Every New Beginning... (Chris Evans AU)

.140.

    Chris POV

  "Get. The. Hell. Out." Opal's voice is strong and demanding with an air of authority as she stands in front of the man who left her all those years ago. 

  I don't know why I actually expected him to grant his daughter's wish and leave as my arms rest against my chest, the muscles in my biceps threatening to rip through my dress shirt. Instead of moving towards the exit, he leans in a bit closer to her. His voice is barely louder than a whisper, but considering the tension in the air, anyone could hear even the slightest intake of breath.

  "How does it feel?" There's a slight pause as Opal looks back at him, confused. "For everyone to constantly leave you?"

  My own breath leaves my lungs as I hear his words, only to become replaced with more frustration and anger than I think I've ever felt in my entire 31 years, causing me to lurch forward towards him. I only stop fighting against Scott when my mother moves to stand in front of me. Her hands push against my chest firmly as Scott holds my arms back.

  I find Opal's eyes, knowing the effect they have on me, begging her to help me ground myself again. What I find within them is a sad, small, girl within the shell of a now doubting woman.

  My heart, that just moments earlier swelled with pride over the confidence Opal radiated towards her estranged father, now sits in the pit of my stomach, broken over her changed expression, knowing she's taken his words to heart.

  "Now, if you'll excuse me, I have a family to get back to." He walks through the front door pausing in the middle of the porch, amidst the rest of our friends. He turns around, his eyes move between Opal and myself. "I look forward to the wedding invite," he pauses, his eyes shifting between us once more as he smirks, "should it happen."

 His tone was laced with venom and cruelty.  If ever I thought her father could be demonic, I believe it was just confirmed.

  Ma continues to remain in place before me, her hands still resting across my chest, my breathing ragged as I want nothing more than to level this man to the ground. I see Jamison move, becoming a one man blockade between Opal and Phillip, standing in the doorway of the foyer. 

  My brother in arms, my best friend, who has known the love of my life longer than I have, has not only my six, but Opal's as well. The small reminder makes me breathe a little easier as I think about heading back to Atlanta in just a mere 36 hours. 

  I hear the heavy footsteps head down the stairs of the porch as we all witness Phillip's body retreat to the same car we saw him arrive in earlier. As soon as Ma feels he's out of my harms way she steps aside, allowing me to get to Opal. 

  Jamison remains in the doorway as I grab Opal's waist and pull her to my chest urgently. I expect to find her arms around me quickly, only to be dismayed as she just stands stiffly against me. I even cradle her head over my heart, praying for the reassurance to find her as it did earlier. 

  But there's no sigh of relief.

  No emotions to be shared.

  In my arms I feel as though I'm holding just a frame of the woman I've grown to love.

 All aspects of the hard work I've accomplished, laid to waste by a two minute encounter with her father.

  I hold her a moment longer as Lily and Laura join Jamison in the doorway, all of them turning to face us. Each of us holding our breath, unsure of what anyone should say at this point in time. 

  "Well, I'm gonna assume his home is in hell because he may very well be Satan in human form," Scott says, breaking up the tension. 

  There's still no reaction from Opal, even though a small chuckle goes through a couple of others from Scott's remark. 

  I feel a gentle hand on my back causing me to turn my gaze, glancing over my shoulder. "Let me," Ma mouths to me, encouraging me to let Opal go. Reluctantly my arms drop as Ma reaches for her hand, leading her over to the couch that she sat on all those nights ago, waiting for me to take her to the hospital a couple nights before the wedding. 

  Opal sits next to my mother, still a somewhat blank look across her face.  She takes both of Opal's hands in her own before taking a finger and tipping Opal's chin up to look at her. "You my sweet dear, are better off without him." 

  I see Opal's lip begin to tremble from where I stand. It's subtle, but it's there. "But-" she begins only to be interrupted.

  "No, Opal. There's no buts here." Ma carefully sweeps Opal's hair over her shoulder. "I have always believed that a child benefits from having both a mother and a father. After meeting that man, I will gladly eat my words. You were blessed when that man walked away from you, leaving you with Pops and your Granny. I don't even want to imagine what kind of a woman you'd have turned into if he had been the one to raise you."

  Opal's head dips down again and I realize I can't just stand off to the side anymore. I move, standing just to the side of the couch, making my presence known without fully interrupting their moment. 

   Opal let's go of my mom's hands, dropping her face into her own. "What if I'm like him when I have children?" Opal asks, her voice shaking in distress, causing my chest to clench.

  My mother continues her speech. "You are the complete opposite of that sad excuse of a man, Opal. You are nothing like him, I know it."

  She tenderly lifts her eyes, tears flowing freely again, and looks back at my mom. "How can you be so sure? I don't remember him being this way when I was little. Maybe I changed him? Maybe the stress of everything was too much and that's why he changed? Who's to say that it won't happen to my own children?"

  That's when I decide to move in. I kneel down in front of Opal, my hands resting on her knees. "You can't change anyone into a horrible human being, Ope." She looks at me like she's about to argue with me. "No. You listen to me, Opal Lillian Lucas. Everyone is a better person for having known you."

  I hear an echo of agreeance over my shoulder, now noticing everyone has moved into the area around us. 

  "You were raised by two of the best human beings. You put everyone before yourself, almost to a fault." Again she opens her mouth but quickly shuts it when she sees that I am not willing to drop this topic. "You love your friends and your family fiercely, Ope. You didn't inherit a single damn trait from that man outside of his hair color, and for that I'm thankful. Do not let him tear you apart." I gaze intently into her eyes, making sure she catches exactly what I said. "He is not worth it."

  "Not to mention, this guy," Scott calls out from his spot next to Lily, pointing at me, "wouldn't have given you the time of day if you were any thing like that prick."

  She gives Scott a small smile before looking back at me. I purse my lips and give a small nod. "True story," Jamison tells her from over my shoulder.

  I see a faint light return to her eyes. It's dim though, really still holding no brightness as I cup her face in my hands. She breathes the sigh that I've been needing to hear for myself. I bring my forehead to rest against hers, uncaring of all those around us. I give her a very simple peck against her lips before returning to look at her full on.

  "You. Me. Blanket fort. Tonight."

*It's shorter and maybe not that great...Sorry*