"So how are you feeling Dr Torres?"
Callie had just come off a fairly lengthy call with the detectives in charge of her case. The memories that came flooding back were quickly relayed to them whilst she remembered. She knew DNA under her fingernails, and no doubt bruising on the perpetrator knuckles, would be evidence. Would it be enough for a conviction? Who knew, but she was glad she had clarity on the matter. She took the opportunity to ask for updates. They didn't have many, but now they had a name, a potential location and the firm where he worked, they probably would soon.
"Erm, better, remembering helps", she gave a weak smile, she was tired. "Do you know how long Arizona's surgery is scheduled for?"
Webber could only smirk, "I believe it's a two hour procedure, so looking at the time it was scheduled for, give her another hour or so before she comes back. Post-ops etc."
She laughed; she was too obvious, she wanted to see the peds surgeon. "Do you know who's next on the rota? I'm really hoping Bailey will discharge me today, but she hasn't been round yet, and she hasn't had a 'Callie shift' recently." She really wanted to leave.
"I don't, I'd offer to go find her but-"
"I know, Arizona will kill you", the more she thought about it, the more she smiled.
"Don't think it wasn't genuine either, I've never seen such a crazed look in her eyes."
Callie's stomach launched an involuntary flip.
"Well, I've-"
Don't go there Torres, move forward, this crazed Arizona is one that cares about you, who wants to care for you, nothing else, nothing sinister, leave the past where it is, for now.
"- I mean I've heard what she's been saying to everyone, so I get your reluctance to leave."
"Tell you what, I'll page Bailey and tell her the VIP patient is ready to go home", he smiled.
Before she could react, a few beeping noises interrupted, she wasn't on a monitor, what was that-
"That's mine, I'm needed for a consult in the pit. Not a 911 but I've got to go, are you okay here? I don't know who's supposed to come in after me."
"Honestly I'm fine, I've always been fine, but thank you, it means a lot you're all here."
"Any time Dr Torres, I'll see you before you go."
Callie hadn't been left alone for more than five minutes since Meredith rescued her from the 'place she slept'. Both the general surgeon and Cristina had helped her before she entered Grey Sloan, Teddy ran to the Chief as soon as she was inside, the Chief immediately took over her care, she was with Amelia and Arizona whilst in the CT room and Arizona had made a rota for everyone to sit with her for duration of her stay. The village her wife had talked about a years ago was in full support mode.
With this lull, she had some time to reflect, but reflect on… what exactly? The past 24 odd hours? The past two years? The past ten? Her life at Seattle Grace, Seattle Grace Mercy West and Grey Sloan had been subject of gossip since she got with George O'Malley, the quirky little 'heart in the elevator' guy. Izzie Stevens had made her life hell, George didn't help, but she no longer felt resentment towards him. She had moved on and whilst her memory of Geoge will forever be heartbreaking due to the nature of his death, it was still full of warmth.
With the thoughts of adultery, the last time it happened to her came to mind. Sigh, Arizona had been such an unbelievable support since she was carried in by Grey, it's easy to forget sometimes the heartache the blonde had caused. Sometimes. The feelings she'd been having were causing her angst. She meant what she said in the therapist's office, but concluded maybe they should have continued to work on their relationship, and not seen the 30 day period as the final nail in the coffin, Arizona didn't. They could have dated, got to know each other again and, dare we say, talk. That was always their problem, communication. They had so much thrown at them that when they did have the chance to breathe, it turned physical. Instead of talking about problems, the physical remedy was sought. Thinking back to the exchange with her father, when Arizona called her 'her wife' (and the realisation she hadn't corrected the blonde) she knew an 'all cards on the table' conversation was needed. Whatever happened, certain events needed to be addressed and rules created if they were ever going to progress. When Arizona returned from her surgery, she'd approach the subject.
She'd decided.
She closed her eyes, hoping Bailey would suddenly appear to discharge her, but the next voice she heard was not of the Chief, but a perky peds surgeon.
"We need to talk."
Callie opened her right eye, "about what?"
Arizona approached, "I think you know about what."
She did. Callie straightened herself up on the bed but winced. Yep, ribs still cracked.
After getting somewhat comfortable, she confirmed, "I do, do you want to… sit?"
Not taking her gaze away from Callie, Arizona grabbed the chair next to the bed and pulled it towards her, she wanted to be in front of her wife, in her direct eyesight, when they had this conversation.
