Every New Beginning... (Chris Evans AU)

.44.

Opal opens her eyes, finding herself sitting on the back porch of a log cabin. She breathes in deep, a feeling of crisp cool air filling her lungs. A hundred or so feet in front of her is a beautiful lake, fog resting over it, surrounded by trees filled with fall colored leaves, reminding her of the tinted sky of a sunset. The various hues of orange mixing together, creating a symphony of autumn around her. To her right sits a mug of coffee, steam rising from the cup labeled 'Wifey.' Picking it up she traces the black cursive writing with her fingertip before bringing the cup to her lips. One sip in and it's already working its magic as the pumpkin spices fill her mouth and nose.

The back door creaks open as she looks up to see a bright smile, slightly hidden by the beard he's grown to love so much. "Morning, gorgeous."  She slides over on the porch swing, making room for him to join her. "Why didn't you wake me?"

  "I figured you were still tired. Thought I'd be nice and let you rest a bit longer."

  "Well, someone did wake me up a few times last night," Chris chuckles. "Same person but for different reasons." He tosses a wink in my direction.

  "Sorry," Opal rolls her eyes, jesting with him.

  He puts his arm along the back of the swing, allowing me room to move closer to him. "Surely you enjoyed at least one wake up call." Opal pokes him in the side with her finger as she gets comfortable.

  "That was the better of the three wake up calls," he answers honestly. "Can't say I hated any of them. But," he pauses before looking over at his wife. "Why couldn't the girls need a feeding at the same time?"

  "Because they're a tiny tag team, sent to destroy our sanity," she laughs out before covering her mouth quickly. She looks down in front of her to see a baby monitor, thankful to see both sleeping soundly. "And you, crazy man, offered to take on all feedings last night. So, it's not my fault I had to wake you up for them."

  "I think I'll pass on that tonight," he kisses the top of her head, lingering for just a moment longer.  "You know, I still remember the first time I saw you."

  Opal lets out a sigh. "What a sight it was, I'm sure. Thirty year old fangirl at a Backstreet Boys concert."

   "You were so cute though. I almost hate that I offered to let you sit in my cruiser to make your calls."

  "Why do you say that?"

   He gives her his devilish smirk, the one she adores, before answering. "Because once you sat down I couldn't look at your butt anymore."

  "You're ridiculous," she says with another poke to his side.

  "That night at Decker's though. You were just ahead of Coop and I walking down the sidewalk. I didn't think you could look any better than in those jeans and there you were in that jumpsuit."

  "Okay, Sargent, laying it on thick I see." She turns to face him a bit more before nuzzling into his neck. "Last night not enough?"

  "There will never be enough with you," he admits, dropping his hand to wrap around her.

   "Did I ever tell you I almost lost all resolve when you came after me outside of the bar?" He shakes his head. "I did. My  inner monologue was telling me not to give in. Somehow I managed to follow it."

   "I'm glad you finally came to your senses and saw the amazing man I am." He jokes with her as he gives himself a pat on the back.

   "Thank you for pursuing me." She watches him take a sip of his coffee before he stands, holding his hand out to her. "What are you doing, Evans?"

   "Walk with me," his simple statement sending a shiver up her spine.

   Opal sets her coffee cup down on the table in front of the porch swing before standing, placing her hand in his own, still warm from holding the mug. "Do you remember the first time you held my hand?" she asks.

  "It was in the limo, right?" She nods her head slowly as she reaches down to grab the baby monitor.

  Chris directs her down the steps and out towards the lake. "It's so peaceful here."

  "Doesn't feel that way at 3 AM when the girls are screaming their heads off," he chuckles out.

She softly hits his bicep. "Don't talk about my babies like that."

  "So now they're YOUR babies? Where was that at 11 pm, 1 AM and again at 4 AM?"

   This back and forth banter, teasing, has always been one of her favorite things about their relationship. The give and take joking that all began back in the bar. A moment that feels forever ago at this point.

  Chris stops walking and guides Opal into his arms. He holds her close as he begins to hum a song close to her ear. She recognizes the song from Jameson and Lily's wedding reception. The almost failed attempt at making sure they danced together.

"Our first kiss," she whispers as he starts to pull back, just far enough to bring his lips to hers.  

  "Remember the first time you came to visit me in Atlanta?"

  "I seem to recall it being the best stay at home date ever," she says, holding him tight against her. "That was the night I found my ring."

  "What ring?" he asks.

  "This one, silly." She holds her left hand up for him to see. Her ring finger is bare. "Where's my ring? I never take it off." She begins panicking, backing away from Chris her eyes going immediately going to the ground. Opal gets lower, peering all around her in the grass, trying to locate the simple diamond ring. "Help me find it, Chris!"

   "I never gave you a ring, sweetheart." He holds his hands out to her, helping her stand once  more. 

  Opal remains confused while Chris continues holding her hands in his own. She shakes her head back and forth. "That doesn't make sense. I remember seeing a ring."

   "Let's go out on the boat," Chris tells her. 

   "We can't both go out at the same time today. What about the girls?"

  "What girls?" he questions her again.

  Opal goes to her pocket to pull out the baby monitor. Her pocket is empty. "Where did the monitor go?" 

  "Are you alright, sweetheart?"

  She turns around retracing her steps from the cabin with just her eyes. The higher her view moves from the ground she no longer sees a cabin, just darkened woods. Turning back around to Chris she's met with only darkness. "Chris!" she calls out. "Chris!" 

  "Chris," she whimpers aloud once more, the happiness and contentment she felt only moments before completely gone.