AN: I can't seem to let this story go yet. I'm thinking about just continuing it until the end comes to me. It seems so much better than trying to find somewhere to end it. Agreed?

Chapter 23

"Callie, you forgot your fuzzy jacket." I held up the piece of clothing to the gorgeous woman standing across the bed from me.

"I'll get it in the morning."

"I'm going to take my notes to the new captain in the morning. I hope they can really pick this place up after we leave."

Callie collapsed onto the bed. "I hope so too. I don't want you to worry about this place while we're gone."

I collapsed onto the bed next to Callie and stared up at the ceiling. "You think they're going to keep us up there? What if they're just using us to complete some impossible mission?"

"They said we were the best though. If there's any task at hand, I'm sure we can handle it." She rolled over to lie on top of me and let her eyes look deep into mine without speaking any words. Callie's lips pressed against mine for a quick second before she rolled off the bed and went into the bathroom. There was still tension in the air between us, but I think for the time being, we've decided to ignore it.

I drug my hands down my face then turned to the window and curled up. The blinds on the window were open enough for me to see the guys packing Alex's truck full of our belongings. My eyelids fluttered a few times before finally shutting.

Wednesday, October 15th

I gathered my notebooks up and tucked them under my arms before maneuvering around our luggage which almost blocked the door. I glanced back at a sleeping Callie before I closed the door behind me. We were supposed to leave in a couple hours, but I had to make sure these notes got to the right person.

When I thought I was the only one awake, someone tapped me on the shoulder. My reflexes worked to turn me around and take a fighting position, dropping my notes onto the ground.

"Mom?" I relaxed.

"I didn't mean to scare you. Here, let me help you with those." My mother bent down to pick up the papers.

"Its fine, I got it." I tried to shoo her away, but she already had a few pieces of paper in her hands.

"What is all of this?"

"It's just some ideas I have to give to the new team. What are you doing up?"

"Well, I went to bed early so I could get up and finish packing."

"Okay, just be ready to go when we call for you." I picked the last paper up and started to walk away.

"Arizona." I turned around and came back to my mom with raised eyebrows. "Did you and Callie work everything out?"

"I…I don't know." I really wasn't sure what our status was at the moment.

There was a silent pause between us.

"I know you two will sort it out." My mom offered a comforting smile.

I returned the smile then turned to exit the hotel.

When I made it to the captain's tent, there were soldiers moving things around bringing in bags and equipment.

I stopped one of them as he walked by me. "Excuse me, can you tell me where the new captain is?"

"For sure, he's in that last truck." He pointed behind me. I looked and saw three trucks lined up, and in the last one was a man handing crates from the back to a group of ready soldiers.

I walked over and waited until the man from the back notice me standing by myself. "Can I help you ma'am?"

"It's Arizona. I was looking for the new captain?"

"Robbins? I've heard about you." He hopped from the truck and made his way to me. "Oliver Lebackes." He stuck his hand out. I took it in my hand slowly shook as I tried to figure out if I could trust this man.

"What can I do for you?"

"Um, there are some camps around here that are in poor, poor condition and I was wondering if you could look over some of my ideas to fix them up." I handed him my notebook. He flipped through a few pages before sticking it under his arm and walking away. "Wait, wait! You're not going to talk about it with me?"

"Arizona, as captain, I have my own ideas for this camp, but I'll keep you suggestions at hand." He began to walk away again.

I reached for his arm and pulled him back. "No. This isn't something I'm suggesting, these are actual actions that need to take place."

"Listen, I understand that you're concerned, but they wouldn't make me captain for nothing. I have very efficient ideas that will get this camp back on its feet. You don't have to worry Miss Robbins."

I came around to where we were face-to-face. "You, listen." I pointed my finger into his chest. "I have worked my ass off to protect this camp and I've lost my brother in the process. This camp means everything to me and I will not have some…butthole like you come in and just dismiss the actual needs of this camp. You will sit down and look over my notes and you will put them into effect. Do I make myself clear?" He eyed me up and down before nodding. "Good. And don't think I won't check-up here when I need to. Please, keep my family safe."

"I'll do everything in my power to see that this camp improves."

"Thank you, Mr….butthole." I forgot his name, but I just decided to leave it with that.

