A/N: Couldn't resist fixing S12 before it disappoints us! Here's my take on how they could make Joey Lauren Adams character be a catalyst for Calzona! This will be Calzona, I promise.
"Here's the list of candidates for Chief, there are two from out of town and those are scheduled for first of next week, then we'll interview the internal candidates. I have the CV packages on the first two interviews and I'd like you all to look them over, then we'll meet on Friday and decide who will conduct the first round of interviews and determine the criteria they will need to meet to indicate a second round of interviews to take place while they are here. Are there any questions?" Jackson asks and no one has any, so he hands out the packets.
Arizona looks down at the names of the two candidates and quickly glances over to Amelia a little flustered. Callie notices this and curiously looks at the names. William Carson and Victoria James. Okay, so obviously this Victoria means something to her ex, judging by the look of panic on her face. Opening the packet Callie sees that sure enough the woman is from Hopkins, she is a beautiful blonde, a few years older than her. Wow, Arizona and this woman would have made a beautiful couple. But then we made a beautiful couple too, Callie reminds herself. Then glancing over to the blonde, Callie realizes that she and Amelia are already heading out the door. Shoot, now I'll have to track her down later to find out what's going on.
Meredith too noticed Arizona's reaction to the CVs, so she makes her way over to Callie and asks, "What was that about?"
"I have no idea. I don't recall Arizona mentioning this woman from Hopkins," Callie admits.
"Well I hope its not anything serious, because on paper she looks pretty good." Meredith points out.
"Yes, she does. Do you want to get together and look these over, I'd like to be in on the first round interviews." Callie replies.
"You just want to check her out in case she's an ex that you don't know about." Meredith says, "And I don't blame you."
The rest of the week, Arizona manages to dodge Callie's attempts to ask about the candidates. She sends her questions with Amelia, who Meredith selected to take Derek's spot on the Board. Amelia, Callie and Weber have been selected for the first round of interviews. Meredith, Arizona and Jackson will take second round if it's warranted.
"Hey, I took first round interviews with Callie, but you're stuck with second round." Amelia says later that afternoon stopping by Arizona's office to let her know.
"Okay, well maybe there won't be a second round." Arizona says hopefully.
"You know if you said something to Jackson, he would reconsider the selection." Amelia points out.
"Oh I just need to get over it. It was a long time ago and I'm sure she doesn't even remember it. I'm not going to let something like this affect someone's career opportunities." Arizona says dismissing Amelia's concern, but wondering if what she's saying is true.
"You still haven't really told me what happened between you two. Did you date?" Amelia asks her friend.
"Not exactly. Look, you're going to be interviewing her, so I'm not going to tell you the dirty details. It's not fair for anyone to be measured against something that happened in in their past. I know that I've changed a lot since then, so I'm sure that she has too." Arizona admits.
"Okay, fair point. But just remember we have that meet and greet breakfast on Tuesday with both candidates, then the interviews and possible second interviews. Anyone promising will then be taken to dinner by the whole board," Amelia reminds her.
"No problem. I'm sure it will be fine. Callie and Meredith have been asking me a lot of questions and I don't think she's going to like her anyway, so she won't get very far." Arizona replies.
"Oh, well that's not really fair. We're interviewing her, she shouldn't get kicked just because your ex is jealous of her." Amelia points out.
"Damn, that's a good point, which is a shame because was an excellent Chief Resident. I'll tell Callie that she is not an ex-girlfriend, that should help." Arizona suggests.
"Good idea, I just want us to pick the best candidate; and you're sure that whatever happened between you isn't going to be a problem?" Amelia replies.
"No." Arizona says with confidence that rings hollow to her own ears, but Amelia seems to not notice.
Monday morning and Arizona is dropping Sofia off at daycare, she'll be taken to kindergarten by bus later that morning. As she's leaving the daycare she runs into Callie.
"Hey, how was your weekend?" Arizona asks her.
