26 November 2013

Cristina hurried down the almost too familiar hallways and passed very familiar faces as she made her way over to the ICU.

She hurried over to the nurses desk and practically yelled his name. "Owen Hunt!"

"Dr Yang..."

"Owen Hunt!" She yelled again.

"Cristina!" She looked over and found Meredith staring at her.

She ran into Meredith's arms and her best friend held her.

"Mer." She whispered.

"I know."

Cristina didn't want to let go and Meredith held her even tighter.

Finally , Cristina pulled back and held her friend's head in her palms and smiled a teary smile.

They hadn't seen one another for months and their reconciliation was mixed up in the number of emotions they were both feeling.

Their smiles faded as they realized why they were actually together again.

"Owen." Cristina simply said and Meredith took her hand into hers and guided her to his room.

As they neared the room , Cristina noted the even more familiar faces outside his room.

Alex stood up , his face full of worry but still managed a smile and wrapped her up in a hug.

She hugged him back and then he stepped out of the way.

She spotted April , her belly round and huge , and Jackson seated where Alex had just come from and she gave them a small smile.

Owen had a team of supporters behind him and it warmed her heart.

She finally turned towards his room and she literally gasped.

Surprised at the sound , she covered her mouth with her hand and took a step forward.

He didn't look like the Owen she had left all those mornings ago.

His skin was pale and full of cuts and bruises.

He had a ventilator down his throat and brace around his neck.

His beautiful red hair was covered up by a bandage that went right around his head and his arm was in a sling.

She pulled open the sliding door and woman's head pop up from the side of the bed.

She had only just noticed Amelia sitting there but couldn't even muster up a smile.

She walked over to the bed and looked down at her former husband.

She brought her hand up and rested it on his cheek.

"Oh , Owen." She said softly.

"They said he's going to be okay." The other Shepherd spoke up.

Cristina looked at her and nodded.

Meredith stepped inside and Cristina looked up at her.

"What exactly happened?"

"He ... uh ... He was on his way here and a semi ran into him."

Cristina closed her eyes.

"It could've been worse." Meredith commented.

"Yeah." Cristina looked down at his frail body in the hospital bed. "Tell me."

Amelia looked at Meredith , checking if her sister in law understood and she did.

"He came in with a large laceration on his head , a dislocated shoulder and several other lacerations. And then he suffered a pneumothorax and a ventilator had to be put in. He has a fractured rib and we're waiting on his CT scans. Derek's looking them over as we speak."

Cristina nodded and smoothed the red hair sticking out from beneath the bandage.

"Do you know what happened? How he got hit?"

"No." Amelia answered. "He was out of it when he came in so we didn't get the proper story."

Once again , Cristina nodded.

Derek suddenly came through the doors , scans in his hands and urgency in his eyes.

"Cristina , you're here." He observed.

She smiled at him and he looked relieved to see her.

"Hunt's got a subdural hematoma. I need to go in and do a craniotomy." He finished and stared at her.

She knitted her brows. "Why are you looking at me?"

"Well ," Derek looked at his sister and then back at Cristina. "You're still listed as his health care proxy."

Cristina looked at him and then Amelia. She looked back at Derek and he was still staring at her.

"I need your permission , Yang."

"Yes , of course. Do what you have to do."

Derek nodded and was about to leave the room when Cristina called out to him again.

He turned around and immediately regretted it when he saw her broken eyes.

"Derek ," her voice was soft. "I can't lose him , too."

Derek paused and then nodded and left.

Nurses came in and Owen was wheeled out of the room and to the OR.

Cristina watched them leave and then she was left in the suddenly large and empty room with an on-edge Amelia and Meredith who seemed to be waiting for Cristina to make her next move.

Amelia stood and placed her hands in the pockets of her jeans , feeling out of place.

"I'm sorry we had to meet again under these circumstances." She looked at Meredith and then Cristina.

"Yeah." Was all Cristina said and then walked out of the room.

Meredith looked at Amelia. "Are you going to be okay? I have to go and look after Cristina."

"I'm okay." Amelia nodded.

"Okay."

Meredith left and then stopped beside April. "Would you keep an eye on Amelia? I have Cristina."

"Yes , of course."

Meredith gave her a small smile and then followed Cristina into an on-call room where they waited for the outcome of someone whom Cristina still loved and someone Meredith had learned to love.

\

The room was quiet as the door opened and Callie stepped in.

"Hey." She stood by the door.

Cristina gave her a small smile. "Hey."

"I heard you're back."

"I am."

Callie remained where she was.

Meredith patted the bed. "Come on."

Callie walked over to the bed and sat down beside Meredith. "He's going to be okay , Cristina." She said after a while.

She looked at Callie. "Yeah."

They were quiet again.

The door opened again and Alex stepped in.

He walked over to bed and laid down horizontally and the women hung their legs over him. "Hunt's been through a war and survived." He stated suddenly , while staring up the ceiling. "He's going to survive this."

Cristina nodded. "Yeah."

