AN: For those wanting to know, I still have a few things I want to write in and for that to happen, there's going to be about ten more chapters in the future, maybe one or two extra. AND Grey's was awesome again! The ring and the house and...EVERYTHING. Hope the next one isn't too bad.

Now here's an overdue Valentine's Day chapter.

Chapter 17

Friday, February 14th

I had no clue how to break the news to Callie. I was leaving for the outside wall tomorrow after I helped her get supplies for the week. Maybe if I told her tomorrow morning, I could avoid ruining Valentine's. There wasn't any flowers left around and chocolate seemed like a thing of the past. The only way I could surprise her was in bed. I needed to get my mom out for the night because it would be super embarrassing for her to hear Callie screaming my name then see the aftermath in the morning.

"Tim." I motioned for my brother to join me on the roof of the hotel as he walked by. I like sitting up here when I want to get away from the others. Once he was sitting with me on the roof, I broke it to him. "I need you to take mom out tonight."

"What? A son taking his mom out on Valentine's Day sounds bad on my side."

"It doesn't have to be like that. Callie and I need our privacy and I'm scared she might hear us or not hear us and see it as an opportunity to come in to talk."

"You want me to take mom out so you can get laid?!"

"Don't act like we wouldn't have done it for each other back home. Plus, I have to tell Callie about the Army thing."

"You haven't told her?!" He pushed my shoulder with some force.

"Shhh. Listen, I'm going to…tomorrow." I looked over the edge to make sure no one heard him.

"You're going to tell her hours before you leave?" My brother looked at me in disbelief.

"She's my girlfriend and I'll tell her when I want. I'm going for a run to one of the other camps. I'll be back soon." I stood and left the roof before he could say anything else.

I went to where Alex was keeping post on one of the inner walls. It wasn't a surprise when he wasn't guarding the wall at all. "Kerev!" I opened the door to his truck and found it empty. Damn it. I moved to the bed of the truck which was cover with a huge tarp. "Karev…" My hand slid into the door part of the tarp and was met with the site of Jo and Alex in the middle of a very intimate moment.

"What the hell?" He shouted.

"Arizona!" Jo tried to cover herself up.

I stepped back and made sure the tarp closed. "I…I just need a ride."

"Can it wait?" Karev said irritated.

"You know what? No, it can't wait."

After a few awkward moments of waiting, Alex and Jo stepped out. He was fixing the belt on his pants and Jo was trying to smooth her hair out.

"What?" Alex spoke after the silence.

"In the back of the truck, really?" I asked.

"What do you want?"

I sighed deeply. "I need a ride one of the other camps. We have no Valentine's related anything around here and there's got to be something in the bigger cities right?"

"I suppose. Why don't you just give her a good round or two?" He was starting to sound cocky.

"That was in plan, but I'd like some champaign and possibly some chocolate."

"Why do you have to make things complicated?" He hopped in the driver's side of his truck and motioned for me to follow.

Jo waved at him. "Can I come?"

"Of course." He smiled and let her in on his side, climbing over his lap.

Once we were on the road, I began to wonder where we were going. "I'm guessing you know where to get these things?"

"Yeah, and you don't want to go to the bigger cities, they're packed. There's this smaller camp a few miles south and they have a liquor store that's still in good use. I'm sure we could find some candy too."

"I'm joining you guys." I blurted it out like vomit.

"Ha, what?" Alex gave me a smile as nodded his head to me.

"I'm leaving tomorrow morning with my brother, Owen, Teddy, and Jackson. He said we're losing soldiers."

"It's true. Nice to have you on board Robbins." Alex gave me a small salute.

Jo threw her hands up in front of me. "Wait. Does Callie know about this?"

I looked out the window then down to my hands. "No." Jo's mouth dropped open. "I'm going to tell her tomorrow."

"When you leave?"

"Yeah." Jo didn't reply but crossed her arms. "Please don't say anything 'til then. I really want her to hear it coming from me."

"So you're going to screw her then leave?"

"I'll be right outside the wall. It's not too far from our camp."

"You're still putting yourself in danger."

A few moments passed where no one said anything.

Alex broke the tension with a timid voice. "We're here."

