"Do you have toys at the new house we're going to," Sarah questioned focusing completely on Chris as she situated herself on Eve's lap as Chris drove them back to the airport where the plane was waiting to take them back home again.
"Would you like there to be toys there," Chris replied noting the curiosity brewing through Sarah's big brown eyes as her shyness seemed to melt away upon their leaving the zoo and spending a few more minutes with one another.
"Well duh, there has to be toys," Sarah shook her head at him bringing her hands up to her cheeks as she shook her head with a heavy sigh, "You sure have a lot to learn about being a daddy there, don't you?"
"Sarah," Eve's eyes widened with her daughter's words as she looked down to her.
"Well it's true," Sarah explained with heavy emphasis, "I mean I am a little girl you know and little girls like lots of toys."
Chris couldn't help but laugh as he looked to her seeing so much of himself and Eve in her as the reality of the situation hit him hard. No longer was he Chris Ramsey, the man who had nothing to lose in this world, but he was Chris Ramsey, the man in love with the woman of his dreams and a father and in these precious moments with Sarah and Eve he felt as if his dreams were all coming true.
"So, if you don't have toys at our house, what do we have," Sarah inquired again breaking through his thoughts as her dark eyes gazed up at him expectantly.
"Well, we have a nice martini bar," he teased as Sarah's lip curled in a pout and she placed her hands on her hips.
"What's that," she grumbled with a skeptic eye, "I never heard of anything like that. It doesn't sound like it's for kids very much since I never heard of it."
"That's because it's not for kids sweetheart," Eve threw Chris a tiny mock glare as she ran her fingers through her daughter's dark hair.
"Then why would he say he had one," Sarah questioned innocently.
"Because that martini bar is very important to us being a family," Chris answered with a soft smile.
"It is?" Sarah quickly turned her attention to him once again, "Why is that?"
"Because that is where your mommy and daddy fell in love with one another," he reached out to her patting her head gently, "and that's how we were able to have you."
"At a martini bar?" Sarah's nose wrinkled for a moment before she turned to Eve for an affirmation of Chris's words, "Mommy, did you get me at a martini bar? Do they sell little girls at those things?"
Eve couldn't help but laugh as she explained, "Your daddy is talking about a place where he would make drinks for us. He's very good at making lots of drinks that are yummy for grown ups and when your daddy made those drinks for me, well that's when I fell in love with him and we decided we'd have you," Eve tucked a piece of Sarah's dark hair behind her ear, "When we spent that time together at your daddy's place around his martini bar, well that's when God decided it was time to bless us with the most incredible little package from heaven."
Sarah giggled upon Eve's words as she snuggled into her mother and she raised her hand to her lips to stifle her laughter, "That's me."
"That's right sweetie pie," Eve nodded in confession, "that is completely you."
"So daddy made you yummy drinks and you fell in love with him and you had me huh," Sarah noted taking in Eve's words.
"Something a little like that," Eve explained with another nod, "but there's a little more to it."
"Like kissing?" Sarah's little hand covered her mouth once again as she chuckled once more, "Did you two do a lot of kissing?"
"Well…" Eve's dark eyes drifted over to Chris once again as she could see the proud smile building over his features.
"Your mommy and I did a lot of kissing," Chris answered matter of fact, "as you know she's the best kisser in the entire universe."
"She is?" Sarah wiggled in Eve's lap to look at Chris. "And you're the best drink maker in the entire world too, huh?"
"I think I'm pretty okay," Chris nodded in confession as he turned off the exit ramp in front of him.
"Do you know how to make chocolate milkshakes?" Sarah inquired as she tilted her head to look up at him, "Because I love chocolate milkshakes."
"Well, then today is your lucky day, Sarah because I happen to be the bestest chocolate milkshake maker in the world. Ever have a double fudge delight Ramsey milkshake magic mixer?" he offered up with a playfulness in his tone watching as she shook her head up at him.
"No, what's that?" Sarah replied curiously.
