"Everything okay? You look like you've seen a ghost."

Okay, I'm starting to get reeeeally paranoid now at how many people are asking if I'm okay, or are bringing be out of some internal trance. I'm awesome remember? So awesome that I have a hot girl waiting for me in the lobby, but also one right in front of me. Okay okay, fire back a quick text, apologise, say something came up and offer a rain check, simple. But now you need to lie on your feet, to the love of your life, and it's not your strongest skill, erm…

"Yeah, it's just", oh no, "my, mum, seeing how, my, how Herman's doing."

Please buy it, please buy it. Okay her eyebrow is raised, elaborate Robbins!

"I mean she knows how much my work with her means, and that she chose to name her foundation after me, so she always checks in."

She fired off a reply, hoping it wouldn't lead to a follow-up. She went with the standard cancellation texts utilised by surgeons across the land; 'just been paged 911', 'going into surgery shortly', 'rain check?' etc. Boom. Done. Phone back in pocket.

Callie gave an accepting nod, she couldn't quite believe that worked, but she'd take it. It was time for the awkward silences, nervous stutters, laughable flirting and everything that came with it, stopped. Arizona wanted to know what the hell happened, was Sofia impacted, what the next steps were and sincerely offer to support them in every way she could. She had to make it clear she was there for Calliope & Sofia, they were first, 100%. From now until identifying the body.

She was going to have to mention she called Carlos, but would conveniently leave that until the end.

Gathering her thoughts, she looked into Callie's eyes, this was going to be hard. "What happened Callie? Do you remember anything at all? How did Meredith find you?" She poured some saline onto a pad and gently dabbed the wounds on face, starting with the cut just above her bruised right eye. Every delicate touch she placed on her wife would result in at least a flinch. She didn't want it to come across like an interrogation, "I mean Grey nearly gave me a heart attack, running towards me looking all panicky and stressed, I might need therapy!"

Why mention therapy? Just give up for the day Robbins.

"Er, I mean-"

"It's okay Arizona, I know what you mean", Callie could only chuckle, she might not have a clue what happened, but she knew she could rely on Arizona to distract her.

The conversation was genuine and honest, any bad feelings that may have lingered were firmly pushed aside, certainly at that moment. There were emotions of course, not only were they Callie & Arizona, but the circumstances were not the most relaxed. The awesome PEDS surgeon was hesitant with some questions, firm with others, nodded in some places, shook her head in others, listened when required, all the while cleaning up Callie's wounds. The ortho godess in kind let Arizona complete her nursing duties without pushing her away, didn't get frustrated with the questions (both the volume and her inability to answer), provided as much information as she could both openly and honestly and gave Arizona time to react. Throughout it all, she felt comforted by her ex-wife's care, so much so it was eating her alive.

"So, you met this Simon in the coffee shop?"

We are never going there again.

"Yeah, just an old fashioned 'can I buy you a coffee?' pick up line. After that we met for lunch and made plans for me to cook dinner. I know I don't remember anything about this evening, I'm trying, I really am, but at the moment it's the only conclusion I can come to, that he did this. Bu- but I wouldn't date someone like that, I know I wouldn't. And how unfair is that anyway? I have no evidence…"

"Has he messaged you?"

Not quite sure why that was relevant, but answered anyway, "erm no, I haven't heard my phone."

"It's well, if you had just texted Meredith saying you were expecting him, would he not have messaged or called asking why you hadn't answered the door or something? If you had been attacked by someone else or slipped or fainted?"

It was a valid question; one she hadn't thought of.

"I guess… I mean, maybe I should message him?"

Not wanting to give advice, "what did the detectives say?"

"They said get in contact with them if he calls, and don't meet him," she quickly added, "if he comes to see me, call them direct or alert security or something."

"Or Owen, or Karev, or Bailey-"

"Or you!"

Arizona laughed "oh yeah, send the one-legged, 5 foot 4, girlie handed surgeon, he'd be well scared."

"He hasn't seen you when you're angry!" Callie internally chastised herself, she continued quickly, it wasn't meant as a dig, "like that time when they picked the wrong winner in Bake-Off. Remember when that lemon cake won?"

"Oh do NOT get me started, I fumed for a week!"

"Didn't you send the producers a letter?"

Guilty. "I mean yeah but it was clearly a fix, I could make that lemon cake."

"Yeah but would we survive testing it?"

"No comment."

It was supposed to be like this. It could be like this again.

"Callie, I know how this is going to sound, and I'm not accusing you of anything, and I know you would ask before you did, but we only have one priority in life so I have to ask-"

Understanding where her ex-wife was going and understood her reasons, "no Arizona, I didn't introduce him to Sofia, I wouldn't introduce her to anyone without asking you first. I know you'd want to do a full background check."

"Damn straight."

"Straight?" Callie smirked.

"Shut up." Arizona stood back and gave her wife a final look-over, all cuts had been cleaned and plastered/taped/bandaged where needed. She was sure they'd be some scarring but will let (make) Avery check her out and have final say. What she couldn't mend however, were the now obvious bruises and the devastated look in her eyes.

She's beautiful, how could anyone hurt her? I'll kill him, I know he goes to the coffee shop, I'll lay in wait, I can be casual and inconspicuous. I'm the daughter of a marine, I could definitely take him… Oh, no… no no no. Crap.

Kill. Daughter.

