Chapter 10
"My baby" Arizona winced as her mother ran in,
"I'm okay mom" Arizona lied, she had taken the oxygen off at least until Dr Bailey returned.
"You look terrible dear" Barbara told her honestly, smoothing her hair down.
"Hello sport" Daniel said standing by the door,
"Hello Colonel" Arizona replied nervously, she always called him Colonel when she thought she was in trouble.
"What are your injuries?" he asked, his blue eyes looking up and down the bed, Arizona hesitated worried about telling them the truth, "Please sport," Daniel begged, "the truth".
"I have a concussion, a few broken ribs, and one dug into my lung, my spleen bled a bit and my liver, and my arm is broken" Arizona explained trying to make her injuries seemed better than they were.
"And Tim did that?" Daniel questioned, Arizona frowned her dad was an expert at keeping his face neutral so she couldn't tell if he was mad at her or not.
"Yes Sir" Arizona replied, "but it wasn't his fault" she defended, "I sat on the remote and a film came on with lots of gunfire, it triggered him, but I know most of his triggers now,"
There was silence, Arizona waiting for them to tell them they were disappointed in her, and Daniel and Barbara processing.
"I am proud of you sport, you took care of your brother and didn't let anyone hurt him, not even me" Daniel said, "But you have got to know when to call for backup, I'm guessing this isn't the first time he hurt you"? he said seriously,
Arizona blushed, why did she feel like a child being disciplined again,
"No Sir, but this is the worst," She answered honestly. "Normally I can head it off, but gunshots and explosions are a huge trigger, you just can't bring him back from those, but Dr Shepard thinks he can help,"
"That would be good, can we talk to him?" Barbara asked, "I mean I know it's your choice sweetie, but it would ease my worries".
"Of course, I'll have him paged," Arizona offered, "I was thinking of scheduling it for Monday, I should be discharged by then" she said hopefully, in truth Dr Bailey had refused to give her an official discharge date, or any indication, saying she had to wait for Arizona's blood tests to normalize.
"There is no rush, is there?" Barbara asked worriedly,
"No, I just want Tim to be better sooner, I know we are never going to get the old Tim back but any step towards that, why wait." Arizona explained, "And you and dad are here and Nick, so it makes sense, to do it while he has everyone around him."
"Okay as long as there is no other reason" Barbara said, as the door opened,
"Guess what they had today rainbow sparkle doughnuts" Callie said turning around seeing 2 people in the room who could only be Arizona's parents, both looked exactly like her, the man in his eyes, her mom in her mouth and dimples. "Err hi" she said nervously,
"Hey, Calliope, this is my mom Barbara and my dad, the Colonel" Arizona introduced,
"Nice to meet you Calliope" Barbara greeted,
"Callie please, only my father and your daughter call me Calliope" Callie replied putting the doughnuts down on the table, "It's nice to meet you both too" she said holding her hand out for a handshake from both,
"Callie, are you one of our daughters' doctors?" Daniel asked,
"I was, now I'm just someone who is feeding your daughters doughnut addiction" Callie joked, Arizona was already halfway through the first one.
"Baby, have you even had lunch yet?" Barbara fussed, Arizona sighed,
"Mom, I'm 27, I can have doughnuts first".
"Nonsense, you'll spoil your appetite, and I doubt there is anything nutritious in a doughnut" Barbara lectured,
"But it has rainbow sprinkles" Arizona pouted, ignoring Callie and Daniel's amused looks,
"And it will still have rainbow sprinkles once you have finished your lunch" Barbara ordered ignoring her daughters sad look moving the doughnuts away. "I swear you are as stubborn as your father." She muttered under her breath.
"Well, I better go, nice meeting you Colonel and Mrs Robbins," Callie said planning on excusing herself, ignoring her friends pleading looks to stay.
"Nonsense, you stay, Daniel and I will go and find our daughter something healthier to eat. I bet you haven't eaten either, we'll get extras, sit dear." Barbara said dragging her husband out of the room, Callie sat on the vacated seat.