"Only the bestest milkshake in the entire universe, but only the most special, most beautiful princesses in the world can try it as I don't make it for just anyone you know," Chris continued as Sarah reached out to him tugging at his sleeve.
"Well I think I'm a pretty good princess," she grinned widely as she explained further, "I eat all my vegetables when mommy makes me have them even if I don't like them and only one time did I sneak them to the floor when she wasn't looking, but only once so I'm an okay little girl."
"Well, I'll tell you what," Chris softened his tone as he turned down one more side street before stopping at the light, "if you promise to tell me all the things I can do to be a good daddy when it comes to the kind of things you like, I think I'll let that one slide about your hiding your vegetables that one time. What do you say?"
"Well it was peas," she whispered leaning in closer to him as her nose wrinkled in response, "and I hate peas."
"Can I tell you a secret," Chris curled his finger indicating for her to come closer to him.
"Sure," she answered eager to get closer to him as she wiggled out of Eve's lap, "you can tell me anything because I'm a good secret keeper."
"In that case," he leaned in closer to her whispering in her ear, "I hate peas too. They're yucky."
Sarah chuckled as he said the word with heavy emphasis and as her laughter bubbled over her, she turned to look at Eve, "I think I like having him around as a daddy. Can we keep him?"
"Oh I think we can do that," Eve reached out to her, "though you should probably come over here because your daddy needs to drive."
"But I like talking with him," Sarah pouted with a frown, "He's telling me lots of fun secrets."
"Is he now?" Eve raised a curious brow as she watched Sarah inch over towards Chris.
"Can you tell me another secret," Sarah asked excitedly.
"Sure, I'll tell you one more secret," Chris tipped in towards her whispering words in her ear as her laughter filled the interior of the car once again before she settled into Eve's lap with a knowing look.
"That's a good one," Sarah decided with a tiny giggle as Chris winked at her.
"But don't say anything, okay?" Chris urged her as Sarah nodded eagerly.
"You've got my word on it," she gave him a thumbs up sign as she tilted her head up towards her mother motioning for Eve to bend down so she could whisper in her ear, "He's pretty cool mommy. I think I really like him even if he needs a little help sometimes."
"I really like him too," Eve confessed taking in the ease at which Chris and Sarah had started to bond as she held her daughter close to her saying a silent prayer that Sarah had been alright.
"Are you telling my secrets over there," Chris teased as Sarah shook her head in dramatically.
"No, I told you I was good at keeping secrets and I'm not saying a word to mommy about how you hate peas or how you think she's one of the most beautiful princesses in the entire universe just like me or that you're taking us to a toy store right now so that I can get anything I want for our new home," she cupped her hand over her mouth upon realizing she'd blurted out their secret as a tiny gasp filled her up inside before her lips bunched up in a pout, "I'm sorry…"
"Oh it's okay," Chris smiled down at her, "I don't mind your mommy knowing our secrets as she's part of our family and we all can keep secrets together."
"So mommy can be in on the secret club too?" Sarah let out a breath of relief, "Oh thank heaven because I thought I blew it. Mommy, isn't this the greatest? We're going to a toy store and then getting some milkshakes?"
"It's wonderful Sarah," Eve replied curling her arm more completely around Sarah as Sarah snuggled into her chest.
"You know the more I think about this, the better and better today is. I mean how many girls are so lucky that they can say they meet their new daddy and get to go to a toy store and get to have a chocolate milkshake," Sarah boasted as she focused upon Eve, "When you told me that my daddy was the greatest, you were so right. How is it you're so smart mommy?"
"Well, I had a little help over the years with that one," Eve touched her daughter's face as Sarah settled in beside her.
"Mommy, how come I'm not in my car seat?" Sarah inquired moving on to the next thing that popped into her mind, "I know we're going to a new home today, but I thought when I was in the car I needed a car seat. You know like my big girl seat we have when Henry takes us out sometimes?"
"We're going to get you a new big girl seat," Chris promised as Eve was at a loss. "Would you like to pick out your own big girl car seat?"
