"I thought I was gonna hate this party game thing, but it's kinda great. Can we set her on fire after?" Joked Cris happily, gesturing at a toilet-paper covered Meredith.
While the older blonde glared jokingly, Charlie chuckled, "Yes please. That'd be fun to observe."
Mer looked at her two people, exclaiming amidst a giggle, "No, we cannot."
The ladies were all gathered in Meredith's house, to celebrate Cris' last night as a single woman, aka, her bachelorette party.
The bride to be glanced down at Callie, who was busily scribbling on her hand, when she muttered, "Okay, these wedding vows are not all gonna fit on here."
The curly-haired intern snorted, "Okay, then write smaller."
Looking down at their work, the youngest giggled, "Be still Cris. You keep moving and now the word 'vow' just became 'cow', which is not, I think, what you want to call your husband on the altar."
Izzie frowned at them, "You don't need vows on your hand. When you get up there, just speak from the heart."
All three laughed, as Cristina deadpanned, "Uh, Izzie, the heart is an organ. It pumps, it circulates blood, it gets clogged from time to time. It does not, however, speak. It doesn't have tiny little lips on it."
"Well, you're all 'glass totally empty'."
Cris shook her head and remained silent, whilst Charlie chortled, "Well Izz, I'm pretty sure our girl's gonna enjoy being married, it's all of this wedding bullshit that's driving her mental."
Suddenly, everyone's pagers ran, with the only exception being Cris'.
Glancing down at the device, the youngest stood up, sighing, "Well ladies, party's over. No rest for the wicked and all."
As the women exited quickly, leaving behind the three best friends, Cris muttered, "Hey, mine didn't go off. Piece of crap."
"You can do this, right?" Questioned Mer worriedly, looking their person.
"Become a piece of chattel? Sure. Looking forward to it."
Charlie chuckled, "No, she meant walk down that aisle. We need you towels down that aisle today Cris, okay?"
"You marrying Burke, it's a sign. It's a sign that people like you and me and Char can do this...be healthy, be happy. You marrying Burke restores my faith in us." Added Mer, gesturing between their group.
"Oh, I get it. My wedding's about the two of you." Joked the woman, standing up.
"Exactly, glad you understand that." Laughed the British girl.
Mer chuckled along with, before repeating her earlier question, "So, you can do this, right?"
"I can do this."
v^√√v^─√v^√v^─
"Okay. Listen up." Announced Bailey, glancing other interns, "Uh, Hawthorne, you're with Shepherd and Sloan. Stevens, O'Malley, you're with Burke. Karev, Addison. Go. Grey...you are with the chief's wife."
Hearing that Adele was in the hospital, Charlie looked at her resident worriedly, "What's wrong with Adele? And why aren't assigned to her?"
Miranda sighed, "She's pregnant. Yes, pregnant. And she's your godmother, that counts as family in my book, so you can't be assigned to her. You know the rules, Charlie."
The blonde shook her head worriedly, but before she could argue further, Meredith placed a tender hand on her shoulder, "I'll take care of her, I promise. And if she allows it, I'll keep you updated."
She nodded sadly, as Cris piped up in confusion, "Who am I on?"
The resident looked at her in confusion, "Uh, I didn't page you. Go home. Get some sleep."
"Yeah, but I'm here already, so..."
"You're getting married in less than 12 hours."
Charlie chuckled, patting her person on the shoulder jokingly as she left to find her attendings, "Good luck Cris. I'm pretty sure you're going home in five minutes max."
v^√√v^─√v^√v^─
Later, she stood beside Derek in Lonnie's, the guy with an axe through his head, OR.
Glancing down at the poor man, she whistled between her teeth, "Not exactly something you see everyday, is it? An axe through a skull."
"Should be interesting to observe at least, since you're specialising in Neuro once your results come out, right?" Joked the attending, as he moved around the patient.
Charlie chuckled, "I told you Derek. You'll find out along with everyone else. Stop pushing for a confirmation."
"Sure, sure..." he mumbled lowly, before adding, "But you are choosing Neuro right? Because it would be criminal to let your talent go to waste."
