Chapter 9

Callie walked to Arizona's room hoping she was asleep so she wouldn't have to confess to looking up Tim's records. There was no such luck the blonde was sitting up in bed, reading. Nervously Callie approached the bed.

"Calliope, your chief just offered me a job" Arizona gushed, smiling slightly,

"What did you say?" Callie asked hopefully, Arizona's smile dropped,

"I can't, I can't leave Tim alone at home that long" She explained, "But your chief, he wouldn't take the no, he told me to think about it" Arizona pouted slightly, an expression Callie found adorable, as she fought the urge not to kiss her.

"I need you to listen, and I need you not to get mad," Callie ordered, Arizona nodded, wondering why she seemed so stressed. "I did something trying to help and it was stupid and I know that but it could help, a lot, and if you don't like it you could go to the chief and get me fired, but I'm hoping you don't do that, and instead you see it for the gesture it was, that I was trying to help and not interfere" Callie rambled nervously,

"breathe" Arizona urged worriedly, what had she done? Had she called the police on Tim? Had she reported him for hurting her? Oh God Tim was going to be arrested, he wouldn't go quietly, then in jail he'd easily lose his temper loud noises, shouting, banging doors. He'd be beaten, killed even or subjected to so many meds he wouldn't know his name. "Callie, what did you do?" she asked, her blue eyes, hard boring into Callie.

Callie nervously rubbed her neck,

"I got Tim's medical records" She explained, "I wanted to see the damage for myself, make sure what you were saying was plausible and someone wasn't taking advantage of you".

Arizona frowned, that wasn't so bad,

"And then Meredith and Cristina walked in" Callie said wincing,

"Who?" Arizona asked not sure why that was important,

"Meredith Grey, and Cristina Yang, they are residents, Meredith is dating Derek," Callie explained, Arizona still looked lost, "Derek is our head of neurosurgery".

"And…." Arizona asked, she didn't mind anyone looking at the scans, they was nothing they could do, there wasn't anything anyone could do. Tim's brain was damaged beyond repair, unless Derek could regrow brain,

"And he thinks he can help" Callie revealed pausing,

"What!" Arizona exclaimed, that wasn't possible, it couldn't be. The scans had been reviewed by both the army doctors, as well as the neurosurgeons in Hopkins, none of them could do anything for him, this was it, this was Tim now, she had to get used to it, try to manage him. No this had to be a trap, to bring Tim in, all this time she had been told there was no hope, she couldn't start to believe now.

Callie watched as Arizona's face went from puzzled to hopeful to resolute within seconds.

"No, there is nothing that can be done" Arizona replied refusing to get her hopes up, "I think you should leave" she said firmly, even if they could do something getting Tim here would be so traumatic, she'd had to sedate him to get him to Seattle, it had been horrific for them both.

"Arizona"

"Dr Torres, leave" she ordered, blue eyes blazing. Callie nodded,

"Just please, talk to Derek, for Tim's sake" Callie begged as she left.

Arizona lay in the bed thinking, what if Callie was right, what if Derek could do something, what if by being stubborn refusing to accept help she was cursing Tim to live with a worse brain function than he needed to. Needing more answers before making a decision she pressed her call bell.

Instead of the nurse she expected she got another attending. She recognized from outside the door, she'd been talking to the Chief and Callie.

"How are you?" She asked, walking into the room, turning off the buzzer.

"Okay" Arizona replied.

"I'm Dr Bailey, General Surgeon, I was the one who repaired both your liver and your spleen" She explained, "I'd like to check the incisions".

"Thank you" Arizona consented by pulling the cover down one handed. "What do you know about a neurosurgeon called Derek?" she asked curiously. The small doctor didn't seem like one to gossip, but also didn't seem like she would lie or beat around the bush. That's what she needed now, brutal honesty.

"Shepard, what do you want to know?" she asked protectively, gently palpating Arizona's stomach, she winced as Bailey pressed on a tender part.

