Fic: Abandoning Ship (6/7)
**
“What’s going on here?” Calliope had powered sugar all over her face but at this moment, neither Mark nor Teddy found it particularly funny.
“Nothing… Mark and I… we were just talking about a patient.” Teddy fumbled through the sentence and despite the dubious look in the Ortho’s eyes, Callie took another bite of her doughnut as if almost satisfied with the answer.
“What patient?”
Mark and Teddy looked like giant sea bass, opening and closing their mouths with no sound coming out.
Mark spun to face Teddy next to him, hunched to her height grabbing her by the shoulders while whispering loudly, “I can’t lie!!”
Simultaneously, Teddy threw up her arms in exasperation as Callie asked, “Um, what the fuck is going on here?”
Mark looked at Teddy as if she were the only guilty party. Teddy returned his look with one of shock at his little betrayal but didn’t lose her resolve. Mark decided to ignore her quiet refusal.
“ Zona had a kid.”
Teddy spun fast and slapped Mark upside the head….HARD.
Callie’s hand and face both slowly drop as the fact seeps into her comprehension. She continues to stare at Mark’s face slowly focusing on his eyes.
“Arizona …has… a child?” The words seem to crawl slowly out of Calliope’s mouth.
“Well, not exactly…” Teddy gently cut in.
Callie turned her gaze quickly to the cardio’s reddening face. “…not….exactly?” Callie took a deep breath, flaring her nostrils and straightening her back. There was a dark anger on her face that Mark had seen only rarely before.
“Somebody. Better. Start. Talking... Right now.” Callie stared at the floor waiting to hear someone open up.
Teddy sighed, knowing she had lost this battle. She inhaled deeply, speaking in one breath.
“Arizona was engaged… and her fiancée was carrying her baby.” Teddy observed Callie’s unchanging face. “And they lost it. In childbirth.” Teddy blew out the rest of the air she was holding in her chest. “And I really think you need to talk to Arizona about the details, not us” Teddy nodded and walked past Callie out of the room.
Callie slowly made her way over to a chair and sat down, shoving the rest of the doughnut in her mouth and chewing slowly.
Mark quietly stepped towards her.
“Why does Teddy know that and … I don’t?” Callie had tears in her eyes as she asked the question aloud to no one in particular.
“I don’t know, Cal. Maybe Arizona didn’t tell you because she just couldn’t, you know? Like, it was too painful for her to tell you and she didn’t want you to think she was broken.”
The two of them sat in the room for a moment, quietly, staring into space with their own thoughts.
Callie stood up and brushed the rest of the sugar off her hands onto her scrub pants, “I need to finish my rounds this morning.”
Mark reached out to hold her hand, “Are you … okay?”
Callie smiled at him half-heartedly pulling her hand away gently, “I haven’t been ok since Arizona left me.”
**
Arizona had the box of cigarettes she snuck with her to her parents’ house and she was playing with them while seated on the patio. In the other hand was her cellphone which she also fiddled with. Biting her lip, Arizona stared at the piece of paper on the table in front of her. She took a long, deep breath filling her lungs with the fresh air of Portland just before 6 o’clock in the morning.
Arizona hesitated, pulling out a cigarette and lighting it while leaning back in the patio chair. Taking long drags from the cigarette, Arizona mentally calmed herself down.
Breathe in, breathe out. Deep breaths. She should be up by now. Probably already been to the gym and still the first one in the office. Probably the only one in there actually...
Arizona took one last drag on the cigarette before putting it out and throwing it away in her Dad’s ash tray. She picked up the phone and began to dial.
**
The phone was ringing and a blonde woman rushed to pick it up, “Hello?”
The voice on the other line was quiet for a moment. “Um, hi. This is….”
The blonde woman smiled, “I’ve been expecting your call. Callie, right?”
**
Another phone was ringing across the country and a different blonde woman was rushing towards her office to pick it up. She dove across a small stack of papers on her desk and flipped her phone to her ear saying quickly,
“Special Agent Olivia Dunham.”
The line was quiet. Something that Olivia was actually used to although for some reason with this phone call she felt a sense of familiarity. She couldn’t put her finger on it, “Hello? Is anyone there?”
There was no immediate answer and Olivia was just about to hang up when she heard the voice speak.
“… ‘Liv?”
The FBI agent froze at the familiar voice she had not heard in many years.
“Arizona?” Olivia lowered herself into her chair, glancing around the office and saying a silent thank you for the emptiness around her.
“Hi.”
“Hi yourself.” Olivia, despite her shock, let a tiny smile creep onto her face, “How…What…” She laughed a little, glad to hear from the woman she hadn’t seen or spoken to in years laughing with her. “How are you, ‘Zona?”
“I’m good! I’m good. How are you? I see you’re still with the bureau, Special Agent... How is that going?”