"Boy would I ever. The one that Henry gave me was yucky," Sarah sighed heavily, "It hurt me when we went out and I didn't like it very much because it was too small for me…"
"Well, we can't have that, now can we?" Chris questioned as he pulled into the toy store parking lot.
"No, we can't," she sighed again, "I didn't really like living with Henry because he wasn't very nice. Even today when he told me to wait for him, well, it was really dark in there and I got scared. I was afraid the monsters were going to get me until mommy showed up…"
"The monsters," Chris repeated as he stopped the car and turned his attention to Sarah, "Who are the monsters, Sarah?"
"They're the people who took me away from mommy," Sarah confessed tearfully as she reached out to touch Eve's face, "They're the ones who told me my mommy was dead and that I'd never see her again. They said I had to live with Henry and I could never be with my mommy again. They said I was a bad girl and that's why they took you away…"
"Oh Sarah," Eve pulled her into an embrace, "they'll never be able to hurt you again."
"I was so scared," Sarah hugged her tighter, "I didn't not want see you. You're my mommy and I love you…"
"I love you too baby," Eve squeezed her as if she'd never let go.
"Mommy, you're squishing me," Sarah groaned as she placed a distance between her and Eve, "Mommy, why are you crying?"
"Because I love you so very much," Eve touched her daughter's face unable to contain the tears that over came her.
"I love you too mommy," Sarah squeezed her arms around Eve, "I don't ever want to go back again. I don't want to be without you, mommy."
"You're never going to have to be," Eve promised her with a soft kiss on the top of her head, "We're going to live with your daddy now and nothing is going to keep us apart again."
"Do we have to keep moving to new houses again?" Sarah inquired with big, brown eyes, "Will I have to keep getting new toys once we leave?"
"The toys we get today are toys you can keep forever," Eve promised her tearfully.
"Really?" Sarah's expression shifted as she looked to Chris, "I get to keep all the toys we get today?"
"Forever and ever," Chris promised her as he extended his arm out to her, "What do you say we get a head start on picking out the good stuff? I hear they have some nice Barbies inside the store today waiting to go home with a pretty little princess named Sarah."
"That's my name," she squealed leaping into his arms.
"You don't say," Chris teased with a wink, "Well Sarah, rumor has it that there are lots of books that want to come home with you as well."
"I love books," Sarah confided with a grin, "and I was thinking that maybe there would be some stuffed animals and games that want to go home with us too to the new house because they need new houses too."
"So they do," Chris poked at her belly gently, "and I think they'd like some milkshakes too huh?"
"Would they ever," Sarah agreed cheerfully as her eyes drifted back to Eve, "Mommy, are you ready to get me some toys?"
"You bet I am," Eve nodded in response wiping at her eyes as she and Chris took Sarah for her first family adventure at the toy store.
*************************
Silence surrounded Chris and Eve as Eve tipped her head to gaze at Sarah in the backseat of the rental car as she'd now drifted off to sleep in her car seat with a floppy eared rabbit in hand that Chris had picked up for her along with the bags of toys that were in trunk. The enthusiasm and excitement had seemingly been too much for Sarah as her exhaustion had carried her away to dreamland a short while ago and now Eve leaned over the seat to tuck a blanket over Sarah before she returned to her seat once again.
"She had a big day today, didn't she?" Chris commented as he smiled at Eve.
"I think we all have, but then again it was hard to tell who was having more fun in that toy store given how you were going overboard with her," Eve couldn't help but laugh.
"What my little girl wants, my little girl gets," Chris explained proudly, "as that's Sarah's first rule of being a good daddy."
"I think our daughter's bilking this for all it's worth with you," she teased back, "and you're buying right into her charm."
"Well, she is my daughter," Chris boasted as the thought sent a warmth right though him as pride washed over him, "Would you expect anything less?"
"Never," Eve reached out to touch his leg and offer up a soft squeeze as she scooted in closer to him in the front seat, "You're one in a million, Chris."
"No Eve, you're that one in a million," he whispered as he felt her lay her head upon his shoulder, "as I've waited a lifetime for something like this."