Callie sighed, "so", she chickened out, "how was your surgery?"
"No, Calliope."
"So… not great then?"
"Calliope", she couldn't help but give a knowing smirk.
"I guess there's a lot to unpack, a lot has happened."
The blonde let out a small laugh, "tell me about it."
"I don't, I don't really wanna talk here, I want to talk when we're at home, when I'm at home, been discharged or whatever. These walls talk and we have a lot to discuss. Right?"
Relieved, Arizona agreed. "Yeah sounds good, I think we'll need some alcohol, food and a lot of tissues."
"Are you going to make me cry Dr Robbins?"
She chuckled, "you'll be crying with laughter when I tell you what your father said to me."
"Err Arizona, I was here, we both kicked ass, remember?"
Arizona looked away shyly, "he may have called me after my surgery, to meet him outside."
Eyed widened, "What?!"
"Yup, he said we needed to talk."
"But you're still here? Not buried in a ditch somewhere."
"I know right", she laughed, "no sniper on the roof, I felt for sure I was done for."
"What did he say?"
She was only going to give details of 5% of the conversation, the rest could, should, be addressed later. She just wanted to ease the tension at that point, and she was sure his last comment would make her ex-wife smile.
"He told me if I hurt you again, he won't give you the option next time, I'll be sleeping with the fishes-"
"He said that?!"
"Well no, not in so many words, but on the witness stand, if his target misses, he can say he didn't actually threaten me with, erm, death. Quite smart really".
They looked at each other, Arizona widened her eyes grimaced, mimicking a frightened look.
Callie laughed, but quickly hitched, the paaaain.
"Don't make me laugh Arizona! I have cracked ribs!"
"See, I knew me getting threatened by your father would make you laugh!" She surveyed the room. "Hang on, where's Bailey? It's her shift-"
"Dr Bailey is right on time Dr Robbins, don't question the Chief". Of course Arizona had questioned her at the exact moment she entered. Not waiting for any pleasantries, she continued, "Dr Torres, my VIP, how are you feeling? Ready to get out of this joint?"
"You have no idea."
"Mmm hmm, okay, well apart from the cracked ribs and bruising, you have no other physical injuries. But I am concerned about emotional ones", she glanced at her patient, "are you going back to yours or," focus moved to the peds surgeon, "is Dr Robbins taking you back to hers with Sofia?"
Bailey asking Callie to move in with me so I don't have to? Awesome!
Callie looked at them both, "no, I'm gonna go to mine to clean up, the detectives took Grey's key and collected any evidence, so I'm okay to go back sle-"
"Absolutely not, your discharge is dependent on there being no physical activity AND that you have a support system in place. You've had it around the hospital, and I expect it at home too, even if it's just until it doesn't hurt to move."
And that punk ass man bitch is in jail.
Callie scoffed, "you can't do tha-"
"I'm the Chief, I can-"
Defeated, "do what you want", she sighed, she'd heard this speech before.
"Calliope", Arizona sat down on the bed and took Callie's hand in hers. "It makes sense, you won't have to lift a finger, Sofia will be comfortable, you can take your time to heal and we can, you know", she mouthed 'talk'. "I'll ask Karev and Owen to clear up your place, or Grey and Kepner, you shouldn't move back until everything is back in its place."
Trapped by submission, she wasn't going to argue, she was tired, had no strength and wanted out of that bed. She knew two against one, she stood no chance. "Okay, yeah it makes sense I guess, for Sofia."
Arizona smirked, "for Sofia."
"So that's settled, Torres I'm releasing you into Robbins' care."
"Pretty sure you can't actually do th-"
Bailey held up her hand, indicating the room should not speak, "what's the number one rule here?"
Sarcastically, "Dr Bailey is Chief, she can do whatever she wants." Her eye roll was so pronounced and so dramatic, Sofia would have been proud.
"You're catching on Torres, there's hope for you yet."
With that, Arizona jumped up, startling both surgeons slightly. She was giddy.
"Excellent", she beamed, "I'm going to grab Sofia from school, I'll swing back and pick you up. Gives me time to explain why you look hurt and what the living situation will be like for a bit. Is that okay?"
Callie nodded.
"See, listen to the Chief and everything works out."
The general surgeon said her goodbyes, the peds surgeon near enough skipped out the room, and the ortho surgeon? She was ready to be with her girls and have the biggest talk of her life.