Notes: Hey guys! I'm sorry about the delay, I'm having some trouble putting the words together the way I want them to, so I write and erase every time! I hope you're still up for this idea and keep telling me what you think and what you wanna see too! Enjoy!
You've got a friend in me
You've got a friend in me
You got troubles, I've got 'em too
There isn't anything I wouldn't do for you
We stick together and see it through
Cause you've got a friend in me
Yeah, you've got a friend in me
"Are you sure, you're gonna be okay?" the redhead asked for the nth time that morning.
It had been two days since his and Cristina conversation at the apartment's patio, and Owen was flying to Seattle this morning.
Cristina rolled her eyes and picked Leo up from the playpen she had bought a few days ago. The baby squealed in glee and Cristina adjusted him on her hip.
"We're gonna be fine!" she reassured her lover and got closer to him. "I'm a doctor, besides, I took the day off, it's going to be just me, munchkin and all those toys I bought him to play with." She smiled to the baby. "say 'bye-bye daddy, bye-bye'" she motioned with Leo's hand.
Owen smiled at them and pecked Cristina's lips and Leo's head before heading towards the door.
"I'm on my cell, but his routine is on the fridge's door, and I emailed it to you as well." He clarified.
She rolled her eyes again.
"We're going to be awesome, now-" she went to the door and was pushing him out "go, before you miss your plane"
Hunt walked to the elevator, but before he went it, he turned around and waved at them.
"Call me when you land." The Asian stated.
"Will do. Love you." The man boarded the lift and in instants disappeared behind its doors.
Cristina closed the door and faced the little man in her arms.
"It seems like it's just you and me little guy."
"Gah!"
Yang downed him in his playpen again and went for her laptop in her room.
She had it all planned. She would watch Leo play with his things, as she'd get some work done, revising budgets and all. After that, she would prepare them lunch, - scratch that, she would reheat the food Owen left them for the next couple of days -, and they would take an amazing nap, just to take a stroller walk in the end of the afternoon.
It was all set. And they were going to be fine.
Or so she thought.
"Yes, Ross? It's my day off, you know that, right?" she answered the phone as soon as she was seated on her comfy couch watching Leo play with his toys.
"I'm aware you're babysitting today…" Ross replied in a mocking tone.
She rolled her eyes, even though her apprentice couldn't see her. "What you want?"
"There's a problem with the last patient from the trial…" he started and was interrupted for her groan.
"Don't!" she had one hand up in her head and the other holding the cellphone. "Don't tell me we're going to have o go in again?"
"Well, I won't then." Ross shrugged on the other side if the line.
"Damnit!" exclaimed the older doctor, running her free hand through her hair. "Okay, that's how is gonna play out," she heard Ross cleaning his throat on the other side. "I'll be there in 30 and we'll gonna figure it out"
"And the baby?" Shane questioned as he heard the fussing on the other side, probably she was getting off wherever she was sat on.
"I'm taking him in, of course."
"Oh… okay then. See ya in 30." Shane said before hanging up.
Cristina tossed her phone at the sofa and looked at Leo.
"So…"
The baby faced her as if waiting for her to go on.
"All our agenda for today? Not gonna happen." Cristina collected Leo from his playpen and went for the nursery as she was speaking to him. "We're going to go to the hospital, you already went there with dad, but today," she paused as she put him down in his changing table. "it's gonna be you and me, and surgery, I'll assign a really nice nurse for you, yeah…" she smiled as she undressed him and started to change his diaper.
She had certain experience because of Zola and Bailey, that didn't make she like the process though.
"We're going to see a lot of cool stuff today Leo, and tonight, when your dad calls us, you're going to tell everything to him, alright?"
"Bah!"
"That's right!" she cheered with him as she finished her work. Cristina was as meticulous with this as she was with a cardiothoracic surgery and in the end the outcome was flawless, as usual. Leo had his clean diaper on, and was wearing a blue shirt and blue pants, that reminded her of GSMH scrubs a lot. He also had a coat and a hood on, despite being spring, the baby needed protection.
"You're all set, little man, now it's Cristina's turn, and you're coming with me." Yang announced as she picked him up again and marched to her and Owen's room.
She set the baby on the bed, various pillows surrounding him, and went for the quickest shower of her life, and the quickest dressing up as well. She was kinda afraid Leo would turn and fall off the bed, since the baby already wobbly walked.
