People can be stupid sometimes. No, really—most of the time, people make stupid decisions. Cristina, however, believes stupidity is a choice. And she? She doesn't choose it. She doesn't believe in stupid. Especially not for herself. She can never be stupid. Her pride wouldn't allow it.
But she is also people.
Hooking up with Burke? Stupid. Hooking up with him and catching feelings? Unforgivable. How could she let this happen? How could she be so stupid?
She first crossed paths with Preston on a Sunday afternoon, though she didn't notice him. Why would she? He was a no one. Just another person in the busy halls of the hospital. Cristina walked with purpose, focused, her senses content in the comfort of white walls and the sterile scent of isopropyl. She felt at home.
Preston, on the other hand, was in a hurry. The lack of additional attending, residents and nurses has caught up to him. Three hours of sleep after an 18-hour shift wasn't enough, and his eyes were acting up again. He'd been struggling with this ever since becoming Chief of Surgery. A damn good doctor, yet he couldn't diagnose the cause. Was it his astigmatism? Did his glasses need updating? Or was it just stress? Whatever it was, he needed to see a doctor.
But his schedule didn't allow for a doctor. A coffee? That would have to do.
In the chaos of the hospital, coffee was his moment of peace. He could have asked his secretary to grab it for him, but he needed fresh air. The sanitized smell of the hospital was suffocating, and for a brief moment, he craved normal.
The simple ritual of getting coffee from the café across the hospital made Burke feel human again. It was a short trip, but a fulfilling one. That small comfort was shattered the second a petite, curly-haired woman slammed into him.
"Hey! Watch where you're going!" she snapped.
His grip faltered. His coffee—his damn coffee—spilled down his shirt, onto the floor. He shut his eyes, inhaling sharply, forcing himself to stay calm.
"No, you watch where you're going," he countered, voice even. It was an accident. No one's fault. He kept telling himself that.
Cristina groaned, yanking at her stained blouse. "Ugh. If you weren't so stupid, you would've seen me. I have an interview with the Chief today, and you just ruined my shirt!"
Burke's eyebrows lifted slightly. An interview? That was news to him.
Cristina huffed, brushing past him. "Now if you'll excuse me, sir"—she practically spat the word—"I have an interview to ace."
He stared after her, stunned. Did I just let her walk away without saying anything? And more importantly—I'm the Chief, and I didn't even know I had an interview today?
Shaking his head, he stepped into the elevator—only to find the same woman inside.
It was awkward.
Thankfully, it was also a short ride.
That didn't stop it from getting more awkward when they stepped out onto the same floor.
Cristina whipped around, eyes narrowing. "Are you following me?"
Burke exhaled sharply, unimpressed. "No. This is my floor."
Cristina rolled her eyes. "Great. Just my luck to run into you twice in a row." She exhaled sharply and stalked down the hall.
Burke ran a hand down his face. Coffee gone, shirt ruined, and now, an interview he wasn't prepared for. He made a mental note to talk to his assistant about unexpected schedule changes.
Cristina turned a corner and spotted another woman sitting outside the office door. Blonde. Nervous. Fingers tapping against her lap in an uneven rhythm.
The blonde looked up and offered a small, hesitant smile. "You here for the interview too?"
Cristina dropped into the seat beside her, still fuming. "Yeah. And some idiot just spilled coffee on me before I even got here."
The blonde's eyebrows lifted. "Oof. That sucks."
Cristina tugged at her damp blouse. "I should be talking to the Chief right now, impressing him with my brilliance. But no. Instead, I'm dealing with this." She gestured at herself in frustration.
The blonde let out a soft chuckle. Not mocking—understanding. "Well, at least your biggest problem is coffee. Mine is that I might throw up before I even walk in there."
Cristina finally turned to look at her. "You nervous?"
The blonde swallowed. "A little. Maybe a lot." She exhaled. "I'm Meredith, by the way. Meredith Grey."
Cristina's brow furrowed. "Grey… Grey…" And then it clicked.
"Ellis Grey's daughter?"
Meredith sighed. "Yeah."
Cristina let out a low whistle, leaning back. "Wow. No pressure or anything."
Meredith gave a tight-lipped smile. "None at all."
Before Cristina could respond, the office door opened, and a voice called out.
"Next."
The two women exchanged glances.
"Good luck," Meredith offered.
Cristina smirked. "I don't need it."
With that, she straightened her shoulders and walked in—coffee stain or not, ready to prove that she was the best damn surgeon this hospital would ever see.