Ch. 5: Pointing Fingers

"Well, thank you Dr. Yang, for telling me this. You did the right thing, you're excused,"

Christina gave the Chief a nod and exited the office. Looking down the hall to the exam room where Derek and Burke were, she sighed. She should have gone with him, but instead she ran to the Chief. Now Burke would be even more upset with Christina that he would now lose his Chief-of Surgery position, that he never knew he had. Sighing, she turned back towards the elevator. Why didn't she go with Burke and Derek? She should have, but didn't. Instead she went running to the Chief to tattle tale on her and him like a little kindergartner. At that moment, the realization of reality came to Christina. It was her idea to rob the bank, not Burke's. She wanted him back to normal and so did he, but she wanted it more. She had pushed them to cross the line together, not him. Turning back, she ran for the examination room door, stopping right infront of it. Staring at the handle, she took a deep breath and opened the door. There was Derek, running tests on Burke's arm. He was just seated there, with a dazed look on his face. Hearing the door open brought both of them back into reality.

"Dr. Yang?" said Derek, quite puzzled.

"Christina…what are you doing here?" whispered Burke. Christina looked into his big brown eyes. They looked hurt and broken.

"I'm…sorry," she whispered walking over to him, but Burke shook his head.

"Nothing can replace it Christina. We crossed the line together as a team and now we must accept what we did was wrong,"

Christina rolled her eyes.

"Will you just stop for a second and forget about that, and listen to me for once?" she snapped. Derek looked taken back but Burke just nodded.

"Christina…" Derek tried to cut her off but she ignored him.

"You were right. I pulled you across the line. I made you get back into surgery before you were ready but you should have seen you're self-Burke. Sitting on a couch throwing a stupid ball back and forth, not caring about your life ahead of you. You needed to come back, maybe not that soon, but you needed to. I should have listened to you. I should have listened when you tried to tell me about the tremors. But I didn't and now look where we are. You're going to have another surgery, Chief is furious and-"

"THE CHIEF KNOWS?" yelled both Derek and Burke. Christina cursed under her breath.

"Uh shit…ya. I just kinda, I'll be going now,"

Christina headed for the door but Derek was too quick.

"Oh no, you don't get to go to the Chief, tell us about it, then leave. What did you tell him?" he questioned

Christina looked away from Derek and into Burke's eyes. Those deep brown eyes looked pleadingly at her; but then again they looked like they were betrayed.

"He wants to meet with you two, after the examination," she whispered, still looking at Burke. Burke's face suddenly tensed. She saw this coming, and tried to act before he spoke

"He was going to offer you Chief," she said suddenly.

The room went dead quite. Burke's face relaxed but turned away from her while Derek was still staring at her.

"Christina…" he was at a loss for words

"Why?" came Burke's voice. He was staring at the wall on the other side of the room.

"Burke-"

"Why Christina?" he said again. Christina was startled.

"W-Why what?"

Burke swung around

"Why did you go to him? Why did you choose now? Why the hell does he want me to be Chief? Why not him?" he said violently, pointing at Derek

"Burke I-"

"OUT!"

"W-what?"

"YOU HEARD ME! OUT!" he screamed again

Christina turned, tears starting to run down her face, and ran out of the room. She could hear Burke yelling at Derek, but she didn't care. She ran as fast as she could, taking the stairs two at a time. She didn't know where she was running to, but she needed to run. Wrenching open the hospital doors, Christina ran out into the pouring rain, not caring that it was pounding at her face, drenching her from head to food. Finally stopping, she looked around. Nurses for the night shift were staring at her while they climbed up to the hospital. She just stood there, in the middle of the walkway, staring out into no-where. She slowly turned back and looked at the hospital. She couldn't go back. She couldn't face the Chief, Burke, Derek or anyone else tomorrow, or the next day. She didn't care of Bailey was going to turn her in, she couldn't stand it anymore. Christina Yang, the girl who didn't care about anyone else but herself and surgeries. The same girl who climbed to the top of her class at Stanford with no problem, now stood scared of the world. What the hell did Seattle Grace do to her?

---

"Where is she?"

"Who cares!"

"GEORGE!"