Carlos.

"Hello, are you still there? Arizona?"

Arizona's reply started high, before she corrected her pitch, "I may have done something."

Warning. "…Arizona."

"I may, may have gone sliiiiiightly… silly, earlier and erm… You know as doctors one of the hardest things we have to do is inform a patient's loved ones of bad news?"

Callie's eyes widened, oh no…

"Well, as a caring wi- ex-wife, a medical professional, your co-parent and just all round awesome person, I may have kinda, erm… calledyourdadandtoldhimyouwereattacked."

RIP me.

"I need to call him," the super star, super star with a scalpel was panicked, "he'll kill him, I know he will, no, he'll have someone else kill him, he knows people, it would be easy, it would be like any other Tuesday for him, he'll kill him… YOU'D BE AN ACCESSORY ARIZONA. What am I supposed to tell Sofia? 'Oh yeah Sof yeah, abuelo & mamma are in federal prison, do you want some juice with your cereal?' Arizona, what were you thinking?!"

She remained calm, "I- I- I was scared, and angry, and just… I wanted him dead. The person who did this to you, I wanted him dead. I make no apologies, I'm not a violent person, I believe in justice, a right to a fair trial, but h- he- beat up my wife, and that's just unforgivable. I had to call your dad, because also, if I didn't, he'd have someone come after me, then you'd be saying 'hey Sof, abuelo is in federal prison for hiring someone to take out mamma, do you want some juice with your cereal?'. I know, I know I messed up, but if roles were reversed, what would you have done?"

Silence. Callie knew she'd have done the same.

"Callie", Arizona continued, "just, call your dad, maybe he's not in the air yet, I mean I know you have private jets but he wouldn't necessarily be onboard right now… right?" Hopeful nod.

"HE SAID HE WAS COMING?"

Seriously Robbins, just end yourself now. Save Callie doing it for you.

"He did, he wanted to see you, maybe he won't instruct his hitmen until he sees you himself? Seen how you looked? Maybe he thought the ol' daughter-in-law was crazy? And it's just a small, teeny, tiny laceration?"

"Arizona, all he would have heard is that I'd been attacked, and that's it, anything else you said after would have just been white noise."

They sat, and stood, they had to think fast. Callie was not an aggressive person, she would not approve settling anything by violence, no less murder, and she was 100% sure her father would do something. She grabbed her phone, called but no answer, she left a very animated voicemail in Spanish, hung up, raised her head and let out the biggest exhale.

"Did you leave it in Spanish so I wouldn't know you calling me a psychopath?"

"No, it would get across how urgent it was, if I start in Spanish, it should stop him in his tracks."

Both women fidgeted awkwardly, their conversation had flipped in seconds. Arizona knew her actions would not have been welcomed, but she had no choice. They both knew Callie would have reacted the same, but it couldn't be forced at that moment. Maybe it was because emotions were high, maybe because her heart was broken, maybe it's because she called Callie her wife and wasn't corrected, but she needed to approach the subject, of them.

"Callie, I- I, I know this might not be the right time, but I need to, we need to…"

There flew the door, doesn't anybody knock?! "Get in the chair Torres, Chief's orders, Shepherd's waiting, room's ready, get your ass in the damn chair." Bailey had indeed taken over Callie's care and was gesturing for her to get into the wheelchair in front of her.

"Okay okay I'm coming, jeez Bailey, I'm fin-"

"Not taking any chances Torres, get in. Robbins, you coming?"

Whether Callie wanted her to or not (spoiler - she did), she affirmed "yes."

They left and started to make their way to the CT room, Bailey spoke but didn't deviate her gaze away from the corridor. "So Robbins, do you know anything about the fully trashed attending's longue I saw with my own eyes? Looks like a hurricane swept through and destroyed everything in sight."

Callie looked up at Arizona, eyes widened.

Busted. "It's nothing, I spilled some… table on the… window. It's fine, I'll clear it up later."

"Gonna take a whole crew, and money, to get that mess 'cleared' up."

Callie wasn't 100% sure what had happened, but definitely got the feeling her wife-, ex-wife, had done some serious damage after finding out she had been attacked. She was… flattered? And what had she meant earlier when she called her 'my wife'? A slip she had just made herself.

As they continued, Arizona rolled her eyes and couldn't believe the sight in front of her.

Michelle.

Oh come ON, don't I deserve a break? How had she got through security? Isn't this a non-visitor wing?! I mean I know we're right near the pit so anyone could wander but… Come. ON.

Michelle flashed her date a warm smile, "hey Arizona, sorry to come back here but wanted to say good night if our date is delayed, you can't keep me hanging with the promise of an 'awesome' night and then give me a rain check." There was no jealously or obsession in her voice, it was a teasing statement, but the PEDS surgeon wanted to curl up and die, the ortho wanted to… punch this unknown woman? And the Chief just didn't want to get involved in anyone's damn personal life.

"Right, Torres I'm taking you to CT, Robbins, sort whatever this is", she gestured between her and the visitor, "out and come find us after, if you're not leaving that is." Bailey wheeled a reeling Callie away. Arizona and Michelle stood there, the former a deer in headlights, the latter waiting for her response.

"I- I, have to go, my wife is about to get a CT scan done, I have to go, she's important".

She left, undeterred as ever today, she quickly followed her boss and wife to the CT room.