Olivia shook her head with disbelief that she was speaking to her ex-fiancée but glad that she was too. “It’s great. I love it. I work a lot but I’m heading up my own task force for a special division of the Bureau, so… I’m doing great.”
“Well, you always did like to run around shooting at things.”
“You say that like it’s a bad thing!”
And with that one tiny inside joke, both blondes began laughing, just like old times.
**
Dana Robbins hung up the phone after her brief conversation. She turned to look out the kitchen window at her daughter.
Well, she’s got a smile on her face. That’s gotta be a good thing. And in several hours, everything will be back to how it should be…hopefully.
“Well, that’s the plan.” She said to herself.
Dana resumed cleaning the kitchen as she periodically glanced at her daughter on the porch.
**
Arizona hung up the phone. She had ended up talking to Olivia for almost two hours although it felt just like mere minutes catching up with her. They had talked about how their respective families were doing, how their jobs were going and also a little bit about their new relationships before the conversation transitioned into talking about the son they had shared and lost together.
It was a difficult conversation but not as bad as Arizona had thought it would be. It actually made her feel a little better talking to Olivia. Knowing that she was feeling a lot of the same things that Arizona herself was feeling - the trepidation of telling new significant others about Jeremiah and dealing with the loss and grief that had made them both weary of having children again - it made Arizona feel a little better and gave her that little extra dose of courage she needed to make things right. But first, she had to pack her things to head back to Seattle.
**
Callie was driving perhaps a little too fast on the 5 Southbound and had to tell herself to slow down. She watched as the miles until her destination ticked down on her GPS unit.
Torres was nervous. She had gotten off the phone only two hours ago with Dana Robbins who she had never met before let alone spoken to. It was an awkward conversation for her part although Mrs. Robbins didn’t seem phased by it. She had only asked Callie if she had a pen and paper ready. At first, Callie wasn’t sure what she was talking about but when Dana started reading outloud an address, she knew what she was going to do. The conversation had ended abruptly as Arizona’s mom said, “Well, we’ll see you in a few hours, hun.” Callie had been a bit taken back by the strange assumption but understanding had dawned on her almost immediately. Dana Robbins was just like her daughter. She knew what to do and say in any kind of situation.
Because she’s right. And she’s awesome. Just like Arizona.
Callie chuckled to herself as she rushed to get her things together in the locker room and headed to the parking lot.
Now, Callie was on her way to the Robbins’ house and to Arizona. She was rehearsing everything she was going to say in her head (which was part of the reason for her excessive speeding).
“Slight left in 1 mile at NorthWest Wilson River Hwy, Oregon state Hwy 6 West.”
Callie checked her GPS unit, a Christmas gift from Arizona. “So you can always find your way to me,” she had said.
“Oh I don’t need GPS for that.” Callie smiled at the memory for just a moment before making her turn onto the 6 West.
There was only 50 miles left. Callie would be there in less than an hour.
**
Dana Robbins walked by Arizona’s room with a laundry basket in hand. She leaned into the doorway to ask her daughter if she had any laundry she needed done but stopped when she saw Arizona packing.
“Heading back to Seattle early I see? I take it your phone call with Olivia went well.”
Arizona stopped what she was doing, turning to face her mom.
“Yeah. Thanks Mom. I didn’t realize how much I needed that… or how stupid I’ve been.”
Dana entered her room placing the laundry basket down by the door. She sat next to her daughter on the bed.
“Let’s go sit on the porch for a little while, before you go back to Seattle. You don’t come visit your ol’ mom and dad enough as it is. Besides, your Dad’ll be home any minute and he’ll want to at least see you before you go.”
Arizona looked at her mom and smiled, nodding. All she wanted to do was drive back to Seattle as fast as possible, burst through the doors of Seattle Grace and find that special Orthopedic Surgeon who had stolen this Ped surgeon’s heart away. And see if there was any possibility of earning HER heart back.
She and her mom made their way down to the patio, Arizona bringing her bags and leaving them in the kitchen first so she could leave sooner rather than later.
**
“Shit!” Callie kicked the tire on her truck, now flat. “Shit. Shit. Shit. Shit! SHIT!”
She was pulled over on a dirt road cursing the spare she had taken out of the back of her truck. It was flat too.
I can’t freaking believe that I forgot to get that fixed.
Callie shook her head and crossed her arms. Water rushed to her eyes as the frustration and nerves and stress began to hit her all at once. But Callie was having none of that. She wiped the moisture building in her eyes and leaned into the open car door, grabbing the GPS unit and her car keys, and locking the door. Then, she began to walk.
I am this close to Arizona’s house. I will freaking run these last 5 miles if I have to.
And Callie started to walk….fast. A tiny part of her was thankful for this necessary diversion in plans. She had been nervous and scared of what she was going to say to Arizona when she arrived but she knew that she was going to at least have some resolution which brought her a dubious comfort. What Callie was equally terrified of was Arizona’s parents. She had never met or even spoken to them before (except for the phone call earlier this morning). Particularly, Arizona’s dad. She knew he was … a man with ideals and set in his ways. Just like Arizona. But she also knew that he was the reason for her authority issues, which Callie actually found kind of endearing.