"Is he good?" Arizona asked, "I mean," she paused, knowing that people automatically said yes, "If you needed a neurosurgeon and you were at Hopkins, is he who you would fly out" she questioned,

"Yes" Bailey replied adamantly, "He is the guy who I would call, he is the neurosurgeon I allowed him to operate on my husband because he is that good." Bailey reassured, "But I'm not sure why you are asking, your brain is fine" Bailey grouched slightly.

"It's not for me" Arizona replied, she sighed, this secret, her brother, she had gone from being the only person in Seattle who knew to sharing it with everyone. "My brother, he has a TBI. Dr Torres showed Dr Shepard the scans, he thinks he can help, reduce the symptoms" Arizona explained,

"Your brother, is he the one who?" Bailey gestured at her body. Arizona nodded just slightly,

"It wasn't his fault" Arizona said, it was her motto, her go to. This wasn't Tim's fault.

"I understand." Bailey replied, "But whose fault is it if there is something that could help, something that could lessen the symptoms, something that stops you ending up here looking like you got ran over by a truck. And if there is something that they could do, something that makes him even slightly better you owe it to him, and to yourself".

She nodded at Arizona, having said her piece.

"Your wound is healing well and the drain from your lungs is good, and your breathing is better, we'll keep you in the ICU until your liver tests normalize" with that she walked out, leaving Arizona deep in thought. Maybe Bailey was right, maybe she owed it to Tim to try. As soon as she got out of this bed, then she could sort everything out. Groaning she sat up, everything hurt, what had they said her injuries were, 3 broken ribs one of which had probably pierced her lung, a concussion, ruptured spleen, liver lac, a broken displaced radius and ulna fracture.

The broken ribs, they'd take a few weeks to heal, but the treatment was normally just pain relief, the ruptured spleen and liver lac, they'd have fixed those in the OR, along with the arm fractures which were set and casted, she'd be sore but there wasn't much they could do here that couldn't be dealt with at home. Just as soon as she could stand and breath better, she could go home, to help with that she removed her 02 convinced she didn't need it anyway. Next was the IV, there was no reason she couldn't drink, lastly was the catheter, horrible thing, Arizona definitely didn't need it. Pulling it out was a huge relief. The chest drain had to stay for now, there was nothing around she could use to cut the stitch with, hopefully that could come out when Bailey arrived.

Now most the tubes were out she could relax and close her eyes, try get some sleep. Overnight the nurses came in trying to put the oxygen back on, and re inserting the IV, the catheter was a no, once the nurses left the oxygen came off, she knew it was petty, but she hated the feeling of the mask across her face.

"Arizona Robbins!" a voice said loudly, making Arizona jerk awake, gasping as her ribs jarred and her surgical scar pulled.

"Bailey" she greeted smiling, "good morning" Dr Bailey clearly wasn't a morning person,

"Well, it would be a good morning if I was where I was supposed to be dropping my son at day care, but instead I get paged by the nurses, my patient is being extremely uncooperative with them, removing lines, catheters, so instead of kissing my baby goodbye am I here" Bailey ranted, Arizona gave her a sheepish look,

"I don't need the O2, its blowing in my face and my nose is dry, I can drink fluids just fine, and I can walk to the bathroom if I need it" Arizona protested,

"What would you do if one of your patients was being this pig headed?" Bailey asked, Arizona huffed, she wasn't being pig headed, she was being dynamic,

"Well in Pead's I'd talk to their parents or distract them" Arizona said,

"Great idea, what is your parents' number?" Bailey asked, Arizona rolled her eyes,

"Nice try" she said, "I don't need my parents and I don't need a catheter".

