Crowen - Goodbye ?

1: Looking Back

As she left the OR viewing room, Cristina thought that would be the last time she would see Owen. Maybe for a little while, maybe forever. She started to reminisce about all the good times they had had together over the years while in the cab to the airport.

Her thoughts were interrupted by Shane, "Switzerland is going to be so awesome! We can continue our conduit experiment, and with the better technology and equipment there, we might even make medical history."

"Yeah it will be fun" replied Cristina. She tried to sound positive, for Shane's sake, but all she could think about at the moment was how much she was going to miss Owen.

"What's the matter Dr. Yang?" asked Shane.

"Nothing, Dr. Ross. I'm just thinking about how long the flight will be" Don't lie to Shane, she thought to herself, you know he sees right through them.

Shane gave her that I-know-that's-not-what-you're-really-thinking-about face for almost the entire cab ride. When they reached the airport he dropped it, too excited about his new journey. When they were walking to the gate for their plane, a man dressed in a military uniform turned the corner and started walking in the opposite direction.

Two little kids, a boy and a girl, ran up to the man. He dropped everything he was carrying and picked them both up, one in each arm. A woman followed the children, and as soon as the man set the children down, she hugged him so hard, and for so long, the man started to tear up.

Cristina had to look away at this point, because the seemingly touching scene was causing her to think of Owen's lonely return from Iraq. No one even knew he was coming back. 

He got off the plane and no one was standing there waiting for him, she thought. She knew however, that was exactly the way he wanted it to be. She thought of his night terrors about the war and how he overcame his PTSD. She thought of how she helped him, and how they overcame it together. She thought of the icicle the first time they met, and the kiss that wasn't supposed to lead into a marriage and a divorce. She thought of their first surgery together, and how excited she was because it was her two favorite things both in one room. She thought of when Owen became Chief of Surgery and how happy he was. She thought of how happy she was. She thought of how happy they were, together.

"..Cristina? Cristina!" Shane had disrupted her thoughts once again. "People are boarding the plane now," he told her. She followed him to the gate, and handed the woman her ticket. She didn't want to look back at Seattle, at all she was leaving behind, but a voice in the distance brought her to turn her head.

"Cristina!" Someone was shouting from far away. The noise grew louder, as the person who was screaming got closer. She couldn't quite make out who it was yet. Finally a man burst through the crowd and ran right up to her at the gate. "Cristina," the man said, as he was breathing heavily and paused to take a breath.

Cristina stood there puzzled and finally replied "Owen?"     TO BE CONTINUED...