SIX

Cristina rolled into the changing rooms at the start of the next day and acknowledged her friends by name. She thanked each one of them for a, not showing up at Joe's for drinks, and b, not being smiley happy, supportive people about her engagement. "In case you missed it, I said marriage, not murder." Izzie shook her head at Cristina's dramatics.

There was still an obvious something that lingered from the other night between Cristina and her 'person'. Alex made frustrated digs about the 'lovers tiff.' Izzie rolled her eyes as she flicked her hair into a bun. George ignored the dance of not talking between Cristina and Meredith. It was a regular occurrence and he learnt a long time ago not to take sides. The posturing and avoiding would last if they were all lucky, a day at most, after which things would get back to normal and love would bloom all around, until the next lovers tiff.

*

That afternoon Cristina bounded up to Derek at the nurse's station on the third floor.

"Why is Meredith talking to Owen?" She asked. The station was busy with activity and Derek didn't say anything, he just kept his pen moving finishing his notes. The counter was piled high with his charts and he had to move through them. Cristina looked at him waiting for her answer, as nurses, doctors and patients moved, busy in work or motion around them.

"Am I supposed to know who you're talking about?" He said eventually not looking up from his work.

"Meredith and Owen." Repeated Cristina. "They're talking. Politely. Down there." She nodded to her left. "What could they be talking about?" She wondered more to herself than to Derek. Disregarding the already cramped counter space she spread her arms wide along it and tapped her fingers quickly, her lips pushed together while she thought. "Owen wouldn't tell me, and I can't ask Meredith yet."

Derek nodded, he knew this was code for, 'we aren't talking at the moment'. A nurse reached over him for something. Derek bobbed backwards to let her reach it, Cristina stayed put remaining in the way.

The nurse and Derek cut a look at each other. "Well, seeing as this is a hospital Cristina, perhaps they're talking about medical issues."

"No," She noted seriously. "They were talking about non medical things, and smiling, sort of."

When she continued to wrap her fingers, Derek was forced to indulge her and put his pen down. He looked at her; maybe she would go away if he gave her the attention she was demanding.

"Haven't you wanted them to become friends and bond? Get to know each other? Hasn't that been the point?"

"No." Snorted Cristina. "I wanted Meredith to stop giving me a hard time. Not like Owen... Sotheir trying to become friends or something?" Her face wrinkled in disgust. But recalling that Owen said he was going to talk to Meredith, she stuttered. "Do you... Do you think he's talking to her about me?"

Just then Callie walked up, and with a nod to Cristina handed Derek a chart, which he slapped on his pile without looking.

"What's this?" She asked noting the frustrated look on Derek's face, and the concerned pout on Cristina's.

"Owen... wants to get to know Meredith, and is trying to find a way to connect with her..." Said Derek.

Callie made a face.

Derek shrugged. "...Absurd I know, but that's what he wants to do. He asked me if he could take her somewhere in the hope she might understand him, get to like him..." Derek picked up his pen and got back to his work, his high pile of charts was still a high pile. "I think it's a long shot... But I can't fault him for trying..." He looked at Cristina a moment. "He's doing this for you. You should be grateful."

"Yeah right." Cristina replied, leaning off the counter and walking away. "I'll think about being grateful."

*

Meredith broke first. She knew Cristina was hurt and was right to feel hurt. All five of them were a team and no matter what they stood behind each other, even if they didn't want to. The snide attitudes had gone on long enough and she reluctantly agreed as much in the locker room that evening as they all dressed to go home. Enough posturing, enough not talking, enough snide looks, enough snide remarks. Cristina was engaged to Owen. Fine.

He had approached Meredith earlier in the day, and had made an effort to connect with her so Meredith could give him a chance, or something. Besides Derek was giving her a hard time. So approaching Cristina as she dressed, Meredith admitted that she had received a bit of a talking to from Derek.

"He thinks I was being selfish and that I should be happy for you because you're my person and that Owen is a good man his word, not mine. He said I should apologise to you, and so I apologise." Meredith shrugged.

Cristina knew it was the best she was going to get and with a begrudging look spoke slowly, "Tell McDreamy that I accept his apology... and that... I've got one of those catalogue things I'd like him to look at...."

"Fine." Noted Meredith with the hint of a smile, and George, mocking, raised his hands and cheered quietly.

They all headed out of the hospital and while the others headed to Joes Bar, Cristina and Meredith walked towards Cristina's apartment. As they walked, Cristina began her interrogation of Meredith, seeing as Owen, no matter how much she badgered him or threatened him with the withdrawal of intimate contact, wouldn't give details of his talk with Meredith.

When Meredith enlightened her, Cristina was horrified. 'A date' to a roller rink! For a grown woman and a grown man!' It was insane. She pressed her fingers to her forehead as they walked. It was crazy that Owen wanted to be alone with Meredith at all, to bond,to resolve issues or whatever the hell else he hoped to accomplish. She griped and pressured Meredith to rethink, but Meredith was going, she was going on this stupid date with Owen and that was that.

"He used reverse psychology on me. " She said to Cristina as they walked along the street towards Cristina's apartment. "I don't know how he did it. But he did, and now I'm going. I can't back down." Meredith sniffed, the cool air of the evening making her nose run.

"I hate it when he does that." Said Cristina and pushed her hands deep in the pockets of her coat. Her hair was wild and being thrown about by the bounce in her step. She flicked it out of her face as they hurried down the street. "It's an army thing. Owen can convince anyone to do anything. When I'm upset with him he does this thing with his hand in my hair, he stares at me with those fucking eyes of his and uses reverse psychology shit on me. I usually end up having sex with him. It's pathetic. You didn't' have sex with him did you?"

"No." Meredith laughed.

"Believe me." Said Cristina. "You were close."

"Well I'm going to go. He challenged me. He said I wasn't willing to like him, and that hating him made me feel I was better than him..."

Cristina smiled. They turned into her street.

"...I said," Meredith continued. "I don't hate you, and he said, 'Really'. Only it wasn't like, 'Really?' Like a question. It was like, 'Really.' Like, of course you think you're better than me. So... so I had to accept, just to prove him wrong."

"I told you he's good at this. I think it's how he got enemies to talk or something."

Cristina moved ahead to open the main street door of the apartment. They climbed the stairs to her first floor front door where Cristina unlocked it and flicked the hallway light on as they entered the apartment. Discarding their coats into a pile onto the hallway table they made for the kitchen, where Meredith sat on a stool and Cristina raided the fridge. After laying some food items on the counter, she handed Meredith a beer, and kept one for herself.

Meredith kept talking. "So I said okay, I'll give you a chance, only I didn't use the word 'chance', because that does sound like I think I'm better. I said I have no problems going out with you Dr Hunt, so that we can talk with one another." Meredith flicked her hair and sniffed. "So now I'm going roller skating, and I have my sister Lexie to thank because it was her idea!" Her voice was a mixture of hysterical and annoyed. "You do realise I am doing this for you." She looked at Cristina. "I am doing whatever it takes to understand and like your fiancé. To like your person."

"Oh," Said Cristina, taking a swig of beer. "Owens not my person."