We were in front of a small alcohol shop placed next to a convenient store. "Perfect." I said.

Alex stepped in front of me. "You can't go in there. Even if the world is to hell, there are soldiers inside who aren't going to let a teenager get liquor."

"You don't even look old enough. How old are you like twenty-one on the dot?" I stared at him.

"I'm twenty, but I know these guys. Let me handle it, I'll bet your booze."

Jo noticed my heat and stepped between us. "That's good Alex. Arizona and I will go find some candy. Come on." She pushed me towards the store. "What is up with you? I understand that you're scared about telling Callie, but don't let your anger get the best of you."

I took a deep breath as we entered the store and were met with the faces of some soldiers. "Hey. I'm Arizona and this is Jo. We're here with Alex Karev, just looking for some chocolate."

One of them stepped up and pointed across the room. "All the candy is that corner."

We turned and saw an organized pile of candy and beside it were rows of soda all in order. "Thanks." As I examined the candy, it was obvious the supply was limited. "Callie is going to love this, candy and soda."

"She does like soda." Jo smiled.

Jo and I waited in the truck for Alex. Once he was in the driver's seat and buckled up, he took out a plastic bag from his jacket. There were two big bottles of wine. "One of those is ours." He motioned to Jo and himself.

The ride back started off silent. It may have been the fact I was hiding something from Callie, Jo's best friend. We were coming up to a soldier on the side of the road who looked to be struggling with someone. Alex and I both had the same idea.

"Stop the truck." I said.

"Already on it." Alex pulled over the truck in front of the troubled soldier.

We all hopped out with our weapons ready, assuming he was tangled with an infected. Once we got closer, screams erupted from the person in his arms and I realized the soldier was trying to strangle the girl.

"Alex, it's a girl! Hey, you fucking scum!" I ran up closer and pulled him off of her. When he turned around, blood and saliva went everywhere. "Shit! He's infected!" I took a few steps back and slung my weapon into his stomach. Moans and groans escaped. Alex dug his knife into the back of his head and the man dropped dead. Jo helped the girl stand up before another man came running up. Our weapons rose to aim at him before we realized he was healthy.

Jo stared at the man harder. "Oh my god, you have to be kidding me."

I sat a hand on the girl before taking another look. I couldn't believe who was standing in front of me.

He began to comfort the girl. "I'm Mark Sloan and this is my girlfriend Lexie Grey." Mark grinned. "Oh shit, small world. Robbins and Wilson?"

I turned away in anger then back to the girl. "Are you okay?" She nodded. "Where did the soldier come from?" She pointed to a wall across the street. "Shit. Alex, what do we do?"

Karev fumbled before he answered. "We've got to warn the guys…there's a break in the wall."

Jo seemed frightened. "Is that bad?"

Alex ran to the truck to call the others so I answered. "Yes. It means this whole place could be compromised if left alone."

Mark stood up with Lexie. "I'll help. They said more troops were needed."

"The military doesn't need your ass self. We'll do just fine." I glared at him.

Alex came back. "They said the soldiers in this district would handle it. I need to get Jo back to the hotel."

We all exchanged glances, figuring out what to do. I put one hand up in the air. "Alright, alright. Alex will take us all back to the hotel. We'll drop Jo and Lexie off there then come back to help with the wall."

Jo turned her head sideways at me. "Are you saying I can't fight? I want to help to."

"No." Alex stated. "You're not fighting."

"And you think Callie is just going to let Arizona run into battle?"

"That's between her and Arizona. I'm not letting you go out there." Alex walked off to the truck which forced us all to hop in before he left.

My heart kept beating faster and faster as we got close to the hotel. Soon after Alex's call, sirens rung in the distance and tanks rolled down the streets. Callie had to be freaking out, and now I would have to explain in a matter of minutes that I was joining the Army.

The truck stopped outside the hotel and all feeling left me. I didn't know what I was feeling, I couldn't move. Jo stood outside holding the door open for me. When she saw I wasn't going to move she grabbed my hand and walked me through the entrance whispering advice.

