Fanfic: As Time Goes By (18/?) Part 1
Title: As Time Goes By 18
Pairing: Callie/Arizona
Rating: PG-13
Summary: Callie’s promotion brings a man from Arizona’s past back into her life. This is my first venture into an AU fiction. There are small things that do come from the show, but nothing is spoilery.
Disclaimer: I own nothing. I do not intend to profit in any way, shape or form by posting this story. It's for fun, nothing more, and nothing less. Please don't sue me.
A/N: Hey everyone! Thank you for taking the time to read the next installment! This is the first chapter where JJ has really taken the helm. We discussed the ideas we wanted to put forth and she did a majority of the writing, then I went through and corrected and added stuff. I think it came out really well and is super funny. We wanted to have a fun chapter before more of the drama stars up. So enjoy and please comment! <3
A/N 2: Okay, so Semagic decided it’s not going to post my crap and tell me it’s too large! Frustrating! So I had to post it in two parts. I’m very sorry for the inconvenience.
Arizona gripped the bed sheets that covered her tightly with both hands. She felt so angry… Angry at Nix for name dropping; angry at Callie for not just bring it up when she first learned about her past, but most importantly, she was mad at herself for not telling Callie in the first place. When you love someone, really truly love them, you are supposed to share everything with them… the good parts of your life and the bad parts. Something had stopped her from telling Callie about Monica and how she was attacked by Monica’s brothers for all these years and she knew why. She didn’t want to tell Callie because she would have never let it lie. If she knew that someone had hurt Arizona beyond belief was still out there living life as though they never did anything, then she would constantly be looking over her shoulder terrified that they would return. At least this way Arizona had shortened the process, or at least she thought she had.
“Oh Phoenix, Phoenix, Phoenix…” She sighed deeply, “…when I get out of this hospital and find a nice brick you are so gonna get it!”
“You know they say talking to yourself is the first sign of insanity.” Arizona turned her head to see Mark stood in the doorway with gauze on his head and a guilty smile on his face. He was carrying a sealed paper box under his arm. Arizona gently pushed herself up into a sitting position, wincing in pain as she did so. “Whoa take it easy.” Mark walked over to help her, but she just held her hand up to indicate she didn’t need his help. “So, how are ya feeling, Robbins?”
“Oh I’m just super.” It came out in a sarcastic tone, but Mark smiled when he saw a tiny smile pull at the corners of her mouth. “What about you? How’s your head?”
“Still feel a little dizzy, but hey, Derek said I’ll live, much to his chagrin.” Mark pulled up a chair and sat down next to her. The two sat in silence, unsure of what to say to each other. The room became more and more awkward until finally Mark spoke up. “Thank you. Thank you for what you did. I feel awful though, I mean, if anything I should have been getting you out of the way.”
“You don’t have to thank me Mark, like you just said, you’d have done the same thing for me. And really, you are such a sexist ass.” The two smiled at each other, a way of showing that they cared for each other, even if they never really said it. “So what’s in the box?” Mark pulled the box onto his lap and opened it, Arizona let out a small laugh when she saw what was inside.
“Callie told me you have a real thing for doughnuts.” The box was filled with a dozen krispy kreme doughnuts. All with pink icing, half rainbow sprinkle, half chocolate chips. Arizona licked her lips and Mark laughed as he picked one up out of the box, put it on a napkin and gave it to her.
“Mmhm, yummy... my wife knows me. Thanks Mark, but don’t you have work to be doing?” Mark shook his head.
“I told that whiney second year resident, what’s his name? ...You know the one with the huge forehead… Lawson?”
“Lewis.”
“That’s it, Lewis. Yeah, well anyway, I told him I’d make sure he’s on my service for the next three weeks and that I’d get him Nurse Aimee’s number if he looked after my patients for a few hours.” Arizona scoffed and shook her head in disbelief.
“You are unbelievable. Why are you trying to hide? Is Lexie stalking you with pictures of your own daughter again?” Arizona tried desperately not to laugh as she remembered Little Grey running round the hospital searching for Mark trying to show him pictures of what exactly their daughter had learnt at pre-school that day.
“Hey, she only did that one time and it was an important moment in her life.” Arizona raised her eyebrow at him
“Her kissing a little boy at pre-school is an important moment in her life.” Mark shrugged and took a big bite into a doughnut.
“What can I say; we Sloan’s are very loving people.” Mark swallowed his bite and then looked seriously at Arizona. “No, I came because if it wasn’t for you Arizona, I might not be able to stand here and talk to you right now… I came here because you saved my life and I now owe you big time.”
