The Pit – empty exam room

Meredith and Cristina are in the room waiting for Bailey. Cristina is anxiously sitting on the bed staring out the window and Meredith is standing against the wall in front of Cristina staring at the ring.

Cristina notices that Meredith is staring at the ring "Stop looking at it!"

"I can't help it, it's a really big ring."

"Yeah, too big! I would've expected something smaller, more traditional from Burke." Cristina lies back on the bed. "I should have eaten lunch I'm starving."

Meredith ignores Cristina's complaining "Ya know there's really no such thing as a ring that's too big. You have to figure out what you're going to say to him when he proposes."

"I know"

"Well"

Cristina sits back up with her legs off the side of the bed towards the window "I can't say yes"

Meredith sits on the bed next to her "Why not?"

Cristina looks at her "I'm not ready to be a wife"

"Good point" both stare back out the window.

"What if I say no?"

"He'll be hurt but you can't say yes if you're not ready."

"Right. Maybe he'll change his mind."

"Any idea how many relationships survive an initial no to the marriage proposal?"

"Who knows? I don't know why he would think getting married now is a good idea in the first place?"

Bailey walks in and Meredith jumps off of the bed. "Don't be stupid Cristina. He thinks it's a good idea because he's in love with you and doesn't want anybody else. And if you didn't feel the same way about him you wouldn't be so scared right now. Is your finger numb yet?"

"Yeah"

"Okay, let's get started. You're not going to be able to do any procedures for a couple of days. Once it's drained it will swell again today and then be better tomorrow. Here we go, now you're going to feel some pressure." Cristina winces and watches as the fluid comes out thinking about how nice the ring is.

Meredith decides to ask Bailey about rejected proposals "Dr. Bailey, do you think men ask a second time if their girlfriend turns down the first proposal?" Cristina looks up at Meredith annoyed.

"Mine asked three times before I said yes so yeah the good ones will ask again." Meredith and Cristina smile.

Bailey continues to look at Cristina's hand "Alright, I think that this actually might work"

Burke walks in behind Cristina "What do we have here?" Cristina straightens up, jaw dropped, eyes wide and starts to turn around.

Quickly Bailey interjects "YANG THERE IS A NEEDLE IN YOUR FINGER."

Meredith tries to distract Burke from Cristina "What brings you down to the Pit Dr. Burke?"

"Last time I checked Dr. Grey I worked here."

"George is so dead" Cristina slouches and closes her eyes

"Cristina sit still or your fingers are going to stay numb."

Burke stands behind Cristina looking over her shoulder "You really did a job on those fingers of yours. Dr. Bailey I can take over from here. Addison needs a consult on the 12y.o. – her parents are waiting for you."

"You okay with that Cristina?" Bailey's looking at Cristina. "I can finish if you'd like and we can have Dr. Burke wait outside. As a patient, you are entitled to your privacy." Burke smiles at Bailey who is very serious. Cristina puts her hand on her forehead before answering.

"Yeah, that's okay. Thank you…for your help."

Burke walks over and takes the needle from Bailey who starts getting up "Grey you come with me. Cristina you can go home when you're done here. Make sure you put ice on your finger to help with the swelling." Bailey and Meredith leave the room and there is silence for several minutes. Neither Burke nor Cristina wanting to speak first, both looking down at Cristina's damaged hand.

"So what do you have to say for yourself." Burke briefly looks up at her face and then returns his attention to what he is doing.

"Nothing" Cristina continues to look down watching the movement of Burke's hands as he holds the needle.

Burke raises his eyebrows but he is somehow not surprised by her comment. He starts to smile amazed at her stubbornness.

"So I'm standing here draining fluid out of your finger that has an engagement ring on it and you've got nothing to say"

"Look I…"

"Yes" He was enjoying that this was difficult for her.

"I wasn't snooping" It was all she could do to get her words out while she looked at the ring.

Burke looks at her over the rim of his glasses "Uhhuh"

Cristina tries again "I was looking for something."

"Uhhuh"

"Something else and I came across the box with the ring"

Burke continues working on her finger "So this is why you've been freaking out?"

"No." Burke raises an eyebrow and Cristina pauses "Yes"

Burke stares at her.

Finally she looks up at him "We've never really even talked about marriage and suddenly there's a ring, of course I'm freaking out."

"Well let's talk about it now. The ring is already on your finger. Now seems like a good time." Burke was determined to take advantage of this opportunity.

Cristina is clearly struggling to find her words and she cannot fidget given the situation with the needle. She never understood how he remained so calm when they argued. It reminded her of the time that they argued about religion and he just stood there while she ranted eventually walking calmly away. "Fine."

"Well talk."

Burke's statement surprised Cristina "What about you? Don't you have anything to say?"

"I love you."

Cristina couldn't believe that was all he had the nerve to say "Besides that?"

Burke remained calm and steady "I'd like to hear what you have to say. You already found the ring so you know what I want."

Cristina looks at him with big eyes not sure what to do or say next. This look did not go unnoticed by Preston Burke "Just be honest. It'll be okay."

Cristina takes a deep breath and looked at him with pleading eyes. "I am not ready to get married. I love you and I want to have a life with you but I am not ready to be a wife."

Burke looks at her for a moment and simply replies "Okay"

"That's it. Okay. That's all you have to say." She could not believe his reaction. She was disappointed in his reaction. Why was she disappointed? How could he want to marry her one minute and then not even care the next?

"Yup." Burke's standing there "I think we've gotten enough of the fluid out. So at dinner tonight, John is going to propose to his girlfriend. He wanted to surprise her and thought she'd never expect it at dinner with friends."

Burke was silent as he pulls out the needle and cleans off Cristina's finger.

"That's clever." Cristina is trying to match Burke's nonchalance and pauses looking at her hand when she realizes what's going on "This is John's girlfriend's ring isn't it?" A grin creeps onto Burke's face.

"You tricked me!" She couldn't believe it. He totally played her.

"I didn't trick you. O'Malley told me what happened and I used it as an opportunity to have a conversation about marriage when you weren't able to run away."

"This is so embarrassing. You were never going to ask me to marry you. You were just torturing me. What if I had said yes?"

"Then I'd have been even happier than I already am."

She was actually speechless. They smiled each lost in the others eyes.

Burke cautiously asks "So maybe someday"

Just as Burke's question had been filled with caution, Cristina's response was filled with certainty "Definitely." At that moment they realized that they had just taken another step together.

"Let's see if we can get this ring off now." He gently pulled the ring off her finger careful not to hurt her. When it was off she wrapped both her arms around his neck and gave him a long passionate kiss and whispered in his ear "Thank you."