"It's Lebackes!" He called after me, but I just smiled and continued on my way back to the hotel.

When I arrived back from my slow walk to the captain's tent, everybody was loading up and getting in the truck. I saw Alex checking his map at the driver's side door.

"Are we ready to go?"

"Almost, we're getting the last few bags in. It's going to take forever by road."

"They didn't want us taking any air transportation though."

"Exactly. I give us…a day, two days? This is a big truck and it only goes so fast."

"Is there any other way?"

He shook his head.

"I guess we should get moving then."

"Yep."

I went to my room to find the luggage that surrounded the door gone. Callie stepped out with a tooth brush at hand.

"There you are. How did it go?"

"It went well. I think he's going to take my notes and ideas seriously. He seems like a good captain though I only talked to him for a minute, but he seemed confident, firm, strong."

"That's good. Did you ask Alex how long it was going to take?"

"Yep." I stopped there.

"And…"

"And?"

"How long is going to take?" She stuck the tooth brush back into her foamy mouth.

"A day."

"Ehhh." She winded as she brushed.

"Or two." I finished.

"UGH." She grunted then went back into the bathroom.

"Hey, if we sleep through most of it, we'll be there before you know it."

There was another grunt followed by the sound of running water. She's always cute when she throws her little tantrums.

I stood back on the diving board of the empty pool that was in the middle of the hotel patio. I watched as my friends and family loaded into the truck. "Babe, are you coming?" I turned my attention to Callie who was walking out of the room beside Aria with a bag slung over her shoulders. I nodded then joined her at the back.

We started to drive off, but I continued to stand in the bed with one hand holding Callie's and the other pulling back the tarp so I could see the road pass behind us.

"I thought you said we were going to sleep?" I looked down at Callie then back towards the camps we were leaving. I agreed and made a pillow out of the piles of bags next to her as Alex stopped at one of the gates and waited for them to open us a path. I looked through the crack in the tarp as we left the big state of Texas behind. Callie rested her arm on my chest and I let the soft breeze sooth me to sleep.

Thursday October, 16th

"Arizona…"

I felt a hand brush through my hair as a soft voice whispered my name.

"Arizona, we're almost there."

I opened my eyes and sat up. I had woken up sometime between the two days and watched Callie sleep, but I must have went back to sleep myself.

"How long have I been sleeping?"

"I don't know, but you should be well rested." Callie chuckled as she gave me a kiss on the cheek.

"Did you get some rest?"

"Yes, I had plenty of sleep."

We have been on the road for almost 24 hours; I began to wonder how Karev was holding up. I pushed myself off the bed of the truck and slowly made my way to the window that separated the bed and front of the truck.

"Jo? What are you doing?!" Jo had taken Alex's place in the driver's seat and he was now curled up in the passenger's side.

"He was starting to dose and I couldn't let him drive any longer. I got the map, I know where I'm going Robbins."

"Pshh. Let me drive Jo."

"No, we're already in Virginia. I'm pretty sure I can handle another hour of driving."

I sighed. "Okay, let us know when we've made it to the camp." I went back to the rest of the group in the back. "So…is everyone feeling good? I mean, did we get enough sleep because who knows what they'll have us doing."

When I received nods and sighed "yeses", I sat on the other side of Callie, between her and my mom. "Are you guys okay?"

Callie scuffed. "Arizona, stop worrying about everyone else. I'm sure someone would say something if they weren't doing fine."

I looked to mom and opened my mouth but before I could speak, my mom interrupted.

"I'm fine too, dear. Callie's right, you just let Owen and Preston take care of things right now." She patted my shoulder then returned to knitting a scarf.

"Burke, Hunt, come here." Jo called from the front.

They hopped up and went to the window and quickly returned. Owen looked to me. "Robbins, let's go." He turned to the rest of our group. "Everybody else stay here until we say."

I leaned down and kissed Callie's head before jumping out of the truck.

I followed Preston and Owen around to the front where we were met with a giant wall mixed with a set of steel gate doors. Behind them, you could see another wall with wooden doors. There were two soldiers standing guard with two men in black suits. One of the soldiers stepped forward.

"Amarillo?"