“Mark seriously, you need to stop that or when they finally let me go home, my head isn’t gunna fit through that door. I’m a good man in a storm and I not only protect people I love, but also people I sort of like too, you know, kinda like you.” They grinned at each for a moment before their conversation was broken by a knock on the door. Mark and Arizona both turned their heads to find Alex and April stood in the doorway.
“Well lookie here, if it isn’t boo-bear and his little jelly bean.” Mark mocked their nicknames in baby talk voice that made Arizona laugh which she quickly managed to masquerade as a cough. April however was not amused.
“Dr. Sloan I feel that is highly inappropriate.”
Mark scoffed and chuckled, “Oh lighten up Kepner, or you’ll get wrinkles.”
Alex grabbed his girlfriend’s hand and squeezed it, he leaned down to her and muttered in her ear, “Just ignore him, he’s not worth it.”
“Oh, I see you bought Dr. Robbins some presents.” It was only at this moment that Arizona realized that Karev was holding a box identical to Mark’s and that April was carrying a stuffed rainbow bear wearing a lab coat, stethoscope and a head mirror.
“Oh yeah, Dr. Robbins, these are for you.” They handed her the presents and Arizona giggled as she looked at the bear. There was writing on the lab coat that said Dr. Bear F.A.C.S. Arizona opened the box to find another dozen doughnuts.
“Wow, way to be a copycat Karev, couldn’t come up with an original gift so had to steal mine.”
“Dude, all I knew was the woman loves doughnuts. There was a birthday party for a kid in the paeds cancer ward last week and I swear she must have eaten at least ten doughnuts.” Arizona’s eyes widened when she realized Alex had caught her last week and she couldn’t stop the blush from rising to her cheeks.
“Mr. and Mrs. Thomas told me to help myself, I was just following orders.” She said softly.
“We were supposed to have a card for you, but we sent Cristina and Meredith out to get one like almost two hours ago and they still aren’t back.” And as if April had summoned them, Cristina and Meredith walked through the door. They were both eating frozen yogurt and wearing TGI-Fridays baseball caps.
April and Alex looked angry, but Arizona was not in the least bit shocked.
“You sent Yang to the mall?” She laughed, “Wow, you clearly don’t know that she is a crazy mall person. And you didn’t send her alone? That’s even worse.”
“What, this yogurt is good.” Cristina grinned.
“We send you to get a card and you went to TGI-Fridays?” Meredith nodded as she ate and Cristina just shrugged.
“I entered some stupid contest and won and we got free lunch at TGI-Fridays. What were we supposed to do, say no? That would have been rude. The baseball caps were free too. Don’t worry Karev, we bought you one back.” Cristina walked up to Karev and plopped the cap on his head, but Alex pulled it off and threw it back at her.
“Did you at least get the card?” Cristina nodded and pulled it out from her bag.
“Did you know there is a guy in the mall that will put ANYTHING on a card for you?” Cristina and Meredith both shared a knowing look.
“Oh my god, what did you do?” April put a hand to her head as Yang handed the card to Arizona.
Arizona opened it and she didn’t know whether to laugh or cry. On the front cover of the card there was a picture of a knife with a sad face and the card read, “Don’t mean to be blunt, but sorry you got sliced.” Arizona opened the card to find a picture of a human with no skin on the front half of their body and smiley faces on the kidneys, liver, lungs and heart and the stomach doing a thumbs up with the intestines. The message inside read, “Happy to hear none of your organs got diced! From Alex, April, Cristina, Meredith and all of your friends at Seattle Grace-Mercy Death. PS: Get well soon because I am not a babysitter - Cristina.” For the first time in her life Arizona was completely and utterly speechless.
“Why did you have to put our names on it? You do realize that Torres is going to kill you when she sees this.” Cristina scoffed at Alex’s words.
“Oh please, I can handle Callie, what’s she gunna do kick me off her service. I am an attending cardiothoracic surgeon now, the carpenter can’t touch me.” Cristina grinned and admired the handy work on the card.
“No, but I can.” Cristina turned around and came face to face with Teddy. “And I think you are lucky that Dr. Robbins is bed bound right now or it might be the other way around if you call her wife a carpenter again.”
Arizona snickered at them all and muttered, “Sing it!” under her breath.
“Meredith came up with the rhyme.” Cristina nodded matter-of-factly at Arizona and then motioned toward Meredith subtlety. Meredith elbowed Cristina in the side and she let a soft yelp sound from her before she rapidly rubbed the spot.