"So, how are you feeling really?" Callie asked,
"Sore, but I'm okay" Arizona began,
She was distracted by her mobile going, it was Nick, ignoring everyone she answered it, knowing Nick wouldn't ring unless it was important.
"Nick, is everything okay, is Tim, okay?" Arizona asked.
"Yeah, well he is unsettled, he is pacing saying Zona, over and over again, I think he misses you" Nick explained, "I was thinking you could talk to him on the phone, it might help".
"Sure" Arizona agreed, she heard a fumble on the phone,
"Tim, it's me, its Zona" Arizona said loudly down the phone hoping he would hear her,
"Zona, Zona, Zona" she could hear him repeating, her name and the sound of flesh hitting flesh,
"He is just hitting his head, I think this has made it worse, I have to go, I'll ring back later Yuma" Nick said hanging up the phone.
"I have to go" Arizona said to Callie sitting up, wincing as it pulled on her abdominal stitches and broken ribs, "Tim needs me," she said groaning at the pain,
"No, you need to rest" Callie insisted, "Look I have a clear afternoon, I can take your parents, see if we can settle him together, if not I promise to sneak you out" Callie offered, Arizona sighed,
"Fine," she agreed, somehow, she just trusted Callie, more than anyone else she knew, she knew Callie wouldn't let them kidnap him and place him in a home. With that threat gone her parents they could manage Tim; he might just settle for them. "But be careful, he doesn't know his own strength". Arizona said worried, she'd hate to see Calliope injured, she didn't deserve that, maybe this was a bad idea, maybe she should go too.
"Stop thinking so hard, it's going to be fine, your dad is an ex-marine as is Nick," Callie promised, "we are going to be back soon, with Timmy,"
"Callieā¦." Arizona paused, struggling to believe she was saying this, her next sentence was going to go against everything she believed, but she had to, she needed to say it to keep her family safe. "Take sedation, just in case, I don't want anyone hurt" Arizona pleaded, Callie nodded slowly,
"We'll be safe, I promise" Callie said patting Arizona's hand, "Tell your parents I can meet them in the lobby at 3" she offered, "I better go make sure Meredith has time to do the admit and make sure the room is set up".
"I can share a room, I mean, if Bailey isn't going to discharge me, I can share, I can calm him down" Arizona offered, Callie gently took her hand, giving it a comforting squeeze,
"I know you want to help your brother, but you need time to heal, you have people here, let us help" Callie begged, Arizona sighed, feeling like she was letting Timmy down but unable to say no to the beautiful brunette's puppy eyes,
"Can we at least be near?" she requested begging, tears running down her face. "Please I need to know he is okay, that nobody is hurting him,"
"I'll talk to the chief," Callie offered, truthfully, she knew Webber would agree to anything to convince the young Doctor to stay. Unable to watch Arizona cry any longer she walked over hugging her tightly. "He'll be okay" she promised, "we all will".
"He has triggers, a lot of them" Arizona said fretting, not wanting her parents or Callie or the EMT's collecting him to get hurt.
"Okay, we will be careful" Callie promised,
"He likes the rain, and music, if you can sing, it calms him. Queen is his favourite, but we've been branching out, pop, soft rock, no rap, too many gunshots" Arizona rambled. Callie nodded holding Arizona's hand letting her get out all these worries sitting there until she went to sleep.
A knock at the door made Callie jump, thankfully Arizona remained asleep,
"Hello dear, I'm just here to sit with her while Daniel goes with the team to get Tim, we wanted to make sure she didn't try and go to" Barbara explained, Callie smiled, kissing Arizona's hand.
"I better go to, I promised I would go too" Callie said excusing herself quickly, feel very awkward, it had been a long time since she had this strongly about anyone, and meeting the parents before Arizona had even accepted a date just made it even more surreal.
In the lobby a team had assembled, Owen, Derek, Meredith, Colonel Daniel Robbins, and now Callie. The ambulance was waiting, Owen driving his truck behind the ambulance with everyone sitting quietly contemplating their mission.
