Rain Check?

~85~

  What if? 

  Two very simple words that can change everything. 

  They can change the direction a car is going, better known as a detour. 

  They can change a recipe, taking it from bland to spicy.

  And they can change the entire course of a relationship.

  Hindsight is 20/20. What ifs can't actually change anything in the present because it's really living in the past. But on a rare occasion one might be granted a look into what could've been.

  So, what if Scott had never shown up at Chris' house on New Year's Eve...

 The morning of New Year's Eve finds the couple lounging on Chris' bed, the fireplace crackling, Dodger snoozing and the snow covered back yard sparkling.

"How long will you be gone?" Dempsey asks looking up from her spot on Chris' chest.

His fingers card through her hair, his eyes gazing out of the floor to ceiling windows of his bedroom. "A week or two. There's the press tour part, film festival in Toronto and then the premier in LA."

"I know we've gone a week or so without actually seeing one another since this started, but-"

"I was at least in the area," he completes her sentence. "It'll be okay though. You'll see. It'll go by in a flash. Not to mention, Ethan mentioned they've got that big speech contest coming up at the school so I'm sure you're gonna be really busy getting the students prepared for all that."

Dempsey sits up on her knees, facing him as he's still lounged back against pillows and the headboard. "You're an old pro at this, Chris." He moves his hand to rest on her jean clad thigh, a small smirk playing against his lips. "Don't look at me like that!"

"Like what?" he laughs out, sitting up a bit straighter.

"Like you want to laugh at me for being nervous about our first time being apart," she whines. 

"I don't!" he chuckles earning him a glare. "Come here." He puts his arms out and waits for her to come to him, but Dempsey doesn't move, only continues to glare at him. "Demi, come here."

She shakes her head no, backing up from the middle of the bed to stand. "Come on! I'm not laughing at you." The smile across his face begs to differ with his words.

Crossing her arms, she refuses to move from her spot. Chris crawls over the bed, getting up right in front of her. "It's really not AT you, baby. I promise."

Dempsey still doesn't believe him, staying silent but at least willing to look back at him.

"I think it's incredibly adorable that you don't want to be away from me," he teases, his nose running up and down her own. "How about you actually watch some of the interviews they'll post online."

She lifts her head a little, unsure if she heard him correctly. "You know I don't do that."

"No," he stops her. "You didn't do that. But now, we're together so I feel like it's completely fine for you to watch. I mean, I'm still alright if you want to go watch past ones too. IF you promise me one thing."

Dempsey moves, causing Chris back to now face the door to the patio off of his room, as she stands in front of him now. "Are we at the point of promises in this, Mr. Evans?"

"I think we are, Miss Abrams." Chris' hands go up to hold her cheeks, a simple peck against her lips before pulling back. "Promise me, that no matter what you see or hear in these new interviews you will still see me as just Chris."