"Chris, I just wish things were different for us," Eve sighed heavily, "That somehow we could've had this from the beginning instead of…"
"I know," Chris nodded in response, "Baby, I wish things were different too, but well, right now we just need to focus on keeping what we have from falling apart," his eyes drifted to the rear view mirror as he caught a glimpse of his sleeping daughter.
"You don't think it's over either, do you," Eve questioned with a frown as she lifted her head up from his shoulder.
"I wish I could say I did, but with Henry, we both know better," Chris sighed heavily, "and in him leaving Sarah for us like that, well, as much as I'm grateful to have her back, Eve there's something missing in all of this…"
"I know," she agreed feeling a chill creep up over her spine, "Henry wouldn't do something so generous without an ulterior motive."
"Maybe we should go get Sarah checked up," Chris hated to say it, but given what condition he'd found Eve in, he wouldn't put anything past Henry.
"Chris, you and I both took a look at her when we found her…" Eve began with worry evident in her tone.
"I know we did, but it couldn't hurt to have a second opinion," Chris explained with a sigh, "and besides Kevin agreed with me when I said I didn't think it was safe for us to go back to Port Charles right now."
"But I thought we were going to the airport and…" Eve began in confusion.
"Kevin and I worked on something else," Chris explained to her as he continued down the darkened path before them, "We both know that men like Henry just don't throw in the towel and given that he is obsessed with having you back, well I don't expect him to just back down…"
"But Chris, he gave us Sarah and he tried to kill me," Eve started in confusion, "If he really was going to come for me, then why do what he did today?"
"I haven't figured that one out, but you said yourself that you don't believe it's over," Chris frowned in response, "With that tape and with what he was trying to do with us…Eve, I just want to be sure that everything is okay with Sarah and with you…"
"With me?" she repeated in confusion, "Chris, you know I'm fine now that we have Sarah and…"
"Eve, I know how hard these last few years had to be on you," Chris pointed out once again hating to think of the damage that had been done because of his father, "and if Henry took this much time torturing you, well maybe it's time you see someone…"
"You mean like a psychiatrist?" Eve shook her head adamantly, "No way. I'm not going to talk to anyone about this because I don't want anyone to know about what he's done to me."
"Eve, he manipulated you and violated you in every sense of the word," Chris reminded her painfully, "I don't think we can just ignore all the damage he's done."
"Chris, I can't talk about this," she argued with him, "I don't want to talk about it as all I want to do is get Sarah to safety and focus on the future, not the past."
"Eve, Henry still thinks of you as his wife…as his property and we have to work on changing that," Chris explained with a heavy sigh, "He's not just going to let you walk away from him without a fight…"
"Don't you think I know that Chris?" she snapped in response clenching her hands at her sides as tears pooled in her eyes, "Don't you think that I hate what he's done to me?"
"Eve, that's why I want you to talk to someone," Chris began gently reaching out to her, "I know how Henry's methods of torture can tear at a person and from what I saw over the last few days, well, I'm afraid for you baby…"
"Chris, it's over with…" Eve turned her eyes towards the road ahead of them as a hollowness filled her tone.
"No, Eve it's not and we both know better than to think that," he paused thinking of the tape Henry had left behind to torture them with, "Eve, you need to talk to someone about what happened…about what he did to you…"
"Chris, it's in the past," Eve insisted repeating her earlier words, "I don't want to think about what I went through as Sarah doesn't need to have a mother who is weak…"
"You aren't weak," Chris sighed pulling into the driveway before him making his way up to the small house that Kevin had arranged for the three of them to stay at until things were safer for their family. "You were never weak."
"Yes I was Chris," she wiped at her tears struggling to keep her voice down as she hoped not to awaken Sarah, "A strong woman would've fought like hell to get out of that situation."
"And you're expecting me to believe that you didn't," Chris inquired unable to believe that was the case as Eve let out a frustrated breath.