Pulling up outside Arizona's cute cottage, Owen took charge,
"We don't want to alarm him, Sir, I think you should go in first, try bring him outside calmly, I'll be the candy man" Owen decided.
"That means if it goes badly, Dr Hunt will sedate him" Callie explained, patiently, to Daniel who looked confused,
"Torres, Grey, behind me, you stay there" Owen ordered wanting to protect them, "Derek, over there, if it goes wrong then you help the Colonel pin him down" he planned.
With everyone in position, Daniel knocked the door. Nick opened it,
"Hey, Tim is in his room, he is really upset, asking for Arizona" he said, Daniel could see a faint trace of a bruise on his cheek,
"You okay son?" he asked, Nick nodded,
"This" he said gesturing to his face, "this isn't anything, not compared to basic," he joked, Daniel entered, walking to the closed door he guessed was the bedroom,
"Tim, son" he asked opening the door,
"No, no, take me away" Tim screamed in fear, curling into a ball, as far away from Daniel as he could.
Daniel winced, the one thing for him to remember would be that night, the men coming into his house, he had opened the bedroom door much like tonight. Defeated he left, walking over to Owen,
"Do you have a plan B?" he asked, Owen frowned, calling Derek over, Meredith and Nick joining too. Calle started but instead was distracted by the photo of Arizona and Tim in the entrance hall. Deciding that she didn't feature much in Owen's plan anyway she instead studied the photo.
Arizona and Timmy were grinning at the camera, each with matching grins, holding ice cream cones bigger than their heads.
"Zona" a voice startled her, it was Tim who had come out of his room,
"Zona's friend" Callie repeated pointing at herself, "Callie".
"ally" Tim repeated, "want Zona" he demanded, Callie nodded, she didn't blame him, after all Zona had been the most important person in his life since waking up from his coma.
"I know where Zona is" she said holding out her hand, Tim took it,
"You're pretty" he said batting his blue eyes, Callie smiled, it was always good for the ego being hit on, but the brother of the girl you were crushing on was slightly awkward,
"Thank you, you are very handsome, Zona was telling me all about you, said you like music" she said racking her brains for any safe topic of conversation.
"Music, Zona sings" Tim told her, gripping her hand tighter as they got to the door. Callie took a breath, she'd always been told she was a good singer but hated singing, or speaking in public, this was in front of 2 attendings, and Arizona's father, the pressure was on, but this was for Tim, Arizona's brother.
"We'll do it all
Everything
On our own.
We don't need
Anything
Or anyone".
she sang hoping it would work, to her amazement Tim calmed right down, the light rain, hitting his face also working, she led him past the stunned doctors to Owen's car. Tim pulling away from the ambulance. Owen quickly took the hint, as Nick climbed into the front leaving Callie and Tim in the back, the radio turned off, and just Callie's stunning clear voice echoing through the car.
Once that song finished Callie immediately started on the next one, her mind going blank o lyrics she could remember,
"Come with me
Come with me
Come with me
Sweet Galahad
You'll be a man
Join Arthur's clan
Come with me
And I will make you glad".
She sang, ignoring Owen and Nick's puzzled looks, she couldn't help if she had watched Spamalot last weekend and right now it was one of few songs she could remember. She kept singing holding Tim's hand as they drove all the way to Seattle Grace, once there she got out first, glad Owen had parked by a service entrance, where there were a lot less people, she walked inside Tim following,
"Let's find Zona" she encouraged, Tim nodded,
"Zona," he repeated, his eyes darting around wildly,
"Zona is this way, you know, you have the same eyes as your sister, Zona has beautiful blue eyes, and magic dimples, they're dangerous, and I can tell you have the same dangerous smile. Zona is kind too and so smart. Zona is also really addicted to doughnuts, do you like doughnuts like Zona Tim?" Callie asked, Tim nodded,
"Like Zona, like doughnuts" he agreed as they began climbing the stairs. Callie figuring the lift would be too enclosed, at least the stairs were rarely used and had windows making it light and airy.
