Summary: Chris returns home after a few weeks on the road.
Pairing: MLB!Chris Evans X OFC Samantha “Sam” Merrick
Word Count: 2,686
By: @k-evans-writes and @ourfinest-hour
We do NOT give permission for our works to be reuploaded, translated, or reposted on any other site. Our work is our own.
Warnings: None.
Previous | Main Masterlist | On Deck Masterlist
October 2026
Chris pressed the call button on the steering wheel, coming to a stop at a red light while he listened to the line ring over the car’s speakers. His muscles ached in a way they always did after a busy week of games, but the end of the season was in sight, and Chris couldn’t help but look forwards to the postseason, even if it meant more time away from home. The sudden end of the ringing snapped Chris out of his thoughts and before Sam could answer, he murmured, “Hey baby.”
“Hey Mr. Home Run Hitter,” she replied, a smile evident in her voice. A matching grin appeared on his own lips as he slowly moved through the intersection towards their condo building.
He leaned back against the leather seat as his grin became a smirk, asking her, “You saw the game, huh?”
He’d missed her at the game today – he missed her at every game she didn’t go to. But with her classes and schedule at the clinics, it was hard to get time to watch most of the games, even from their house. “Like I’d miss a chance to see that baseball butt in your tight pants,” she replied with a laugh.
He huffed as the traffic slowed in front of him, but easily merged into the turn lane. “See? I always knew you only married me for my body.”
“Well it sure as hell wasn’t your stunning personality.”
A laugh left his lips again at her words, knowing they were far from the truth but that he wouldn’t have it any other way. “At least I’ve got something going for me,” he murmured, pulling in front of the building and hitting the opener inside his car for the doors.
“Are you on your way home?” She asked, her voice quiet and muffled as she moved, and he faintly heard a drawer shut in the background and a laugh. “We missed you around here today.”
He nearly melted at those words, knowing how much he felt it as well. He was barely home during most of the year, but those long weeks on the road hit him harder the more time went on. “Just pulling into the garage, baby,” he told her.
He drove into the garage, pulling the sunglasses off of his eyes as they both said goodbye to each other for the time being. Chris was so happy to be back on the field. Baseball was something so deeply rooted in him and being able to be back on the team was something he was so thankful for, especially after his injuries made him think this would never be possible.
But as much as he loved being back on the field, coming home every night was always so much better. He rushed as he left the car, grabbing his bag from the backseat and quickly headed to the elevator, tapping their key against the reader and heading up to their floor. His foot tapped against the tile floor as the elevator rose through the levels before stopping on the sixteenth floor with a faint ding.
The doors opened with a silent whoosh, and instantly Chris’ eyes were looking down when he heard a familiar patter across the wood floor. He stepped out of the elevator, dropping his bag carelessly as he saw some little wet brown curls bouncing as a smiling little face came running toward him chanting around the pacifier in his mouth, “Daddy, daddy, daddy, daddy!”
The sight of seeing his little boy with big blue eyes running to him, the grips on his foot-covered pajamas keeping him from sliding on the hardwood as he ran made his heart instantly melt. He was carrying a familiar well worn book in one tiny hand and his water bottle in the other, and Chris was astounded that neither fell out of the toddler’s hands, but all of that was forgotten as he got closer and Chris bent down with open arms as his loud voice boomed, “There’s my Blakey boy!”
He nearly rushed into Chris’ arm and Chris squeezed him tightly as he stood up again. He kissed the twenty-two month old’s cheeks, his beard making Blake squirm as his laughter echoed through the open space.
“Hi buddy, I missed you,” he murmured, shifting Blake onto his hip and taking the book that the boy held out to him excitedly. “What did you do today?”
“Ry Ry!”
He raised an eyebrow with a smile, kissing the toddler’s cheek again. “Did Uncle Riley come over today?” He asked him. It was common for Riley to take the subway down from campus to stop by. It’d started with just raiding their fridge and sleeping in his own room for the night his freshman year, and had now evolved into Riley coming by whenever he had a canceled class, finished his work early, or just wanted to see them – but mainly it was to see Blake. He and Blake were so close, in a way he and Sam never expected given the twenty years between them, but it was one of their favorite things to see now.
The boy grinned behind his pacifier, laying his head onto Chris’ firm shoulder as he quietly told him, “Yeah.”
He adjusted Blake onto his hip, the smell of the boy’s lavender shampoo evident. “That sounds fun, buddy,” he replied quietly, reaching down to pet Dodger as the dog bounced around his feet excitedly.
Blake made a small sound of displeasure as he gently patted Chris’ chest, kicked his legs a bit, then whined, “Daddy, story.”
He huffed out a laugh and gave Blake a little look, placating him and saying, “I’ll read you your book in just a minute, bud. Where’s your Ma?”
Chris looked in the direction that Blake’s finger pointed and walked down the hall, calling out, “Sammy? Baby, I'm home.”
“I’m in Blake’s room,” she called back, just she shut something with a slight clatter.
With this knowledge, Chris walked down the hallway, purposely bouncing Blake on his hip and making him giggle the entire way. But when Chris rounded the corner and saw Sam standing next to the dresser, folding a few tiny shirts, he couldn’t help but pause for a moment. It had been four years since they’d been married and he still felt his heart skip a beat every time he saw her.
He watched as Sam turned her head, letting him see her makeup free face which put all her freckles on display and her dimples made an appearance as she looked at the two before asking Blake, “Did you find your daddy?”
Blake’s wet hair tickled Chris’ chin as he turned further into Chris, a small hand clinging to Chris’ shirt as he told her, “Daddy home.”
“That’s right bud, Daddy’s home now,” Chris murmured, pressing a kiss to the boy’s hair as he stepped further into the room. “And so happy to be.”
Sam reached out, carefully unrolling Blake’s sleeve of his pajamas as she told Chris, “We’re happy about that too.”
“I missed you, baby,” Chris replied, pausing as he kissed Sam quickly, then shifted Blake to his other side with a sigh. “And I missed this little guy too.”
But Blake whined again, his tiny feet swinging against Chris unhappily as he reminded Chris, “Daddy, story,”
He exchanged an amused look with Sam before he reached out, taking the boy’s dinosaur water bottle in his hand before he said, “I see how it is, he only wants me for what I can give him.”
He heard Sam’s laugh echo in the room before Chris went over to sit in the padded rocking chair, situating Blake in his lap with his water bottle in hand, before opening up the book that he swore he had completely memorized at this point. He slowly rocked back and forth while he read, feeling his sweet little boy starting to relax against him. But right as he was flipping to the last page of the book, he saw Sam looking at them from where she was putting the laundry away and quietly informed him that Blake was fast asleep, the point being proven when the pacifier fell out of Blake’s mouth and onto his lap.
Chris took the water bottle and book, putting it on the small table before carefully picking Blake up and going to lay him down without disturbing his sleep. He tucked Blake’s stuffed dog under the boy’s arm, rubbing his back until he was sure Blake was settled.
Sam had just finished shutting his curtains and nodded her head towards the hallway as they both quietly left the room, shutting the lights off behind them and cracking the door, Blake’s star night light glowing as they headed down the hallway into the kitchen quietly.
Chris reached out, his arm wrapping around Sam’s waist with a content sigh as he finally got her to himself. It didn’t matter if he had been away from her for weeks or just one day, everything felt right the minute that he had her back in his arms. He felt her arms snake around his neck, allowing him to easily lean in to kiss her deeply, having gone much too long without it before they parted and Sam led him into the kitchen.
“You hungry?” She asked, her arms moving as she pulled her long, dark curly hair into a messy bun with a deep sigh.
Chris shrugged, knowing he’d eaten some after the game but had been in a rush to get out to see Blake before he went to bed. “A little,” he admitted.
“Sit down, I’ll heat up some leftovers,” she instructed as she headed to the fridge, digging around the random containers of food, carefully avoiding the mac and cheese and chicken nuggets from Blake.
Chris watched her, his chin in his hand as he finally sat down. He’d been running on adrenaline all week, but felt the exhaustion settling into his body as he finally took a second to breathe. “How was work this week, baby?”
“Okay…I missed Blake a lot while I was there this week,” she answered, her voice quiet. Chris knew what she meant, having a job that took him out of the city the majority of the year. But it didn’t mean anything when he knew Sam never complained once about it, instead being the sole caretaker for Blake most of the time, on top of her clinic hours and class schedule, with Riley, Blake’s daycare, sometimes his mother, and the occasional babysitter being the only help she had during the season. “It’s harder to leave him when you’re gone.”
“I know what you mean,” he told her honestly. It wasn’t as if the reality of being in his career hadn’t hit him before, especially after he and Sam got married and he had his first season back in the major leagues. But missing out on time with Sam and Riley did little to prepare him to leave Blake for weeks, only getting bursts of time at home every few weeks. To see Blake growing up through pictures and videos, missing a lot of his firsts, and realizing how much he’d changed between leaving and returning from trips only hurt him, but it was the necessary evil, and the reason he loved the winters, when he was home with them all the time. “I’m glad it’s almost time for the off season. I’m ready to just be home with you guys.”
She turned with a smile just as she pulled some chicken out of the microwave, confessing, “Me too.”
She brought the plate in front of Chris, sitting down next to him at the island. He ate quietly, able to hear the soft tune of Blake’s night light as the sound drifted down the hallway. He couldn’t stop thinking about their baby, laying in his crib in those planet pajamas as he slept soundly. He knew they’d never have imagined themselves in these shoes only three years ago, but here they were. Sam had thrived in her role in a way he knew she never would have been able to predict, loving that boy even more than he adored her. Getting to be her husband and Blake’s father was the greatest thing he’d ever been given, and he never took it for granted once.
But as the silence persisted, Sam asked, “Chris… are you okay?”
“Yeah….I just, I don’t know. I just can’t believe this is my life sometimes,” he shrugged with a laugh. He could see the toys in the playroom off the kitchen, scattered around from Blake’s mania earlier. This was the home he once dreaded living in, never putting a personal touch on it until after he and Sam got together. Everything from the pictures on the walls to the furniture in the condo had once been handpicked by a team of designers, purchased from the stagers because he couldn’t have been bothered to put more thought into it. But now it was a home, complete with Blake’s fingerprints all over the floor-to-ceiling windows, his trains on the coffee table, pictures of Riley at his high school graduation on the wall, smiling next to Sam and Chris, then Sam at her undergraduate graduation, then of them holding Blake the day they’d brought him home from the hospital the following year. “I’m married to the girl of my fuckin’ dreams and I get to come home to you and Blake and I just can’t believe it sometimes.”
“I know what you mean,” she smiled, blinking away what he thought might’ve been tears as she put her hand on his arm, rubbing her thumb along his sleeve. “I was thinking about that a little when Riley was here today. I was thinking about how when I was Riley’s age, I was working from open until close in the diner, praying I’d get good enough tips that I could buy him some clothes from Goodwill for the school year or how I’d hold him in bed and try to get him to fall asleep so he wouldn’t hear our mom’s screaming match with one of her boyfriends or know how drunk she was when she came home.”
“But things are different now,” he reminded her – and himself. “And Blake’s never going to have to grow up with any of those things.”
Sam nodded, stealing a sip from Chris’ water glass before she admitted to him, “I just can’t help but think that the other shoe is going to drop. That something is going to happen and I’m going to lose all of this.”
“That’s never going to happen, Sammy,” he rushed to tell her, pushing the plate away and turning to look at her. He jerked his chin towards the hallway, reminding her, “Baby, we’ve been married for four years now and it’s not enough. I want forever with you, and with Blake, and nothing is going to happen that’s going to change any of that.”
He watched as her chin wobbled slightly and she reached a hand up to rub at her cheeks. Sam stayed quiet as she wiped away her silent tears, just enough until she asked, “...Even when Blake leaves his trains out and we step on them?”
“Okay, that may be the straw that breaks the camel’s back,” he admitted with a laugh, shaking his head as he remembered the latest incident. “I swear I still have a fuckin’ imprint of that train on my foot from last week.”
“Chris…”
He raised an eyebrow, his hand dropping to rest on her thigh, rubbing his thumb along the bare skin exposed by her shorts and asking her, “Yeah, baby?”
Sam’s hand slid up his arm and hooked around the back of his shoulder, her brown eyes wide and vulnerable as she replied, “I just want to tell you that I love you, and I’m really happy.”
He looked at her through his long eyelashes, a wide grin on his face as he agreed, “I am too, Sammy.”
A/N: Surprise! We hope you guys enjoyed a glimpse into Blake! We love him and cannot wait to share more about him and how they came to be parents! Let us know your thoughts!
Summary: Although they grew up in the same small town, Chris and Sam had both gone their separate ways a long time ago. Chris moved up to become a MLB star, one of the best in the business, while Sam stayed stuck in the same small town. But when multiple injuries ended the Red Sox prodigy’s career, he winds up back in the same small town he swore he’d never be back to. The past may not stay in the past any longer, as old wounds begin to creep back up.
Pairing: MLB!Chris Evans X OFC Samantha “Sam” Merrick
Word Count: 7,100
By: @k-evans-writes and @ourfinest-hour
We do NOT give permission for our works to be reuploaded, translated, or reposted on any other site. Our work is our own.
Warnings: 18+ ONLY. MINORS DNI!
Previous | Main Masterlist | On Deck Masterlist
It was dark by the time Chris was walking into the fancy building, greeting the doorman before trudging toward the elevator. A small yawn escaped him after he hit the button to take him up to the penthouse, ready to finally be home. It wasn’t that he hadn’t loved today, getting to finally broadcast a game but it had been a long day and he was ready to be with his girl.
He’d had his first few broadcasts this week, and Sam had taken the train up to Boston after class so that she’d be here when he returned that evening, having planned to spend the weekend together, and he couldn’t hardly wait to see her after five long days apart. He quietly leaned up against the wall of the elevator, waiting quietly as the ding of each floor softly chimed until he finally reached the top floor. Chris stepped into the apartment, toeing off his sneakers and pulling off his jacket and hat, hanging them on the nearby hook. He was left in his socks, nice navy blue pants and white polo that Sammy had claimed was ‘illegally tight’ that morning when he’d sent her a quick picture earlier from the broadcast booth. But now he was finally home and nothing could have felt better… or so he thought.
It was pretty quiet in the penthouse, the TV on softly, telling him Sammy must have been in the living room and he was about to call out to her to alert her to his presence, but what he saw made him keep his mouth shut. He found her lying on the couch, makeup free face that showed off her adorable freckles and her wild curly hair pulled up in a messy bun on the top of her head. She was dressed in one of his old Red Sox t-shirts, one that was faded and a little stretched out from all the years of use. Sammy was laying on her stomach, one hand propping her chin up while the other scrolled on the laptop sitting in front of her and because of her tall frame and the old t-shirt being bunched up from the cushions on the couch, it let Chris’ blue eyes see the bottom half of her backside completely bare to him, which only caused blood to start rushing south.
He had missed her so much, wanting her tonight in every sense of the word, but seeing her barely clothed and laying so casually on his couch completely unaware of his presence was enough to make him ready to explode.
“There’s my baby,” Chris murmured as he stepped further into the penthouse, dropping his bag near the kitchen.
Sam jerked, her head spinning to look over her shoulder with wide eyes. Her hand landed on her chest, Chris smirking a bit at the knowledge that her heart was likely racing. “You just scared the shit out of me!” Sam told him sharply, sighing before a small smile spread across her lips. “I didn’t even hear you come in.”
Chris smiled as he crossed the open living space, coming to stand at the opposite end of the oversized sectional. “I just got here.”
Sam sat up, shutting her laptop with a click before she placed it on the coffee table. She turned her attention to Chris, a small excited look on her face as she said, “So tell me how it went today!”
But his eyes were locked on the way the shirt still rode up, exposing the skin below her stomach. He gave a half-hearted shrug as she repeated her statement amusedly, informing her, “I’d much rather be doing something else with my mouth right about now.”
Her lips pursed as her brows rose before her cheeks darkened and she shifted excitedly. Evidently the time spent apart had also worn on Sam the same way it had on Chris, filling them with an intense desire for each other, one that overwhelmed their systems. Little to nothing else had filled his mind on the drive back from the stadium other than getting to touch her finally, getting to feel her skin beneath his, and the thoughts had been on a repetitive cycle for the last several days. “Then you better get over here,” she finally murmured, laughing quietly.
It didn’t take more than a second for him to be on the couch with his arms around her, crashing their lips together for the kiss they both were desperate for. He could feel the way her heart was pounding against his chest while his hands slipped under the t-shirt, rubbing up her bare back and pulling her impossibly closer against him. Chris felt completely drunk on the feeling of her tongue slipping into his mouth and the sound of her soft moans. They needed each other so badly and they could each feel every bit of that in the kiss.
