Every New Beginning... (Chris Evans AU)

.128.

  "All things considered?" I give her a nod. "Not too bad, Mr. Lucas."

  "Wonderful!" I exclaim. "When am I going home?"

  She laughs as if I'm not being serious with my line of questioning. My expression becomes more serious. "Oh, no David. You're not going anywhere for a few days."

  "Now why do you have to bust my balls, Doc? I'm ready to go home."

  "Hush and listen to the doctor, old man," Opal scolds me as she nudges my shoulder.

  "I'm off the vent. I'm awake. I'm good to go." My gaze moves from Opal back to the doctor. "So let me go."

  "Two more days," she assures me, although I'm not so sure I believe her. "I'll be back tonight or first thing in the morning."

  I shoo her out of the door,  unhappy by the news that I can't go home yet. "Listen here, Pops. You should be happy they're not gonna send you off to rehab or a nursing home." Again with the scolding but this time she includes her finger too. 

  "A little help here, Sergeant?"

  Chris waves his hands in front of himself, taking another step back. "Not my monkeys, not my circus."

  "This here is too your monkey," I remind him, pointing at the stubborn woman in front of me. "Come get her." I watch him chuckle before kissing Opal on the cheek, saying he's going to grab all of us lunch.

  "She's still your monkey until that ring is on her finger," he calls out over his shoulder as he leaves.

  Opal's smile grows even more as she watches him walk out of the room. "So, ya wanna tell me now what's going on with the two of you?"

  Her eyes dance around between my face and the rest of the room. She's contemplating. "I, well, we, uh-"

  "Good grief, Ope. Spit it out."

  She drops her head into her hands before she begins talking quickly, her words jumbling together. "Weflewtovegastogetmarried."

  My face lights up. I reach over to pull her hands away from her face. "You're married?" I ask, although I don't seen Rosie's ring on her finger.

  Sadly, she shakes her head. "Never got the chance. We got the calls and messages about you and came right back. Don't be mad at me, okay?"

  "Ope," I give a chuckle before continuing. "How can I be mad at you for doing the same thing Granny and I did?"

  "It was different for y'all though. Her parents didn't want you together. But, you, well you've encouraged this craziness from the beginning. I would've taken the big culmination from you."

  I pat her hand between mine. "My sweet girl. Still, always thinking of others even after I told you to put yourself first for a bit. You never did take that advice did you?"

  "I did so!" She disagrees with me quickly. "That trip to Boston and New York, and going up to Atlanta early for Laura's wedding. Those were all selfish."

  Slowly and subtly I shake my head. "No, baby. You're still not doing things for yourself just because you want to. You still checked in with me before those." She opens her mouth to try and speak. "Last I checked, you're an adult, Ope."

  "An adult that still needs her big old grumpy teddy bear of a grandfather." She lays down next to me in the bed, her frame hugging me the best it can.

  I brush my fingers through her hair, wanting to keep this moment for as long as possible. "You know, I had a bit of a dream while I was unconscious."

  She nuzzles her face into my chest a bit further, careful of any remaining wires. "Oh really? Tell me about it."

  I hum quietly, knowing she feels the slight rumble in my chest. I adjust the nasal canula before returning my hand to her back.

  "Well, you and your Officer were coming to the house to pick something up. You'd just gotten back from a date or an event or something, who knows."

  "That doesn't sound out of the ordinary, although I am usually dropping stuff off to you, not picking up." 

  She can't see the smile or the tears that begin to fill my eyes as I remember the dream. "Oh, well this item you dropped off and picked up."

  Opal shifts a bit so that she can look up at me, taking note of the tears clouding my eyes. "Pops, why are you crying? What could I possibly drop off and pick up that would have you in tears?"

  "Babies, Opal. You were picking up two beautiful brown haired, brown eyed baby girls."