Okay, so I really wanna keep trying this writing thing but I just can't write on Calzona Strong anymore. At least not right now, I'm not sure if I want them to reconcile and that's how I was gonna right it. So, I started a new story. It's around the same time though, only a couple of months after the storm. Be nice, still trying to get the hang of it.

No copyright whatever. I don't own some characters.

Ughh. I don't know why I came here instead of going to Joe's. Stop lying Callie, you know exactly why you came here, here people don't know you. Here, people don't know what a failure you are. They don't look at you like any second you're gonna break. I hate that look. But what I hate more is how they act around me now. They're all cautious like around me. Like I'm fragile. They stop talking when I walk up. I'm not stupid you know, is what I wanna tell them. I know you're talking about me. But it's okay I guess. That was to be expected when you work at a hospital like Grey-Sloan. Only thing that spreads faster than gossip there is syphilis. It shouldn't bother me anymore but it does. I'm still the same Callie I was before it happened. I'm not some victim, at least I don't try to act like one and I hate it when they treat me like one. 'Yes, I'm fine, stop asking.' 'No I don't wanna talk about it with you, get out my face.' So that's why I'm here at Berny's, classy name. What's up with all the bars having names after their owners, real original. I think the bartender is ignoring me too. I've been sitting here for about half a hour and she still hasn't so much as acknowledged my presence. I'm about two seconds from climbing over the bar to fix my own drink or just getting up to leave when I feel someone towering over me. I look to my right and immediately feel like a perv for staring a little too long at this persons hips. Now, while this stranger has great hips, it's not her hips per se that I'm looking at. It's what's attached to those hips that has my attention. There, sitting pretty on her right hip is a gun. I'm not a big fan of guns, not since the Gary Clark incident, I've been a little leery around them since. I'm a little scared since I don't see a badge and she's not in a police uniform. She could be a detective or something, I reason, whatever the case may be I'm not too worried, there are plenty of witnesses here if she's crazy. When I finally force my eyes up from her hips to her face I'm met with an admittedly sexy smirk since she thinks I was checking her out, which I guess I did, accidentally, and some big saucer-like brown eyes. I guess I was staring again cause her eyebrow raises expectantly and I find my voice, "Yes?" I question.

"I asked if this was your purse hogging this stool," she repeats what I guess she already asked me in a deep husky voice, almost sounding like a soft man voice but it works for her.

"Oh, yea, sorry about that," I say, grabbing my oversized bag to put in my lap. Not even five seconds pass asunder she sat down does the rude bartender make her way over.

"Hey Savvy, what can I get for you this evening," the rude barkeep says to my neighbor and to my surprise she's not rude at all. She's actually very flirty with who's name I know now to be Savvy. Savvy, kinda catchy, gotta be a nickname though. I'm pulled away from my musing when I see the rude and flirty bartender walk away. Damn, I'm never gonna get a drink. Torres you gotta pay attention.

"So you come to bars to hog all the seats or do you actually drink," comes from my right.

I'm not in any mood to socialize but I don't want to be rude, "I was starting to think I had on my invisible suit before you came over because I've been sitting here for over 30 minutes and your friend over there has yet to come take my order. I was thinking about flashing her to get her over here but then she came to you and I was so caught up in my head that... And I'm over sharing." I finish with an awkward smile.

"No it's okay. Flashing her will definitely get her attention, and mine," she adds with a wink. Then the bartender brings her a tall glass of beer. "Hey Ash, can you bring my friend here a..." She trails off and looks over at me, narrowing her eyes at me like she's trying to read me. I just smile at her and wait to seen if she can guess what I drink. "..a glass of red. A big one, thanks".

I don't have to wait long before Ash, Ashley?, sits a glass of red wine in front of me, I don't touch it though. I feel like giving her a hard time for some reason, "And what makes you think I drink red wine?"