Burke stepped forward. "Captain Preston Burke." They shook hands.

"We're going to take your group to that tent." He pointed to a tent that was beside the road. "We'll check you vitals, history, everything like that. You'll have to surrender all your weapons, but we'll supply you with plenty of protection inside."

"Sounds good soldier. I'll inform my group and meet you at the tent." They saluted and turned away, Burke came back to me and Hunt. "You heard the man, let's get to it and make sure we're at our best."

We nodded and went back to the truck. Everyone grabbed some of our bags and moved everything to the tent by the road. They took us in one-by-one to go through our luggage, do a background check, and draw some blood.

Callie reached for my hand as I sat with her outside. I was one of the first to go through the procedure and now we were waiting for them to call her. "So, this is kind of nerve-racking." She whispered.

"Yeah, but they just want to make sure we're safe for the important people they have packed away in there."

"And they have internet connections. How in the world is that possible?"

"They have enough power to get whatever they want I guess."

A nurse walked out of the tent. "Calliope Torres."

Callie got up and went inside.

After all the test came back negative and everyone was cleared, one of the men in a suit gave us the rundown.

"President Grant wants you guys to feel at home here. He's put aside one of the very best hotels for you guys."

"Great, another hotel." Alex added.

"He's put you guys in the suites, where there's still hot water running and a generator going to run the air conditioning if you need it. He's invited you to dinner at twelve. That gives you guys a few hours to freshen up and rest if you need to."

"Whoa, whoa, whoa. We have air conditioning and hot water?!" Teddy asked.

"Yes. And all the food you will receive is put through a process to make sure it's a hundred percent clean and free of any virus."

The entire group began to smile and jump up, hugging one another in pure joy. We continued to celebrate until the man motioned for us to go through the gates.

Callie and I held hands as the group was divided into two different black vehicles. Even though it was colder in Washington around this time, the air from the vents was a nice prize. I took a deep breath in and slowly let it out.

"This is amazing. We actually get to take hot showers." I looked to Callie.

"It's pretty cool." She grinned when our eyes met and I had no clue what she was doing.

"What?"

"Nothing."

We arrived to the hotel and were escorted to our floor where they gave us a few copies of the camp's routine and what time we would need to meet with Grant.

The suited man stepped forward. "There are two bedrooms in each suite and there are… four suites? The last one is for the soldiers so the first three are yours. If you need more room, the couches pull out into a bed. Any food or drink brought to your room or is already in your room is yours. Also, don't be afraid to ask for something if you need it."

"Thank you so much sir." Owen stepped up and shook his hand. After the soldiers and black suits left, Hunt turned to us. "Alright, guys. We have three rooms, who's rooming with who?"

"All the couples should get a room right?" Jackson added.

I looked around. "Avery, we're all couples except my mom, Burke, and Bailey."

Mark stood in the middle and started pointing around. "So… Robbins, you and Torres with Alex and Jo, your mom could have the couch."

"No, Callie and I will take the couch, and my mom will get the bed."

"You don't have to do that Arizona." My mom almost whispered, trying to stay out of the argument.

Mark started over. "Okay, Robbins, Mrs. Robbins, Torres, Karev, and Wilson in one room. Lexie and I will room with Derek and Meredith. Hunt and Altman can room with Bailey and Burke. One of you can take the couch."

Callie spoke up. "What about Aria and the baby?"

"Shit." Mark looked around.

"I'll take the couch, its fine." Aria mentioned.

"Are you kidding me? No, this is crazy." Callie began to point fingers.

Our captain stepped forward. "I'll take the couch in Mark's room and you can have the bedroom with Hunt and Altman. Bailey can take the couch in that room. That settles it, everybody move in." Burke ended the discussion and walked into a room.

Everyone went their separate ways but I waited for Callie who stopped to talk with her sister. I tried not to listen but they were so close.

"Is everything okay? You've been silent the entire trip here. Actually, you've been quite for the past few days. What's up?"

"It's nothing Callie."

"Bull. Is it the baby?"

Aria remained silent for a moment.

"Go to the dinner tonight and let me take care of Maria." The baby mumbled a few nonsense words as Callie made faces.

"No, they need you at that meeting more than they need me. We're only here because Owen and Arizona."

