CHAPTER 5

Hospital Cafeteria

1:00PM

Izzie is having her lunch with the 4 of them. George is teasing Alex that a girl is blowing off her mind. Alex is so jumpy, if they only knew that Alex and Addison kissed. Meredith and Cristina are just laughing with George. It's been three weeks now since the broke up.

This is the first time Izzie saw Cristina laughed since her broke up. She used to believe that Cristina has no feelings but when she first saw Cristina brokedown in front of her when she told him she was right about the patient with Manchousen's Syndrome. She and her friends couldn't stopped her from crying. The next day, Izzie heard from a nurse that Dr. Burke comforted Cristina and held her all night in front of Cristina's mother. It never occurred to Izzie that what Cristina and Dr. Burke have is that special.

It's awful watching Dr. Burke and Cristina worked. Of course they are very admirable as they are great doctors. But if you knew them, you'll feel hurt watching them just by knowing about their past and what have they gone through. Its something almost everyone envy cause they both have everything, a career and a life. Just by living it means a lot compared to those who doesn't have any or just one of the two things.

As to everyone's interest, Dr. Burke entered the cafeteria with Dr. Shepherd. They passed by the group's table. Nothing really happened, just the stare Cristina and Burke shared as long as they can. They actually don't care if everyone is watching, it's the only thing close to heaven that they could have. It was intense like one wrong move would destroy everything something special.

Burke and Cristina while staring at each other, they started to imagine the same thing. They were standing face to face. They were alone and only inches apart. Burke raised his hand to caress her face. Cristina formed a little smile and closed her eyes anticipating and receiving his touch. Cristina wanted to do something, to make Burke feel her. Cristina is about to lift her hand to touch Burke's hand on her face when a voice both interrupted them.

"Preston," Burke looked at where the voice came from. Shepherd came a little closer to whisper, "I hate to stop your moment with her but everyone is staring." Burke realized all eyes upon them. He agreed to Shepherd but before sitting to the next empty table, he cast one glance at Cristina.

The moment it happened everyone became quiet waiting for some momento to happen. When it ended, another intern slipped which the interns find it offending said something like "that's just stupid, you should try keeping a dead corpse or something like you did with his tremors," the intern's voice is so low but he didn't realize that everyone was really interested with what's going to happen with the two doctors, that's why his voice overwhelmed the crowd.

Cristina never really cares with what other people say, but what the intern did is unacceptable. Unable to control her temper she stood up and shouted back "Why don't we try talking about you? Like how you and your sister escaped from your stepfather's house who mollested you since you were young," the intern was so embarrassed she runaway with tears on her eyes. Cristina didn't mean to overhear the intern opening up to someone on the library early morning yesterday. When she heard it, she thougth it was very traumatic for the intern so she kept it to herself. It's not something someone should gossip about and besides it's none of her business. Everyone was so caught up with what just happen and everyone's eyes were all over Cristina.

Alex stood up. "Come on," manuevering Cristina and calling their group to leave. The gesture actually surprised all of them but they all followed. Just like what they showed the chief before about LVAD wire cutting, they are a team.

Chief's Office

Morning

The incident that had happen in the cafeteria is very scandalous for all of them. The intern was banned from the OR for 2 months suspension by the chief for assualting an intern and especially an attending. The three of them were called at the chief's office. The intern said her apologies to Dr. Burke and to Cristina. Others thought that the disciplinary act wasn't enough, but Dr. Burke assured that the intern would get what she deserves. Cristina was so confused, she hated the intern but she found herself also apologizing about what she said at the cafeteria. She left the office first not wanting to have a privacy to talk to Burke.

Burke stayed behind at the office to talk to the chief. He requested a 2 weeks leave of absence. The Chief understands what Preston feels so instead of telling him to don't give up just like that, he granted Preston's request thinking that it would be good for him to have some space and time without Cristina.

On-call room

Evening

Derek is on his way to the on call room. He turned to the corner and didn't see any nurses, leaving him thinking that they must have a code. He got used to those nurses gossiping in the middle of the night, to avoid falling asleep in the middle of their duty. Derek entered the on call room. He was so disappointed because Burke is already on the on-call room. This is the 7th time he caught Burke in this on call room sleeping. He decided to leave, but Burke stopped him from leaving the room.

"Derek," Burke loudly said.

"Why? Can I help you?" Derek curiously said with a big grin as he turned to face Burke.

"I'll be gone for 2 weeks, can you update me anything you'll find out about Cristina while I'm gone."

"Sure. I'm glad, I'll be able to sleep in this room again, I've seen you a lot of times in here like you never go home." Derek explained.

"I don't. I mean I do go home to take a bath and change but I don't sleep in my apartment."

"Why?" Derek thinks it's hilarious but doesn't really know how he is going to respond trying not to offend Burke.

Burke looked at Derek with pain and longing in his eyes. "I can't take it anymore. I can't last in my apartment knowing everything makes me remember her. I don't know how I'll get through this. Every single part of me aches for her, yearning for her. I know that leaving is ironic when I should be fixing us but I don't want to hurt her anymore and push her and you saw what happen at the cafeteria. I know Cristina is working hard to become a resident and is even making a name for her but I don't think she'll earn it easily, especially when she's involved with me. People would call her the intern who slept with an attending to get ahead. She deserves the best. "

"Are you sure? You don't want to fix it. Cause once you leave Cristina might think that you don't really want to work out your relationship anymore. While you're here you get a lot of chance of fixing things with her but if you leave those chances we'll be gone or they might still be there but we don't know that. You should remember that Cristina loves you and everyone knows that she didn't chose to be with you and also to sacrifice her career to get ahead but because she loves you and needs you. You and Cristina have gone through a lot of things. Just because you broke up, that doesn't mean you're not right for each other. In a relationship there is always something to sacrifice, someone will always get hurt so that in the end you, Cristina and your relationship will be stronger than before and will last not forever but a lifetime."

"Thanks Derek but I'm sure and this on-call room? It's all yours." Burke stood up and left the room.