She stared through the window, from behind the drapes, towards the small and cozy garden, wondering how she had gotten there.

After Burke had left she had vowed never to find herself in the same place again. Never to put a white dress on, and never to walk down an aisle to get married. Of course, she had also sworn she would never date another attending; and that her career would always come first. Where were all those vows gone? she wondered with half a smile. There she was, wearing a simple cream dress and watching friends and colleagues find their seats. Worst of all, it had all been her own choice. She had proposed, after all. It was just so different this time. She just felt it right; no angst, no fears, just certainty that they belonged together. Even with her past, she would not doubt Owen for a second.

She heard Meredith enter the room and nervously explain some absurd catering issue downstairs. She didn't care. Surprisingly she was not nervous; she wouldn't really care if the guests ate tuna sandwiches, or had to bite their nails to appease their stomachs. Her mother would happily take care of any logistic problem. Would probably freak out about it, but as long as she freaked out away from her, she still did not care.

Yet, it had been her idea to do something more than a 10 minute city-hall wedding. She knew Owen would have done it gladly; and 20 minutes after her proposal, but somehow she also knew that it would disappoint him. She knew he was a romantic, and that he was hoping for something a bit more traditional. But he was also the guy that never asked anything for himself, so, he wouldn't ask. For him, it was all about Cristina and her wishes, and it was up to her to make it up to him.

She had suggested something small at his mother's garden. Small meaning a dozen of their closest friends and colleagues; his gala uniform for him and a nice simple dress for her. Cristina would have been happier leaving her mother out; but Owen had insisted on her mother and Samuel flying over. Samuel had actually moved her by insisting on giving her away. She would never confess that right at the bottom, she liked having a "real" wedding. Not that it would change anything between them; but it was nice to let everyone know that he was hers. Somewhere along the road she had stopped wondering about her possessive feelings, they were just so.

"Cristina!" Meredith shouted coming closer, and taking her out of her daydream "Tell me you are not freaking out!" she worried after not hearing a sound from her friend. "And do not tell me he has left, for I am not about to announce a cancellation again" she complained.

"I am not freaking out… you are" Cristina said turning to face Meredith with half a smile. "And he is definitely showing up"

"How do you know it?" Meredith frowned

"I just know" she said, calm. And she knew it, just as she knew that this time she wanted to do it. She wanted to stand at his side and let everyone know that he belonged to her. It felt right this time.

And then, a knock sounded on the door. She knew it was Owen, even before Mer opened the door.

"Oh, no, you are not seeing her before the wedding" Meredith protested, closing the door, as Cristina reacted approaching.

Meredith stood firm holding the door closed.

"Mer..!" Cristina said, trying to open the door "No! It's my duty as maid of honor to forbid it… you might speak through the door!" Mer stopped her, laughing loud enough for him to hear through the closed door. Cristina rolled her eyes and knew Owen was doing the same at the other side of the door, but she decided to humor Meredith.

"Are you coming to tell me you are leaving?" Cristina shouted to the door, laughter sounding in her voice "No way" she heard him chuckle "You're stuck with me for at least the next 40 year!" He continued.

"Then everything else can wait! I'll see you in about an hour" she replied "I am not going to risk bad luck, or Meredith's rage on our wedding day!" She laughed, and she heard a muffled as he walked away "Ok, ok, two against so not fair…"

She could not help a broad smile as Meredith dragged her back to the vanity mirror to finish her make up.

Another nock sounded on the door again and both Meredith and Cristina looking at each other shouted at the same time "Go away!", just to be surprised to see Emma Hunt, Owen's mother, peeking in after half-opening the door.

"It's just me… do you mind?" Which was actually just a polite question; since Cristina was using Emma's bedroom as a dressing room.

"Oh, please, come in!" Cristina quickly apologized standing up to receive Emma. "Sorry, we thought it was Owen again… and he is not allowed in"

Emma laughed and approached to meet Cristina. "I know, actually I am here at his request", she said. "But let me look at you first. You look beautiful Cristina, Owen will have trouble concentrating on the ceremony with you standing at his side" she continued, smiling. For a moment she paused, staring at Cristina, and then looked at Meredith for just one second, hesitating.

