"Nothing," Meredith looked at Cristina pensively. "It's just that, you know, there's something about you today that makes me think of George."
"That's impossible. I never look silly even when I am happy." Cristina rolled her eyes.
Staring at Cristina for another second or so, Meredith spoke again, "I'm your person. If, well, when you do something as drastic as getting married, you've to let me know, Ok?"
"Well, I'm not married at the current moment," Scratching the back of her hand, Cristina avoided Meredith's eyes. "Besides, you're my person. I don't want to make you feel miserable about yourself if all of us are suddenly engaged or married and your McDreamy isn't even looking at you because he's so busy to run for Chief."
"It has nothing to do with Derek. He's just anxious. I mean, isn't Burke anxious about it as well?" Meredith inquired in her serious but not very demanding tone.
The question would have triggered some guilt in Cristina had it been posed to her a day or two ago. When she searched very hard in her head the last time Burke was anxious, all Cristina could come up with was the night before when she said yes.
"No," Cristina tried make sense of what she was saying, "I mean, yes. Of course. It's good that our men are career-driven."
"But you're right, Cristina. Derek has been cold to me," Meredith threw her hands on her lap. "He's so comfortable with where we're at. We're sleeping in the same bed each night, but it's just strange. He's divorced. We're single. We're in love. But what if he never takes that next step?"
"Mer, you really want to be Mrs. McDreamy, don't you?" Cristina's eyes widened as a chain of laughter escaped her lips.
"Didn't you ever have that dream of being in a fancy white dress, walking down the aisle with the choir singing and the people cheering and showering rose petals over you?"
The smile that had been residing in Cristina's face couldn't conceal a moment of gloom glossing over her eyes as Meredith's innocent remark yielded a minor heartache.
The last time she joked about being the prettiest bride was when she was dancing a waltz with her feet resting on his; it was when she told her father she would marry him some day. Now she couldn't even have her own father to guide her down the aisle at the wedding.
"I don't like weddings," Cristina said quietly. "It's too snobbish, completely overrated."
"You can always do something simple, like George did."
"You seriously think Burke would let me get away with a small ceremony? His Mama is going to be mad at me for the rest of our lives."
"It's not as if you're going to elope," Meredith sat down with Cristina in front of the lockers and kept her sullen face intact. "Cristina, what's wrong with me?"
"What?"
"I am the FIRST person to meet my McDreamy, but Denny proposed to Izzie, George married Callie, and for some reason I think you and Burke will be next."
"Well, your speculation about me and Burke aside, don't forget that Denny Duquette died and George became a sex machine because his father ALSO died." Cristina couldn't help but marvel at her friend's self-centered concern about being the last to marry. "There's no need to rush."
"I guess you're right," Meredith held her knees closer to her chest. "I don't really have any good role models anyway. My mother, the Chief, your mother, Derek… everyone who's married ends up getting into trouble."
The cordial nod Cristina made was in stark contrast with the hope glimmering in her heart and the blush on her cheeks.
Her new-found conviction in marriage and her ability to excel at it made her feel warm and fuzzy inside.
"Maybe they didn't try hard enough," Cristina tried to convince them both and responded with determination glowing on her face. "Bailey's married and she's still the Nazi. I'm sure we can make it."
"Minus the white fluffy dress," Meredith said thoughtfully.
"Minus the parents," Cristina smirked.
"Maybe you can get married in scrubs, in the OR, in secret..."
They laughed as Meredith laid her head on Cristina's shoulder, enjoying their unique friendship that only got stronger each day.
"Grey, I see that you're not ready for my surgery yet."
The voice coming towards them made Cristina shiver.
Burke didn't hear what they were discussing, did he?
"Sorry I'm late, Dr. Burke, I'm coming right away," Meredith jumped up and nearly banged her head on the handle of the locker.
"It's fine, Meredith. We'll work on the logistics to make sure you won't be late on our wedding day," Burke grinned innocently at his fiancée and her best friend, happy that Cristina seemed to have broken her threat and made the engagement public.
"What?" The shock was so intense that the two women's eyeballs were about to fall out.
Burke was wrong on so many levels.