"Chris, we're not having this conversation right now," she blurted out opening the passenger side door and quickly removing Sarah from the backseat as Chris reluctantly followed taking the both of them into the house as he realized that Eve had far more demons haunting her than she cared to admit. He just prayed that somehow he could help her find the strength to break free of the nightmare Henry had placed her in.
********************
"Sarah's eyes closed as soon as her head hit the pillow," Eve announced stepping out of the bedroom she'd tucked Sarah away in as she noticed Chris over by the fireplace poking at the fire before him. She held the baby monitor she'd carried with her from Sarah's room to keep a listen on her away into her pocket as she approached him ready to take a few minutes to unwind with him.
"I'm glad she can find some peace," Chris admitted tearing his eyes away from the fire as he looked up at Eve, "but I just wish her mother could do the same."
"Chris, please don't push this," Eve sighed tucking her legs beneath her as she sat down beside him on the floor watching the crackling of the fire burning in front of them.
"Eve, I'm worried about you," Chris confessed openly, "Can I help it if I love you so much that I want to help you through this?"
"Having you here with me again is all the help I need," Eve offered up as she faced him fully, "I don't want to think about where I was before or how things could've gone. All that's important is that you're with me and we have Sarah again…"
"Eve, you know there's more to it than that," Chris reached out to her as Eve cupped her hand in his bringing it up over her face.
"There doesn't have to be," she leaned into his touch before bringing his hand up over her lips as she placed slow, tender kisses into his palm, "We don't have to have anything other than the love we have for each other and Sarah."
"Eve, it's just that you and I both know…" he sighed feeling her tender kisses cause sparks of electricity over him as her dark eyes penetrated his.
"Chris, we don't have to talk about the past or think about anything other than what we have right here and now between us," she guided his hand over her body, using her free hand to unfasten her blouse before she eased his hand inside the sheer material urging him to cup her breast as her eyes darkened with passion, "All that matters is the here and now…"
"Eve," he breathed in response as she dipped forward catching his lips in a whisper of a kiss as she urged his hand in beneath the soft, lace cup of her bra needing to feel his touch upon her as her tongue dipped between his parted lips.
"I need you Chris," she murmured reaching out to tease her fingers over the center of his chest as she clumsily fumbled with the buttons on his shirt opening them in a haste before her hand traced over the warm contours of his chest, ending up over his belt buckle as she withdrew from the kiss, her eyes burning with passion as she dropped her touch over his trousers, "You're all I need right now…"
"Eve baby, I need you too, but I really think that we should," he whispered as she nibbled on his lower lip as her fingers teased over his now hardened length beneath his trousers.
"We should just hold each other and say a prayer that our daughter is back with us," she whispered against his neck as her mouth tapered off over his heated skin. Suckling his earlobe as his pulse quickened, she tentatively opened the zipper on his slacks, bringing her hand in beneath the material to stroke him leisurely, "make love to me, Chris…"
"Eve," he gulped wanting more than anything to give in to her request, but as he reached out to touch her face, he could see the same hint of sadness behind her eyes that she'd tried to hide earlier when he'd first started speaking with her about her experience and a sigh spilled over his lips, "I can't do this to you now…not knowing that you're trying to avoid what's bothering you."
"Nothing's bothering me Chris," Eve frowned in response as her fingers danced over his skin, erasing the limits of his resolve as she pressed him back onto the floor, crushing him with her soft curves as she climbed over him, "except for the fact that I want to love you and you're being stubborn about it…"
"Eve, I…" his words were silenced by another demanding kiss from her and a slow moan rose up inside of him as she shed her blouse in an instant, taking with it her bra as the heat of her skin against his burned him to the core and he instinctively curled his arms around her savoring the feel of their bodies united on a more primal level as her kisses tapered off over his chest.
"I love you, Chris," she whispered over his naval, quickly opening the buckle on his belt as her hands worked to tug his slacks and boxers down below his knees before her kisses returned to his thigh, her tongue taking in every incredible inch of his skin before her lips pressed down upon his hardened length tasting him with one quick breath of a kiss over him.
