Chapter Text
It’s been three years since Arizona Robbins was last on American soil. It’s been one hundred and fifty six weeks since she last wandered the streets of Seattle. It’s been one thousand and ninety five days since she walked away from the greatest thing in her life. Suffice to say, it feels strange to be back.
She enjoyed her time in Malawi, helping the children there and getting to know the people. It was refreshing and enlightening and made her feel useful, like she was doing something that truly mattered, making a real difference. It was hard at first, of course, in fact she’d almost left after the first month or so, wanting nothing more than to run home into Callie’s arms. But, she’d had the good instincts to call Teddy before making any rash decisions and had some sense talked into her.
“Arizona, you know I want nothing more than to have you back here with me but you should stay out there. You won that grant, you’re making a real difference, don’t throw away your career for Callie. I mean it, Robbins, you better stick it out.”
Arizona took those words to heart and ploughed forward until the agonising ache in her chest lessened and turned into a simple tingle that she could easily ignore. She learned to love her new life, the clinic, the people, her patients. It was a perfect little life, but all good things must come to an end. The three years are up and now she’s home with her old job at Seattle Grace readily available thanks to Teddy’s influence.
Arizona is nervous for her first day back. So much has changed, Teddy’s kept her informed on most of it though - Owen becoming chief, Meredith and Derek’s children, the residents’ transition into attendings, Cristina and Owen’s divorce, etc - but never once mentioned the one person Arizona wants to hear about most of all. That’s probably for the best though, Arizona did ask her to keep all mentions to a minimum. She’s certainly heard every detail of Teddy’s life in the past three years though, not that she’s complaining, but there was only so many times she could hear about Teddy’s husband who’s also ‘just a friend’ before she had to talk some sense into her (Henry seems great too from the little Arizona heard from him during their phone calls.)
Arizona takes a deep breath as she looks up at the old familiar building. It looks the same, but it feels so different. The Seattle weather never changes at least, still endless rain and the grey skies that Arizona surprisingly grew to love and even miss. She steps through the glass doors, briefly being reminded of that stupid security system from after the shooting. It’s strange, walking through the same entryway that she has at least a hundred times before but somehow feeling like she’s landing on an alien planet.
“Robbins?”
It’s a voice she hasn’t heard for three years, yet recognises instantly. She spins around to see Alex Karev, in dark blue scrubs which looks so wrong to her, jogging in her direction.
“Hello, Karev.” Arizona replies, “Long time, no see.”
“You’re back, huh?” He asks, looking her up and down as though he’s trying to check her for any drastic changes, as if she’d somehow return with a prosthetic leg or something.
Arizona nods, “I am, for good.”
Alex smiles, “Damn, that’s… that’s cool. I’m glad.”
Arizona feels her heart warm at those words, she’d been terrified that no one would be happy to see her return after the way she’d left or that too much would have changed and everyone would have forgotten about her, but here’s Alex Karev of all people delighted by her reappearance. It feels good.
“Thanks, Karev. It’s nice to know I was missed.”
“Totally.” Alex admits, sounding uncharacteristically earnest, “The guy that replaced you was a total ass, made my fellowship hell. But I kept thinking, y’know, what would Robbins do?”
Arizona chuckles, pride and amusement working to release the knots of fear and uncertainty in her chest, “I’m glad to hear that, Karev. Those scrubs suit you.”
Alex looks as if he’s trying to suppress a shy grin when he responds, “Thanks. I’ll see you around.”
He walks off, leaving Arizona alone once again in the familiar lobby, trying to feel normal and figure out her next move. She ends up staying rooted to this spot for a few more minutes, thinking back on her memories of this place - her first day, her last day, the merger, the shooting, the documentary, Wallace’s death, Teddy’s first day, the first time she ever laid eyes upon Callie and so much more. It’s like a past life, a distant memory, stories of someone else’s experiences rather than her own. People keep wandering past her and she can feel their wide eyed stares, surprised by her sudden return and the opposing curious frowns of those wondering who she is.
Finally, Teddy appears to save her from her own doubts and fears.
“Arizona! Thank God, I missed you so much!” She says excitedly as she practically runs towards her.
