Title: With This Ring
Author: thedoc617
Spoilers: All of season 8 up to 8X23
Description: Aftermath of the on call room in 8X23 between Cristina/Owen.
A/N: As an unofficial member of "RingWatch2012" I feel as if Owen's wedding ring is almost a character in itself all throughout season 8. I wanted to make a fanfic about that.
This chapter is more of a vignette, as it's mostly Owen's thoughts with very little dialogue. (I get very wordy…)
The symbolic ring on his left finger was made of tungsten. Tungsten was same type of metal that is used to make drill bits and pieces of airplane parts. It was a hard metal- and hearty when it came to jewelry. Hard to scratch, bend or tarnish. If only the same could be said about his heart.
"I'm happy. I know it doesn't fix anything. I'm just happy…"
"I'm leaving…" And his whole world fell at that moment, although somehow in the back of his mind he knew their time together tonight was both a goodbye as well as a sign of forgiveness. For that he'd be eternally grateful.
The words still echoed in his head and tears stung his eyes as he sat up from his peaceful "bubble". She mumbled that she'd see him and they'd talk more after she got back from the conjoined twins surgery in Idaho, but she couldn't look him in the eye as she got dressed- the moonlight shone on the curve of her back as she put back on her scrub top, and he wondered if it was the last time he would see her flawless skin underneath her clothes.
"Cristina…"
"I have to go, I promise, we'll talk later". There was finally an instant where their eyes locked, and it was a moment of understanding. And then she was gone.
Owen quickly got dressed- and wondered where the hell his tie went. He made a mental note to buy some more shirts that fit him.
He knew where he had to go; to their special place. It was a well-kept secret, and both of them wanted to keep it that way. Just like they didn't want anybody (especially Meredith) butting in on their personal lives.
He walked down the stairs to the bottom of the hospital, and entered the long corridor to the familiar vent room. Many memories have been spent here- both good and bad, but almost all of them were with Cristina. He couldn't bear the thought of going down here alone when she was 1500 miles away. The noise of the motors was deafening, but at the same time, it helped to quiet the angry self-doubt in his head.
He let the warm air wash all over his body, and at the moment, he was at peace. But the feeling didn't last long.
Owen started to pace back and forth- he did his best thinking when he was moving. Deep in thought, he played with the familiar ring on his left hand. It was a nervous habit, but it somewhat calms him down. Puts him back into the present…
Should I ask her to stay? I couldn't do that, I'm the one that screwed up.
She'd be better off without me. I want her to focus on her career.
What the fuck did I do? A meaningless nothing with a nobody to get back at her. I didn't want to hurt her like this.
I told Cristina I'd always love her and she was the love of my life. I'll never love another woman.
A clanking sound of metal to metal interrupted his inner dialogue. He looked at his naked left hand, and looked at the grate below him.
"Oh FUCK!"