Erugh, sore, tired, ache, need, stretch.

"OW, motherfuc-"

"Dr Torres! You're awake! Good morning!"

Grumbling, it was too early for April, "mm what's good about it?"

"Well, erm, you slept, that's good right?"

Ignoring the question, "it hurts to stretch."

"Well, that would be the cracked ribs-" Callie's face indicated she should stop there, she'd heard about the just-woken Callie, the before-caffeine Callie, add 'uncomfortable and beaten up' into the mix and she knew she was on a hiding to nothing. "How are you feeling?"

"Umpf, sore, tired, time? Can I get outta here today?"

"It's 07:45, I will need to run it past Bailey, she's being cautious, but I think you're fine."

"Mm'kay, thanks", curious, "how long have you been watching me sleep?"

"Well we all had shifts, Dr Hunt, Dr Avery, Dr Altman, Dr Bailey and now", big smile, "me! I've been here for about 15 minutes."

Callie sat back a little, she remembered seeing Teddy, she thinks? It warmed her heart all those people had sat with her through the night, add Cristina and Karev to that list, that's seven village members who stuck by her, made sure she was safe, that her daughter was cared for. An eighth no doubt rushing in with burning coffee and a banana nut muffin shortly, a nervous Arizona had no concept of time. That's if her date didn't stay over though.

Slightly irked at that thought, but disappointed in herself on how she had spoken to the trauma surgeon, she offered genuine sentiment, "thanks Kepner, I really appreciate you being here with me, even if it's because you were threatened by a perky peds surgeon", they both laughed, "it means so much to me, to us".

"You're welcome Dr Torres", she looked down at the folders in her arms, "I'm aiming to complete some pre-round stuff, are you okay if I leave? Or should I wait for Dr Grey's shift to start at 08:00?"

Always their title & surname, never their first, never change Kepner.

"I will tell Dr Robbins I forced you out", she chuckled, "go complete your pre-rounds, and thanks again."

April clutched the folders, smiled and made her way out. She may have been slightly odd, eccentric, but she was a great doctor and had provided support to her ex-wife over the past couple of years, she can't help but be thankful she was part of their village.

Alone with her thoughts, she surveyed her injuries. She didn't have the chance to yesterday, and any bruising on her limbs would only have come out overnight anyway. She couldn't see much on her upper arms, certainly up to where the gown sat just under her shoulders. There were marks on her forearm and more on her hand, but nothing life-altering, she started to feel incredibly lucky. She slowly pulled herself up in a half-seated position, she couldn't manage anything further than a slump, she needed a pully, or some help.

Okay Torres, just us now, we need to figure this out. And you have a LOT to figure out. 1, what happened? I mean that's the biggest one right? 2, did I have a conversation with Teddy last night? I feel like I did. 3, what did Arizona mean yesterday when she said it wasn't the right time, but we needed to talk? Talk about what? A surgery? Sofia? Her date?

Callie had no idea who she was talking to, but it helped having an internal conversation.

You had a date with Simon, you agreed to make dinner, you know that. That part, clear, we're good. Then something happened and you woke up on the floor of the kitchen. Good stuff, well done, super. Nothing new has come to you overnight? What a waste.

Sudden noise, what the?

The bed dipped, "I swear Wilson is just hanging around me because she wants on your service, I told her, I'm a general surgeon, we don't get ortho cases."

"Good morning Meredi-"

"Amelia is taking Sofia to school by the way and Arizona is picking her up after, we're all sorted."

"And how are you this morn-?"

"So I told Wilson, STOP, if you want an ortho case, go to the ortho ward, or go to see Callie yourself, see how she is. Maybe offer to do her charts", her eyes quirked, "I'm not sure Arizona trusted her with a shift."

"Did Sofia and Zola have a good ni-?"

"And Karev! He was encouraging her on, saying general is more likely to have an ortho case than cardio, neuro etc, I mean yes, but we'd always page you if its bone rela-"

"I had sex with Arizona last night."

That stopped her.

Callie smiled, "Kidding! I just had to shut you up. Are you here for your 08:00am shift?"

Deciding she had gone on enough about her fellow surgeons, "you know about the shifts?"

"I know Arizona."

"Fair", she agreed, "how are you feeling?"

"I'm okay, sore, can you help me sit further up?" Meredith grabbed Callie and helped manoeuvre her further up the bed, so she was upright-ish. "Thanks, so how's Sofia?"

