AN: Hi.

"Goodbye, Dr. Wiles. Thank you."

I could hear Callie speak to my doctor, but I didn't have the energy to verbally add anything, so I simply offered her a weak nod and half smile.

"Bye, Kevin. And, Arizona, it was wonderful to meet you. I'll see you again next week when I get your prosthetic in." I could feel her eyes watching me, but again, I could respond with nothing but a slight tip of my head.

The door latched shut behind me, and for a few moments I stood in the hallway, staring at the floor. My entire body felt completely drained. The emotion that that appointment evoked from deep within me, left me depleted and hollow. It surprised me to realize that it wasn't an empty, sad kind of hollow, but an almost satisfying kind of hollow. Like I had gotten rid of something that had been occupying too much space.

"Don't kill me for asking, but, what are you feeling, right now?" Callie asked in a curious and empathetic voice.

"Tired." I answered honestly. "I can't remember ever feeling this spent."

"Well, it was a tough morning. But, you did great." She smiled as she placed a tentative, but supportive hand on the small of my back, encouraging me to begin to move. If I wasn't so exhausted, I might have been shocked at the fact that I felt no reluctance when accepting the soothing connection her firm hand offered. My arms seemed like lead as I struggled to drag myself and my crutches down the corridor to the elevator. Once inside the portable room, I sighed and leaned against the rail as Callie selected the button for the lobby.

My eyes slipped closed as my head rested against the paneled walls, the movement of the elevator providing a calming sensation. When I felt the halt of motion, signaling our arrival, I pried my eyes open and followed Callie out into the bustling lobby. She opened her mouth to say something, but was interrupted by another doctor.

"Callie? Arizona? What are you guys doing here?" Teddy asked with a smile and half hug.

A faint smile tugged my lips as I gazed at my friend, "I, uh, had my fitting appointment today."

Teddy's eyes darted between the two of us, "Really? How'd it go?" Her smile indicated that she was trying to be supportive and positive, but she was expecting something negative.

"It, um, it…" I didn't know what to say about it. I still couldn't feel much of anything.

"It went good. She was a total rock star in there, and she'll have the new leg next week." My eyes found Callie's as she spoke. A grin of something akin to adoration and pride sat on her plump lips, captivating me as the palm that had rested on my back traveled up and down my spine a few times. Our gaze broke when Teddy cleared her throat, her eyes narrowing as she studied our faces. A light blush colored Callie's cheeks, and her hand fell from between my shoulder blades to her side. "I'm going to go bring the car up front." Seeing me consider protesting, she added quickly, "Don't fight me, you're justifiably tired, so let me make the trip to the car just a little easier." Without giving me time to argue, she spun on her heel and exited through the sliding glass doors.

"So, I may be way off base here, but is there something going on between you two?" Teddy's voice caused my eyes to snap from watching Callie leave to connect with her curious stare.

"What do you mean?" I asked wearily, hoping she wasn't insinuating what I knew she was insinuating.

Teddy rolled her eyes, "Last time I saw you two together, you couldn't speak without pissing the other one off, and most of the time it was on purpose. But, just now, the way she looked at you… and, you didn't fight her when she touched you or offered to help you…I don't know, I'm just picking something up."

"Well, throw it back down, because there's nothing going on." I snipped, I didn't have the mental capacity to deal with nosy friends.

"Ok, ok. I'm sorry." She held up her hands in surrender, waiting until my glare softened, before adding, "I'd be happy for you if there was, though…".

"Teddy!"

"Alright, girls, break it up." Callie teased as she walked back into the hospital. "You ready?" When I nodded eagerly, she turned to Teddy, "I'm taking Arizona out to lunch to celebrate her awesomeness, do you want to come?"

I glowered as Teddy shot me a smirk, then answered, "Thanks, but I can't. I have surgery in fifteen minutes. Have fun, though. I'm glad it went well for you today, Arizona." Despite her teasing, her expression changed to genuine care as she laid a hand on my shoulder, then excused herself with a wave and a smile.

"So, where are you taking me to lunch?" I asked lightly as I slipped into the passenger side seat.

"I thought the café a few blocks down, The Dancing Moon. Does that work for you?"