Without saying anything; just exchanging one look and one nod with Cristina, Meredith swiftly left the room to allow the older woman some privacy with Cristina.

She had been surprised to like Owen's mother from the moment they met. She could still remember her hugging Owen at the door, on their first visit. Emma Hunt was a very private woman, more a listener than a talker, and, although it was obvious that she adored Owen, she had a strong character and could hold her ground.

From that day Emma had been nice to Cristina, and made her feel welcome. She could not help the comparison with Mama Burke, and her constant criticism. Emma had even taken Cristina's side before Owen's. So different from her own mother…

"Owen wanted me to give you this, since he should not come up" Emma interrupted her thoughts handing her a folded sheet of paper and a small velvet pouch. "I got them from my husband on my wedding day, as his mother has gotten them from hers. It has been on the Hunt family forever. I gave them to Owen some weeks ago, in case he wanted to give them to you."

Cristina took a deep breath, unable to speak, as she opened the little velvet pouch. The exquisite pendulum earrings; an antique, shining in her hand.

"They were my "old" thing on my wedding day, and they brought me a lot of luck." She continued a bit shyly "The style is a bit old fashioned, but I hope you like them, and that they will bring good luck to you"

"Do not know how to thank you" Cristina said still looking at the beautiful jewelry piece. "Would you help me putting them on" she asked softly.

"I also wanted to tell you how happy I am that you are marrying Owen" she continued "I know it hasn't been easy for you two, but you cannot imagine how thankful I am to you for bringing Owen back home… and I do not mean bringing him up to the door" Emma said, moved "You're good for him, Cristina, and I feel he's also good for you. It makes this old woman happy to see you both together; to see that my Owen happy. I will love you forever for putting a smile on his face after all he has been through…" her voice cracking down.

"Thank you!" Cristina said, finding it difficult to speak, with the emotion creating a lump in her throat. Then, the unexplainable happened. Cristina hugged the oldest woman, feeling closer to her than she had ever felt to her own mother.

Cristina only unfolded Owen's note after Emma had left. It was penned in his straight, clear style.

"Cristina,

At this point you already know how much I love you, so, no need to repeat it. I just wanted to pass these earrings onto you. They are not especially valuable, but to me, they mean the connection to the family. Because with or without a legal paper; you are my family. You're the one I want to wake up to for the rest of my life, the one I want to grow old with, and pass these earrings on to the next generation. Thank you for being you; for letting me love you, and for marrying me.

Yours forever

Owen"

She quickly knocked on the door of his childhood bedroom before entering. He was sitting on the bed, buttoning his shirt up. A tad surprised seeing Cristina enter the room wearing a bathrobe.

"I thought you didn't want to see me before the wedding, and shouldn't you be ready?" he said arching his brow, as she got closer and sat on his knees.

"Meredith didn't want me to, so, she just doesn't need to know… I wanted to thank you for the note and the earrings" she said kissing him.

"And the bad luck?" he retorted, kissing her back.

"I do not believe in luck. I just believe in you. And I believe in us. And in making it work. So, to hell with bad luck" she continued, taking his shirt off, and making him lose concentration. "Besides, it's seeing the bride on her dress that brings bad luck, and I've decided to cheat" she continued, teasingly switching position to straddle him, while opening the robe to show him that she had completely bared herself. "thought that underwear could also bring bad luck" she added with a wink.

"You're still the devil… teasing me like when we don't have time" he said, caressing her, unable to resist her.

"Need to get dressed shortly … so, can you make it quick and dirty Dr. Hunt?" She teased, laughing.

"Yes Ma'm" he answered, laughing back, and ready to follow her instructions. She would never cease to amaze him.

When his bride had him waiting for a while at the altar, less than one hour later, he couldn't help a smile… she had been right; it wouldn't begin without her. Of course, he didn't care about her being late.