"Don't say that. We're a family and you're the one who keeps them going. You and I are the reason they fight so hard. This little girl is the reason they fight." Callie pinched Maria's cheek.

"Are you sure?"

"Yes, I'll have Arizona go with you and I'll watch Miss Maria. Now go take a nice hot shower." Aria smiled and walked into a room. Callie turned to me and smiled. "You wouldn't mind right?" She batted her eyelashes at me. "Please?"

"Just be thinking about how you're going to make it up."

"You should do it out of the kindness of your heart."

"I guess that's true."

"Although, I do have a very good idea… Come on."

Callie tugged me into the room where Alex was eyeing a bowl of wrapped up fruit. On the top was a huge sticker that read "CLEAR". When he opened it and put a grape in his mouth, Jo swatted the back of his head.

"What the hell? They said we could have whatever we wanted."

"We have to share, Alex."

"It was one grape!"

We jogged passed them towards the bedroom only to run into my mom walking out. "Whoa, where are you two off to?"

Callie continued to pull me towards the bathroom inside the bedroom. "We…we're… I'll be out in a minute." I had no clue what to tell my mom.

Once we were in the bathroom, Callie went into the huge standing shower and turned it on. Steam rolled out of the shower head onto my fiancé's back. I stood and watched as she turned around in the hot water.

"Are you going to join me?"

I slowly walked into the shower and closed the door behind me. "Don't you think we should take our clothes off first?"

"Nope." She pulled me under the water, my body going limp at the amount of relief the hot water provided.

"Oh my god, this feels amazing." We took turns letting the water run through our hair and down our face.

When Callie was standing perfectly under the spout, I walked up and gripped her sides then pressed my front to her back. My hands worked their way up with her soaking shirt until it was lying on the tiled floor. She took a few steps forward to get out of the direct hit of the water and placed one hand on the wall in front of her. I stayed glued to her slick back, only leaning away to unhook her bra and only bending down to remove her now tight pants from her legs. When I stood back up, Callie moved her hands down her side to remove her underwear then fell back into my embrace. She turned around in my arms and pulled my face to hers and allowed drops of water to sprinkle over our connecting lips.

"Much better." I mumbled in between kisses.

"Could be better…" She lifted her hands up into my shirt and pulled it over my hands as I raised them. The rest of my clothes fell into a pit of steam as I continued to press Callie against the wall and let our lips mingle.

*KNOCK KNOCK KNOCK*

Alex opened the suite door and let in Aria with a very fussy Maria.

"I'm so sorry, she's fussed like this the entire time I was getting ready. I know I'm late and…"

"Aria, its fine." Callie took the little girl into her arms and gave me a kiss on the cheek as I strode up to the door. "Tell me everything when you get back."

"I will." I gave her another kiss before holding my arm out for Aria. "You look very nice, Aria."

"Thanks. It was the best I could do with a crying baby on my hip."

We followed Alex and Jo out in the hall where the others were waiting. We didn't have dresses or tuxes, but we made sure to put on our very best outfits. "Don't worry about anything tonight. Callie ordered me to let you relax and have a nice lunch."

"Of course she did."

"She's right though, you deserve it."

Aria just smiled in returned.

We were put into two black vehicles again which we couldn't see out of. I figured they wouldn't want us to know where they had to the President stashed.

The cars pulled up and we were shuffled into a basement-like opening in the ground. It led to a set of steps which brought us up into the dining room of some building.

"This isn't the White House..." Derek whispered back towards the rest of us.

Everyone took a seat around the table and our mouths dropped open at the sight of all the food in front of us. I could see the drool from Alex's mouth fall onto his shirt.

"President Grant will be in shortly." The black suit stepped aside to the corner of the room.

It seemed like torture to make us sit in front of this table full of food, but we were strong enough to handle the wait.

A few minutes later, President Grant walked into the room and we all stood. Owen, Burke, and I all saluted until he returned the motion.

"Soldiers…" He shook Owen and Burke's hands. He looked around. "You guys please take a seat. I'm Fitzgerald Grant and this is Olivia Pope." He motioned to the dark-haired woman beside him. "You can call me Grant, Fitz, President… I don't think it really matters in our situation and you all seem like fine people." We looked at each individual person then back to the table. "Let's have a nice meal, what do you say?"