"Don't let her speak or you'll lose time. Give her the wine, soda, and chocolate then seal it with a deep kiss. Not a quick peck, but a kiss to leave her speechless. Tell her about the loss of soldiers and you've chose to put yourself in their shoes to help keep this camp, including her, safe. After that, she'll either hug you or be so angry she won't touch you. I'll be there for her so don't worry." We were now on the patio with our friends and family surrounding us. Their faces showed fear and heartache

My mom came up and hugged me tightly. She pulled back and nodded. "You know?" I questioned. She smiled and nodded again before letting me through to Callie. I took a deep breath before confronting her.

"Arizona… I was so scared."

"Don't." I handed her the chocolate and beverages before taking her into a tight hug. I could feel her set the gifts down to return the embrace. Her arms were snakes squeezing the air out of me, and I loved it. I took her face in my hands and locked our lips together. Our kiss was as strong as the hug. I let my mouth get carried away, making sure she felt what I was feeling plus a whole new, stronger type of love.

She finally pulled away and searched for air as her body began to shake. "Callie…"

"I know."

"What?"

"That you joined the Army." She continued to sniffle.

I turned to Jo. "You told her?" When she shook her head, I moved to my mom who was holding her own tissue. "Mom? Really?!"

"I didn't say anything to her, honey." My mother wiped away a few tears.

I saw Callie's eyes dart behind me so I followed. It was Tim.

"You?! You told her I joined?! Tim!" I ran up to my brother and slapped him in the face. He stepped towards me rubbing his cheek. Mom jumped between us and I could feel Callie tugging on my arm. "It was my responsibility! I was going to tell her you bastard!"

"No you weren't. You were going to take her into that hotel room, have sex with her, and then leave!"

My mom looked to my brother. "Timothy, that's enough."

"I…" I gave up the fight against Callie's grip and fell back into her arms. I turned around and let her palms cup my chin. Tears ran down my face at record pace. I was going off to fight and I didn't want the last images of Callie to be blurry. Before I could bring my fingers up to swipe them from my face, Callie did it for me. She brought me in for another deep kiss.

Alex tapped me on the shoulder. "We've got to go."

I saw Owen, Teddy, and Tim all waiting with their weapons at the entrance. Jackson was taking his time saying goodbye to April in a little corner of the patio. Callie took my attention once more as she sat her forehead against mine.

I went to her ear. "I love you."

"I love you too. Promise me you'll come back."

I didn't answer.

"Arizona…"

"Callie, you know how dangerous it is."

"Say you'll try."

"I'll try my best to come back to you. I will."

"Happy Valentine's Day…" She sounded so disappointed.

"This isn't our Valentine's Day. Do you hear me? This isn't our Valentine's. When I come back, we'll celebrate. Okay?" She nodded and I gave her another kiss. When I stepped back, she gave a strange look over my shoulder.

She wiped her nose and sniffled. "Is that…is that Mark Sloan?"

"My luck, right?" We both laughed then frowned. I turned around before we could do or say anything else.

My mother came and gave Tim and me a hug around our necks with the exchange of safety advice. "Be careful out there you two." We nodded together.

"Let's go." I passed the others and jumped into the truck.

We were on our way back to the broken wall. Everyone was silent so I spoke up. "Now not only is there one asshole on this mission, but TWO." I looked back at my brother and Mark sitting next to each other.

Mark held his hand out in an attempt to explain. "I apologized for what I did."

"Whatever. Webber made you apologize."

"There's no reasoning with you is there?"

"Suck it, Mark." I gave him the bird without facing him.

My brother sensed our hatred. "You two know each other?"

"He's the one I knocked out for making gay jokes."

"Dude." Tim threw his hands up at Mark.

Mark spoke up in defense. "I apologized! And if I'm correct, she labeled you an ass too."

"Because I had to do her job."

I jumped to take my brother into a chokehold. "Don't you ever talk about my girlfriend again!" He rolled me over and put my face into the bed of the truck.

"Hey!" Jackson ran over to separate us. "We're working together here! He's supposed to be your brother. If you're pissed, be pissed. Work together right now so we can save our girls and family waiting back at that hotel." We separated, both completely out of breath. "Let's get out there and fight!" I noticed Alex had stopped the truck and we were at our destination.

A chopper was landing right outside of the wall. Equipment found its way to my body and I hopped on with my brother and Mark. "Karev, you not going?"

