Every New Beginning... (Chris Evans AU)

.18.

Opal POV

I'm startled awake by the sound of a car's honking horn. I slowly begin to open my eyes, only to find that I'm not in the carriage house. Instead I open my eyes to see the back yard of Magnolia. It's then that I realize I'm resting on something pretty solid, definitely not a pillow. I suddenly turn my nose up as I take in a musty smell as well.

I sit up quickly as I realize I fell asleep on Chris' shoulder. While we were soaking wet. The sun isn't quite up yet, but I'm not sure of the time as I'm not wearing a watch nor do I have my phone. "Chris," I carefully shake his shoulder. "Chris, wake up." I've startled him in such a way that he wakes up shaking his head.

"Huh? What?"

"That's an odd way to wake up," I admit.

"Again, another hazard of the job. Wait, we fell asleep? Out here?"

"Apparently. I'm not sure what time it is though, but it must've been a few hours because we stink," I laugh out. I get up and walk over to a window that faces in towards the sitting area. I peek through and see the Grandfather Clock says 3 am. "It's 3 AM!" My hand fly's over my mouth as I start laughing uncontrollably.

Chris jumps up to pull me away from the porch. "Sshh! You don't want to wake your guests." He's started laughing too as he takes me by the hand, making me walk towards the carriage house. Thankfully it's no longer raining, but it is pretty muddy.

I try to get ahead of him, knowing that my laughter is about to consume me and become even more loud and hysterical. But in my efforts I end up sliding and falling smack into a mud puddle. Chris abruptly stops and barks out his own laugh, doubling over. "Shut up and help me," I hiss as I hold up my hand to him.

He grabs hold but doesn't pull hard. I take this to my advantage and drag him down to join me in the mud. Chris let's out a groan as he attempts to sit up, his chest and neck covered in fresh mud. That's when I completely lose myself. When I hit this point, there is nothing that can reel me in until I crash.

Chris notices a light flick on over the back porch and goes to cover my mouth with his hand. He pulls me up quickly, dragging me around the side of the carriage house, out of view of the back porch. Some how he manages to control his own laughter behind closed lips while I'm struggling to hold back the tears from laughing so hard.

He moves his head to peer around the corner, but doesn't remove his hand since my body is still shaking. He looks back at me with the biggest smile across his face. It's an absolutely beautiful sight, one that has my body slowly relaxing and the hysterics dissipating. 'This, this is it,' I think to myself. This is the moment where I let my guard down, and enjoy him, if only for this moment.

"You okay now," he asks me, looking for an assurance that I can control myself again. I nod and he lowers his hand from my mouth, never breaking contact with my eyes. I see it in his eyes as well. He knows this is the moment. He knows that everything can change, right now. I move my hands to rest on his chest, but let one move to the back of his neck. I lift my chin, just a bit, as he dips his head, his lips getting closer to mine. I take a deep breath.

"Miss Lucas! Is that you?"

Internally I groan. I step back from Chris and walk around the corner of the carriage house to see Burt standing with a flashlight pointed towards my direction. "Yeah, Burt, it's me. Everything's fine."

"You, uh, you're covered in mud, ma'am."

I try to think of an explanation quickly. "I had to get something from my car and slipped on my way back. Everything is fine, Burt."