"I'm starting to get worried about her,"

"Like I said, who cares?"

"GEORGE!"

Both Meredith and Izzy were standing at the window, looking for Christina. They weren't sure if she was going to go with Burke or come back here, but they were worried.

"Would you two stop-"

"NO!"

George looked at the two girls who were red in the face, giving him cold stares.

"What?" he asked

"How can you live with your self?" snapped Izzy as she ran upstairs, fuming.

George watched her go, shocked.

"What's up with her?" he asked. Meredith rolled her eyes

"She freakin saved your dad's life George and you still say you don't care about her? What is wrong with you?"

Meredith got up and followed Izzy, leaving George alone in the living room, staring at the spot in which Meredith and Izzy sat. He knew Meredith was right, but why give in that easy? George was a changed man, and for the better.

See I told you! No one thinks you changed for the better

"Oh shut up. They just need to take time to get used to me,"

Uh huh, and David took some time to get used to Goliath

"What?"

Never mind.

"Everyone has been acting weird latley. Everything is about Christina this and Christina that. She's become a new Meredith,"

"I HEARD THAT!"

Uh huh and it's not like you've been parading around barking orders at everyone either

"I haven't!"

Uh huh, suuure buddy. If you say so

"I HAVEN'T!"

The phone rang, interrupting the fight between George and his conscience. He was about to jump up and get the phone, but realized Christina was probably on the other end, so he just in case it was Christina, so he let it ring.

Once

Twice

Three time. Finally he couldn't take the ringing any more.

"Hello?"
"George?"

Just as he had feared, it was Christina on the other line.

"What do you want?" he spat

"Is-is Meredith t-there?"

George rolled his eyes

"MEREDITH…CHRISTINA..PHONE…GET IT OR ELSE I'M HANGING UP ON HER!"
"uh, thanks,"

"Whatever,"

George heard Meredith pick up the phone so he slammed it down. He didn't care if Christina saved his father or not,

You do care. So why don't you make up with her

"I thought you went away,"

I'm always here buddy, I'm your conscience.

"Whatever,"

How do you live with yourself

"How do I live with you?"

"George?"

George looked up to see Meredith and Izzy coming down the stairs.

"What?"

"Were you…talking to yourself?" laughed Izzy

"NO!"

"Whatever,"
George rolled his eyes

"What do you guys want?"
"ARG! GEORGE O'MALLEY I SWEAR! HOW THE HELL DO YOU LIVE WITH YOURSELF? YOUR FATHER GETS ADMITTED AND YOU START BECOMING THIS MONSTER! YOU START BARKING AT CHRISTINA, AND US TOO! WHAT IS UP WITH YOU? IS THERE SOMETHING WE SHOULD KNOW ABOUT BECAUSE IF THERE ISN'T, I'M SURE ABOUT TO PUNCH THE HELL OUT OF YOU!"

George stood there, looking at Meredith. She was red in the face from yelling.

"I haven't been-"

"Oh my gosh George yes you have! You've become a Christina when she first started out here! Seriously, if it's about your dad, everything will be fine. All he needs is to undergo Chemo now and he'll be fine,"

George looked away from them

"It-It's not my dad,"

Izzy and Meredith looked at him

"Then what is it?" asked Izzy

George looked at them

"It's Burke. I saw his hand shake. I mean if you two saw that with your dad in the hospital, wouldn't you be worried? Then Christina is over there trying to cover it up! You know how many lines they've crossed and how many rules they've broken? I was going to let Christina keep on doing this! That's why I hired Dr. Hanh. I just want the best for my dad. Wouldn't you? And Izzy I'm sorry about that remark I made. I really am,"

Izzy looked at him

"Wait, didn't you say this wasn't about your dad?"

George looked at her

"FINE IT'S ABOUT MY DAD!!! BUT ALSO ABOUT CHRISTINA AND BURKE!"

"We understand George. We really do. I mean look what I have to live with, an Alzheimer's mother who is barley lucid,"

"And the love of my life died. Which, I can't accept your apology…not yet,"

George nodded.

"But there is no reason for you to be acting like this," continued Meredith, "You need to go up to Bailey and apologize tomorrow and Callie too-"

"Why should I apologize to her? She SLEPT with SLOAN!"

