I'm going to try and do a post after every episode recapping what happened, with an emphasis on Callie, and Arizona by extension. Rather than going back and writing something about every episode Callie is in, I'll just give an overview. Sorry it's so long, but Callie is such an interesting character! : )
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We are first introduced to Dr. Callie Torres (portrayed by Sara Ramirez) in season 2 (episode 19 "What Have I Done to Deserve This?") when George O'Malley (T.R. Knight) falls down a flight of stairs and dislocates his shoulder in an attempt to get avoid Meredith Grey (Ellen Pompeo) after bad sex. Guess who fixes him up? The ever-so-lovely Dr. Torres!
Meanwhile, we are introduced to the new Cardiothoracic Surgeon at Seattle Grace, Dr. Erica Hahn, previously seen in Season 2 as Burke's nemesis. Can I just say, I love Hahn so much more than Burke. Burke just rubbed me the wrong way...
Anyway, back to Callie. After Callie's divorce, she, Erica and Mark strike up a friendship.
Mark: Why would we want to do that?
Callie: She's saying she needs a friend.
Mark: Okay, fine. Let's drink.
Erica: You won't hit on me?
Mark: I can't promise that.
Erica: If I say please?
Callie: He still can't promise that.
Erica: (Pauses) Fine.
Callie: Me neither.
Erica: I think it's because I generally don't like people.
Callie: (laughing) Me neither.
Erica: Case in point.
(Callie and Erica laugh)
Mark: What's so funny?
So, Callie and Erica are now really good friends. They're even doing Sunrise Yoga (whatever that is) together! Then comes along good ole Addison... And she sees a little more into Callie and Erica's friendship. So, she asks Callie in an absolutely Addison-like way if Callie and Erica are a "couple." Callie's response is divine!
First of all, just look at the knowing look on Addison's face! It's a classic!
Addison: Callie...
Callie: Uh huh...
Addison: Are you speaking the Vagina Monologues now?
Callie: What?!
Callie: You want to know if Erica and I are a... a couple?! Because I defended her to Yang?
Addison: Because you seem like a couple! A really happy couple.
Callie: Um.. that's... that's just. That's-that's insane... that is-is-is what it is.
Callie: I like penis! I'm a huge fan of penis. Ha! Hilarious. You've been living in Los Angeles way too long. Way too long.
[So now, we are thinking in our heads... hmmm... will Callie and Erica get together?! Because that would be freaking awesome! : ) ]
Well, Callie is freaked out by her seemingly non-hetero relationship with Erica and Addison's comments that she succumbs to Mark and hooks up with him in an attempt to reassure herself that she's straight. But she avoids Erica at the same time, not wanting to face her feelings. Erica calls her out on it and tells it like it is; Callie's avoiding her because she's "gone all poofy when she gets a boyfriend." (Erica) Callie reassess and later talks to Erica at Joe's about why she's been avoiding her...
Soon after, we see Callie in the cafeteria eating lunch when Mark arrives. She propositions him (for sex, what else?) and he turns her down (shocker!) on the basis that he's "turned over a new leaf." That's when Erica joins them...
Mark: Did I miss something?
Callie: (jokingly) Yeah, we're lovers. Didn't you know?
Erica: It's a love that dare not speak its name.
Callie: Uh huh. Look me in the eye and tell me you're not thinking of a threesome. Mark: I'm not. The old Mark would, but that's no more.
Callie: Really? You're not thinking of her and me and you... and a video camera?
(as Erica places her head on Callie's shoulder)
Then we see Callie and Erica on the elevator at the end of the day when Mark arrives and boards.
Callie: (to Erica) He's thinking about a threesome.
Mark: I am not.
Callie: You are. He has been. All day.
Mark: Okay, fine. I got a new leaf, not a lobotomy.
Erica: You couldn't handle the two of us.
Mark: Oh, but I could. I won't, but I could.
Erica: You wouldn't find it... intimidating?
Mark: Not at all.
Anyway, Callie once again needs to prove her heterosexuality and goes on a sexual marathon with Mark, who teases her mercilessly with his dirty talk about Erica... After a dramatic trauma (i.e. "really big trauma"), Mark once again shows his human side and tells Callie to finish what she started with Erica. Callie starts by telling Erica she has something she want to say, but finishes by kissing her passionately in front of Seattle Grace Hospital.