"Amelia took her to school", she made herself more comfortable, "her and Zola had a great night, they built a fort, watched a movie and had a popcorn fight".

Callie smiled at the thought. It was Meredith she called when she needed help, the first (well, second) person who came to mind, who she knew would drop everything she could to help. Everything she did, she did it because she cared and was just a good person. Meredith Grey was good, and she felt like she should openly offer her current thoughts, not wait to be asked.

"I still can't remember anything, I've sat here and tried, but nothing. I think I remember having a conversation with Teddy last night, but for the life of me I can't remember. I don't know why but I feel like it would be important. I'm not on any pain meds or hooked up to a machine, she wouldn't have been checking any stats. I'm so confused Mer."

Crap.

Here come the tears, not of sorrow, but of frustration.

"It's okay Callie", she placed her hand on her thigh, "I'll page Altman, she's on-call so she might still be here," she gave her friend an encouraging smile, "in fact, I'll page and check the board."

"Thanks Mer, I just need to know what happened, good or bad, I just- I -need to-," sigh, "know."

"I got it, I'll be back soon," getting up but immediately turning back, "don't tell Robbins I left my post."

Despite everything, Callie found herself chuckling and shaking her head for what felt like the umpteenth time. She had been beaten up by, who she 99% assumes was someone she thought she could trust enough to invite round, but her village was helping her recover physically and mentally.

Think Torres, Altman, Arizona, Altman, Arizona.

"Hey Callie, good to see you're awake."

Altman.

She pushed herself up the bed in an attempt to sit straighter, but let out a small cry, damn those ribs. "Hey Teddy, just the person I wanted to see, you okay?"

"I'm good, even better for seeing you awake and alert," her smile dwindled somewhat, "Grey told me you had a vague recollection of talking to me, but not what it was about?"

"Yeah, I mean for me to remember talking to you, but not remembering what it was about, is frustrating. Shepherd cleared me, so I don't know what to think." Tears, "this is ridiculous".

Teddy perched herself on the bed, the same spot as Grey had just occupied.

She looked Callie in the eye, Callie was sure whatever she was about to be told was going to have consequences. "You had fallen asleep facing your phone, I reached over to move it and you let out a small, panicked scream and flinched. You said 'don't hurt me' a few times and waved your arms, but then stopped, clutched your sides and started to cry, I assumed you were in pain due to your ribs and the movement. I said it was just me and tried to reassure you. You started to apologise and said she was your daughter, she was your ex-wife, then something about a family. You tailed off a bit after that, you seemed to be in some sort of half dream, half conscious state, I was sure you'd remember."

Callie just looked at her, protecting herself and the life she led did ring a bell, is that what happened at her place the night before? Had Simon attacked her because he didn't agree with her life? No, no he knew she had a daughter, that wouldn't have caused such a reaction. Right? Although the mentioning of an ex-wife and family was odd.

Knowing she needed to hear more, "th- then what?"

Teddy let out a small sigh, "you kinda dropped out on me and fell back asleep. I was gonna come round a bit later, after Arizona no doubt brought you supplies, but Grey beat me to it."

Callie's head fell away, she partially acknowledged her friend, "sure, okay", then looked back up, "thank you Teddy, it's a start, hopefully something else triggers more memories" she paused, then added "without freaking you out in the process."

"Don't worry about it, I've seen PTSD in soldiers in war zones, I'm more than equipped than anyone to help you. I don't mind taking the next nightshift, maybe I can find out more."

Callie was grateful, but she was not planning on staying another night, "thank you, but I should be going home (home? No, the 'place she slept') today, Bailey is gonna discharge me."

Teddy scoffed, that wasn't a sure thing, "sure no worries." She patted her thighs and got up, "I've got to shoot, check in on a patient before I head home. Do you need anything else before I go?"

"No I'm good, thank you again Teddy, and thank you for taking an Arizona-enforced shift."

Teddy laughed, no one said no to Arizona when it came to Callie.

The cardio surgeon rubbed Callie's leg and left the room. Less than 30 seconds later, a knock.

Callie had just picked up her phone and was fidgeting, the battery completely dead, "hey Mer, it's okay, I'll tell Arizona you stayed, she doesn't have to know Alt-"

"Hello mija, how are you?"

Oh no.

Gulp, "Daddy?"

It was comical, a matter of seconds behind, a distracted perky blonde was incoming. "Hey, so Amelia said you could have coffee, so I bought you in a-"

"Hello Arizona", Carlos smiled, "good to see you."