Leaving

                                    

                                          
     Callie POV
Sofia and I were up at 4:00 AM sharp. We had to catch our plane to Seattle. I arranged so that we would get there mid day and would be able to put Sofia in the hospital daycare.
                          
"Mama, are we ready to go?"
"Yep, just slipping on my shoes." 
I was wearing a casual tshirt under my usual black jacket. I wore black jeans and some nice black flats.  I like black. As I walked out the door, I glanced at myself in the mirror. I had cut my hair a little bit, I wondered if Arizona would recognize me. I hoped so. 
                          
It was still dark outside. Street lights were starting to turn on as Sofia and I loaded our suitcases into the car. As we backed out of the driveway, we waved the house goodbye, as we wouldn't be coming back anytime soon.
                          
Xxxx
                          
We arrived at the airport. The sun was just beginning to rise and there was a hint of pink in the sky. Sofia and I carried our bags to the checking area. As we made our way through the course of the airport, I was becoming more and more excited. I could see the excitement arising on Sofia's face as well.
                          
Xxxx
                          
We got on the plane and as we took off, Sofia just looked at me. My mind wandered to Arizona again. I wanted to feel her embrace, I wanted be with her, I wanted to feel her presence. For the rest of the flight, that's all I could think about.
                          
Xxxx
                          
As the plane touched down in Seattle, the clock read 12:34. I couldn't wait to see Arizona. Sofia and I exited the plane, and called a cab to bring us home. 
"Where to ma'am?" 
"Grey Sloan Memorial Hospital please."
                          
The drive seemed long. It felt weird. My thoughts kept drifting to Arizona though. I could imagine her waiting for me. But then I had a sad thought.
What if Arizona never missed me? What if she wanted me gone?
At that thought, a tear ran down my cheek. I wiped it away so Sofia wouldn't notice. I didn't want her seeing me cry again. The past few days I had cried at least once, if not, twice.
Sofia was playing Candy Crush on her iPad. She was immersed in the game. I hope she didn't have too much homework from her first grade class.
                          
The cab stopped. We were at the hospital. I was nervous. Sofia on the other hand, was jumping around, wondering where Arizona was.  I could feel my heart rate elevating. I started worrying if Arizona was going to hate me for coming back, for taking her daughter, for leaving. 
No no no, I told myself. Don't get yourself worked up. You will be fine. Whatever happens happens.
                          
As we walked in the familiar doors of the hospital, a wave of nostalgia washed over me. The familiar scent of the hospital, the busy nurses rushing around, the tall windows at the front entrance...
I stopped to take in everything I had missed for literally only a month. I had talked to Bailey a month before about leaving with Penny. What seemed like a year was only a month.
Another wave of nostalgia hit me hard and memories came flooding back of Penny, just from five days ago.
"We both know how this ends Penny. What's the point?"    "Are you breaking up with me? Is that it?"   "Penny you should go."
My head spun. I really just did that. Now Penny is heartbroken.
As the memories came back, I had to sit down. 
"Mama what's going on?"   "Sorry honey, I just needed a rest, that's all."
As we walked down the long hall towards the daycare, my mind started drifting off into thoughts about Arizona again. I tried to put my mind on something else, but it just wasn't working.  Every time we passed an on-call room, I thought of the times Arizona and I locked ourselves in there, kissing each other until we were paged for another surgery. Every time we passed an OR, I thought of the car crash.
The car crash.
When I had been severely injured. And when Arizona proposed to me.
I could feel my hand start to tremble in my pocket. Clenching my fist, I stopped the tremor beginning to start. I began to relax. The car crash was over. 
As we arrived at the daycare, I greeted the woman who had always watched all the little ones since I had started to work at the hospital. She said welcome back, and I told her Sofia would be staying here for a while. Then I looked to my left.
Richard was there. "Dr. Torres?"
"Hi."
"Is everything okay? I thought you left for New York."
"I did. I came back."
He nodded, and said, "Glad to have you back."
"Thanks."
The encounter with my former chief had me a little nervewracked. I hoped he wouldn't tell Arizona I was here.
As I exited the daycare, I didn't really know where to go next. 
Should I go find Arizona? Should I go to her house? Should I wait?
I decided to wait for a little bit.
                          
I walked back down to the lobby and sat down in one of the comfortable chairs. As I was flipping through a magazine, I heard someone.
                          
"Calliope?"
                          
I froze. My eyes stopped reading. I heard my name. I know I did. My heart started beating really fast.
                          
"Calliope Torres."
                          
I slowly looked up from my magazine. 
                          
Beautiful blue eyes with long lashes were staring at me. 
                          
Her hair was down, straightened perfectly. She was wearing navy blue scrubs and a white lab coat. She was holding nothing. Then I realized her ring was on.
                          
"Calliope Torres." She spoke my name again.
                          
I forced myself to say something. "Arizona."
                          
"Did you really come back for me?" she spoke softly.
                          
I didn't know how to answer. Words wouldn't come out.  Finally I managed to say something.
"Yes Arizona. Yes I did."
                          
She turned around and walked down the hall.