ONE

Cristina handed Callie a large glass of red wine and placed a glass for herself on the coffee table in front of her. She walked back to the kitchen and returned with a tray of desert treats, set them on the low table, and then sat down.

She made herself comfortable on the couch edging herself as close to Callie as she could, snuggling her hip close. Callie pushed her elbow hard against Cristina's body signalling for her to move down, give her some room, but Cristina ignored her.

"This is nice." She said picking up her glass and taking a sip. "You'll miss this when I move out, admit it."

Callie made a face to the contrary. The roommates were at Owen's apartment experiencing Cristina's promised Callie date; Owen had gone out leaving them alone for the evening. They had eaten a great dinner and now were settling down for desert.

Truthfully Callie appreciated the effort they had made and genuinely felt special. Her date was a grown up, sophisticated affair. Cristina gotten herself dressed up, put on makeup and Owen had pushed the boat out by making a spectacular two course meal followed by desert.

"You know the menu was Owen's idea, you know I'm not this imaginative." Cristina clinked her glass to Callie's. She had wanted to do something nice for Callie. Actually she wanted Owen to do something nice for Callie, but as he told her, after everything, Cristina was obliged to put herself out. He would cook as a compromise but, he would leave the actual dating of Callie, to her.

Callie with her free hand picked up a pastry square from the tray in front of her. It went into her mouth and she emphasized the impact on her taste buds. "That…is delicious."

Cristina picked something and twisted her face in agreement to the deliciousness of the pastries. They went through the tray, tasting and trying, teasing each other, laughing, washing down the sweet and savoury with wine. Eventually overloaded they sat back and relaxed. Cristina looked at her dark haired friend and suddenly felt a bit emotional.

The two of them had lived and worked together 24 hours a day for the last few years. They had created a home environment that was stable and had developed a synergy and unity that made them more connected and harmonized than any married couple. Callie had looked after Cristina, covered for her, cleaned up for her, argued with her, loved her, hated her, and defended her. Cristina was seriously going to miss their daily interaction, connection, bond, friendship, love. She felt bad because she took Callie for granted; Owen said so all the time.

She watched the way Callie's long lashes curled, and complimented her dark brown mischievous eyes and proudly sculpted eyebrows, and the way her painted lips covered that killer watt movie star smile. The way her feminine curves crest and waved into a shapely voluptuous figure. The way her sweet smelling, smooth, shined, supple and tanned skin glowed. How her lush dark full-bodied hair flowed and caught itself casually on the tips of her eyelashes.

"What?" Callie eyed Cristina, her wine glass hovering in front of her lips.

Cristina shook her head, her smile was light and a little sorrowed. After Meredith's defect to Derek she was moving away from another one of her people. That's what if felt like anyway.

Callie's glass hit the coffee table loudly and wine splashed into it as she awkwardly refilled her glass. She was slightly drunk already. She offered the bottle to Cristina who declined it with her smile growing slightly wider.

"You make the loudest sex noises I've ever heard." Said Cristina.

Callie fused her brows together. Huh?

"I've been bitchy and messy, and never unloaded the dishwasher. I think you've seen a lot of my underwear."

"I have." Nodded Callie with a gulp. "Dirty and clean."

"And even though you might be doing it with Arizona, I've jumped on your bed or crashed into your room." Cristina pushed her glass to the air. "In appreciation for our friendship and life as roommates… and for putting up with all my shit."

Callie broke into a smile and saluted Cristina with her drink, they dramatically clinked glasses.

Cristina waved Callie in for a hug. "Come... Come here."

Callie made a face as she was pulled in by Cristina's arms. "Don't kiss me." She said.

Cristina allowed herself to relax and feel. Callie could feel Cristina's heart and the rhythm of it sobered her, she thought about the list of incidents Cristina had mentioned. They had shared a lot and even though she would be glad to extricate herself from the Cristina Owen partnership she was going to genuinely miss her messy, messed up, Asian American friend. In that moment, despite her doubts, it was okay to let Cristina go with her life.

"Don't fuck it up." Callie mumbled into Cristina's shoulder. "He loves you a lot... I don't know why he loves you, but he does." She guided Cristina backward and picked up her wine glass again. She plucked two mini deserts from the tray; one went in her mouth the other she balanced on her knee.

"So…" She said looking at her. "Are you ready?"

"Ready as I'll ever be." Guessed Cristina.

"You're really going to marry him?"

"Of course."

"You're sure?" Enquired Callie.

"I'm sure."

"You're sure sure?"

"Of course I'm sure." Cristina pushed fingers into her hair and shook curls loose. "Did Owen put you up to this?"

"No"

"Meredith?"

"No…I just." Callie paused and took her time, she didn't want to affect the mood but Arizona had advised her to be direct. She fumbled and twisted her lips and paused, that was hint enough she had something important to say. "… You're really sure you want to get married… to Owen? I mean you could still go out with him, you could still live at the apartment. You don't have to move out...Are you really the marrying kind?"

"Callie…" Cristina's amusement was wrapped in a little disappointment.

"Why you don't tell Owen to live with us, I mean he practically lives there anyway so..." She needed to lay the offer out at least.

"We're trying to move forwards."

"I know and I get that, but look…"

Cristina needed to use the bathroom and stood up; it was also her attempt to get away from the conversation. "…I know how you feel, but unless you want an 80 year old roommate, you have to …" She could say 'trust him or trust me', but she was always saying that. She said. "Relax."

"Alright…" Callie nodded. "I just wanted to say what I had to say!" She shouted to the back disappearing into the bathroom. "…Because of the other night." She added to herself taking a sip of her drink.

The other night was another one of those nights; dreams, nightmares, whatever the hell they were. If Cristina thought she could handle that, handle Owen, good luck to her. Callie tried. Really she wanted out of the night terrors and the dramas, but she owed her friend the offer of a lifeline and Cristina had declined.

Come to think of it, why would Callie even want Owen to move in permanently? If she was really honest with herself what she really wanted Cristina to do, was not to move out, but not to marry Owen. Which was a hard admission to make because she liked Owen, she really did. But did Cristina have to marry him? Really? Did she? But of course she couldn't say that. She had been made an honorary person, and she had a bridesmaid dress hanging in her closet. She knew Meredith felt the same and she was matron of honour with her own dress in her own closet; but those looks Meredith gave Owen... But what else could Meredith or she Callie, do but say her piece and leave it at that. Oh, and be supportive, how many times did Cristina ask them to do that?

Cristina came out of the bathroom and pretended the brief talk beforehand didn't happen. Callie went along with that, and the two continued their night of having a good time until Owen came home and gave Callie a ride back to her apartment.