"Yeah, that sounds good. I like that place." As we drove in silence, thoughts and feelings from the morning finally started to filter through my brain. Besides that obvious stuff with my leg, there was also the thing with Callie. Teddy had picked up on the shift immediately, but I had no idea what it was. For the moment, we seemed to be ignoring the fact that I had a very emotional break down in her arms, and the inevitable consequences from the experience. Not only did I let her hold me, but I enjoyed her holding me. Then, after…after I almost felt…feelings? I wasn't sure that was it, but we pulled up to the café, effectively cutting my train of thought short for the time being.

"Good afternoon, ladies. I'm Sherry, welcome to The Dancing Moon. Table for two?" The jovial woman in her late fifties smiled widely at us as she ushered us toward the back corner of the warm room. The place was decorated in earth tones and wooden furniture, giving it a natural and welcoming feel. The smell of coffee, baked goods, and savory food swirled in the air, overtaking my senses. Once to our table, I shifted awkwardly into my seat, then slid my crutches under the table. I caught her gaze drop to my lack of leg, before snapping back up, "Can I start you ladies with something to drink? A fresh batch of iced tea was just made, and it's to die for."

"Can I get a latte, please?" Callie asked politely.

"Sure, thing." Jotting the order on her notepad, she turned to me, "And, for you?"

"I'll take a glass of that iced tea, please."

"You got it. I'll get these going for you and your server, Jenn, will be with you in a few moments." With another sweet grin, she walked away toward the kitchen.

After several seconds of quiet, I started to wring my hands, then took a deep breath, "Uh, Callie, I…I want to, um…" It was much harder than I expected to get out what I wanted to say to her, but I needed to say it. "I want to thank…you for what you did for me this morning." I chanced a quick glance up to her face, noticing that she was watching me closely, I continued, "I'm glad you stayed in the room with me… And, thank you for…when I…for sending Dr. Wiles out of the room…" I couldn't quite bring myself to say the words 'thank you for holding me'. That felt way out of the realm of our relationship.

My eyes had fallen to trace the patterns in the wood of the table while I spoke, but when she didn't speak for several moments, I forced my eyes to hers. That was when she spoke, "Did Arizona Robbins just thank me? Am I dying?" Her face twisted into mock wonderment, then fear.

"Oh, my, God. Shut up. I was trying to be nice, and you're back to being a pain in the ass." I huffed as I threw my wadded up napkin at her head.

Callie laughed and batted the napkin away, "I'm just kidding. You're more than welcome…the truth is…" It was her turn to trail off and nervously fiddle with her napkin.

I waited patiently for her to finish her sentence, but as I watched her shift in her seat and start to shred her napkin, I felt the need to prompt, "The truth is, what?"

She took a deep breath and looked up, "The truth is-"

"Hey, there, ladies. I'm Jenn, and I'll be happily serving you today. Here is your latte and iced tea." As she set our drinks in front of us, I studied Callie as she blew out a breath and smiled gratefully at the blonde waitress. "How are you guys doing today?"

"We're doing well, thank you." I answered lightly. I didn't realize that that was true until she asked. Besides tired, I felt pretty good. That was fascinating to comprehend.

"Great…So, we have some specials today. We've got an amazing roast beef sandwich with bell peppers and swiss, mushroom soup, which is incredible, and butternut squash ravioli. Can I get any appetizers for you?" Jenn's perky persona effectively dissolved the tension between Callie and I.

I noticed that her hazel eyes lingered on me a bit longer than when she had addressed Callie. Her dirty blonde hair fell straight and landed on her shoulders, and her pink lips curled into a cute smile. It startled me a bit to recognize that I found her attractive. While I had appreciated a few women, actual attraction had been noticeably absent from my existence since the crash, and I was very relieved to have it back. Feeling a little daring with my pleasurable revelation, I flashed her a dimpled grin, "I was hoping for some of that delicious artichoke, spinach dip and pita chips that you guys make. I know that you only make it on certain days…" I decided to add my hair flip for additional effect.

Jenn instantly rewarded me with a brilliant grin and an adorable blush, "It must be your lucky day, because today just so happens to be one of those days."

"Fantastic, I'll take an order, Callie?" I looked over to see an irritated expression on her face.

"Uh, no, I'm good, thanks." She mumbled, scowling when Jenn barely glanced at her before, nodding and turning back to me.

