The Song Remains the Same

Chapter 25

The lounge was quiet, its occupants diligent but relaxed. It would have been a perfectly professional scene if Callie wasn't sitting with her legs across Arizona's lap while they read, both in glasses. Arizona was flipping through a chart while her partner perused scans on her tablet. They were both working but the atmosphere was close, private, in spite of the location. Callie groaned when her pager broke the peaceful quiet, reaching for it on the floor and holding it up to read the display. “Oh boy.”

“What is it?” Arizona asked without glancing away from her folder. She turned the page and her hand returned to Callie's leg, rubbing small, gentle circles just below her knee.

“Ellis wants to see me. I guess there's a VIP Cardio case coming in.”

Arizona's phone rang on the coffee table and Callie stretched out to snag it for her. “It's my mom.” Callie sat up unwillingly, stretching and turning to put her feet back on the floor. “Page me if you get free?”

“Sure,” agreed Callie with a smile. “Tell your mom I said 'hey.'”

“Will do.” Arizona winked. “Hey mom.”

Callie knocked lightly on the open door frame of Ellis Grey's office as she arrived. “You wanted to see me, Chief?”

Ellis looked up from her computer and gestured for Callie to enter. “Ah, yes, come in, Dr. Torres.” She made a final click on her keyboard and Callie's tablet beeped in her pocket. “I just sent you the case file of a high priority patient that I need you to take on. He's former military, with a progressive and invasive cardiac tumor.”

Callie was already scanning the file of one Nick Jordan and whistled lowly. “This is a big tumor.”

Ellis' lips were pursed and she cleared her throat. “Yes, well, it appears that Mr. Jordan is very stubborn. His family forced him to come in.”

“They're here already?”

“They're just waiting to meet you,” Ellis told her. “They've come to Seattle Grace for the very best, Dr. Torres.”

Callie stood up, nodding. “Alright.” She was confident in her own abilities. If Ellis wasn't she wouldn't be working here. “I'll have Yang assist.”

“Very good.” She nodded, dismissing her Head of Cardio. “Your patient should be in the Cardio wing already. Keep me updated, Dr. Torres.”

Callie was still surveying her patient's scans, frowning at the date on the edges of the image, as she left the office. She'd need new ones before she could get an accurate idea about moving forward. Yang would be drooling over this case. In the elevator she typed out a text to her protege to meet her at the nurse's station. Cristina was only ever in Cardio or the OR so she'd probably beat her there.

Sure enough, she was met by the younger surgeon as the elevator doors opened and she handed off the computer in her hands. “VIP case. Ellis wants us on it.”

Cristina whistled in appreciation as she zoomed in on the scans. “Damn, that's big.”

“Look at the date,” Callie suggested as she took the lead, Cristina following her without looking up. If Callie had chosen to lead her astray, she'd have walked into a wall without stumbling.

“Damn,” Cristina repeated as they walked. “I'll call up for an MRI.”

They had just turned the corner when raised voices got their attention, the two exchanging looks. The male voice was loud, frustrated, and unfamiliar. The answering female voice was one Callie knew, though. Whoever was yelling was shouting at Arizona. Callie was at the door in a burst of speed that left Cristina behind. “Hey!”