Preston Burke was not a man who walked away. He fought for what he believed in. He worked hard to get what he wanted. He worked harder to keep it.
Yet now he was walking away from her. He was walking- no he was speeding away from the woman he loved so desperately. He tried to clear the ever present lump from his throat as he tried to determine exactly what it was that had made him walk away this time.
His heart ached and his eyes stung. He loved her more than medicine, more than science, more than surgery. He needed her more than he needed air.
And he walked away.
Preston Burke was not a man who walked away.
He pulled to a stop on the side of the street and leaned against the steering wheel. What if she wasn't there? What if he'd already done irreparable damage and he wouldn't be able to apologize for it? He wouldn't be able to make it up to her?
His mind was overwhelmed by thoughts of doubt and insecurity and he swore softly as he turned the car around. He wasn't going to give up.
He worked hard to get what he wanted. He worked harder to keep it.
He would work even harder to get it back.
Letting her go was hard, but he told himself it was because he loved her. In his heart he knew that letting her go was also foolish. He could've compromised. He could've listened to her when she said that she wanted the small wedding. He could've given her what she wanted instead of insisting on tradition.
It would've been a small price to pay.
The trip back to the apartment was shorter than he'd thought. It was only then that he'd realized he'd been circling the same 14 blocks, afraid to truly leave her behind. His feet felt as if they were made of lead as he made his way towards the door. He could hear her sobs floating through the hallway and it made him take pause. He leaned against the door, his hand resting on it. He wanted to reach out to her. He wanted to take away her pain.
Burke would've never imagined that walking away from her at a wedding that she didn't want would have that much of an effect on her. He didn't realize that she would be so incredibly hurt.
But why wouldn't she be?
Cristina had already gone through hell for him by hiding the tremors, by living in silence. Through all of it she stuck. She was ready to walk down the aisle for him.
His body ached to hold her, to tell her that he was sorry and that everything would be okay. He wanted so much to erase the past two hours and undo those events.
But he knew he could do neither.
His choices were made, his deeds were done.
The only thing he could do now was let her heal.