He needed more of her, letting his hands slip down her warm skin to grab her hips and helped her move to straddle his lap. Just knowing that her naked lower half was sitting in his lap was enough to drive him wild but feeling how Sammy grinded herself down on him, making him grunt against her mouth had him throbbing for her. Chris relaxed into the cushion of the couch as Sammy’s arms snaked around his neck, pulling her whole body up against his while they kissed so deeply they each were seeing stars. He loved having her this way, completely unhinged and desperate and he loved it when she could just let go of everything else except for how they were feeling in this moment.
Chris had dreamed of her the past three nights they’d been apart, wishing the way she felt in his arms, longing to feel the touch of her warm freckled skin under his hands. It was the first time they’d been apart for more than a day in months and if he was being honest, he didn’t like it. He had grown so accustomed to being together and he decided that nearly four days apart was much too long. He wanted his girl and he was going to have her.
A low groan fought its way out of his chest as Sam pressed down on his lap, her weight a welcome sensation, one he’d dreamed about the previous night. “Fuckin’ missed you baby,” he muttered as Sam’s lips broke away from his, a gasp escaping Sam.
“Me too,” she breathed, her voice strained as his lips attached to and moved down her neck. “I want you so bad, Chris.”
He smirked against her skin, knowing he had her right where he wanted to as he assured her, “I know, I want you too. I fuckin’ love you Sammy.”
But Sam couldn’t seem to respond to him, only being able to moan in response to the way he sucked at that sensitive spot on her neck and Chris knew he had her right where he wanted her. He let his hands slide down her back, so thankful for the way the t-shirt had bunched up between their glued together bodies, allowing him to look down over her shoulder and see those round cheeks on display for him. Chris let his hands come to grasp them in his hands, kneading at her flesh which only resulted in her grinding down against him harder.
He moved his lips back to suckling along her skin, marking her with each suck and bite along the way, knowing the evidence would be left for days, just the way he liked. Sammy was so caught up in the sensation he was causing that he knew she wouldn’t expect it when he pulled a hand back before bringing it down to smack against one of her cheeks, causing her to gasp from her shock. At first he wasn’t sure if she’d be in the mood for what he’d just done, her body holding still for a moment until the sting set in, making her whimper as her forehead fell to his shoulder.
“Like that baby?”
When she didn’t respond, only sighing out as she nuzzled her face deeper into the crook of his neck he let his hands knead her soft flesh while commenting, “You know how much I love this cute ass of yours baby, I just think it’d look so much better bright red.”
And with the tight grasp of Sammy’s arms around his neck and the way she arched her back for him, pushing out her ass for him and silently begging for what she wants but Chris wanted more than that and egged her on with a smirk, “C’mon baby girl, do you think it’d look better all nice and red?”
“Chris," Sam gasped, panting for breath, her face pressed against his. Her nails clawed against his shoulders through the polo, muscles tensing below the fabric as she moaned louder.
He shook his head, pressing his lips to her ear as he encouraged, “C’mon baby, just tell me. You know I want to hear you say it.”
“Yes,” she panted out, eyes screwed shut. He could see the underlying thread of anxiety beneath the surface, nervous about the new act, but he squeezed her frame, pressing a soft, reassuring kiss to her skin.
“That’s my girl,” he praised, his hands squeezing her hips as his lips met hers for a soft, long kiss. “Now come get over my lap, baby.”
Her eyes met his for the first time since he’d gotten onto the couch, her brows furrowed and lips downturned as she anxiously stated, “Chris you’re not going to do it that way.”
“Over my lap,” he repeated, patting his thigh. “C’mon baby, show me that ass.”
He found it amusing to see his feisty girl with those pursed lips and raised eyebrow, knowing she was internally debating on obeying him but when he let his hands give her a tight squeeze yet again, she was shivering for him and ready to do whatever he asked. Chris swore he could have hit his peak right then and there watching his fiery Sammy moving to lay across his lap, reaching behind her to pull the t-shirt up to bunch at the small of her back.
Knowing that his girl wouldn’t be able to sit still long, he grabbed her wrists, pinning them behind her back to keep her still while he used his other hand to waste no time in coming down to spank her… hard. It was no secret that Chris was strong and with each slap to her bare cheeks had Sammy screaming louder than he’d ever heard, causing him to make a mental note to get her in this position much more often. He got to watch her soft skin turning from its normal color to a soft pink but as he kept alternating between punishing each, the pink slowly turning to red, Sammy’s screams had quieted down.
Her raspy voice had silenced to gentle whimpers at each spank, the sting causing all kinds of sensations to run through her body that Chris could see the visible product of with the wetness between her legs. But that didn’t make him let up, bringing his strong hand down again and again until he had kept his word to make her ass a bright glowing red. When he finally had finished, he helped Sammy sit up, bringing her right back to sit in his lap and let her curl up against his chest. Her face resumed it’s position nuzzled into his neck while she caught her breath and he cradled her in his arms for a long moment before letting his hands to come down and rub at the tortured skin.
“Baby girl, your ass looks so pretty right now,” he whispered, feeling the heat of the irritated skin against his hands. He craned his neck to look over her shoulder, eyes locked on the red cheeks. “God, I love seeing it this red.”
She was all but using Chris to support her fully, her face buried in his neck. He felt the way her chest shuddered as she took in a deep breath, admitting to him, “It stings so bad.”
He tutted, moving a hand to hold her comfortingly before his other hand moved to stroke over the length of her back. “I know baby, I made sure that it’ll still be red tomorrow. I’m not letting my baby sit down this whole weekend without thinking of this,” he told her, his voice silky smooth and soft, despite the smirk on his lips. “You like it, don’t you?” He asked, his lips kissing any patch of skin he could on Sam.
She was quiet for several moments, and if Chris had to guess she was relishing in the soft touches while also shifting uncomfortably as she settled on the scratchy and rough material of his navy blue pants. “...Yeah,” she finally agreed, her voice only slightly shaky as she regained her composure slowly.
“That’s my Sammy girl,” he grinned, moving his head back slightly to meet her eyes, and while he’d fully known that she could take more even just by listening to her, getting to see the look in her eyes gave him the confidence he still needed.
She frowned, her lips downturned dramatically in the way they only got when she was like this. “Chris, I want you,” she all but begged him, an unhappy look remaining on her face.
He gave a sideways grin, instructing her, “Just sit still for a minute baby, I want a picture of this cute ass first.” Then, he reached for his phone, gently adjusting her so he could pull it out of his pocket before he snapped a few shots of her, then tossed his phone across the couch.
Chris kept her sitting in his lap, rubbing his hands up and down her back on top of the soft worn t-shirt as she relaxed and adjusted to the stinging on her cheeks. He planted a few kisses on her forehead before Sammy tilted her head up, puckering her lips out to silently ask for a kiss which Chris happily granted. He kept them sitting there for a long time as they kissed and kissed until neither could hardly breathe, finally pulling apart as he asked her, “Ready to move this into the bedroom?”
She met his gaze, her brown eyes wide, trusting, and completely vulnerable as she affirmed, “I want anything you want.”
And he knew in that moment that he had gotten Sammy right where he wanted her - as putty in his hands. Most of the time the two of them tussled back and forth during sex, taking turns on leading, but he knew that sometimes Sammy needed this. She needed to be able to completely unplug her busy brain and all the responsibilities and everything that came with life and just hand herself over to him and he knew this was one of those times. Chris found the bottom of her shirt, pulling it up and over her head before tossing it on the floor to be dealt with later. He couldn’t be happier to have her this way, completely naked and ready for him but he wasn’t ready to give her exactly what she wanted just yet. Chris carefully moved her so that he could pick her up bridal style and carry her the short walk to the bedroom where he laid her on the bed, not standing back up until he was able to meet her lips for a few soft kisses first.
Eventually he did stand back up, feeling Sammy’s curious eyes on him as he walked over to open the closet and find the box buried in the back of it. Chris opened the top of the box and looked around for a moment before finding the small silver vibrator he had in mind before coming back to the bed. He saw Sammy’s eyes grow a little bit wider at the sight of what he had and closed her legs tightly in response.
“Baby, open up those pretty legs for me,” he encouraged, his hand moving to nudge her ankles as his eyes met hers.
Her face was screwed into a serious expression, resolute and stubborn as anything as she answered, “No,” while she squeezed her legs together even tighter.
“Sammy…”
She shook her head, a hand moving to reach for him as she tried to plead, “No, I want you, Chris.”
“You’ll get me, but I want to get you all ready for me, baby,” he insisted, moving the small vibrator around in his hand, eyes lingering hungrily on Sam’s bare frame.
“I don’t want to wait,” she whined, desperation taking over momentarily before something shifted.
He leaned a knee on the bed, eyes lingering again on her before he shrugged and replied, “You’re going to have to, baby.”
The unknown look in her eyes shifted into petulance as she retorted, “Not if I don’t want to.”
Knowing that his feisty Sammy had enough time to recover from her spanking and return to her normal self, he decided to take a different approach. Without a word, Chris went into the closet, grabbing a few of his ties and coming back out to the bedroom. She couldn’t see what he had in his hand until Chris was close enough to grab her waist before she could get away, quickly getting a tie around her wrists and bringing her arms up above her head, tying her wrists up to the headboard tightly to keep her from being able to get away.
“Christopher Robert Evans you better fucking let me up right now,” Sam gritted out, giving him a stern look.
Chris smirked, looking down at her and simply telling her, “I wouldn’t have to do this if you just would have listened and did what I said.”
“Let me go!”
“I’ve got to teach you a lesson first baby,” He reminded her, leaning down to press a kiss to her cheek. “But I need these pretty legs open nice and wide for me.”
Chris loved the way she fought him as he grabbed her ankle, pulling her long leg toward one edge of the bed and securing it before doing the same to the other, leaving her completely helpless. He smirked while watching her from under his long eyelashes, seeing the way she was wiggling, desperately trying to get away even though he knew deep down she didn’t want to.
He stood there for a long moment, just giving himself a moment to take her in, laying there as her chest rose and fell with her heavy breaths. Chris sometimes still couldn’t believe he had her. That Samantha Merrick, the freckled face girl he had a crush on for practically his entire life was here begging for him. She trusted him, confided in him, and loved him and he couldn’t have felt more unworthy or happier at that fact.
The deep love and bond they had that he had never even felt one ounce of with anyone else only motivated him even more, wanting to get Sammy to a state of pure bliss. Neither were new to having sex, but neither had ever experienced anything like this. Neither had ever trusted a partner enough to hand themselves over to one another, body and soul, completely. But there was nothing but trust and honesty between them, their relationship having grown so strong and love so deep that they both were melting at having a new experience like this together, something only they shared.
Chris took time to sit on the edge of the bed, leaning down to press soft kisses all over her goosebump covered skin. He kept kissing her until she relaxed against the bed, which is when he pulled the shiny vibrator out of his pocket, turning it on the medium speed before pushing it between her soaked folds and letting it work its magic on that sensitive button and had her back arching instantly in response to the feeling.
He moved it slowly back and forth, causing her moans to start pouring out while the small instrument was coated in her essence. Chris started rubbing it down farther until he could easily push it right inside her throbbing opening, only making Sammy cry out even louder as she pulled at the ties.
He leaned down, pressing a kiss to her damp hair and whispered, “Alright baby girl, I’m going to take a nice long hot shower and then I’ll be back to check on you.”
“Chris, I swear to god,” Sam protested, craning her neck to watch him as he moved to step into the en-suite bathroom behind them, Chris disappearing once he stepped through the open archway from the bedroom to the small hallways, leading to the bathroom and oversized walk-in closet.
He paused, listening as he heard the strain of the ties against her, Sam just going far enough in her pulling to threaten the seams but not destroy them. Once he heard her overwhelmed whimper, he knew she was on board with this. “You better save your strength baby, you’re going to need it,” he finally called as he entered the bathroom, his bare feet padding against the heated soapstone tiles.
“Chris,” Sam called, pausing as she moaned quietly. “You better get your ass back here!”
“Don’t worry, I’ll be back after my shower,” he tossed back, smirking as he left the door open so her sounds could filter into the bathroom. If he focused hard enough – and believe him, he was – he could hear the constant faint hum of the toy, deep inside his girl.
Chris strolled into the shower, turning on the warm water before peeling off his clothes and climbing in. Even from underneath the spray of the water, he could hear Sammy’s loud moans from the bedroom, making him impossibly hard as he stood alone in the shower. This was something they had talked about before, entertaining the idea several times, but never having gone this far. He knew it was something Sammy had wanted to do, but by the sound of her strangled moans, he knew it was driving her just as wild as it was driving him.
He struggled not to reach down and wrap his hand around his hard length, but when he heard Sammy crying out again, he knew he wanted to wait to be tucked deep inside her and hear that raspy voice crying for him. Chris stayed inside the shower as long as his self-restraint allowed him, eventually climbing out and rubbing the fluffy white towel over his body to wipe up the water then tossed the towel in the corner of the bathroom to be dealt with later, needing to follow the sound of the moans back into the bedroom.
Chris wasn’t surprised to see Sam absolutely starfished across the oversized, fluffy bed, her skin glistening with sweat from the overstimulation he’d caused. Her eyes weren’t even open anymore as her face was frozen in a blissed-out expression, but she definitely sensed he was there as he stood in the doorway just letting his blue eyes take her in. Chris watched her chest rapidly rising and falling, the hum of the vibrator buzzing softly mixing with the little whimpers that poured off Sammy's lips. He could see that she was so deep in her pleasure that he had accomplished his goal of getting her out of her own head and focused only on the moment.
When Sam’s eyes finally fluttered open and she looked over at him, all she could do was let out a sigh and between that, and the sight of the wetness obvious between her legs, he knew that she was ready. Chris slowly stalked over to the bed and gently pulled out the small toy, turning it off putting it on the nearby dresser before he untied each of Sammy’s limbs even though she still laid completely limp on the bed. He got to hear those soft sighs return when he climbed onto the bed and started littering sweet kisses on any bit of skin that he could find, helping her body to fully relax in his arms.
“Feeling good, baby?” He asked her quietly as he pulled away from her skin, feeling Sam sigh and relax as the constant stimulation stopped for a moment.
She shifted on the bed but kept her arms still, her wrists red from the ties. “Mhmm,” she sighed quietly, her eyes slipping shut again as she laid against the mattress.
He watched her carefully, cataloging every moment and analyzing it for any hint of being pushed too far. “Do you need a break for a while?” Chris asked her, unsure about the possibility of even moving forwards after he pushed her to the brink.
But Sam surprised him when she opened her eyes and reached up, pulling him back into her and admitting, “I just need you.”
“Are you sure, baby? We can relax a little while first.”
“Please Chris, I need you so bad,” she practically whimpered, slotting a leg over his and pulling him into her.
Chris could only smile as he leaned in to kiss her lips gently, never getting tired of that feeling of her mouth on his. He couldn’t help but linger for a moment, kissing her deeply before he put his hands on her waist and effortlessly scooted her up the bed, making sure the pillows were comfortably under her head before he rolled over to hover above her. The sight of seeing his girl completely blissed out and reaching out for him while pinned underneath his broad frame was enough to get him throbbing all over again and he just couldn’t take it anymore.
Her fingers dug into his shoulders when he finally sunk into her wet overstimulated core, but the feeling of finally having him tucked deep inside her had both of them crying out. Chris wasted no time in finding a good rhythm, thrusting into her over and over again, his cock dragging against her walls in a way that had both of them already struggling to hang on.
With one look into her deep brown eyes as she stared up at him, pure pleasure on her face, he was able to tell that – for the first time in a long time – he had her full attention. She wasn’t worried about being overheard by anyone, about a paper or exam due the next day, or the latest drama with her mother. She was focused on him, at the pure pleasure they created together, and he realized that this was how it’d be now. They’d always come together this way, working off any stress together successfully, but also loving each other, always promising to help the other through anything they needed, until the only things left on their minds were each other.
With each thrust, both of their breathing was growing shallow and by the way Sam’s eyes were squeezing shut tightly, he knew she was almost there. Chris tried everything to keep him hanging on, but he knew that there was no way he was going to be able to and quickly brought a hand down to rub his thumb at her sensitive clit, rubbing fast hard circles that made her scream with pleasure as her body tightened, her walls squeezing him tightly before she hit her peak and with only a couple more thrusts in her tight center, he was spilling out inside of her until he was completely breathless.
Not even bothering to pull out, Chris laid down, his body half on top of her but balancing his weight on the bed to keep from crushing her while his lips found hers again, needing her kiss more than anything. He couldn’t even comprehend just how good it felt to come down from their highs, completely spent and wrapped up against one another with nothing to focus on but each other. Chris wanted to lay there all night, and was planning on doing just that, but after what he’d put his girl through, he knew he needed to help her body completely relax before he curled up in bed next to him.
