A/N: Thanks to everyone who reviewed, I'm glad you all enjoyed it. Here you go Luanne =-P

Disclaimer: Don't own anyone or anything. I heard Chris and Stephanie like to belong to each other. Hear they got nice kids too.

Chapter 3

Every now and then her vision would flicker and she'd think for a moment that this was it, this was when her vision would come back to her. That she'd just needed a smack on her head to connect the nerves that were broken and the light would pour in and she wouldn't see shadows anymore. She'd see what she was missing and she'd live like it was her last day and take everything in, especially Chris's face. But, the flicker in her vision only darkened what she could see and she was scared that one day she'd wake up and just see the dark. Like she'd closed her eyes one night and never be able to open them again.

She was never scared of the dark, but with each flicker she got, the fear grew.

But dwelling on it didn't help, it was pointless – she was blind, she lived with it, adapted. Plus, it's not like she didn't have anything to look forward too. It was Thursday, and Chris was taking her out tonight.

She was nervous, she'd admit that. The last time she was on a date was when she was nineteen and in college. His name was Jared and the date was horrible, it lasted a whole thirty minutes before she demanded him to take her home. He'd taken her to Taco Bell and then spilt his cheese taco all over her, he'd laughed but she hadn't found it funny. Neither did he when the date ended abruptly.

She liked to think with Chris, it wouldn't have to end so fast, in fact she hoped it didn't have to end at all.

There was a knock on her door and she already knew it was her mother. "Come on in mom," she called out with a smile. She heard the door open and then the scurry of feet as Izzie padded across the room to greet her mother.

"Are you ready for tonight?" Linda asked her, while petting Izzie.

"Yeah," Stephanie replied, but her voice was hesitant. "I-I look okay don't I mom?"

She was wearing jeans and a simple cream cotton v-neck sweater. Chris had told her there was no need to dress up, in fact she should dress warm, but she didn't want to look plain. She'd never really had to worry about looking pretty before, but she couldn't help but want to for Chris.

"You look lovely sweetheart." Linda assured her, smiling at her daughters nerves. The one thing Stephanie could never understand was that she had a natural beauty and no matter what she wore she always looked perfect.

"Is my hair okay?" Stephanie asked, reaching up to run her hand over it one more time. Her hair was in a high ponytail and the natural waviness of her hair made it stand out a little bit more. "Should I leave it down?"

"It looks beautiful."

"Are you sure? I don't want to look silly mom."

"You won't sweetheart, Chris won't think so either."

"I hope not." Stephanie whispered more to herself, than to her mom. She felt Izzie rest her head on her lap and she smiled as she slide her hand along her bed and up onto her thigh until she felt Izzie's head. She ran her hand over Izzie a few times and she felt herself relax somewhat and she had to chuckle a little, trust Izzie to know how to keep her sane.

Then the doorbell rang and her breath caught.

"Mom, I'm not ready for this!"

Linda laughed and made her way over to Stephanie to sit next to her. She took her hand in her own and brought it up to her mouth and kissed her daughters hand. "Sweetie, if you think you're nervous imagine how Chris feels right now, your father is the one who answered the door."

"We have to get down there." Stephanie exclaimed while standing and reaching for Izzie.

Chris for his part was more nervous about the actual date with Stephanie than facing Vince, which was a feat amongst itself since Vince was a force to be reckoned with.

"So, you asked my daughter out?" Vince questioned.

"I hope so, or I'm at the wrong house." Chris attempted to joke, but Vince failed to laugh.

"Why did you ask her out?"

"Because I like her and have wanted to for a while?"

"Don't think this will get you a longer title reign." Vince warned with narrowed eyes.

"I didn't ask Stephanie out on a date to move up in the company Vince. If I'm honest I've admired your daughter for a while," he told Vince with a sigh. "I just never knew how to approach her." he commented with a slight laugh. "Trust Stephanie to talk to me first."

"Would you have talked to her if she hadn't?" Vince asked curiously.

"Eventually, I think." Chris answered honestly. "I just think I'm out of her league, so her actually saying yes to going somewhere with me, sort of blew me away."

Vince had more questions to ask, but Chris had turned away from him and looked towards the stairs and Vince followed his gaze and a second later Stephanie appeared, with Izzie and Linda with her. He saw the smile cover Chris's face and he decided then, maybe Chris was a good thing in Stephanie's life.

"Chris?" Stephanie asked as she and Linda reached the bottom step.

"I'm here," Chris answered moving forward, taking her hand in his own. "You look beautiful." He commented and watched as Stephanie's cheeks tinted red. He brushed his thumb back and forth across the back of her hand and he felt her relax at the contact. "Shall we go?"