"Zona likes sprinkles" Callie said conversationally, doughnuts were a safe topic, and his blue eyes lit up just like his sister's "Do you?"
"Sprinkles" Tim repeated nodding, "rainbow, Zona likes rainbow, Tim likes chocolate."
"Me too, with chocolate in the middle" she added, as she tried to keep up, why was the neuro ICU on the 5th floor. Tim on the other hand seemed to be finding it easy. Arriving Callie stood for a second catching her breath, leaning against the wall.
"Zona" Tim insisted impatiently, Callie nodded, offering her hand again, swiping through the door. Arizona's ICU side room was only a few corridors away.
"Zona is this way," Callie guided, pleased that the corridors were empty, until she reached the ICU.
"Wash your hands" she ordered Tim, demonstrating the proper procedure. When she was satisfied his hands were clean, she opened the door.
"Tim" Arizona cried,
"Zona" Tim replied running over and hugging her. Arizona wincing as he jarred her ribs.
"I'm okay, Tim, I'm okay" she promised trying not to cry out.
"Tim? My baby" Barbara cried, itching to hug her son but not wanting to startle him,
"Zona, hurt" Tim cried distressed, hitting himself in the head repeatedly,
"No, I'm okay, Tim, I am okay," Arizona repeated, trying to grab his arm to stop him, wincing again as it jostled her fractured arm and ribs, pulling at her drain.
"Hey Tim, come sit here with me" Callie suggested.
"Was he okay?" Arizona asked Callie slightly surprised she had gotten him here so easily.
"Yeah, we bonded, over you and doughnuts" Callie blurted out, blushing as she realized Barbara was sat there.
Arizona smiled, blushing herself. She couldn't believe how much Callie had Tim had bonded in just a few hours and bonding, it was a warm fuzzy feeling that Callie liked her enough to bond with Tim.
"Tim, I missed you" Barbara said desperate to touch her son. "Thank you for bringing him here safely,"
"You're welcome, I'm going to go, and check his room is ready" Callie decided gesturing at the door.
Outside the door, the crowd had gathered.
"Well done, Torres" Derek praised. "We'll let him settle here for a minute, and then take him to his room, start getting the scans, are you free, he seems to trust you?" he asked, Callie nodded, mentally going over her schedule. There was nothing urgent pending, and she wasn't on-call.
"Sure, but we might need Arizona's help" Callie said nervously, there was no way they'd get the jumpy man into the noisy MRI scanner. The banging would definitely trigger him as would the confined space.
"We were thinking of sedating him, taking him in under general, but we need to get the IV in first. We know what our surgical plan is, but we need to confirm nothing has changed.
"I can get the IV," Callie promised, "In Arizona's room, he'll co-operate there".
"Good," Derek replied, "Then if you can place him on a trolley and give him the anesthetic then we will take it from there."
"Okay" Callie agreed.
"I'll help, he trusts me" Nick offered, while Daniel stayed silent, his eyes downcast. His own son not trusting him was breaking his heart, not that the stubborn military man would admit it.
"Okay" Callie nodded taking the offered IV kit from Meredith. "Come on Nick, let's do this".
They entered the room,
"Hey Nick" Arizona greeted,
"Hey wifey" he replied, ignoring the glare, from the blonde,
"Nick we were 10, Tim married us, I don't think it counts" Arizona said mainly for Callie's benefit.
"Phoenix, how you wound me" Nick joked, "Tim, you think its real right?" he asked his long-time friend,
"Zona, Callie" Tim decided, causing both women to blush and Nick, and Barbara to laugh, deciding to start while the mood was light Callie showed Arizona the IV.
"Tim, we need to give you some special medicine" Arizona began, "I need you to be brave" she begged, as he tensed slightly, "come here, sit next to me" she waited as Tim did so,
"Okay, hold my hand, and Nick will hold the other." She encouraged, waiting patiently for Tim to do so. "Now Callie, we like Callie, Callie is nice, Callie is good, Callie is going to give her a small injection, it will hurt but we are very brave and look, we'll have matching" Arizona gestured at her own IV. Tim studied it carefully before nodding slightly.