A few minutes later , the door opened once again and Arizona , Jackson and April stepped inside.

"We were ... Checking in on you." Jackson said.

"And we brought food." April held up a take out bag as proof.

Jackson walked over to the other bed in the room and pushed it against the one everyone was sitting on , making room for all of them.

Callie and Arizona made eye contact as Arizona sat down but neither of them said anything.

"Hunt's a fighter. He's going to be okay." Jackson stated as removed the many burgers and fries from the bag.

"Yeah." Cristina said softly.

Meredith looked at her. "That's like the seventeenth time you've said 'yeah'."

Cristina didn't look at her. "Yeah."

Meredith took her hand into hers.

The rest of the group tried to keep the mood up by making conversation and enjoying their meal , each trying to ignore the fact that one of their own was in an OR room at that moment getting his head cut into.

Cristina hadn't said anything for a while and Meredith kept squeezing her hand , bringing her back to her whenever she felt her friend drifting off too far.

"Someone should go and get Amelia." Cristina suddenly said and the conversation stopped and everyone looked at her. "She shouldn't be alone right now." She didn't look away from her spot on the wall across from her.

"I will." April volunteered.

She left and then returned shortly after with Amelia following behind.

The room was quiet as they stepped inside and April went back to her seat.

Amelia stood by the door , uncertain.

Cristina picked up a burger and pointed it at her. "We have food." She simply said.

Amelia was quiet for a while , staring back at her colleagues. "Great." She nodded. "I'm starving."

She walked over to the bed , took the burger from Cristina and gave her a small smile. Cristina returned it and then the conversation commenced once again.

Meredith looked at her friend , suddenly proud to call Cristina her person.

Cristina looked back at her and her eyes were glossed over.

Meredith's smile faded.

"What if ..." Cristina whispered.

"No. No 'what if's '. Everything's going to be fine."

"Mer , it's us. Nothing is ever fine with us."

"This time it's going to be." Meredith paused. "I promise."

\

Her phone rang and everyone looked at her.

"Probably Shane." She waved her phone and then got up and left the room.

She swiped at the screen.

"Cristina?"

"Yeah."

"How ... How are things over there?"

"Derek's currently doing a craniotomy. Haven't heard anything for a few hours."

"That's a good thing."

"That's what we tell the families , Shane. This is me."

"Okay. We can only hope for the best."

She nodded even though he couldn't see her.

"Noah?" She asked.

"I think he's still back home. I'm at the hospital , making sure everything's organized for tomorrow."

"Thank you for stepping in."

"No need to thank me."

Cristina smiled. "I ...uh.. I have to go now."

"Of course." He paused. "Bye."

"Shane." She called out before he hung up.

"Yeah?"

"Don't let Noah go home. He doesn't like being alone at his place." She paused. "He has ... Dreams ... Flashbacks."

"Okay. I won't let him go home."

"Thank you." She was quiet for a moment. "I'll see you soon , Sharky."

\

Cristina sat at his bedside , watching him rest.

He was still drowsy from the anesthesia and hadn't fully woken up yet.

It was quiet in the recovery wing.

Amelia had gone to the cafeteria to get some coffee and something to eat and had left her alone with him.

She held his hand and looked him over.

He still looked pale as ever but the intubation tube had been removed and he was getting there.

Derek had said that the surgery went perfectly and that he expected a full recovery.

She watched as his eyes danced beneath his eye lids and wondered what he was dreaming about.

She brought her hand up to his cheek and ran her thumb over his skin and couldn't fathom how she left him in the first place.

"Don't tell me you came back to reclaim your territory." A voice by the door said.

Cristina turned and smiled. "Lou."

The two of them stepped forward and embraced.

"I heard you were here and I had to come and see for myself." She said as she pulled away. She looked at Owen behind Cristina. "How is he?"

"He's ... doing better."

"Oh , darling."

"Yeah."

Amelia came walking in and she and Louise exchanged greetings.

Louise then turned to Cristina. "Do you want to go get some coffee? Take a break? Catch up?"

Cristina looked at Amelia and she nodded. "Go ahead. I've got him."

Cristina turned back to Louise. "Let's go."

\

Owen opened his eyes and took in his surroundings.

The room was dark and unfamiliar.

He blinked as he realized his head was throbbing and wondered if it would ever go away.

"Owen?" A voice said beside him.

He turned towards it and found Amelia smiling at him.

He returned the smile but when he turned to the door , it immediately faded.

"Cristina?" His voice uncertain and groggy.

"Hi."

Amelia turned around and saw Cristina smiling at him from the door.

Cristina stepped inside.

"You're awake."

"I am." He paused. "You're here."

"I am."

Amelia looked between the two of them. "I'm just going to go and check on this patient of mine."

"Oh , no , please stay." Cristina tried to stop her.

"It's okay." She smiled. "You two have a lot of catching up to do." She sounded genuine but Cristina still felt bad.

Amelia left the room , pulling the sliding door closed behind her.

Cristina turned to Owen again.

"I can't believe you're here."