With a few more kisses to her lips, he told her, “I’ll be right back, baby,” and gently moved out of her, then hurried off to the bathroom. Chris took a moment to clean himself up before grabbing a few items from the bathroom and came back to the dimly lit bedroom. After using the warm, wet washcloth to clean off the sticky mess between her legs, he gently tapped her hips, encouraging her to, “Sammy, baby, roll over for me.”
He saw the way her bare body just laid on the soft white sheets, eyes still fluttered close while Chris reached up to brush some of the stray hair out of her face. Sam sighed as he pressed his lips to her gently, relaxing into the bed and the fluffy pillows just before she – with a hint of a wince – rolled onto her stomach, revealing her bright red backside to him. He reached for the bottle of Aloe on his nightstand, quietly pumping some into his hand before he massaged it into her skin carefully. With one last kiss, this time pressed to her shoulder, he laid down next to her, joining her as they each drifted to sleep.
They spent the next day separately, as Chris ran to the gym and out to pick up some groceries for himself for the next week, ending his errands run with a stop at the jeweler’s downtown that Sean and Hank had both highly recommended to him. When he arrived home, the tiny velvet box hidden in his jacket pocket, he wasn’t surprised to find Sam at the kitchen island, her laptop in front of her, along with nearly five different textbooks spread across the oversized counter.
With a fond smile, he pressed a kiss to her lips before reminding her of their dinner reservation, just before he unloaded the few bags of groceries into the fridge before he escaped down the hall. He closed the door to their room behind him, nervously darting across the room before he hid the ring box in his nightstand behind a few books, and once it was sufficiently hidden from Sam’s view, he breathed a sigh of relief. It wasn’t as if he was nervous to propose to her, especially after their frank conversation several weeks back about where they both saw the relationship going, but he wanted to do it right.
So much in Sam’s life had gone wrong, not because of her though, but because of the situation she was born into. And while she’d certainly made lemonade out of lemons, he knew she deserved more than any other proposal. He wasn’t planning anything outrageous, but something that was so Sammy that nothing else would compare.
Those thoughts rang through his head as they each got ready for dinner side-by-side in the bathroom, and he couldn’t help but stare at Sammy. She was wearing a gorgeous green satin slip dress with a cream cardigan over it, protecting her against at least some of the October chill in the air. It wasn’t long before they walked through the apartment and to the elevator, down to Chris’ waiting Audi to head across town to the steakhouse he’d frequented when he lived in Boston in the past.
His hand was wrapped around hers the entire way until they sat down across from each other at the dim restaurant, both looking at the menus as they snuck glances at each other excitedly. It wasn’t until the waiter arrived that either spoke, however.
“Can we get a bottle of your finest wine, please?” Chris asked the waiter, closing his menu and handing it to the tall man who nodded before turning and walking back through the dimly lit restaurant, allowing Chris to look across the table at his beautiful girl tucking a piece of her dark hair behind her ear before catching his eye. He loved the way her smile showed up when she met his gaze, letting those dimples appear that made him melt.
“What’s the occasion?” Sam wondered, referring to the bottle of wine as she unfolded the white cloth napkin and put it on her lap before she smirked at him, asking, “Or do you just feel like frivolously spending money.”
Chris just shrugged, simplifying the many thoughts and feelings flowing through him while he told her, “I think we have a lot to celebrate.”
“Because of getting the house?”
“Well that,” he nodded before relaxing into his chair. “But also think about it Sammy… last October neither of us had seen each other in years. You were busting your ass at the diner and I could barely walk from my surgeries and was heading into another. Now look at us.”
“Yeah now your ego is getting close to being a reasonable size,” Her amused tone piped up while she rested her arms on the table and leaned forward.
“Very funny,” Chris sarcastically replied, even though he was struggling to hide his chuckle.
He loved watching the way the light sparkled against her warm eyes, her pink lips curling into a smirk while she brought a hand up to rest against her chin, propping it up while she told him, “Thanks, I thought so.”
“I’m being serious though, baby. I really can’t believe that one year later I’m sitting at this table with the girl of my dreams.” The emotion was thick and extremely evident in his voice. Chris knew that his words were almost painfully true. Sometimes he had to blink a few times when he looked at her, trying to get his brain to fully register that it really was Samantha Merrick sitting across the table in front of him. Sometimes he just got so caught up in just how incredulous it all was and he could hardly believe that he was sharing a meal with her, laughing with her, having deep conversations with her, loving her, and building a life with her.
He thought back to those nights when he still was a star on the Red Sox, thousands of fans cheering his name that constantly was making headlines. He thought that would fill him up, give his life meaning, or one of the long line of girls that were always around possibly bring him some momentary happiness, but it never had. He could remember laying in bed, not having seen Sam for years, and yet every now and then when he was completely alone in the quiet of the evening, his brain always came back to her. No matter how far his life had taken him from her, a piece of his heart was always stuck with her and now, there wasn’t one bit of his heart that didn’t fully belong to her. Chris was so in love it wasn’t even funny, but he didn’t care. He loved every second of being with her and knew that it would be forever, and he reached across the table to take one of her hands in his, letting his thumb gently rub across her soft skin before his emotion filled voice told her, “There was never anybody for me but you.”
Chris could see the way his words went straight to her heart, eyes instantly welling up with tears. He knew that Sam still struggled to share her feelings, having spent her whole life stuffing them down which is why it meant so much to him when she honestly told him, “I never wanted any of this in life until I had you. I just… I just don’t ever want to be without you.”
“You don’t have to be, baby,” he reassured her, smiling at the knowledge that a symbol of that commitment he had already made to her was in that ring box back in the apartment hidden away from her for the right moment. “I love you, Samantha.”
“I love you too, Chris.”
He felt the warm smile cross his lips, those words going straight to his heart as he said, “That’s not the only thing though I think we should celebrate,” Chris only momentarily stopped speaking to thank the waiter who brought back the bottle of wine and two glasses and pop the cork for them. With another thank you, Chris took the bottle and poured the two glasses, handing one to Sam before taking a sip from his own and finally finishing his thought, “I think you finishing your first full month of classes is something to celebrate.”
“I’m glad it’s over.” A sigh escaped her lips, Sam running a hand through her hair as she admitted, “I feel like I’m actually starting to get in the groove of it.”
“Well don’t be too hard on yourself, baby. It’s okay if it takes a little time to adjust,” he shrugged, knowing what a huge adjustment it was for her to be going back to school and all that went with it. “But it’s still an incredible accomplishment and I couldn’t be more proud of you.”
“I couldn’t do it without you,” Sam’s voice was low and soft, finding his hand across the table again to give it a gentle squeeze, “Literally because I wouldn’t be going to school if it wasn’t for you.”
“That’s what we do. We support each other,” he spoke with authority with a tighter squeeze to her hand in his, emphasizing his point.
Sam offered up that beautiful smile of hers, making him feel that little flutter of his heart before she reached out with her free hand to take her glass and sip at her wine as she leaned back in her chair and casually asked, “Speaking of that, how are you feeling about broadcasting? I feel like I haven’t had a chance to really ask you about it now that you’ve done a few games.”
“I like it.”
“You don’t sound that convinced...” He saw the way her eyebrow rose as she challenged him.
“No, I do. I like being able to still be involved in the game and all of that, it’s just…” Chris struggled to find the right words, thinking how much he hated being an observer rather than a participant in the game and finally explained, “Not totally my thing.”
“You’d rather be out on the field, wouldn’t you?” Sam saw right through him.
“...Yeah,” he admitted, his fingers nervously fidgeting with the edges of the white napkin that still was folded on the table. Chris avoided Sammy’s gaze while muttering, “Hank and I actually talked a little bit about that today.”
“Oh? Like about what?”
Chris took a deep breath, finally lifting his eyes to hers and filled her in, “Well I guess he’s been talking to my trainer and it’s certain I wouldn’t be able to possibly fully play until not this coming season next spring, but the one after…but I could be a designated hitter.”
“Chris, are you serious?” Sammy’s eyes grew wide, so many thoughts obviously running through her head, “What about your broadcasting contract next season?”
“My contract is through the Sox since I was only doing it at home games, and so Hank said he could let me out of it so I could play,” He drew out his words, suddenly feeling nervous about the whole thing.
“Please tell me you’re going to say yes.”
“I don’t know yet,” Chris honestly told her, putting his fidgeting hands in his lap before moving an arm back up to lean on it against the table, “I mean, if I was playing that’d take me away a lot and with you being in school and getting your footing with that, getting settled at the house, and Riley graduating, I just don’t know if it’s the right time.”
“You can’t say no,” Sam was adamant, reaching across the table to rest her hand on his thick forearm, relaxing him with just that one touch, “This is what you want. This would get you back on the team.”
“I know, but there’s a lot of things in life now that are more important to me than just playing baseball,” he was completely honest. So much had changed since the last time he was on the Red Sox. Now he had such a fulfilling life outside of baseball, building a life with Sammy, getting closer to his family again and being involved with Riley. Those things were things that now he just couldn’t give up, there was no way he’d trade it for anything and felt a little nervous at the prospect of knowing how to juggle it all.
“Chris, this is your dream. I’m not going to let you pass this up,” she told him sincerely, finally catching his eye to give him that soft smile. “You’ve helped both Riley and I chase our dreams, so please let us support you in yours.”
“I don’t… I mean… are you sure?”
She just shrugged while leaning back in her chair, simply stating that, “If you don’t call Hank first thing tomorrow morning, then I’m going to do it for you.”
“Alright, but only if you’re really sure,” he almost hated himself for getting excited at the thought.
“Chris… Do you want to do this?” Sammy, who always got right to the point, asked him plainly. “Yes or no.”
“I mean, yeah,” Chris finally admitted to both himself and to her.
“Then I’m sure,” was the simple response. “Besides, you have me now so I can make sure your head doesn’t get too big this time around that you’re on the Sox’s.”
Although Chris let out his loud laughter at her response, complete with slapping a hand to his chest, he knew just how true that was. This time around, he’d be grounded in his life, not getting caught up in all the things that didn’t matter. And now, when he stepped onto that field for every game, he knew that wouldn’t be the highlight of his night as it used to be, because the best part of his life would always be coming back home – to that home in Connecticut they were so close to sharing together – to his Sammy.
Summary: Although they grew up in the same small town, Chris and Sam had both gone their separate ways a long time ago. Chris moved up to become a MLB star, one of the best in the business, while Sam stayed stuck in the same small town. But when multiple injuries ended the Red Sox prodigy’s career, he winds up back in the same small town he swore he’d never be back to. The past may not stay in the past any longer, as old wounds begin to creep back up.
Pairing: MLB!Chris Evans X OFC Samantha “Sam” Merrick
Word Count: 2,459
By: @k-evans-writes and @ourfinest-hour
We do NOT give permission for our works to be reuploaded, translated, or reposted on any other site. Our work is our own.
Previous | Main Masterlist | On Deck Masterlist
As Sam stood in the hotel room buzzing with excitement, she couldn’t help but sneak a glance over in the mirror as she stood still while Lisa tied the back of her dress. It still felt so surreal to her, seeing her own reflection in the white satin dress. Sam felt as if she was living a dream, unable to believe that this was actually her. That over twenty years after meeting Chris when they were children, she was now standing in a wedding dress in Mexico getting ready to marry him. Part of her brain just couldn’t seem to accept that fact, but in her heart she knew that nothing could have been more right.
“Alright, you’re all ready, honey,” Lisa murmured with a pat to Sam’s back once she’d secured the tie back of her dress. “What do you think?”
Sam stared at her reflection in shock, unable to comprehend just how this was happening… finally. It’d been a long day already, between the breakfast in her suite with Lisa, Shanna, Carly, and a brief appearance by Riley, to the getting ready process with the hair and makeup that’d culminated in this here. Any other time she’d relish in the pampering and happy mood, but she’d been in a state unlike herself all day that morning, unable to focus on much besides the time as it ticked closer and closer to the magic hour… the one where she and Chris would finally be together in more than just name and theory. “I…I don’t know what to say,” she finally replied, eyes moving over the simple make-up and red lipstick to the low bun her hair was pulled into. “I just can’t believe I’m here doing this.”
Her eyes found Shanna’s in the mirror as the woman – the one she could finally say, after over twenty years, was her sister – scoffed, “Don’t tell me you’ve come to your senses now and decided not to marry my brother.”
Sam’s genuine smile quelled any chance of that being true, and she knew Lisa knew as well when she shook her head, her fingers tapping Sam’s wrist as she stepped to the side. “Well I always knew you two would end up together. Ever since you were kids,” she shared, and while Sam might’ve been inclined to believe her, that thread of doubt and insecurity still remained. She still felt as though she didn’t deserve half of what she’d been given in the last year and she found it hard to believe that now, nine months after reconnecting with Chris, she was here, in a beautiful suite in Mexico, preparing to marry the man she loved more than she ever thought was even possible.
Sam shifted nervously, fidgeting with the delicate bracelet wrapped around her wrist. “I certainly didn’t… I never thought I’d ever get married.”
“I didn’t think Chris would either there for a while, but I knew if he did, it’d be to you,” Shanna confided, a kind, emotional smile on her face. Sam was grateful for everything this year had brought, even if she didn’t deserve some, but the one thing she was the most grateful for was reconnecting with the extended Evans family. Shanna was her best friend as a child, and to have her back in her life meant the world and more to Sam, and even more now that she was standing in a white satin dress, a bouquet of roses on the table, ready to go. “He’s always been crazy about you.”
Not one to easily believe what others said, even today, Sam shook her head, fighting back tears. She didn’t want to waste the beautiful makeup that was just applied, but she knew that likely was a lost cause. “I just… really can’t believe this,” she murmured.
Lisa’s face was nothing if not thrilled when Sam turned to finally look her and Shanna in the eyes. “Are you happy, honey?” She asked quietly, reaching to push a bobby pin further into Sam’s hair.
Feeling the last bit of tension leave her body at Lisa’s simple reminder about today – that it was a celebration of her and Chris’ happiness – she affirmed, “...You have no idea.”
Shanna smiled at her words, swiping one last pass of lip gloss across her lips, just as her phone chimed with a text from Carly. “Do you want Riley to come see you now?” She asked Sam, glancing up at her as she typed out a reply to her sister.
Sam’s breath caught and excitement flooded her system. Riley had been in and out of what he’d deemed the ‘Estrogen Suite’ all morning, full of grins and energy while he bounced between Chris and Sam’s spaces. Sam couldn’t even remember much of what Riley had done already that day, besides a workout with Chris before breakfast. But he’d been with Chris, Scott, and the rest of the Evanses for a while now, and had yet to see Sam all ready to marry Chris. “Yeah, would you go get him?” She asked Shanna.
With a simple nod, Shanna exited the room while Lisa helped adjust the satin dress, making sure everything was laying right. Sam was so preoccupied with watching Lisa fuss with the dress that she hadn’t even noticed the teenager standing behind her until she caught a glimpse of him in the mirror. She found herself staring in the mirror for a moment, always feeling as if she didn’t recognize him because the once helpless little boy left with an absentee mother was now becoming a man and Sam felt like for the first time, she was fully seeing it.
Riley was her brother, but over the years, she had become a mother to him, filling in the many gaps that their life circumstances had left. She remembered being the same age he was and throwing every college advertisement she received straight in the garbage, instead going to the diner each and every day to work herself sore to provide for her and Riley. And here he was, an eighteen year old who had become hard working, kind hearted, and loyal to everyone in his life and for the first time, she realized that for all her shortcomings, she did do something right on her own, and it was Riley.
Tears were stinging in her eyes, blurring her vision and making her unable to see the tears that were in Riley’s own eyes. Feelings had never been the Merrick siblings strong points, especially for Sam with having to stuff so many of her own feelings just to get through daily life, but things were so different now. So beautifully different. She couldn’t seem to get any words out and just walked over to wrap her arms around the boy who now was a good chunk taller than her, instantly feeling his arms come around her just as tightly.
Her hands moved over his perfectly ironed white dress shirt to wrap around him, still in disbelief at how suddenly he’d seemed to grow up. “You look really pretty Sam,” his low voice whispered.
She smirked, unable to stop herself from laughing at his words. Once she’d stepped back carefully, so as to not trip over the short train, she joked, “I better for what this dress cost.”
“I still can’t believe you’re getting married,” Riley admitted with a slight shrug of his shoulders. “But I’m glad you are.”
“Are you really?”
