A/N: January 1: Today is the first day of the rest of their life. A character's just been given a second chance to get things right. How do they feel about this new beginning? (200 words)

Christian awoke in a cold sweat from the nightmare and sat straight up in bed.

"Baby, are you okay?"

The voice in the darkness cut him right to his core and he gasped a little as her warm hands snaked around his waist.

"Kimber?" He asked softly. No, it couldn't be. Kimber was gone. Kimber had taken her own life months ago... or had she?

"Who else would it be?" There was an accusatory sharpness to her tone.

"No... No, this... this isn't right. I'm still dreaming," Christian insisted, pulling away from her and quickly standing away from his bed.

"What has gotten into you, Christian?" Kimber asked him again. She reached over and turned on the light on the bedside table, illuminating the room.

Christian thought she looked like an angel with the white bedsheets pulled up around her naked body and the soft glow of the light outlining her petite frame. He was breathing heavily now, trying to make sense of it all. They had been married and everything had crumbled just like it always did with the two of them. He'd pushed and pushed and she'd finally broken. They'd destroyed each other until there was nothing left and Kimber was nothing more than a ghost haunting his daydreams and nightmares.

"You're not real," He told her softly, shaking his head and she rolled her eyes at him like she always did.

"I don't know what your deal is, Christian, but I'm right here," She said to him. She got up, pulling the bedsheets with her. They trailed on the floor behind her like the train of a gown. She crossed the room and went over to him, standing right in front of him.

He reached out to touch her shoulder and much to his surprise, he could feel her. She was so warm, so real. How could he trust it though? How had it happened? Had everything been a dream? He had to know. "Kimber, I need you to hurt me," He said to her.

"No. I already told you, we're not doing that again, Christian," Kimber told him firmly and she took a step back from him. "If you want to choke yourself, you-"

"No. Jesus, not that," Christian was quick to dismiss. "Just pinch me, kick me, slap me... something... anything. I just need to know that I'm not still dreaming," He practically begged her.

Kimber looked uncertain about that, but without needing to be told twice, she reared back and slapped him across the face.

"What the hell?!" He demanded. His cheek was already throbbing and he wondered if she'd left a hand print.

"What? You told me to slap you!" Kimber defended.

"I didn't say in the face! Jesus Christ!" He snapped, but it began to sink in that it hurt. This wasn't a dream. She was real and he had another chance to make things right. He couldn't lose her again. "I'm sorry," He apologized. "You're right. I told you to," He said to her.

"Are you sure you're okay?" Kimber asked him and she didn't mean his face.

"Yeah. Yeah, I think I am," He assured her. He reached out and pulled her close to him. "I just... I had a dream you weren't here," He admitted.

"Baby," She soothed. "You know I'm not going anywhere," She promised and she let the sheet fall as she put her arms around him to pull him into a kiss.

Christian didn't know how, but he'd lucked into another chance with her. He wasn't going to be such an asshole this time around. If she really wanted to have another kid, they'd figure it out. Anything to keep her from jumping off that yacht.