"Alright, I get that for you. Take your time with the menus and I'll be back to grab you- your order in a few minutes." With another smile, she winked and approached another table, chatting with the older gentleman that waved her down.

I couldn't help giggling when I took in Callie's attempt to hide the pout she was now sporting, "What's got your panties in a bunch?" I chirped, delighting in having the tables turned for once.

"My panties are none of your business." She growled back, before checking herself and relaxing her features. "Don't you think it's a little unprofessional for her to flirt with you? I mean, she's our waitress at a place of business…" Callie pointed out as she tried to casually sip her latte, finding out too late that it was still extremely hot and sputtering unattractively.

I smirked as I handed her a napkin not yet destroyed by anxiety, "Was she flirting with me?" Callie rolled her eyes while dabbing at her shirt, not believing for a second that that was a serious question. Her lack of response caused me to add, "Waitresses work for tips, isn't flirting one of the best ways to hike up tips?" I secretly hoped that she wasn't just flirting for tips. I enjoyed having someone show interest in me, it had been a while.

"I doubt that was all about tips. But, if she's flirting for tips, why are you flirting with her?" Callie challenged, obviously assuming that I would be uncomfortable with the insinuation.

Deciding to volley right back, I shrugged, "She's cute and it's fun." I did a mental fist pump as I watched Callie become clearly annoyed with my answer. "Why do you care if I flirt with her?"

"I don't." Callie responded quickly.

"Then, what are we fighting about?" I asked with a raised eyebrow.

"We're not fighting." Callie said with a huff.

"We're always fighting."

"Well, we're not now, we're fine." Callie rolled her eyes again and opened up her menu, effectively blocking me off.

I giggled again. I was in an almost alarmingly good mood. Things really did change this morning. A minute of silent menu browsing passed before Callie said something, "What happened this morning?"

I looked up from reading their list of breakfast foods, "What?" I wasn't sure what she was asking.

Placing her menu down, and crossing her arms on top of it, she studied me with compassionate curiosity, "I mean, when we left your house you were kind of a mess. Then, in that room, you were definitely a mess. You've been very guarded and…lacking joy. But, now…now you're…you look good. You didn't even complain about going to a public place, you always fight me on that."

She was right, I've always argued with her about going out places, I didn't like being around people. But, I didn't even hesitate when she told me she was bringing me here. I shrugged again, "I don't know…I guess, I feel like some sort of weight has been lifted off me…it all feels just a little bit easier now…" At a loss for any other words to explain what I was feeling, I simply offered her a small smile.

Callie returned her own stunning smile, "Well, I like-"

"Here you are. Pita chips and artichoke dip." Jenn set the plate down in front of me with a grin. "Are you two ready to order?" She asked both of us, but her eyes never left me.

"Yeah, I'll have an order of waffles and a side of fruit." Callie cut in quickly, attempting to gain some of the smitten woman's attention.

"Sure, excellent choice. Our chef does incredible things with his waffles." Jenn noted the order, then shifted back to me, "And, what else can I get for you?" I didn't miss the way her gaze slipped down a bit, then came back up, hinting at the other things she was offering.

I nearly chuckled, but caught myself in time, "I would like the turkey burger with no onions, extra pickles and sweet potato fries, please."

"Absolutely. I'll have these ready shortly." She laid a hand on my arm, briefly, "Let me know if you want anything else." She departed the table with an extra sway to her hips and bounce to her step.

"Wow…" Callie exclaimed as she shook her head, "She's got it bad. What the hell did you do to her?"

"What do you mean?" I smirked innocently.

"You know what I mean. You flashed your dimples and flipped your hair and she's totally hooked." Callie flourished her hand and took a tentative drink of her coffee.

"What makes you think I did it on purpose?" I was very much enjoying our little game.

"Because it was so smooth and effective that I have to assume that they're practiced moves." Callie answered confidently.

Arching my eyebrow in intrigue, I decided to take full advantage of my playful mood. "So, you find my moves effective, huh?" In one fluid motion, I grinned, insuring that my dimples popped dangerously, flipped my hair over my shoulder and cocked my head. That combo was my signature move before the crash, and it was my kill shot. Very few woman had ever willing turned away after I whipped out that one.

