A Hard Day's Night (ON HOLD)

Not Funny

"Cristina, why are you laughing?" I scowled as I watched her rock backwards and forwards in the chair she was sitting in.
It was a few minutes before she was able to respond, so I stared out of the huge window instead.

"So it just went..BAM! And hit you straight in the face?" She giggled, biting her fist in attempt to stop herself laughing at my misfortune. I sighed and nodded.
"Yes, Cristina, that's exactly what happened.."

I had to wait another few minutes as she laughed again. She was really starting to piss me off now. I should have just left then and there.
"Oh, well that's cheered me up after a crap day. Week, in fact.." She trailed off, standing up and checking her pager.

I raised an eyebrow. "Difficult patients?"
She shook her head. "Not really..."
"Dr Bailey getting down your neck?"
"Nah.."
"Jesus, what's up, then?"
"Your actually a really caring and forgiving person, Meredith"
"I only asked what's up, no need to get all mushy on me..your the person I least expected it from.."
"No, no. I meant..considering I've just spent the last five minutes laughing at you being hit in the face.." She sniggered. I rolled my eyes.

"Oh ha ha. Very funny, Cristina! No, seriously, what's getting to you?"
She shrugged. "I'm feeling really awkward with Burke and all that. Especially since he's cardio and that's what I wanna specialise in.."
I sighed and rubbed my left temple.
"Yeah, I know the feeling.."

She turned to face me. "What? Dr Shepherd being an ass?"
"When is he not?"
"Good point.."
There was a brief moment of silence.

"So.." She started.
"So?"
"Like, have you had a conversation with him?" She asked. I almost laughed at the things we'd said.
"I've had a few actually.."
"And did they help? Because I've been thinking about sitting Burke down and actually having a chat about what's happened and stuff, because I-"

"If your wanting me to lie to your face, Cristina, I'd say yeah, the chats really did help. But if I was going to be honest with you, which you want me to be, right?"
She nodded.
"..then I'd say every conversation I have with him ends up with me getting mad and storming off, him getting mad and storming off, or me getting hit in the face with a door that he pushed open 'accidentally'.." I quoted, using the air symbol.

She tutted. "I don't think he'd purposely open the door into your face. Only jerks do that.."
"But he is a jerk.."
"Yeah, I meant, it's like a jerky high school sort of thing to do. We're talking about Dr Shepherd-"
"Just call him Derek."
"Oh, ok. We're talking about Derek. Head of neurosurgery at Seattle Grace Hospital. I've even heard he's gunning for chief spot. He wouldn't do a childish thing like that.."

I pondered her explanation for a moment. Yeah, he probably wouldn't, but how could she be so sure? This could be part of his plan to get her fired from the intern programme, so the threat to his job wouldn't be as high as the there was hardly any risk of the truth getting out.

"I think I'll have that chat with Burke, anyway.." Cristina sighed, collecting a stack of papers from the desk in front of me. "Meanwhile, I've gotta go drop these off with Nazi. Hope your face feels better!" She shouted, before disappearing out of sight. I could almost hear her giggle fit.

-

5:23 pm my watch read. Thirty seven more minutes and I could leave. Derek had promised me an early finish if I helped him scrub in on another surgery. I was reluctant to agree, because he'd suddenly started acting really nice around me. I thought back to what Cristina said and thought it was probably to make a good impression on others since he wanted to be chief.

Chief Shepherd? Ugh.

But as it was only me and him in the wash room yet again, I decided to ask him straight up.

"Why the hell are you not being an ass to me anymore?" I asked. Maybe not the best way to put it, but at least it got my point across.
I heard him laugh; sort of a laugh of shock. He turned to me, wiping his hands of his royal blue shirt.

"Excuse me?"
"Why are you being so nice to me?"
"That's better. And I-"
"Woah, woah! Hang on a second! You don't get to speak to me like that! 'That's better'?!" I asked in disgust.
"More like you don't get to speak to me like that. I'm your boss, and you gotta show some respect!" He stated, folding his arms.
"I know, but your acting like you own me! Just because we had sex. Once! That's doesn't mean-"
"Precisely! We had sex one time, and you think that gives you an automatic right to speak to me like that?! I can get fired! I hope you realise that!" He said, practically shouting.

I raised my voice a little. "I knew it! I knew that was what you were trying to do!"
"What?!"
"Get me fired so you precious little job would be safe!"
"Wait, what?! No! I never wanted to fire you!" He protested. I shook my head, furiously untying my scrub cap.

"Then why have you been treating me like dirt? Embarrassing me in front of patients? Being cocky and crude?!" I asked angrily.
He sighed, clearly exasperated.
"Your completely and utterly deluded."
"Pardon?"
"Your wrong. I've only been like that because-"
"Save it!" I snapped, throwing my scrub clothes onto the floor and marching towards the door.

"-because you've been a huge bitch to me!" He finished.

How. Fucking. Dare he.

I turned on heel, marching right back over to him to we were inches apart.
"You do not get to call me that!" I said, pointing my finger at him.
He shrugged. "But I just did.."

I could have slapped him.
"I can't believe I would sleep with someone as arrogant, lazy, and self centred as you!" I screamed in his face.
"Ditto!" He shouted back.
"But guess what? I'm not gonna quit just because some..some prick decides to be a complete jerk to me!"
"I never even wanted you to quit!"
"Well stop acting like you want me to then!"

Then there was silence. Nothing but our heavy breathing and the closeness of our faces.
Once again, I could have slapped him. It would have given me great satisfaction and probably been the best option. But, of course, I didn't.

Instead, I kissed him.