Do you want to live this way? (CROWEN)

Chapter 24

The Cardiothoracic Conference Event had started and everything runs smoothly for the entire week. Cristina and Teddy attended series of talks and seminars on Grey Sloan. On the last day of the event, they were both scheduled on an early morning surgery that will be videotaped for educational purposes.

Cristina is busy with the event but she still manages to have a time with Theo and Morgan. Owen supported her by fixing his schedules to be in sync with Cristina while she is on Grey Sloan, they remained amicable and had been a good team so far but they still does not have the chance to talk about Cristina's offer to move to Zurich.

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Theo woke up with a fright as he felt that his mother's bedside is empty. For the past 3 days since Cristina arrived back to Seattle, both of her tiny boys cuddled with her to sleep.  She hesitantly leave that morning but as a professional as she is, she needed to be in the hospital earlier for the surgery. She kisses her boys goodbye and woke up Owen to inform him that she will be heading to Grey Sloan early.

The little boy started to cry, dreading the worst of her mother’s absence. He got up checked the bathroom, the other rooms, his parent’s home office and there's still no sign of his mom, he decided to call on his dad, and he found him on the kitchen busy preparing their breakfast.  Owen just finished setting up his kids’ breakfast when he heard his oldest - - wailing. He approached him and look at his red faced son asking him what's wrong the boy tried to talk in deep sobs "Where's Mama? Did she leave again?”

Owen looks at his son pitifully, he and Cristina talked about this separation anxiety Theo had and both parties are aware that they have to work on it with the child psychologist.  He held his son, caresses his tiny back, settled him on his place at the breakfast table and wiped his tears.

Owen: Your mom is just in the hospital, working. You know that, right? She told you yesterday.

Theo cried harder and screamed, “I want my mom!! I want my mom!! She left again".

Owen tried to comfort him and thinks of the best way to calm the child.

Owen: No, buddy. Mom has a surgery on the hospital, we'll go there later, and you will see her. So, eat your breakfast, take a bath and then you, Morgan and me will see your mom okay?"

Theo seems convinced with the mention of the hospital, and remembering what his mother had told him that she has work on that morning, he wipes his own tears and nose with the tissue handed by his dad and then started to munch up his cereals.

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Once they arrived at the hospital, Owen took his boys to OR 3 gallery for them to be convinced that Cristina is still on the hospital, as he knows they will be cranky throughout the day without seeing their mother.  The gallery is jam-packed with interns and other doctors.  He took a glance of Meredith and Derek who are seated on the front. Derek saw Owen with his sons; he talked to Meredith then excuse himself to talk to Owen.

Derek: You can seat on my place, I’m actually going anyway.

Owen: Thank you, Derek.

Meredith smiled when they came in; she took Theo so the child can sit on her lap, while Owen sits beside her with Morgan on his lap.

Owen hears Meredith talking to Theo, who pointed out Cristina, whom of course he recognizes even with a face mask. Luckily, both kids are at ease and calm. When the surgery was done, all the doctors on the gallery started clapping. Morgan and Theo also clap, as they felt the energy of admiration inside the room, so proud of their mom even though they don't have any idea what has happened on the operation. The youngest child shrieked "Mama!” while clapping. Both Owen and Meredith laughed on Morgan's reaction. Cristina heard it through the intercom and glances up on the gallery and waves to them. Theo waves back and jump out of Meredith's lap, so happy to get noticed by his mom.