He nodded, a sideways grin sliding onto his face. “Yeah… I like seeing you happy, Sam,” he replied. And while Sam knew how she felt, how she’d felt so determined for the last eighteen years of that boy’s life to do right by him and push aside every ounce of selfishness for his sake, she couldn’t imagine how Riley felt, seeing her growth over the past year.
“Chris does make me happy,” she confessed, pausing as she reached to pick a piece of lint off of Riley’s tie. “But so do you, Riley.”
“I know,” he smirked, shrugging his shoulders again cheekily. “I love you Sam.”
Her lips turned into an emotional frown, a knot in her throat as she, meaning every single ounce of the word and not struggling with them like she normally did, told the boy, “I love you too.”
And Sam knew that those words were the most true ones she’d ever spoken. She loved Riley with her whole heart and when she thought about all they’d gone through together, it made even more tears well up in her eyes. But with all the shitty places they’d lived, the nights she’d cried while watching him sleep on the couch, wondering how she’d possibly pay for rent or new clothes for Riley, she couldn’t believe that they’d gotten here. That he was going to be going to college, that they didn’t have to worry where their next meal was coming from, and that they not only loved one another, but now had Chris who loved them both so wholeheartedly.
They’d come a long way together, but Sam also knew that a lot of their recent growth was thanks to Chris. He pushed them both in so many ways, showing them that there was so much more to life than what was just in front of them and making them both believe they could achieve it. Chris had brought out the best in them and she liked to believe that they helped bring out the best in him as well.
It wasn’t long before Lisa knocked on the door and slipped inside the room. The small smile on her face told Sam everything she needed to know, that it was time to begin heading downstairs and towards the beach. With the all-clear that Chris was already down there with Scott, his father, and his brother-in-laws, Lisa and Shanna escorted Riley and Sam through the hotel and out to the beach.
The occasional comments from passers-by of nothing but congratulations and well wishes filled Sam with those butterflies again as she walked side-by-side with Riley, the small bouquet of flowers in her hand while Shanna helped with her train. She almost felt as if it was silly to feel so nervous. She’d known for a long time Chris was it for her, there was nobody but him that she even felt an ounce of what she felt for him, but it was just how surreal this whole moment was that brought tears to her eyes.
As Sam walked up to where the rest of the family was waiting with the officiant, her eyes went right to Chris as he patiently stood there looking handsome as ever in his suit. But what got to her is that he was there waiting for her. She was actually here, walking down the aisle toward a man who had loved her his entire life and as undeserving as she felt of it, she couldn’t be any happier.
She felt as if she blinked and here she was, standing across from Chris as their immediate family members surrounded them. She couldn’t help but sneak a glance to Riley, smiling at the boy as he sat next to Chris’ parents. But before long, Chris took her hands gently, squeezing them as he gave her an excited grin and listened to the officiant.
Once the officiant prompted him to begin his vows, Chris took a long, deep breath and spoke, “Sammy, I can’t remember a day in my life that I didn’t love you. Ever since I can remember, I’ve always been in deep for you and the fact that I’m standing here with you now is the most surreal experience but it also just feels so right. There’s nobody for me in this world but you.”
Sam couldn’t help but smile when Chris had to let go of one of her hands, moving it up to wipe at a few of his tears that had spilled out of his eyes before looking deeply at her and continuing, “I love your smile, and how it can light up a room. I love your sass and how you can always bust my chops. I love how much you give without end to everyone around you. I love how through everything you’ve been through in life, you’ve kept that compassion and deep love for the people around you and honestly? I just don’t think I could love you more. There’s nothing in life I want more than you and being your husband is the greatest gift and honor I know I’ll ever get in life. It was and will always be you.”
At this point, Sam knew her makeup was a lost cause, tears spilling down her cheeks from his heartfelt words that she knew were true. But she didn’t know it just because he’d told her, Chris had shown it in so many ways over their relationship, having supported her, encouraged her, and loved her at every turn in the road.
It took her a minute to even be able to compose herself enough to finally squeeze his hands and start her own vows, telling Chris, “Ever since you came back into my life, everything has changed. At first, I didn’t want it to because I was convinced you still were a stuck up asshole-”
“Bummer for you that you found out it was true,” he interjected with a smirk on his face, and Sam couldn’t help but roll her eyes as she felt her heart skip.
“That’s for damn sure,” she agreed, before she gathered herself again. “But when I started spending time with you, I found out that same sweet sensitive kid was still there. You showed me what it’s like to love people so openly and I still just feel really thankful that you chose to love me that way. You know I’m not really the best with words or sharing how I feel but I think you know I love you more than anything, Chris. You’ve turned my entire life around and I just want to be with you forever and for the first time in my life, I’m having a dream come true.”
And that’s what it was. A dream come true when they finally slipped those rings on one another’s fingers and pledged themselves to each other, vowing to continue to be the family they’d already become together.
And as they turned, with matching mile-wide smiles, to look at their excited guests, Sam’s heart felt whole for the first time in her entire life. Here she was, with rings on her finger and a man on her arm, both of which she never expected to have, looking at – for the first time ever – multiple members of her loving family.
A/N: Thank you all so much for your love and support on this story. We became so attached to Sam and Chris nad because of that, we’re going to be continuing their story through one shots so they’re not over yet!
Summary: Although they grew up in the same small town, Chris and Sam had both gone their separate ways a long time ago. Chris moved up to become a MLB star, one of the best in the business, while Sam stayed stuck in the same small town. But when multiple injuries ended the Red Sox prodigy’s career, he winds up back in the same small town he swore he’d never be back to. The past may not stay in the past any longer, as old wounds begin to creep back up.
Pairing: MLB!Chris Evans X OFC Samantha “Sam” Merrick
Word Count: 4,278
By: @k-evans-writes and @ourfinest-hour
We do NOT give permission for our works to be reuploaded, translated, or reposted on any other site. Our work is our own.
Warnings: None!
Previous | Main Masterlist | On Deck Masterlist
Sam could hear the echo of door opening, making her eyes peel away from the laptop screen where the professor was teaching. She saw Chris’ broad frame come walking in with Dodger at his side as he tossed off his Red Sox’s hat and opened his mouth to greet her. Not wanting to interrupt the class, she wildly waved her hand back and forth to get his attention before pointing to the laptop, silently explaining she was still in her class, making Chris give her a comical grimace and mouthed ‘Sorry’ before quietly moving to the bedroom with Dodger right on his heels.
She turned her attention back to the screen, picking up her pen and jotting down some last-minute notes before the professor wrapped up the class for the day. It’d been a week filled with nerves and anxiety for Sam’s first classes in nearly ten years. She was exhausted already and it was only Wednesday, but the fact that she and Chris had spent nearly all their spare time touring what felt like every home for sale in their area certainly hadn’t helped.
As soon as the virtual class session ended and her webcam turned off, she slumped back against the leather barstool with relief, rubbing at the growing pain in her temples. As she stared at the smooth white ceiling of the kitchen, she realized there was only one thing that she wanted and it was currently in the other room. Sammy pushed herself off of the stool, closing her laptop, and then trudged towards the bedroom where she found Chris laying sideways on the bed, his sock-covered feet crossed and one arm behind his head while the other held his phone as he watched a replay from the baseball game earlier that day.
She gave Dodger’s head a quick pat before walking in farther to the room, getting Chris’ attention as he asked, “How was the math class, baby?” All Sam could do was groan, causing Chris to laugh before she kept scuffing over to the bed, crawling on it to be able to flop down on top of his warm body. Immediately his arms came around her, holding her tight while kissing her forehead.
“That bad, huh?”
“I swear they’ve changed math since we were in school.”
“Well I wasn’t even very good at it then,” he murmured, his chest rumbling as he chuckled. “Hey, I’m so proud of you though, baby.”
She let out a small huff, turning his head against his chest as she reminded him, “Chris, you’ve said that every single day this week.”
“And I’m going to keep saying it because I am,” he replied easily, his head tilting down to meet her shifting gaze. “I just fuckin’ love you.”
“I know,” she smiled, her hand moving to run through his messy hair. “I love you too… so much.”
He grinned back, leaning down and pressing a kiss to her forehead. “Well today might have been a hard day but I’ve got a little present for you,” he drawled, an excited look settling on his face.
Sam rolled her eyes back, thinking about everything from the expensive purchases he made for her – and for Riley – to the everyday generosity he showed. “Your ‘little’ presents are never little,” she muttered knowingly.
“Do you want it or not, smartass?”
“Fine, what is it?”
Sam could see him digging in the pocket of his joggers before fishing out something that was, in fact, small inside his hand. She couldn’t quite make out what it was until he held it up, showing a shiny silver key sparkling in the light. Her eyes grew wide as she saw the key, knowing exactly what it was for, but her mind almost wouldn’t let her believe it.
“The house?!” She asked quickly, her voice high and shockingly loud for how exhausted she felt. “We got it?!”
“Yep. It’s all ours, baby,” he grinned, pressing a kiss to her lips when she silently asked for one.
Her eyes darted down to the single key still in his hand, her mind racing with things she wanted to do. “Can we go see it?” She asked.
His head flew back against the mattress, his hand squeezing Sam’s hip as he roared with laughter. She smiled as she felt the vibration of his chest against her own. “Why do you think I left my shoes by the door?”
Sam was off the bed and running to grab her own shoes and jacket in the blink of an eye, practically vibrating with excitement as they went down to climb in the car. She could hardly believe as they drove out of the small town toward the ocean that they were going to their house. Sam pulled out her phone, sending a quick text to Riley to let him know where they were in case he got home from his shift at the movie theater before them, then just relaxed in the passenger seat trying to figure out if this truly was happening.
They arrived at the sprawling Cape Cod style home, one that Sam had loved the moment she saw it. It had always been a fantasy of hers to own a home, a fantasy that she never thought would come true, but the fact that this home – this 1700s home – was theirs was not only a huge accomplishment in Sam’s eyes, but a relief. Here… there were no neighbors even within earshot, thanks to their several acres. There were no landlords threatening them with eviction weekly. It was quiet. It was peaceful. It was theirs. And it was home.
Sam didn’t even realize that she was running to the front door until she heard Chris’ loud laugh echoing a long way behind her once they had parked in the winding driveway but she couldn’t help it. Getting to open the door and step inside the place she’d be coming home to everyday was enough to bring tears to her eyes. They took their time walking through the bottom floor wordlessly as they soaked it all in, but Sam got a moment alone with her emotions when Chris left to go get the champagne the realtor had left them chilling on the counter.
She could hear the pop of the cork faintly as she wandered out to the back patio, her eyes soaking in the expansive yard that she could already picture Dodger running through and the peaceful little pond nearby that she already couldn’t wait to see frozen over in the winter. There were absolutely no words that could describe the feeling of peace and happiness that came from the inside out but what she didn’t know was that the tears that were streaming down her face matched the ones that were coming out of Chris’ blue eyes only a few feet behind her.
He had walked up so quietly that she hadn’t heard him and Chris took the opportunity to just watch her. With two glasses of champagne in his hand and silent tears falling down his cheeks and getting lost in his beard, he just stood there watching his Sammy looking at their new home. Chris thought back to so so many years ago, remembering sitting out on his mother’s back porch with Sam when they were kids and wished there was some way to go back in time and tell his younger self that one day he’d be here with her.
Chris had loved Sammy for just about as long as he could remember, even if it wasn’t always at the forefront of his mind, it was always there. But now that he actually had her, got to love her, and be with her for every high and low that life brought, he knew that there was no way he could possibly even imagine being without her. He wasn’t kidding when he said he planned on marrying her but after her more recent vocalization of wanting that same thing, he knew that he was going to make it happen because more than anything, there was nothing in his life that he wanted to have if it wasn’t with her.
He set down the champagne on the nearby table before walking up behind her, snaking his arms around her waist while resting his chin on her shoulder and quietly asked, “Are you happy, baby?”
“I just can’t believe this,” Sammy breathed, leaning her cheek against his, “I don’t know how to get my brain to understand that this is our house.”
“This is our home,” he corrected, turning his face to kiss her cheek softly.
Chris could practically see the wheels in her head turning, so many emotions passing over her face as her voice crackled, “...I’ve never really felt like I had a home before.”
“Well you do now.”
“I feel so frivolous having a house this big though,” Sam admitted while her eyes took in the expansive beautiful land that now was theirs, the rolling hills overlooking the pond at the edge of their property.
“Are you kidding? Riley’s going to have his shit spread out everywhere in no time,” Chris laughed, trying to lighten the mood but also knowing just how true the words were from how often they were finding his backpack, shoes, or other belongings spread out.
“I know, but there’s five bedrooms…” She trailed off while reaching a hand up to run through her thick hair before anxiously looking around. “And with us not planning on kids, maybe it’s too big.”
“Hey, I want you to look at me,” Chris’ voice was gentle as he lifted a hand to rest on her cheek and gently turned her face to his, seeing the deep emotions in her eyes and reminded her, “You’ve spent your whole life giving up nearly everything. Let me give this to you. This one thing that you want. I want us to have a home together, because the only thing that I want in life is you.”
Her wide brown eyes searched his own ocean blue eyes, silent for several moments until she nodded, her voice wavering slightly as she breathed, “...I love you Chris.”
“I love you too, Sammy,” he spoke with so much truth and confidence, shrugging as he went on, “And besides, we never said having kids was a hard no, right? Who knows what will happen in 10 years.”
“Well I know one thing, in ten years I’m still going to be right here because there’s no way I’m leaving that heated swimming pool,” Chris loved seeing that familiar sparkle in her eyes as she snickered and motioned toward the beautiful pool.
“If I would have known that having a heated swimming pool was going to be all it took to keep you around I would have had one installed in my fuckin’ living room,” he muttered playfully, smiling widely as Sam laughed with him.
They explored the house, Chris watching Sam think more than he looked around himself. He watched as she excitedly mentioned things that might work in certain spaces – like finally getting the piano he’d been eyeing for weeks, noting that one side of the living room would be perfect for it. He watched her eyes linger in the kitchen on the marble countertops as she ghosted a hand over them, knowing she still couldn’t believe this was her reality. They poked their heads into the large den off the kitchen, sharing excited grins just as Riley texted them that he was leaving work. Quickly, they called Riley, asking him to pick up a pizza and come over to the new house, excited for him to see it as well. Once the pizza and sodas were ordered and he had easily agreed to the plan, they quickly made their way back to the wing of the home with their bedroom, a wing that the previous owners had added to the home in the past few years.
Passing through the bedroom quickly, they climbed the staircase between their room and the garage, finding themselves in what they’d quickly decided would be Sam’s office. It was separated enough from the rest of the home to give her the privacy and quiet she needed for school, while also being close enough that she wasn’t far removed from everyone else.
Just as Sam turned to say something to Chris, his phone began vibrating in his pocket. Giving her an apologetic look, he reached for it, his brow furrowing as he saw the name. “Hey are you almost here? I’m starving,” he asked Riley, able to tell Riley was on speakerphone in the car still.
“I’m here but I don’t think you sent me the right address,” the boy told Chris, his voice tentative and a bit hesitant. Chris furrowed his brow as he knew he sent the right address, but as he made his way over to the windows overlooking the winding driveway, he was relieved as he watched Riley pull in behind Chris’ own car in Sam’s old green sedan.
“It’s the right place, I see your car,” Chris reassured him, smirking to himself as he listened to Sam snort as he waited for Riley’s response.
“YOU BOUGHT THIS?!” The teenager nearly yelled, Chris pulling the phone away from his ear with a wince. “This is a fuckin’ mansion!”
“Well get inside and come see your room,” Chris replied just before he hung up the call, following a giggling Sam down the stairs and outside through the porch to the driveway. He smiled fondly as Sam and Riley hugged each other tightly, able to practically see the weight of this moment, what it meant to them both. He was touched when the teenager hugged Chris tightly before following his sister towards the front door, leaving Chris to grab the pizza out of the still unlocked car.
Once they were inside, both Sam and Chris’ eyes were locked on Riley’s frame, watching as the teenager excitedly looked in every room of the downstairs, opening doors to look inside bathrooms, closets, Chris’ small office, and the laundry room. He had practically the same reaction – except a bit less restrained – to Sam when he saw the kitchen and the primary suite, but when he turned to Chris and Sam back up in Sam’s office, his face looked like a kid on Christmas when he asked them, “Are we seriously going to live here?”
Chris rolled his eyes fondy as that fond sideways grin slid back on his face, “No we just bought it to look at,” he sarcastically replied.
“After that smartass remark maybe I don’t want to live here,” Riley muttered, laughing when Chris shoved him playfully.
“Will both of you idiots just shut up and let me have my moment?” Sam’s voice interrupted them, their light bickering stopping instantly. “I’ve never owned a house before and I want to enjoy it!”
