Seattle Grace Hospital 2005

Owen scowled as he scanned the large conference room that was being utilized for the Surgical Intern Mixer. He hadn't wanted to leave The Pit to come up and participate in this ridiculous waste of time. Richard had ordered all department heads to attend the mixer. He didn't mind parties, or interns. However, with the arrival of new interns the number of patient deaths would spike. He would spend the next few weeks haunting the E.R Protecting his patients from the green interns. Eager interns with weak clinical skills and poor incite contributed to the annual June spike of patients fatalities. By September 100 hour work weeks and intensive mentoring would lead to a sharp decline in patient deaths. No one liked letting green doctors practice on patients but the truth was this was the only way to learn. The party irked him because tomorrow would be the interns' first shift, by tradition a 48 hour shift. The interns would then be on-call every other night, with one day off a week to recuperate. This was their last chance to rest. Instead they were eating bad cheese and sucking up to the attendings. They had five years to suck up to the attending making tonight pointless.

So here he was in a gray suit and tie. Smiling at eager young interns impatiently sneaking glances at his watch. Truthfully, he knew he might be less perturbed by this party if Beth was here. Last year, his Mother had suffered a stroke. He left the military to return to Washington to care for her. He felt some guilt for leaving his military family but his mother would always come first. After the stroke his mother had suffered left sided hemiparesis. His mother had required intensive daily physical therapy and live-in help. Ironically, Beth who had never complained about his military service had not been able to handle the daily grind of him taking care of his ailing mother. The sunshine girl had crumbled under the daily grind of caring for an ailing parent. Three months ago Beth had broken off their engagement. Two weeks ago his mother had recovered to the point where he could move out. He was now living in his own apartment. Tonight, with no partner to help deflect the eager young interns he was in a sour mood.

Deciding enough was enough he began edging his way to the exit. As he moved across the room out of the corner of his eye he noticed a gorgeous head of long dark curly hair. He paused a moment watching the woman turn to him. Time slowed. Ambient noise hushed. His heart pulsed in his ears. His palms were damp. His throat went dry. His gaze was fixed on an exotically beautiful Asian women striding toward him. Her shoulders were squared and pulled back. Her eyes had a look of determination and she strode right past. Straight to Dr. Burke.

"Dr Burke I'm Cristina Yang." Was all she said, really. However, something in her tone of voice. A hopeful, almost lustful tone instantly enraged him. Burke's causal rebuff did nothing to calm him. Seeing red he stalked toward her. Approaching from behind her tapped her on the shoulder "I need a word with you." Other people leaving the reception passed by preventing him from speaking, spotting a supply closet in the hall he walked over. Opening the door he gestured with his head for her to enter. She narrowed her eyes glaring defiantly up at him before silently entering the closet. He entered and closed the door opening his mouth to say he didn't know what. She cut him off glaring up at him "Do you have ….." She began to furiously demand.

Heart hammering in his ears he'd meant to open his mouth to speak. Instead he leaned down and pressed his lips to hers. Heat exploded throughout his body. Cristina had been startled at first her lips frozen under his. He felt her hands reach up. Owen was positive she was about to push him away. Her fingers paused for a moment and then she began returning his kiss. She pulled him closer. He never felt anything quite like this before. A primal urge to enter her body, to make his claim, marks her as his. Nothing even in his intense teenage fumbling had reached this heady level of desperation. As they deepened the kiss he knew this was utter madness. His rational brain told him to pull away, even as his hands traveled to her bottom. With both hands palming her ass he lifted her up. Cristina let out a surprised squeak. Her eyes made contact with his. Her legs locked around his waist. Frantic hands unzipped pants and raised dresses. Underwear was cast aside. His hands went behind her head. A gentle entry and a desperate pace. On the brink of climax their eyes lock. Staring into her deep brown eyes they fall together. For an instant his vision goes black. Sound fades. The world fades.

Slowly he comes back to himself. Her soft hair wrapped around his fingers. The cool metal shelf on the back of his hands. Her strong legs wrapped around him. His vision clears and he gazes into her eyes. Her short panting breaths are the only noise in the room. Reality slowly creeps back into her eyes as the haze of orgasm fades. Before either speaks the door begins to creek open. Instinct kicks in. His eyes dart around the closet. There is no place to hide. He pushes her head into his chest. He angles his body towards the door. All he wants is to shield her from view. A pager sounds and the door is slammed shut. Owen takes a deep breath allowing the panic of possible discovery to fade as his heartbeat returns to normal. Still connected he feels Cristina begin to squirm. Her hands push on his arms. "Put me down."

Owen lowers her to the floor. He watches her make a mad dash for her panties on the ground. She doesn't speak. Or make eye contact with him. She fumbles with her dress and hair as she dashes to the door. He is certain she means to tear away without ever speaking. Owen opens his mouth but the words refuse to come. Words fail him. Cristina reaches for the doorknob but stops and abruptly turns to him. Cristina looks up staring into his eyes. "This never happened." Her tone is firm. She has made up her mind. She is commanding this. She is willing this. As if by shear force of will she can alter reality. She holds her glare for a moment before quietly slipping out of the closet gently closing the door behind her.

Owen stares at the closed door with his pants around his ankles.