"Oh it was good. We went out dancing Friday and Saturday, she's loves to dance." Callie replies, she doesn't really like to discuss who she's seeing with her ex, but at the same time, she did ask.
"Oh fun, and you do love to dance." Arizona comments, "Are you ready for the first round interviews tomorrow?"
"Yes, but are you sure you don't have anything to add about Dr James, you were at Hopkins together, surely you remember her?" Callie prods.
"She was a few years ahead of me, she was a great Chief Resident, but I didn't really interact with her there." Arizona replies carefully.
Callie pauses and waits, she's unsure what Arizona is saying or not saying, while she considers whether to press the issue, the blonde is paged and leaves quickly.
Maggie approaches her and notices something is up, " Callie, are you okay?" she asks.
"Uh, yeah, I'm fine." Callie says impatiently.
"Oh I'm sorry." Maggie says thinking that she has offended her.
"No, it's okay. I'm sorry. I just had a weird conversation and I'm trying to process it." Callie says shaking it off. Then turning to face her, she asks, "Did you work with Dr Victoria James when you were at Mass Gen?"
"Oh I did, she's awesome. Why are you asking about her?" Maggie asks.
"She's one of the candidates that Catherine Avery sent us for Chief." Callie replies as they turn to walk towards the elevator. Maggie has lots of information about Dr James and Callie listens intently.
"What did you find out?" Meredith asks Callie when she stops by the lab later that morning.
"Arizona just said she was a great Chief Resident but didn't really work with her much?" Callie replies and watches Meredith's reaction.
"Bullshit, she was a second year, how did she not interact with the Chief Resident?" Meredith asks.
"Well, her brother died that year, so it could be possible that they had little interaction. But what bothers me more is that when Arizona was Chief Resident, Dr James was the Chief of Trauma, so how could they not really know each other?" Callie asks, then adds, "Maggie knew her from Mass Gen and had a lot to say about her."
"Oh, I didn't even think to ask her if she knew her. Good job Cal." Meredith replies. "Did you ask if she's a lesbian?"
"NO!" Callie replies loudly, "Meredith, I don't want people to think I'm the jealous ex or worse that I'm cruising chief candidates. Besides, I am seeing someone, Arizona will eventually, so I just need to deal with it." Callie reminds herself and Meredith.
"That's true. I'm kind of surprised that she hasn't dated anyone in the last two years, but she did have a lot on her plate." Meredith admits.
"Dr Robbins." Arizona says into her phone when it rings late that night.
"Arizona?" The female voice asks.
"Yes, who is calling please?" Arizona asks, but she knows who it is. Even ten years later, she recognizes the voice.
"Are you being coy or mean?" The woman asks.
"Tori, its been a long time..." Arizona replies.
"It has." She agrees. "I understand that you're on the Board of Grey-Sloan, so I wanted us to get our awkward conversation out of the way now and not in front of everyone in a board room."
"I see." Arizona replies, a little relieved actually, she had thought of calling her, but as a board member it seemed inappropriate.
"Well, I was pretty sure that you wouldn't reach out to me. So I just say I'm sorry. I didn't know that you were seeing her, or I never would have taken her home from that party." Tori confesses.
"Tori, it was a long time ago. It makes no difference at all today." Arizona replies, relieved that is all that she mentions. Maybe she doesn't remember that night, the blonde considers.
"I just don't want a stupid misunderstanding from years ago to bite me in the ass now. I'm ready to leave the East Coast and your hospital is impressive. Callie Torres and Miranda Bailey are breaking new ground in ortho and Genome testing, not to mention your one of the most sought after pediatric surgeons and now a fetal specialist as well. I am really looking forward to this interview and I am going all out to get this position." Tori confides.
"Well, we have a number of good candidates applying and a few are internal." Arizona says, unsure what else to say.
"How many internal candidates?" She asks.
"Two. I probably shouldn't say much more about it. It's not fair to the others." Arizona replies, before adding, "Thank you for calling and I'm sure that we'll see each other at some point tomorrow."
"I'd like that. Good night Arizona." Tori says before hanging up.