Chapter 3 After the Storm

In this chapter time may fly quickly, but the blank in between will be filled with retrospective chapters later.

English is not my first language, so please put up with my grammer mistakes, and I know nothing about medicine, all the conversations regarding med information are from wikipedia or the show, if there are mistakes please ignore them, thank you!

Disclaimer: GA and all characters belong to Shonda and ABC

Burke's POV

Seeing her in that OR, being cut open and bleeding out is the worst nightmare I can ever imagine. Everything after she got shot seemed blur to me. The only thing I can remember is the feeling of someone sliced open my ribcage and ripped my heart into half. That's when I finally realized that I love her. I thought I wouldn't be able to love anyone like I loved Katey after she left, I thought I was just together with Cristina out of the guilt that I caused her losing her fallopian tube and the baby. But now I'm sure that I am starting to love her, and I can't imagine my life without her. Maybe I can't love her as deeply as I had loved Katey, but now it's been 2 years since Katey left me for her career, I should move on with my life. After all Cristina took a bullet for me, it's only fair if I love her back. I'm going to take good care of her and I'm going to try my best to love her. She's still heavily sedated to ease her pain, feeling her beautiful silk face in hand, I made a mental note to myself that I'm going to make this up for her although she didn't know about Katey.

Cristina's POV

I can feel someone's holding my hand. I tried hard to open my eyes, a bit dizzy at the bright light, I saw Burke and Meredith resting at me side. I moved myself a bit, tried not to wake them up, they must had a hard day because of me. I took a close look at Burke's arm, it seemed like a regular through and through. Feeling a bit relieved, I felt a bit sleepy again.

" Cristina, you're awake! " That's Burke's voice. I turned my head to his side, his eyes were shining with joy, guilt and relief. I smiled to him, and it made me hurt like hell.

" Cristina, are you in pain? I can give you more morphine. " He sound worried

I tried to open my mouth to give him an answer, but my throat felt so sore that I couldn't form a sound. " It's ok, your may feel a bit sore, that's normal, I'm gonna get some water for you. " He comforted me and walked out of the room.

" Cristina, sorry I felt asleep. How are you feeling now? " Meredith was woken by the sound of the door. I smiled to her and gave her hand a squeeze to tell her I'm ok. " Oh my god, you scared me to death, don't ever do that to me again, can you promise me? " She looked really pale and frightened, I made a mental note to my self that I should change my health proxy so she wouldn't have to make these life and death decisions for me, which might be better for her. I nodded to her, showing her my promise. She burst into tear and held me hand tightly, wouldn't let go. It's my fault to put her in a situation like this, she had abandonment issue, I should have known better. Silently, Burke came back with water in his hand. He gently adjust the angle of the bed and put me up straight. After taking a few sips of water, I finally found my voice back.

" Meredith, I'm sorry, I promise you this won't happen again. Burke, I'm fine, is your arm ok? " He clung me to him tightly and whispered to me, " Don't worry about me, I'm much better than you. Please don't do this to me again, I can take care of myself. Don't jeopardize your life for me or for anyone again, can you do that? "

" I'll do my best. But if it happens again, I'll still do the same thing. Guess I can't live without you, you made me get used to you. " I tried to light the atmosphere.

" I can't live without you either, so do this for me. " He pleaded.

" Ok, that I can do. " I promised him and gently stroked his hair. It came to me why we're coming back to hospital in the first place. I pulled myself out of him and asked, " How's Denny doing? "

Meredith and Burke didn't say anything, they looked at me, their eyes filled with sorrow. I looked around them, feeling a rush of adrenaline in my cavity. " Say something, anything, You're driving me crazy. "

" Ok, but you have to promise that you stay calm. " Meredith finally gave in at my death glare. "Fine, just fill me in. " " Izzie wanted to cut the Denny's IVAD wire, but George stopped her because they can't possibly control his condition if they did that, and they can't get the heart because you and Burke were shot. So Denny didn't get the heart. He didn't make it, he purposed to Izzie before he...and soon after Izzie said yes he..."

" How's Izzie doing? " I felt a lump in my throat.

" She's um...She's mourning, George and Alex are taking care of her right now. Don't worry about her, you've had enough to worry about right now. Just take care of yourself. " It felt like she kept something from me, but right now I'm too tired to ask.

" I guess God knows it...I was part of this so I got shot...and it was all for nothing, he didn't get the heart...Sorry I dragged you into this Burke, you got shot because of me..." I choked on my tears, I was hyperventilating.

