AN : All mistakes are mine! I'm very sorry for that!
Enjoy, and review ;)
...
There was excitement and stress at the same time, on both side.
The day after her assault, Arizona was released from the hospital. She had staid the night in observation, partially to reassure her mother who was very persuasive when needed.
She was still in pain, but it was not what was on her mind at the moment.
Standing in front of her own house, she was affraid to face her children. She didn't want to scare them with her bruised face. She didn't want to hear her mother asking her if she was ok.
And she was most of all not comfortable to see her ex wife.
Callie was there too. She had talk to Travis and Olivia and had requested to be here when they would see Arizona.
She wanted to support her and to help the situation not being too much awkward.
Arizona and her haven't talked directly though. They had exchanged a few texts and Barbara had planned everything. But Arizona knew it was going to be an emotional moment and she was not quite ready.
« You're good ? » April asked her friend.
« No, but let's do it. I hope they won't be too scared. » Arizona sadly replied, feeling April's hand rubbing her back. April had done her best to try and hide the bruises, but it was still really visible.
From all her ex colleague and friends from Seattle Grace, April was one of the only person she was still in touch. She was her closest friend and she had been throught the loss of her own son. It had bound them in a very special way.
Walking to the doors, the two friends took a moment and Arizona took a deep breath before opening the door.
« Mommy ! » Travis rushed to his mother and embraced her tightly. It was enough to bring tears to his mother eyes.
« Hey big boy... » Arizona tried to hide her emotions, stroking her son's hair.
« Are you in pain ? Are you going to be okay ? » He worried as he broke the embrace to look at his mother's injured face.
« I'm okay. » Arizona replied, as she took his hand and walked with April to the living room where Olivia was on Callie's lap and Barbara was waiting for her.
« I'm okay, I promise baby. » She repeated. « Don't worry, it's just a little bruised, but it will go away in a few day. Aunt April and the doctors took good care of me, and I'm already home. »
She walked to the couch and sat, followed by April and Travis who wouldn't let go of her hand. He sit on her lap and buried his face in her neck, trying to hide his tears.
Callie gulped at the scene. Olivia was silently obversing too and she seemed to hesitate to join them.
« You wan to go to Mommy ? » Callie asked her daughter, putting her from her lap to the ground as the little girl nodded almost shyly.
« Come here sweetie. » Arizona called her daughter who eventually rush to her side and took a moment to look at her.
« Is it right that Penny hurt you Mommy ? » the little girl asked.
« Well, yeah it's... » Arizona mumbled as Callie knew she had to say something.
« That's right Liv. I told you what happen, and you have to know that Mommy did nothing wrong. Penny did. And that's why she's going to be in trouble now. » Callie explained one more time.
« Was Penny mad at you ? Did you annoy her ? » Olivia asked again.
« Liv, baby Mommy didn't do anything wrong. It's just that Penny is sick, and some times, people can do stupid thing when they're sick. » Callie tried to explain.
« I don't want to see her ever again. » the little girl began to cry. « Because she broke Mommy and she's bad ! »
Taken aback by her daughter's question Arizona didn't knew how to react, but Barbara noticed it and walked to take her grandaugther in her arms and comforting her.
« You won't ever have to see her baby, I promise... » Callie sadly stated as she stood up and walk to her and took her from Barbara's arms.
Travis finally raised his head and look into Callie's eyes deeply, looking for a confirmation.
« Never ever ? » He asked.
« Never ever ! » Callie reassured him.
After a few minutes of emotion, April broke the silence and talked.
« So, what do you guy's will say if we'll go upstair and we watch a dvd with Grandma ? » She asked a little too excited.
« I want to stay with Mommy... » Olivia pouted, walking to her mother and asking to be held by her.
« Come on Liv... » Travis said. « April is going to let us pick anything we want to see on Netflix ! »
Considering the offer, the little girl hesitate.
« I want to see Frozen ! » She requested suddenly.
« Noooooo ! Enough with Frozen ! » April replied. « Harriet want to watch it all the time ! I'm tired of it ! »
« Pleaaaasse ! » the little girl begged. « Just a little ! »
« We'll see... » April sighed, grabbing the two children by the hand and leading them upstairs, followed by a worried Barbara who knew a conversation was about to begin.
She kissed Arizona's temple and walked away, leaving her daughter and Callie alone.
« Thank you... » Arizona almost whispered. « Thank you for preparing them and for talking. »
« You don't have to thank me. » Callie replied, noticing Arizona wasn't able to look at her directly. « Arizona... I'm so sorry... »
« Don't... » the blonde replied. « You don't have to apologize. You didn't do anything. »
« I would have never think she could do that. » Callie continued.
« Well, apparently, she's been a little rough with you too, hasn't she ? » Arizona asked. « Listen, Callie, I get it. I had doubt before, I was wondering what was going on between the two of you, with you coming here in the middle of the night and the fear in your eyes. But tell me truth. Did she hurt you ? »
Callie gulped at her ex wife perspicacity. She had done everything to hide it, but apparently Arizona had notice something was wrong.
