Finding Her Way.
Title: Finding Her Way
Author: xxcalliefanxx
Rating: R
Pairing: Callie/Arizona
Summary: Arizona calls Callie a newborn. Callie is determined to prove she wants to be with Arizona. She won't stop fighting until she gets what she wants.
Disclaimer: All television shows, movies, books, and other copyrighted material referred to in this work, and the characters, settings, and events thereof, are the properties of their respective owners. As this work is an interpretation of the original material and not for-profit, it constitutes fair use. Reference to real persons, places, or events are made in a fictional context, and are not intended to be libelous, defamatory, or in any way factual.
Author's Note: This chapter includes rape mention and an abuse case. Just for the warning.
Chapter 1
The previous day for Callie was one of the most embarrassing that she has ever experienced. From getting dissed by the perky peds surgeon to being thrown up on by her best friend who plans on flying back to California tonight, Callie just wanted to forget last night all together. If that was possible.
“Get the puke off of you?” Mark chuckled handing Callie a hot, fresh cup of coffee.
Callie eyed him suspiciously. “I thought you weren't good for coffee anymore?”
“Yeah well.. after the night you had last night, I figured it was the least I could do for you,” he explained. “And besides, Lexie is off today. She had to go to some stupid intern thingy. She got chosen to be there.”
Callie closed her eyes as the aroma of coffee filled her nostrils instantly brushing the slight hangover of hers to the side. “Shouldn't you be proud of her for getting picked?”
“Yeah, I am. But.. still. Who is going to meet me in the on-call room?” Mark wiggled his eyebrows at her.
“Um no. I'm gay now, remember?”
“Who's gay?” Miranda Bailey questioned as she flipped through a chart.
“Callie Torres.” Mark beamed.
“I knew I shouldn't have asked. I was wondering why you were over there speaking to Dr. Robbins the other day. Please, Torres, don't get involved. We lost one heart surgeon because of a gay relationship. I don't want to lose an amazing peds attending.” Miranda smiled politely at her before walking off.
Callie wrinkled up her nose. “That was rude.”
“Bailey is rude. But she means well.”
“Yeah, yeah.” Callie sighed glancing at her assignments for the day. “I have four surgeries today. It's going to be a day from hell, I can already feel it.”
“Yeah, but the good news is there is no way your day could be worse than yesterday, right?”
Callie laughed. “ I doubt....,” she began, but was interrupted by the sight in front of her. Arizona getting off the elevator. Julie at her side. Callie froze. “She works here?!”
Mark turned his attention to where hers was held. “Um.. I thought we already discovered Arizona was the peds attending.”
“No, Mark. Julie. Her date from last night.” Callie sighed defeated as she leaned against the counter.
“She's hot.”
“Mark.”
“You're much hotter,” he quickly replied trying not to get on Callie's bad side this morning. It was too early for that.
“Yeah, but she has Arizona.” Callie took a deep breath. “Whatever. I have surgeries. I have patients who need me right now. I can't deal with this. See ya, Mark.”
“Last night was fun, don't you think?” Julie placed her hand on Arizona's as they sat in the cafeteria that afternoon. Arizona slid her hand out from under Julie's.
“It was, but..”
“But what?” Julie raised her eyebrows obviously. Just as Arizona was getting ready to answer her, her pager went off.
“Shit... I have to go. 911. We'll talk about this later, okay?” Arizona gave Julie a weak smile and turned to walk off.
Responding the trauma page she received, Callie quickly jerked open the curtain. She froze when she saw the sight in front of her.
“Dr. Torres,” Arizona spoke avoiding eye contact with the orthopedic surgeon. “Ashley Martin. Five years old. Severely beaten. Eight broken ribs, broken leg, broken hip, shattered wrist. Dislocated shoulder. Multiple lacerations. Deep gash on forehead and.. possible rape evidence. Vital signs are stable at the moment. The interns and I were finally able to calm her down with pain medication.”
Callie's heart broke. Child cases were the hardest ones to deal with for her. Tears formed in her eyes. 'Get professional, Torres,' she thought to herself. “Um..,” she pulled the nearest chair to the edge of the bed. She rested her hand over the fragile little girl's. “Hey honey, I'm Dr. Torres. I'm going to help you. Is that okay?”
Ashley's bottom lip trembled. “Please don't hurt me.”
Callie glanced up at Arizona. How could she be so engrossed in her charting? This tiny little girl was nearly beat to death. Doesn't she care?
“Dr. Torres, assure Ashley that you are not here to hurt her.” Arizona snapped not showing any emotion at all.
“Ashley, sweetheart, I'm not going to hurt you. I promise. You're safe here with us.”
“I'm scared.”
“I know you are.. but it's going to be okay. You can trust me.” Callie smiled at the child while brushing a piece of hair out of her eyes.
“Dr. Torres, can I speak to you outside of the room for a second?” Arizona clicked her pen shut and placed it back into her pocket. “Now.”
“No!” Ashley protested trying to get the oxygen off of her nose. “Please don't leave me alone.”