"You look like a beer just wouldn't do it for you so I thought I'd go a step up, now choosing red over white, just a lucky guess," she replies.

"Lucky guess huh ?" I reach for my glass and drink it in large gulps, it's not cute by a long shot but I immediately feel a little better as I feel the cool liquid running down my throat. Then what she said tugs at my brain, "Wait, did you say I looked bad?"

"You know, usually when I buy a woman a drink some sort of appreciation follows. How about 'Thank you Savvy, that was just what I needed'... Women," she finishes with a slight shake of her head and finishes off her beer just to have another immediately placed in front of her.

"So you buy women drinks frequently?" the wine making me a little more playful than when she first sat down.

She shakes her head negative and says "Just the cute ones." Squashing any playfulness I might have had in me. My face must have given me away as it always does because next thing I know a tequila shot is being slid my way. How this woman knows exactly what I drink is beyond me. I look up at her questioningly and she answers, "Didn't look like the wine was gonna do either. Thought you might need something stronger." I give her a half smile and throw my shot back and I actually feel worse. My silence obviously doesn't deter her because she keeps talking to me. "What's his name?"

Is she talking to me? "What?"

"The asshole who put you in this funk. Seems like you've had more than just a rough day and that indent on your ring finger says it used to house a ring so, what's his name? I can't go beat him up if I don't know his name.

If I wasn't so sad I probably would have laughed a little. "It's not a him it's a her, or rather it was a her. But I won't tell you her name so you can't beat the crap outta her. She's only got one leg, it'll make you look like an ass." I actually did laugh a little at the mental image that popped into my head. I instantly felt bad about it though. Them must have been some strong shots 'cause what little filter I do have doesn't seem to be working. "Had she still had both her legs I wouldn't hesitate to give it to you though."

I think I caught Savvy off guard with that cause when I look over to her her mouth is hanging open a little bit. For some reason I keep talking, once it starts its hard to stop. "Yeah, she was in a plane crash a year ago, long story short, I ended up having to decide whether or not to amputate her leg. I promised her that I wouldn't let them take her leg. I'm a doctor, I knew better. She's a doctor too she should've known better than to ask me that but oh well," I'm too into my story that I don't realize that Savvy keeps pushing drinks in front of me and that I was knocking them back as soon as they were in front of me. "It was bad for a while after her amputation. Awful really, but for better or worse you know? I still loved her. She was changing right in front of me but I was still in love with her. She's the mother of my child after all it's hard not to. But she got better, we got better. And I was so proud of her, of myself," my voice started to quiver and I felt a comforting hand rubbing my back but I held strong. "..we were dealt a terrible hand but we were getting through it. But then there was the storm, and it was like the straw that broke the camel's, my, back. I can take and deal with a lotta shit from people but cheating.. I can't. I thought I could once, in my first marriage but I couldn't. And I wish I could I really do, not because I still love her which I do don't get me wrong but 'cause I feel terrible because I can't stay with her. Every time I look at her I just... Now she's made me like her, not a cheater, I don't think I have it in me, but a runner. I feel like I'm bailing just like she did before... But she blames me, she holds me responsible for that leg and I don't deserve that right? She blames me for saving her life and we can't work if she won't forgive me right?" I don't give her a chance to answer. Honestly I think I forgot she was sitting there listening. "I refuse to be the only one trying anymore and I refuse to be her scapegoat." There is something to be said about venting to a perfect stranger I tell ya.

