The Song Remains the Same

Chapter 9

Arizona knew the night before had been hard for Callie, part of her had even been expecting a late night call or text from the other woman, but she could see exactly how hard it had been as soon as she saw the weak smile her morning greeting was returned with. “Hey.” She wanted to stop her outside the meeting, wanted to pull her into her arms and take away her pain.

“Hey,” Callie answered hoarsely. She was tired, had lost the struggle not to cry some time after one and hadn't slept much at all. Owen brushed past them and they both fell silent, Arizona stepping closer to let him pass.

“I kind of expected you to call me last night,” Arizona admitted in a soft tone when he was gone, her eyes seeking Callie's.

Callie wasn't looking at her though, tired eyes closed. “I'm sorry. I just -” She trailed off, shaking her head and at a loss.

“Can we talk? After the meeting?” Arizona asked, her voice full of so much tender concern that it made Callie's chest ache.

A ragged breath and Callie opened her eyes. “I'm trying not to drag you into the middle of my stuff, Arizona. Give me a minute?”

Blue eyes blinked wide in surprise, full lips falling open. Mark Sloan, having accepted the contract Ellis had offered him, brushed past them in the doorway, his eyes intrigued, almost knowing, as he squeezed through. Arizona grabbed Callie's arms when she moved to follow him. “Hey, that's not fair!” Arizona objected. “I'm your friend. If you want to talk to me, I'm here. Talk to me. Please?” Callie looked at her and it took every bit of restraint Arizona had not to rise up on her toes and kiss her then. She just looked so sad, and tired, and she wanted to see her smile. Callie was going through something though, something that she had every right to be upset about. She couldn't make everything okay, no matter how much she wanted to.

“Arizona,” Callie sighed, her shoulders slumping. “This is hard for me. Harder than I was expecting. And I'm sorry. But you understand, right?”

Arizona let her hands slide away slowly, taking a half step back. “Sure. Of course.” Grateful, Callie nodded. A noise from Arizona as she turned made her stop. “We're still friends, right?” Callie was upset, she was getting divorced, and she knew they felt for each other. Complicated situation might be an understatement. Callie was ending her marriage though, and she wanted to be there for her friend through that. Arizona needed her friend as much as Callie needed her. Because she was crazy about someone truly amazing and had to be free to tell someone about it.

“Of course we are,” Callie answered her without hesitation. “You're my best friend.” She mustered a smile and one hand trailed from Arizona's elbow to her wrist. “Come on. Let's get to our seats before Ellis gets here.”

They both drew up in surprise when they turned to find Mark Sloan in Arizona's chair, leaning over to whisper in Addison's ear and ignoring the glare from Derek on the far side of the table. “Oh.” They exchanged looks as Ellis Grey breezed in.

“Take your seats, everyone.”

Arizona glared impotently at her tablet as she took the empty chair beside Owen where Bailey had previously sat. She'd gotten used to sitting beside Callie. She couldn't whisper to her from here. Not without being overheard by Callie's to be ex-husband and half the table.

There was no time to catch Callie after the meeting, they both had surgery, and she expected that Callie's need for space would mean that she'd end up sitting alone at lunch. But she definitely wasn't moping and picking at her plate when Callie flopped into the seat across the table from her. “Hey.” Callie's smile was tired, the dark circles under her eyes more pronounced. “Thank God,” she sighed, slumping forward in her chair and leaning her elbows on the table. “This is the first time I've sat down all day.”