A/N: Against Kristin's toxic spoiler. I almost feel like I'm copying stuff from a previous fic when I wrote Cristina's speech... :-(
"Did you say yes because of me?" Burke got a hold of Cristina's elbow and didn't let go.
"Burke," Cristina couldn't look straight into Burke's eyes, for fear something bad would happen.
"I need you to answer me," Burke was growing impatient. "I'm going to ask again: Did you say yes to pacify me or did you say it for yourself?"
Cristina couldn't move either her tongue or her body. The stillness in the air was stifling. She couldn't remember what happened before that, but at this very moment, she was wrapped up in panic.
"So, what O'Malley said was true," Burke laughed in a mocking tone.
Normally, he wouldn't trust a guy who's drunk. When George repeated Cristina's words to him the night before at Joe's bar, he thought George was only venting about his short-lived marriage with Callie. But the look on Cristina's face had a clear resemblance to someone guilty of a crime.
How could he have been so blind in seeing through her intentions?
Gasping for air, Cristina opened her mouth and fought back, "I was drunk."
"No, Cristina. You missed the point. You might be drunk last night, but you're completely lucid now. And, and you're not answering my question," Burke frowned.
"What do you want to hear, Burke? Haven't I said enough already?" Exhaustion was bringing Cristina down. She didn't want to reason with her man any longer. "Honestly, if marriage means arguing with you over such little things every day, well, yes, maybe we really should call if off."
Alarmed by Cristina's words, Burke loosened up his clenched fist a little, although the intensity of his gaze had not receded.
"Fine, if that's what you want," Burke sighed.
Cristina covered her mouth with her hand and steadied herself with another hand on her hip.
Wasn't marriage supposed to be happy? Why did Burke have to ruin it just because of what she said over a few tequila shots?
"This isn't what I want, Burke," Cristina said in a quiet voice. "You never listened."
"What do you want then, Cristina? Stop confusing me left and right," The pain of uncertainties was so apparent on Burke's face that Cristina felt compelled to brush it off with her hand.
Expecting Burke to reject her touch, Cristina was caught off guard when instead Burke laid his hand on top of hers and moved it down his chest. Slowly, Cristina closed her eyes to gather her thoughts.
Words were overrated, but as much as they could hurt, they could also heal.
"I said yes for us. I want you to be happy, because your happiness is important to me; because that makes me feel whole," Cristina said cautiously as she stole a few glances at Burke, whose face remained expressionless and ice-cold.
"Burke, if I'm only saying yes to please you, it wouldn't have taken me 8 days. You know I don't like to commit myself to anything I'm not ready for," Cristina continued.
Burke still didn't say a word, but he was beginning to hover his hand above Cristina's curly hair, fighting the desire to caress her.
"If you think my words can't be trusted, that's fine. If you decide not to marry me, that's fine as well. But whatever you do, you can't forget that I spoke first, and I'm sticking,' Cristina could feel the heat on her face as she finished her speech.
"—Even if we have to fight like this all the time for the rest of your life?" Burke asked in a steady voice.
Trying to decipher the meaning behind his words, Cristina looked up at Burke for a long while before nodding.
Cristina didn't say yes this time and Burke didn't hurl her up in the air; but the tight squeeze he gave her seemed to last forever—exactly how they envisioned their marriage would be.
The End