"Derek!" She laughed, "the same could be argued regarding PEDS or Neo-natal. Stop pushing, and let's focus on the axe man here."
The surgeon laughed, before glancing down, "Okay, drill, please."
The nurse handed him the object, an he began driving small burr holes around the axe, in order to facilitate its removal.
Once finished, the girl questioned, "We pull it out now, right?"
"Hmm," he agreed, "but the axe went in as they fell, so there will be some tearing, it should be a shallow wound, and it should come out easily. You ready?"
The group all agreed, and he slowly began counting down, "All right everybody. Here we go. Ready? Okay, one, two...three." The axe, however, stayed exactly in place. Derek frowned behind his visor, before trying again, "That's strange. One...two...Three! That's a clean cut."
Looking down at the wound, Charlie bit her lip, "It's clean. No tearing whatsoever."
"Yep." Muttered the surgeon.
As both made eye contact, the blonde whispered to him, "That means the axe didn't get there by accident. It couldn't have."
"Exactly," agreed the man stoically.
v^√√v^─√v^√v^─
She and Meredith stood beside each other, charting. At a nurses' station, when Cris' voice came from behind them.
"Meredith, Charlie."
They didn't turn back to her, continuing their jobs as Mer complained, "Oh. You are not gonna believe...Derek met a girl... in a bar. And he flirted with her. And he told me."
"Derek and I suspect axe-in-head-man may not have been an accident, but rather purposeful. Which is terrifying to think about, because what the actual fuck, you know?"
"Guys," repeated Cris.
"I'm not exaggerating. He didn't even hint. He just flat out told me."
"Fuck him," murmured Charlie, before adding in a whisper, "But intentional attempted murder via axe, that's fucked. Like, 700 degrees of fucked right there."
"You know how sometimes it's about you, and sometimes it's about me?" Stated Cris in a frustrated voice, "This is really, really about me."
The two turned around, to find a brow less Cristina, with. Rollers in her hair, holding another wedding dress.
"Whoa," whispered Mer, as Char exclaimed, "What on god's green earth happened to your brows?"
"Mama took my eyebrows. She took my eyebrows, and now I am a Burke."
v^√√v^─√v^√v^─
The three hurried up to Bailey, who was staring at the bulletin board nearby with furrowed brows.
"Dr Bailey," called out Mer urgently.
The resident kept her back to them, mumbling, "Yeah. What?"
"Cristina needs to cut something. I can't really explain it in a way that won't make you glare. But... they took her eyebrows and they called her a Burke. She really needs to cut somebody open." Explained the youngest in a rush.
Bailey didn't spare them a glance, ordering, "Yang...go... do... getting married things. Get out of this hospital."
"Hey!" Exclaimed Cris angrily, and when the woman looked at her with raised brows, she calmed down, continuing, "I mean... hey. I...you have to let me cut, because I am standing here eyebrowless with no dignity left. I am a surgeon, Dr. Bailey. But right now I don't feel like one. I feel... like...somebody else. Do you know what that's like, not to feel like yourself?"
The resident sighed, before nodding her agreement, "yeah, yeah. Alright."
v^√√v^─√v^√v^─
The interns all stood in their locker room, getting ready for Cris' wedding.
The dark-haired woman had chosen beautiful bridesmaids dresses, thankfully.
Charlie had just finished pulling her hair to the side, elegant, large blonde curls falling down her shoulders, when George approached her sheepishly.
"Uh, closed? Open?"
Smiling at him, she gently fixed his tie, before murmuring happily, "Closed. You look perfect, Georgie-baby. Perfectly dashing."
He pressed a small kiss to her cheek, "Thanks Char."
"You look great." Added Izzie softly.
The youngest glared at her with suspicion, alarm bells ringing in her head at the look in her eyes. Isobel was up to something, and she wasn't feeling very good about it.
Suddenly, the door opened, revealing Patricia, who was holding onto multiple envelopes.
"Moment of truth, people." She announced, waving them around.
"Those our scores?" Questioned Alex hesitantly.
