On Tuesday - Grey's Anatomy Fanfic - Mark/Callie - 1/2
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It was a Tuesday when events began to unfold. Mark and Callie were walking down the hospital halls like any other day, work husband and work wife, discussing a mutual patient. The victim had been in a rather nasty car accident and had required the care of both surgeons, plus a few more.
As the walked, just like any other day, Callie saw a familiar flash of long, blonde curly hair at the end of the hall.
It couldn’t be.
The sheer idea was ridiculous. She had left ages ago. Abandoned Callie, leaving her heartbroken.
She wouldn’t be here now. The woman was being considered for the Harper Avery.
And they had another cardio attending. She would have no reason to be here. It couldn’t be…
Shit. Wasn’t Teddy on vacation or something?
The possibly familiar blonde woman changed the angle of her stance just slightly, confirming Callie’s thoughts.
It was Erica Hahn.
Callie gaped at the revelation. “What…the…hell!”
“What?” Mark asked.
Callie gestured towards her ex-girlfriend. “Uh…it’s…uh…yeah.”
“Hahn,” Mark replied coldly after seeing her. “What the hell, indeed.”
Callie simply stared, still in a state of shock. Erica Hahn was just about the last person she expected to show up at Seattle Grace again.
Mark looked at Callie worriedly. “Are you okay?”
“I’m okay,” she appeased him, “just…wow. I’m just shocked. I’m not upset, just really shocked.”
To the pair’s chagrin (especially Mark’s), Erica saw them from across the hall, waved, and smiled.
Callie smiled politely back, while Mark raised an eyebrow.
“I’m making nice,” Callie muttered to Mark. “Before things got bad, and she left, we all used to be friends.”
“She abandoned you, Cal,” Mark reminded her.
“I know. I’m not trying to be her best friend, but we should be friendly. We’re making nice.”
“Speak for yourself, Torres.”
“Mark!” she hissed. “We’re making nice, okay?”
He grudgingly agreed.
“Callie! Mark!” Erica greeted the pair upon approaching them.
“What are you doing here?” Callie tried to keep it sounding like an accusation. It really would do her good to be on decent terms with the woman.
“I have a case. Richard called me. Your usual attending is out of state, apparently.”
Callie nodded.
“Apparently,” Mark smirked.
“At the risk of being very awkward,” Erica began, “I was wondering if the two of you wanted to get a drink tonight after work?”
“Sure,” Callie responded with a friendly smile before Mark had a chance to say anything.
Mark sighed and resigned himself to an interesting evening. “Yeah.”
* * *
A few hours later, the old trio of friends met at Joe’s. They selected the table they used to frequent. The atmosphere was awkward. They were all playing a game under the façade that they were nothing but old friends. That Callie and Erica hadn’t ever been together. That Callie hadn’t then cheated on Erica with Mark to prove to herself she still liked men. And she certainly hadn’t slept with Mark so that he would teach her what to do in bed.
Mark broke the uncomfortable silence. “I’ll go get drinks.” He turned to Erica. “What do you want?”
“Red wine,” she responded. “Whatever he’s got.”
Mark turned to Callie. “Your usual?”
Callie nodded, and Mark brushed a strand of hair out of her face casually. He squeezed her shoulder then headed to the bar.
“So,” Erica started. “You and Mark?”
Callie furrowed her brows. “What about us?”
“You two are together, I assume?”
“Me and Mark?” Callie laughed awkwardly. “No, no, no, n-no,” she stuttered and laughed with a snort. “Uh…no.”
“Really?” Erica asked. “I guess I got the wrong impression.” She shrugged. “You two always seemed kind of, for lack there of a better word, perfect for each other. I just assumed after I left you two would…hook up.”
“Oh,” Callie’s eyes widened. “Um, no. I have a girlfriend, actually.”
“Really?” Erica seemed surprised. “Are you seeing leaves?” she smirked casually.
Callie scoffed. “I don’t need to see leaves to know who I am, Erica.”
Mark returned with their drinks moments later.
Erica started at it again, “So you two really aren’t together? Not at all?”
It was Mark’s turn to speak up, “I have a girlfriend.”
