-1Chapter One

The Past Is Always There

12 Years Later…

The building directory of Waterford Towers is constantly changing. Oh, there are a few offices that have been there for years, like O'Malley-Yang Cardiothoracic Specialists. Most don't last though, which is why Dr. Cristina Yang isn't all that surprised to see the building manager sliding yet another new plaque in. What does surprise her is the name on the plaque. Dr. Alex Karev, OB/GYN.

Cristina hasn't thought of Alex in years. Not since he transferred from Seattle Grace to some hoity-toity place in New York City. Dr. Addison Montgomery had gone with him. Which hadn't been much of a surprise since she had been pregnant with his child at the time.

"George is going to love this," she murmurs as she walks the mere four feet to the elevator. Her black pointy toed Jimmy Choo's click on the white and gold marble floor. This building was their first fight as partners. George had wanted some quaint little office by the waterfront, or one of them pre-fabricated spaces the hospital offered. She had wanted to make a statement. O'Malley-Yang Cardiothoracic Specialists wasn't going to be a cookie cutter facility. They were going to make a name for themselves. To make a name, one had to give the presence of success. This building did just that. She had won that argument the way she usually won all their arguments: threatening to spill to their patients his syph-boy story. Worked every time.

The office is empty when she enters, except for their oh so somber receptionist. Ironically, it had been George to find Deirdre. The almost sixty retired nurse made the perfect addition to their little "family", as George likes to call them. Cristina is constantly reminding him that Deirdre is just an employee and she is just his partner, not family. "Is Dr. O'Malley in yet?"

Deirdre looks up from the paperwork she is filing. "He's in his office, I believe." Her voice is as efficient as her work skills. She doesn't wait for Cristina to say thank you, she knows that won't be coming. She simply goes back to her filing.

George is indeed in his office, sitting behind his desk, fingers steepled, deep in thought. "You seen the directory, right? That's what you're going to tell me. That you seen Karev's name on the directory." He looks up at her, his blue eyes intense.

Cristina nods, setting her brief case by the door before collapsing in one of the burgundy and navy striped wing back chairs that flanked his desk. His office has a homey feel to it. Nothing like her black and white sterile one across the hall. "Yes. Did you know?" She crosses her legs, smoothing the slim black skirt of her suit.

He shakes his head, a lock of hair falling onto his forehead. It doesn't matter how old he got, he still has a boyish charm about him. Even dressed up in a 3,000 suit, sitting behind a desk that would cost most people a year's wages he looks like a little boy. Like Bambi. "No. Not till this morning. Caught Rupert as he was changing out the directory. Guess that pediatrician couldn't hack it."

"They never do," Cristina says smoothly. She drums her French tipped finger nails on the brocade upholstery. "Why do think he came back?"

George shrugs. "Who knows. Heard him and Addison got divorced a few years ago. Maybe he got tired of being in her shadow. Wants to make a name for himself." At least that is what George is hoping. When he first saw Alex's name he almost panicked, thinking he knew. Then, he had shaken the thought off. Alex had left long before. There was no way for him to know.

"Sure. That makes sense. Have you called her yet? Given her fair warning?" Her being Izzie. They would need to warn Izzie. It was only fair.

"I tried. Kept getting voice mail. She's probably in surgery." He scrubs his hands down his face. This isn't going to be easy. Telling Izzie that Alex is back. She would take it well, put on a show that she is fine, all the while breaking apart and panicking inside.

Cristina nods. Izzie was in the habit of scheduling things as early as possible. "What about Meredith? Does she know?" Meredith was the only one of them to try to keep in touch with Alex. If emails once a year was considered keeping in touch.

"Yeah, that's the thing I don't get. She knew. The least she could have done was warn everybody that Evil Spawn was back." He doesn't' really think Alex was evil, or a spawn. He feels indifference where Karev was concerned.

"So, she knew then." Cristina frowns. It isn't like Meredith to keep things from her. While she is sure Mere had her reason's it still bothered her. Given the circumstances, they should have all known.

"Yeah. She knew. Said Alex called her last night. Their suppose to meet for lunch," he says dryly. It is just lunch, he knows that. Meredith is happy being Mrs. Dr. Shepherd. Her eyes never wander. Still. Lunch with Alex. It doesn't sit right with him.

Cristina shakes her head. There is nothing they could do. Aside from giving Izzie fair warning. "Try Iz again," she suggests as she stands. Smoothing her skirt down over her knees, she reaches for the brief case she had set down. George nods, reaching for the phone on his desk. She doesn't stay to find out if he was able to get through this time. She needs to call Meredith, to find out what the hell was going on.