A/N: So, this story fell off my radar. In fact, Grey's sort of did. School and Netflix Instant View took my attentions. However, due to a few PMs I recieved I dusted this one off and have created a sort of plan for the rest of the story. So-that means I have a direction for this! Which means more chapters! Yay!
Game Changer
Cristina and Meredith sit together, both of their arms held out as a nurse draws blood. It's the annual blood drive and the two of them realize what a primo opportunity this is. Donating blood, all that shit, it looks great to the Chief. They're getting involved in the hospital programs, being somewhat philanthropic. They're giving up their blood, after all.
The others chose to chase after surgeries instead of taking part in the blood drive, but that's because they don't see the big picture. Cristina and Meredith, they see the bigger picture here. And besides, both have husbands who have been remarkably useful in getting surgeries. No chasing necessary.
"He's come to his senses," Cristina says, not wincing in the slightest when the nurse slides the needle out. "Giving me all of his best surgeries."
"You weren't in the big trauma last night," Meredith points out.
"Yeah, because I was with Teddy for a valve replacement." The nurse holds up two different granola bars and Cristina grabs the one she wants. "See, the shunning is working."
"Maybe he's trying to lull you into a false sense of security," Meredith suggests, beginning to unwrap her own granola bar. She takes a large bite and muses, "You do complain less when you're working hard."
"No, he simply recognizes my talents," Cristina tells her. "I am brilliant. Therefore, I am on the best surgeries."
"I'm just going to take these down to have them checked," the nurse says. "You guys are free to go."
Cristina turns in the hospital bed, stretching her feet out onto the floor as she laughs to herself and says, "It's pretty funny that George's legacy here are required scannings for all donations to the blood drive."
Meredith smirks. "Wouldn't it be Alex? He's the one who spread the chlymidia."
"Good point," Cristina concedes. "Well, I have to be off. Important surgeries to attend to." Meredith smirks and says, "Right, get on that."
"You have fun with your clinical trials."
"Medical breakthrough!" Meredith calls after Cristina. "It's going to be a medical breakthrough!"
CROWEN
Beyond blood drives, Cristina knew the one key way to put herself in the true running for Chief Resident (which she should be, anyway) was to prove that she was a good teacher. Or at least pretend to be.
"Blood work," she says, looking through the chart. "Where is it?"
"I can get it," one of the interns offers hopefully. Cristina sees this as an opportune teaching moment and she says, "No, I'll get it. You all prep the patient for his surgery."
"On our own?" they ask with wide eyes. It occurs to her that up to this point she had generally done everything herself with the patients and she feels the same sort of surprise as she says, "Yeah, on your own. Don't kill him or anything."
They rush off to the patient, looking like kids in a toy store, and she wanders over to the blood lab. The usual lab technician is there, an elderly woman with an uncanny ability to remember each and every person in the hospital. She knows more than just names, though. Any new employee at Seattle Grace could turn to her and learn everything about the hospital. Hook ups. Firings. Scandals. She knows them all. She grins wide when she sees Cristina and asks, "How can I help you, Dr. Yang?"
"I need Jared Kipner's bloodwork."
"Coming right up," she chirps, giving Cristina a little wink before ducking behind the window to find the labwork. She emerges a moment later and hands Cristina the papers.
"Thanks."
"Oh, and congratulations Dr. Yang." Cristina looks at her oddly and asks, "What?"
"Oh, I hope you don't mind my saying," she says with a knowing smile. Just what the woman is knowing, though, Cristina doesn't have the faintest. 'You haven't told anyone yet, have you?"
"I'm sorry but I have no idea what you're talking about," Cristina says, beginning to become aggravated at this game of Who's On First. Did the woman have to be so damn cryptic? Besides, she's left that patient alone with her interns for quite a while, which she really isn't sure is the best idea for the patient's well-being.
"I saw your bloodwork, sweetie," she fills in. "I ran all of them through just a bit ago. But don't worry, my lips are sealed." She makes a little gesture of zipping her lips shut and then throws away the imaginary key. Cristina thinks to herself with mounting panic that the woman better find that damn key as she demands, "Let me see my bloodwork."
"Don't get yourself in a dither now," the woman says, picking up easily on Cristina's agitation. "I promise not to tell anyone."
"Bloodwork," Cristina hisses.
Moments later the papers are in her hands and she feels her stomach drop as she reads a note on the bottom that clearly states:
Pregnant.
Cristina crumples the paper in her fist and turns away from the lab quickly. Her heart is racing, vision shifting in and out as she attempts to come to terms with whatever the hell is happening. She is moving too fast, mind too torn to take in her immediate surroundings and she collides with something solid.
"Dr. Yang?"
She looks up into the brown eyes of Richard Weber, who is looking at her with clear worry. She knows what it must look like, her blindly combing the halls. "Chief," she manages.
"Are you okay?"
"Fine," she answers, nodding awkwardly. "Just-just fine."
Richard looks at her oddly but before he can say anything her husband is at her side, the hero as always, and places his hands on her shoulders. He gives her a little squeeze, his own way of silently asking, "What is up with you?"
"Patient," Cristina mumbles. "I-uh-have to get back to my patient."
"Yeah, of course. You sure you're okay?"
Cristina doesn't answer. She can't. Instead she nods and turns away, heading in the wrong direction for her patient's room with her husband on her heels. He grabs her elbow and pulls her to the side.
"What's going on?"
She pulls away from him, sitting heavily on the seat beside her. She doesn't talk, still unable to form cohesive sentences to explain what is going through her mind.
"Cristina," he presses. "Tell me."
She looks up at him, feeling a spark of indignation at it all. This will certainly make his job easy now. A pregnancy surely takes her out of the running. He skates easily toward his decision as her dreams are crushed. "I'm pregnant," she spits out. "That is what is going on."
"What? But-"
"Apparently we are the unlucky few who birth control fails. Congratulations Owen, we are now a statistic."
His eyes go wide as he breathes out, "You're not happy."
"Of course I'm not," she snaps. "Everything I've worked for is now for nothing. I can't be a mother and Chief Resident."
"Bailey did-"
"And her work suffered for it," Cristina cuts in. "And let's face it, Owen, you aren't going to give me a stressful job when I am carrying your child." She shakes her head, fingers pressing hard on the bench beneath her. "Why is this happening to me?"
"Stop it right now," Owen snaps. "You can't honestly think this is a bad thing." Her lack of response speaks volumes. "Cristina, there will be other opportunities."
"You don't get it," she says, shaking her head. "You're already set in your career. You're the head of trauma. It's decided. Done. I'm just at the start of all of that."
"And one year will hardly change anything."
"One year?" she spits. For such a smart man, her husband can be a complete idiot.
"Cristina-"
"This isn't just one year. This is the rest of my life, my career."
"You can do it," he says, reaching forward and taking her hands in his. He isn't giving up, trying to convince her that this absolute mess they are in will turn positive. But it can't. It won't. Not even when he finishes with, "We can do it."
Cristina slips her hands from his and sighs, "You still don't get it."
"Cristina, please-"
"I need to check on my patient." She rises from the bench but he follows her quickly and says, "We're not done talking about this."
She glances back at him with dark eyes and says, "Do not tell anyone about this. My body, my news. I'll see you at home."
A/N: Alright, so this basically sets the story on its path for the remaining chapters. I need to say here that this is NOT going to be like Baby Steps. So, you don't have to worry about reading a repeat. Hope you enjoyed it!