Her younger brother nodded, straightening up noticeably as he looked around the empty room, at the windows with a view of the pond and the sprawling land, complete with the small guesthouse and heated pool in the distance. Chris had a feeling Sam would put whatever desk she chose right in front of those windows, knowing she’d want to look at that view as much as possible. “What is this room going to be?” Riley asked, interrupting Chris’ thoughts.
“Sammy’s office,” Chris informed him with a grin. “I told our realtor that anywhere we looked at needed to have a spot for Sam, so she’d have an office for her school work and everything.”
But out of the corner of his eyes, he saw Sam cross her arms over her chest as she rolled her eyes and drawled, “Yeah because with a five bedroom house, the one thing we needed on top of that is an office…”
“Well now who’s being the smartass?” Chris smirked as he turned to look at her, shooting her a wink as she gave him a look.
At Chris’ wink, Riley groaned, asking them, “Can we have our pizza before you two start making out?”
They easily agreed, climbing the stairs to head back to where they’d left the pizza in the kitchen. But Sam soon broke the silence, curiously asking her brother, “Why do you think Chris calling me a smartass means we’ll make out?”
The teenager shrugged, muttering, “Because you two are gross, that’s why.”
She laughed, turning her head to shoot Chris a small smirk at those words before she replied, “Well I’m not so sure you can say that the spot for my office was the selling point, I’m pretty sure that had something to do with the golf course right down the road.”
“I mean… that didn’t hurt.”
They reached the kitchen, grabbing the paper plates from the bag on top of the pizza box before Riley headed to sit down on the herringbone floors as Sam and Chris poured themselves more champagne in the kitchen.
Chris glanced over at Sam, watching her move throughout their new kitchen, warmth filling him at that realization. “So you really like it, baby?” He asked her quietly, smiling softly as they met each other’s eyes.
She smiled back, genuine emotion filling her expression. She hesitated several times before she spoke, enough that Chris began to needlessly worry whether something was wrong. But his question was answered when her voice, laden with emotion, replied, “I couldn’t love it more.”
“We’re going to be really happy here together, Sammy,” he told her, moving to rub his hands over her arms as he pressed a kiss to her forehead, unable to not imagine them growing old together there, with Dodger, Riley, his niece and nephews, his siblings, and his parents all frequent visitors there. They’d host holidays here, have Christmas dinners in the dining room behind them, open gifts on Christmas morning – in just a few short months – in the den where Riley was now. They’d drive back here at the end of every baseball season, escaping the chaos of the previous seven months to relax in the peace and quiet, undisturbed for days. It’d be the home where Sam earned her degree, and maybe even more, and getting to see his girl reach her full potential, uninhibited by economic barriers was something that made Chris more emotional than anything. The entire home represented them, it was a culmination of the last nearly twenty-three years since they’d met each other thanks to Shanna and Sam’s friendship. And he wouldn’t have had it any other way.
“We already are happy together,” Sam corrected him, her voice heavy as it broke him out of his thoughts.
“Got that right, baby,” he smirked, leaning down to press a quick kiss to her lips before he blinked the tears away from his eyes and followed her into the den, pizza and champagne in hands.
Riley shook his head as he watched the replay on the restaurant’s TVs, disappointment filling his face. He munched on a fry before he dropped it, commenting to Chris, “They shouldn’t run the ball.”
“I know, they never do,” Chris agreed easily, his leg tapping against the hightop barstool. His eyes stayed locked on the teenager next to him, looking as he eagerly watched the Patriots game.
The boy moved to reach for his milkshake, pausing right before he took a sip and offering, “You want any of this milkshake?”
“Nah, I’m good,” Chris shook his head before he cleared his throat, sitting up in his seat slightly. Riley nodded, taking a long sip of the milkshake, and his eyes stayed locked distractedly on the oversized televisions. “But there was something I wanted to talk to you about, bud.”
He nodded slightly, barely reacting as he answered, “Uh huh.”
Chris watched the teenager, seeing how distracted he was. He gave him a moment before he prodded further, telling him, “Riley, it’s serious.”
Riley’s brows furrowed as he turned to look at Chris. “Is something going on?” He asked him quietly, a deep frown on his face.
Chris cleared his throat, his face flushing as he stammered, “No, I mean, well hopefully yes,” and shrugged half-heartedly.
Riley’s concern only deepened, his voice tense and insistent as he pleaded, “Can you just tell me already?”
“You sound just like Sammy,” Chris smiled fondly, his eyes darting down to his lap momentarily before he cleared his throat, taking a deep breath. “And that’s what I want to talk about… I’m planning on asking Sam to marry me sometime soon.”
He watched Riley anxiously, feeling incredibly sick as he confessed what he’d been planning for a while now to someone finally. And while he’d always planned to share the idea with Riley – and likely at least Scott – prior to the actual event, it didn’t mean that putting it into words didn’t terrify him even more, worried that Riley would react poorly. But he was confused when the teenager simply paused, looking down at the half-eaten burger and fries on his plate, whispering, “Oh,” before he reached for his milkshake again.
“Just oh?” Chris asked him quietly, frowning slightly. “Is that a good oh, or a bad oh?”
He shrugged his shoulders, his lips pursed as he admitted, “Good.”
“Riley, I seriously want to hear your feelings about it. There’s a reason I’m talking to you first before asking Sammy,” Chris prodded openly, trying to get the teen to open up. It’d been a long effort of his and Sam’s to be more open not only with each other, but with Riley as well. The teen had been so used to living practically alone between his mother and Sam’s long work days, and the multitude of changes that Chris brought on when he stepped into their lives provided more stability, which also brought slightly uncomfortable conversations where they pushed each other to speak their minds and their emotions, despite how uncomfortable it may be.
Riley shrugged again and the action hurt Chris more than he expected, but the words that followed only hurt more as he mumbled, “Well what you guys do isn’t really up to me.”
“But it matters what you think, Riley,” Chris pushed back, wanting Riley to know how much not only Sam, but Chris as well, valued him and everything he thought about, felt, or even hated. They wanted to know everything he was willing to share and more. “You know how much Sam loves you and would never do anything that would hurt you, and neither would I.”
“I know,” Riley whispered, swallowing nervously as he shifted in the seat.
“If we get married, things are going to change, it’s just how it works, but I want to make sure you’re okay with it. I know it’s been a lot,” Chris began, his voice trailing off slightly as he saw Riley meet his eyes.
The teen nodded, keeping eye contact with Chris. “It’s just weird that a year ago it was basically just me and Sam in our apartment and now things are just so different,” he admitted finally.
“I know how much change you’ve gone through Riley, and I’m sorry that it hasn’t always been easy. I’m sorry that you and Sam haven’t always had it easy,” Chris apologized, meaning every word. He watched sadly as Riley broke away from his eyes to look at his lap, knowing how uncomfortable he must feel. “I just love your sister, Riley. I love her more than anything and I want to be with her and I want to keep being there for you because I love you too.”
His eyes were wide and emotional as he looked back up at Chris, quietly confessing, “...I love you too Chris.”
And although he didn’t verbalize it, Chris could see in the teenager’s eyes just how much he meant it. Chris had come to see how much Riley was like Sam in the fact that he stuffed so many of his own feelings, partly out of necessity, but then struggled to be vulnerable and open. He’d seen him slowly start to change a little, but with him being a teenager caused him to have even more trouble sharing than Sam could. But in that moment, Chris could see all the feelings in his eyes, and knew how much Riley meant what he said.
Being the tactile person that he was, Chris couldn’t help himself and threw an arm around Riley’s shoulders to give him a side hug and smiled from ear to ear when Riley hugged him right back before saying, “If you want to ask Sam to marry you, I’m fine with that.”
“I want you to be more than fine with it, Riley. I want it to be a good thing for everyone,” Chris told him, knowing that if Riley was the slightest bit uncomfortable or not okay with anything, he’d do anything to help him, even if it meant putting off proposing.
“...It is,” Riley finally said, giving him a small grin. “I know how much you love Sam… even if I wish you weren’t so obvious about it in front of me.”
Chris smiled widely, a lump in his throat and his eyes burning as the restaurant roared as the Patriots scored a touchdown. Riley’s eyes moved to the TVs, his jaw dropping as he watched the replay of the play happily. And while Chris watched Riley carefully, slightly envying the way Riley easily handled the intense conversation and shifted back to happily drinking his milkshake and enjoying the game, he knew he wouldn’t trade the emotional weight of the moment he felt so intensely for anything in the world.
A/N: We freaking LOVED this chapter and seriously were so emotional. PLEASE share all your thoughts!
Summary: After a hectic few weeks, Sam opens up to Chris.
Pairing: MLB!Chris Evans X OFC Samantha “Sam” Merrick
Word Count: 3,732
By: @k-evans-writes and @ourfinest-hour
We do NOT give permission for our works to be reuploaded, translated, or reposted on any other site. Our work is our own.
Warnings: None.
Previous | Main Masterlist | On Deck Masterlist
May 2028
“Where’s Daddy?”
“He’s in the locker room, buddy,” Sam promised Blake, watching as he practically vibrated with excitement as his eyes looked around the room, a small frown appearing on his face as the door to the locker room opened only to let a reporter out. “He’ll be out soon.”
She smoothed a hand over her tee shirt as she watched Blake bounce on his heels, his sneakers lighting up with every movement as he waited to see his father. The weekend games at Fenway had become a tradition with the Evans-Merrick family, with Blake, Sam, occasionally Lisa, and more often than not, Riley all going to support the team and spend time together, but long gone were the days of Blake napping on one of them through a couple innings. Now, evidenced by the sneakers on her feet, Sam spent most of the game chasing the energetic toddler around the suite, trying to keep track of him while occasionally checking on the score and hoping to not miss the second baseman’s activities.
“I go get him,” he told her, his blue eyes determined as he dropped his water bottle on the ground. He ignored Sam’s move to grasp his shoulders, instead bouncing away from her in his jersey and backwards hat.
“Blakey, wait here,” she instructed him, sighing when her pleas went ignored by the three-year-old. His little body was beelining past the other players’ families, ignoring the kids who had quickly become some of his best friends and playmates, all along his mission to get to the door, but she quickly caught up with him with his water in hand. Sam spun him to look at her, a scowl on his face that was so reminiscent of his father that it made her laugh before she firmly told him, “Blake Samuel, we’re waiting out here. Daddy has to take a shower and get changed.”
Blake’s lower lip jutted out as his hand moved up to push the backwards cap farther up his forehead and out of his eyes. His eyes darted as he held his arms up to Sam, voice quiet when he asked her, “Why?”
“Because Daddy smells bad after his games,” she reminded Blake with a smirk as she picked him up, setting the toddler on her hip. His head turned to rest on her shoulder just as Sam pulled the cap off of his head and dropped it in her bag along with the water bottle, revealing his messy mop of dark curls as he yawned loudly.
His eyes were locked on the door to the locker room for several moments, all but willing Chris to walk through the doors, before he looked up at Sam and agreed, “Daddy’s stinky.”
“You got that right, Blake,” she murmured, eyes slipping shut as she pressed a kiss to her boy’s hair, but her eyes flew open when she heard an excited gasp slip out of Blake’s lips and felt him start squirming in her hold.
Standing there, a few feet away from them just outside of the locker room, was Chris. A backpack was slung over his shoulder and his wet hair was messily stuck to his forehead, but the look on his face made Sam’s heart skip a beat. “Hey! There’s my Blakey boy!” He cheered as Blake was put onto the ground, smiling as he ran into Chris’ arms excitedly. “How’s my best buddy?”
“Uncle Riley got me popcorn!” Blake told Chris, his voice happy. Sam couldn’t help but to laugh at those words, thinking about how it had unintentionally become the highlight of the day for the boy. Going to games, while it was still fun and exciting for Blake, had quickly become more about what he did at the games, what he got to play with in the families’ suite with the other kids, and what treats he could wheedle out of Sam, rather than anything Chris or his teammates did.
“Oh he did?” Chris asked, his eyes wide as he listened to Blake. He grasped the boy under his arms and stood up to his full height, meeting Sam’s eyes for the first time as he walked the short distance to her. “So the popcorn was a lot more memorable than the triple your old man hit to score two runs, huh?” He asked, a smirk on his lips as he bounced Blake in his arms, making the boy giggle wildly.
Sam’s hand rested on Blake’s back as her boys stood in front of her, ticking him lightly before she met Chris’ eyes. She stood up on her tiptoes, pressing her lips to Chris’ quickly before they pulled away and she informed him, “Blake got popcorn, Skittles, and a hot dog so you bringing those runs home wouldn’t even make his top three favorite things from the game.”
“Why does that not surprise me?” Chris muttered, shaking his head in amusement.
Sam watched as Blake yawned again, knowing he’d be ready to crash soon, and told Chris, “We should probably get home soon, Blake is pretty tired.”
With a short nod and a quick goodbye to a few of his teammates, they headed down the hall to the exit, listening to Blake’s rambles about what games he’d played with the other kids as they strapped him into his carseat. Sam quietly climbed into the passenger seat before Chris got in on the other side and started the car. Her brain felt cluttered, so full of heavy emotions and noisy thoughts that had been filling her head for the past couple days.
She was thankful that Chris was even chattier than normal, reaching his free hand over to rest on her thigh covered in denim and rubbing his thumb softly while he animatedly spoke about the game. She didn’t blame him for being a little more hyped up than normal with how intense the game had been but Sam had barely noticed. There just was too much on her mind.
“Baby?” He asked, his voice lower now that Blake had fallen asleep in the back.
“Hmm? What?” She asked, glancing over at him as the car rolled to a stop at a red light. It’d been a long few days – week really – with Chris having seven games with a couple on the road, along with work for her, all while balancing Blake’s preschool and daycare schedules, and knowing what lay ahead of them until the season ended in the fall. She’d learned to relish the time that Blake and Chris got to have together among the pockets of separation during the season, but it’d only gotten harder on them all as Blake grew older and more aware of Chris’ absence for half of the year.
“...Are you okay?” Chris asked her, his voice nothing but concerned as he looked over at her from the driver’s seat. He shrugged at her silence, his foot pressing down lightly on the gas and his eyes returning to the road as he explained, “You’re kind of quiet.”
“Just tired I guess,” she lied, her voice even as she leaned her head back against the driver’s seat, exhausted from the long day and week.
But Sam saw the look in his eyes as he glanced over at her and she knew that Chris wasn’t buying it. He knew her too well. And he was right in knowing there was more than she was letting on but Chris chose to leave it alone which Sam was thankful for as they finished their drive.
Once they quietly made their way from the building’s garage to their condo, Sam took a still-sleeping Blake from Chris so that she could put the toddler to bed while Dodger and Chris went for a quick walk to the corner and back. The silence in the condo was welcomed as Sam slowly changed Blake out of his shorts and Red Sox jersey and into a pair of pajamas, tucking him into his bed and turning on his nightlight and sound machine before she cracked the door behind her and made her way down the hall and into her and Chris’ room. As she closed the curtains, she could hear the beep of the elevator just before Dodger and Chris made their way into the unit and down the hall, the door shutting behind them once they made it into the bedroom.
Sam had her back to Chris as she pulled on a pair of pajamas, her mind racing still even as she could feel his stare. It was a quiet, slightly tense few minutes, until Chris finally blurted out, “So are you going to tell me what’s going on or just keep acting weird?”
She turned her head as she pulled a pair of loose pants over her hips, brows furrowed as she watched him drop his clothes into their hamper. “What do you mean?” She asked him, jaw set stubbornly. She turned, walked past Chris, and into the bathroom, ignoring his frustrated sigh at her actions as she stood in front of their vanity to wash her face.
“I’m meaning the fact that you’re not acting like yourself at all,” he clarified, brows furrowed as concern took over. His hip leaned against the tall cabinet next to her side of the vanity as she applied her cleanser, insisting, “Something’s obviously going on.”
“Why? What would be going on?”
He shrugged helplessly, hands flying in the air as he told her, “I don’t know, that’s kind of why I’m asking you.”
“Nothing, I’m fine,” she repeated, leaning down to rinse the cleanser off of her skin.
He let out another frustrated sigh, his eyes shutting as he listened to her rebuttal. “Are you ever going to stop being so fuckin’ stubborn and just tell me? Honestly, it would be a lot easier,” He asked her, his emotions flaring momentarily as he pushed himself off the cabinet and stood behind her.
Sam reached for her washcloth, drying off her face. She stared at herself in the mirror as she patted her skin dry, trying to muster the argument that’d postpone this discussion. But she knew there was nothing she could do, especially at this point. “I’m pregnant.” She finally told him, fearful eyes meeting his surprised gaze in the mirror.