We all nodded and began to pile food onto our plates. It didn't take long for us to clean the plates not only once, but twice and for the guys, three times.

"You'll have to take Callie a plate." My mom whispered to me.

"I will."

"You guys must have been starving. I'm glad you could have a nice meal with me. I have to say, from what I've heard; you guys deserve so much more." He looked at Burke. "Preston Burke, captain of this amazing team," He moved down the line. "Derek Shepherd, I've heard you have an idea to strengthen the vaccine. Miranda Bailey, your work at the Texas clinic has spread great rumors about your amazing medical magic. Mark Sloan, you've saved a lot of troops out on the road; Arizona Robbins and Jackson Avery, your combat is said to be the best." I gripped my hands together as he stared into my eyes. "Along with the amazing Timothy Robbins…" He looked at my mom and nodded. "Owen Hunt and Teddy Altman, I've heard about your work before the outbreak, you are very brave soldiers."

I leaned towards my mom. "He wants something from us." She just swatted me away as she kept her focus on Grant.

"I asked you guys here because you are the best of the best and I need you. I need you to complete this task for me. See, I have these orders to never leave this building and I need you to find something for me. I need you guys to find my wife."

I leaned back to my mom. "Told you." She just stared sadly into her lap.

"You are ten times better at fighting these things than any of my CIA guys. By the time they clear out all the states, I'm afraid she might be dead."

Owen coughed to interrupt. "Excuse me sir, but after all this time, don't you think it might already be too late?"

"That's possible, but I have faith that she's still alive, and I have faith that you guys will find her."

"This sounds like one of his fake-ass speeches that were written for him." Aria whispered in my ear.

"She was in New York giving a presentation when this all occurred."

Owen interrupted again. "Last year, this all began almost a year ago sir."

"I know, and I've sent many groups before you. They've all said it was too hard or they lost too many people or… they didn't return at all. I know you guys are different from the rest though. I know you guys can bring her back home." As Grant wiped away invisible tears, our group looked at each other with doubt in our eyes. "Please, I need you to find my wife."

Before he could go on anymore, Owen stood up. "Of course sir, we'll be ready by the morning." Burke slouched in his chair not knowing what to do. If you asked me, Hunt made a much better Captain.

After Grant and Olivia had left, I turned a glare to Burke. "I knew this shit was going to happen."

"Arizona, language." My mom tried to scorn me, but it had no effect.

"I knew there was something behind this." I leaned back and huffed out heavily before leaning across the table and flinging my arms out. "He couldn't have brought us here to thank us for working our asses off to protect the healthy people back in Texas. You know, I always thought Grant was a selfish…"

Owen stopped me. "Arizona, you want to stop right there. He's our leader, disease or no disease. He asked us, of all people, to do him a favor because we are the best. He said it himself, if there's anyone who could complete the task, it's us. You will fight with us as we work our asses off even more to find the First Lady."

"He's probably just doing it for his kids. You know he's sleeping with that woman. You couldn't have missed the way she was looking at him the entire time. He probably just feels ashamed so he sends groups out to look for his wife, who is most likely dead."

"Arizona, stop!" Owen threw a straightened hand in my direction.

President Grant walked back in and I hid my red face behind my hands.

"What's the ruckus about? Is there a problem with what I asked?"

"No, sir." Owen quickly replied.

"Yes, I have a problem with this." I rose from my seat.

"Ah, Miss Robbins. I figured you might be the one to oppose. Join me in the kitchen, please." I was escorted to the kitchen by the black suit.

"Sir…"

"Arizona, I've heard what happened to your brother, and how much you've worked at the camp. I understand this is asking a lot of you, but do this for me. Complete this task and I promise I will find you whatever it is you're looking for."

"I'm not looking for anything."

"There has to be something you've searched for but haven't found. Find my wife and I'll find whatever it is you need. Tell me what it is you want."

"Well," I sighed "there is one thing I want."

I almost forgot about Aria. I had to go back and change some things in the last chapter to add her in. I tried to make it up by having some extra Aria time in this chapter. Sorry :(

There are just so many characters!

And what do you think Arizona's one thing is?