"Fine, no catheter, but you keep your drip in, and your O2 on, and you use a bed pan, you are in no position to be up wondering," Bailey bargained, Arizona's eyebrows rose in challenge, that was a matter of opinion, Bailey decided it was time to play her trump card, "Or I'll ask Dr Torres to come and reinsert your catheter" she threatened. Arizona's blue eyes widened, a light blush coating her cheeks,

"You wouldn't" she said calling her bluff, that would be mortifying, her crush the beautiful Calliope, the last thing Arizona wanted was for her to think of her as a patient, and to see her down there, not like that anyway. She wanted to woo her, to spend time with her outside the hospital to date, then pleasure her.

"I don't bluff" Bailey said firmly, arms folded, Arizona sighed, picking up the oxygen mask placing it over her face.

"Fine" Arizona sighed, Bailey had won this round, but this was a long game, there could be a comeback at least she had won the no catheter argument even though bed pans still sucked, that could be negotiated that afternoon once she had been out of bed. "What about my chest drain, that can come out now surely, you said my lung sounds were good" Arizona begged batting her eyelids hoping Bailey would be one of the many women that swooned when she did so,

"48 hours, minimum" Bailey said unaffected, those blue puppy dog eyes didn't work on her.

The door knocked again.

"Calliope" Arizona greeted happily,

"Morning" Callie entered the room already wearing her white coat with her sleeves rolled up, "I hear you've been causing trouble" she said her brown eyes sparkling with amusement.

"I'm fine, you guys did a good job," Arizona praised, "I'll be home by tomorrow" she decided, even though she trusted Nick she needed to be home, she needed to be in control. As soon as the chest drain came out then she could go home. She needed to be there for her family, good men didn't lie down, good men turned up.

"Arizona, you need to rest," Callie begged, "if he hits your abdomen or your ribs, it could cause severe damage, it could kill you".

"He is my brother" Arizona said simply, as if that excused it all, as if that made it okay for her to be beaten,

"I know, but if something bad happens to you then what happens to him? Who looks after him then?" Callie asked, Arizona paused, Callie had a good point, even if she hated it, she sighed again. "Have you thought any more about talking to Dr Shepard? I mean a conversation never hurt anyone."

"I haven't thought of anything else, and you were right, I owe it to Tim to try." Arizona decided, "also if he is here, having surgery, it gives me time to rest and recover." She decided logically,

"Great I'll page Derek, get him to go through the procedures" Callie offered, "For the record I think you're doing the right thing," Callie offered, Arizona smiled, as Callie squeezed her good hand.

"Can you stay, when he talks though the plan, I trust you" Arizona begged,

"Sure" Callie agreed easily happy the blonde was so trusting of her. Stepping away briefly to ask the nurse to page Derek. He came in a few minutes later, Meredith with him,

"Hello Dr Robbins, I'm Dr Derek Shepard, head of Neurosurgery, this is Meredith Grey, 3rd year resident, I have seen your brothers scans and I think I can help. Is your brother here I'd like to examine him,"

"No, he is at home, with a friend, if I agree your plan will help him, I will arrange for him to come in," Arizona said, "so Dr Shepard, let's see if you are as good as your reputation makes out" she challenged, in response Derek grinned confident his plan would blow her away. Carefully he took her through the surgery every step and contingency he could offer. They both knew surgery wasn't perfect, you could only plan for so much.

"And if I agree, when could you do it?" Arizona asked,

"Tomorrow," Derek offered, "If you could get him here today".

"I can do that; I just need to get this; chest drain and IV out" Arizona said grimacing as she sat up.

"Err no" Callie said.

"Err yes" Arizona mimicked, "he is my brother, if he is coming in, I need to get him, he won't come in peacefully otherwise".

"I understand, let me check with Dr Bailey find out when we can move you from the ICU, then we can book the OR for your brother. A few days won't hurt, and will let me make sure our plan is solid," Derek suggested, Arizona sighed,

"Fine, I'm guessing you'll want fresh scans anyway. You might have to sedate him. Tim isn't a fan of confined spaces".

"I understand, don't worry, Tim isn't our first patient with severe brain injuries" Derek reassured,

"I know, but very few of those patients have been trained to kill with their bare hands" Arizona cautioned. Derek nodded understanding her concern, the Alzheimer patients coming into his trial could be aggressive but none of those were trained to kill, this would be a whole new ball game.