His jaw had dropped slightly and his brows were raised, pure shock on his face as he asked, “...You’re pregnant?”
“I just… I don’t know how this happened Chris,” she admitted, arms crossing over herself as she spun around to face him. She leaned against the soapstone countertop as she looked him in the eyes. She felt awful. She knew they’d been careful their entire relationship, but especially since they’d been married to not have any chances outside of when they were actively trying to have Blake, but since then? Pills, regular periods, and absolutely nothing to note. Until the last two weeks. “I’ve not missed any of my birth control.”
His eyes dropped from her for a second before they snapped back up, his voice nervous as he asked, “Are you sure you’re pregnant?”
“Pretty fucking sure,” she all but scoffed. There was a stack of about ten different tests lined up in her drawer, thanks to a CVS run after dropping Blake off at preschool earlier in the week. All positive, without a hint of doubt.
Her hand moved to open the drawer, showing Chris silently. He stood over it, eyes moving from test to test as he thought quietly before he asked, “How long have you known?”
She stared down at the tests, the ten ‘positive’ windows almost mocking her. “A few days,” she admitted.
“Baby… why didn’t you tell me?” He asked, his voice almost disappointed. She brought her eyes up to meet his, tears burning her brown eyes as she stared at Chris. She felt bad, almost as if she was a disappointment to him for a fluke incident, but also that she’d been keeping this from him – in nearly plain sight, if he’d accidentally opened that drawer while looking for extra toothpaste in the last few days – but she couldn’t have put one more thing on him this week. He’d just gotten back from Philadelphia and Atlanta earlier in the week and had such a busy schedule between then and now, while also trying to soak up time with Blake. She hadn’t wanted to distract him, but she should’ve known he’d figure something was up before she was ready to tell the truth.
“Because I didn’t know how,” she confessed, her voice breaking as shame flooded her. “This wasn’t what we were planning on.”
She watched as Chris barely even reacted to those words but she knew they both understood the meaning. They had decided that Blake was it. They’d had their one, amazing, unbelievable child and felt indescribably lucky to be his parents, but didn’t want to tempt fate with another when they were so content with just Blake. And that's always been their philosophy, but life had other plans for them. “How are you feeling about it?” Chris quietly asked her, his voice now worried.
“I honestly don’t even know,” Sam choked out, tears flowing down her cheeks. “I just never thought I wanted kids and then we had Blake and that’s been amazing but I’m just…”
“What, baby?” He murmured, his hands moving to gently unwind her arms from her torso and then grasped her hand. “Just say it. Just tell me.”
“I’m afraid I won’t be able to do it again. I’m afraid that Blake going well was a fluke and if I have another kid I’ll somehow screw it all up and end up being like my mom,” she finally admitted to him. She felt it was almost selfish to ask for more at this point when Blake was just… everything she never knew life could be like. He woke up everyday with a smile on his face, excited for the day no matter if it meant going to school so Sam could go to the clinic while Chris was on the road, or if it was the rare day that he got to spend at home with both of his parents. It was so rare that he got both of them at this point that it definitely felt unfair to even consider bringing another into the mix, but this still felt like it wasn’t even certain in Sam’s mind. They still had time, there were many conversations and learning curves to be had, and nothing was set in stone yet.
“Samantha Evans, there is not one part of your relationship with Blake that’s a fluke,” Chris sternly told her, his voice firm and strong. “You are an incredible mother because of who you are, not in-spite of it.”
She reached a hand up to rub at her eyes, harshly wiping the tears away as she nervously asked, “But what if I can’t do it again. What if I screw up this kid?”
“Sammy, in the years I’ve known you, I’ve seen you become a mother to Riley and raise him when you were only a kid yourself. Then I got to see you have our Blakey boy and be the best mother I could ever dream of for our son,” he told her with full honesty. Sam almost shrunk under the weight of the praise he was giving her, feeling she didn’t deserve any of it. Riley…. Anyone could’ve raised that boy and he still would’ve turned out the same, would’ve been put on the same path that had led him to be that kind, loving young man who was now a professional in the real world, having grown up in the blink of an eye. He just was a good person.
But with Blake, she felt like she second guessed everything. Bonding at first was a struggle, but soon their biggest issue was everything from the way his swaddles were tied as a baby to the food they fed him to how she fed him, to the activities they did now and if he was learning enough and on track. It was overwhelming and she went to bed each night exhausted and fearful that she still somehow hadn’t done enough for him that day. Chris shrugged, oblivious to the racing thoughts in her mind as he simply told her, “So if you don’t want to have another baby, that’s a different conversation, but if this is only because you think you’re not a good mother, then let me tell you that’s a load of bullshit.”
“I just never expected this. I never expected any of this,” her voice shook with the weight of the admission. “I still feel like the diner girl working until my feet are sore and wondering how I’m going to be able to buy Riley new shoes and when I realize that I’m here with you and have this family with you and Blake and Riley, I guess I just… have a hard time accepting this is my life. I never expected to be this happy.”
“Neither did I, baby,” Chris smiled, his hands moving from her sides to instead rest on the small of her back, gently pulling her just a few inches closer to him. “I think we’ve found in both our lives that the unexpected things have been the best parts of our lives.”
She finally smiled, for the first time since he stepped out of that locker room hours ago. She thought about that statement. He’d come bursting back into her life in the most unexpected way, and everything about their relationship was still unbelievable to her. His career ending and resuming was unexpected, along with the additional World Series pennant that now hung in Fenway. They’d never expected to have kids in the first place, but when they both realized they could do it – and maybe do it well – they decided to try, and Blake changed them for the better. Her life for the last six years had been nothing short of magical, and she knew that as long as Chris was by her side with their boys, they’d be okay. “I think so too,” she admitted to him, her hand lifting to rest on his bare shoulder.
He pursed his lips and arched an eyebrow as he looked down at her, his voice low as he suggested, “Then how about we let this be another unexpected good thing in our lives?”
It was almost funny when Sam thought about it, realizing how the unexpected and unknown seemed to always hold negative things in her younger years. Uncertainty only spelled stress and sleepless nights, but ever since Chris had made his unexpected reappearance in her life, the only things that popped up and surprised her were good and she rested in that truth, knowing that this would be too.
“I want that, Chris,” she spoke, her voice strong and full of certainty. “I want to have this baby if you do.”
“There’s nothing I want more,” he smiled, his eyes twinkling as he pressed his lips to her forehead and took a second to soak in the excitement and gravity of the moment. Her eyes darted to the side, feeling nothing but peace as she looked at the line of pregnancy tests, butterflies in her stomach at the positives. “Baby, this is so fucking exciting. We’re going to get to have another.”
Her hand worked its way into his hair, gently moving through the brown locks as she mused, “I wonder what Blake is going to think of it.”
“You know he’s going to be so happy,” Chris chuckled, pressing his lips to her cheek as his eyes misted over at the mere mention of Blake and the baby. “Can you imagine him as a big brother? I can’t fuckin’ wait to see that.”
But Sam smirked, her nose scrunching as she added, “Let’s hope he’s a better brother than you were to your siblings.”
Chris leaned back, his brows furrowing and a frown on his face while he suspiciously – and innocently – asked her, “What’s that supposed to mean?”
But she simply frowned at him, knowing that he had absolutely no right to argue that statement. It was a perk, and drawback, of having known Chris for nearly their entire lives, she knew all his worst moments from childhood. “I seem to remember that time that you tricked Scott into wetting his pants. Oh and that time that you tried to tell Shanna she was invisible. And then that one time-”
“Okay, okay, I think we know Blake will be a better brother than I was,” Chris conceded, but then looked at her with a smirk and added, “Apparently I’m not all bad though because I somehow managed to score you, even after you hated me at first.”
“Can you blame me? You were an ass,” she laughed, smacking his chest lightly just as his hand moved down to do the same to her rear.
He smirked down at her, but quickly the mischievous – and slightly sexy – expression turned soft as he said, “Hopefully a bit less of one now.”
“I think it’s safe to say you won me over a long time ago,” Sam assured him, watching the way her words swelled confidence in him.
She pulled him closer to her, wrapping herself around him as she finally got the comfort of his touch. She knew this was something they never anticipated, having gone through a variety of safeguards in order to prevent it, but she had never felt so relieved to have Chris. Not only as a friend and comfort, but as a partner to lean on. She knew without a doubt that he wouldn’t hesitate to do anything, not only for her or the young boy, asleep in his little bed down the hall with a stuffed animal tucked in his arms, but also for Riley, across town in his apartment, and everyone else they considered family. And now, also for their newest addition, whose presence was invisible except for the physical symptoms and tests in that drawer that confirmed her suspicions.
But like Chris said, the best things in their lives were the unexpected ones. And this one was their biggest surprise yet.
A/N: One more little Evans baby! Thank you so much for reading and we can't wait to hear your thoughts!
Pairing: MLB!Chris Evans X OFC Samantha “Sam” Merrick
Word Count: 3,738
By: @k-evans-writes and @ourfinest-hour
We do NOT give permission for our works to be reuploaded, translated, or reposted on any other site. Our work is our own.
Warnings: None.
Previous | Main Masterlist | On Deck Masterlist
September 2023
Sam followed her patient to the desk, smiling as they met their parent, and Sam told them goodbye before she headed back to her desk. She ignored the faint buzz from her phone, instead glancing at her schedule and seeing her next patient had canceled their appointment. As she began preparing for her next patient at four, her watch vibrated incessantly, and Sam’s brows furrowed as she saw Riley’s name on the notification.
Her brother didn’t even let her say anything before he hurriedly asked, “Are you watching the game?”
“No, today I’m shadowing at work,” she answered, brows furrowing at the urgency in his voice. “Why?”
“Chris is hurt.”
Those three simple words made Sam’s heart drop and it felt like everything stood still for just a moment. This was a call that she always knew could happen, especially with the previous injuries that Chris had, but it was still one that she never hoped she’d get. Tears immediately started burning in her eyes, her brain wanting more information to tell her that he was okay, but almost was afraid to ask in case she found out the opposite.
“What happened?” She asked, a lump in her throat as she sat frozen in front of her computer, eyes avoiding everyone in the clinic. “Do you know if he’s okay?”
Riley was quiet as the sounds of laughing, chatter, and the bustle of people filled the call, then his muffled movement replaced it as the background noise suddenly stopped. A quick glance at the time told Sam he was in between classes across town from the therapy clinic, likely grabbing – if she had to guess – a burrito at the dining hall while he caught some of the game before heading into the next lecture hall. “He was sliding into home and it looks like he caught his foot on the base and it twisted his ankle. He was laying on the field but now they’re carrying him off,” he explained, his voice dropping as she heard cars speed by.
“I’m going to see if I can leave,” Sam decided, reaching under the desk for her bag, thankful she’d been in too much of a rush that morning to take the players and family parking pass out of her bag. “I’ll call you once I talk to Chris.”
When she hung up the phone and turned to walk a few steps down the hall to find her boss, she didn’t know if she had seen the panic in Sam’s eyes or overheard the call, but simply encouraged her to go which had Sam running out of the clinic and climbing in her car as fast as possible. All it took was one rushed phone call with a member of the Red Sox’s staff to have them confirm Riley’s calls, but she was thankful for their assurance that they’d get her to him. It felt like a blur as she sped to the park, not even fully aware of how she got there, but all that mattered to Sam was that she was there and able to rush into the private entrance. She breathed a sigh of relief as a member of security walked her through the depths of the park, through winding hallways and past restricted access doors until they reached the medical room.
The sight of Chris on the table took her breath away, with the way his hair was sticking up every which was, the undershirt that was plastered to his torso, the chain with his wedding band hanging from his neck, and the mess of his lower body – covered in dirt, with the leg of his pants pushed up and a bag of ice wrapped around his right ankle. It hid the scars she knew he hated, but the frustration on his face showed what he was feeling right now. She tutted as she stood in the doorway, eyes roaming over him and his tense frame as she breathed, “Chris, are you alright?”
He all but jumped at the sound of her voice, likely distracted by the shooting pain based on the deep scowl on his face. His head turned on the table, meeting Sam’s worried eyes as he told her, “Baby, I didn’t know you were coming.”
“Riley was watching the game and he called and told me what happened,” she murmured, stepping into the room as the security guard shut the door behind her and made his way back upstairs. She settled on a chair next to him, hand ghosting over his sweaty hair before it grasped his own and asked, “Are you okay?”
“I’m not sure yet, the doctor just left to go look at the imaging,” he informed her, nodding his head towards the closed door, where Sam remembered seeing an office across the hall from them.
She was quiet as she squeezed his hand comfortingly, finally asking, “Was it your ankle?”
“Yeah and it fuckin’ hurts,” he muttered, shutting his eyes as his head slipped back on the exam table.
Hearing his admission only made Sam’s heart break even further and her eyes arched in sympathy as she sighed, giving his hand another reassuring squeeze right as the door opened and the doctor came walking in with a folder in his hands. Sam could feel herself holding her breath as the doctor flipped open his folder, ready to deliver the news.
“Is it broken?”
“No, it turned out you have a high ankle sprain,” he told them, Sam breathing a sigh of relief at his words. They could manage that, but as the team doctor kept going she listened. “I’m going to send you home on crutches and have you go to your regular doctor tomorrow with Dean, so they can check out if it did any damage to what already is injured in your achilles.”
Chris frowned, eyes locked on the man as he asked, “How long of a recovery is that?”
“About 10 to 12 weeks,” he informed them, handing Sam a set of orders with a grateful smile.
“Are you fuckin’ kidding me?”
“Honestly Chris, given your past injuries and how you hit that base, I think you should be pretty happy about how lucky you were that this was the worst of it,” the doctor began, arching an eyebrow as he met Chris’ glare.
His hand slipped out of Sam’s as he ran it through his hair in frustration, his voice sharp and angry as he said, “So I’m going to be out the rest of the fucking season.”
“Considering you only have three more weeks, I can assure you that you won’t be ready to play by then,” the doctor confirmed, remorse in his voice. Sam shot him an apologetic look as she rested her hand on Chris’ shoulder, flipping through the papers and scanning them. There were the usual things – the copy of his images for the orthopedist to see, some medications they’d sent to the pharmacy to make the pain easier for him to manage, along with strict instructions to keep weight off of his leg and to elevate it when he could – but she felt her heart break for Chris as she saw, in black text, the repeated confirmation that his first season back was already over.
“Fucking fantastic,” he muttered, practically scoffing.
“I’m going to go get some crutches for you and then you can head out,” the doctor told them, ignoring Chris’ outburst. “But I’ll be putting a call into your doctor to make sure you can be seen tomorrow morning.”
As the doctor headed back out of the room, Sam could practically feel the frustration and anger rolling off of Chris in waves. She knew just how hot headed and combative he could be, especially when it came to baseball and knew there was no use in talking him down at this point. It’d been a year and a half since they’d begun their relationship again, and it was a side of him she hadn’t seen since then.
She followed Chris out of the building as he hobbled to her car on his crutches, dressed in a pair of shorts and a tee shirt from the locker room. He all but pouted as he sat in the passenger seat, the deafening screams from the crowd above them filling the otherwise silent car until they made it out onto the street and headed further into Boston towards the Back Bay until she pulled off at their apartment, heading into the open garage doors as the guard waved them in.
He sulked the entire way up to their apartment, refusing to meet Sam’s eyes and instead stared straight ahead as he wordlessly made his way inside and turned the corner, heading straight down the hall into their room. He closed the door loudly behind him, clearly wanting to be alone for a bit, while Sam all but collapsed on the couch. She closed her eyes as she finally relaxed, for the first time in hours, but the buzz of her watch reminded her that Riley was still in the dark all these hours later, likely having ignored most of his class to refresh Twitter for any updates on Chris.
Ignoring his several texts, she instead called, listening as it only rang once before Riley answered by asking her, “What’s going on? Is Chris okay?”
“More or less,” Sam shrugged, glancing down the hall with a frown as she heard a muffled curse from inside their room. “He has a high ankle sprain so the recovery is a little over two months.”
Riley sighed, quiet before whispering, “At least it’s already almost the end of the season.”
“Try telling that to Chris,” Sam muttered, unable to help herself but vent.
“Is he upset?”
“He’s pissed,” she amended, shaking her head with a sigh. “I don’t know that I’ve hardly ever seen him like this.”
“I can get why with it being his first season back and all,” Riley sympathized, then grew silent. “Maybe I could bring some dinner by the apartment. Do you think that would cheer him up?”
Sam smiled, struck once again by how sweet he was. He’d always been like this, something she had attributed in earlier years as simply being a fluke given the environment he was raised in, but throughout the last year and a half of life being more stable and healthy than it’d ever been, she realized that was just who Riley was, a genuinely good person who rushed to help anyone or anything in need. “I think he’d love that, Riley,” she whispered.