“You? Mark Sloan, manwhore extraordinaire, has a girlfriend?”
Mark rolled his eyes. His patience had been wearing thin with Hahn for a while. Pretty much since the first glimpse he’d gotten of her at the hospital earlier in the day. But as Callie has instructed him, he was making nice. He’d certainly never like her again - she had hurt Callie badly, and Mark was not okay with that. “Yes.”
Erica turned to Callie. “I always assumed it would be you that would tame the beast.”
“Like I said,” Callie spoke a bit uncomfortably, “We’re both in relationships.”
Erica shrugged. “Sorry. I just thought you two would be good together.”
Callie shifted in her seat, hoping for a new topic.
“Well then,” Erica spoke, “Since you’re not…tell me about your girlfriends.”
“He,” Callie pointed at Mark and laughed softly, “is dating Lexie Grey.”
“The intern? With the photographic memory? Really, Sloan? Don’t you think you’re a little old to date pre-schoolers?”
“I’m still a child at heart,” Mark grinned.
Callie rolled her eyes. “A child with an eighteen year old daughter.”
“Yeah, well…”
Callie smirked and turned to Erica. “I’m dating Arizona Robbins. She works in pedes.”
Erica nodded. “So you’re an attending now, right? I didn’t mistake the navy scrubs?”
“Yep,” Callie responded. “It’s a nice life. I even get to sit in the lounge.”
“Exciting life,” Erica commented. “At least you’re not sleeping with an intern.”
“I resent that,” Mark chimed in.
Callie rolled her eyes again.
Erica took a long drink from her wine glass and eyed the pair before her speculatively.
“I still think you two would make a great couple.”
Mark took the bait. “Why’s that?”
“You’ve got that whole ‘best friends with crazy sexual tension’ thing going on. Always have. It works for you.”
“Uh…thanks?” Callie replied. “But we’re happy with our girlfriends.”
“Yeah,” Mark spoke with a little less force and meaning, “We’re happy with our girlfriends.”
Mark fleetingly eyed Callie with longingly, and it did not go unnoticed by Erica.
The trio made small talk from then on, sharing medical school horror stories and what they’d done in Erica’s absence. They all finished off their drinks within an hour and parted cordially, off to their separate places.
* * *
It was late when Callie made it home that evening, and she realized as she stepped off the elevator that she’d forgotten to tell Arizona that she was going out for drinks after work. She bit her lip anxiously. Arizona had always been a little edgy about these things. She just generally liked to know where Callie was. It wasn’t a possessive thing - she wasn’t overbearing in that respect. She just liked to know where Callie was in general. If she was safe. It didn’t bother Callie that she was like that, sometimes she even thought it was sweet, but she had a feeling this was one evening Callie really shouldn’t have forgotten to tell her.
It was one of those moments, Callie felt as her feet carried her to her apartment, that caused an innate sense of dread. She knew something bad was about to happen. She didn’t know why. There wasn’t truly any reason. Yet, somehow Callie knew. These moments happened to Callie once in a while, and they were always accurate. Never specific. But the intense sense of dread Callie felt wasn’t without reason, she knew. It was going to be a very rough night.
“Where were you?” Arizona asked casually from her spot on the couch when Callie entered the apartment.
“Joe’s,” Callie replied.
“Oh,” Arizona looked puzzled. “I would have gone with you if you’d asked…who were you with?”
“Mark…and, um, Erica Hahn.”
Arizona froze. “Erica Hahn? As in your ex-girlfriend, Erica Hahn? As in the one that basically turned you gay, Erica Hahn?”
Callie wanted to argue that you can’t turn someone gay, but instead she simply replied with a careful, “Yes.”
“Oh,” Arizona said quietly. “Why didn’t you tell me she was in town? I would have loved to meet her,” she added bitterly.
“I just found out today. I guess…I just…I didn’t think you needed to know.”
“Seriously, Calliope?”
Callie bit her lip hard and tried to shrug the situation away. “Mark was there.”
