Title: Meet the Parents

Author: ---greyeyedgirl---

Grey's Anatomy Cristina/Burke fanfic

Disclaimer: This fiction is in no way affiliated with Grey's Anatomy.

Rating: T

Summary: Cristina takes Burke home to meet her stepfather, but first she has to meet his mom. Obviously C/B fic.

Chapter 1

"Preston!" Samantha Burke's voice ran out through the airport, as she rushed forward to give her oldest son a hug. Burke hugged her back warmly, smiling at her as they pulled apart. She turned to give a happy smile to Cristina. "And you must be Cristina," she said kindly, extending a hand to shake. Cristina took it and shook, wondering if there was a specific way girlfriends were supposed to shake their boyfriend's mother's hand. Men have it easy, she thought. Their grip is supposed to be firm but not overbearing. But how was she supposed to shake this woman's hand? She smiled politely, as Burke got their luggage and they headed to Mrs. Burke's car. "It's nice to meet you, Mrs. Burke," Cristina said, trying to put a nice-looking smile on her face. Try to look pleasant, she thought. Pleasant is good.

"Oh please, sweetie, call me Sam. Mrs. Burke was Preston's grandmother." Cristina smiled uncomfortably, not sure if that last part had been a joke or not. Preston was smiling at her though, so she took it as a sign that things were going well.

"So tell me about yourself, Cristina," Mrs. Burke said. "Preston said you're from California?"

"Yes, we're going there for a few days after this to see my mother and stepfather. I grew up in Los Angeles, then went to Smith College and Stanford Med." Cristina tried to lighten up, then felt a whole new rush of fear when she realized something-Obviously Mrs. Burke (Sam) called Burke 'Preston.' She didn't, though. Would Mrs. Burke think that was weird? Would she think Cristina was flighty or not serious about him? Oh, crap.

"That's nice. What are your parents' names?"

"Helen and Saul Rubenstein. My mom is an interior decorator and my stepdad is a oral surgeon. My real father, Jonathan, is a dentist."

Burke glanced at her from his seat next to her in the car. He hadn't known that.

"So, Mrs-Sam," Cristina said, trying to make herself loosen up. "What's the name of your restaurant?"

Mrs. Burke smiled from her place behind the wheel, as their conversation continued smoothly for the next 15 minutes or so, Burke jumping in at random intervals.

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"All right. So this is home," Mrs. Burke said, leading Cristina and Preston into the house he had grown up in. "Preston will show you where his room is," she said to Cristina, smiling. "I trust you're used to his obsessive cleanliness by now."

Cristina laughed, turning to grin at Burke. "Just like he's used to my obsessive messiness."

Mrs. Burke raised one eyebrow playfully. "Wow, Preston, you must love this girl. I've never seen you able to even remotely tolerate a mess."

Both Burke and Cristina blushed, as Burke mumbled something incoherently. Mrs. Burke beamed at them. "I took a couple days off from the restaurant for your visit, but I have to check up on Lydia, the girl I left in charge. She's a dear, but not very bright, I'm afraid. But we can eat over there sometime if you'd like."

"That'd be great, Mom," Preston said, smiling at her. "I'm going to show Cristina the room and get settled in. Why don't you check in on her while we do that?"

"All right. I'll see you guys in a bit, then," Mrs. Burke ducked out.

"Come on," Burke said to Cristina, lifting up her suitcases. "I can take two trips upstairs, it's fine," he said, seeing her go to pick up a couple of his.

Burke's room was anal-ly clean, as she'd expected, and she dropped the suitcase of his she'd grabbed half-hazardly on the floor. He didn't wince anymore when she did that, simply set her suitcases on the floor and sat on the bed.

"You like her?"

She glanced at him, taking the seat next to him and looking down to inspect the dark blue bedspread. She picked carelessly at a thread. "Yes." She realized it was the truth.

He smiled. "She likes you, too." His voice sounded pleased.

She hesitated, playing with the thread with her finger. "Good."

"It is good."

"I'm tired," she murmured. She really was. It was barely evening back home, and only mid-afternoon here, but she'd worked a hard shift before they left. She knew he had too.