"I've got ground transportation duty. They need me here and you guys out there. Be safe." He gave a salute as we were lifted.

We began to take off in the opposite direction from the wall. "Hey, where are we going?" I asked.

One of the soldiers spoke up in the front. "El Paso."

"El Paso? This wall is broke."

"Yes, but there's not a massive group pushing up on it. It was one infected, they have things handled here."

"And El Paso?"

"It's pretty bad. They're the ones taking the beating with all of those diseased down there… Hope you're in for the fight."

I leaned back and closed my eyes as I gripped my gun tighter.

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

My eyes blinked open slowly. I could smell smoke cumulating around me. In front of myself was an army of itself. There was thousands of infected held back by a small metal fence, bulging with all the weight.

A voice spoke up but it was fuzzy. "Arizona? Arizona…" I blinked hard once then looked beside me to find my brother. "Focus soldier."

"I'm not prepared for this." I lowered my gun and started to step back.

"Yes you are." Tim took the neck of my gun and aimed it to the fence. "You might not think you're ready, but I know you are."

The fence broke and a group of infected reached for our rows of lined-up soldiers.

Wednesday, February 19th

Callie's POV

I stared at the wine bottle and chocolate sitting on the nightstand on the other side of my bed. I haven't touched it since Arizona left. I wanted to wait until she got back to celebrate with her, but it's been five days. Jo has tried to keep me sane, but she's just as bad about Alex. We worried ourselves endlessly over our loved ones. Barbra tried her luck at comforting me, but no one could realize how hurt and lost I really was. Five days. My girlfriend has been on enemy lines for five days and I haven't heard anything. I would have these dreams about Alex walking in with Tim and telling me she was gone. I couldn't bare this feeling. A knock came to the door, bringing me out of my thoughts.

I opened it to find Jo standing by herself. "Hey." She fumbled with her hands.

"Hey."

"You want to hang out on the roof?"

She knows me so well. Arizona and I always sit up there. "Yeah." I went inside to grab my coat and took a second to look at the wine before leaving.

We held hands to comfort the other. "He's a truck driver… but that doesn't mean anything. He could still get hurt right?"

"I guess." I decided not to look her in the eyes because I wasn't sure. No one was safe in this war.

"Arizona. She's got it in her blood though."

"Yeah…" I started to cry. "They've been gone for a long time. You think they…?"

"We have to have faith or hope or…something." Jo began her own waterworks.

"Yeah." There were no words to describe anything anymore. We hugged each other tight, not letting the other see weakness. After a few sniffles passed, we pulled back.

Jo started to giggle as she rubbed away her tears. "We're such a mess."

I smeared the wetness on my face and followed in a soft laugh. "Just a little mess." I put my finger and thumb close together to show the amount I was thinking.

Jo and I spent the rest of the day and night walking through town and getting any information we could on the soldiers outside the walls. Someone told us they were on the way to getting rid of all the infected on the Mexico border. Apparently, that was a big deal and could possible keep other states from being taken over.

We found our way back to the hotel and I invited Jo to my room so we could talk some more. We sat on my bed and tried to talk about everything but our significant others. Jo got up to use the restroom and my glance caught the wine bottle again. I finally got the courage to pick it up and hold it in my hands. When I sat back on the bed, I crossed my legs and let the bottle rest in my lap. The tips of my fingers grazed the tip around the paper.

"You going to drink that?" Jo walked out of the bathroom and sat beside me.

"I was waiting for Arizona. She said we would celebrate when they returned."

"Alex took ours in the truck with him." She threw her hand up and let it plop on her legs.

"I want to drink it…"

"Then let's drink it. Arizona will get you another bottle of wine when she gets back."

"What if she doesn't come back? What if she doesn't come back and I drink away the last thing she gave me?"

"How much faith do you have in it?"

In my heart, it felt like there would be more wine in the future. If Arizona didn't come back...a bottle of alcohol wouldn't mean much. I unwrapped the foil and popped the cork slowly. "Let's just get crazy drunk."

Jo laughed. "Okay, whatever you want."

I tilted the bottle back and took a huge swish. Jo grabbed the bottle from my hands and did the same.

"There's a stash of beer in Tim's room." I mentioned.

