Try Again

Welcome Back

"Yang!" Miranda Bailey called from across the hall. "Cristina Yang!" She repeated after not having been heard.

Cristina turned around and grew excited. "Ooh, Chief!"

Bailey smiled at being called 'Chief'. It never got old. "Mhmm, how are you?"

"You know what? I'm good. Bleeding people everywhere in need of surgery." Her eyes twinkled with amazement.

"Well, I don't think that's ever gonna change. There's always going to be people who need help."

"Yeah, lucky for us."

"Cristina!"

"I'm kidding." Cristina raised her hands up in defense. "Partly..." she mumbled.

"I see that part of you has not changed. So what's the reason for your return? I still haven't figured it out yet."

"One of my conduit patients was having difficulties and he refused to be treated by any other doctor. Literally refused. If I didn't come back, the complications would get worse. So... here I am."

"I see." Bailey looked at Cristina suspiciously. "That's the only reason why?"

Cristina returned a confused look. "Well, it's nice seeing Meredith and everyone but without the patient I wouldn't have come back." She looked down at the floor, trying to mentally reassure herself that it was the truth.

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Cristina walked into the elevator and checked her pager. Alex Karev then entered as well and looked up to realize who it was.

"Evil spawn!" She squealed, wrapping her arms around him for a hug.

"We're hugging now?" Alex questioned, but nonetheless hugged back while closing his eyes and smiling.

"Has Mer been mocking you at least once a day? Twice for good measure."

Alex rolled his eyes. "I get enough of that crap around here, don't worry."

"If you were in jail you'd get even more of that crap."

Alex glared at her.

"What? You think I didn't know?" She gracefully tucked her hair behind her ear. "You're lucky the intern guy dropped the charges. I hope you didn't threaten him into doing that, because how dumb would that be?"

"I didn't threaten him, or coerce him, or whatever else you're thinking," Alex cut her off aggressively.

Cristina laughed. "Relax, relax, I'm messing with you." The elevator door opened.

"I am glad he dropped them, though. You don't belong in a jail cell. You belong here, kicking ass, okay?" She walked out, smiled at Alex, and pointed in the direction she was going.

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Meredith and Cristina were sitting in the break room eating snacks. Cristina was positioned on the couch with her feet kicked up while Meredith ate at the table.

"That's your third one." Cristina said as she winced.

"I wish I could stop but I can't help but eat everything in front of my face!"

"God, Meredith." Cristina laughed.

They took a moment to look at each other and appreciate the moment. They still couldn't believe that they were really seeing each other, in the flesh.

"Have you seen Owen yet?"

"Uh, yeah." Cristina shifted in her seat.

"And...?"

"And what? There's nothing else to say or do. We'll just go on and do our jobs like normal."

"Cristi-"

"I don't know what else to tell you." She stared at the wall thinking of the question she's been dying to ask ever since seeing him again.

She hesitated before asking, "Why does he seem so tired? There's a look in his face that I can't point out but it's not good. What's going on with him?"

Meredith sighed. "He's been having issues with Amelia. Things aren't working out the way they planned. I mean, they rushed into it despite being on and off before actual marriage. I think she filed for divorce."

Cristina looked shocked and desolate. She left not only so she could move on to bigger opportunities career-wise but she felt that she would never be able to completely fulfill Owen's needs. Their views of the future just didn't match and it killed her to watch it all unravel. It was extremely difficult for her but she had hopes that he would find someone to settle down with; to finally have the kids he's always wanted. But that obviously did not happen.

"Damn it, Mer."

"I know."

"How long were they together? Why aren't they working out? Did he sleep with someone else?"

"I think you should probably be asking him this stuff, not me."

"Oh sure. Hey Owen, I just came back after four years, who have you slept with and what are their addresses? A list would suffice." She rambled sarcastically. Meredith giggled.

Cristina's eyes wandered around until they found the clock and she was suddenly alert. "I have to go see my conduit patient! It's about time. See ya, Mer." Meredith waved.

Cristina finally got to the patient, the reason why she was here in the first place.

"Well, if it isn't the one and only Cristina Yang?" His eyes were widened and smile big as can be.

"Yes because if I didn't come you would probably die due to your own ego."

"Ouch." They both laughed.

"You gotta be my most stubborn patient ever."

"You still came though!"

"I did, I did," she said while shuffling through his charts. "So the deal is we're still waiting on the FDA to approve this new drug. They want it to pass a few more tests before administering it to you, but it shouldn't be much longer. You'll continue on fluids to help keep you stable and according to these charts your body is reacting perfectly to them."

"Alriiight," the patient said enthusiastically. "Tell them to hurry the hell up, I'd rather be on the beaches of California than in this hospital. No offense."

"None taken," Cristina replied.