Cristina's Father

by ladyAddison

Great minds think alike. This is what Cristina's early years with her dad would have been like, had he lived for several more years. After he died, a part of her died with him. Later, its up to Burke to unlock her heart and help her to trust again.

3. Saul Meets Yang

Chapter 3: Rubenstein

Cristina, age 14

"Cristina, there's somebody I would like for you to meet" Mrs. Yang cheerily gestured to the man standing in the doorway. "Saul Rubenstein."

Cristina made her way down the stairs, feeling a strange sense of foreboding, arriving at the front of the room where her mother and her current boyfriend were standing. Upon seeing her dad's replacement, Cristina was about to run off to her bedroom again when her mother grabbed hold of her in what seemed like a motherly gesture. Cristina knew better. She took the crumpled ten-dollar bill from her mother's hand and faked a smile. "Pleased to meet you, Dr. Rubenstein," she muttered with clenched teeth.

"Oh, call me Saul. And wonderful to finally meet you! Your mother tells me you held a prestigious junior internship at the renowned teaching hospital?"

"Yes."

But despite awkward beginnings, it was the start of a beautiful father-daughter relationship. Or more like one with a father-figure; Cristina never considered Saul her dad's replacement, even if Saul had won the $100,000 Lasker Award three years in a row. Even so, Cristina had an unusually high regard (or borderline obsession, depending on one's point of view) for highly educated medical professionals which would stay with her up to her residency.