And Then There Was You (Chris Evans AU)

June (Part 4)

  "I'll breathe easier when he walks through that door," she whines, finally releasing a floodgate of tears. Her eyes snap wide as the door opens, revealing Chris in a pair of khakis and a button up shirt. She releases a long sigh and finally begins to relax. 

  Chris takes note of his wife's distress, coming to cradle her cheek in his hand as she whimpers in her relief. "Sorry, love. Had to take care of a couple of things that took a bit more time than I imagined." He leans in, pressing his lips gently to hers. The nurse gives Chris a warm smile from behind Daphne. "Rough day?" he asks.

  "Better now," she whispers quietly, watching the monitor for another reading. She gives Chris a hidden thumbs up before ducking out of the door.

  "You scared me," Daphne says, drying her eyes with the pads of her finger tips. 

  He kisses her forehead, keeping his gaze matched with hers. "I know and I'm sorry. I wasn't really able to let you know. But, I'm here now and I have a bit of a surprise for you."

  "A surprise?" she asks, pushing herself up on the bed. She notices the bag in his hand, raises a brow in question. He just nods before holding his hands out to her so she can swing her legs carefully off the bed. Once she stands he keeps hold of her with one hand while grabbing onto the monitoring machine in order to pull it along with them. 

  Chris guides her to the bathroom, helping her sit on the closed lid of the toilet. "Thought you might like a new gown," he tells her, pulling out a deep purple nightgown along with a pale lavender robe covered in small white flowers. 

  "Babe, it's beautiful!" she exclaims, completely enamored by her husband's thoughtfulness. 

  "I thought you might like it. It's that lighter material you like too."

  She smiles up at him as he helps her slip out of the hospital gown and into her new gift. As she puts her arms through the sleeves of the robe, she pauses. "I'm not entirely sure that a robe is necessary though, but it'll be nice for when I finally get home."

  Chris hides a grin away behind his beard as he begins pulling a brush through her hair. She hums in contentment at how sweet he's being, thankful that he's been this way since they began dating. "Down or a braid?"

  Daphne eyes him through the mirror. "You can braid?"

  His smile breaks through easily now. "I may have watched a couple videos. I am having a little girl, ya know."

  "Well, by all means, test out your knowledge on her mother."

  She watches him lovingly as his brow furrows and he chews on his lip as he works his fingers through her hair, an air of concentration surrounding him. When he tied it off with a small band she gave him a round of applause before tugging on his hand to bring him back around to her. "Thank you," she says, grateful. She lifts her head a bit, silently telling him that she wants a kiss. He smirks, but leans in granting her wish. "You're gonna be a great daddy." 

  Her tone soft and fragile, making his heart ache in love for the woman in front of him, filled with a life that is both parts of the two of them. 

  "Back to bed," she announces, standing once more. Chris opens the bathroom door to reveal a wheelchair. "What's that for?"

  "Well, my love, one of the reasons I was late is because I was meeting with Dr. Kallen. I convinced him to let you out for a 'ride' around the floor for a bit. Not too long though because you need to be laying back down soon. What do you think? Something you want to do?"

  The joy on her face is enough to answer his question, but he much rather appreciates the squeal of delight and the arms that suddenly wrap around his waist. "I guess that's a yes," he teases, kissing the top of her head. 

  Daphne waddles over to the wheelchair, carefully sitting down before Chris fixes the feet rests and slips the brakes off.  He opens the door, maneuvering himself and the chair through it before letting it close behind him. 

  They take the long route away from the room, passing the nursery, stopping for a moment to peek in at the new bundles. Passing by a handful of rooms they occasionally catch the sweet cries of a newborn baby before the intercom system announces their arrival with Brahms' Lullaby floating through the sound system.

  Once they pass the nurses station Chris gives a little nod to the nurse that was with Daphne when he came up. She moves slyly, pushing a button that would open the double doors out into the waiting room.  With just ten more steps, the couple are met with the sweet sounds of "Surprise!" coming from the newly laden pink waiting room. 

  

  *Whew! Sorry for the long wait. I'm hopeful it won't be that long again, but who knows.