Every New Beginning... (Chris Evans AU)

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Opal POV

"Babies?" I barely whisper up to him, my eyes searching his. "How close in age? I always felt like I'd want my children to be close in age, maybe two years apart, no more than three if I can help it."

He chuckles at me, his eyes alight with wonder. "Twins, Ope."

I'm taken aback by his words. There's a familiarity over them as I suddenly remember Chris giving me a very small bit of information from a dream he himself has had. "Well, that's twice that's happened now," I admit, although I still feel something strong, a tugging that there's more to it than what I'm actually remembering. "Chris said he had a dream once of us having twins."

The smile that Pops gives warms me to my core. "I do believe it is in your future, love. This felt very real. Too real."

"Tell me about it then," I urge him, sitting up off of his chest but still sitting on the side of his bed. "Chris won't tell me anything else about his dream, although I don't know why."

Pops places his hands on top of mine. He hums, taking a deep breath through the oxygen canula that sits inside his nose. He's watching me, intently. "What if," he starts, "dreams are like wishes?"

My brow furrows as my head cocks to the side slightly. "What do you mean? Like Disney's Cinderella?"

The corners of his lips turn up just a touch. "Remind me?" he asks sweetly. I know exactly what he's doing, and if it was anyone but him then I'd argue with him.

I roll my eyes before clearing my throat and begin to sing softly as not to disturb anyone else on the floor.

"A dream is a wish your heart makes
when you're fast asleep
In dreams you will lose your heartaches
Whatever you wish for, you keep

Have faith in your dreams and someday
Your rainbow will come smiling through
No matter how your heart is grieving
If you keep on believing
The dream that you wish will come true"

A simple, single tear crawls down his cheek as I finish. He doesn't move to wipe it away, just keeps watching me. "A dream is a wish your heart makes," he repeats. "Then I wish all of my dreams for you to come true." His hand squeezes mine before he lifts it to place gently against his lips. "My dreams for you show you happier than I've ever seen you," his voice starts to falter, causing my own eyes to begin to fill.

"Happier than now? I'm not sure that's possible."

"Oh, Opal. You have no idea," he whispers.

I use the material covering my shoulder to wipe away my tears before they fall, refusing to let go of his hand. "Tell me your dreams, old man."

His head barely moves, side to side. "You always said you wouldn't tell us what you wished for when you blew out your candles, so I can't run the risk of my dream not coming true."

"I'm suddenly regretting being so stubborn my whole life," I groan.

"In all fairness, you did learn from the best," he laughs out, finally wiping at his own face.

I stand up from the bed, adjusting his sheet and blankets. "Fine, ya old fart. You and Chris can both keep your secrets."

"What secrets are we keeping?" Chris asks, walking through the door with a bag of to-go boxes.

"The old man here. He said he had a dream with us having babies, but won't tell me anything else. Much like you," I answer him, throwing my hands up between the two of them.

Chris sets the food down on the table. "You keeping it to yourself too?" he asks Pops with a quirk of his brow. Pops nods quickly, amused when Chris holds his hand up for a high five.