Cristina's eyes fell upon the velvet box sitting upon her pillow and her mind began to race, she snatched up into her hand, without opening it and stalked into the living room, only a towel wrapped around her body, "Burke...what the hell is this?"
He glanced up from the paper and looked at her, "What does it look like?"
"Quit being like that. What the hell is this? It's my first day back to work, and you're already pulling this stunt on me? I can't deal with this...this thing right now."
Burke shifted uncomfortably in his chair, laying his paper down, "This thing? Is that what you consider our relationship to be after this long? Just a thing that you have to deal with?"
"It's not that, it's just that, I want to get settled back into work, and into the routine..."
"You want to be able to avoid me with a real excuse as to why you're doing it." He finished her sentence, finally rising from his chair and crossing to her.
His heart was aching from her words, but he would not show it. His pride was wounded, but she would not know it.
"You're not being fair." She muttered, crossing her arms over her chest, looking away from his steady gaze.
"You're the one that promised that you'd finally give into me after you got back to work." He reminded her gently.
"After a few weeks. It hasn't been a few weeks." She shot back at him, stepping out of his arms reach.
"I'm supposed to believe that your attitude is going to change that drastically in just a few weeks time? I feel like we're back at square one when I gave you the key to the apartment for the very first time, Cristina. We've been through so much, and still you can't trust me. You can't give of yourself in this relationship without me pushing you." He lectured her, pulling the box from her hand.
She opened her mouth in protest as he pulled it out of her hand and closed it, wondering to herself suddenly why she would protest him taking it from her.
Was this something she really wanted, and she was just denying herself?
He opened the lid to the box quietly, and sat it on the counter in front of her, his face sullen. "It's not what you think."
Her eyes fell upon a pair of small diamond earrings, and she let out a long exhale as she felt her face grow hot, "It's earrings."
"Yes. I got them for you for your first day back to work." He replied quietly, "I would say that you could've saved yourself a lot of trouble had you just opened it first, but I can't say that I'm sorry that you didn't. At least now I know how you truly feel."
He walked away from her, leaving the open box on the counter, "I trust you're driving your bike to work and that you don't need a ride?"
She looked to him, "It's raining."
"It's never stopped you before." He muttered, picking up his keys from the bureau.
She froze.
What was she supposed to say? 'I want to ride with you.' or 'I thought we could get coffee together?'
Finally she opened her mouth, "I don't want to ride in the rain. Just wait for me."
He shook his head, "Fine. Just hurry. I have things to do this morning."
She stalked out of the kitchen, angry with herself for overreacting, for being angry about a damn pair of earrings.
She pulled on a pair of jeans and a long sleeved shirt as quickly as she could and dug around for a pair of shoes. She sat on his edge of the bed to pull her shoes on and her eyes fell upon the book he had bought so many months ago, 'Exploring Judiasm' and her heart sunk a little more.
He did so much for her, so much to get to know her, and she continually pushed him away, afraid to admit that she needed him as much as he needed her.
There were moments, where she would admit it, and usually it's just because he had her backed into a corner and she wanted to stun him to work her way out of it.
She continued to mentally beat herself up as she left the bedroom and found him standing by the counter, staring her down with a cold gaze. "I'm ready."
"Good." He muttered, walking away from her, "Tomorrow you're going to have to move faster, I have an early surgery."
He studied her expression to see if his words even affected her anymore.
She was such a mysterious creature to him, so fickle in her emotions and actions. One minute she was relying on him, turning over some amount of control to him. The next she was a free spirit, independent, unruly, and unmanageable.
"I'll be ready on time tomorrow. I was just..." Her voice trailed off, "Nevermind. Let's just go."
"Yes, lets." He replied, his voice short.
His pride injured.
His heart broken.
She watched as he walked out the door without her, and grabbed the earrings from the counter. Maybe if she wore them, she might partially redeem herself, though she had a feeling it was going to take a lot more than wearing jewelry to make him happy.
"I'm such an idiot." She muttered, following him out the door, pulling it closed behind her.
This was not a good way to start her first day back to work.