in_the_after | Fanfiction - Don't Dream It's Over

Title: Don't Dream It's Over
Author:

angelamermaid
Pairing: Cristina/Owen
Rating: Teen
Summary: What I think happened immediately after 7-02
Disclaimer: These characters are property of Shonda Rhimes/ABC and Grey's Anatomy. They do not belong to me. Reimbursement is not received for fictitious works.

Cristina walks out of Meredith's house and goes straight to Owen's truck. She reaches for the passenger door even as she hears his footsteps behind her. His arm shoots out past her and grabs the handle. He smiles and opens the door for her, not caring about the rain. Cristina climbs into the cab and buckles herself in without comment.

Owen climbs into the driver's seat. He turns to her and holds out her wedding ring. She takes it and slides it onto her finger. Then he fastens his seatbelt, starts the truck, and drives away.

He starts to hum along with the radio. She stares at him.

"What?" Owen asks, turning a corner.

"You're humming," she observes.

"Does it bother you?"

"You're happy," she says.

He glances at her, right eyebrow cocked in amusement. "Yes, yes I am."

She frowns.

He smiles. "I'm driving home with my wife. That makes me happy."

"Wife …" Cristina says slowly.

"Too soon?" Owen asks, gently. "How about, I'm driving home with the woman I love? Who happens to be wearing a couple of rings that I gave her."

"You love me."

He hums again as they stop at a red light.

"You're happy," she says again.

"Uh huh." He pulls forward after the light changes. "It's okay if you're not happy."

They drive a few more blocks.

"We're going to your place?" Cristina asks.

"I think we should go where we can be by ourselves," Owen replies. "I haven't packed up the bedroom yet."

"Oh." She looks through the side window. "You're packing up because you're moving in. Because we're going to find a place where we'll be living together. Because we're married. We're going to go to the same place every night and all of our stuff will be in the same place."

"Take it one day at a time," Owen says quietly. "Tonight, we are going to a mostly empty apartment where we can relax without feeling crowded."

"Okay."

"You were patient and you were kind and you stayed through it all."

He doesn't hum for the remainder of the drive. As they drive into the parking lot, she speaks. "It's okay if you're happy. I don't want you to be unhappy."

He smiles as he pulls into the stall, then jumps out to hold her door open for her. He quickly kisses her as she steps down in front of him.

"I'm going to stay through it all."

When they get to the apartment door, Owen doesn't sweep her up in his arms, like he did the night before. He just unlocks the door and holds it open for her. She quietly walks inside and removes her wet jacket.

"What do you want to do tonight?" Owen asks her, gently.

"I don't know," she shrugs. "What do you want to do?"

"Eat," he says. "I'm starving."

"Then let's eat," she says. "Do you have food?"

"I think so." He peers inside of the refrigerator. "I see leftover pizza."

"Sounds good."

He heats up the food and they eat. He starts to hum again as he clears away their plates.

She watches him, detached. She wonders what newlyweds are supposed to do on their second night as a couple. Besides have honeymoon sex.

"What do you want to do now?" Owen asks her.

"I don't know," she replies truthfully. "It's … been a long day."

He nods and takes her hands.

"What would you do if I weren't here?" Cristina asks.

"I'd probably get undressed and do some reading in bed," he says.

She nods. "Then let's get ready for bed."

They change clothes, Cristina finding a tank top and sweatpants in her drawer. She quietly reflects that soon, all of their clothing will be in the same location.

"Do you want something to read?" Owen asks, as he rummages in a box filled with magazines and medical journals.

"Sure." She looks through the box and pulls out a magazine about outdoor living. She lies down on his bed. Owen settles himself against the headboard, holding a medical journal.

Cristina leafs through the magazine and looks at the pictures while he becomes engrossed in his journal. His left hand reaches out and grazes her hand from time to time, as if he's trying to calm her. Or to reassure himself that she's still there.

"I'm not going anywhere without you."

Cristina's eyes grow heavy and she puts the magazine down on the night table, then turns off the lamp beside her. She lies down again and watches him.

"Is the light bothering you?" Owen asks, gesturing to the lamp beside him. "I can go into the living room."

"Don't," she whispers, reaching out to touch his hand. He smiles at her, before going back to reading.

He didn't explain what had triggered his panic attack, he was drained and somewhat embarrassed. Quietly, he laid his head on her chest and wrapped his arms around her, settling the bulk of his weight beside her on the small bed in the on call room. She pulled out Ellis Grey's journal and began to read, as he fell asleep. His body heat was warm and comforting. In the morning, he said that he hadn't slept that well in months.

Cristina shifts herself, moving so that she is lying next to Owen. He raises his left arm to make room for her. She lifts herself up so that she can lay her head on his chest, wrapping her arms around him. He strokes her hair and continues to read, as she closes her eyes and listens to him breathe, before drifting off to sleep.