Chapter 4
"Burke is here?" George gasped for the twentieth time.
"Burke is here." Izzie answered back, biting into her apple.
"Why is he doing here all of a sudden? Does Cristina know about it?" Alex said as he snatched a french fry from George's plate.
"Dammit Alex, get your own!"
"Look, whether Cristina knows about it or not, we must not bring up Burke in our conversation ok?" Meredith insisted and everyone nodded in agreement.
"Burke is here?" George repeated again and received a kick from Meredith under the table as Cristina came up from behind him.
"So um…how's your day?" George recovered as Cristina collapsed onto the chair next to him, a large bread roll in her mouth.
"My heart patient is dying and the chief appointed someone else to implant the heart." She bitterly answered, bits of bread flying out from her mouth.
"Oh, er who is it, do you know?" George asked and received yet another painful kick, this time from Alex.
"Oh stop being all secrety and trying to care." Cristina scowled, figiting on the other half of her bread roll. "I know who you're talking about. I saw them at the chief's office."
"Them?" Meredith replied.
"Dr Henry Kim is with him." she answered. "Another surgeon from Washington. Think they're doing the heart surgery."
"Look, are you sure you're alright?" Meredith placed a hand on her shoulder. "Cause you don't have to be in that OR.."
"Why shouldn't I?" Cristina withdrew.
"Well first, you didn't call Burke by his name." Izzie said, crunching on her apple.
"And second, you're killing your bread and dropping crumbs all over the floor." George pointed and brushed off some of the bread crumbs that flew onto his clothes.
Cristina had enough and smashed the remaining bread roll onto the table, sending everyone off their chairs. "Look, can you all stop pitying me? I'm fine, I'm doing the surgery, and I'm over him...Burke."
After a few moments of silence, she stood up and walked off.
"20 bucks that she would break down when she sees Burke." Alex smirked but received a hard punch from Izzie and Meredith instead.
"Ow ow, just kidding, kidding."
"Do you have any idea what Cristina is going through?" George glared at him.
"What? As bad as you being dumped by Torres?"
George went silent for a moment, then unexpectantly pounced on Alex, throwing punches in the air.
"George! George! Stop it!"
"Damn it George, he didn't mean it!"
"Alex, apologize!"
"I'll kill you!!!!"
'Bring it on Georgina!"
The chief approached Cristina as she went to check on her patient. A look of concern crossed his aged, wise face.
"Dr Yang, a moment?"
"Yes chief?"
He went over and stood in front of the patient's bed as Cristina noted down the last few numbers into the folder.
"Cristina, I'm guessing you know who I've chosen to transfer the heart into Mrs Ford."
Cristina hesitated silently before she replied, "Yes, I do chief."
"And I hope you're feeling alright with who this person is." he lightly explained. "He was recommended by Dr Hahn and the only surgeon who is capable to safely do the proceedure. And since he used to be a collegue here-"
"I'm fine, chief." Cristina forced a smile. "I'm fine with Dr Burke taking over the surgery."
The chief paused as he studied her expression.
"I know it's hard to get over the past, and this may not help you to progress through." he slowly stepped closer to her. "If you have any concerns with the surgery-"
"Dr Burke's presence will not interfere with my work sir." Cristina firmly replied. "I believe I can seperate my personal life from my work, Dr Burke will not cause any hendrence."
The Chief sighed. "That...is good."
"But sir, can I ask for a request? Since you mentioned the surgery..."
"Yes? What is it?"
Cristina paused, wondering if her decision would soon turn to regret. But she went over this before and decided not to step out again.
"Is it alright if I stayed out of the OR? Since there are two surgeons inside, I don't think they need a third one."
The Chief stared in astonishment at Cristina's request. This was not her nature to step down from an open heart surgery. But gathering what she had been through and what he'd gone through similarily before her, the Chief let this one go.
"That's fine, Dr Yang. I shall inform Dr Burke and Dr Kim about the change."
He gave a thin smile and walked out. Cristina stared after him, wondering again if that was a good decision or not to make. The patient was hers, but she was not going to be present at her surgery. Cursing in her mind, she made an effort not to think about Burke and continued with her rounds. This was not her day.