“Okay, I’ll be over soon,” the young man assured her, before hanging up. A quick glance at the clock told Sam it’d likely be an hour before he got there, so she headed to their room to get changed out of her clinic clothes and check on Chris. He was silent the entire time he was in the shower while she took her makeup off at the sink and pulled her hair back into a bun, Dodger wandering in to lay out on the tile floor, but as he got out of the shower he begrudgingly asked for her help with the crutches, towel, and redoing his brace on his aching ankle.
By the time he was situated, her watch buzzed with a text from Riley telling her he was on his way up in the elevator, and she followed a still-moping Chris into the kitchen, helping him into a barstool just as the elevator dinged and Riley stepped into the glass-walled mudroom.
They enjoyed their Shake Shack with little comment from Chris, other than him thanking Riley, handing him some cash to cover dinner, and making some half-hearted comments through Sam and Riley talking about their days. But as Sam and Riley left Chris in the kitchen to head to the elevator so Riley could go back to campus, the eighteen year old shot her a look once they were out of Chris’ eyesight.
“You weren’t kidding, he really is angry,” he muttered, a frown on his face as he pressed the call button for the elevator.
“Don’t take it personally Riley, he’s just upset about his ankle. It was so sweet of you to bring dinner by,” Sam assured and thanked him, reaching out to squeeze his shoulder. “You still spending the weekend here?”
“Yeah I think so,” Riley nodded, before he shook his head and huffed out a laugh. “Although if Chris is still like this maybe I’d rather stay in my dorm.”
“If Chris is still like this by the weekend I think I’m going to want to come stay in your dorm too,” Sam muttered playfully. Riley’s short laughter made her smile as well, and she hugged her little brother tightly before he stepped into the waiting elevator, yelling out a promise to text her once he was back in his dorm later.
As the elevator doors slid shut, she turned and headed around the corner of the mudroom into the open living space, eyes widening as she saw Chris standing in front of the refrigerator. “What the hell are you doing?” She demanded, rushing to grab his crutches from where he left them at the island barstool, scowling at Chris.
“Getting something to drink,” he petulantly told her, refusing to meet her eyes as she continued to all but shove the crutches at him.
“That’s not what I mean and you know it,” she bit out, giving him a look until he rolled his eyes and shoved the crutches under his arms. “Why the fuck are you putting weight on your ankle?”
“It’s just to the fridge,” he muttered, ignoring her eyes as he hobbled over to the living room, stopping to pat Dodger’s head as he walked by to go lay in the dog bed in the corner of the room.
She rolled her own eyes as she watched him, following and telling him, “I could have gotten the water for you.”
“I’m not some fuckin’ invalid, Sam,” Chris bit out, turning and meeting her gaze, his own eyes furious.
“Did you seriously not just sit in that room with me and hear the doctor say not to put any weight on your ankle?” She scoffed, her hands flying in the air as she shook her head. “You’ve fucked up your ankle bad enough before and now you’re going to just add more damage to it?”
“You think I don’t fucking know what’s happened to my ankle?!” He yelled as his cheeks flushed. “I took care of myself before when I was a helluva lot worse than this and I don’t need you breathing down my fuckin’ neck like I’m a baby.”
Her arms crossed over her chest as she watched Chris practically scream at her, unable to get over his immaturity and own stupidity as she pointed out, with a raised voice as well, “Well you’re certainly acting like one.”
“Don’t fucking boss me around.”
She scoffed, raising an eyebrow and biting, “I hate to break this to you, but I kind of give a shit if my husband can walk again.”
“Why don’t you just say it. Just fucking say it Sam,” he demanded, voice raising again as he hobbled closer to her.
“Say what?”
“I should have never fucking played again,” Chris spat as he pointed a finger at her.
“Chris, I never said that!” Sam yelled incredulously at how he was putting words in her mouth, her hands motioning as she reminded loudly, “I’m the one who told you that you should play again!”
“But you’re thinking it now. You’re thinking that this proves that I’m a fucking joke out there on the field and shouldn’t have ever come back!” His booming voice yelled.
But when Sam heard those words, the room fell quiet. They just stood there looking at one another, both of their faces flushed and anger written on every bit of Chris’ face. Sam just crossed her arms, her voice returning back to its normal volume as she finally spoke, “...I think the only one who’s thinking that is you, Chris.”
She watched as his face fell suddenly and frustrated, embarrassed tears filled his eyes as his gaze broke from hers. It was as if a wall crashed down inside of him, his greatest insecurity pinpointed by his own wife. But she never thought that of him, never thought of anything except pure admiration and respect while she watched him on that diamond every game. He was a hero to many, but especially to Sam and Riley. And to know Chris thought so negatively of himself that he imagined she, his own wife, thought he was a joke broke Sam too.
Without a single word, Sam just wrapped her arms around his waist, pulling herself against his body and holding him close to say everything she needed to with that one touch. She felt his hand slide around her back as he hugged her right back while balancing on the crutches, his forehead coming to rest on her shoulder as his defenses finally came down and she felt a few tears soak into her tee shirt.
She could feel him melting in her arms, all the tension and anger seeming to just slip out of him as Sam held him in that living room. It wasn’t until her worry about his ankle got too great that she finally let go of him and gently guided him to the sit down on the couch while she curled up next to him, turning her body so she could run a hand along the side of his face, wiping away a few stray tears along her way.
“The only thing I think about you going back to play is how proud I am of you,” she murmured, staring into his eyes seriously. When he tried to glance away as tears continued filling them, she gently guided his face back. “I mean it Chris. You had a career ending injury and you came back. You worked your ass off to be able to play again and play well. The last thing you are is a joke.”
He shrugged as he pursed his lips, whispering, “I just feel like me getting hurt tonight shows that I shouldn’t be doing this.”
“Why? Because your foot got caught and it sprained your ankle? How is that your fault?” Sam asked with a raised brow. She couldn’t help but think back to the previous year, when Chris had called her at the diner and told her a similar situation had occurred with Riley. And Chris’ words, the assurances to Riley that it wasn’t the boy’s fault, that it was a fluke, echoed in her mind, and she wished it would’ve stuck in her husband’s as well.
“I don’t know… it just…I don’t know,” he shrugged as he sighed.
“Exactly, you don’t know. Because there’s nothing to know,” she told him with a firm voice. “It was just an injury and happens to a lot of players.”
“I don’t even get to finish the season though,” he whispered, his sad eyes finally locking on her own again.
“I know, Chris and I’m sorry you can’t,” she told him honestly while her thumb rubbed along his cheek. “But at least this happened at the end of the season because you’ll be able to come back next season healed up and ready for your second season back.”
He nodded before he sighed, admitting, “I’m just disappointed.”
“That’s okay,” she assured him, then dropped her hand from his face and watched as he gently guided his ankle to rest on the coffee table. “But next time just tell me that instead of taking it out on me, okay?”
Chris nodded, cheeks flushing with embarrassment. “I’m sorry baby, I shouldn’t have done that and I’m sorry,” he apologized, his hand coming to grasp her own and rest on her thigh.
“I forgive you,” she smiled, squeezing his hand before she smirked. “But I won’t forgive you if I find you up without your crutches again.”
Chris nodded, assuring her, “I know you won’t.”
“Last time you were hurt you were on your own and I’m sure you did fine taking care of yourself,” Sam began delicately, pausing as she gathered her thoughts. “But this time you don’t have to. I want to help you because I love you, Chris. Not because I think you aren’t capable.”
“I love you too, baby,” he whispered, leaning over and pressing his lips to hers softly. “And I really am sorry for what I said. I promise I’ll do better at asking for help.”
“You better, because you suck at it right now,” Sam chuckled, biting her lip as she watched him laugh.
“Well I mean if you want me to ask for help, I can certainly think of some things I could use your help with,” Chris smirked as he arched an eyebrow and turned his head to look at her.
But she patted his firm chest, feeling the ring-less chain that rested underneath his shirt as she told him, “Sorry buddy but you’re not getting in my pants after that outburst.”
“You said you forgave me though, and that you wanted to help me,” Chris laughed, shrugging innocently. “I am just practicing asking for help.”
“Well you can ask all you want but it doesn’t mean I’m giving it to you,” she drawled, kicking off her slippers as she tucked her feet under herself and settled against the fluffy cushions of the sectional. “Besides, I can’t take advantage of you while you’re on painkillers.”
Sam smiled widely when she heard his loud laughter echo before he leaned in to kiss her softly before they settled in on the couch, curling into one another as they turned on a show. She found her mind drifting as they watched the screen, Sam focusing more on the intense love that was settled in her heart. Sam was no stranger to conflict, having gone through more of her fair share of it in life, but with Chris it was so much different. She knew that no matter what they went through, how angry they got, or what harsh words they said to one another, at the end of the day they’d always end up like this, fully connected and still in love no matter what.
A/N: We love Chris and Sammy so much! If you guys want to see anything specifically from them, let us know and we'll take it into consideration!
Summary: Although they grew up in the same small town, Chris and Sam had both gone their separate ways a long time ago. Chris moved up to become a MLB star, one of the best in the business, while Sam stayed stuck in the same small town. But when multiple injuries ended the Red Sox prodigy’s career, he winds up back in the same small town he swore he’d never be back to. The past may not stay in the past any longer, as old wounds begin to creep back up.
Pairing: MLB!Chris Evans X OFC Samantha “Sam” Merrick
Word Count: 5,407
By: @k-evans-writes and @ourfinest-hour
We do NOT give permission for our works to be reuploaded, translated, or reposted on any other site. Our work is our own.
Warnings: None!
Previous | Main Masterlist | On Deck Masterlist
Sam found her eyes glued to the field from where she sat, knees up against the half wall in front of her as she peered out. She couldn’t help but smile as she heard them announce over the loudspeaker, “And throwing out the first pitch is former Red Sox shortstop, number fifty, Chris Evans.” She felt Riley nudge her from where he sat next to her as they saw Chris come out onto the field, waving at all the clapping fans in the stand.
It felt almost surreal to see him down on the field, but what followed after solidified that feeling inside of her. Sam’s eyes were glued to him as he threw out the first pitch, a perfect strike, and she expected everyone to clap again as he walked off the field, but that wasn’t what happened. Chris did, in fact, start to walk off the pitchers mound with one more wave to the crowd but she watched him stopping in his tracks as the cheers in the stadium almost became deafening while everyone rose to their feet to clap for the former beloved shortstop that had helped lead the Red Sox to quite a few victories in his time on the team.
Sam knew that he was good, he had to be to join one of the most successful baseball teams, but actually seeing what this was like blew her away. She had always been in the bubble of their hometown, first knowing Chris as an innocent young child then as a stuck up teenager. But after graduation he was gone out of her life, going to make a career out of his skill. Sure she heard about him all the time around town, Chris Evans being the biggest and only successful export their town had seen, but having him come back to town injured and big headed as ever had prevented Sam from seeing this part of his life.
Even having been with him for so many months now, it was hard for her to envision him out on the field when they’d watch the games on television. He was her Chris. The guy who snored annoyingly loud in her ear and burned every grilled cheese sandwich he tried to make. He was the guy who had learned to be so patient with her, supporting her when she needed it most. He was the guy who was grumpy when he had to wake up early, groaning as he rolled out of bed, and tried to pull every loose strand of hair out of her bun.
But she hadn’t gotten to see this guy. This guy whose name was on the back of millions of peoples jerseys. The guy who people waited and hoped to get an autograph from, whispering to each other excitedly. The guy they cheered for and shouted his name. This part of Chris’ life was one that she hadn’t been part of before and getting to see it with her own eyes was almost overwhelming and couldn’t help but fill her with a sense of pride. She kept watching as the Red Sox team came out to meet Chris, walking their former teammate back to their dugout while the nearly thirty thousand fans who filled Fenway Park cheered at the top of their lungs.
“Hey Sam, do you want anything?” She heard Riley’s voice break her out of her thoughts.
Sam furrowed her brows, turning her head and tearing her eyes off of Chris’ form as he bounced down the steps of the dugout and disappeared into the sea of jerseys. “Hmm, what?”
“I said, do you want anything? I’m going to go to the bathroom and I was going to grab a hot dog,” Riley repeated from where he stood next to Sam’s chair.
She just shook her head, so many thoughts and feelings swirling in her brain before she told him, “No thanks, I’m fine. Do you need money?”
She watched as he shook his head, holding his small wallet up over his shoulder as he headed out of the suite towards the main concourse. Selfishly, she was almost thankful for the moment alone as Riley headed out, letting her churn through all of her emotions. Sam almost couldn’t believe just how much her life had turned completely upside down. In January she had been living her normal life, working another back breaking day at the diner, trying to scrape up enough money for Riley’s new clothes and their rent, and now in the hot August sun, here she was, sitting in the stands of Fenway Park watching a whole stadium cheer for the man she loved with her entire heart. Sam still felt like any moment she was going to wake up and none of this would be real, but she was reminded it wasn’t a dream when an arm slid around her and a familiar pair of lips pressed against her cheek.
His low voice practically shook her from the inside out as he murmured, “Hi baby.”
She turned to look at him, a bright smile on her face. Sam watched the way he pulled his Red Sox hat off his head, fluffing his hair before placing the hat back down with a sheepish wry smile on his face. “You got quite the reception out there,” she began before a smirk spread across her lips. “I’m wondering if we’ll all be able to fit in the car with you and your big head after what just happened.”
Chris shrugged, settling next to her in the stadium seats, eyes moving over the field as the players began filing onto the diamond. “Honestly, it surprised the hell out of me,” he admitted.
Sam frowned slightly at his words, confusion flooding her. As she watched him carefully, waiting for him to explain the reason for the shock, she mentioned, “That doesn’t sound like my bigshot.”
He sighed, shrugging as he kicked a leg forward, nodding down at it and admitting, “Well thanks to this bum knee and all the surgeries I had, your bigshot has gotten knocked down a few pegs.”
Sam carefully angled her body towards him, leaning her head on her hand and watching him, cataloging every action and emotion on him. “That’s not what you were saying when you first were back in Connecticut,” she quietly noted.
She watched the way the twinkle in Chris’ eyes danced while he laughed, knowing that it was true, before giving her a soft smirk as he admitted, “Well a certain girl has changed me a lot. She helped bring my head back down to a normal size.”
Sam couldn’t help but smile at the words, reaching out for his hand and squeezing it gently as she felt a blush appear on her cheeks. “I’m glad about that because I like this head a lot,” she confessed to him.
“I mean it though Sammy,” Chris insisted, sitting up a bit more as he gave one last look out at the game, at the crack of the bat as it connected with a pitch and the crowd’s roar, before he met Sam’s brown eyes. “Being out there made me realize just how different it was.”
She furrowed her brows in confusion, lips pursed at the words, not understanding the weight behind them. “What do you mean?”
“A few years ago, being out there and hearing everyone cheering for me would have been the highlight for me. That would have filled me up… made me feel like I meant something. But that feeling always went away the moment I got off the field. I had to perform to a certain level to get that back again,” he spoke, gesturing vaguely at the game in front of them before he paused and shrugged. “But it’s not like that now.”
“Because of your injury?”
“Because as fun as it is to experience all of that out there, I know that what I get to experience everyday with you is so much better,” he confessed, the words causing Sam’s eyes to burn with tears and a lump to settle in her throat. “I mean that Sammy. You showed me who I was again, and getting to live life with you is the best feeling I’ve ever had.”
The emotions that already were bubbling inside of her burst out as tears slid down her cheeks. Sam realized in that moment that as much as he had turned her world around, she had done the same for him. They truly were the perfect team and Sam couldn’t help but wrap her arms around his neck, pulling her body up against his while she clung to him, her emotional voice choking out, “I love you, Chris.”
“I love you too, Sammy,” he breathed, pressing kisses to her cheek.
When she let go of him to slide back into her own seat, Chris reached out to rest each of his big hands on the sides of her face, his thumbs swiping away the tears before he leaned in to plant a sweet kiss on her lips. She just relished in the moment until his hands let go of her and Sam wiped away the last bits of wetness on her cheeks as she admitted, “I was actually just thinking how proud of you I am seeing you out on that field.”
“Hey, hey, wait a minute. I thought you were supposed to be the one to tell me I’m an asshole and make sure my head doesn’t get too big," she saw that amused smirk on his lips while gently nudging her with his elbow.
“I think you’re aware of it enough now," Sam gave him a look before her eyes softened, “I’m serious though. Seeing you out there was kind of… unreal.”
“Seeing you with this straight hair is unreal,” Chris smirked, reaching out to run a hand through her hair before purposely messing up the top.