" Shh...Shh...don't blame this on yourself, it was no one's fault that a crazy man appeared out of nowhere. You didn't do anything wrong, you're just supporting your friend, Hahn got the heart after all and you really paid for it. You nearly get yourself killed. So stop blaming yourself and get some rest, ok? I'll be here with you all the time, I took a 2-month leave, I'll be with you." He climbed into the bed by my side and patted me gently, his hand crossing my hair just like he did last time after my miscarriage. I felt calmer by his caressing. " 2 month is too much for you...I can call my mother to take care of me...you have lives to save and surgeries to do..." Morphine started getting to me when I spoke.

" Surgeries and patients can wait. They are nowhere near important to me than you do. Now you are my only priorities, so get some sleep..." The rest of his words disappeared as I drifted to sleep. He always knew what is the best to say to soften me.

Cristina's POV

It never occurred to me that one day I would be so eager to leave the hospital, but I do. After 10 days of staying in patient's room doing nothing, I am finally discharged and is free to go. I'm just waiting for Burke. He insisted in putting me in a wheelchair. There he comes. " Ok, baby, we're finally going home." He put me in the wheelchair and rolled it towards the corridor. I chuckled at him calling me pet name when we are alone. He may appear to be a man clumsy at sweet words and blandishments. But somehow he always managed to surprise me in his own way, it's like whatever he said always get to me.

"...Tell me whose damn panties is on the bulletin board! " I heard Bailey yelling at her interns. Meredith was staring at the floor with a blank look. Oh my god, I knew that look, it was hers. She left her panties in the hospital? Who hang this on the board? Did she sleep with Mcdreamy again? A million thoughts were raising through my mind. Okay, she couldn't go through the Mcdreamy drama, being stared everywhere she went again. I would be at home for the next 6 weeks after all so I can take it. I tried to stand up and immediately felt dizzy and nausea. " Cristina what's up? " Burke was bewildered at my attempt. But I can't let him take Meredith's panties so I squeezed him telling him that it's ok and slowly reached the board. I took the panties off the board and apologized to Bailey, "Sorry, Dr. Bailey, my bad. I forgot my panties again. " Everyone's stunned at my reaction. Meredith gave me a grateful look. " Let's go. " I turned around to Burke, trying to reassure him. He knew it wasn't mine but he didn't nail it to the counter although people were glaring at us.

When we were in the car driving our way home, Burke finally asked, " Seems like you have lots of explaining to do, who is it that you took the blame for? "

" I'm not sure, but I had a feeling it's Meredith, she might have done something with Mcdreamy. " I answered awkwardly. " Oh, since when have you become such a considerate friend? Good for you. I should feel honoured. " He snapped at me in a typical Burke way.

" Burke, normally I would kiss you now to stop you from your sarcasm, but you're driving now. So for our safety's sake, don't make me kiss you. " Flirting is always effective. Burke chuckled at my comment and let me off the hook.

Cristina's POV

It's been 2 weeks since I came home. Burke seemed a little off recently, I noticed his hands tremor from time to time. I'm not sure why he didn't tell Shepherd to examine his hands. It disappointed me a little that his tremor might be the real reason behind his leave instead of taking care of me. But I chose to pretend that I didn't notice anything, I'm living in a perfect bubble now and I don't want to break it. So I decided that I would do something else to distract myself while Burke went for grocery shopping.

" Gambin, have you cashed out all my stocks and informed Morrison? "

" Yeah I did, but why would you do that, some stocks are still promising, you could have wait for a while."

" I've already had enough, and I figured it's time to enjoy life, thank you Gambin, for anything and everything."

" My pleasure. If you need me, you know where to find me."

Hanging up the phone, I felt a bit relieved. It is time to do this. If there's anything that I learned from the past year, it is that anything can happen to anybody at anytime. There could be a bomb, a shooter. I could be drowned or hit by a car or blew up tomorrow. Life is short, so I should cherish every moment with the ones I love, and make the best for them. So I'm seeing a lawyer now to make my will. In a certain perspective, it is not dark and twisty, but kind of bright and shiny. I wouldn't have such a sense of loyalty before I came to Seattle.

" Hi Morrison, I'm sure Gambin have filled you in with all the documents, have you made appointment with the bank? "

" Hi Cristina, yea I made an appointment at 2. We could meet first and then head there together. "

" Perfect, thank you Morrison. I will meet you at your office in half an hour."

" See you then. "

I left a note for Burke saying that I would be back before dinner and left.