"Eve," he sucked in a sharp breath bringing his fingers through her hair, as she took him more completely into her mouth sheathing him as desire coursed through his body. Her tongue flicked over him as she took her time to draw out his pleasure making him hotter by the second as she continued to lavish him with her complete attention. His hips bucked involuntarily up towards her as his pulse quickened, his breath growing ragged as the talk they'd been having earlier fell back into his mind and in that instant he grew rigid against her straining not to let his need for release keep him from focusing on what was important between them as he tugged on her hair gently urging her to stop what she was doing, "Eve wait…"
"What," she questioned in confusion dropping teasing butterfly kisses over his body, "aren't you enjoying this?"
"More than you know," he pulled her up to meet his eyes as he fought to keep his breathing even, "but baby, I'm not going to let you do this just to keep me from talking to you about what's bothering you…"
"Chris, I…" Eve started as tears pooled in her eyes and she placed her hands into the center of his chest shoving him away from her as she sat up with a huff, "You're not going to let this go, are you?"
"Give me one reason why I should," Chris demanded struggling to keep his cool as the chill in the air caused him to stiffen with the memory of Eve's kisses over him. Forcing the thought into the back of his mind, he scooped his pants up in a half hearted attempt to stay focused as he watched her pull her legs up to her chest and rocking herself on the floor as her arms held her body in the curled up position she'd come to be in. With a sigh, he reached for his shirt bringing it over her shoulders as he knelt in behind her covering up her bare skin as he whispered in her ear, "Eve, please don't shut me out…"
"Chris, it's just I don't want to talk about this," she turned to look over her shoulder at him as tears spilled down her cheeks, "Why can't you just accept that?"
"Because I know you need to talk about this," Chris pulled her into his arms as her tears caused an ache to fill his heart, "I know we need to do this before we can go through the healing process."
"Can't we just make love and try to forget about what happened," she asked in between tiny sobs.
"Eve, when we make love it shouldn't be because we're trying to forget what my father's done," he hugged her in his arms cradling her against him, "It should be because it's what we want to do--because it feels like the only thing to do when our love has taken over…not because you're trying to forget…"
"Chris, that's not what I'm doing," Eve began in desperation.
"I know what you said and what you're trying to say, but Eve," he pressed his lips over her forehead, "I love you so much that right now all I want to do is make this better and I know in my heart that making love like this is only going to make it worse."
"How can making love make things worse?" she questioned in confusion.
"Because right now you're hurting and I want to help you heal," he whispered tenderly, "and if you let me inside, we can find a way to do that together."
"Chris, I…" she started to argue, but then stopped herself as her tears overcame her and he hugged her in his arms accepting her sobs into his chest as his heart ached for the woman he loved and he said a silent prayer that somehow he'd be able to find a way to make up for all the damage Henry had inflicted upon her. One way or another, he vowed to make her feel safe again, to help her through the nightmare she'd been living as having Eve feel free again was something that meant so very much to him. Now as her tears overcame her, he just prayed that somehow his being here for her would be enough as he was well aware of the damage Henry had caused even if Eve was still in denial about the situation.
"I love you," Chris whispered humming a soft tune to her as he kept his arms around her offering up all the love he could as right now all that mattered was helping the woman he loved pull through the nightmare she'd been living for so very long.
"Would you like there to be toys there," Chris replied noting the curiosity brewing through Sarah's big brown eyes as her shyness seemed to melt away upon their leaving the zoo and spending a few more minutes with one another.
"Well duh, there has to be toys," Sarah shook her head at him bringing her hands up to her cheeks as she shook her head with a heavy sigh, "You sure have a lot to learn about being a daddy there, don't you?"
"Sarah," Eve's eyes widened with her daughter's words as she looked down to her.
"Well it's true," Sarah explained with heavy emphasis, "I mean I am a little girl you know and little girls like lots of toys."
Chris couldn't help but laugh as he looked to her seeing so much of himself and Eve in her as the reality of the situation hit him hard. No longer was he Chris Ramsey, the man who had nothing to lose in this world, but he was Chris Ramsey, the man in love with the woman of his dreams and a father and in these precious moments with Sarah and Eve he felt as if his dreams were all coming true.