"I am too," he said, rubbing his eyes. "I think Mom wanted to make dinner for us, but-"

"Do you think she'd be upset if we slept for a few hours, though?" She smiled. "I know I'd be much more pleasant at dinner if we did."

Burke smiled too. "Yeah," he said, leaning back on the bed, barely managing to take his shoes off. "And if Mom went to the restaurant, she won't be back for a couple hours."

Cristina frowned, lying down next to him on the bed. He wrapped his arm around her. "Isn't the restaurant down the street?"

"Cristina, if we lived down the street from the hospital, do you think you'd spend any less time there?"

She realized what he meant and smiled, burying her face in his neck and yawning.

She woke up with a start an hour and a half later, rolling over in the bed. Wow, she must have really been exhausted, she thought to herself, sitting up and pulling her hair back self-consciously. She glanced over at Burke, still sleeping soundly on the bed. She stood up quietly, being careful not to wake him. He didn't stir as she walked out of the room and down the stairs. Mrs. Burke still wasn't back yet, so she stepped out of the house and sat on the steps, feeling the heat beat down on her. It'd been awhile since she'd been so hot. It was comforting, in a way, as she remembered the feeling of the burning California sun hitting her during the years of her childhood. Was it really the same sun that had shone on her then that was setting her skin aglow so many years later?

Upstairs, Burke rolled over, feeling instinctively for Cristina. He frowned as he opened his eyes, glancing around the room before heading downstairs.

"Hey," he said, seeing the familiar curly head sitting on the same steps he'd sat on countless times, so many years ago. "Hey," she said, turning to look at him. He sat down next to her, taking in her tired appearance. She tipped her head against him, watching the sun start its descent as evening set in.

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Dinner at the Burke's house had always been chaotic. Mrs. Burke insisted Preston not help her, as she prepared the meal in the house's kitchen. "Are you sure you don't need any help, Mrs. Burke?" Cristina seriously hoped she didn't, because she couldn't cook worth crap. Burke knew this and was smirking at her from behind his mother.

"Nope, I'm fine, hun. Remember, I've done this everyday for over 30 years." Mrs. Burke smiled at her from the plate of vegetables. "And remember, it's Sam."

"Right."

Mrs. Burke continued to talk as Preston opened a door to a cabinet, grabbing dishes as he began to set the table. "So how long have you two been seeing each-Preston, you don't have to do that, I'll get it-other?"

Cristina thought for a second, wondering if she should count the time before they'd officially become a couple. "Um, maybe-What is it, Burke, seven months?" Burke nodded from his spot setting the silverware, and Cristina smiled at Mrs. Burke. "Seven months."

"Wow, that's great. And you're an intern? Do you know what you're going to specialize in yet?"

"Um, I'm not quite sure. Definitely cardio or neuro."

Mrs. Burke smiled. "A set of cardiovascular surgeons. What a couple." Cristina laughed.

They sat down to dinner, Burke holding the chair for both his mother and Cristina.

"So how long have you had your restaurant?" Cristina asked.

"Oh, I bought it a few years before Preston was born, it was right after I had Ashley. Maybe 36 years, then?

Cristina turned to Burke. "You have a sister?"

Preston glanced at her. "Yes. Ashley. I have a little brother named Nathan, too."

"I didn't know that."

"You don't have any siblings, do you?"

Cristina hesitated. "No."

Burke nodded into his food.

They finished dinner quietly.

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"Your mother seems nice," Cristina said, sitting down on the bed. Burke glanced up from his spot in a chair a few feet away, stooped over taking off a shoe.

He smiled. "Thank you."

"I didn't know you had siblings."

"I didn't know your father was a dentist."

Cristina changed the subject. "Where do they live?"

Burke rubbed the back of his neck, getting up and walking over to her. "Ashley lives in Illinois, Chicago. Nathan lives in Napa."

Cristina looked up at him, surprised. "California?"

Burke smiled. "Yes. He owns a vineyard and a wine store there."

Cristina smiled. "I didn't know that."

"He has a few kids. Toddlers."

Cristina leaned her head against his shoulder. "I'm tired. Tomorrow, do you want to show me the sights?"

Burke laughed. "This is Wilmington, Alabama. There's not much to see."

Cristina smiled, as they leaned back and laid down, Burke covering her with the cool blanket. "I can't wait."