It was a little rusty, but judging by the shy smile and slightly glazed look on Callie's face, it worked just fine. "Yeah, I do," she said quietly as she pretended to people watch.

I laughed, "Well, it's good to know I've still got it."

When I continued to smile cheekily, she looked back at me, "You're very proud of yourself, right now, aren't you?"

"You know, I kinda am." I smiled wistfully.

Suddenly, she leaned slightly over the table, bringing her face closer to mine and pushing her chest up to create some awe-inspiring cleavage. A perfect eyebrow arched as she lowered her voice to a sultry husk, "That's fine, but know you're not the only one with moves." When I failed to respond in any way except managing to drag my gaze away from her chest, and blinking, she leaned back and shot me a smug grin.

I had to shake my head a little to refocus. She had skills. If I was interested in being interested in her, that would have definitely worked. "Noted." I felt my cheeks heat up a bit as I dropped my eyes to my iced tea and took a sip.

After a few moments of silence, her teasing voice broke the comfortable quiet, "So, are you ever going to look at me again?"

Rolling my eyes, I shot Callie a dramatic look, widening my eyes and staring right at her, "Happy?"

"Ecstatic."

We made small talk while we waited for our food. It surprised me a little to realize how easy it had become to talk to Callie. I had no idea when that had happened, but I had to admit that I didn't hate it. Callie was telling me about her theory on creating cartilage from scratch when Jenn returned with our food. "Alright, ladies. One fantastic plate of waffles and fruit, and one perfect turkey burger. Do you need anything else?"

"No, thanks, I think that's good for now." I replied warmly, grinning at the cute waitress.

"Great, well if you feel like something sweet after…it's on me."

When she was gone, Callie scrunched her nose while pouring syrup on her waffles, "I don't like her."

Dipping a fry in some ketchup, I glanced up at her, "Why not? She's really nice."

Callie shrugged as she bit into a piece of melon, "Just don't, she's pushy."

"She's not pushy." I looked over at her plate, letting a mischievous grin slide across my face. "You know what else?"

"Hmm?" Callie hummed around the rim of her mug.

"There's not enough syrup on your waffles." As she looked down at her plate in confusion, I snatched the syrup and dumped an obscene amount across the top of her food.

Callie's jaw dropped in disbelief as she took in her smothered waffles. "Oh, you so suck, right now." Her voice was flat and unamused. I couldn't stop laughing as I watched her glare at me. Then, like a flash, she grabbed the bottle of maple goodness and poured some all over my fries.

"Callie!" I shrieked. A deep laugh came from her as I snarled at my ruined fries. After a few seconds, I took a chance. Picking up a covered fry, I took a cautious bite, chewing slowly. "Oh, they're good, thanks." Smirking, I ate another syrup fry as Callie shook her head.

"You know-"

"How dare you!"

I jumped as a loud voice boomed from just over my shoulder. I jerked my head around to see a petite woman with grey streaked hair and steely grey eyes glaring daggers at Callie. Shifting my startled gaze back to Callie, I noticed that her face had paled to an unnatural color, her hands trembled, and she had shrunk down in her seat. When both women stayed eerily silent, I turned back to the intruder, "I'm sorry, can I help you?"

"No, you can't. And, do you know why? Because of her! No one can help me because she killed my daughter!" The woman's voice grew in intensity and volume.

My eyes widened as I looked back to Callie. She drug her hands down her face and clenched her jaw, but seemed to have no intention of refuting this violent accusation. "Callie?" I asked gently, hoping to get something from the shut down woman. However, she just stared at the table, a look of total misery marring her normally pretty features. Still very confused, I faced the enraged, small woman. "Ma'am, I don't know who you are, but I'm certain that she did not kill anybody. And, it is highly inappropriate for you to accost her in a public place, like this. If you have something to speak with her about, you can contact her in a more polite manner. Until then, I'm going to have to ask you to leave." That was definitely one of those moments that I wished that I could stand up and put myself on a more level playing field. However, I had to make do with my seated position.