(Is it just me, or are Erica's hands super sexy?)
And let the lesbian relationship begin!! YES!
...
...
...
Or not... In the Season 5 premier, we see that Callie and Erica are avoiding each other... dammit! They meet on the bridge thingy (what is that thing, anyway?)... Erica "answers" a fake page and Callie hides behind her newspaper... both then walk the other way. ::sigh::
BUT... all eventually falls into place as, after Callie struggles with a patient and Erica encourages her and helps her through it, Callie finally approaches Erica and they both agree to be scared about what's happening...
Erica: I guess in a way it does.
Callie: Virgins. Hey, we can be scared together.
Erica: Kind of virgins. And yeah, we can be scared together.
So, Callie and Erica begin a relationship... Erica starts by asking Callie on a "date date." Callie agrees, but is a little scared.. Okay, a lot scared. So much so that she turns to Bailey in a moment of panic. This scene was also a classic. The look on Bailey's face is almost as good as that on Addison's face before...
Callie: Please, let's just pretend that I didn't say a single word.
Bailey: I don't talk about sex with anyone, ever. Not any kind of sex.
CallieBailey, I am begging you-
Bailey: Zzz! ... (pauses) The va-jay-jay, is undiscovered country. It is the motherland, you've never traveled there, you don't know it's customs and ways. Now me, I've always wanted to go to Africa, uh but if I go, I'm gonna have to learn a few things first. I'm going to have prepare. I'll need shots, um... bring my own syringes in case something goes wrong, and I'll wanna know how to get to the embassy. Just-
Callie: Okay, okay, now you've lost me.
Bailey: Just talk about it. Not with me. With the other one. Talk about the rules, the expectations, figure out how to gracefully dimer if you find that you don't the... local cuisine. In Ethiopia they eat stew off of spongy sour bread. That's not for everyone.
And then comes the date. Callie looks gorgeous, as usual, and Erica is freaking hot as well. After a brief moment of awkwardness, Callie and Erica share a laugh and tease the audience with thoughts of "second base," but they agree to take things slow.
The next time we see these two lovely ladies together, it's apparent some time has passed. Not sure exactly how long, but they walk into Callie's apartment wearing different clothes from their first date. We can only assume it's been a while. The next thing you know, the two are locked in a passionate embrace and fall to the couch. It can only be assumed (for now) that they have sex. : )
Then, Callie has a conversation with Mark and we find out that Callie and Erica did in fact have sex... sort of. [What does that even mean, Callie?] Apparently, Callie had trouble going "down there" and "choked." She didn't think it was good, but Erica sure did and asked Callie if she wanted to get some coffee. Callie then admitted to Erica that she wasn't cut out for "sex with a girl" and Erica left the room upset, understandably. Callie feels awful and turns to Mark for help. She asks him to "show" her how to please a woman... "down there." Whoa! Needless to say, he does and Callie decides to try again with Erica.
Erica?Excuse me?
Callie: Take off your pants. We're trying this again. (takes off her shirt)
Then we see Callie and Erica in bed together, sadly clothed. (That's probably for the homophobic crowd. Damn.) Apparently, this time, the sex was "amazing!" Yay! : ) Then, Erica has a revelation. A HUGE revelation: She's "so gay!" After a long speech about glasses and seeing leaves, she states that she's gay. Callie is scared. She still hasn't had any big revelations and she runs, leaving behind a crying Erica.
Callie: Um, I blinded you?
Erica: No. When I was a kid, I would get these headaches and I went to the doctor and they said that I needed glasses. I didn't understand that, it didn't make sense to me because I could see fine. And then I get the glasses and I put them on and I'm in the car on the way home and suddenly I yell because the green big blobs I've been staring at my whole life... They weren't green big blobs, they were leaves on trees. I could see the leaves, and I didn't even know that I was missing the leaves, I didn't even know that leaves existed and them... leaves! You are glasses. I am so gay, so, so gay. I am extremely gay.
Callie: ... Um, I have to go.
If you wanna apologize to anyone, apologize to Bailey, thanks to you I made her life a living hell today.
Callie: I slept with Mark Sloan.