A tear escaped and rolled down Callie's cheek. She reached around the back of her neck and unclasped her necklace. She grinned at Ashley as she placed the necklace in her hand. “I need you to hold this for me okay? I'll be back for it. It's my..,” Callie sighed knowing what the necklace meant to her. She first placed it around her neck when she realized she was gay. “It's my trademark. Protect it while I'm gone. I'll be right back.”
Ashley nodded and held the necklace closed to her. “Hurry, please.”
Callie followed Arizona behind the curtain. They walked to Arizona's office. Opening the door, Arizona allowed Callie to enter first.
“What do you need?”
Arizona slammed the door shut startling Callie. “You can't do that, Calliope.”
“Do what? What are you talking about?”
“You can't make promises you can't keep. You can't tell that little girl that she is going to be okay, that she is safe. You obviously need to get into your professional image and stop allowing your damn feelings to take control in there. You are a doctor. If you can't handle this case, then please go. I'll find someone who is better.”
Callie snorted. “Are you serious?”
“Does it look like I'm smiling?” Arizona crossed her arms.
“I can handle the case. What I can't deal with is how you can stand there and not feel any emotions for that child!” Callie raised her voice, allowing her anger to take control. “Where is your heart, Arizona? The kid was beat and raped possibly and you... you are just standing there as if it is nothing. She could die. She is five years old. She hasn't even lived yet.. she is just a baby... She..” Callie ran her hand through her hair.
“Welcome to peds, Calliope.”
“It's Callie. My name is fucking Callie. Now if you will excuse me, I'm going to give this child her life back to her. If you can't deal with that, then get off the case. I'm sure Bailey will help me.” Callie stormed out of the office. Walking back towards the patient, she smiled to herself. Callie Torres was walking tall again.
“What we got here, Torres?” Mark made his entrance into the room. He flashed the tiny girl a smile causing her to giggle. Callie smiled at the sound of her laugh. Thankfully, Ashley was handling the pain better than most adults. The entire time Callie was examining her body, Ashley didn't complain once.
“I need you to take a look at her forehead. I could do the stitches, but.. you know how I am with that,” she winked at Ashley.
Mark sat on the edge of the bed. “What's your name?”
“Ashley Martin, Sir.”
“Please don't call me sir. I'm not that old.”
Ashley looked at him confused. “You have gray hairs. I see a couple.”
Callie laughed loudly. “I love this kid.”
“Did Dr. Torres sneak you some candy to say that to me?”
“No, Sir. My grandma always told me to be honest.” Ashley explained to him as Callie cleaned up the cuts on her arm. She winced a little as Callie's fingers grazed over one.
“This one is going to need stitches as well, Mark.”
“What happened to you, Ashley?” Mark questioned as he pulled his gloves on. He carefully looked at the gash on her forehead. “That's quite deep. You fall? You look like you got in a huge fight.”
Ashley froze suddenly. Callie instantly dropped the bandages and grabbed Ashley's hand. “Hey, where is that necklace?” She tried to change the subject. She eyed Mark and then motioned her head towards the chart. He took the hint and picked it up. Flipping through it, the color from his face drained.
“I got the necklace still.” Ashley proudly held it up. “No one ever let me hold something for them before.”
“Really?”
“My mom tells me I'm too stupid to.”
Callie closed her eyes. No wonder Ashley wasn't feeling any pain hardly.. Callie's heart was aching enough for the both of them. “Your mom is wrong.”
“She says she is never wrong.”
Callie brushed her fingers across Ashley's cheek. “Well she is. You're not stupid. You're the bravest person I've ever met. You're an angel.”
“Mom told me she'd turn me into an angel. She said she'd send me to God. She said it'll be like a field trip, and she won't have to listen to me anymore.” Ashley played with the necklace with her good arm. The right one was placed gently in a sling to ease the pain with her shoulder.
“Have you told anyone about how your mom treats you?”
“I can't.”
Mark carefully listened to the conversation between the two females. The little girl definitely had a connection with Callie. Anyone could see that.
“Will you for me?”
Ashley thought for a moment. “Will you sit by me the entire time?”
“Of course, I will. And I'll tell you what.... see that necklace?” Ashley nodded. “We'll even put it around your neck. It's yours now. It was my good luck charm.. now it's yours.”
Ashley flashed a grin. Callie couldn't help but smile at the sight of it. She never cared so much about a patient before. She knew she had to help her. She wasn't going to give up until Ashley was perfectly fine.
“Dr. Torres.” Callie raised her head to see the Chief and Arizona standing in front of the bed.
“Yes, Sir?”
“He's old, too.” Ashley told Mark. Callie tried to hide her smirk.
“You're off this case.” Chief Webber stated. “Come with me and you can go back into the clinic for the rest of your shift.”
“What? No.. you can't.. I need to be here.”
“I'll take over, Dr. Torres. I want you off this case.” Arizona snapped looking Callie in eye. Callie jerked her gloves off and threw them in the trash. She walked by Arizona, purposely knocking into her shoulder.
“You'll regret making that decision, Dr. Robbins.”