"You have no right to tell me to leave, I can stand here all I want. And, she has no right to sit here and be happy with her girlfriend!" The woman's hand was waving wildly as she pointed aggressively at Callie. "Did you even care about her at all?" She demanded shrilly. "How dare you sit here all happy and carefree when my daughter, the woman you claimed to love, is dead? First, you ruined her life when she was alive and now you're dishonoring her after she died. She can't be happy anymore because you killed her! You disgraceful, inconsiderate, bit-"

"Stop!" I commanded loudly. "Stop. I tried being polite, but I'm through. Go away, now. And, I will not ask you again." I lowered my voice to clear warning tone. Honestly, I had no idea what I could do to enforce that threat, but I had to try. I couldn't handle someone talking to her like that.

"Amanda." A deep voice broke through the stand off as a tall man approached the table. "I asked you not to come over here. There's nothing else for us to say to her. It's time to let it go. I apologize for interrupting your lunch. Good bye." The very formally cordial man grasped the woman by the arm and led her, still fuming, away from us and out the door.

Taking a deep, calming breath, I turned to Callie. It broke my heart to see her like that. Her face was in her hands, and her whole body shook slightly. Clearing my throat, I spoke softly, "I'm going to take a wild guess that that was Emily's mother…"

No response came from the defeated woman for several long moments. I began to think that she might have completely shut down and wasn't going to answer me, at all. But, finally, she lifted her head, a stricken expression clouding her face. "Um, yeah. That was Mrs. Hansen and then Mr. Hansen. They blame me for Emily's death." Her voice came out so small and wounded that I almost didn't recognize it.

Nodding slowly, I made sure to keep my voice gentle, "Yeah, I gathered that. She's intense."

A mirthless laugh fell from her lips, "Yep, that's one way to put it." Raking her hand through her dark hair, she fidgeted with her fingers in her lap, "She's always hated me, though. For some reason, she thought I wasn't good enough for her daughter. Well, really, she blamed me for 'making her gay'. She never could quite accept that her perfect daughter could really want to marry another woman. Then, after the crash, she accused me of killing her and stuck to it. They have the police reports and everything, they know that it was an accident, but I guess, losing a daughter doesn't really invite a whole lot of logical thought…"

I saw her flinch when she spoke, making me cock my head and study her closely, "But, you didn't argue with her on that did you?"

Callie shook her head, "No, I didn't really see the point. They needed someone to blame. Better they blame me, than Emily."

Watching her carefully, I realized that I could tell she was lying, "That makes sense, but that's not the truth, is it?" Her listless gaze snapped up to my face, her eyes narrowing in challenge. "You think they're right, don't you? You think it's your fault that she died."

It wasn't a question. I knew that's how she felt.

"You don't know what you're talking about." Callie murmured and diverted her eyes.

"Don't I? I can see it now, and I could see it when she was yelling at you. You were letting her talk to you like that because deep down you feel that it's justified. That she's right." A tear slipped from her pained eyes, and she angrily swiped it away before crossing her arms over her chest. "She's not." I waited until she looked back to me before continuing, "She's not right. You're not responsible for her death, Calliope. It was an accident."

Callie shook her head, "We were only going on that stupid trip because it's what I wanted. She didn't want to, at first. She had a lot of stuff to do and said no. But, I kept begging, and she finally gave in and agreed to go. She wouldn't have been on that road, at that time, if I hadn't made her…" Another tear fell.

"No. You made her happy. You made her loved. You made her love you. She went with you because she wanted to make you happy. You did not make her go. And, you are not to blame for her dying way too soon." Her expression grew softer and less pained as my words started to sink in.

Taking her silence as permission to continue, I added, "Bad things happen to good people all the time. Look at me. I'm a wonderful person," I paused to allow her to scoff, which she did. "And I was in a plane crash and lost my leg and several good friends…" When she stayed engulfed in contemplative quiet, I shrugged, "Maybe there's a reason for all the crap. I mean, if we hadn't been in those crashes, we wouldn't be sitting here right now. I don't know if that means anything, but it's something to think about." I frowned as I considered my own words. I'm pretty sure that didn't make a whole lot of sense, and definitely couldn't have provided any solace.

Finally bringing her eyes back to mine, she studied me for a moment, "This new positive outlook you have going on is freaking me the hell out."

I rolled my eyes, "Did you hear anything I just said?"

Her expression grew serious as she nearly whispered, "Yeah, I did."

AN: Whew, a long one. What are you thinking?