Erica: If that's your idea of an apology, you seriously need to-
Callie: Shut up! You were crying, and seeing leaves, and I wasn't, okay? I-I may never see leaves... or maybe I will see leaves, but I will also see flowers. I might be a whole forest girl, I don't know yet. But I do know that I wanna be with you and... to do that I have to at least tell you the truth, and the truth is that... I slept with Mark Sloan today.
Erica: Okay.
Callie: Twice, actually.
Erica: (pauses) Okay.
For a while, anyway.
What occurs next is highly disappointing. Erica discovers that Izzie is the one who compromised her patient by essentially stealing his heart (see season 2 for details). After getting into it with the Chief, she tells Callie that she's taking it to UNOS. Callie defends the Chief and tells Erica that the Chief delt with it and that she should leave it alone. Erica disagrees and, in an upsetting twist, tells Callie that she doesn't know her at all and walks away, never to return.
Erica: Easy. There's right, and there's wrong. And this, was wrong. And illegal. There is no gray area here. You can't kind of think this is okay. You can't kind of side with Izzie Stevens. And you can't be kind of a lesbian.
Callie: Yes, I can.
Erica: I can't believe I didn't know this.
Callie: Erica, the Chief-
Erica: No, you. I don't know you... at all. (Erica walks away...)
It takes a while for Callie to move on and in the process, she has a few mishaps... Including being accidentally punched in the nose by a patient suffering night terrors... Mark comes to the rescue again and fixes her broken nose.
Mark: Come on, that didn't hurt.
Callie: Yeah, well, maybe if I was have a better year, it would just feel like a little pinch. But it hurts, Mark. It hurts a lot!
Mark: You know, I was gonna use local, but I think we'll do conscience sedation. This way when you wake up, your nose will be fixed and it will be a whole new day.
Callie: Okay, well, I'll still have you, right? You'll still be my friend. And have sex with me when I want?
Mark: Anytime. Yeah. ... Once your face heals.
Callie: I hate you.
Mark: You love me.
Mark, meanwhile, is lusting after an intern himself, Lexie. Together, Callie and Mark make a pact to avoid the hot interns with their own "one-step program."
Mark: I'm not going to a meeting to discuss my obsession with my best friend's girlfriend's half sister.
Callie: No, no, no. It'll just be us. We'll be each others' sponsors. Make sure that we stay on the program.
Mark: What are the steps?
Callie: Don't get naked with an intern... It's more of a one-step program.
Mark: Maybe I should write this down.
One night at Joe's, Mark gives in and, much to the dismay of Callie, goes after Lexie, leaving Callie to fend for herself.
Joe: Need another drink?
Callie: Yes!
One night at Joe's, Lexie comes over to Callie, who is sitting at the bar, and asks if she thinks Mark will tell Derek that they're together. Callie is distracted and seems upset, but when Lexie asks if she's alright, she says she's fine and goes to the ladies' room.
Enter Arizona Robbins (Jessica Capshaw). We were introduced to the bubbly Peds surgeon a few episodes ago. Perky and upbeat, she's the complete oposite of Callie, but oh so adorable.
Callie is in the restroom at Joe's when Arizona walks in and sees that Callie has been crying and conversation follows.
Callie: Oh, you mean... (Arizona nods) Terrific.
Arizona: It is, actually, the talk. People really like you over there. They respect you, and they're concerned, and they're interested. They really like you. Some of them really like you. You- You just look upset, and I thought that you should know that the talk is good, and when you're not upset, when you're over being upset, there will be people lining up for you.
Callie: You wanna give me some names?
Arizona: Wait, uh, Erica and you... She was your first?
Callie: Yeah.
Arizona: Oh. Okay, so then I guess, my answer is no. I'm sorry. (turns to walk away)
Callie: (grabs Arizona's arm) Wait, wait. What? Uh... um... You kissed me... out of nowhere... in a bathroom..
Arizona: Okay, see, this is what I try to avoid. You're all... exploring and experimenting, and... yay! This is a really exciting time for you. But I work in Peds. I spend my entire day around newborns, so I try not to in my personal life. Thanks for asking, though. I'm super flattered. Super.
Needless to say, Callie's a bit embarrassed and just walks away.
She avoids Arizona around the hospital, hiding behind Mark when Arizona rounds the corner. Later, Arizona boards an elevator that Callie is on, much to the dismay of Callie.
Callie: We don't have to do this. We don't have to be friends, it's a big hospital with lots of floors, lots of places to hide. And I'm perfectly okay with doing that for the next few years.