"We're good to go kid." She spoke after she collected all her belongs.
Cristina took the car seat and put the baby on it, after that she went out of the door and into the elevator. She set the car seat and went for the driver' seat to start the car.
Leo was observing everything with pure curiosity.
Cristina wondered if maybe he was looking for his dad, but when they got to the Institute and there was no Owen, Leo made no fuss at all.
She hoped things would continue to be like this.
"Dr. Yang!" Shane approached her as she was leaving her car with Leo's car seat hanging in one arm.
"Ross!" she acknowledged him as she walked into the building with the surgeon and the baby. "Update."
"SATS are stable for now, patient is responding to medication as expected, but for a moment it was touch and go over there." The man said, as they passed the front door. "I think we might have to go in before the situation worsens." Pointed Shane.
"Okay." She sighed in defeat. The trial to her printed hearts was going smoothly, as a trial for hearts built from scratch could go, but now they had a bump on their road and it made her feel disappointed with herself. "so, let's do this." Cristina resumed.
"Oh, okay then…" they entered her office "what about this little guy here?" Ross questioned motioning to the baby.
Leo was observing all the commotion around him with curiosity, letting out some coos and squeals once or twice, but never crying.
"You'll have to find someone at the daycare to take him, but Shane, it has to be someone very responsible and nice and only for him," Cristina clarified as she set the car seat on the sofa in the corner of her office.
"Okay, I'll see about that, meanwhile, you go talk to the family, I'll prep the patient and we'll see ourselves at the OR." Ross offered and she nodded.
"Sounds like a plan." She answered ending the discussion.
"C'mon little man, let's find you a very nice nurse…" Ross was saying to the baby as he exited the room, leaving Cristina alone.
"Clamp." Dr. Yang asked as she operated with Ross on the other side of the table.
"So…" her apprentice initiated.
"Stop right there, Ross!" she cut him off. "I know what you're gonna say."
"Oh, so now you're a clairvoyant too?"
She roller her eyes.
"I was going to congratulate you on your baby."
"You can quit the sarcasm right there. Scissors."
"I'm just saying-"
"He's Owen' son, not mine."
"So, you're his…" he let her complete
"Friend. Clamp."
"I see…"
Only the monitors and the surgeons' movements were heard for some time, 'till Ross started again.
"But you want him to be your friend?"
"What?"
"Like, in the future?"
"Ross, I only live one day at a time, maybe a week. I rush, I make mistakes."
The man would've started his argument again, but he was interrupted by the OR intercom.
"Dr. Yang?" the nurse called the director from the gallery.
"Yes?" she answered without looking up from the surgical field.
"It's about Leo…" the nurse informed.
Cristina gave the gallery a brief look and caught Leo's crumpled face. The kid was not happy at all.
"What happened?" Yang wanted to know as she deflected her eyes from above and stared back at her actions on the patient's chest.
"He couldn't sleep and was very fussy, wouldn't have his bottle or any other food I offered him, he cried a lot when he realized you weren't around."
Cristina faced him briefly again. He obviously had been crying, because his cheeks had tears strains, and his blue eyes were red-ish.
"Okay…" the doctor spoke, acknowledging the situation at hand. Without diverting her eyes from the procedure, Cristina spoke again. "Leo, hey, I'm here baby. I know you miss dad, but soon he'll be back and I'm not going anywhere, I'm right here…"
The nurse up in the gallery sat in one of the chairs in the front row, Leo was up in her lap observing Cristina carefully. He almost didn't blink. He wanted to catch her every action.
Ross continued with what he was doing stealing a glance up at the gallery and in his mentor's direction, drinking the situation in. Who knew? Was his first thought.
"Okay, so you stay up there, and when I'm done, take him to my office and try to give him his bottle, I'll meet you guys there." Cristina told the nurse, still hands deep in the patient chest cavity, and the surgery went on without any more bumps.
At home now, Cristina followed Owen's instructions that were pinned on the fridge's doors. She fed Leo with the food he left them, she bathed the baby, changed him into clean diapers and clothes – in cute dinosaur pjs that even had a tail -, and set him at his playpen to distract him, as she got in the shower herself.
This day had been eventful. Her patient, gladly, had survived and her trial wasn't failing. She had handled the baby situation brainly, not emotionally, and everything was okay for the moment.