Arizona returns the enthusiasm, pulling her into a tight hug the second she’s within arms reach. It’s been so long since they last saw one another, it feels like an eternity. For years, Teddy was her one and only connection to Seattle, to home, their phone calls and emails were her only link to reality, an anchor during hard times. For a while, Teddy was her home. It feels so good to be back in her presence once more.
“I missed you too.” She murmurs softly as she pulls away. “I’m also terrified to be back.”
“It’s gonna be fine,” Teddy says, linking their arms and steering Arizona towards the elevators, “I’ve already warned the necessary parties about your return and everyone is super excited.”
“Everyone?” Arizona asks, a lump forming in her throat as she thinks of Callie and the last time they saw each other.
“More or less.” Teddy shrugs as she presses the button for the elevator.
“Well, I’ve already seen Karev.” Arizona tells her, “He seemed great, told me he missed me too.”
Teddy smiles wide, “See? I told you so. Y’know he almost did his fellowship elsewhere but he changed his mind? Thank God for that because I’m not sure your precious paeds department would still be intact otherwise.”
Arizona hums curiously at this information, secretly also pleased for whatever it is that made Alex change his mind. She’d put in quite a bit of effort to ensure him as her successor, if she’d come home just to find that he’d abandoned his post so early, it would have been severely disappointing.
The elevator doors finally open and in true Seattle Grace fashion, there’s a party inside. Three familiar faces all looking like they’ve seen a ghost as their eyes flicker between Teddy and Arizona - Meredith, Lexie and Cristina, all dressed in dark blue.
“Arizona!” Lexie cries in shock, “What-How-When did you get back?”
Arizona and Teddy join them in the elevator and Arizona turns to face the three women who were once her little residents, now all grown up. On top of her encounter with Karev, it’s starting to feel oddly like she’s missed the birth of her own child or been a deadbeat parent or something.
“Hey, guys.” Arizona greets somewhat awkwardly, she was never particularly close with any of them, “My flight got in yesterday morning and I start back here today.”
“That’s great!” Lexie replies genuinely. Arizona has always loved her energy.
Meredith nods, "It's good to have you back.”
Cristina turns to Teddy, “Altman, I cannot believe you didn’t tell me about this. Roller-girl coming back is probably the most interesting thing to happen around here for a while. Does Callie know?”
Arizona freezes at the mention of that name, her heart stuttering in her chest. She looks between Cristina and Teddy and opens her mouth to respond but is thankfully saved by the elevator ding. The doors slide open and she and Teddy step out, giving half-hearted waves goodbye to the girls.
“That was kinda awkward.” Arizona groans, “I thought you said you told people.”
“Yeah, important people.” Teddy clarifies, “The real attendings, not those fledglings.”
Arizona laughs lightly as Teddy leads her to the Chief’s office, ready to greet Owen and start her first shift and with it, the rest of her life.
—
Arizona manages to make it the better part of three hours before the inevitable happens. She’s skating down the hallway (because some things never change) when she catches sight of Callie a few feet away and slows to a halt. Her heart stops. Her breath hitches. It’s like a slap in the face or a kick in the ribs, like all the oxygen has been sucked from the atmosphere. Arizona suddenly feels nauseous, sick to her stomach.
She can’t think, she can’t focus, she can’t breathe because Callie Torres is here, standing right across the room. Her hair is shorter but Arizona’s fingers still itch to touch it all the same, she’s smiling at some nurse and Arizona’s heart still skips that same beat as it did three years ago. Her memories really hadn’t done Callie justice.
She thought she was over it, it’s been years, she’s had time to process it, to think back on it. She’s older and wiser and knows from Teddy’s reports that she was right, Callie is happy without her. Still, Arizona feels that same sense of urgency when looking at Callie than she did the very first time. She wasn’t exactly a nun in Malawi but Arizona also hasn’t dated anyone either which may be contributing to the flurry of emotions she’s feeling right now.
It’s silly, she knew Callie would be here, she came back to Callie’s place of work knowing she’d have to see her everyday. She just hadn’t realised that it would feel like this - like drowning and a breath of fresh air all at once, like simultaneously being chained up and free as a bird. It’s hot and cold, bitter and sweet, surprising and expected, overwhelming and incidental, perfect and chaotic.
Suddenly, their gazes meet and it’s like time stops, the room empties, the air around them grows thick with history. Callie’s eyes are still the most stunning brown, just as disarming and enchanting as they’d always been. Recognition and surprise flicker briefly over her face before her expression settles into something entirely illegible.