The woman nodded, handing them out as she called, "Grey. Karev. Yang. Hawthorne. Stevens. O'Malley."
Charlie hurried to grab hers, ripping it open in excitement. As she heard her family. Celebrate around her, she closed her eyes tightly, nervousness and anticipation coursing through her veins, before snapping them open and glancing down.
And right there, in black typewrite, was her score; 100%.
The blonde smiled happily, bouncing slightly on her toes, as her people rushed to her.
"Did you pass?" Asked Cris happily, looking at her two people.
"You bet your married booty, I did." Replied Mer happily, as Char giggled, "Of course I did. What else did you think would happen?"
Noticing George standing in the corner, the blonde asked him softly, "Bébé, did you pass?"
"Yeah, yeah I did." He mumbled, before leaving, "I'll see you at the church, Char."
The girl frowned softly. George was one of her best friends, which meant that she knew every expression he made, and the one on his face currently, did not bode well. Deciding he'd tell her whenever he was ready, she quickly exited the room, finding her boyfriend waiting for her at the door.
Mark smiled when he saw her, placing his hands on her waist, and pulling her softly to his chest.
"You look beautiful baby," he murmured.
Charlie blushed at the look in his eyes, murmuring, "Thank you, love." Before straightening his red tie, one that matched her dress perfectly, softly, "I love this colour on you."
The man grinned, before saying, "Enough chitchat. I know you got the results. Tell me you passed, and stop freaking me out, please."
"I didn't just pass, love." She smirked, before flashing her results in his face, "I scored a perfect, even, 100%."
"You scored 100% on your intern exam?" He exclaimed in shock, "You know you're like the third person to do that ever, right?"
"Yep," she either lip happily, before squealing in joy when he picked her up, spinning her in a joyous hug.
As he slowly slid her down his body, he cupped her face, "I'm so proud of you."
"I know, now kiss me please." She murmured in reply, smiling at his ensuing chuckle.
"With pleasure, baby."
And with those words, he pressed their lips together, in a loving kiss.
v^√√v^─√v^√v^─
She, along with Meredith, Izzie and Callie; Cris' bridesmaids, were waiting for her to fi ash getting dressed.
The tallest blonde knocked softly on the dressing room door, "Cris? Cristina?"
The bride pushed them open, announcing, "I didn't run."
The two maids of honour, because of course Cris chose her two people, screw the rules, awh'ed in joy.
"You look beautiful," murmured Mer happily, Charlie nodding beside her.
Her mother, Helen, placed a hand on her chest, "I'm proud of you." She began crying softly, hugging her daughter as she said, "Frankly, I always feared you were too emotionally stunted to settle down."
As they all gathered outside the chapel, Izzie peaked in, before exclaiming, "Ooh. It looks so pretty in there. I see Burke."
As Alex exited the chapel, he turned to Cris, "Yang...the twins looks nice in that dress."
"You're disgusting Xander," chuckled the youngest , slapping him on the shoulder. He smiled, nodding in agreement, before looking at her and saying, "You look beautiful. I hope Sloan known show lucky he is."
"He does," she agreed, before leaning close to him and whispering, "Go, catch Ava before she disappears forever."
The man's smiled widened, and he hurried away, exclaiming, "I gotta go, but congratulations!"
As he left, Izzie screamed, "Oh, wait, Alex, Did you see George in there? I don't see him."
He shook his head, as Callie interjected, "He's, uh...probably gonna be late. We had kind of a big, emotional day."
"Oh, really?" Izzie questioned, a bitchy look on her face, "Did something happen between you two? I mean..."
"No, no." dismissed Callie, glaring at the former model harshly, "It's just that I was named chief resident. Plus we decided to have a baby, so..."
"A baby?"
"Wait, I get to be godmother?!" Exclaimed Both Izzie and Charlie at the same time, through the youngest was obviously happier at the prospect than her friend.
"Wow." Mumbled Izzie, a clear look of distress on her face. At that, Charlie's suspicions were somewhat confirmed. The blonde wanted something with George, though she hoped it hadn't occurred, hoped her best friend was better than that.
