Chapter 1
"Cristina?"
The familiar doctor rose up from his paperwork. His serious face immediately turned into a wide smile, and Cristina knew that she wasn't mistaken. Even though the last time she'd met him was back in high school, she could easily recognise Henry's bright and cheeky smile, together with those dark childish eyes that lit up whenever she saw him. It seemed so long ago that he and Cristina were studying intensily together in order to get into med school.
"Henry, how did you-"
Before she could finish, Henry ran up and to her dread, welcomed her with a huge hug that almost knocked all the air straight out of her.
"Cristina! I haven't seen you in ages; you never call or visit! What kind of friend are you?"
"Get off me! Get off me! Get off me! Get off me!" Cristina struggled and pushed him away, only barely. Nurses and doctors in the corridors looked at them, eyebrows flying up.
"Aww, you're still the same old meany Cristina," Henry pouted.
"And you haven't changed at all, have you?" she scowled, brushing her coat down. "God I hate your stupid childish enthusiasm, especially your hugs. I hate your hugs!"
Henry chuckled and cocked his head sideways. "So what brings you to Washington?"
"Dr Kim, is there a visitor here?" a deep and strangely familiar voice asked from behind.
Henry twisted around as Cristina looked to see who it was. Her skin turned cold and everything went mute. She looked in horror at Dr Burke, standing there tall with authority. When he saw her, his eyes softened but he stared back in shock.
"Cris.. Cristina?"
Oh my god, Cristina gasped in her mind. She couldn't think of what to say. Her ex-boyfriend / fiancée was standing there in front of her, the man whose sudden departure changed her life and state of mind completely.
"You two know each other?" Henry asked, looking back and forth at them.
"I… I got to go." Cristina turned around and walked the other way, back to the cockpit.
"Wait! Cristina!" Henry called from the distance but she kept on walking. With no idea where she was heading, the only thing that mattered to her was to be away from that scene. Just anywhere, away from him.