“Because that brings me so much reassurance! It’s not the fact that you were with your ex. I don’t understand why you would ever want to be friends with Erica Hahn after what she did to you, but that’s your prerogative. If you want to be friends with her, you be friends with her. But you didn’t even feel the need to mention it! I saw you at the hospital before your shift ended, Callie! And the fact that Mark was there? Not a reassurance for me. I’m sorry. I know he’s your best friend and friends hang out. And that is normal and understandable and fine. It’s great. But sometimes, Callie, the way you talk about him makes him seem like he’s more than just your best friend. And to top it off…you had drinks with your ex. I just…it’s a lot to handle.”
Arizona sighed. The woman rarely lost her temper, but when she did, it wasn’t pretty. The hopefulness and cuteness and the bubbly temperament was lost in a blonde ball of fury.
Arizona continued, “You could have at least told me, Callie. The woman left you. Betrayed you. Not telling me when you hang out with Mark is fine. That doesn’t bother me because I know he is your friend. He is important. But not telling me you were getting drinks with Erica Hahn? It’s…it’s ridiculous!”
Callie started, “Arizona…you’re blowing this way out of proportion! It’s not that big of a deal.”
“It is, Calliope. It is. Because I feel like I can’t trust you, and I don’t like that feeling. I don’t like that feeling a bit. I need to be able to trust my girlfriend, and I can’t! I still remember when you told me about how you cheated on Erica with Mark. But that was your past, and I was supposed to be your future. So it was okay. But now, Calliope? I’m not sure we even have a future. Do you see us together forever?”
Callie gasped, staggered. “I - Arizona…you’re taking this way-”
Arizona cut her off, “Do you?”
“I-I,” Callie stuttered to find an answer, “Come on, Arizona. This is stupid.”
Arizona closed her eyes. “I guess that answers my question.”
She collected her things, shook her head sadly at Callie, and left the apartment.
* * *
Callie didn’t start crying until an hour and twenty-two minutes after Arizona left. That’s when it hit her. One hour and twenty-two minutes later as she sat on the couch her girlfriend had vacated and stared aimlessly at the wall. It hit her. Arizona had ended things. Really ended things. Her girlfriend was gone. And so…Callie cried.
It started with a lone tear. The kind that you can brush away as watering eyes from allergies or bad contacts. It was nothing, really. Until another joined it. Then another. And another. The tears became unpreventable and undeniable. She couldn’t stop the onslaught of tears. They were silent streams at first, until they became sobs. Deep, wrenching, howling sobs - loud racking ones that Callie could not contains. Minutes passed and time blurred, and suddenly there was a banging on the door.
“Callie!” It was Mark’s voice. “Callie, I could hear you all the way across the hall! Are you okay?”
She didn’t respond. Instead, she simply opened the door and launched herself into his arms.
Mark staggered backwards in shock then quickly recovered. He began stroking her hair. “Cal, what happened?”
“Arizona…” she whispered. “Arizona broke up with me.”
Mark was stunned. “Why would she do that?”
“She said-” Callie struggled to contain a sob, “she couldn’t trust me. I told her we went for drinks with Erica, and she broke up with me.”
“Baby,” Mark began, “That’s crazy! I can’t believe she did that. She insane not to want to stay with you, Cal. She was lucky to have you. You deserve better. You can do much better than Robbins, you know that?”
Callie shook her tear-soaked face into Mark’s chest.
“You can,” he said. “I’ll stay the night, okay? We’ll curl up on the couch and eat ice cream and mock stupid movies. Do you want to do that?”
“Yes,” Callie whispered, nodding into his chest. She led him inside, and they spent the night doing exactly what Mark detailed.
* * *
Callie had avoided seeing Arizona since that fateful evening with much success. The most she had seen of her was a quick glimpse in the cafeteria two afternoons after the break-up, and Callie was able to slip away without any notice. She grabbed snacks from the vending machine instead. Arizona did not seek her out, so not seeing her was easy. Callie knew that eventually they would be put on the same case and their avoidance would have to end, but she was content with keeping her distance until that time came.
Meanwhile, Callie spent all of her non-work time with Mark. Mostly, they remained holed up in her apartment eating Chinese take-out and watching too much television. The pair was together every moment. Mark was being there for Callie through her time of grieving.
He had not, however, seen his girlfriend in several days.
