Something was bound to go right sometime today
All these broken pieces fit together to make a perfect picture of us
It got cold and then dark so suddenly and rained
It rained so hard the two of us were the only thing
That we could see for miles and miles
And in the middle of the flood I felt my worth
When you held onto me like I was your little life raft
Please know that you were mine as well
~Snow Patrol~ Daybreak
Author's Note: I love the idea of a Derek and Owen bromance (after all, they are the male counterparts of the Twisted Sisters.) This is largely a fluff/filler chapter as the story winds down. I have a handful of chapters left that I've planned out. Never fear…I'm also subconsciously planning out the sequel to The Lightning Strike. Enjoy! As always I appreciate the reviews! (Fun fact: this chapter's title, Daybreak is the third part of the original three part version of Snow Patrol's The Lightning Strike.)(Feel free to check out my other story, "Always" which is of course a Cristina/Owen story. Hopefully I will have a new chapter up soon.)
Derek stood staring at the OR board, studying it and the iPad that was in his hand. Cristina had just rushed an emergent case to the OR, meaning that he now had to reschedule several surgeries for the day. He was so engrossed in what he was doing he barely heard the sound of metal crutches clicking against the smooth tile of the floor.
" Shepherd." Derek turned to his left to find a sweat drenched Owen slowly shuffling towards him, his body being supported by a set of crutches.
" How did you get up here?" he inquired.
" I'm starting to wonder the same thing," Owen stated, his face showing obvious signs of exhaustion.
" Here," Derek said, grabbing Owen by the arm and guiding him over to a nearby wheelchair.
" Thanks," replied Owen as he sat down, glad to be resting. The two were silent as they headed towards Owen's room. It wasn't long before they came to a stop outside the door. Owen rose from the chair carefully, his body wavering as he did so.
" Hey…I wanted to apologize for last week. It's been brought to my attention that I was acting like an asshole."
" No worries. It's just good to see you back on your feet."
" I've got a ways to go before I'm actually back on my feet," Owen answered jokingly.
" Want to catch the Mariners game tonight? Meredith said something about her and Zola doing something with Cristina."
" Sure," replied Owen, his heart dropping in his chest as he thought about Cristina spending time with someone else's kids despite the fact that she didn't want her own.
" I've got a few more things to finish up. I'll be back later," Derek said, walking away with the wheelchair. Owen made his way into his room and headed straight for the bathroom, in desperate need of a shower.
" Did I miss the first pitch?" Derek asked hours later as he re-entered Owen's room, carrying a pizza and a grocery bag.
" Just in time," Owen stated as Derek placed the pizza on Owen's bedside table and withdrew two beers.
Is one of those mine?" he asked jokingly.
" Nice try," replied Derek as he handed Owen a bottle of water, his cellphone ringing as he did so. Derek motioned for Owen to mute the television as he answered it.
" Hello?"
" Derek Christopher Shepherd. Where are you? I've been looking all over for you." Owen could hear the anger in Meredith's tone from where he was sitting.
" I can't talk now Meredith…I'm with a patient. We'll talk later." Derek abruptly hung up the phone before placing it back in the holster on his pocket.
" Do I want to know?"
" I've been avoiding her all day. Something about me forgetting to buy organic fruit snacks for daycare," Derek said as he took a swig of beer.
" You just better hope she doesn't realize you're eating pizza and washing it down with a beer."
" You're a patient…and I'm with you. The fact that we're watching a baseball game instead of discussing your neurological status doesn't need to be divulged," responded Derek with a laugh. For a few minutes they ate in silence, engrossed in the ongoing baseball game. All of a sudden Derek sat down his beer and the pizza in his hand, making a beeline for the bathroom.
" What are you doing?" Owen questioned as the door slammed shut.
" I was never here. You haven't seen me," he responded. Seconds later Meredith entered the room.
" Have you seen my husband?" she asked angrily.
" What's going on?"
" He was supposed to bring the snacks with him for daycare today. I reminded him half a dozen times. I had to send an intern after them…." Meredith trailed off as her eyes darted to the pizza and beer sitting on the table beside Owen.
How did that get up here?"
" I was…hungry…so I paid Ross to run down the street to Louie's." " And you thought that alcohol would mix well with the meds you're still on?" Owen hesitated, unsure of how to answer.
