Cristina stood in the scrub room at Burke's side after the surgery. She couldn't help but smile to herself as she scrubbed out. Surgery always left her on this indescribable high that nobody could ruin. Well, almost nobody.

"Are you hungry? Perhaps we can go back to my apartment and I can make you some paella. I know it's your favorite." He offered in a quiet voice. He knew everything he had to do to convince her that what he had done was the right thing. All he had to do was break through the tough shell she'd assuredly built around herself the second he walked away.

The problem with that shell was that she hadn't given herself enough time to build it up, to make it the impenetrable fortress that it once was. She would be easier to get through to this time.

He was sure of it.

She looked over at him with a cold glance, pulling her hands from under the stream of water and shook her head, "I'm here for answers. Not for food. Not for you to pretend like you know everything about me and even more that you care. Just answers."

"Well, you can have your answers. But it wouldn't hurt to have dinner with it. I'm sure that you're hungry. It was a long surgery." He replied smoothly. He wasn't going to raise his voice or let it waver. He would keep his calm and that more than anything would drive her insane.

"You're not my husband, in case you've forgotten." She replied in a bitter tone.

"I assure you that I haven't. It's a thought that keeps me up every night and lingers in the forefront of my mind every day. "

Cristina crossed her arms over her chest, "You're unbelievable. You act like I'm the one that left you. Acting all regretful and crap, like you're actually upset that we're not married. You're the one that left, Burke. Just in case you've forgotten, you're the one that couldn't wait another thirty damn seconds for me to get down there. You were trying to be all noble or something."

"Cristina, you'll have your answers soon enough." His voice was soft as he moved a little closer to her, trying to throw her thoughts off balance. "Let me make you dinner and I'll answer all your questions and then you can go home."

"You're damn right I'm going…..wait. You're not going to try to keep me here? You're not trying to convince me of anything? You're actually going to answer me?" She said, a little confused. She was almost sure that he'd try to keep her here in Baltimore and do his best not to answer him at all.

Maybe this would be easier than she had thought.



"I know that you don't want to stay. I know that all you want is to ask a few questions and go home. I had my chance, Cristina and I lost it. I understand. It's fine." He brushed past her, making sure that some part of their bodies touched, even if it was just their arms. She'd never be able to keep away if he just kept it up. He stood right behind her to push the scrub room door open, his breath tickling the nape of her neck and he grinned to himself when he saw her visibly shiver.

"It's cold in here." She finally muttered, getting as far away from him as she could, "They can't afford heat in this ancient place? And fine. You can make me dinner. But I swear to God if you try to sleep with me, you'll be sorry."

"Who said I wanted to sleep with you?" He asked, quirking an eyebrow.

"Everybody wants to sleep with me," She retorted with a sour face before she walked away from him and towards the locker room. Cristina couldn't believe that he didn't want to sleep with her. It had to be some sort of façade.

But then again, he did leave her at the church. She couldn't put anything past him now. It was a little disheartening to her. Maybe even a little hurtful. Even when she was discouraged with him, she had always thought that they were amazing together.

Burke watched as she disappeared from his sight and he licked his lips a little and then grinned. He was already under her skin and he couldn't help but savor the small victory. He wouldn't allow himself much time to savor it though, there was much work to do and if he spent time celebrating the small victories he'd never have her.

As much as it pained him to do so, he went back to his own office and prepared to end his day. He would drive home without her as if he didn't care about whether or not she knew how to get to the apartment. He would go about his day pretending that she wasn't even here in Maryland.

And it would drive her absolutely insane.