"Dr Grey will spend some time with you and identify triggers, I will speak to my colleague's, Dr Hunt and Dr Altman, both served in Iraq, they might be able to advise" Derek suggested, Arizona nodded happily, glad her concerns were being taken seriously.

Seeing the blonde in the bed was tiring Derek and Meredith left,

"behave" Callie warned before following them out. Arizona rolled her eyes, she was behaving, she was still here wasn't she, hadn't self-discharged, what more did they want?

Closing her eyes she had a nap, waking up when a nurse came in to check her observations, reaching across for the phone, she rang Nick,

"Hey Phoenix, how are you?" he asked,

"I'm fine, how is Tim doing?" Arizona said stubbornly, she was fine despite what all the doctors at the hospital were saying,

"We are good, playing Mario Kart" Nick said, "he is kicking my ass, now how are you really?" he challenged,

"Fine," Arizona insisted, "I've been talking to the Doctors here, I think they might be able to do a surgery to help".

"That's great Yuma, when can they do it".

"As soon as I am out of ICU then I can be there to help settle him" Arizona explained, after a pause Nick spoke,

"Have you discussed it with your parents?" he asked,

"No, they wanted to put him in a home" Arizona said stubbornly, "they lost that right when they tried to kidnap him,"

"He is their son, Yuma, they miss him" Nick said sadly, "they miss you too".

"You've spoken to them" Arizona accused,

"My parents do Yuma, you know they're friends" Nick defended, "But I think they should be given a second chance, especially if Tim is having a big surgery".

Arizona thought, Nick had a point, as much as she hated to admit it, maybe it was time to give them a call.

"I'll think about it" Arizona said, hanging up, her fingers hovering over the button to call her parents. only the fear of what they would say stopped her, would they agree with the plan, would they support her taking Tim away, even if he needed to come to Seattle, would they say I told you so?

Taking a deep breath Arizona straightened her spine, knowing that she had to step up, wincing as it moved her ribs,

"Hello" her mother answered the phone,

"Mom" Arizona greeted, wincing at how small her voice sounded,

"Baby, Arizona, oh, it's good to hear from you, how are you, how is Tim?" she rambled, Arizona could hear the tears in her mom's voice, and felt a stab of guilt,

"We are okay, I found a surgeon, he thinks he can removal some of the shrapnel, which will lessen his symptoms".

"Wow, that's great hun,"

"Uh huh, its risky, but the Tim I know would want to be better, no matter what the risks" Arizona voiced, hoping her mom agreed, hoping that she also thought the risk was worth it, although she had full power of attorney, it was only talking to her mom that made her realize how much she valued their opinion,

"He would, he'd hate who he had become, he'd hate knowing that he had hurt his family, that he had hurt you..." Barbara replied, there was a pause, Arizona wondering how she knew, who had told her Nick? The hospital?

"Mom"

"Don't mom me, I can tell your hurt, it's in your voice, you aren't breathing right baby, where are you, your father is sorry, he didn't mean to push, he was doing what he thought was best, just like you were" she lectured,

"Mom, he tried to have Tim kidnapped, by the people that ran that horrible home, they came in the night to take him" Arizona recalled, remembering the fear, she had been camped out in her brother's room after lying to her parents that she was at home when 4 men had barged in armed with chemical and physical restraints, it had scared both Arizona and Tim, nearly to death, only Arizona calling hospital security and threatening the police had stopped them taking him.

"I know, he knows, he was wrong, and he is sorry, I promise, please baby, tell us where you are, let us see you, I promise he'll behave, he was worried about you, giving up your life," Barbara begged. Arizona paused, she missed her parents, seeing them weekly, speaking every day on the phone,

"He has to promise he won't take Tim away, not without my permission, he has to promise on grandad's grave".

"I'll make sure baby," Barbara promised, "Where are you?"