It’s funny, when you’re away from something for so long, you expect that the image in your head may become skewed, unrealistic and outdated. Arizona thought of Callie so often, picturing her in every possible situation, every possible lighting, every possible place and after the first year or so, she’d convinced herself that her memories were biased because there’s no way anyone could be that beautiful and yet, here Callie stands, putting Arizona’s mind to shame with her stunning radiance.
Arizona blinks and all of a sudden, Callie is walking towards her, a look of determination now resting on her face. She feels herself start to panic and wonders if she has enough time to make a run for it but her feet are rooted to the ground and her entire body seemingly frozen under Callie’s icy gaze.
“Calliope. Hi.” Arizona starts rambling as Callie gets closer and closer, “It’s good to see you. I’m really sorry that I never called or anything but I just thought a clean break would be better in the long run and clearly it was because you seem to be doing well. I’m sorry about how it all went down but I’m back permanently so I want us to be able to work together professionally, not that I think you’re incapable of that, I mean you’re an incredible doctor and you’re probably over it anyway because it was like forever ago but… yeah, I just wanted to clear the air… Also, you look really pretty.”
Callie is directly in front of her now, so close that Arizona can smell her perfume (the same delicious vanilla scent) and feel the warmth radiating off her body. She wants to touch her, she doesn’t, of course, because that would be insanely inappropriate right now. Instead, she waits patiently for a response or even a reaction from Callie who is still staring down at her with that impossible expression that Arizona yearns to decrypt. There was a time when she could read Callie like a book, recognise even the slightest shift in her face like the lyrics to her old favourite song, predict her actions like she’s binge-watching the same TV-show for the hundredth time. Now, her brain comes up short as she racks it for any kind of meaning behind Callie’s beautiful eyes.
Arizona has pictured this moment a thousand times in her head - in many of the concocted scenarios, there’s screaming and crying and Arizona gets the reckoning that she deserves, in other more wishful thoughts, there’s smiling and kissing and love. Over a thousand possibilities have played on repeat in her head for over a thousand days.
Eventually, Callie opens her mouth like she’s going to say something, like Arizona is going to finally hear the voice that’s haunted her dreams for the past three years again but then, she closes it and steps past Arizona. Arizona turns, watching Callie walk away without a word. It hurts but it’s what she deserves for doing the same thing in that airport all those years ago. It’s almost funny how such an inevitable, expected reaction can still have this horrible effect on her - her hands are shaking, her eyes filling with tears, her heart hammering in her chest, her stomach contorting uncomfortably.
Without even thinking, Arizona is skating towards the nearest storage closet and shutting herself in, collapsing against the back wall and sliding to the ground. She’s burying her head in her hands and praying for the tears to stop, her eyes stinging and her jaw aching with suppressed sobs. She tries to take deep breaths, to steady herself and calm her mind - she’s no stranger to tears, there was a time when she’d have to fight them multiple times a day, but it still doesn’t make these ones any easier to beat.
She sits and cries until her eyes are dried out and bloodshot, her cheeks are stained with blotches of red and her head aches. She slips out of the storage room and into the nearest bathroom, careful to keep her head down for fear of anyone seeing her like this. She works at the sink to try and repair some of the damage done to her face and takes a deep breath before heading back to work. It’s just another day. She’s fine.
“Arizona Robbins!” Arizona jumps at the sound of a familiar stern voice behind her.
“Bailey!” Arizona exclaims in response, rushing forward to bring the small woman into a hug even though she knows she won’t get the same affection in return.
Miranda just gives her a simple tap on the shoulder, then gently pushes her away before speaking again, “When Altman said you were coming back to this old place, I almost didn’t believe her. But, I- Have you been crying?”
Arizona freezes, her initial joy from seeing Miranda has been replaced by dread and embarrassment, “No, of course not! I’m just still a little jet lagged.”
Miranda raises an eyebrow, “Mm-hm, if you say so.”
“I do say so.” Arizona confirms.