« No... » Callie sighed. « She didn't hurt me. She just... She's been a little rough. The night I came to your place, we had a fight. I have lied to her, she though I might be... I told her I was okay to have another child, and I didn't want it. I didn't go to the appointment and i didn't tell her. So she was mad at me and desapointed. We had a heated argument and she showed a side of her I had never seen... »
« Or never wanted to see... » Arizona corrected her.
« She... She grabbed me an threatened me, and I know i had to leave... » Callie shamely confessed. « First I was ashamed because I lied to her, but then, I was relieved. »
« What do you mean ? »
« I was relieved I have bailed. I was relieved to see her real face and personality, and that I could leave her without any real dammage. I mean, we're not married, We don't have kid together. »
« I get that, I'm glad you've been able to flee and that you open your eyes so quickly, but there is dammage Callie. Maybe not for you, and I'm not even talking about me. » Arizona spoke her truth. « I'm talking about Olivia and Travis. She was a part of their life. She lived with them for almost two years. They are going to have built a new life without her and deal with the violence she had showned toward me, even if they haven't witness it. »
« I'm so sorry... » Callie sobbed, realizing Arizona was right. « I'll do everything to make it up to them. I'll explain everything, they could go and talk about it with a shrink or whatever it takes for them to process it. »
Looking at Arizona, Callie saw her wincing in pain and trying to hide it.
« Are you okay ? Did you take anything for the pain ? » Callie asked.
« No I didn't. I don't want to. » Arizona replied.
« Arizona... » Callie retorted.
« It's not of your concern. » The blonde replied as she stood up and was about to go to her room. « I'm tired I'm going to take a nap. You can stay here as long as you want. But I think It wil be easier for everybody if you look for a new place as fast as possible. Or maybe you want to go back to your old place... Whatever... I think it will be easier. »
« Sure... I know that. I think I'm going to look for a new place, I can't stand to go back there. » Callie admitted. « I'm so sorry. For everything. »
« I already told you, you don't have to apologize. » Arizona replied. « I just want everything to go back to normal, i don't want to think about that. »
« You really want that ? » Callie asked. « Going back to normal... What does that even mean... »
« I don't really know... » Arizona admitted. « I think I just want the kids to be happy. »
Feeling pain and exhaustion taking over her, Arizona prefered to end the conversation before it took a deeper meaning. She didn't want to deal with Callie any longer for now, it was too hard.
« Good night Callie. » She almost coldly said as she walked away.
« Good night. And I'm happy you find your place at Seattle Pres'. People like you over there. And I'm glad you have find someone. » Callie lied, almost regretting blurting out her words.
« What ? » Arizona
« I know you are seeing that Dr Fair...Something. She introduced herself to your mother when you were at the hospital. » Callie explained, still annoy by the unexpected revelation.
« What are you talking about ? » Arizona gasped. « I'm not seeing anyone ! »
« It's okay Arizona, really. She seems nice. » Callie continued. « I'm glad you're moving on. »
« I'm not moving on... » Arizona scoffed. « I'm not dating anyone ! What are you talking about ! »
« Dr Fairbank, Stella if I remember well... » Callie said, totaly remembering the name of the mysterious surgeon. « Surgeon at your hospital apparently. She rushed to your room yesterday. Then she came out and talk to Barbara, intorducing herself as your girlfriend. »
« Are you kidding me ? » Arizona rolled her eyes as she looked for her phone in her pocket and shown Callie a pictures from the hospital website. « Is that her ? »
«Yeah... » Callie replied. « Oh she's in ortho ? »
« I'm not dating her ! » Arizona retorted. « We went on a date, a few weeks ago because April told me to. She had been asking me out for months and i had always decline. I just agreed and I make myself clear I didn't want to get inovlved with anyone. I thought she understood... I'm sorry she told you that, but believe me ! I've never been with her !»
« Listen Arizona, it's your life, you can date whoever you want. I have nothing to say. » Callie tried to keep a neutral attitude.
« No it's not true... » Arizona replied, her eyes filling with tears in front a puzzled Callie.
« Hey, what's wrong ? Don't cry please ! I'm sorry, I shouldn't mind your personnal life. As I told you, I know it's not my place. I have nothing to say. » Callie sadly replied.
« No … It's not true... You have everything to say... » Arizona said between tears.
« I don't understand... » Callie shook her head.
« I... I... » Arizona mumbled, not able to confess anymore. « I have to go. Good night. »
Totaly lost, Callie looked at her ex wife walking away as she sat back on the couch trying to understand what Arizona had try to tell her.
« She didn't mean... » She tried to focus. « She didn't mean... No... It's not... »
she knitted her brow and suddenly felt a shiver trhought her body which made her stood up.
« Wait ! Arizona Wait ! »