" I was thirsty…"
" Are you sure you haven't seen Derek tonight?" Owen paused.
Keep in mind that I'm the one signing your discharge papers."
" Wait…discharge papers?"
" Don't try and change the subject. When you see Derek, tell him Cristina and I are going shopping…with his credit card." Meredith stormed out of the room, slamming the door behind her. Owen watched as she took off down the hall.
" I feel sorry for Ross," Derek stated with a laugh as he sat back down.
" I think I'd feel more sorry for you when you get your credit card statement next month."
" Did you ever find Derek?" Cristina asked as she and Meredith entered an upscale baby boutique in downtown Seattle.
" I'm pretty sure he was hiding in Owen's bathroom when I went looking for him," she stated as she grabbed a shopping cart and sat Zola in the seat.
" What makes you think that?"
" The Mariners game was on the tv and there was half of a supreme pizza from Louie's on the table. Had it not been for the empty beer bottles I might have bought Owen's excuse that he sent Ross after the food," Meredith stated as they began wandering down the first aisle. As Meredith perused the shelves, Cristina found her eyes wander over to a display of patriotic outfits for Memorial Day and the Fourth of July. A tiny replica of a US Army uniform caught her eye, instantly taking her back to that fateful night she and Owen met for the first time. Much to her dismay, an image of a red headed infant dressed in a miniature Army uniform popped into her head. She didn't realize how focused she was on the thought until she heard Meredith calling her name.
" Cristina…Cristina…"
" Hmm?" she mumbled, turning to find Meredith standing beside her.
" Are you okay?"
" Yeah…why don't I take Zola to look at the toys?" offered Cristina as she lifted a bored looking Zola from the cart.
" Will you buy me a toy Auntie Tina?"
" Of course," Cristina said as they walked away, hand in hand.
" What was that at the store earlier?" Meredith asked as she entered the kitchen later after putting Zola to bed.
" What was what?" Cristina wondered as she poured herself a glass of wine and sat down on the couch.
" It was like you had checked out or something," stated Meredith as she peeled a banana and took a bite. Beside her, Cristina downed the remainder of her wine and poured herself another glass.
" What made you want kids with McDreamy?"
" Are you saying you want to have Owen's babies?" she asked, clearly shocked by Cristina's question.
" I'm saying I want to know what made you change your mind. When we were interns it seemed like having babies was the farthest thing from your mind."
" I don't know," Meredith said carefully.
It kind of happened over night. There I was one minute, terrified that my womb was infested with Alzheimers. The next I was picturing with McDreamy hair. When I miscarried it made me realize just how much I wanted kids. We weren't really even trying at that point. It just happened."
" I should get going…I've got surgery in the morning," Cristina said abruptly, taking her empty wine glass to the sink.
" I'd walk you out, but there's a nice hot bubble bath calling my name."
" See you later," stated Cristina as she let herself out.
" Now that was a game," Owen stated with a yawn as he flicked off the T.V.
" If only they played that well every game," said Derek as he stood.
" Maybe we'd have a shot at the World Series," replied Owen jokingly as the door opened and Cristina entered.
" Did you two max out my credit card?"
" No, but we came pretty close…what in the world did you do to piss her off so much?"
" Don't ask," he stated as he slid on his jacket before turning back towards Owen.
My schedule is pretty hectic the next few days, but I want to get you in for an MRI when I can to see how things look before we start discussing discharge."
" Ah come on. This place is starting to grow on me. Have you tasted the strawberry Jell-O?" Owen said with a laugh.
" I have…and with that, I'm going home to my pissed off wife in hopes that a foot rub will put me back in her good graces." After Derek left, Cristina placed her pager and phone on Owen's bedside table then climbed in bed beside him.
" I thought you weren't on until tomorrow," said Owen as he eyed her scrubs.
" I'm not. Just saving myself time in the morning," she replied as she arranged the blankets over them.
" So how was your shopping trip with Meredith?" asked Owen as he turned to face Cristina.
" The two glasses of wine I had after Meredith put Zola to bed were well deserved."
" It was that bad?"
" You know how I feel about shopping," stated Cristina as she laid her head on Owen's shoulder.
" That I do," Owen replied as he turned off the bedside lamp.
I love you."
" Love you too," Cristina mumbled as she drifted off, the sound of Owen's heartbeat lulling her to sleep as her head filled with visions of infant sized Army uniforms.