My bar-mate makes herself known again when she clears her throat. I look over at her and motion for her to speak. "Can I talk now? Are you finished?" I have the decency to look a little embarrassed by my verbal diarrhea and nod with a faint "sorry". "First of all , wow." I don't know why I laughed, I think it's her facial expressions that keep making me feel better. Maybe it's her tone or the strained look on her face that tells me she's not big on feelings and emotional crap, reminds me of Yang a lil. "Second, I may have to risk looking like an ass 'cause I still want to punch your one legged wife." There she is trying to be funny so she doesn't have to do the feelings thing. I still smile but I can't keep her gaze because I feel bad again, every time that leg is mentioned I feel bad or angry. But I can't get mad at Savvy cause she has the balls to say it. "Not telling me her name was smart but telling me that story definitely didn't help her case. Lastly, you're right. You didn't and don't deserve any of that." I find her gaze again and I know she can tell I'm holding on to her every word. "And you're not a runner. You didn't run, she ran, when she slept with someone else that was her running. You have every right to leave. And don't feel bad about saving her life, she'll thank you for it someday.

"I was being selfish."

"You were being a wife, a mother. You taking care of your family. Making sure your child didn't lose its mother, making sure you didn't lose your wife. You did the right thing," she say matter of factly.

"I lost her anyway," I say sadly.

It gets quiet for a while, and I think it strange seeing as we are in a bar, but then she agrees, "Maybe."

And we just sit there, lost in thought, or at least I am. I don't know how long I sit there thinking, rethinking, over thinking, which seems to be all I do lately, but I decide its been too long and turn to bar-mate. "Thank you Savvy," I have to thank her, I do feel lighter.

She turns to me, mouth agape, such the drama queen I see, "How'd that taste coming out of your mouth? Did it hurt?" She plays and I can't stop my hand from slapping her arm completely forgetting or not caring that she had a gun. She just laughs though when I tell her it did not hurt and that I do have manners. "You're welcome..." She trails off and I remember that I had basically given her my life story but had yet to tell her my name.

"Callie. Callie Torres." I supply

"Savvy, though you already know that."

"Savvy short for something or do people think that you are savvy and that's why they call you that?" I don't know when I became an active part or this conversation but I guess I am. And I'm curious.

"Short for something."

"What?"

"Hey, did I ask you what Callie was short for or did I accept that as your name?"

"Touché. So are you a cop or something? I saw a gun but no badge."

"You sure ask a lot of questions don't you?" She observes. I just shrug and wait for my answer. "I'm a detective if you must know Miss Callie." She drawls. I try not to smile at her because its so obvious she's trying to act like she doesn't wanna talk to me but really does but I fail. She must notice my smile and uses it as an opportunity to deflect, "She smiles," she announces to no on in particular.

"You're a real funny gal Savvy. Regular ol stand up comedian" replay sarcastically and sip on the water Savvy must have got for me.

"What can I say, it's a calling" I laugh and shake my head. I feel a hundred times- well maybe not a hundred, seventy-fives more like it-better than when I first sat here. I can chuck some of it up to the tequila shots and wine that kept magically appearing in front of me but I also have to give some credit to Savvy, I wonder if its short Savannah, cause she made me laugh. And it wasn't forced or phony on her part, she wasn't trying too hard to do it it just happened, and I have to thank her for that. "What?" She asks, apparently I was staring at her again, well not staring, she was just my focal point. "Don't go getting all serious and emotional on me again Callie. I've had all I can handle for one day."

i get serious anyway, "Just, thank you. For the drinks, for the talk, for making me laugh, I hadn't felt this nice in a minute so, thank you," I say sincerely. She smiles a little. I can't even be sure it was a smile it was so little, and opens her mouth I thought to say 'you're welcome' but of course that wasn't the case.

"Oh you thought I was paying for your drinks?" She asks with a straight face. "Oh no Miss Callie, and you're paying for my drinks too. Repayment for the talk and the laughs. ..Don't look at me like that, you're a doctor, you can afford it. I just laugh again and fish through my overnight bag turned purse for my phone. I know I'm not drunk but I must be a little tipsy cause Savvy reaches over and hands me my phone that was right in from of me.