"So, if you don't have toys at our house, what do we have," Sarah inquired again breaking through his thoughts as her dark eyes gazed up at him expectantly.
"Well, we have a nice martini bar," he teased as Sarah's lip curled in a pout and she placed her hands on her hips.
"What's that," she grumbled with a skeptic eye, "I never heard of anything like that. It doesn't sound like it's for kids very much since I never heard of it."
"That's because it's not for kids sweetheart," Eve threw Chris a tiny mock glare as she ran her fingers through her daughter's dark hair.
"Then why would he say he had one," Sarah questioned innocently.
"Because that martini bar is very important to us being a family," Chris answered with a soft smile.
"It is?" Sarah quickly turned her attention to him once again, "Why is that?"
"Because that is where your mommy and daddy fell in love with one another," he reached out to her patting her head gently, "and that's how we were able to have you."
"At a martini bar?" Sarah's nose wrinkled for a moment before she turned to Eve for an affirmation of Chris's words, "Mommy, did you get me at a martini bar? Do they sell little girls at those things?"
Eve couldn't help but laugh as she explained, "Your daddy is talking about a place where he would make drinks for us. He's very good at making lots of drinks that are yummy for grown ups and when your daddy made those drinks for me, well that's when I fell in love with him and we decided we'd have you," Eve tucked a piece of Sarah's dark hair behind her ear, "When we spent that time together at your daddy's place around his martini bar, well that's when God decided it was time to bless us with the most incredible little package from heaven."
Sarah giggled upon Eve's words as she snuggled into her mother and she raised her hand to her lips to stifle her laughter, "That's me."
"That's right sweetie pie," Eve nodded in confession, "that is completely you."
"So daddy made you yummy drinks and you fell in love with him and you had me huh," Sarah noted taking in Eve's words.
"Something a little like that," Eve explained with another nod, "but there's a little more to it."
"Like kissing?" Sarah's little hand covered her mouth once again as she chuckled once more, "Did you two do a lot of kissing?"
"Well…" Eve's dark eyes drifted over to Chris once again as she could see the proud smile building over his features.
"Your mommy and I did a lot of kissing," Chris answered matter of fact, "as you know she's the best kisser in the entire universe."
"She is?" Sarah wiggled in Eve's lap to look at Chris. "And you're the best drink maker in the entire world too, huh?"
"I think I'm pretty okay," Chris nodded in confession as he turned off the exit ramp in front of him.
"Do you know how to make chocolate milkshakes?" Sarah inquired as she tilted her head to look up at him, "Because I love chocolate milkshakes."
"Well, then today is your lucky day, Sarah because I happen to be the bestest chocolate milkshake maker in the world. Ever have a double fudge delight Ramsey milkshake magic mixer?" he offered up with a playfulness in his tone watching as she shook her head up at him.
"No, what's that?" Sarah replied curiously.
"Only the bestest milkshake in the entire universe, but only the most special, most beautiful princesses in the world can try it as I don't make it for just anyone you know," Chris continued as Sarah reached out to him tugging at his sleeve.
"Well I think I'm a pretty good princess," she grinned widely as she explained further, "I eat all my vegetables when mommy makes me have them even if I don't like them and only one time did I sneak them to the floor when she wasn't looking, but only once so I'm an okay little girl."
"Well, I'll tell you what," Chris softened his tone as he turned down one more side street before stopping at the light, "if you promise to tell me all the things I can do to be a good daddy when it comes to the kind of things you like, I think I'll let that one slide about your hiding your vegetables that one time. What do you say?"
"Well it was peas," she whispered leaning in closer to him as her nose wrinkled in response, "and I hate peas."
"Can I tell you a secret," Chris curled his finger indicating for her to come closer to him.
"Sure," she answered eager to get closer to him as she wiggled out of Eve's lap, "you can tell me anything because I'm a good secret keeper."
"In that case," he leaned in closer to her whispering in her ear, "I hate peas too. They're yucky."
