“Give Me One Reason Why We Can’t Hang Out.”
Derek To Cristina (Season 4, Episode 1)
When Cristina refuses to have a drink with Derek, her reasoning is because she doesn’t like him. She doesn’t want to hang out with him, not because of Meredith, but because “you’re you.”
The moment is a highlight for their friendship because Cristina doesn’t beat around the bush or fawn over Dr. Shepherd’s skills. She’s one of the few people who will speak her mind to him without sugarcoating it.
“You Started Here At The Sternal Notch…”
Derek To Cristina (Season 7, Episode 3)
Cristina experiences PTSD after performing a nail-biting surgery on Derek after Gary Clark shoots him and insists she let Derek die. As she struggles to shake her feelings and perform in the operating room, Derek takes her aside and explains the steps she took operating on him.
Derek is grateful Cristina saved his life, so he wants to help her work through her feelings and be able to operate again. It’s an emotional, touching moment for the duo. As the patient, he’s likely the only one capable of getting her back into the surgeon mindset. He advocates for her when everyone else thinks she shouldn’t be operating.
“Goodbye.”
Cristina To Derek (Season 10, Episode 24)
Cristina struggles with leaving Seattle because nothing is “finished” and uses a gas-main explosion as her reason for taking a surgery and not leaving for the airport. With Meredith’s encouragement, she’s able to leave, and Derek is the first one to whom she says goodbye.
Nothing more than “goodbye” is exchanged between the two. Derek’s expression and the way he hugs Cristina silently says he’s proud of her moving on, but he’ll miss her. There’s no sarcastic comments or deeply intense conversation. The few words and body language sum up their touching friendship.
“Good Enough To Kick Us Both Out Of Bed.”
Derek To Cristina (Season 5, Episode 8)
The introduction of Sadie is one thing that doesn’t make sense about Meredith she had never been mentioned before. When Sadie arrives, she kicks Cristina out of Meredith and Derek’s bed, taking her place, which then leads to Cristina and Derek then commiserating about being kicked out of bed.
Derek has always been kicked out of bed because of Cristina and now Cristina understands how it feels to be left out. Viewers can sense the sting and annoyance as they feel replaced by a woman who Meredith they hardly even know. It’s a funny moment as Derek welcomes Cristina to his world of being kicked out of his bed.
“‘Cause You Like That Sort Of Thing.”
Cristina To Derek (Season 5, Episode 14)
When Derek wants to propose to Meredith, everyone thinks he’s going to propose with a grand gesture. However, Cristina advises him against it. She knows Meredith better than anyone and points out that Meredith only did the grand gesture of building him a house of candles because he likes that.
Derek is smart going to Cristina before planning something Meredith would hate. No matter how Cristina feels about the Meredith-Derek-Addison triangle, she wants her best friend to be happy and knows Derek makes her happy. Giving him advice for the proposal is a cuter moment for the duo.
“You’re Not Talking To Me.”
Derek To Cristina (Season 5, Episode 8)
Cristina is no stranger to Meredith and Derek’s bed. The women often share the bed with him still in it. When Cristina barges in to tell Meredith about Erica Hahn leaving, Derek interjects a comment about the doctor’s skill. The women then shoot him a look, and he immediately knows it’s time to leave.
Derek loves Cristina enough to know when he needs to give her space with Meredith even if it’s in his own bed. He doesn’t fuss over Cristina’s interruptions. The respect he shows for her and Meredith’s friendship allows him to have his own bond with Cristina.
“You Need To Forgive Owen.”
Cristina To Derek (Season 9, Episode 11)
Fans may think Owen and Cristina are a terrible couple, but when Derek keeps holding Owen responsible for the plane crash, Cristina knows she needs to step in. During a game of ping-pong, Cristina tells Derek he should be understanding of the difficult decisions the Chief sometimes needs to make.
Given her relationship with Owen and friendship with Derek, Cristina is the only one capable of talking to Derek about his grudge. She doesn’t hold back her words or hide why she wants to speak to him. The duo has an open, honest friendship, knowing the other doesn’t need to be coddled.
“I Think I Have A Bite!”
Cristina To Derek (Season 7, Episode 10)
Derek takes Cristina fishing to help clear her mind. Although she initially won’t stop talking, she eventually relaxes and manages to catch one of the largest fish of the year. When taking the photo of her on the dock with her fish, Cristina begins to cry.
It’s a vulnerable moment after the hospital shooting, helping with Cristina to process her emotions. She has few emotional moments in the series, making her fishing trip with Derek a pivotal moment. They are very similar and Derek knows exactly what she needs to get out of her thoughts.
“I Wouldn’t Have Picked You To Be Part Of My Life.”
Derek To Cristina (Season 7, Episode 3)
Derek and Cristina are highly skilled doctors, making it more emotional when she freezes in the operating room after struggling with PTSD from the hospital shooting. He sits her down, explaining that they’re family, and he’s worried about her after the incident.
Openly telling her how much potential and skill she has is what she needs to hear because he isn’t going to let her fail. They have very little in common besides Meredith and medicine. It’s a touching moment as Derek shows how much he actually cares for her wellbeing and success when everyone else doesn’t know how to help her.
“She’s Our Person.”
Cristina To Derek (Season 9, Episode 24)
After Meredith gives birth, she has a massive bleed in her spleen, prompting a removal during a major power outage. While waiting for an update on her condition, Cristina lists to Derek every major incident Meredith has survived, explaining that she can’t die because “she’s our person.”
For years, Meredith and Cristina have called one another “my person.” Cristina acknowledging Derek’s role in Meredith’s life is a heartbreaking moment but shows how much she cares for him as well. The duo likely wouldn’t have a friendship without Meredith, making her the sole reason they too have grown to be family.
