Chapter Seven: I've Never Bought You Flowers

"We didn't drink that much last night. You look like hell," Meredith commented between rooms on rounds the next morning.

"I didn't sleep very well." The absence of Burke pressed against her back was felt by every inch of her body last night, and they both tossed and turned restlessly all night.

"So basically, you and Burke had a fight, and that's much worse than any semblance of a hangover?" Meredith observed accurately.

"You two, social hour is over!" Bailey exclaimed. "You've been blabbing all morning. Karev, you're with me today. Stevens, you're in on the liver transplant with Dr. Burke."

"Yes!" Izzie exclaimed.

"Oh, Dr. Bailey, I want in on the transplant!"

"I'm sure you do, O'Malley. And though you may be Dr. Burke's 'guy', its time someone else had a go with him."

Cristina smirked. Bailey glared at her. "O'Malley, you're on neuro with Dr. Shepherd. Go!" The three of them hurried away.

She glared at her two remaining interns. "Since you two seem too distracted to worry about surgery today, you're in the pit."

"What just happened there?" Meredith asked as they walked to the elevator.

"We just got demoted," Cristina replied moodily. "What the hell happened to us, Mere? We're the best. Or we were, when we started. Now getting drunk and worrying about whom we're screwing - or not, in some cases - clouds everything."

"We slept with our bosses. We're being punished," Meredith announced as they stepped onto the elevator.

"Do you really think that's the cause of all this? Would we still be top of our game if we hadn't done that?"

Meredith sighed. "I don't know. Maybe. But I'm sure if it hadn't been that, we'd find something else to complain about. Like if we had decent men outside the hospital, we'd bitch that they didn't understand what we do all day."

"You think so?"

"Oh, I've had a lot of time to think recently. All I've been doing is knitting! I've come to a conclusion, of sorts."

"Which is?" They stepped off the elevator.

"Life is a bitch as an intern, regardless. We may have made it worse for ourselves, you and I, but everyone's had it rough. Izzie lost her boyfriend Hank, she lost Alex, and she's always getting in trouble for getting too close to her patients. Look at what's happening with Denny. This can't end well. Alex is talented, but always suffers from a lack of confidence. He spreads syphilis, fails his boards and chickens out on elevator surgery. He's constantly lapsing between being a decent human and an ass, and that cost him Izzie. And George, well, I think I messed him up by not returning his feelings. He had to work his ass off for ages, everyone doubted him. And though he has his shining moments, he also has the most spectacular lows."

"But what's your conclusion?" Cristina asked impatiently, as she heard sirens in the distance.

"That this was always going to be hard, regardless. And though it might seem hardest for us, what, with crazy relatives, getting pregnant to and dumped by attendings, I've decided I win our pity contest this time round."

"You think?" Cristina asked incredulously. "You're free of Shepherd. You don't have to deal with the invasion into your personal life at work, and his stupid inability to separate his personal life from his professional life. He doesn't withhold surgeries, or yell at you in the middle of them."

Meredith gazed into the distance. "No, he doesn't. He's also not there to go home to. Not there to listen to, to laugh with, to get pissed off at, and have amazing make-up sex. You and Burke may have your ups and downs, Cristina, but you've got a partner in him. And a good one at that. I managed to get involved with the more dysfunctional of the two."

The expression on Meredith's face silenced Cristina. She felt deeply about this. And, distracted and screwed up though they might be, together, they both saved lives in the pit that day. At least they had their talent and dedication to stand on.

Cristina yawned widely as she made her way up to the locker room that night. It had been a grueling day. Almost everyone else had cleared out, and she tiredly opened her locker. Even amongst the clutter, she spotted what hadn't been their before. Perhaps her locker was chaotic, but it was organized chaos. A smallish, flat square box sat at the bottom. With a post-it attached. Curiously, she peeled the post-it off:

C –

Thought you might need this.

B.

She reached for the box, and fumbled to find the opening. Raising the lid, she gaped at what she saw. She sat down on the bench behind her as she gently pulled the watch out of the box. It had a small, tasteful square face, and attached to a black leather wrist band. The face was plated with ­– holy cow, is that white gold? – and it didn't have one of those annoying second hands that made a loud ticking noise. It was exactly Cristina's style, and she wondered when the hell he had time to get it in the last 24 hours.

"I do my best, you know." Cristina looked up, to see Burke standing before her, out of his scrubs. He buried his hands in the pockets of his beige trousers, and leant against the lockers, facing her. "To keep our personal and professional lives separate. Though perhaps I could improve on that."

"You do a pretty good job," Cristina replied softly, turning the watch over in her fingers. She met his eyes. "I'm sorry my watch almost turned me into a 007."

Burke's eyes crinkled as he smiled. "Things happen. What do you think of this one? I had to do something on my lunch break, and the guy at the shop said the wrist band was very secure."

Cristina chuckled, as Burke leant down to secure the watch around her left wrist. "It fits."

"Yeah. Thank you." She stood up, and pressed her lips against his, gentle and lingering.

He tucked a loose curl behind her ear. "You're more than welcome. Now, do you think we can make it home without a pit stop at Joe's tonight?"

"I think I could manage that."

They rode home in comfortable silence that night, both finding it easier to breathe. He led her straight to the bedroom. It was different between them as they made love; more gentle, and tender. There were few moments when Cristina actually felt in awe of Burke. But as they came together that night, she found herself in one of those moments.

A/N There was quite a reaction to unhappy Bang. Sorry if it causes you angst, guys. But I guess I want this to be as well-rounded a story as possible, and being true to their characters. That means there will inevitably be conflict. But if it makes you feel better, I am the eternal Bang optimist, so it will end well!

And to the reviewer who asked if I meant to say 'Yang's Anatomy', no, I mean Bang's Anatomy. Bang Burke & Yang.