Things had been awkward between Mark and Lexie ever since Sloan had shown up. Lexie handled it at first, talking with the girl and trying to create some sort of foundation. But once she found out that his daughter was pregnant, Lexie flipped. She went on a crazy tangent about being too young to be a freaking grandmother. Mark, trying to placate her, told her that they were not married, so she had nothing to worry about. Apparently that hadn’t been the right thing to say.
It was weird and bitter and uncomfortable from then on, and with Mark spending all his time with Callie, the couple had not talked in several days. However, Mark needed to go back across the hall for a fresh change of clothes. He hadn’t left Callie’s place in three days, other than the hospital. She’d possessed a few of his old t-shirts that she’d stolen from him back when they were friends with benefits, and he’d been wearing them the past few days. But now all his clothes were dirty, and he’d worn the same pair of pants three days in a row. It was time to go back across the hall for a bit.
“Hey,” Mark said quietly upon entering his apartment.
Lexie was in the kitchen, sifting through the refrigerator. She turned towards him in surprise. “Hi,” she said shortly.
“Where’s Sloan?” Mark asked.
“I think she’s getting a pedicure or something. Way to dump her on me, Mark.”
“I didn’t dump anything on you,” Mark replied. “She’s eighteen. You don’t have to babysit her, and she knows where to find me.”
“Yep,” Lexie replied forcefully. “Across the hall. With Callie! Always with Callie.”
Mark sighed. “Are we really having this fight again, Lexie?”
“Yes, we are going to have this fight again!” his girlfriend exclaimed. “You’re always with her. I get that she is your friend, but I haven’t seen you in days!”
“Callie has been sad since Arizona broke up with her,” Mark explained.
“Oh, and you’ve been cheering her up?” Lexie accused.
“Well, yeah!” Mark responded. “Not like that, but yes, I’ve been cheering her up. I sulk with her when she wants to sulk and laugh with her when she wants to laugh. What is the matter with that?”
“Everything is the matter, Mark. Everything is the matter. You have a teenage daughter. A daughter. And not only do you have a daughter - quite near my age, mind you - but that daughter is pregnant! I don’t know what to make of that. I don’t know what to do. What to think. And while I’m here freaking out over it, you spend all of your time with your ex!”
Mark was quick to reply, “Callie and I were never together.”
“Maybe not officially, but you’ve been function like a couple for a while now. And guess what, Mark? I’m your girlfriend.”
“Lexie, come on. Callie and I have not been acting like a couple. That’s not true.”
“It is, Mark. You know what I’m thinking? Let’s show Callie and Arizona some solidarity. Let’s break up, too.”
Lexie left the apartment in a huff a few minutes later, a bag of necessities in tow. Just like that, after months of hard work and monogamy, it was over.
* * *
“So,” Mark began slowly when he walked back across the hall to Callie’s not long after the incident. “Um…I guess…we’re both single now.”
Callie blinked. “What?”
“Yeah,” Mark replied. “Lexie…she just broke up with me.”
“But why?”
The feeling of shock in the room was palpable.
“Things have been rock for a while, with Sloan being pregnant and everything. She said I’d been absent. She said a lot of things. It doesn’t matter,” Mark brushed it off. “It’s over.”
He didn’t want Callie to feel any undeserved guilt over their break-up. Mark sat down next to her on the couch, and Callie decided to curl up in his lap. She rubbed his back a couple times, and spoke up.
“Pizza and ice cream or drinks at Joe’s?”
Callie was asking him which way he wanted to grieve.
“Pizza and ice cream,” Mark answered after a pause. “And don’t tell anyone that I’m dealing with this like a girl.”
“Got it,” Callie responded with a sympathetic smile. She grabbed the phone and ordered a large pizza with all the toppings. Callie hated it that way. She thought it was disgusting. But it was Mark’s favorite, and tonight of all nights, she wasn’t going to argue for simple pepperoni.
They ate pizza and ice cream and talked about anything besides what happened with their significant others. They watched reruns of the television show Lost and debated whether or not they would ever get off the island. They played 20 questions. They made pancakes at two in the morning. The pair finally fell asleep near dawn with the dull glow of the TV lighting the apartment, tangled together on the couch, and waited for a new day.
* * *