Every New Beginning... (Chris Evans AU)

.121.

    The nurse slides the door open, standing off to the side to allow Opal entry. Two steps in and she becomes shaky. Her heart sitting in her throat as she sees the strongest man she's ever known hooked up to a ventilator. 

   "Oh, Pops," she sobs out, moving closer to the bed, each step slower than the first.

  "Should I get someone," the nurse asks faintly, resting her hand on Opal's shoulder. She doesn't get a response quick enough. "Miss Lucas?"

  "No!" Opal shouts at her, moving away from the nurse's touch. 

  "Okay, Miss Lucas. I'll just see if the doctor can come now. My name is Maggie if you need me," the nurse says, backing out of the room, sliding the door closed behind her.

  Opal pulls her attention away from staring at Pops, ready to apologize to the nurse for her outburst, but it's too late as she's already gone.

  She moves closer to his bedside, reaching for his hand. It's bruised more than normal from his thinning skin, but because of the IV that rests atop his hand. Opal falls to her knees, ignoring the chair that's across the room. Resting her cheek against his hand she releases all the tears she's been burdened with over the last few hours of waiting. 

Chris POV 

  I stand motionless, watching Opal walk down the hall behind the nurse. I don't even realize everyone is calling my name and asking questions until Jameson puts his arm around my shoulder.  "Come on, man. Sit."

  I plant myself in the uncomfortable blue leather chair, directly across from Rae and Anthony. "Trip okay?" Lily asks.

  My mind is still wrapped around Opal's behavior. "Huh, oh the travel, yeah it was fine." I lean up, resting my elbows on my knees, dropping my head into my  hands. 

  How did things go to hell so quickly? We were just minutes away from saying 'I do' and now a few hours later she won't even look at me. 

  "How was the ball? We got the photo of Opal and Laura, with her little Easter egg of a pregnancy test," Lily smiles wide, excited by the news I'm sure. 

  "Yeah, it was good," I respond, still weary. 

  Jameson pats my back a few times. "Guess y'all had a late night, and then to get this information. Have y'all even slept?"

  "Oh, yeah, uh Opal slept a bit on the plane."

  Lily practically gasps in shock. "Knowing that about Pops, she was able to sleep? That doesn't sound right."

  It's then that I realize she slept on the flight to Vegas. "It was probably more just resting her eyes than anything," I attempt to save face, casting a small glance over to where Rae sits. I notice she's quirked her brow at me, I'm sure wanting more information than what little bit the email gave her.  "But, yeah it was a really late night. Did anyone call Laura?"

  "Of course," Lily snaps. I can already tell that if she doesn't back off a little I'm gonna lose it on her.

  "Back off," Jameson warns his wife. "You wanna take a walk?" 

  "A walk is good," I respond, already standing to my feet.

  He leads me down another hallway that exits out into a small patio area. Probably meant for smokers, but it's empty at the moment. He sits in a chair while I lean against the railing, running my hands over my face.

  "Talk to me, brother."

  My head hangs, shaking back and forth. I swallow harshly because I know when I open my mouth my voice is going to crack.

  "You're my best friend, man. Tell me what's really going on. Why was Opal acting that cold with you?"

  I lift my head, taking a deep breath and exhaling. "That would be because we were in Vegas when I got the messages."

  Jameson's eyes go wide, and he sits up straighter in his seat. "Vegas?"

  This time I nod, chewing on the corner of my mouth. "Yep," I pop the P. "Vegas."

  "As in wanting to catch a Barry Manilow show or..." his voice trails off waiting for me finish his sentence.

  "As in we were just a few mere minutes away from an appointment at a chapel."

  "Damn," he says pointedly.

  "Took the words right out of my mouth," I admit. 

  He sits back into his chair, crossing his arms against his chest. "How did that happen?" Then he moves one hand up to keep me from answering. "Better yet, how did Lily not know about it?"

  "Technically," I narrow my eyes, looking off to the side, "no one knew what we were doing. Opal emailed Rae just to tell her we were going to Vegas. Then we both turned off our phones, until after the flight and we were getting ready at the hotel."

  "So," he starts, "what you're saying is-"

  "If we hadn't gotten those messages we'd be married right now," I interrupt him.

  "Wow," he sighs out, smiling. "How do you go from a weekend together at a ball to getting married, Evans?"

  "Lucky I guess," I return his smile. "But, still not married. And now she won't even look at me."

  "Give her time. I'm sure that'll change once she finds out everything that's going on."

  I turn around at the railing, placing my hands on it and look out at the river in front of me. "Or it's just gonna get worse," I whisper low enough that he can't hear.

Opal POV

  "Are you sure you don't want someone with you, Miss Lucas?" I hear the doctor ask me again. 

  Miss Lucas.

  I'm not suppose to be a Lucas anymore right now.

  I'm suppose to be an Evans.

  I'm suppose to be relishing in the love of my husband.

  I'm suppose to be tangled in the sheets with the love of my life.

  But yet here I am, in a darkened hospital room, watching the man who has loved me most, breathe with the help of the ventilator.

  "Miss Lucas?" I can hear him speak to me, but I'm such a dazed state that it all sounds muffled. "See if she has anyone in the waiting room."  I hear light footsteps leave the room, making me guess the nurse has been sent on an errand.

  The doctor takes a seat next to me as I continue to stare at Pops unmoving body. "As you know, Mr. Lucas was found unresponsive earlier this morning. He was brought by ambulance with a very low heart rate."

  "Okay."

  "You're aware that his treatments have not been working. Well-"

  "Wait. What?" The statement grabbing my attention most. 

  "The treatment that Dr. Wagner had him on. His latest PET scan showed several new growths. He has Stage 4 Lung Cancer, Miss Lucas. And by the looks of it, he's nearing the end. How did you not know that?"

  I sense a presence by the door. Looking up I see Chris, his hands in his pockets. "He didn't tell me," I mutter, finally locking eyes with Chris.