Miranda laughs lightly, “I have not missed that over-enthusiastic grin of yours, although some of our new interns could probably benefit from it. Karev could definitely use your tutelage again, he got a little lost while you were away. I’m sure Webber will be pleased to see you back too but don’t expect anyone to roll out a red carpet, after all, you did leave us in the lurch. Oh, and if I hear even a peep of drama between you, Sloan and Torres this time around, we will be having words, is that clear? Good. That being said… I am happy to see you again, Arizona.”
Miranda disappears the second her speech is over, leaving Arizona stunned and unsure how to feel. She stands in a familiar room, wearing familiar scrubs and surrounded by familiar people, yet her homecoming has been anything but familiar. She misses Malawi if she’s being honest.
Arizona struggles through the rest of her shift, getting to know new patients and doctors and getting re-acquainted with the old ones. She does a simple surgery on an eight year old’s bowel and another on a twelve year old’s heart with Teddy. She also works very hard to ensure that she doesn’t bump into Callie again. Finally, her first shift comes to an end and Arizona changes out of her scrubs and heads for the elevator, ready to collapse into her hotel bed and sleep the first day stress away.
Just as the elevator doors are sliding shut, an arm suddenly wedges into the small gap, forcing them open again. To Arizona’s complete and utter shock, it’s Callie who steps into the elevator with her. The air immediately feels heavier, warmer, more suffocating. They stand in silence for a moment too long, allowing the doors to close, sealing them into this tight space together, trapping Arizona with the human embodiment of all her regrets and desires. She thinks back on their previous memories in these same elevators - when she’d asked Callie out for the first time, the many brief moments they’d stolen in between shifts, the desperate kiss they’d shared post-breakup - all of it seems so far away now, like the events of another life, completely removed from all that Arizona is now facing.
Without warning, Callie slams her hand onto the emergency stop button, bringing the elevator to a grinding halt.
Arizona’s face twists into a bemused frown, “Callie, what-“
“Stop talking.” Callie says harshly, holding up a hand to silence her, “I’m just gonna say this right now because if I don’t, I’ll lose my nerve.”
“Okay.” Arizona agrees because she’d probably let Callie say anything to her at this point, so long as she gets to keep hearing the voice that’s haunted her dreams for the past three years.
“I was so angry when you left and sad and betrayed. I took weeks off work and cut my hair and even tried to poach Alex from paeds. I was a wreck because of you. You ruined my life.”
“Callie-“ Arizona attempts, feeling guilt and regret swirling in her stomach.
“I’m not finished.” Callie interrupts quickly, “You ruined my life by not being in it. But… it’s been long enough that I can admit… you were right. I am happier here and I don’t think I would have been as happy if I went with you. So… Thank you for being the one to realise that and having the guts to spare us both the extra heartbreak. I guess, what I’m trying to say is… I’m glad you’re back and I want to be professional and civil. We can just stay out of each other’s way. I mean, I worked with my adulterous ex-husband for a year and I survived so I can probably handle you.”
Arizona feels a small smile flicker over her face amidst the revolving door of emotions she experienced during Callie’s speech. “So… you’re not mad anymore?”
Callie chuckles, pressing the button and allowing the elevator to spring back to life, “Not really. Although, a little warning would’ve been nice.”
Arizona frowns at this revelation, “Teddy was supposed to tell you.”
Callie shrugs, “I guess she dropped the ball there.”
“Well, I’m sorry about that too.” Arizona responds.
There’s a ding and the doors slide open to reveal the near-empty hospital lobby. The dark night outside creeps through the windows, giving the room a sort of ominous but warm look. It’s bittersweet, like this conversation. They step out awkwardly, both lingering by the doors as they slide shut once more, like they don’t want to leave but they have no reason to stay.
Callie opens her mouth like she’s about to say something when suddenly, a loud and familiar voice booms across the room to them.
“Cal!” Mark Sloan appears as if out of nowhere.
He looks mainly the same as he did three years ago, his hair is slightly greyer and his facial hair has been removed but at least he still wears that irritating smirk that Arizona had never been able to forget. She doesn’t dislike Mark Sloan, contrary to popular belief, but she’d also never warmed to him the way that Callie had hoped she would. It’s like for every good quality he displayed, a negative one was sure to follow, quickly nipping any affection Arizona would begin to feel for him in the bud. He’d show his surgical skills then follow it up by hitting on a patient or make a great joke then wink like a creep or place a comforting arm around Callie but then let his hand rest just a little too low for Arizona’s liking. It was a game, a tug of war, the prize being Callie of course. Still, Arizona always appreciated him for what he was and, to her utmost shock, had almost found herself missing him. Almost.