"Let's go." We left my room and invade Tim's for alcohol.

Thursday, February 20th

I heard someone yelling my name faintly in the distance. My head popped up which was a bad idea due to the major headache I was now sporting. "Whoa." Jo's body was strayed beside mine surrounded by empty cups and bottles. I heard my name yelled again. "Jo, if you're playing a joke…" Her head rose up and I could see her eyes squinting at me.

"Oh god, how much did we drink?"

"A lot." I heard my name again. "You hear that too, right?"

"Yeah…" She mumbled. My name was called followed by Jo's and what sounded like April's. Someone was calling us outside. "That's Alex! That's Alex yelling!" We both bolted out the door, knocking bottles over and stepping on a few chip bags.

Once we were outside, Jo ran into Alex's arms. I didn't see any of the others so my heart stopped.

I walked up to him. "I don't want to interrupt this, but where's the others?"

Alex pulled back from Jo's kiss. "They're being transported back. I wasn't down there with them so I don't know who's coming back or how quick." He was out of breath.

Jo pulled away. "I'll get you some water."

"So you weren't with them?" I asked.

"No. I was on the wall in the next camp over, all my guys are back safely."

"So they sent our guys…"

"To Mexico." He looked down to the ground.

"You mean, they sent my girlfriend and her brother and our friends to the most dangerous place anyone could be?!"

"It wasn't my choice, I'm sorry. They're a hell of a group and I'm sure they did fine."

Just as he said that, a truck pulled up outside the hotel. Jo returned with Alex's water and put her arms around both of us. Barbra was standing behind me with April and Meredith. Derek ran up to the entrance and opened it up for the troops. Everyone hugged together as we saw a few walk in with a limp or arm in a sling. Others who stayed in the same hotel ran to their loved ones and friends.

"Where are you? Come on, come on…" Barbra stepped up beside me and laced our arms together. I couldn't help but whimper in fear as more soldiers walked in, none being Arizona. Some were passed out and had to be carried in. Another came in without a leg and once his wife saw he was still alive, they set him aside.

"They're probably going to take a group of injured to the clinic." Alex said from the other side of Jo.

I saw Derek drop his weapon and run to the back of the truck. It's them.

Owen walked in holding Teddy up. She had a giant bandage on her left calve. We all ran over as Owen sat his wife in a chair. Teddy looked up to me with a weird face but I chose to ignore it. "I'm okay guys, really." She pushed us away.

"Callie…" Jo was staring at the gates so I followed.

"Oh my…" Barbra started.

Mark and Jackson walked in with injuries of their own, but hanging between their shoulders was Arizona. There was blood pouring from her side onto the ground as they dragged her to the middle of patio. A big white towel was taped to her side with a huge red stain filling the middle of it up. I couldn't breathe, or at least I didn't think I could.

When they laid her on the ground, she didn't bulge. Jackson collapsed onto his knees. April and Derek went to help him while Lexie went to Mark. I fell beside Arizona and stroked her sweaty forehead. There was so much dirt and blood; I didn't know what to look at first.

"I'll go get the trucks ready." Alex ran off and Jo got down beside me.

"Arizona? Arizona, can you hear me? Tell me she's alive!"

"Barely." Jackson huffed out with a dribble of blood.

I saw her eyelids flutter open. "Arizona?" Her eyes rolled to the back of her head as her whole body began to shake. "What's going on?!" My vision became blurry, but I felt Jo pull me back and noticed Owen lean down to Arizona.

"Someone get my bag!" Owen shouted. Once Arizona was flat on her back again, he cupped his hands and pushed down on her chest.

"We…we have to get her to the clinic." I stuttered.

"She may not make it that far."

I tried to breathe out, but air just kept coming in.

"Give her this." Owen threw something to Jo and she placed it to my face. Air began to flow easier for me and I laid back on one of the chairs.

Barbra stepped away from Arizona so Owen would have more room and began to turn around multiple times. "Where's Tim?"

I looked around and noticed Tim wasn't in the patio area. My eyes went to Jackson who was sitting against a brick wall with a mask on his face. He dropped his head then shook it back and forth.

"Where's Tim?!" Mama Robbins shouted.