"Please."

"Have a good time Stephanie." Linda told her hugging her daughter. "You too, Chris."

"Keep her safe." Vince warned as he watched all three of them walk out the door.

They'd been driving for over an hour and the conversation flowed easily between them. They had each taken turns asking each other questions: Chris had found out Stephanie loved classic poetry when she was younger, but found it impossible to find her favourite poems on audio books, but had confessed it wasn't the same even if they were because she liked the smell of the books, it gave their age, and hinted at the history of them. Stephanie had found out that Chris wrote short stories for his hometown paper and learned he'd taken journalism when he was in college. He'd wanted to continue it, but wrestling had called to him, so instead of being a full time journalist he had taken to writing prose for the paper and found he like it. Stephanie had asked him if he would read some to her one time and Chris had told her he'd bring some on Monday. She couldn't wait.

"Where are we going?"

"We have to stop at one shop, then I thought we could take a walk if that's okay with you and Izzie." Chris informed her.

"Izzie loves to walk, I just follow." Stephanie joked.

"Will you follow me?"

"Anywhere." Stephanie promised.

"I'll hold you to that." Chris vowed, reaching over and entwining his fingers with Stephanie's.

Chris had parked the car and helped Stephanie out twenty minutes later. They'd stopped at the shop Chris had wanted to go to, and from there they'd just walked. Chris's hand hadn't left Stephanie's since they'd stepped foot out of the shop and Izzie kept them at a decent pace.

"I like holding your hand." Chris commented.

"You do?"

"It makes this real, if I'm holding onto you then I can't be dreaming."

"Then I like holding your hand as well."

"There's a seat up here, do you mind if we stop?"

"On one condition." Stephanie told him.

"And that would be?" Chris wondered.

"Paint our surrounding's so I can imagine it?" Stephanie asked hopefully.

"Of course." Chris agreed leading her towards the seat. "What do you want to know?"

"Is it busy?"

"No, it quiet. There's just you, me and Izzie, a man jogging towards us and a couple sitting on the grass over to your left. They look happy."

"What's the sky like?"

"Cloudy, you can't see the stars tonight. They're hiding. The trees are bare, the leaves must have fallen off a few weeks ago. It's just branches. There's no flowers in the ground, there's just grass and it's as green as grass can be." Chris explained, pulling Stephanie closer to him. "There's birds in the sky, they're flying low, their wings are long and they just look like they're floating. There's a slight breeze and it's making the branches sway."

"I can almost see it." Stephanie whispered.

"That's not the best part though." Chris whispered, moving closer. "The breeze is making you hair fly out behind you and all I can smell is the shampoo you use. Strawberry," he commented taking a breath. "I think you're the most beautiful thing I've ever seen."

Stephanie heaved a breath at his words and pulled her hand from his and moved it up to his face, where she traced her fingers across it, trying to memorize it.

"I'm going to kiss you now." Chris whispered, before leaning in slowly so Stephanie wasn't startled. Their lips found each other and Chris felt Stephanie's hands grip onto the front of his jacket and pull him closer. He moved one of his hands up from her hip and snaked it around her waist, trying to bring her closer to him. They kissed for few moments more and then pulled away, but Chris had to have one more taste and leaned in and stole a parting kiss.

"I think you made me see stars." Stephanie whispered.

"Well you're seeing more stars than I am tonight." Chris commented with a light laugh looking up to the clouds that hid them tonight. "I have something for you though."

"What is it?" Stephanie wondered.

Chris reached into his jacket and pulled out a book and placed it in Stephanie's hands. "Emily Dickinson."

Stephanie smiled and it lit up her whole face. "My favourite."

"I know it's not like reading it yourself, but it's not an audio book, so I thought I could read it to you."

"I'd love that.."

"What one?"

"Chapter three: There Came a Day at Summer's Full.'"

It took Chris a moment to flip to the correct page, but when he did he smiled as he felt Stephanie lay her head on his chest. He wrapped his free arm around her shoulders. "Comfy?" he asked, kissing the top of her head.

"I can smell the book," she told him, breathing in while patting Izzie who lay at their feet. "It brings back memories I thought I'd forgotten."

"Are you ready to make one more?"

"Yes," she smiled. "Read to me."

So he did.

"There came a day at summer's full

Entirely for me;

I thought that such were for the saints,

Where revelations be.

The sun, as common, went abroad,

The flowers, accustomed, blew,

As if no sail the solstice passed

That maketh all things new.

The time was scarce profaned by speech;

The symbol of a word

Was needless, as at sacrament…"

Today was a memory that would last, it was so clear in her mind she could almost see it.