Right now, she can’t possibly imagine why because as he gets closer, his hand slips around Callie’s waist and his head fits seamlessly into the crook of her neck with this sickening air of familiarity and routine that makes Arizona feel nauseous. They were always touchy, more touchy than Arizona felt was necessary, but this is a whole new level.
“Hey, babe.” Mark says softly, then turns to the stunned and horrified Arizona, “Blondie, I heard you were back, good to see you.”
Arizona’s eyes flicker between Callie and Mark, her heart sinking with realisation as she takes in their close proximity, so easy and natural, and the guilty look on Callie’s face as she tries to avoid Arizona’s gaze. It’s sickening, it’s all Arizona ever feared, for their entire relationship she struggled with jealousy surrounding Mark and now the very picture of her insecurities is staring her in the face and it’s worse than she could have ever imagined.
Arizona swallows down the thick disgust in her throat and tries to force a smile on her face, although based on Callie’s own reaction, it clearly isn’t very convincing.
“Hi, Mark.” Arizona replies, her voice more shaky and uncomfortable than she would have liked, “It’s…um, it’s been a while.”
“Yeah,” Mark nods, pressing a kiss to Callie’s cheek that makes Arizona suppress a gag, “glad to see you two are getting along well, I thought this might’ve been awkward, but I guess not.”
“Right.” Callie mumbles and it’s definitely awkward. It’s insanely awkward and unpleasant and embarrassing for all parties involved except apparently Mark who keeps smiling that stupid smirk.
“Totally,” Arizona agrees, giggling through her crippling discomfort, “Not weird at all.”
Mark steps out of Callie’s personal space, much to Arizona’s relief because her eyes were truly starting to sting, and speaks directly to her in this gentle tone that Arizona has only ever heard him use with Lexie Grey, “I’m gonna go get Sofia from daycare, okay? I’ll meet you at the car.”
“Yeah, okay.” Callie replies, her smile not quite reaching her eyes.
Mark walks away with a stupid smile on his stupid face. Arizona is frozen from shock, disgust, humiliation, confusion - take your pick. Callie just stares back at her with this look of guilt and shame.
“Arizona…”
“Don’t.” Arizona pleads, “Please, just… don’t.”
“You can’t possibly be upset about this,” Callie says in that bossy tone that never failed to annoy Arizona back in the day, now it just makes her sad, “Arizona we broke up years ago, you broke up with me years ago, I’m allowed to move on. It’d be weird if I hadn’t and-“
“Who’s Sofia?” Arizona asks harshly.
Callie stutters, “I-Well… She’s my daughter. Mine and Mark’s daughter.”
Arizona can’t even reply, she doesn’t know what to say, she just turns around and walks away, the same way she had in the airport three years ago. Callie’s right, she has no right to be upset about this, but when have emotions ever adhered to what's fair? No, Arizona’s emotions are unfortunately free-spirited, they always have been.
She practically sprints out of the lobby, her heart throbbing in her ears and her stomach churning horribly. She manages to make it to the side of the building before she keels over and spews her guts all over the concrete. Suddenly, she’s crying too. Hot, angry tears stream down her face and drip into the stinking puddle of puke beneath her. God, what a mess.
She’s not mad that Callie moved on, that’d be ridiculous, that’s what she’d wanted - for Callie to stay in Seattle and thrive, to be happier than Arizona could ever make her. No, she’s mad that Callie is happy with Mark, the one person she’d always been threatened by, the one she was told not to worry about. They have a child, the one thing Arizona could never give Callie, the thing they’d once broken up over. It makes her feel like a fool.
She slides down the wall and lets herself breathe in the cold night air. She leans her head back against the hard brick and allows her eyes to fall shut. It feels like homecoming in the worst way. She thinks back to all the time she spent in this hospital - the cases, the losses, all the good and the bad - all that she left behind for Malawi and all that she missed while she was there.
“Are you okay?”
Arizona jumps out of her skin, her head snapping up and her eyes flying open. Lexie Grey stands a few feet away in her civilian clothes with a concerned frown on her face.
Arizona sighs, “Lexie, you nearly gave me a heart attack.”