“Stop or I will call you an asshole again!” A laugh poured out of her lips while she reached up to smack his hand away before running her own hand through her hair to smooth it back down. “I had to look a little nicer than normal, I’m wearing the jersey of the Red Sox best former player.”
“Wait, I thought you were wearing mine?” He couldn’t help but keep up their banter, only making Sam laugh again.
“Shut up, I’m being serious," she said through her giggles. But Sam was determined to say this to him and reached out, resting a hand on his firm arm as she looked up into those beautiful blue eyes of his, “I’m really proud of you Chris. And I’m even more proud of you for how hard you’re working to come back and be able to play again.”
“Thank you Sammy,” his voice was low as he ducked his head, letting the words sink in before lifting his face back up to meet hers, “You know that means the world to me. What you think of me means more than anything else.”
“Well you’re doing pretty good in my book.”
For about the millionth time that day, she saw his playful smirk appear yet again as his left eyebrow shot up, “Only pretty good? Well then maybe now is a good time to tell you I was planning on taking you and Riley out to dinner at a small place Hank told me about.”
“That just solidified your status as number one," Sam declared, reaching out to grab her half finished beer bottle in the cup holder in front of her and took a sip.
“I thought it might.”
They settled in to watch the game just as Riley returned, holding a hot dog in each hand with a huge grin on his face. With a small chuckle from Chris, Sam watched as he reached out to take – what was apparently his – hot dog from Riley with a small smirk on her face, but soon all she could focus on was the laughs from the teenager next to her as he and Chris talked about every aspect of the game, from the walk-up songs to the strategy, to stories about Chris’ teammates.
She could have sat there all day just listening to the pair talking but soon enough, the game had ended, dinner had been enjoyed at the small Mom and Pop restaurant, and they’d made their way home, ice cream in hand, ready for a night spent on the couch watching movies together.
As the elevator opened with a near-silence, Riley stepped out into the penthouse, kicking his shoes off in the makeshift-mudroom. Sam couldn’t help but remember the way his eyes widened dramatically when they first got to Boston yesterday, the shocked curse words that fell from his lips – ones she couldn’t even be mad about since Chris reminded that they were nearly identical to the ones she’d said during their first trip to Boston. “I still can’t believe you actually live here,” the teenager muttered in disbelief, his eyes glued to the window-covered walls, taking in the wide views of the Boston skyline.
Chris laughed sharply with a shake of his head, squeezing Sam’s hip as he moved past her and turned to enter the oversized kitchen. “Well technically so do you now that we all live together,” he called, a smirk nearly audible in his tone as he placed the bag of Ben and Jerry’s on the counter before getting bowls and spoons out.
Riley turned around at Sam’s laugh, following both Sam and Chris into the kitchen. As Sam scooped his favorite peanut butter cup flavored ice cream into the bowl, she and Chris bumped hips with small smirks, but their attention shifted as the teenager sat down at the island with a sigh. “I thought my room at your apartment back home was really nice but this place makes it look like a dump,” he laughed, pausing and thanking Sam before he took the bowl from her. “I hope the new house you buy back home has a spot for a huge tv like this one.”
“I hope it has an incredible shower like the one here,” she laughed back, thinking of the way she’d dreamt about that damn shower every day since their last trip and this one, the thought lingering in her mind throughout their house search as well.
She and Chris had decided it was time to start looking for a home in Connecticut, somewhere they could spread out beyond the walls of the two-bedroom apartment they currently shared, but also somewhere that’d serve as an escape in the offseasons for Chris. And while this was something they were taking their time with, knowing they were in no rush, it was also a position Sam never thought she’d be in, buying her first home…. With a multi-million dollar budget.
As she abandoned the bowl and just stuck a spoon into her pint of Chunky Monkey, Chris’ low voice murmured, “Baby, you do know that whatever house we buy, we can renovate it and put in any shower you want.”
“Oh…yeah I guess that’s true,” she shrugged, her lips pursed before a smile appeared. “Okay well I want a shower like this one.”
Chris headed over to the freezer to put his and Riley’s pints away, then followed the siblings towards the sectional, flopping onto it with a sigh that broke into a smile as Sam cuddled up to his side. He tossed Riley the remote with a nod, watching as the teenager opened Netflix and scrolled through the options quietly until the boy finally said, “I can’t believe you guys haven’t found a house yet. After seeing this penthouse I think Chris could buy any fuckin’ house he wants in town.”
Chris’ chest rumbled against Sam’s back as he laughed, his spoon rattling as he placed it in the bowl. “I actually was thinking about that,” he quietly agreed, Sam turning in surprise to look at him.
“What? That you’re a pretentious bigshot who can buy whatever the hell he wants?” She laughed, and she only laughed harder at Riley’s snort.
Chris rolled his eyes, huffing out a sigh of frustration. “Shut the fuck up, you know that’s not what I meant,” he muttered, but the small flicker of a smile gave him away. “I was meaning that I was thinking about where to buy a house but after that comment, maybe I don’t want you living with me anymore.”
Sam narrowed her eyes as she listened to him, but still couldn’t understand what he had been thinking about. “Well you’re stuck with me now so you might as well tell me,” she replied.
“I was thinking that maybe we don’t buy something in town. Maybe we move closer to the ocean so we can have a nice view, get something a little bigger and more what we want,” Chris shrugged with pursed lips, a hand in midair. “I mean, it’d only be about twenty minutes out of town and after Riley graduates this next year it won’t even matter where we live.”
“I guess that’s true…” Sam trailed off, her brows furrowed as she took in his words. She had to admit… it made a lot of sense for them. They’d be able to keep Riley’s school address the same thanks to Susan still living in the right zone. “I have always liked all those houses we drive by when we go out to the ocean.”
Chris nodded excitedly, sitting up a little and causing Sam to slide farther down his chest. “My mom always talks about moving a little farther out too so maybe we can even look for some property so we could have a place for her,” he shrugged, and Sam knew by the look in his eyes that this idea – no matter how much he’d tried to play it off as half-formed – meant a lot to him.
But the wry voice of Sam’s younger brother cut in as he told them, “You better not forget about me!”
Chris tilted his head back, laughing loudly at Riley’s interruption. “Don’t worry, we won’t. But soon you’re going to be ditching us and living it up at college anyway,” he chuckled as he reminded him.
Sam sat up, her eyes moving over the random preview that’d been playing on the screen for the last two minutes before they landed on Riley, asking him, “Hey, speaking of that, did any of the colleges we looked at yesterday stand out to you?”
“I thought all of them seemed really good. I kind of liked Boston College though,” he shrugged unsurely, almost a little insecure as he looked away from their eyes. “It seemed like that might be a good fit for me.”
But she leaned forward, determined for him to meet her eyes. Once he did, she gave him a reassuring look and squeezed his ankle comfortingly, agreeing, “I think it does too, but you have plenty of time to think it over.”
The peaceful silence didn’t last long, but as the opening credits of a random comedy began to play, Chris sighed dramatically, his tone sarcastically over-the-top as he rhetorically asked, “I’ll be sending one off to college in a few weeks and one next fall, where did all the time go?”
Sam rolled her eyes as she kept her gaze on the movie, but not her attention. She lightly shoved Chris’ shoulder away from her with a smirk, reminding him, “You’re not sending me anywhere you dweeb.”
Chris’ laughter drowned out the lines of the movie, and Sam found herself grateful that Riley had the forethought to turn on the closed captions. But soon she was distracted as her younger brother asked, “Sam, are you doing all of your Gen ed online?”
“Yeah, I can do more of them at once that way so my first semester will be all online,” she nodded. It was something that provided her and Chris the flexibility they knew they needed, especially as Chris got his schedule for the fall and saw he’d be spending more time in Boston than he expected with some training for his upcoming season of broadcasting. She’d be able to stay home, taking some self-paced classes along with some virtual meeting classes, letting her be in both Connecticut with Riley and Boston with Chris, whenever she needed – or wanted – to.
“Have you given more thought to what you might want to do?” Chris murmured, his voice low and tentative. “I mean, I know you have time but I’m just curious.”
Sam bit her lip, shifting uncomfortably. It was something she’d been giving a lot of thought to, which is something that certainly had changed a lot in the past few weeks. She’d looked at everything from social work to teaching to business, and finally something had felt right. “Actually… I have a little bit,” she confessed to them.
“Really? What are you thinking, baby?” Chris asked, his eyes widening at her words. Out of the corner of her eyes, she saw Riley straighten as well, his face surprised.
“Well… I don’t know…. I’m not sure if I’d like it or even be good at it…” she trailed off, trying to have the confidence to even say it. “But I was kind of thinking about maybe something in physical therapy.”
Chris and Riley were each quiet, almost for too long until Riley quietly repeated, “Physical therapy?”
“Yeah, like I said, I’m not sure. It was just something I was kind of kicking around with helping you a lot lately with all your stretches and I, well I guess I really like it. But I’m not sure, it’s just a thought I had,” Sam explained, motioning to Chris with an unsure shrug.
Her heart was pounding in her chest, unsure if their reactions should mean that this idea wasn’t good, that she should abandon it already while she was ahead, but all her fears were squashed when the man next to her quietly murmured, “Baby, you’d be so fuckin’ good at that.”
She could see Riley nodding with a grin on her other side, but their reactions did nothing to ease the anxiety inside of her. “I don’t know,” she admitted with a sigh. “I’ve only ever been a waitress before so I have no idea what I’d be good at doing, other than that.”
“Trust me, I’ve had enough physical therapists to know if you’d be good or not and you’d be so fuckin’ good,” Chris reassured her, his hand squeezing her thigh. “You’re so patient and understanding but you also don’t let people get away with any shit and you call them on it which is what you have to be able to do.”
“I think I might look into it more then," her voice was soft as she let her fingers play with the gold pendant that hung around his neck.
“You should,” Chris encouraged her, giving her a gentle squeeze, “But I know whatever you choose to do, you’ll be great at it.”
And if anyone else had said those words to her, Sam would have rolled her eyes, knowing it was just an encouraging line with nothing meaningful behind it, but that’s not what she felt right now. When she tilted her chin up to look into Chris’ eyes, she saw nothing but truth and love shining in them before he kissed her forehead and settled in to watch the movie. But Sam couldn’t seem to focus on what was playing.
Her brain kept going back to those emotions that seemed so close to the surface today. Sam had never felt as if she was anyone important. Just another person in the world, working a job and fading into the background. She felt like she had never stood out in any way, not excelling at one thing more than another, just kind of… existing. She hadn’t ever been chosen by anyone for much of anything, not her parents, not a boss, not anyone really. Sure she had Riley, and she knew he loved her, but they were siblings, making the relationship a little different.
Sam realized though that somehow, Chris didn’t seem to view her that way at all. Here stood this man that could have his pick of women, but yet he chose her. He saw something special in her that she couldn’t seem to see herself. Sam couldn’t believe how fully he loved her, in a way she hadn’t ever felt before and continued to choose to stand by her and support her in every sense of the word. She had never felt a love like this that was so honest and real, and Sam knew right then and there that she never wanted to let go of it. She wanted him forever.
She couldn’t focus on one thing that happened in the movie that was playing, Sam just stared at the screen thinking as Chris and Riley laughed. She was so far in her own world that she hadn’t even realized when the movie ended. She didn’t say much when Riley got up, saying goodnight before heading to his room while Sam mindlessly followed Chris into their own bedroom.
“Baby, are you okay?” She felt his hand rub her shoulder as Chris came up behind her after having closed the door to their room.
“Hmm?” Sam asked, shaking her head momentarily while giving him a weak smile,“Oh yeah, I’m fine. Why?”
She watched the way he studied her face for a moment, squeezing her shoulder yet again as he pursued it, “You just didn’t seem like you were into the movie.”
“I’m fine, really. Go enjoy your shower, okay?”
She saw the inquisitive look he gave her, eyeing her with a raised eyebrow for a long moment before finally giving in. Sam listened as he turned the shower on and climbed in before she silently changed out of her clothes, throwing on one of Chris’ old tee shirts and climbing into bed. She just stared at the wall, all those thoughts still churning while she listened to the muffled sounds of Chris’ routine in the bathroom before he finally came out, quietly turning off the lights and climbing into bed. Sam figured he must have sensed she still wasn’t quite herself with the way he looked at her but chose not to push it, just pressing a soft kiss to her cheek before laying his head down on his own pillow.
The bedroom was silent, save for the white noise provided by the air conditioner and the sound of Riley taking a shower in his bathroom down the hall, but all Sam could focus on was the thoughts echoing through her mind and the sound of Chris breathing, knowing he hadn’t fallen asleep yet. She shifted, rolling her shoulder against the impossibly comfortable mattress, barely able to make out Chris’ form in the dark. He didn’t react, but Sam was almost thankful for that, as it put no pressure on her to do anything. But knowing she couldn’t keep these thoughts in her mind without at least testing the waters – and also being entirely too curious as to where he thought they’d be, even years down the line – she tentatively, with a shaking voice, asked, “Chris?”
He cleared his throat and moved his head against the pillow to look in her general direction. She could see the way his eyes narrowed by how his lashes moved, likely so he could see her better in the deep darkness. “Yeah baby?” He asked with a rough voice, telling her that he’d been closer to sleep than she’d realized.
Sam’s hand anxiously tapped her leg underneath the covers, her shoulders shrugging slightly as they dragged the smooth sheet with her. “I was kind of thinking….”
“About what?” Chris asked, rolling to his other side slightly as he did so.
Her eyes followed his form, thankful when he turned his lamp onto the dimmest light setting. Instantly, she watched the way the muscles in his back moved with him, rippling as he ran a hand through his hair before he rolled back over to face her, a concerned expression on her face that told her he was listening. “About… well… I guess, um, I was kind of thinking just about us,” she shrugged, blushing sheepishly. She sat up in bed, dragging the duvet up with her and wrapping it around herself comfortingly. “You know just how with me going back to school and looking for a house and stuff and I guess it made me kind of just think about the future.”
Chris sighed as he listened to her, his left hand moving under the sheets to rest on her thigh. “Baby, just tell me what’s on your mind,” he instructed her slowly, his bright blue eyes locked on her face.
“Do you ever want…” Sam struggled to spit the words out, her eyes darting anywhere but his while she ran a hand through her hair before she finally blurted out the ending to her question, “...to get married?”
“Only if it’s to you,” He simply stated back so quickly that Sam rolled her eyes, assuming he must have meant it in a jovial way.
Sam clutched the duvet around her frame a little tighter, emotional vulnerability still being something she was learning how to handle, and she told Chris, “I’m being serious.”
“So am I.” That mischievous glint that was in his eyes whenever he joked around with her was completely missing. She could see the firmness in his face when he spoke, a hand resting on his bare chest while gazing over at her, “I don’t think I’ve made it a secret that I’m planning on marrying you one day, as long as you want that.”
“Yeah…”
“I thought that you weren’t really interested in getting married so I hadn’t said anymore about it.” She watched him vaguely gesture in the air before bringing his hand out to rub along her arm comfortingly. Sam was captivated by the softness in his eyes as she listened to him go on, “Honestly baby, whatever you want is fine with me. As long as I get to be with you, I'm happy. I don’t care about rings or having kids or any of that shit. I just want you. That’s the only thing I want and I don’t care what happens about the rest.”
“Growing up I just never saw any relationships that worked,” Sam was finding it easier and easier to open up over time, wanting to choose to open up even farther to help them become closer. She tucked a piece of dark hair behind her ear while telling, “My dad left us, my mom had a revolving door of shitty boyfriends and nobody stuck around me longer than a couple months. I never thought that relationships could be… well, like this.”
He gave her a wry smile, the corners of his lips perking up as he looked at her through his impossibly long eyelashes, shrugging as he agreed, “What we have is pretty special, baby.”
“I know it is,” Sam sighed, biting her lower lip before she slid down the headboard slightly, her eyes on the artwork and random pieces of clutter around the room before they landed back on Chris. “I just love you Chris. Sometimes it scares the shit out of me just how much but I love you more than anything and I guess I just want you to know that I want to marry you sometime.”
He smiled again, a laugh escaping him as he sighed and rolled onto his back. He kept his head turned towards her and raised a single eyebrow as he asked, “Okay, are you free tomorrow?”
Sam scoffed, rolling her eyes. While she would never not appreciate his lighthearted view when she was close to spiraling, she found the proposal a bit out of touch. “You know what I mean,” she murmured, her hand moving to comb through the now-dry mop of hair on his head.
“I do, Sammy,” Chris whispered, a hand moving to grab her wrist, stilling her motion and forcing her to focus solely on his words. “I know exactly what you mean and I can’t tell you how much it means to me. And I promise you that we’re going to be together, always.”
