Fated (A Chris Evans Series)

Two Words, Seven Letters

"Denise," she heard her name over the PA and redirected her blank gaze from her air ticket to the nearest speaker. "Paging Denise Hogan, please make your way to 'Gate 43'. This is your final call, 'Delta 1554' to Atlanta, Georgia will be leaving momentarily. Please make your way to 'Gate 43' immediately, thank you."

She heard it: "this is your final call." She knew it was her final chance to get on her flight to go see Chris and apologize, but still she sat stuck frozen to the plastic seat. It wasn't her plan, it wasn't what she'd pictured herself doing. She should've already been in the departure hall, eagerly pacing her designated gate, then boarding her plane as soon as they allowed her to.

The love of her life was waiting for her to make things right; it was a clamant matter she was forcing herself to overlook. "Why?" was the question she'd asked herself to no avail. Her incapacity to understand her own actions was a fabrication. She had the answer; a mind eternally on the grind always had an answer. Not that they mattered when she was a coward who used excuses instead. She'd convinced herself it was school and work preventing her from getting on that plane. "You have responsibilities, Denise," she'd say to herself, knowing very well her responsibility to Chris was much more important.

Another fifteen minutes passed and like the voice from the PA promised, her flight left without her. She felt sick, losing Chris was something she knew she'd never recover from. She'd lost him, the chance to fix things had left. It was going to take a miracle for him to take her back now, something she didn't feel she deserved. She stuffed her ticket into her pocket and rose to her feet, enfolding her trench coat around her body as she tied the belt tight around her waist. With her clutch under her arm and her hands in her silk pockets, she made her way to the exit.

It was 12:48AM, she'd been sitting at the airport for almost six hours and it was starting to look weird. She thought about going home, but she knew Luca would want to talk to her about the events that had transpired earlier than night and she wasn't ready for that. She could've gone to her parents' place, but they were definitely going to question her too, and the same problem would arose if she went to her older brother's apartment. All she wanted right now was to be alone, to sit and cry alone. A place she knew she could do that was Chris' place, she had a key and no one was there. She got into a cab and headed to the last place anyone had expected her to go to.

"Denise," Chris called out to her and she turned.

For her to see him again was a reverie she'd never thought would come to fruition, she actually had to pinch herself because she didn't think he was inane enough to risk his job to come see her unreasonable and irrational self. She pulled her ice cold hands out of her pockets, the air ticket she couldn't bring herself to use still in her right hand. Her heart screamed for her to run to him but her brain kept her legs cemented to the ground.

Chris knew if he didn't make the first move they could've stood there all night, so he started towards her with careful and hesitant steps. He was terrified his fatigue had tricked his vision, that she was a hallucination that would disappear if he got too close. He never thought he'd experience the level of drama in his real life; his movies sets were where he left all the unrealistic storylines. Any other girl he would've called time and death, but not with the one he saw the rest of his life with. Nothing good came without a bit of work, he of all people knew that.

Denise felt her lips part as words tried to force their way out of her throat; an apology, but she was speechless. All she could do was let him hug her and hug him in return. A gush of relief flooded her body and she started to cry, grabbing fistfuls of his jacket.

"I am so sorry." The apology was simultaneous as the hold they had on the other tightened.

Denise felt Chris take a deep breath and realized he was breathing her in, reminding himself of the scent he'd been missing for the past month. How badly he'd missed her was an unmeasurable feeling. Thoughts about quitting his job and retiring now so he could start living out a normal life with her stirred in his mind. It was previously unprecedented to him, but he'd distinguished her importance. Still there was doubt the decision would ever see the light of day, Denise knew how much his career meant to him; she also had faith he'd take himself into the Hollywood Hall of Fame. She believed he'd make it bigger than he already was, standing alongside Academy Award winners as a winner himself. Miscommunication and dishonesty aside, they had everything else to make things work; unconditional love the most important factor obviously present.

"I am such a fucking idiot," Denise choked out and Chris chuckled with a heavy heart, disagreeing with a shake of his head. "No, I am. I am such an idiot." She wanted to pull away to look him in the eyes but she couldn't. His arms were so warm and comforting, so full of love and relief; everything she'd missed. "I should've talked to you- I should've..." She trailed off because should've, would've, could've. "I am so sorry, Chris."

"Hey, stop." He gently pushed her away by the shoulders and cupped her face in his hands, working his thumbs to brush the tears from her face. It was a mess with her makeup running but she still looked beautiful to him. "I'm sorry, okay? I said some stupid and hurtful things and- I love you," he asserted and she smiled. "I love you so much, Denise. So damn much," he emphasized as tears started to well in his eyes as well.

"I wanted to fly to you," she told him, showing him the ticket that had crumpled in her tight grip. He took it from her to examine the date, smiling when he realized she wasn't lying. "I bought the ticket and sat in the airport. I wanted so badly to get on that plane, but I couldn't bring myself to. I was too afraid you'd turn me away," she admitted in sheepish voice when his facials prompted a "why?" from her. "I got all dressed up for nothing," she managed a light laugh that he copied. "I figured you'd hate me less if I showed up in your favorite dress."

"Baby," he chuckled as he hands dropped to her waist, pulling her body flush against his. "I could never, ever hate you." One hand caressed her face as he dipped his head, kissing her tenderly. Her arms snaked around his lower back and she smiled against his lips; lips she'd previously believed she'd never get to kiss again. "You are the love of my life," he whispered when he broke the kiss, resting his forehead against hers.

"And you are the love of mine," she whispered back. "I am so sorry, Chris," she repeated and he smiled, rubbing small circles into her cheek and hipbone. "I am never, ever going to do anything so fucking stupid again. I'm never going to keep anything from you ever again. I'm going to talk so much, you're going to want to sew my mouth shut." He laughed, pecking her lips again. "I love you," she smiled.

"And I've missed you," he smiled, eyes filled with adoration. "The past five days have been utter hell." She let out a shaky laugh, nodding in agreement. "I have so much to tell you that- we're not going to get to do anything naughty before I have to head back to Atlanta." She laughed again and he smiled, savoring the audible sensation that was her laughter. "And believe me, naughty things are all I want to do right now. You know what this dress does to me," he winked and she bit back her smile. "God," he pulled her back in for a tight hug, "it's just good to see your face."

"Likewise, Captain," she hugged him tightly too, closing her eyes and breathing him in. "Likewise."