“Sorry,” Lexie shrugs, “You just…” her eyes flicker down to the puddle of vomit on the ground, “Are you sick?”
Arizona laughs bitterly, “I wish. It’s just… first day back struggles, that’s all.”
Lexie nods understandingly, “Let me guess, you saw Callie and Mark in action?”
“You’d think Teddy would’ve mentioned that.” Arizona scoffs.
Lexie moves to come sit beside Arizona on the floor, hugging her knees to her chest. They must look pathetic to anyone else and maybe they are but right now, Arizona can’t bring herself to give a damn.
Lexie sighs, “It’s weird, right? I thought so too. I mean, he gave me this big speech at one point about how their ‘platonic bond’ is just ‘so deep’ that it can’t be explained and that I should trust him because the sex ‘didn’t mean anything’. And I even asked Callie about them once, point blank and tried to set some boundaries but she just argued some nonsense about him not staring at her boobs when we were together. Clearly, that was all bullshit.”
Arizona laughs without a shred of humour, “I got the same spiel. All that crap about them being ‘just friends’. I mean, we both fell for it. How did we both fall for it? We’re smart women, we’re doctors for God’s sake. I just… every time I would try to set a boundary, it would be knocked down within minutes so I don’t even know why I’m surprised.”
Lexie just smiles sadly, “Is there anything I can do? I’ve had years to process this but it’s still fresh for you. Plus, the photographic memory means I can still clearly picture the first time I saw them together so I get how you’re feeling more than you know.”
Arizona laughs, for real this time, “It’s okay, Lexie. I’m just realising that my life is a disaster. I mean, I won an amazing medical grant and spent years saving lives, underprivileged children’s lives, and now I’m crying on the ground with, let’s be honest, an acquaintance about my ex-girlfriend who I dumped three whole years ago. And all I want is a cigarette but Teddy would kill me, although I kinda wanna kill her right now for not preparing me at all for what I was going to be walking into. Oh and I have nowhere to live and no plans which is so unlike me because I’m usually like a total type A control freak with a plan and a backup plan and backup plans for my backup plans!”
“Okay, okay, just breathe!” Lexie says, placing a comforting hand on Arizona’s shoulder. “It’s all gonna be fine. You’re Arizona Robbins, the most kick-ass paeds surgeon ever and winner of the freaking Carter-Maddison Grant. Remember that.”
“Thanks.” Arizona smiles genuinely, feeling truly okay for the first time all day.
Lexie clears her throat, “Um… y’know, if you really need a place to stay… I’m sort of looking for a roommate.”
Arizona’s eyes widen in surprise, “Oh, you don’t have to-“
“Seriously,” Lexie interrupts quickly, “you’d be doing me a huge favour, my last roommate left me in lurch.”
They’re not close, they never were and they haven’t seen each other in three years. But, Arizona is desperate and she likes Lexie who is apparently equally as desperate and is the only one who can understand what she’s feeling right now.
So, she shrugs and says, “Okay, I’ll come live with you.”
“Great!” Lexie replies, “We can go now if you want or you can move in tomorrow or-“
Arizona cuts her off with a smile, “Lexie, chill. I’ll go back to my room at Archfield tonight and you can text me your address so I can move in tomorrow night, okay?”
Lexie nods, blushing slightly, “Right, sounds perfect. But… you already know the address, it’s your old apartment, 502 down the street.”
“Oh.” Arizona replies.
“Mark and I briefly got back together when you first left for Africa,” Lexie explains, “but it was like our third date when he announced that he had gotten Callie pregnant. Obviously, I was pissed at him for doing it, at myself for taking him back again and letting him choose a child over me again. The point is… eventually, they moved in together into Mark’s apartment and I guess as a way of making amends or something, Callie offered me her place. So, I live there now.”
“Wait,” Arizona says, “we’d be living opposite our exes?”
“Did I forget to mention that?” Lexie winces, “Yeah, sorry. I totally get it that changes your mind-“
“No, it’s…” Arizona sighs, “I’ll just avoid the hall.”
“Cool.” Lexie laughs then stands up and offers Arizona her hand.
Arizona accepts the offer and allows herself to be pulled up from the pits of despair, careful not to stand in the puddle of her own humiliation.
