In An Ideal World

Chapter Six: Would

Arizona's POV

I bit my lip in annoyance as I headed to my car, on my way to the hospital once again. It really was true that peds and fetal medicine came alongside several unexpected pages. Wether it's a premie being born or a kid with a complication, somethings always goes wrong just when I hope it doesn't. At least this gives me time to think, though, instead of staring at Amelia blank-faced in shock.

She didn't leave because she hated me, she left because she wanted to keep me safe; at least that's what she claimed. I mean, that did seem like a very Amelia sort of thing to do, right? Get scared that I'll get hurt and leave to try and protect me. She meant well but I mean.. she definitely executed it wrong, she should've just talked to me.

This whole time when she was gone, I've been so worried and I guess just seeing that she's alive and well and knowing that she didn't leave me because I got too annoying, it really makes me feel better. I was so scared she left me and get hooked on drugs again and end up overdosing in a sketchy alleyway somewhere, all alone. But I'm so, so glad she didn't.

When I arrived at the hospital I took a deep breath before running in and throwing on a quick trauma gown. "What do we have?" I yelled, trying to clear my mind so I could focus on the patient and not Amelia. "Car crash, 2 injured kids. No seatbelts" Owen responded and I nodded. It's still unbelievable how parents don't make their kids wear seatbelts. They're not that restricting and it may save their lives, so what's the big deal? It's also the law so I just don't understand it. I hoped they were normal parents who just made a mistake, but usually in cases like these the parents were alcoholics or druggies which was upsetting at times to say the least.

I ran over to the first ambulance and helped the paramedic roll a young, 3 year old boy out. I couldn't help but think he was too young to be without a car seat, so I sighed as I realised this wasn't the first time they went in the car without being properly strapped in. It really was devastating to see kids like this, but seeing the smiles on their faces when they feel better always makes my day.

I saw a little 5 year old girl being rolled out of the other ambulance but she seemed to be more stable; so I stayed with the unconscious young boy. "Page neuro, stat" I demanded, not even thinking about the fact that Amelia was the head of neuro now. All that mattered right now was my patient's care and I needed to be sure he didn't have any brain damage before I did anything else. Me and an intern rolled the boy to get a head CT and as I anxiously waited, I realised that I had just paged Amelia to help with the case.

"Damn it. He's a bleeder, we need to head up to the OR now" I growled in frustration. "And where the hell is neuro?!?" I yelled before Amelia rushed into the room, laughing a little. "Jeez someone's demanding, I'm here. Let's go." She responded as we all ran up to the OR to prep the young boy.

Me and Amelia scrubbed in silently for two minutes, before Amelia began to talk. "I'm sorry" She apologised once again, and even though I knew she was genuinely sorry, one word couldn't fix years worth of heartbreak. Not that easily, anyways. "I know you are" I responded softly, keeping my voice at a calm level, one which I'd use when talking to one of my younger patients.

"I'm not a kid, Arizona. Don't speak to me like I'm one." Amelia bit back quite sharply, a tone that made me realise that she was serious about this, about what she was saying. "What I did was really stupid, and I know it was. I'm sorry for hurting you and we don't have to go back to the way we were, but can we at least try to be friends again? My life's been hell since I left" She sighed, glancing up at me to make sure that I was still listening before anxiously looking down at her arms once again. You could easily tell she was tense, but I wasn't sure how to help her.

"Everything's just moving so slowly and I'm only starting to get used to it now. I started drinking again but I stopped, somehow. I just want to know where have you been? What brought you to Seattle? Talk to me, as your friend, please? We used to know everything about each other and now I just feel... lost.." Amelia wiped some tears from her eyes before pulling her mask up over her mouth and entering the OR, a pair of gloves being placed on her hands as she walked over to the boy.

I followed her in and did the same, situating myself beside her so I could assist her during surgery. "I'll talk to you, but not now. Later, when we get home. Alright?" I asked and Amelia nodded before beginning the operation, expertly asking the scrub nurse for a scalpel before cutting his head open at just the right spot. The accuracy needed in brain surgery really was incredible.

The surgery thankfully went well so me and Amelia rolled him down to recovery. "I'm just going to check on my other patient, his sister, before I go home alright? Wait for me at reception?" I asked and Amelia nodded, heading towards the locker rooms to grab her purse while I headed to the peds floor to check on the other girl. Once I saw that she was fine and only sustained minor injuries, I headed downstairs and met up with Amelia.

"Shall we?" I asked, holding my arm out like the gentlewoman I was.

"We shall." Amelia gave me a cheesy grin before linking her arm in mine and walking out the door with me.