Callie remembered how Arizona had stood up to the chief for Derek’s surgery and chuckled out loud at the thought.
“What’s so funny?”
Callie practically jumped out of her skin, almost dropping the GPS unit in her hands. She turned to look at an older man who appeared to be cooling down from a run.
“I’m sorry miss, I didn’t mean to scare you.” The man was tall and despite being easily in his 60s, he was very fit. He obviously took very good care of his physique. He smiled at Calliope and she felt her stomach do a flip. His smile was so familiar.
“Oh, that’s all right sir. I’m just…” Callie shook her head. “Lost. Well, not really. I have a flat. But I’m not far away from where I’m going so it’s no big deal.”
He reached over and took the GPS out of the brunette’s hand and looked at the screen. His eyebrows lifted slightly with what looked like recognition. “I think I can help you find where you’re going. We’re pretty close.”
Callie hesitated at first. “Oh, you don’t have to do that.”
But she was cut off by the blonde haired, blue eyed man. “It’s no trouble. We’re going the same way.”
Callie paused for a moment, looking at the man. She was just about to protest again when he reached out his hand.
“Colonel Daniel Robbins. You must be Calliope.”
Callie’s mouth dropped. This was not the way she anticipated meeting Arizona’s dad. But despite her surprise, she reached out and shook his hand.
“It’s… nice to meet you sir.”
“Likewise. Now let’s get back to the house. I’m dying for some lemonade and we can call AAA to fix your car. It’s a Saturday so it might take them a little while to get here but at least the house is air conditioned.”
Callie nodded, all of a sudden very shy, before beginning their walk to the Robbins’ house.
**
“Well, he should be back by now.” Dana Robbins checked her watch. A slight wrinkle of worry growing on her forehead. “If he’s not back here in a few minutes I’m sending out a search party!” She laughed patting her daughter’s arm.
“Don’t worry mom, it’s Dad. I’m sure he’ll be here any minute. It’s not like he doesn’t know how to handle hims---”
They both heard the front door close and Arizona’s mom smiled. “I’m going to go get us a couple glasses of lemonade. I’ll be right back.” Her mom got up from her chair and went into the kitchen from the patio door, leaving Arizona looking out over the yard at the water and fiddling with the watch on her wrist.
**
Callie followed the Colonel into the house. Walking as lightly as possible as if everything around her were fragile. She felt strange being in this house for the first time without Arizona by her side to calm her nerves and make her feel at home.
Daniel went straight into the kitchen and Callie slowly walked around the corner to peek her head into the kitchen doorway just in time to see Dana Robbins coming in the patio door. And that’s when Callie caught a glimpse of Arizona. Her heart swelled for a moment with a mixture of love and fear and hope and definitely anxiety.
Dana faltered in her step for a moment before letting a big smile cross her face. It was at that moment that Callie knew exactly where Arizona had gotten her beautiful smile and amazing dimples.
“You must be Callie.” The older woman crossed the kitchen quickly and gave Callie a hug. “It’s nice to finally meet you.”
Callie hugged her back. “You too, ma’am”
“Oh please, it’s Dana. I hear enough ma’ams with this one.” She jerked her shoulder at Daniel Robbins who was now seated at the kitchen’s bar drinking a lemonade. He smiled and ‘humphed’ in response.
Callie smiled nervously wishing very strongly that she had come up with some sort of plan rather than improving this. Glancing back at the porch she could just barely see the top of a blonde head. She was frozen in the kitchen unsure of what to do. But before she realized it, she was being handed two glasses filled with lemonade.
“Here, darling. I was just coming in to grab us some lemonades. But now that you’re here… Well, you can take it to her.” Dana Robbins grinned as if this all was happening just the way she planned.
Callie nodded and stared at the back porch for a moment before Dana nudged her towards the door with an encouraging smile on her face.
Callie walked towards the door with glasses in hand and pushed it open. She walked up behind Arizona and placed her glass of lemonade on the table next to her.
“Thanks Mo-“
She stopped talking when she saw the hand still holding onto the glass. The black finger nail polish was not what she expected to see. She spun around fast in her chair to look up at the woman who had been on her mind nonstop for the past few days.
“Calliope?”
**
So what did you gals (and guys?) think! After all this babymamadrama is over on the show, I want to meet Arizona's family. How awesome would it be for Callie to get a little taste of life in the Robbins' family. We need some fun, happy couples things after all this.
I've gotta say that as much as 6x21 depressed me (and we all knew it was coming) I'm glad that Shonda keeps the fangirls from going insane with her tweets of comfort. :)
Also, Reviews are love. I may just write an epilogue I've had brewing in my mind for this if y'all are interested. :)