Meredith sighed

"Yes, but George, give her a break. Please?"

"Why do you care about her?"

There was a knock at the front door, and Meredith got up to answer it , knowing it was Christina.

"George…" she said getting up and walking into foyer.

Greeting and fussing over Christina's wetness, Meredith's voice trailed from the foyer to upstiars, with Christina's in tow.

"I'm not apologizing to her," said George as the door shut.

Izzy sighed and got up, tired of arguing with George. George sat in the quite living room staring at the wall.

"I am NOT apologizing to her," he said for the last time, but this time, he wasn't so sure he believed himself.

---

"Burke I can't believe you would do this to me! To Derek. TO THE HOSTPIAL!"

Derek and Burke were sitting and the Chief's office. Burke was staring at the wall, taking in the Chief's words.

"WELL?"

Both men looked up at the Chief.

"Chief…" started Derek, warning him

"NO DEREK! DON'T 'CHIEF' ME! YOU TWO KEPT THIS BEHIND MY BACK FOR TOO LONG! AND NOW, I WANT THAT DAMN HAND FIXED OR ELSE…"

The room went quite. They knew whatever threat the Chief knew he wasn't going to full fill it. Finally, he sighed.
"All I want is my wife back, to retire, and to get away from his hospital. I've been here for too long. Please, can you just tell me what you two are planning to do about this?"
For the first time Burke spoke up.

"I've made it pretty clear to Shepherd that I don't want another surgery, but if that's the only thing that will fix the tremors then…I guess I'll have another one,"

Derek smiled and the Chief sighed a sigh of relief.

"But…" he continued "Only if your positive that you can fix it. The tremors I mean and that my hand will go back to normal,"

Derek nodded

"I can do this,"

Burke nodded.

"I guess that's settled then. Shep I need you to schedule a surgery for tomorrow. You know the drill, no gallery, 1 resident, and 1 intern and a certain scrub nurses. I don't need this being a new rumor in this rumor mill I'm running," explained the Chief. Derek nodded.

"Wait…tomorrow? You want the surgery tomorrow?"

The chief looked like he was going to blow up again

"Yes tomorrow! I want that hand fixed so it can get back to work! But you do know after all of this, the Chief position is out of the question Burke,"

Burke nodded.

"Okay, then I'll see you too tomorrow. You are dismissed,"

Both men got up and left the office.

"Burke I'm sorry I put you through all this trouble," said Derek as the walked back to the Attending locker room. Burke shook his head.

"I just don't understand how one of the best damn neurosurgeons makes a mistake like this,"

Derek looked taken back

"Burke, every body is different. You of all people should know that! I've done stuff like these millions of times. You knew the risks and I knew the risks. You can't blame this on me,"

Burke opened the door

"I just hope you live up to your words this time,"

Derek looked stunned but didn't say anything. Getting dressed in the quietness, both men left the locker room and headed down to the parking lot without saying another word to each other. Derek didn't know what to do. He knew he'd have Bailey and Meredith scrub in on this, but what if Burke was right?

Of course he's not right, like you've said you've done this a million times.

"Yes but…"

Yes but nothing. You go in there, repair the clot, get out, his tremors go away, and your lives return to normal.

Looking over to Burke's car, he saw him having trouble buckling the seat belt. Shaking his head he climbed into his own car and drove away, knowing no matter what would happen, Burke wasn't going to let him forget it.

A/N: okay 1. Yes it may seem like the characters are talking and yelling themselves...well they are! They're just having an internal fight with the conscience. I know they don't do this on the show, but I thought it might be cool to show it here. 2. Yes the alrets are down, and now happily there are back up. I don't know if you've got them yet, but I did post ch. 3 and 4. 3. NEW EPISODES START ON THURSDAY...there will hopefully be an update after that, b/c it shows after Burke's surgery. This ch. takes place the night after the last episode w/ a few twists b/c of the way i wrote it. As u can c..the mtg is nite not in the morning. George's dad is fine, and the rest will follow after the show. That's it for now...expect a new ch. soon. remember 3+ reviews makes me happy and begin writing.

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