Electing to ignored her, she turned to her people, helping Mer to fix Cris' dress, as the shorter blonde asked, "Okay, this is it. Okay?"
The bride nodded, "Okay."
"You have the bouquet."
"Yeah."
"Char and I have the rings," continued Mer.
"Yeah."
"And your vows." She finished.
At that, Cris' eyebrows rose in panic, "Oh, my god I scrubbed in. I scrubbed in, and the vows were on my hand. I scrubbed off my vows."
Sensing her fear, Charlie stepped in soothingly, "Cris, trésor, calm down. Those vows weren't you. They weren't you and they weren't Burke, and they weren't you two together. Just talk to him, tell him what you. Want for your futures together, what you vow to offer him. You two love each other, and if that's the only thing that matters, then say that. Okay?"
The curly-haired woman nodded, inhaling steadily, "Yeah, yeah. You're right, as always." Before looking determinedly at the doors, "I'm ready."
v^√√v^─√v^√v^─
They are standing inside the chapel, when Burke approached. Them nervously.
His future wife looked at him, "Oh. I'm ready. I'm fine. I...Meredith and Charlie talked me down. Really, I'm fine. Go, go, go. I'll be right behind you."
"I'm sorry." He mumbled.
"Oh...I can do this. You know, I had a momentary freak out, but now I'm fine. I can do this. Go."
"But you don't want to do this. I'm up there waiting for you to come down the aisle, and I knew you don't want to come." Charlie looked gravely at her fellow blonde person, worry increasing in her chest. Something wasn't right, and she really hoped Burke wouldn't do what she suspected he planned to.
"I know you don't want to come but that you'll come anyway because you love me." He continued, a grave expression on his face, "And if I loved you...if I loved you, not the woman that I'm trying to make you be, not the woman that I hope you'll become, but you...if I did...I wouldn't be up there waiting for you. I would be letting you go."
Face growing more panicked and frightened, Cristina insisted, "I am wearing the dress. I'm ready. And...and maybe I didn't want to before, but I want to now. I really think I want this."
"And I really wish that you didn't think. I wish that you knew."
At that, Charlie grabbed Mer's hand tightly, heart breaking for her person.
The two maids of honour left the couple to finish talking, heading into the chapel, everyone's eyes on them.
"It's over. You can all go home." Announced Charlie sadly.
Mer nodded beside her, "It's over. It's so over."
v^√√v^─√v^√v^─
They founder standing the in middle of her apartment, silent tears streaming down her face.
The two blondes hurried to their person, as she sadly whispered, "He's gone."
"I...I...I don't think he's gone." Mer attempted to reassure her, "Uh, his stuff is here."
Cristina shook her head, beginning to point in different areas desperately, "No, it isn't. His trumpet was here. His entire Eugene Foote collection...vinyl's and cd's...his grandmother's picture was by the bed. His lucky scrub cap was hanging on the door. He's gone. I'm...I'm free." She began furiously shaking her head, back in the centre of her apartment, hyperventilating, "Damn it. Damn it. Damn it. Damn it. Oh, god. Get this off me. Take this off! Take this off! Please, just...I can't...help me, help me, help me!"
Charlie hurried to her, shushing her and calming her down, "Okay, trésor, we'll get it off of you. Just calm down, please."
Mer ran to them with two pairs of scissors, handing Charlie one, and they began steadily cutting Cris' wedding dress off of her.
Piece by piece, as the woman slowly fell apart in their arms.
Later, once the former bride had fallen asleep, exhaustion taking over her, Charlie slowly took off her makeup, knowing she hated feeling it 'all gunk-y' on her face the next day.
After she'd covered her with a soft blanket, she sat down beside Mer, watching her sleeping form sadly.
"She'll be okay, right?" She asked her older person softly.
The Grey girl nodded, laying her head on Char's shoulder, "yeah, we'll make sure of it. We'll take care of her, until she can do it for herself."
"Yeah," she agreed slowly, "We take care of each other. It's what we always do."