"I'm at Seattle Grace hospital"

"Hospital, you're working?" Barbara asked,

"They have offered me a job" Arizona said, avoiding the question hoping her mother wouldn't notice that she hadn't answered the question,

"So why are you in hospital?" Barbara questioned, Arizona winced she knew her mom was too observant, if she told her parents it felt like admitted dad was right, that they should have drugged Tim up and left him sitting in a chair, "Arizona Michelle Robbins, you tell me why you are in hospital right now" Barbara ordered,

"Tim hurt me mom, but it was my fault, I sat on the remote, it triggered him".

"Oh baby, it wasn't your fault, or his, but you need support" Barbara begged, "I'll get Daniel now, we will be there tomorrow".

"Mom there is no need to rush, Nick is with him" Arizona said worried her parents had thought she had left Tim alone, or not been looking after him properly,

"My baby is in hospital, I need to be there, you might think you are all grown up, but you are still my little girl and I need to be there for you too" Barbara defended, "I miss you" she said breaking Arizona's heart, "And if your father is stubborn and won't promise then I will come anyway."

"Thanks mom" Arizona said feeling warm and fuzzy, at just how deep her mother's love ran for her. She hung up feeling exhausted, putting the oxygen back on, there was no need to annoy Bailey more than she needed to. Especially as she needed to be off it all together and sat in the chair looking well by the time her mother arrived tomorrow. So today she would co-operate and heal, so tomorrow she could go home, or at least out of the ICU, being in the ICU was overkill. She was fine. Everything was fine.

A knock at the door startled her as she realized, she must have drifted off, it was Calliope. Arizona smiled at all these visits, was she feeling the same way.

"Hey, sorry to wake you, I know the food here sucks, so I ordered in from a deli and got too much, so I wondered if you would like some" Callie offered, Arizona nodded eagerly, the food left a lot to be desired, "I have soup and a pastry".

She passed over a pot of soup, Arizona sniffed it, wincing as it tugged on her lung tube, it smelt amazing, she took a spoonful, "Wow, that is good soup" she praised,

"Uh huh, it's from this café just down the street, the owner broke his arm skiing, and I fixed it as good as new, ever since every time I go in, he hands me as much food as he can," Callie explained, "I normally share with Mark" at Arizona's puzzled look she explained, "Dr Sloan, he was my best friend".

"Was?"

"Yeah, we argued, over you actually, he took my consult and scared you off" Callie explained, "I mean telling anyone there a burden is cruel, let alone a domestic violence victim. I chose to get invested, he might disagree, but he shouldn't take it out on you".

"Your invested" Arizona smiled watching as the beautiful, sexy, Dr Torres blushed, wishing she could see just how far her chest that blush went "I am honored, do you invest this much in all your patients?"

"So, you should be" Callie huffed but smiling so Arizona knew she was joking, "And the only one's worth investing in," it was Arizona's turn to blush,

"Good to know" she flirted back, "but you should talk to him, friends are precious, he cared about you enough to stand up for you" Callie huffed,

"I'll think about it" she considered, not willing to give in on the Mark issue just yet, not even for the pretty blonde. Changing the subject she opened the bag, "Doughnut?"

Blue eyes lit up, a childish expression of glee came over her face, "my favorite, how did you know?" Arizona asked,

"I didn't but I do now" Callie replied, her heart fluttered, a smiling Arizona was even more beautiful,

"When I'm out of here and Tim is better, you're going to have to let me make it up to you. Maybe I could take you out for dinner?" Arizona asked nervously twisting the bed sheet under her,

"Maybe you could" Callie flirted back, her pager went off, "I like French food" she said leaving the room. Hearing as she did so,

"I can do French food, and French kissing." Grinning Callie headed to the ER. The promise of a date with the sexy blonde was enough to keep that grin on her face all day.

Hope you liked it, Arizona has a date with Calliope, her parents are on the way and their is hope for Tim,

As usual please let me know you thoughts.