most of having internet as I am moving onto somewhere different soon and there will be no internet. Thank you for all of the reviews they mean so much and help me keep writing. There's kind of like 3 parts to this story, part 1 ends at chapter 10 and then it will take a some what different route.