“Arizona, I bought you something.” Teddy seemed to produce a box out of thin air.
“Let me guess, you bought doughnuts?” Teddy opened her mouth in shock when everyone in the room asked her the same question at the same time.
“How did you all know that?” Karev, Mark and Cristina all held up half empty boxes of doughnuts.
“Yang, Grey why are you wearing TGI-Fridays baseball caps?” Teddy asked as she dropped a box of doughnuts on the end of Arizona’s bed.
“Long story,” Cristina said with a mouthful of doughnut. The sound of scurrying feet bought everyone’s attention back to the door.
“SURPRISE!” The shout rang out as Nix and all the kids appeared at the door.
“Wow, full house.” Nix said surprised and looked at Arizona. Arizona glared at him and he knew he was in trouble, but her glare faded the second her children reached her. Nix had obviously told them to be careful as they hugged her and she figured that he must have broken the news that their Mommy was hurt. It was the least he could and probably the only reason he wasn’t getting an earful right now. Nix produced another box of doughnuts and placed it by Arizona’s side and they all laughed as four grubby kid sized hands reached in and grabbed a doughnut. Nix pulled one out and handed it to Emily who was standing by his side. All of the kids said thank you and started eating their doughnuts.
Spencer swallowed his bite and then leaned in closer to Arizona so he could whisper into her ear. “If you staying in the hospital means we get to have more doughnut parties, I can be okay with that.” He nodded once and took another bite out of his doughnut. Arizona furrowed her brow, not exactly sure how to take that comment.
“What on earth is going on in here?” Bailey’s voice boomed into the room. Arizona felt her kids jump and she shot Bailey a look.
“Dr. Bailey, indoor voice please, there are children in here.” Silence filled the room as everyone turned to look at Spencer who just shrugged and picked up another doughnut. Almost the entire room burst out laughing except for Arizona and Bailey, although Arizona was finding it increasingly difficult to keep a straight face. It wasn’t often that Miranda Bailey was rendered speechless, but being put in her place by a two year old had definitely done that to her.
Arizona raised a hand and placed it on her sons head, “Spencer, you know better than to speak to anyone like that, especially an adult, now what do you say?”
Spencer sighed and looked at Bailey, then back to Arizona as though he were contemplating something. He then leaned toward his mother and said, "I know Mommy, but she scared Sofia, Skye and Sienna and I'm the brother, it's my job to stand up for them."
Arizona smiled at him and nodded, "Yes, and you’re a wonderful brother, but there are certain people you still need to be respectful of and you know, as well as I know, that Aunt Miranda didn't mean to scare anyone."
“Oh, I think she did…” Cristina said, but quickly piped down when Arizona shot her look. She just shrugged slightly and turned back to the doughnut she had grabbed.
Spencer mulled over that thought and then nodded before he turned his little head back to Bailey, "I'm sorry I told you to use your inside voice, Aunt Miranda." Bailey smiled at him before presenting Arizona with yet another box of doughnuts.
“That’s okay, Spencer. I think it’s sweet that you look out for your sisters.” She ruffled his hairs playfully and he giggled before leaning back against Arizona. She cringed slightly, but did her best to appear as though it didn’t hurt.
Lexie walked through the halls looking for her husband. Mark had told her to come straight to him when she had gotten the post-op labs for his patient, Mr. McIntyre. She walked up to the nurse’s station to page him yet again. Lexie smiled at her friend behind the desk. “Have you heard back from Dr. Sloan yet?”
“No, I haven’t, but he told me earlier that Dr. Lewis was doing his post-op rounds today because he had something else to take care of?” The nurse shrugged slightly and turned to the computer in front of her, “He’s your husband, right? Shouldn’t you know what he’s up too?”
The nurse’s voice seemed to insinuate something and it made Lexie’s blood boil, but she held it in and just shook her head slightly. “No, no, my husband specifically told me to take these results to him and he told me that we would be going over them together. I’m sure if he was up to something, I would know all about it so just please just page him again and try to keep the gossip down to a minimum, especially when it’s about my husband.” Lexie blew a few strands her hair out of her face and rolled her eyes and she turned away from the nurse. ‘I bet he’s sleeping,’ she thought as she turned around and marched towards Mark’s favourite on-call room. “Mark Sloan you have better got a good reason for not answering my pages!” Lexie stopped walking and looked around the halls and she suddenly realized the place was practically deserted. “Where the hell is everybody?”