A/N: Sorry about no updating in forever. Are any of you still reading this?
Disclaimer: Don't own anyone or anything.
Chapter 8
It was pretty silent, and Stephanie felt like she'd lost another sense other than her eyesight. Her hand gripped Chris's and he rubbed his thumb across her hand in a soothing manor. Chris himself was looking at Jay, daring him to say something out of turn, but from the looks of things Trish had warned him and that kept the other man pretty mute. He'd noted Trish open her mouth to speak and then close it just as fast, not sure what to say. Was a simple hello, unheard of these days?
He was, eventually, going to speak up, but he was still slightly annoyed at Jay and his earlier remarks, so seeing him in the awkward situation he was in, was ever-so-slightly amusing. He just didn't get people, including the two that sat opposite him and Stephanie, they'd worked here for years and they'd seen her about, sitting by herself, doing normal everyday thing and they'd never taken the time out of their day to even say 'hi' to her. It was a two letter word, it was hardly the most complicated word in the world to say. Well, okay it hadn't exactly been easy for Chris to say, but it wasn't because he thought her broken, he just had to gain a little courage. And he had, after she'd spoken to him first, but that wasn't the point, the point was he had replied. He hated to think that Stephanie had said a greeting in passing and have that person just walk on by ignoring her. He hated to think it, but he suspected it to be true. He'd said 'hi', why couldn't everyone else?
"Okay," Stephanie spoke up, breaking the silence. "I know I may be blind, I didn't know you all were mute." She joked.
Jay and Trish looked stricken, not having expected Stephanie to be so blasé. Their wide eyes turned to Chris who was laughing and they realized that Stephanie had made a joke and Trish felt a smile touch her lips. "I'm sorry Stephanie," Trish began finally gaining her voice as she stood. "We're being rude. It's nice to meet you." She finished reaching out and taking Stephanie's hand in her own and shaking it.
"And you." Stephanie replied, her voice a little quieter than it had been.
"Yeah, it's nice too meet you Stephanie." Jay followed Trish's actions and stood, reaching out his hand halfway, waiting.
Chris looked at him, well glared, and then he turned his head towards Trish and she was looking at him in disbelief and it clicked. "Shit." He muttered and then reached his hand forward and shook Stephanie's hand. "I seem to be doing everything wrong." He admitted sheepishly.
Stephanie smiled as Jay let go of her hand. "It's okay," she appeased, her hand reach out for Chris. "It happens. You can stop glaring at him Chris."
"He's being an ass." Chris bit out, squeezing Stephanie's hand.
"He is not." Stephanie spoke up. "It isn't the first time I've had an awkward introduction to someone Chris. And believe me, this is not the worst I've ever had."
"But…"
"Chris."
Chris sighed and then smirked over at Jay. "Whipped much?"
Jay laughed and leaned over to Chris and in a staged whisper, commented. "I know how it feels, Trish says I have a say in thing, but I think she just tells me that to keep me at ease."
Trish laughed and reached forward and took Jay's hand in her own, pulling him back till he was next to her. Kissing him on his cheek she smiled. "You do have a say in things." She pointed out. "I just ignore most of them."
Stephanie laughed and Jay watched her. He saw her smile – he had never seen her smile before – and her laughter sounded free, it was eerie, no it wasn't eerie, it was unusual. You go years and you never hear her speak and then you hear her laugh. It's nice. "Do you guys have plans for later?" he asked directing his question to Stephanie.
"We were just going to head back to Chris's hotel room." Stephanie replied. "He was going to read to me."
"Why don't you guys come out with us?" Jay suggested.
"Yeah," Trish agreed. "We're just going out for a bit to eat. We'd really enjoy your company."
"What do you think Steph?" Chris asked, his hand still in her own, his thumb running back and forth across it.
"A-are you sure you want me too come?" Stephanie asked hesitantly.
"Of course we are." Jay answered back with a smile. "I'm Chris's best friend and I need to get to know the girl that finally got him to smile."
"Yeah," Trish spoke up. "Before you, Chris would just mope." She commented making Chris blush. "Plus, with these two I need some girl time. Save me from sports boredom?"
"Okay then, we'll come." Stephanie answered with a smile. It was weird having plans to go out with people. She'd been out with Chris a few times, but they usually kept to themselves, living in their own little world of the two of them and Izzie. It was sort of scary, but she'd put up a brave face and not let the nerves show – she hadn't had the opportunity to go out and enjoy other peoples company, no one asked her to. "Izzie can come too right?"
"I have a thing for blondes," Jay joked. "So, I'm sure that will be fine."
"You're secretly waiting to steal Chris from me aren't you?" Stephanie joked back.
"Hmm, when his hair was long, maybe. Now he looks too manly."
"He's ugly isn't he? Only a face a blind woman can love?" Stephanie snarked.
"Hey!" Chris's voice rang out in mock outrage, but was drowned out by the other three's laughter.
"You're alright Stephanie," Jay voiced his approval. "I like you."
"Hear that Chris, I got the stamp of approval. You're stuck with me." She kidded, squeezing his hand tighter.