"I can't believe you're stupid enough to get into a car accident." She said as she walked over to his bed and sat down beside him.

Owen laughed. "Yeah. That was pretty stupid of me."

Cristina smiled. "Do you want some water?"

Owen nodded and she reached over to the jug of water beside the bed , poured water into the cup and held the straw in front of his mouth.

He sat up a little , took a sip and fell back down.

She placed back onto the table.

"How's your head?"

"Other than feeling like it got bashed in with a baseball bat , it's good."

"Good to hear."

"On the bright side , we now have matching slings."

"You've always wanted to be more like me."

"That's true."

They were quiet as there eyes met and locked for a few minutes. Cristina had to look away and break the silence. "Amelia seems nice."

The air suddenly became awkward and uncomfortable and she regretted her choice of topic.

"Yeah , she is." He said after some time.

"She seems to really like you. No woman sits at the bed of a man she doesn't like for two days."

"You did. In fact , you came from Switzerland to sit at my bed."

"Who said I didn't like you?" She smiled.

"I just assumed."

"You shouldn't make assumptions."

He smiled and then they were quiet again.

"I missed you." He suddenly said.

Cristina stood up. "On that note , I will be leaving." She laughed. "And I'll get your girlfriend on my way out." She emphasized the word 'girlfriend' and the two of them laughed. "I'll see you later."

"Okay , then."

She nodded and gave him one last smile. "Okay."

\

"Where's Derek?"

"His surgery ran late."

Cristina nodded as she removed the pillows from Meredith's bed.

They both got under the covers and fell back with a sigh.

"He's going to be annoyed when he comes home and finds me in his bed."

Meredith shrugged. "He can sleep in your room."

"Maybe I should sleep in my room."

"No. You're staying here."

Cristina looked at her. "Mer , is something wrong?" She paused. "With you and Derek?"

"How's Owen?" Meredith changed the subject.

Cristina sighed for more than one reason. "He's good. He woke up in good spirits so I guess that's a good sign."

"Yeah."

They were quiet.

"Do you still love him?" Meredith suddenly asked.

"Owen?"

"Yeah. Do you still love him?"

"Well , of course I do. Of course I love Owen. I'll always love that man. We just don't make sense. We want different things. He wants something I can't give him and ... Of course I love him."

"Do you want my opinion?"

"Not really."

Meredith ignored her. "I think when you love someone , you don't just throw that love away. You figure something out. You work at your relationship. You compromise without having to compromise who you are. You just ... Try."

"We did try. Several times , if I might add."

"Try harder next time."

"He wants kids , Mer."

"I know."

"You can't compromise between wanting to have kids or not."

"That's true but you still have to try and figure it out." She paused. "You can't just give up."

"He's with Amelia now , anyway."

"And you're with Noah and still you're in love with another man."

"Way to bring the mood down , Meredith."

"You're welcome." Meredith smiled.

They were quiet again.

After some time , Cristina spoke up again. "Are you tired?" She turned to Meredith and found that her friend had already drifted off. "Okay , then."

Zola started crying and she looked at Meredith again and realizing that her friend wasn't going to wake up any time soon , she threw back the covers and hurriedly made her way over to Zola's room.

She stepped inside the blue room and walked over to the crib where Zola was already standing up , reaching her arms out to Cristina.

"Hey , baby girl." She lifted Zola up into her arms. "What's the matter?" She held the baby against her , her small cheek pressing against Cristina's face. "I'm here. I'm here , baby girl." She rocked Zola back and forth until the she quieted down.

Cristina held her back and looked at her. "You just wanted some attention , didn't you?" She smiled.

She carried the baby out of the room and made her way to the downstairs kitchen.

She set Zola on the kitchen counter and got herself a yogurt out of the fridge.

She pulled open a drawer and pulled out a spoon.

She then went to stand in front of Zola again.

"You know ," she started as she pulled open the yogurt. "You and I , we're tough. We both have been through a lot. We both lost our families ," she paused. "Well , I just lost my dad. You lost both of your parents. But I have lost people who were like family to me so I guess that's kinda the same." She stuck the spoon into the yogurt and took a spoonful and then carried on talking like the infant understood every word she was saying. "But we made it. I mean , I now own a hospital and you , you're living in this great house and you've got two amazing parents. We made it."

Zola said something in her own language and Cristina nodded. "Exactly."

Zola reached out , indicating that she too wanted to indulge in the midnight snack.

Cristina gave her some yogurt and then wiped the edges of her mouth. "I guess , both of our lives became better when we found your mom." She paused. "Meredith helped us both."

Zola looked up at her like she understood.

"Can you say 'cardio myopathy'?" Zola didn't respond. "No? Okay , then at least say 'Cristina'." Still the baby didn't respond. "Come on , work with me here."

Zola made an adorable face that made Cristina laugh.

Cristina kissed the tip of her nose and she giggled.

"You and me , kid ," she looked into Zola's eyes but the baby was more interested in the spoon in Cristina's hand. "We're going to be alright."

/

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