Even though the idea of keeping Leo in Zurich with her had been hers, it hadn't prevented her from doubting her abilities with the child. She wasn't a kid's person. Everybody knew that and Owen would never ask her to take care of his son, he didn't, but she had felt the need to offer him this comfort.
He was giving up his life in Seattle to be with her, and Leo liked her so what's the harm, right?
And man, she was right, as usual.
For a moment, she thought she'd lost it, but now, every single thing of her day had turned out alright, and she was genuinely happy. Content.
After her shower and a quick snack, Cristina noticed that Leo was sleepy, already losing interest in his toys and yawning with almost every motion.
"Hey baby, wanna snuggle in bed, and call daddy?" she asked as she scooped him up and walked to her room, putting the boy down surrounded by pillows.
Leo Hunt was expressing his confirmation with coos and random syllables. "Da da da deeee"
"That's right, daddy, kiddo." She confirmed as she got up in bed and reached for her laptop to FaceTime Owen.
She saw that he was already online, so she connected the call.
"Hey!" he cheerfully greeted her when he caught her face on screen, Although, he had a board smile showing, you could see he was exhausted.
"Hey." She greeted back. "You got there alright?"
"Yeah, long flight, though. Sorry I didn't call." He replied as he stretched in bed on the other side of the world.
"Yes, it is, and that's okay." She smiled at him. "Wanna see your kid?"
Owen adjusted the laptop in bed as Cristina picked Leo up and set him in her lap. "Say 'hi papa'" she urged the baby, that as soon as caught his dad eyes started to bounce in Cristina's lap.
"Hey Leo!" Owen spoke through the lens. "You're behaving around Cristina, right?"
"Na!"
The adults laughed at his response.
"I hope this was his attempt on calling your name." Owen commented.
"He's doing okay, we had a nice day, we went to the hospital, because I had an emergency surgery, he behaved like the champ he is." She omitted the gallery episode. She'd fill him in when he got back.
"Great!"
"And how's everything there? Have you seen Mer?"
"Actually, I'm at her house now. I was going to book a room at a hotel, but she insisted I stayed here."
"That's great, except for…"
"Amelia."
"Yes."
They were silent for a moment.
"We're over Cristina. Have been for a long time. I love you."
"I know… It's just…"
"I know, I understand and respect that, but let's not forget why I'm here." She had a longing look in his face, trying to reassure her, even that far, that he was only hers. "I'm here to end my contract and run back to you."
She smiled with his sentence.
"I love you." He said again.
"Love you, too." Her answer came out in an instant. "Now, get some rest. We'll talk more tomorrow."
"Okay, boss." He mocked her.
Cristina rolled her eyes and took Leo's hand in hers.
"Say 'good night daddy'" she motioned with the baby hand.
"Good night babes." Hunt waved to the both.
"Daddy." Leo spoke and gestured with his both hands now.
"Oh My God!" Cristina exclaimed.
"He spoke!"
"He called you 'daddy!'" she was ecstatic with Leo's new achievement. "You said Daddy, Leo!" she scooped him up bouncing him up and down in bed.
The kid was giggling with Cristina's antics.
"Congratulations Leo!" she told him as the baby tried to grab her hair. "DADA!"
Owen watched the scene playing in front of him with pure love. He dreamed of this so many times he wouldn't be able to count.
"Say: 'night daddy'" Cristina tried to make Leo talk again.
"Daddy!"
Owen laughed with the baby speech.
"Good nigh champ."
Cristina faced him through the screen and smiled.
"I had an amazing day today. I did it all. Thanks for that Owen."
"Thank you for letting me back in your life."
"Good night babe." Cristina bid her goodbye and they disconnected the call.
Once again, Leo had calmed down, so she put her laptop aside and laid down with the baby beside her.
"I should put you in your crib, in your room, but today, in celebration for your first word, I'll let you sleep here." She informed him.
"Gah!"
"Yeah, I'm pretty proud of us today, too."
Leo stared into her eyes. His blue eyes pouring the affection he had for this unique woman in front of him. He didn't understand the world he was in, but he understood care, and she cared for him and was keeping him safe and sound, so he retributed with a hug, by reaching for her neck and putting his little head on her shoulder.
"Good night, Leo."
He moved his legs, kicking lightly her abdomen.
Cristina parted them and soon enough the baby was out like a light.
Notes: I know you guys been waiting long for this one, I had a hard time coming up with something, so, yeah, I apologize! See ya soon! Xx