DISCLAIMER: Shonda Rhimes created them, I just borrow them for awhile. Thanks to sillyme for the beta read.
ARCHIVING: Only with the permission of the author.
Whole
By carpesomediem
Callie likes to watch Arizona when she knows the blonde isn't looking. Most of the time, Callie can get away with it at the hospital because everyone is so wrapped up in what everyone else is doing they're not paying attention to the little things. Those little things are what Callie notices, taking note in her head and replays them when she starts thinking about her girlfriend during her down time while on call.
Arizona wasn't like anyone else at Seattle Grace. Callie figured that out pretty quickly.
Who else in that hospital would say hello and smile to everyone they pass? No matter how Arizona's day went, whether she saved a life or not, she never managed to let that smile fade from her face. Arizona knew things about people, she kept track of details and she made sure to ask everyone how they were doing. She kept her chin up, her shoulders squared and she made plans for tomorrow.
Then there was the time one of her residents performed a routine tonsillectomy and left the scared nine year old boy alone in the room. His parents had to work, they couldn't be there when he came to. She'd walked by his room, saw him crying and brought him some fruit-flavored popsicles and sat with him until Cristina Yang walked by. Cristina was furious she had to babysit until the parents arrived, but Callie remembered the extra bounce in Arizona's step that day.
The one thing about Arizona that amazed Callie more than anything else was the fact that she hadn't walked away from her yet. Callie knew she was frustrating, she was floundering, she still wasn't sure what she wanted or how to get it. No matter how Callie tried pushing her away, Arizona stood her ground, held her hand and wasn't about to let go.
The fact that Callie didn't want Arizona to let go told her she was finally over George, she was finally over Erica and she was finally willing to admit that Arizona was beginning to mean the world to her. It didn't take Callie long to realize Arizona had saved her – had made her whole – and had put her feet so firmly back on the ground she could begin to move forward again.
The End