“I’ll see you tomorrow, Dr Robbins.” Lexie says with a wave as she walks towards the parking lot.
“You too, Dr Grey.” Arizona replies, a new sense of hope and relief washing over her. At least something is finally feeling right.
She stays put for a few minutes, watching Lexie disappear into the night and allowing herself a minute to bask in her newfound stability.
Then, she begins to make her way towards her car with a little more pep in her step than she’s had since she left Seattle three years ago - hell, since before the shooting.
“Hey, ‘Zona!” Teddy’s comfortingly familiar voice calls out from across the parking lot.
Arizona’s first instinct is to smile but then she remembers that she’s meant to be mad at Teddy, so she forces it down and crosses her arms instead.
“How was your first day back? Do you wanna-“ Teddy cuts herself off as she gives Arizona a once-over and frowns, “What’s wrong?”
Arizona shoots her the best death-glare she can muster, “I don’t know Theodora, you tell me.”
Teddy sighs, “You saw Callie?”
Arizona nods, “Uh-huh. You didn’t tell her that I was back and you also failed to mention that she is in love with, has a child with and lives with Mark freaking Sloan!”
Teddy places her hands on Arizona’s shoulders and leans closer before replying, “I’m sorry, okay? I told Mark you were coming back and just assumed he’d tell Callie over family breakfast or something, it didn’t seem like such an unlikely, wild idea at the time. And you asked me not to talk about her while you were away so I didn’t! I really am sorry that you were blindsided, alright?”
Arizona sighs and leans her head to the side in defeat, resting it on where Teddy’s hand is on her shoulder, “It’s okay, I can’t stay mad at you. I just… really wish… not that I hadn’t left because I loved Malawi, but I guess I wish that nothing had changed while I was gone? I don’t know, it sounds ridiculous.”
Teddy just smiles, “You saved me, y’know? When I first got here and I was this mess, fresh out of combat and obsessed with Owen Hunt, it was pathetic. You barged your way into my life and into my heart and you helped me feel like a person again. I guess I didn’t want anything like that to happen to you, I wanted to make your reintroduction to society a little easier, like you did for me and keep you from being all pathetic about Callie.”
Arizona feels her heart skip a beat at such a clear declaration of affection from Teddy. She grins, “Thanks, Teds. You’re the best.”
“I know, right?” Teddy teases, then sobers up and says, “I do also have a more selfish reason for withholding the truth from you.”
“Oh?” Arizona prompts, lifting her head and stepping back a little and prepping for the next truth bomb of the day.
Teddy shrugs, “It’s just… I was worried that if you knew about Mark and Callie, then you might not come back to work here and… you’re my best friend and I love you so much. The past three years have been torture not having you here and well, Henry and I are planning this little do-over wedding kind of thing, since we’re actually in love now and he’s relatively healthy and um… I need you here, in the county and specifically the city, to be my maid of honour.”
Arizona sighs in relief, a huge grin spreading over her face as warm affection and excitement floods her insides, “That’s it? You want me to be your maid of honour? Of course, Teddy, of course!”
Arizona pulls her into a tight embrace, feeling closer to anyone than she has in three years. She buries her head into her best friend's neck and prays for her life to get back on track again.
When they pull apart, Arizona decides it’s the perfect time to announce, “Oh, I’m moving in with Lexie Grey.”
“What?” Teddy asks, her eyebrows climbing up into her hairline as Arizona goes on to explain.
“She has a spare room and I’m homeless, it just makes sense.” She shrugs nonchalantly.
“You know I would have let you stay with me.”
“I know but I’d rather not third-wheel your honeymoon phase.” Arizona teases with a wink.
Teddy laughs lightly, “That’s probably a good call.”
“See you tomorrow?” Arizona asks as she begins to walk away.
Teddy nods, “Obviously. Now that you’re back, it’s gonna be pretty hard to shake me.”
“I wouldn’t have it any other way.” Arizona calls over her shoulder as she opens her car door and clambers in.
The short drive to the Archfield Hotel allows Arizona to decompress and think over the day’s highs and lows. She saved some kids and had many reunions, some sweet and some sour, and got herself a new home. All in all, it could have been worse.
Full of exhaustion, Arizona unlocks the door to her hotel room and immediately flops down onto the bed, ready to escape into her dreamland and sleep the worries away.