"So you are good for something," I muse and check the time. 11:15pm. I'm glad I don't go in to work until ten in the morning. I'm stuck between wanted to go sleep this liquor off and not wanting to leave. Once I leave I go back to reality, I don't even have my daughter tonight to curl up with and that makes leaving all the less desirable. In truth I just don't wanna leave Savvy yet. 15 more minutes won't hurt, I reason. "So is your witty and sarcastic personality a defense mechanism or have you always been like this?" she looks to me again and I continue, "I'm just curious. I told you my life story so it's only fair you give me a little something about you other than the fact that you're a detective who moonlights as a comedian." I smile, she doesn't though. I thought the last part would have made her laugh or at least creaks a smile but it doesn't.

"I don't talk about me," was all she said and I decided to leave well enough alone. Although now I'm even more curious who this person is that I've unloaded all my problems on.

"Fair enough", I don't think she was expecting me to drop it cause she sends me a grateful smile. She throws me for a loop when she asks me to use my phone. I hand it over anyway but not without teasing the the detective about not having a phone of her own. Then said phone that I thought she didn't have lit up on her hip and call me nosey all you want but I peaked at the unknown number and recognized it to be mine before she handed me back my phone. I just look at her.

"What?" she asks dumbly.

"Real smooth Savvy. That was the oldest trick in the book, I expected more from you I really did," I feign disappointment.

She keeps playing dumb like I didn't see her steal my number. "What are you talking about?"

"The ol 'can I borrow your phone and then call yourself to get my number." She stills feigns ignorance until I fix her with the infamous Torres glare.

"Okay geesh," there's that smirk again. "It worked didn't it?" I keep firm with my glare, "So you're telling me you wouldn't have given me your number if I asked?" And I can't say anything cause I did work and I most definitely would have given it to her. I like her, I can see us hanging out sometime.

"Whatever," I mumble. I go to pull a couple bills from my wallet but a hand on my wrist stops me.

"I got it doc."

"You sure? I thought I owed you for the talk?"

"It's what friends do right?" she says with a shrug. "You can get it next time."

My eyebrows have minds of their own and I think I felt one rise, "Next time? And did you just say we were friends?" I'm smiling now, I know.

"Well don't go getting all crazy and try to hug me or anything." Reverse psychology at its best. But it's okay cause I want one too. I know she can see all thirty-two of my teeth my smiles so wide but I don't care. I stand and to get closer to her stool and lean down and hug her. Well her side cause she won't face me since she's acting like I'm invading her personal space. "This is the worst hug in the history of the world," she says.

"It only works if you hug me back," I say with a laugh that turns into a sigh when I feel her arms encircle my lower back. I feel... safe. Indestructible. Appreciated. Loved. It just dawned on me that I hadn't had a good hug since Mark was still alive. That's how I always felt when he hugged me. Sometimes you just need a hug. Savvy gives good hugs. I should let go, it's probably awkward now but I can't. She must have had the same thought cause I feel her try to pull back but I just tighten my grip. I'm near tears in her arms but I try to hold them in, she already probably thinks I'm crazy I'm not gonna add to it anymore but I need this. I miss Mark, so much, I never really got a chance to mourn that loss with every thing that was going on. I miss Arizona, she's so close yet so far away from me and its maddening. And I can't break down or snap cause I'm not sure what'll happen if I do or if I'll be able to stop and I have to be strong for her and Sofia. Well just Sofia now. Savvy must have sensed my need cause she tightened her grip and started rocking side to side and places a sweet kiss on my shoulder then releases me. "I know I must sound like a broken record to you but, thanks Sav, I needed that."

"Don't mention it. Really. Now let me take you home." she says then pays our tab and stands. I got to tell her I'm not drunk and can drive myself home just fine but she's not having any of that. Had to threaten to arrest me before I caved though.

"Just don't put me in the back."

She opens the front door and tips her imaginary hat, "as you wish Miss Daisy."

She never stops, "You're so corny man," I tell her even though I laughed.

"Yea, and you love it." I do, but I don't let her know that.

AN: fair warning, not sure if Calzona is endgame.