HEALING INCANTATION
Heal what has been hurt
Change the Fates' design
Save what has been lost
Bring back what once was mine
Alex walks Cristina to a room at the end of the ICU unit. She quietly sneaks inside. The room was rather dark for it's almost midnight in Seattle. Owen, in his blue scrub, is sleeping with his head on the side of the bed. Cristina comes closer to take a look at the scene. His ring hand was holding a little hand, it is a baby girl. A baby Asian girl.
The little girl is rather five or six. She looks somewhat like Cristina even though she doesn't have curly hair. Cristina knows it's pretty rare for Asian females to have big curly hairs like her. However, she can tell by looking at the kid she has single eye-lids and a very small, cute nose. The girl surprisingly resembles not only Cristina but also Owen. By looking at the equipment all over the little girl's chest, Cristina can tell she just went through a major valve replacement.
Cristina didn't bother to wake Owen up. He sleeps peacefully, probably knowing his daughter is safe for now. She wants to touch his auburn curls and give him a kiss on his head, for it was really a moving scene in front of her eyes. But she knows it would be inappropriate once she isn't sure what kind of family status Owen is at now.
Cristina quietly sits down at the arm chair, looking at him and the baby girl for hours. She wants to do something to help him, but she is not a doctor here so she can't access the baby's profile. And where's the mother, she wonders. The way Owen is wearing his ring is so confusing for her.
When it is almost dawn, Owen suddenly wakes up. He can see in dark Cristina is sleeping on the armchair, much to his surprise. He isn't sure what to do now, eventually he decides to wake Cristina up.
-Cristina..Cristina..
-Huh…Oh, hey, I've heard the news from Meredith, so I came here.-She manages to stand up in her half sleepy form. It must have been the jet lag.
He can't help himself but hold her very tight for minutes. He buries his face into her thick, voluminous hair. Cristina holds Owen tight, too. This is the first time they are truly together since the met again at Teddy's wedding..
-Owen…
-Are you tired? Are you hungry? How long have you been here?
-A little tired, yes. I catch the next flight after you. So I just arrive recently. How's the girl doing? Is she okay?
-She's stable, for now. Do you want to eat something, 'cause I am exhausted and hungry.
They page Alex and ask for his favor to stay the rest of the night with Owen's daughter because he doesn't want just the nurse's monitor. Cristina and Owen walk down to the cafeteria but it's already closed, so he offered to drive her to a local restaurant that opens overnight. The hospital is slow and quiet, and it looks just like an airport at night with random people walking and sleeping.
Owen takes Cristina to a small Chinese restaurant near the hospital. They find a table by the window and ordered some wonton soup. The hot soup makes them feel so much better after the long flight, especially for Owen, who has also undergone an emotional catastrophe as he didn't make it in time to his daughter's surgery.
Cristina looks at Owen having his second bowl of wonton soup enthusiastically, she chuckles:
-How do you know this place? You were not a fan of Chinese food.
-Turns out my daughter loved this place. After all, she's half Asian.
-So, you got married and had this kid? Why does she look a lot like me? I mean, except for the curly hair. I never knew you have a strong taste in Asian women.
Owen can't help but laugh. She is still his sarcastic, mocking Cristina after all these years. She hasn't changed very much.
-Why are you so interested in my personal life when you were the one who left? I mean, I haven't asked anything about you.
-It's because you've read about me a few times in the newspapers and probably medical journals, too.-Cristina answers confidently-You know I'm still that hot cardio goddess that you are so ignorant not to ask for helping your kid out.-Owen can tell she is lecturing him at the same time bragging about herself.
-I don't need your help.
-Where's your wife?
-I said, I don't need your help.
-Where's your wife? Show her to me and I will help treat your kid.
Owen surrenders Cristina's stubbornness:
-She doesn't have a mother. She's adopted. I met her when we were on an exchange medical trip to Korea.
-Why does she look like me?
-I don't see she resembles you. But she resembles me, because she has a beautiful nose, like mine.-Owen is lying from the fact that the kid indeed looks like Cristina.
-Okay, I am not mean, I am just curious: why pick a child that you knew there was heart problem?
-She was from a very poor orphanage in a village, there was really no proper documents regarding her health. I picked her because you will see, the way she looks at you, it's strange. It's emotional. She's much matured compared to the kids of the same age. She's a very good daughter. She's all I have wished for as a parent.
Cristina can tell how much he loves the little girl by his enthusiasm when talking about his daughter. She no longer looks straight into his eyes because she feels somewhat guilty for what is going on with Owen right now. She loved him so much and she wanted him to have a better life. Turns out he doesn't have a very much better life.
-How old is she, Owen?
-Six. She was two when I met her four years ago. But she has the brain of an eight year old girl. I never told her she was adopted, and none of our friends in the hospital, but I think she knows something, for adopted children normally behave very well as they are aware of their status.
-She's a strong girl. Owen. Let me help her.
-There's nothing much you can do. We tried cardiac catheterization, then the first valve replacement a year ago, then a second valve replacement yesterday. It's just… her heart doesn't accept the replacements. She was fine until two years ago, when I have to monitor her more closely and she has severe problems. She almost died once.
Owen almost sobers when he thinks about his sick daughter. Cristina doesn't really know what to say, she is not well bonded to children and she has been keeping her emotions isolated for so long, because she needs to be cold headed and cold hearted to operate her institute well. But Owen breaks down is something she can't handle. She almost cries when seeing him in this stage. She holds his hand:
-Owen. We will figure this out. Let me help you..
-No, there's nothing you can do. I am a doctor. I know what's going on. It's her body that's rejecting all the treatments. She can't handle another surgery.
-Please, just let me take a look at her chart.
He sighs.
-Why are you back here? You were gone for what..five years? You left and never contacted me. Did you really love me?
-I know your life has been upside down again. I am offering to stay and help. Please don't be harsh on me. Don't push me away.
-I don't know. I am just exhausted from everything. Take a look at the chart if you want to, but I don't think there's much you can do. You moved on. I moved on, Cristina. That's what you wanted. Don't feel sorry for me, the girl is my life, I love her, I've got what I need.
Cristina doesn't understand why Owen goes so rough on her. She tries to hold her temper and stay submissive. He may just be too tired from things that happen to him. He needs someone right now to let out all his well buried anger, otherwise he might get psychological disorder again:
-Still, please let me look at her chart. You are exhausted, Owen. Go home and have some rest. I'm gonna go back to the hospital and see what I can do.
**So, for Crowen, it was always about kid, adopted or naturally born. You may not be surprised at all at this chapter to know Owen has adopted a kid. I mean, most Crowen writers would pick this topic to write about. But we have different reasons why the story unfolds this way. So bear with me till the end, friends, because I mean it when I say "The best is yet to come".
**Have you ever listened to Healing Incantiation from Tangled? Since this chapter is about Owen's daughter, I thought it would be nice to use that song here.
**Thank you friends for your reviews. I'm looking forward to more. I would love to hear your comment about what part you like/ you hate; because you know I'm a frequent updater. I don't let you down so let me know how I write so far. I need the fire!
**Special thanks to Katy Oh for supporting me since my first day joining this community. Also special thanks to Annamria, you are always the first to read and comment. And I always have to google your Hungarian comment. But I love it :D
