WRITTEN BY ANGIE
Scar Tissue || Arizona and Teddy
Her eyes scanned her friend, expecting to see some sort of anger or even just a little bit of sadness over the loss of her husband but there was none. She could almost see a glint of joy in her friend’s eyes and that helped relieve the guilt of the way she had used the words inconsiderately with her friend. How Teddy had seemed to keep going every day after losing her spouse was something that she had admired, she couldn’t help but admire how strong her best friend was.
Losing her brother was difficult for the blonde to process when it had happened, they were close and when he died her world shattered. She had picked herself up and had worn a smile because she knew that he died for the good of the American people but the thought of Calliope - the love of her life - dying broke her heart. She would be absolutely devastated if anything happened to her wife, she was the best thing that had happened to the blonde and the thought of losing her was more painful than losing another limb.
“I can’t take losing her Teddy, she’s always been here and I don’t know what I’d do without her.” A soft cry escaped her throat, the truth was when her leg had been amputated it wasn’t just losing her limb that made her angry with her wife. There was also the thought in the back of her mind that Callie would find her less beautiful, that she would stop loving her at some point. Now that the brunette was starting to pull away, the fear was coming back and she couldn’t control the negative thoughts. “She’s too good, I - she deserves better.” Her tears streamed down her face as the cries started to die down.
Arizona nodded her head at her friend and looked at her friend. “Thank you, Teddy. If it helps, I’ll never stop loving her, I’ll let her know.” A soft smile slowly started to form across her lips, as she backed away, but there was still a feeling of doubt that what they had couldn’t be repaired - there was so much to fix, she hoped she had the chance to fix it.
Her smile alone was convincing enough; to anyone on the outside, none would have sensed that Teddy’s calm was not all that it seemed. But those people, they hadn’t known her in the moonlight. They hadn’t known her when the walls had caved in, cracks in the ceiling less numerous than the cracks in her heart. They hadn’t seen her bend and break as the lonely nights closed in upon her, screaming: I’m not strong enough for this. But this was daylight, and she had company.
“You’re a good person, you know that?” Teddy said, forcing a renewed smile for her friend. “And not just because you save tiny humans for a living. I believe in you, Arizona — you’re kind, you’re loyal, and Callie’s lucky as hell to be loved by a woman like you. So, don’t doubt yourself — I know I never would.”
She didn’t know for sure why she’d said it. But what she did know was that life could be cruel, and Arizona shouldn’t have to go it alone. Her friend had been there when Teddy was at her weakest — it was only right that she’d be there when Arizona was at hers.
As Arizona turned to leave, the familiar melancholy she’d been trying so hard to hold at bay came back with a vengeance. There was something about company that made being brave so much easier; as soon as they were gone, and she was alone, Teddy was once again vulnerable to her demons. God, she missed him — and maybe that’s why she cared so much. She couldn’t bear to see a friend waste the very thing she craved; love from somebody who loved her back, unconditional love, and love that was far from fleeting.
The kind of love that was meant to last forever.