You are in Love

an invitation

A week or so later Owen walked into the hospital, and saw Cole leaving. "Morning, Hunt," Cole said with a smile. 

"Good morning, Dr Turner. How've you been?" Owen held his hand out to shake Cole's. 

"Very good," he smiled, "I actually just talked to Cristina about having a dinner party tomorrow evening, I think we'd both like it if you came, and bring," he paused to think, "Dr. Shepherd, is it?" 

Owen nodded, "Amy, yeah," he smiles "we'd love to."

"Excellent!" Cole smiled, "I'll see you then," he said and then walked out the door.

Owen walked away, and saw Callie in line at the coffee cart, "Is it hard talking to Cole? I mean he's a nice guy but it has to at least be somewhat awkward." 

Owen nodded, "You're right, it is. He uh- he actually just invited Amy and I to a dinner party." 

"The one tomorrow? Yeah I'm going too, Meredith says he's a really great cook," Callie said. 

"They seem really happy, do you think she's happy?" He paused, "She changed her name, and she just seems different... She left her hospital for him. That's not her." 

Callie shrugged, "I think she is, but you're right she seems to be following in his stride." 

Owen put his head in his hands and sighed, "This party will be interesting." 

The next evening Owen was about to leave the trailer to pick Amy up when he got a call, Amy had gotten called into surgery and couldn't make it. He sighed and put on his coat to go. When he arrived Cristina and Meredith were drinking wine in the kitchen while Cole cooked.  

"Where's my sister?" Derek ask him with a smile. 

"She got called into surgery, couldn't make it," he said distracted by Cristina's laughter in the other room. 

"She's lucky, she hates things like this," Derek smiled.

"I should go say hello," Owen said and walked toward the kitchen. Cristina stood next to Cole with her hand on his lower back. He laughed as Meredith told stories from their resident years and Cristina blushed. She looked up to see Owen, "you came" she smiled. 

"Well of course," he nodded, and Cole walked over with a beer and shook his hand. "This is a nice place."

"Thank you," Cole smiled, "I'd show you around but I know if I left Cristina with the food it would burn." He turned to Cristina and gave her a jokingly disapproving look. 

She chuckled, and shrugged, "I never said I could make anything more than cereal." 

Owen realized this was the perfect time to get her alone, "why don't you show me around?" he glanced over at Cristina. 

Cole smiled, "perfect. Meredith can tell me more about your residency while you give Owen a tour." 

Cristina nodded and stood up with her glass of wine, she kissed Cole's cheek and then looked at Owen and pointed toward the kitchen door, "this way," she smiled. 

He walked around with her, listening to the way her voice inflected. "So what happened with your research?" he ask.

"There's a lab in L.A. that's letting me continue it there, Derek got me connected with Dr. Bennett, who got me connected to Dr. King at St. Ambrose out there. It's coming along, slowly," she chuckled. 

Owen watched her lips as she talked, he wanted to kiss her so badly, he nodded, lost in her eyes not able to listen to her words. "So you're happy? Cole makes you happy?" 

"Yeah, I mean- " she stopped, "yeah." 

"What were you going to say?" 

"It's nothing," she said and kept walking showing him around. 

"You can tell me, Cristina.." he said hoping she felt the same way as him.

"We're happy, and I love him, I don't know it's just... it's different this time." 

"What do you mean, different?"

"It's calm... it's I don't know. Alex really likes him, they're friends or whatever, it's just... it's calm."

"But calm is good, right?" 

"I guess so." 

Just then they heard Cole yell upstairs that it was time to eat. Owen knew this was his last chance so he leaned in and kissed her. Cristina knew she should pull away but this felt so safe and familiar. 

After a long minute she pulled away and looked at Owen, "we should go.." she said and then walked away.