Author's Note: Sorrysorrysorry for making you wait! But I am attempting to complete this before the end of September.

Chapter 3: Meeting

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Preston Burke sat in the United Airlines coach section. He tapped his fingers impatiently realizing that this was going to be anything but an easy task. He had to go find a fellow surgeon and identify his body. Let the world know that he was gone forever. That in the blink of an eye, he stopped living. Burke reached for the glass of water he ordered and quickly drank it, hoping that it would keep his senses alive. Hoping that it would keep him alive. For Cristina. Cristina. Thousands of thoughts ran through his mind. Were they over? What happened? Why had he snapped like that? Did she move out? It was all his fault. He should have been kinder. Let her know his feelings. But being the arrogant surgeon that he was, he needed to have that one outburst. But the truth was, Preston Burke never lost his cool. Composure was what he did. He kept it and maintained it no matter how difficult the situation. Whether is was the bomb in the hospital or the "heart-stealing" of Denny Duquette, Preston Burke kept his composure.

"Excuse me are you using your headphones?" a man next to him tapped his shoulder.

"Oh… no," Burke handed the headphones to the man.

"Chris Nantucket," Chris held his hand out to Burke.

"Preston Burke. Doctor Preston Burke," Burke smirked at this. Everytime he announced he was a doctor, it allowed him to have pride. More than usual.

"Doctor huh? So tell me doc, why ya headed to Bangkok? Wife searchin'?" Chris let a smile toy at his lips and he saw Burke swallow awkwardly.

"No… I have a girlfriend. Why are you headed to Bangkok?"

"I got some unfinished business in Nepal. I'm a doctor too. There was that mass hospital murder by those rebels," Chris picked up his drink and sipped it seeing Burke shift uncomfortably. What is with this guy?

"Well… Chris, we're going to the same place for the same reason. What field are you in?"

"No kiddin'? I work in the ER and am damn proud of it. Mercy West has got the best around. What about you Burke?"

"Oh you have got to be kidding me. Seattle Grace is the best. As am I. The best cardio-thurassic surgeon in Washington. Maybe the whole country." Another smirk tugged at the corners of Burke's mouth. Cristina slowly faded into the contours of his heart.

"So you're the surgeon that cause one hell of a dispute over that heart. I treated that guy that the heart was taken from."

"Really?"

"Hell yeah. Like I said, Mercy's the best."

"Now wait a minute- Seattle Grace is…"

As it continued, all the way to Thailand banter between new friends about competitions and hospitals. Cristina slowly hid in the back of Burke's mind allowing him to relax for a moment. But what he didn't know was that if he didn't think of her alive now, she might not be alive later.

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Short. Yes. Bad. HELL YES. But something I just had to update. Again, I'm major rusty. Give me a break loves.

--I'm not crazy I'm just a little unwell

Unwell by Matchbox Twenty