Your home was full of laughter and love, and the occasional bark as your friends all gathered to share your happy news and bring in the new year.
Christmas had come and gone and with that, had your first month of being engaged to Chris. Life hadn't changed that much, work was still work, your home was still your home, Dodger was still, well he was getting cuter by the day, you were sure of it. What did change was the smile that sat permanently on Chris' lips as the two of you spoke about your future together.
Alone, Chris sat out on the fire escape, watching noisy New York below his feet as the noise in your apartment grew.
He could practically hear the clock counting down, and not just to midnight.
"Baby?" Your soft voice broke Chris out of his daydream. "You out here?"
"Yeah, I'm here baby girl," He turned and smiled at you as you carefully stepped out onto the fire escape with him.
You smiled at him, taking a seat in his lap and slipping your arms around his shoulders, "Is everything okay? You've been out here a while."
Chris nodded, "Just thinking, that's all." He hummed as he nuzzled into your chest, pulling you closer to him. "Having a good time?"
You hummed and nodded, "Are you?"
"I am." He smiled. His smile stretched as he felt you pressing a kiss to the top of his head.
"You're thinking of breaking the news to them, aren't you?" You asked already knowing the answer. You weren't silly, you knew when Chris was anxious about something.
Chris sighed, "Yea, I am."
"We don't have to tell them. We don't even have to do it, Chris. We can call the realtor and stop the sale-"
"No," Chris pulled back and looked up at you with a slight frown. "That's not happening. I want this, okay? I'm just... I don't want to let anyone down."
You shook your head and cupped his bearded cheeks in your hands. "Chris, that is the last thing that you are doing." You smiled at him. "I told you, whatever you want to do, I'll be right there with you." You leaned in and pecked his lips, "Just tell me where you want me and I'll follow," You grinned playfully at him.
Chris let out a short chuckle, shaking his head. "Not now, baby girl, but definitely later." He winked before tapping your butt. "C'mon, let's get back in there." He smiled as he got to his feet and then leaned in to kiss you.
You let out a soft moan as Chris wrapped his arms around you and slipped his tongue into your mouth. It wasn't a heavy kiss, or a hard one, but one full of love. You pulled back from a tad breathless and wearing a giant grin.
"I love you," He whispered, "Future, Mrs Evans." He grinned, his eyes almost sparkling as looked down at you. It filled you with butterflies, almost like you were a teenage girl again having your first kiss.
You held Chris' hand as the two of you rejoined the party and Chris turned down the music, catching everyone's attention. It wasn't a big party, but it was big enough to make your home seem full.
"Sorry, to stop all the fun, guys," Chris smiled as he wrapped his arm around your shoulders.
"What's going on, Evans? Mackie was about to start busting some moves." One of your co-workers remarked, making you laugh.
"Don't worry, this won't take long." You smiled, placing your hand on Chris' chest, rubbing soothingly across it to try and calm his racing heartbeat.
"Y/N's right. I, we, just wanted to thank you all for coming here tonight to celebrate properly with us." He smiled, looking down at you and pressing a kiss to your forehead as your friends cheered. "But, tonight wasn't just about our engagement," Chris began, taking a deep breath before carrying on. "Tonight, was sort of our way of making sure all of the important people we needed to share this news with, were all in one place,"
"Whilst we were in Boston, we happened to come across something unexpected." You grinned.
"Just tell us, will you. I can't handle the suspense." Sebastian rolled his eyes jokingly making your group of friends laugh.
Chris chuckled, "Okay... Y/N and I put down a deposit on a house." He nodded as the room fell silent, "It won't be ready for a year, but we thought it best to let you know now that, I will be leaving the company." He nervously ran his hand over the back of his neck.
You stared at everyone as they stared at you. "Are they going to start throwing things?" You whispered, looking up to Chris a little worried with the blank stares. He shrugged shaking his head before looking back at your friends.
"Wow," Hayley spoke first, her shock quickly vanishing and turning into a pleased smile. "This is, wow."
"You're leaving the company?" Anthony asked sounding a little frustrated. His wife smacked his shoulder and gave him a scowl, causing him to wince and moved away from her. "I mean, you guys just got engaged. You've got time to make these decisions."
Chris shook his head with his own frustrated sigh. "Yes, we have just got engaged, Mackie, but this is what we want. This is what I've wanted for a very long time," He smiled looking down to meet your gaze. "And now, with Y/N, is the moment I've been waiting for."
"Well, I'm happy for you guys!" Sebastian called out as he moved over to you and Chris.
"I didn't say I wasn't happy." Anthony huffed, following behind him.
"And neither did I." Hayley smiled as she too gave you a hug after the boys. "And besides, we have a whole year to spend with them, right?"
Both you and Chris nodded, giving each other a soft smile and hugging each other a little closer, "Right."
"You're quiet, Robert." Anthony looked over to the older man as he stood with his wife and a few of his co-workers.
Robert nodded, "You really didn't see this coming?" He asked with a knowing smile.
Your eyes widened a little before you looked up to Chris, noticing he had begun to blush.
"And besides, we have a year before we have to start panicking." Robert chuckled. "And who knows, he might not have to leave the company after all." He shrugged, before holding his glass in the air, smiling at you. "Here's to Chris and Y/N."
"Chris and Y/N!" Your friends cheered, raising their glasses in the air to the two of you.
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The snow crunched beneath your feet as you and Chris walked hand in hand with Dodger beside you as the three of you enjoyed the start of the new year.
"Are you sure leaving the company is what you want?" You wondered aloud as you snuggled closer to Chris' warmth.
"It is." Chris smiled, moving his eyes along the snow covered park before looking down to Dodger, "I've been apart of that world for so long, it's time for a change. And my life with you, and Dodger, is that change. Its time for us to start a new chapter." He smiled at you. "Is that okay?"
You nodded, "Of course it is, Chris." You grinned with a small giggle. "I can't wait to live in Boston!" You jumped a little with excitement.
"Good," He chuckled, wrapping his arm around you so you didn't slip. "Me neither."
"... Will you still be my, daddy?" You asked looking down as the two of you continued to wall through the snow.
Chris grinned to himself. He stopped walking so the two of you could face each other, "I'll always be your daddy, baby girl. You know I love taking care of you." He whispered leaning towards you. "Whether you're my sugar baby, my girlfriend or my wife... Especially, when you're my wife, I'll always take care of you." Chris pressed his lips against yours gently, his gloves hands coming up to cup your face as your tongues slipped against one another.
You were so caught up in kissing one another you hadn't noticed Dodger getting impatient... Or the other dog. Before you knew it, Dodger had decided he wanted to go play, and chased after the other dog, forgetting his dad was the one holding the lead that had gotten wrapped around both yours and Chris' legs and with one hefty tug from your loveable mutt, the pair of you went flying.
Laughter and groans filled the air...
"Dodger!"
"You goof!"
THE END...
