Winning used to mean everything to Burke. Nothing was better than being sharp and fast, always glowing in triumph, distinguishing himself from his peers.
But when George O'Malley beat him to be the first one to tie the knot, Burke was surprised to find himself feeling relieved that his race with Cristina was still going on.
Winning wasn't an end point, it was a process. If the prize came that quickly, the race would lose its charm. An answer would be perfect, a ring on Cristina's finger would bring sweat to his palms. But aside from subtly reminding her to make a concrete decision, Burke knew there was nothing more he could do.
When Cristina showed up with a girlish grin, Burke couldn't help but furrowed his brows.
If she thought she could lure him into letting her scrub in, he would be more than ready to prove otherwise.
The absence of the ring on Cristina's hand wasn't a very good sign and it bothered him every time she evaded the question. But the excitement in Cristina's voice about George and Callie's marriage was so contagious that Burke couldn't suppress his lips from forming an upward curve.
When Cristina commented that a smart couple should never rush to get married without spending time to know each other well enough, Burke's faint smile transformed into a grin.
Did she just call themselves the smart couple? Maybe Cristina was really considering the proposal thoroughly? Now, that was a good sign.
Not giving Cristina a chance to scrub in on his surgery did not deter her from making his favoritism towards her sound infallible. At the same time, her slippery response about the ring and the proposal did not shaken the confidence fueling Burke's every move.
The ugliest loss was one that he envisioned to win, but the longer he looked into Cristina's mischievous face, the bigger the bet Burke desired to place on their relationship.
If Ellis Grey could come into Seattle Grace talking like a surgeon again, certainly anything good could happen to all of them.
There wasn't a need to hurry, for Burke already knew he would win—both in the game of love, and in the race to be the Chief.
Adjusting his scrubs cap at a leisurely pace, Burke examined the board with Derek Sheppard beside him, both thinking about their own lady.
They crossed their arms in synchrony and stole a glance at each other with a competitive smirk. One of them would be in charge one day, what they needed was a chance to show their talents.
What didn't clearly register in their heads was that when they asked for something, it wouldn't always be as great as they expected.
The shattered scream of Nurse Debbie not only drew blood off their faces, but also set their legs in motion.
As comfortable and composed as he tried to display, Burke's fingers were glued together as he put on the mask.
As surgeon, it was his duty to step up. When it came to actual practice, Burke could feel the tremble in his legs.
A commitment to plunge into the fullness of life with someone else was as big as a commitment as risking one's life for the safety of others.
Things always seemed so simple when it happened to somebody else. Most people have forgotten about the struggle floating in their heads before a commitment was made.
After counting to 10 to sooth himself, Burke pushed through the door to the OR with Derek Sheppard, their eyes burning with flames of determination.
They'd better win this race. Burke still had another one to win.