The Importance Of Trust

Chapter 7

Cristina was surprised to walk in to her apartment at ten o'clock at night to find the whole apartment dark and silent.

She took off her shoes as quietly as she could. Her bag and jacket were next and she winced as her bag thumped to the floor disrupting the peaceful quiet.

In her socks, she made her way into her room, looking forward to wrapping herself in warm, soft covers even though summer has just come into Settle.

She opened her bedroom door to find Owen in her bed.

In her bed. Completely naked.

Cristina stood there for a few moments before deciding what to do. Her fingers went to her blouse and she undid each button. She then went to the front of her pants and slowly undid them as well.

Owen's sleeping figure remained unmoved as Cristina then removed her underwear, walked over to her side of the bed and slide underneath the covers.

It was when Cristina laid down facing him, putting her arms around him, that he finally stirred.

"Hey," Owen whispered and he mimicked Cristina's movements, putting his arm around her.

"Hey," She whispered back.

They laid there, arms around each other, for quite some time. Owen's hand moved from her back to her face to push the hair away from her eyes.

"You're beautiful," he said in their silence.

Cristina gave a half smile, "Thank you."

"Did you have a good time?" Owen innocently asked.

Cristina said nothing; her right hand buried in his hair. Owen's eyes searched Cristina's.

"It's okay if you did. I wanted you to have a good time." Owen still whispered.

Cristina sighed. "Yeah, eventually."

Owen raised his eyebrows, "Eventually?

Cristina gave him a slight smile and then said confidently, "Yeah, eventually."

Owen smiled back at her, amused by her sparking eyes.

"How's your arm?"

"Good," Owen repeated, kissing her shoulder.

"You know, you can tell me if it's not. I thought we were working on things. Tell me how bad it is," Cristina tried to whisper, wanting to keep the peace but still needing to make her point.

"It's a little sore," Owen started. "And a little stiff. But in all honestly, it's good."

Cristina lightly kissed his bad shoulder.

"Oh, well, see now it's much better," Owen said smiling. He could see Cristina's smile widen even more when she kissed it again.

"I love to see you smile," Owen whispered and wrapped his good hand in her curls. Cristina smile faded as she slid her hands away from his body. "What?" He asked, suddenly worried.

"I need to tell you something," Cristina's words were barely audible as her eyes searched his.

"How bad is it?" Owen's hand still ran up and down her arm.

Cristina ignored his question. "Do you remember, months ago, when I went against your orders in your O.R. and you sort of broke up with me?"

"Yeah," Owen said, wondering where she was going.

"Um," Cristina was afraid to start, wondering if this was even necessary to tell him. "That night was Arizona's birthday party and Callie invited all these people over for a surprise party," Cristina hesitated.

"It's okay, Cristina. I am not going to get upset."

"Um, okay. Well, Jackson was there and he started saying all these things that I needed to hear, and he was a little bit drunk, and he kissed me." Cristina cringed, waited for anger to flood his face.

It didn't come. Hurt and anger moved through his face. Cristina let him process his emotions.

Owen's reactions to Derek's comment from this morning soften the blow tonight. Owen couldn't deny that some part of him was expecting this.

"It wasn't anything. I pulled back and told him I was with you, and he accepted it," Cristina finished finally looking Owen in the eye. "It didn't feel right."

"It's okay," Owen said, stroking her check. Cristina was amazed at how gentle he was. "It's okay."

"You're not mad?"

"Of course I am," Owen started. "But what good would that do either of us now?"

"Wow."

"Cristina," Owen said seriously. "I told you I wouldn't get upset and I won't. I want you to be able to tell me things in the future that you haven't been comfortable telling me in the past."

Cristina met his serious gaze, her eyes deep with meaning as well. "Yeah, I think that goes both ways."

Owen frowned, "Fair enough."

Silence now filled the room. Cristina pressed her body closer to her, enjoying his scent. Owen kissed her neck.

"Can I ask you a question now?" Owen asked quietly.

Cristina pulled back just enough to look him in the eye. "Okay."

"Derek said today that a previous boyfriend of yours also had his arm in a sling," Owen started, careful not to make her upset. "He said that he was shot in his shoulder."

Cristina closed her eyes, "Owen…" She begged.

"It was Burke." Owen stated.

"Yeah," Cristina reluctantly told him.

"Is that what you were lying for him about?"

Cristina moved away from Owen and lay flat on her back. With her eyes still shut, she said, "I can't get into this tonight."

"I thought we were working on things," He whispered, moving closer to her. He was now on his side, with his good hand tracing the outline of her body.

"We are. That's not a story for tonight."

"Cristina," He begged. "Come on."

She turned away from him. She was now on her side with her back facing him. "Not tonight," she said firmly.

Owen slid his hand up her back and squeezed her shoulder. "Cristina"

"Owen," Cristina turned around and met him in the eyes. "We are both naked in my bed. Do you seriously want to lie there talking about my ex?"

Owen was on top of her before she knew what was happening. Their lips finally met after days of tension and misunderstanding.

His tongue entered her mouth and met hers within mille-seconds. Covers were pushed to the floor as they both held on to each other with a feeling that something might tear them apart.

A single teardrop fell from Cristina's eye when he entered her. It was only when Owen's hands went up to cup her face did he notice it.

He opened his eyes and looked at her with concern as he wiped it away, "What's wrong?"

A dozen emotions flooded through Cristina at once. Cristina opened her eyes to find him looking at her in that way, his way.

"I don't ever want to lose you," she whispered.

Owen's heart broke when he processed the words after another single teardrop ran down her face. He was now on the edge of tears himself.

"I can't lose you either."

"To anyone-"

"You won't," Owen whispered over her.

"To anything," She added, knowing that he couldn't promise that.

All Owen knew to do was to kiss her deeply. Her hands pulled him closer to her. They both knew they were safe here: in her warm bed, in her safe apartment, in each other's arms.

But after facing almost facing their deaths: there was a new desperation tonight, a new sadness, and a new passion that was never there in times past.

As her clock next to her bed moved forward into the night, the two lovers finally drifted to sleep, arms around each other.