A/N: I figured I should probably post another chapter before drowning in the sea of bedpans... This chapter is a THROWBACK chapter. In this chapter we are going back to the time when Cristina and Burke got a divorce. PS, I really like the scene in season 3's finale, when Meredith had to cut Cristina out from her wedding dress. So I decided to change the plot a bit and use it in my fanfic:) Please read and review!


Chapter 5

2011 Burke And Cristina's Apartment, Seattle

"Oh come on Burke. It's just a set of plates! Sorry if I am too busy to give a damn to which plate I am using for dinner." Cristina shouted sarcastically at the bathroom door. She swallowed a slice of chicken and stared angrily at the man who stuck his head out from the bathroom.

"No. It is not only a problem of plates." Burke replied savagely. He stepped out from the bathroom topless and continued, "The plates are just a hint."

"A hint of what? Your unbearable stubbornness?"

"No, a hint of you not giving a damn to me and to our marriage."

"Excuse me? I don't care? If I don't care, I won't be bringing you food after a 20 hours shift. If I don't care I wouldn't be flipping through these stupid catalogues, searching for your Mama's birthday gift." Cristina stood up from the couch and slapped the magazine she was holding onto the ground.

"Yeah, but did you notice anything different in our home? Like the new couch, the new lamp, and the new bed? After five years of marriage you can't even remember which plate is for breakfast and which is not!" He took a breath after his outburst, slowly added, "Maybe it is a complete mistake. Maybe we shouldn't be getting married at all."

"Right, maybe I should have left that freaking chapel when you offer me a way out." She bitterly and slapped the bedroom door close. Burke sat down on the couch and pressed his hand to his forehead. He stared at the gift catalogue abandoned on the floor by Cristina, then he got up, threw on a T-shirt and a pair of jeans before he left the apartment.


3rd floor Nurses Station, Surgical Wing, SGMWH

Meredith was finishing her post op notes when Cristina sat down beside her with two cups of coffee in her hands.

"Wow, you brought me coffee!" Meredith was about to grab the cup when Cristina smacked her arm.

"That's not for you. It's for Burke. We got into a fight last night over some stupid dishes. And I think that maybe I should be the one apologizing this time."

"Oh, that's why he came to my place last night and watched football game with Derek." Meredith shrugged and put the chart back to the shelf.

"He is really mad last night, he even say something about divorce."

"Dude, how come you and Burke can always find something to argue about?" Alex smirked and said. He was standing behind the girls when they started talking.

"Shut up evil spawn, its called marriage, something you will never experience."

"Crack whore." Alex cursed and walked into a patient's room nearby with Jackson, who couldn't stop laughing at all.

"Hey Shepherd. Have you seen Burke this morning?" As Derek walks by, Cristina stopped him and asked. Derek looked at her with a face mixed with guilt, fear and pity before he answered, "Um, no. He kind of have a thing to do this morning."

After answering Cristina's question briefly, he quickly walked away from the nurse's station, as if he was running from something horrifying. Although Cristina is doubtful about Burke's "thing to do this morning", she didn't think into it deeply as she just assume she forgot.

Later that day, Cristina had just scrubbed out from a long surgery when her pager beeps loudly. She followed the page and arrived at the nurse's station. A man in suit was waiting for her there.

"Hi. I am Dr Cristina Yang. You need something?"

"Nice to meet you Dr Yang. In fact, I have something for you." The man shook her hand gently before he open his briefcase. He took a brown envelope out from his suitcase and handed it to Cristina along with his business card. "Please read the document inside carefully. If you have any questions, feel free to contact me. Goodbye Dr Yang."


Cristina sat down on the sofa in April's office, next to Jackson and Meredith.

"Hey, what are you holding?" Jackson managed to squeeze a few words out while stuffing potato chips into his mouth.

"No idea. I am opening it now. Ugh, hand me the scissors Apes." She grab the scissors and opened the envelope swiftly. Everyone in the room gathered around curiously. But as soon as the paper inside was revealed, all of them grasped and couldn't believe what they are looking at.

"Are those… divorce papers? Dr Burke gave you divorce papers?" April exclaimed in shock while everyone looked at Cristina, not sure what to say.

"Cristina, call Burke and see what is going on first." Meredith gave Cristina her phone and suggested.

But Cristina didn't took it. All she could do is staring blankly at the piece of paper.


Attorney's firm, Seattle

Cristina and Burke were sitting on the two sides of the table, they stared at each other without saying anything. The attorney representing Burke, Mr Marcus, cleared his throat and began.

"Today we are here to finish up the divorce of Dr Burke and Dr Yang. From the list we got, it shows that Dr Burke and Dr Yang only own one set of apartment on 16th Avenue, Seattle. According to the wish of my client, Dr Yang could take the apartment."

"So I guess we have settled everything." Cristina's attorney, Ms White said. "Great, so Dr Yang, just sign here, here and… here."

Cristina took the pen given to her by Ms White, she glared at the line she is supposed to sign on, and look at Burke with tears in her eyes.

"Do you really want this? The divorce?"

"I…" Burke stumbled as he tries to answer her. He loves Cristina, he will probably love her for the rest of his life. But their marriage is exhausting and consuming. The endless arguments and make up sex annoyed him. He no longer feels happy and loved when he got home. When love started to be replaced by anger and frustration, he no longer sees the reason for him to continue with this marriage.

"I don't want us to end up like those couple who can only talk about weather, cause that is the only thing they won't fight about. I don't want to do this anymore Cristina. The arguing and the not talking is exhausting, I can't…"

"Do. You. Want. This." She interrupted him and demanded for an answer. A drop of tear slide down her cheeks, but she quickly wiped it away.

"Yes, I want this." He sighed. Maybe they are just never meant to be.

"Fine." Cristina scribbled her name onto the paper quickly. When she was done with the papers, she pulled away the ring on her finger and passed it to Burke with the signed divorce papers. She then stood up and left the room, without looking at him one last time.


Burke and Cristina's Apartment, Seattle

"Watch out, there's a step ahead of you… Okay, where's your key?" Meredith tried her best to keep a drunk Cristina still. After Cristina finished her divorce, she met with Meredith at Joe's for drink. After pouring a whole bottle of Vodka into her stomach, Cristina was so drunk that she could barely walk. Therefore, Meredith had to take Cristina back to her apartment.

"Oh, got it." Meredith fished the key out from Cristina's bag. She unlocked the door and let her friend get in.

"Mer… He's gone…" Cristina murmured drunkenly.

"What? Um, I don't think he is gone. Look, his books are still here, and his shoes… He is not gone. Yet."

"No… his Eugene Foote albums were here, his trumpet… was here, his lucky scrub cap should be hanging on the door knob, and the picture of his grandmother… is gone… He is gone…"

"Cristina…"

"He is gone, and I am free. Damn it. Damn it. Damn it…" The rest of her words were blurred by her sobs. Meredith hugged her person from behind and tried her best to withhold her own tears.