"Good." Chris whispered, leaning in and capturing Stephanie's lips with his own. He knew that Stephanie was nervous and the fact that Jay and Trish seemed to like her was more than she had expected. But he wasn't surprised, Stephanie had a very likeable personality, it wasn't her fault that people were stupid enough to disregard that as easily as they had Stephanie herself, when they found out that she couldn't see. Chris hadn't, and maybe Jay and Trish had to begin with, but he watched and saw how they genuinely liked her, he figured they were seeing the errors of their ways. Maybe they were a bit blind themselves?
"They're so cute." Trish gushed to Jay with a smile. "Were we ever that cute?"
"Yes," Chris mumbled against Stephanie's lips causing her to laugh. "Sickenly so."
"Just you wait." Trish warned. "You both will be too."
"Impossible." Chris remarked pulling away from Stephanie who leaned into Chris's side as she relaxed and listened.
"Okay," Jay spoke up, standing. "We'll meet you at the hotel. I need to go get changed and look my fabulous self."
"Maybe we should take him to a gay bar Trish?"
"I think," Trish sounded out slowly. "That's not a bad idea."
"We could introduce him to Paul." Stephanie commented.
"All you guys suck."
"Well, I thought you'd like that Jay." Chris commented holding in his laughter.
"Trish tell them!"
"I don't know baby," she told him, looking thoughtful. "You do have a flare."
"Do you like men in Speedo's Jay?" Stephanie questioned.
"No."
"Body-builders?"
"No."
"Men with a receding hairline and a love of chaps?"
Laughing Jay smiled over at Stephanie. "No. But I know someone who would check all those boxes."
"I think we all do." Trish commented.
"Okay, hotel at like ten?"
"You got yourself a date."
"I knew you always wanted me Chris." Jay leered with an over exaggerated wink.
"Sorry dude, I'm a one woman man." Chris let Jay know, rubbing a hand up and down Stephanie's back. "She's a pretty special woman at that."
"I got one of those too." Jay nodded, wrapping his arm around Trish's waist as they made their walk towards the door.
"Bye guys."
"Bye." Chris and Stephanie chorused as they watched the other two left.
"Those two are pretty fun." Stephanie acknowledged.
"Yeah, Jay's great. Trish brings the best out in him." Chris commented.
"He did say something I couldn't help forget."
"And what would that be?"
"You used to have long hair?" Stephanie wondered.
"I did." Chris told her. "It's been short for a while though."
"I would have loved to have known you when you did." Stephanie said, and Chris cursed himself – that could have happened. He would have just needed to have manned up sooner, but that hadn't happened.
"I'm sorry I didn't talk to you sooner, I just didn't know how." Chris admitted.
"Oh, it's not your fault Chris," Stephanie reassured him. "You didn't really know who I was back then."
"But I did." Chris divulged. "I watched you for so long Stephanie, that I knew your entire routine. I just couldn't speak."
"Oh." Stephanie replied. That was a surprise, she didn't know anyone cared enough to watch her for so long.
"I used to follow you. You'd walk with Izzie and I'd follow just to make sure you wouldn't fall. But of course you did and I just stood there and watched, frozen. I wanted to be your knight, but really, I was a pawn waiting for your next move." He breathed out. "And now I sound like your own personal stalker."
"I used to feel your eyes on me." Stephanie spoke up. "I didn't know who it was, but I could always feel it. You were always just outside my radar, standing at the sidelines. I could never get a read on you to fully figure out who you were."
"I'm sorry."
"Don't be, I'm not. I found you."
"You did, you walked right up to me and changed our very dynamic." Chris noted with a smile. "Thank you for that. I don't think I could take still being on the sidelines."
"I don't think I could take you there either."
"Why would you have liked to know me when I had my long hair?" Chris wondered.
"So I could have run my fingers through it." Stephanie admitted, reaching up and tracing Chris's face until she found his hair. She let her fingers get lost in his hair and enjoyed the feel of it. "Not that I'm complaining about its length at the moment."
"I love it when you do that." Chris groaned, his whole body relaxing.
"You do?" Stephanie asked, using her other hand up to find Chris's jaw before leaning in and trail a line of kisses along it until she found his mouth.
"It is so relaxing." Chris told her when Stephanie pulled back. "You." Chris whispered, leaning in to kiss Stephanie. "Are." Another kiss. "Wonderful."
He never got tired of being with Stephanie. He loved listening to her talk and describe things she could remember. He hope she didn't mind her asking, he just wanted to keep everything fresh in her mind and asking her was the only way he knew how to do that. He loved when she rested her head on his chest and jus lay with him. He liked the feeling of her in his arms when she did and how when he leaned down to kiss her head, he got the faintest whiff of her citrus shampoo. He loved watching her smell a book and smile when the old musty smell hit her nose, telling its age. He loved reading the book she picked out to her. He loved watching her play with Izzie. He loved that she had Izzie to begin with. He just loved her.
He loved that he knew he was going to spend the rest of his life with her too.
But he was keeping that a secret for now.
