Crowen, Season 5
Owen woke up alone in the on-call room. His watch beeped, and he peered at it through muzzy eyes. 0600. He sat straight up in bed and swung his legs over. Scratching his chin, he blinked. She was here.
Not in the room of course, but...
Cristina was at the hospital. Probably on her way to prep for rounds. Yes, he just knew. Felt it in his gut. Owen stood up, cracked his neck and threw on his labcoat. Well, he still had a few more hours before his shift ended.
If he could just see her... for a moment.
He strode down the hall, stopping at the nurse's station for a quick luke-warm cup of joe, and then hopped on the elevator.
On the second stop, the elevator filled with night shift staff going home, and he was pushed to the back. But on the third stop, he felt her.
"I mean, mistletoe? Really? Who could be so corny Mere, it's just an excuse for PDA. Do you remember the last time someone hung Mistletoe in the elevator? You were practically assaulted by George. So who did it this time? Derek? It had to be Derek... he's so stupidly romantic, I'm surprised he hasn't propo- uh promised you chocolates and roses..."
Owen snickered at Cristina's rant... she hadn't noticed him in the back yet. But he did eye the small plant hanging from the ceiling.
Actually, he did know who hung the mistletoe.
But back to the task at hand. Cristina.
He didn't quite know what came over him when she was around. She just...
She pulled him from 'Before.' She pulled him from sand and desert, from death, from barren wasteland to Oasis. When he kissed her... he could be here, now, in the After. No one else could do that for him.
Owen pulled out his pager and typed.
The elevator dinged, Cristina's pager beeped and nearly everyone got out. Except for her.
She turned slowly around. "Hi," she said.
"Hey," Owen smiled.
"You're still here."
"Yeah." He gazed upwards, at the little green and white berry plant.
Cristina followed his gaze, "Seriously?" she remarked. "I am not falling for this again-"
Owen stepped forward, in her space, in her sphere, where his whole body longed to be since he arrived in Seattle. "Just one-," the back of his fingers grazed her cheek. Her scent permeated in the tight space between them. "little-," he sighed, curled a finger in a lock of her hair, "kiss."
Her lips were millimeters from his. Their noses touched. Owen trembled with anticipation. She had no idea... no idea what she did to him. How she took him, each and every time... just from a kiss.
Her hand cupped his cheek, her thumb stroking his grizzled face. And she kissed him. Soft, sweet, supple, lingering only for a moment. Owen was transported. The chaos that always rattled in the back of his mind quieted. The roar and din of warfare; the trauma of loss, and the burden of guilt disappeared with the touch, with the smell... with the taste of her.
He pushed for more, for her to devour his demons...
But Cristina's hand pressed against his chest, "You said a 'little' kiss."
Owen was forced to pull back. He stopped, panting.
Cristina gazed at him. The elevator dinged and the door opened. She tilted her head, ran her hand down his chest, "You can always try again," she said. "I'll be taking the stairs today though," she smiled.
Owen nodded, happy for the chance. "All right."
"All right," she backed out of the elevator. The door started to close when a hand stopped it "Wait!" Cristina called, "You didn't plant the plant did you?"
"Nope," he said.
"Darn, well who did?"
Owen just shrugged. It wasn't for him to say.
"You are no fun!" Cristina growled. The doors closed. Owen sighed and shook his head.
When he got to the next floor, he ran into Mark. "Any luck?" he asked.
"I haven't seen Lexie all day today," he pouted. "This romance thing sucks."
"You'll get it right," he patted Mark's shoulder before striding off to his next trauma.