Arizona: You're not hearing me, Calliope. Sometimes, I panic, in the moment, and I call it wrong. I misjudge a situation. So, if you're up for it, I'd like to take you to dinner.
Callie: Maybe. (gets off the elevator)
Arizona: Maybe?
Callie: Yeah. My schedule's kinda insane right now, so I'll get back to you. (walks away, the elevator doors begin to close, she walks back over and before the doors close, she puts her arm between them to stop them) How's, uh, tomorrow?
(Arizona laughs, Callie smiles)
And cue Papa Torres, aka Callie's dad. Callie's father is only in Seattle for one day, so Callie isn't planning to introduce him to Arizona just yet, but an interesting chain of events, that changes and Callie introduces Arizona as the person she's dating.
Callie: Yeah. Yeah, no, um, sh... Th-They're pretty busy 'cause they're a doctor here. But, um, you'll love them. You will love them. Because, they're smart, and funny, and both handsome and beautiful and very supportive... Daddy, please be okay with this. (brings Arizona over) Dad, this is Arizona Robbins... This is who I'm dating now.
Arizona: (sticks out hand) And, I really hope you draw the line at throwing women against walls.
Callie: (awakens suddenly) I'm awake... What?
Cristina: You slept here? I slept here!
Callie: Um, how? Wait... who? What?
Cristina: I slept in the on call room.
Callie: Oh.
Cristina: I could have been at home in my own bed.
Callie: Sorry.
Cristina: Now I have to work all day, and then I have to be happy maid of honor and get Meredith down the aisle. I'm so tired... cause I slept here! 'Cause you wanted to get your freak on with roller skate girl.
Callie: I am sorry. I was gonna, but, we went to dinner and, things didn't... I wasn't in the mood. I had to be here early anyway, to run the ER, so...
Callie: Maybe it is.
(Arizona walks away upset)
Callie: (sits up) We went to a fancy restaurant.
Arizona: What?
Callie: We went to a fancy restaurant, the nicest in Seattle. The salad that I ordered, the salad, cost $26.95. The wine that you ordered cost $125 a bottle. I didn't even look at the entrees because I knew I wasn't gonna be able to order one. Because, I was already out 75 bucks, and I don't even like salad.
Arizona: Oh.
Callie: And, then the bill came and you...
Arizona: I... I paid.
Callie: Do you know what I was doing before they brought over the check? I was counting in my head, trying to figure out how I was going to buy food for the rest of the week if my half was 75 bucks, because I don't have 75 bucks, because my father disowned me and has cleared out my bank account.
Arizona: Callie...
Arizona: I am broke, and I am exhausted, Arizona. I'm working in the ER because I need the money. Six people died on my watch today and I am fried. I wanted to stay in last night. I thought... I thought that last night would be the night for us. You know, our night. But you wanted to go to a fancy restaurant, I can't do that. I can't.
Arizona: It's okay. It's okay. Hey, so, we'll stay in, and we'll eat sandwiches.
Callie: You don't even like sandwiches.
Arizona: But, I like the girl who has the sandwiches. ... Okay?
Callie: Okay... No, you know what... I don't like sandwiches either. I like pizza.
Arizona: I like pizza, too.
After the wedding, Callie and Arizona share a pizza... in bed... naked and covered by only a sheet. : )
Callie is upset when she learns that George joins the army to be a trauma surgeon and is angry at Arizona when Arizona states that she thinks it's "awesome" that George is going to serve his country. Arizona confronts Callie and lets her know that she's grateful for men like George because her brother died in Iraq because there weren't doctors.
Callie: Um, shut up!
Arizona : Um, no. You asked me who I was. I am a person who thinks that what George is doing is dangerous and terrifying and brave. He's going to serve his country. He's going to risk his life to save the men and women who make it possible for you and I to sleep safely in our beds! I am a person who thinks that is brave. And I am a person who stood in an airplane hangar and watched them unload my brother's body in a coffin… and all we got was a flag. My brother died over there because there weren't enough doctors, Callie, so for my money, George O'Malley is a patriot. He's hero, and I am grateful that he exists, so yeah. The word I use is "awesome". That's who I am. (starts to leave the room)
Callie: (grabs Arizona's hand) I'm sorry.