Callie thoroughly prepared the skin, and the IV, knowing this was an important one, knowing she might not get a second chance.
"You got this Calliope" Arizona said, Callie nodded feeling more confident with the support of her friend sighing in relief as she got it first time.
"See not to bad" Callie reassured him. "We need to get him lying down on a trolley now".
"He won't" Arizona said firmly, "he won't leave here now, he won't leave me" she said wearily, she could tell from his mannerism's that he was going to be extra clingy, "but you might be able to get him to lie next to me".
"Okay, it's an evolving plan" Callie replied shrugging, it would be more difficult but once sedated they reduced the risk of injury to everyone else.
"Tim, come" Arizona ordered patting the bed, she often held him at night, after he woke screaming from memories he couldn't place. Sometimes it was the only way either of them got some sleep.
Tim immediately lay next to her, seeking comfort from the one familiar face in his life. Arizona gave Callie the nod, who went over to Tim,
"Night Tim, I love you" Arizona said kissing his forehead as Callie injected the sedative. With Tim asleep everything happened quickly, Callie opened the door as Barbara and Nick were ushered out, Derek, Owen and Meredith came in with 2 orderlies quickly transferring Tim to a trolley.
"we'll take him to MRI then as long as the scan haven't changed straight to the OR. Dr Grey will update you regularly," Derek promised as they wheeled him away. Daniel, Barbara, and Nick re-entered the room.
"Thank you" Daniel said to Callie holding out his hand, she shook it. "You've been amazing with him" he praised, Callie blushed again,
"It's nothing," she said modestly,
"You've charmed both of our children dear, which isn't easy" Barbara added,
"mom" Arizona moaned, glaring at her. She loved her mother but hated how she interfered in her relationships, especially when she was still working out what her relationship with Callie was.
"It's okay, I think it's great" Callie said putting the blond at ease. "I need to round on my patients, get someone to page me when there is an update," Arizona nodded, watching the gorgeous, and amazing brunette leave.
"She seems very nice," Barbara commented,
"Uh huh, we might have to get divorced Yuma" Nick joked, dodging the pillow that was thrown at him with her good arm, "You need to work on your aim" he said winding her up, throwing it back regretting it as she winced in pain as the pillow caught her chest drain,
"Okay, take it easy you two" Daniel intervened, "Arizona you know better than to take on a marine, marines always end up on top" he lectured, 2 sets of blue eyes rolled, both Arizona and Barbara in sync
"Seriously Daniel," Barbara said, "I'll remember that tonight" she said, giving Daniel a sultry look, that left nothing to the imagination.
"Mom" Arizona replied, wishing for brain bleach.
"Don't mom me," Barbara snarked back, "You're sitting there thinking of doing the same with Callie, your dad and I might be old but were not dead yet."
"Kill me now" Arizona muttered ducking her head under the cover.
"Tim tried to" Nick replied, "Sorry" he said, reviewing what he had said, "that was harsh".
"No, I deserve that" Arizona said sadly, head hung, "we ran, but I didn't want him going to one of those homes, they're inhumane,"
"I know" Daniel said, "When you left, I did some investigating, to work out why you'd rather cut off all contact then let someone else take care of him, and you were right, those places, they're horrific, the one I tried to send Tim to, its closed now" he admitted. "I was wrong sport, and you know, I don't admit that easily. I'm proud of you"" Daniel said patting the bed. Arizona nodded, fighting tears,
"Thanks dad"
"Sleep sport, we'll keep watch" he promised, Arizona frowned,
"There is no way I can sleep, not until I know Tim is okay" she said,
"Then just close your eyes," Barbara instructed, they could all tell Arizona was exhausted, sure enough she closed her eyes and was asleep within seconds.
Parents have arrived, Tim is in the hospital will everything keep going Arizona's way? Do you want it to? Or would you like more drama?