Sarah chuckled as he said the word with heavy emphasis and as her laughter bubbled over her, she turned to look at Eve, "I think I like having him around as a daddy. Can we keep him?"
"Oh I think we can do that," Eve reached out to her, "though you should probably come over here because your daddy needs to drive."
"But I like talking with him," Sarah pouted with a frown, "He's telling me lots of fun secrets."
"Is he now?" Eve raised a curious brow as she watched Sarah inch over towards Chris.
"Can you tell me another secret," Sarah asked excitedly.
"Sure, I'll tell you one more secret," Chris tipped in towards her whispering words in her ear as her laughter filled the interior of the car once again before she settled into Eve's lap with a knowing look.
"That's a good one," Sarah decided with a tiny giggle as Chris winked at her.
"But don't say anything, okay?" Chris urged her as Sarah nodded eagerly.
"You've got my word on it," she gave him a thumbs up sign as she tilted her head up towards her mother motioning for Eve to bend down so she could whisper in her ear, "He's pretty cool mommy. I think I really like him even if he needs a little help sometimes."
"I really like him too," Eve confessed taking in the ease at which Chris and Sarah had started to bond as she held her daughter close to her saying a silent prayer that Sarah had been alright.
"Are you telling my secrets over there," Chris teased as Sarah shook her head in dramatically.
"No, I told you I was good at keeping secrets and I'm not saying a word to mommy about how you hate peas or how you think she's one of the most beautiful princesses in the entire universe just like me or that you're taking us to a toy store right now so that I can get anything I want for our new home," she cupped her hand over her mouth upon realizing she'd blurted out their secret as a tiny gasp filled her up inside before her lips bunched up in a pout, "I'm sorry…"
"Oh it's okay," Chris smiled down at her, "I don't mind your mommy knowing our secrets as she's part of our family and we all can keep secrets together."
"So mommy can be in on the secret club too?" Sarah let out a breath of relief, "Oh thank heaven because I thought I blew it. Mommy, isn't this the greatest? We're going to a toy store and then getting some milkshakes?"
"It's wonderful Sarah," Eve replied curling her arm more completely around Sarah as Sarah snuggled into her chest.
"You know the more I think about this, the better and better today is. I mean how many girls are so lucky that they can say they meet their new daddy and get to go to a toy store and get to have a chocolate milkshake," Sarah boasted as she focused upon Eve, "When you told me that my daddy was the greatest, you were so right. How is it you're so smart mommy?"
"Well, I had a little help over the years with that one," Eve touched her daughter's face as Sarah settled in beside her.
"Mommy, how come I'm not in my car seat?" Sarah inquired moving on to the next thing that popped into her mind, "I know we're going to a new home today, but I thought when I was in the car I needed a car seat. You know like my big girl seat we have when Henry takes us out sometimes?"
"We're going to get you a new big girl seat," Chris promised as Eve was at a loss. "Would you like to pick out your own big girl car seat?"
"Boy would I ever. The one that Henry gave me was yucky," Sarah sighed heavily, "It hurt me when we went out and I didn't like it very much because it was too small for me…"
"Well, we can't have that, now can we?" Chris questioned as he pulled into the toy store parking lot.
"No, we can't," she sighed again, "I didn't really like living with Henry because he wasn't very nice. Even today when he told me to wait for him, well, it was really dark in there and I got scared. I was afraid the monsters were going to get me until mommy showed up…"
"The monsters," Chris repeated as he stopped the car and turned his attention to Sarah, "Who are the monsters, Sarah?"
"They're the people who took me away from mommy," Sarah confessed tearfully as she reached out to touch Eve's face, "They're the ones who told me my mommy was dead and that I'd never see her again. They said I had to live with Henry and I could never be with my mommy again. They said I was a bad girl and that's why they took you away…"
"Oh Sarah," Eve pulled her into an embrace, "they'll never be able to hurt you again."
"I was so scared," Sarah hugged her tighter, "I didn't not want see you. You're my mommy and I love you…"
"I love you too baby," Eve squeezed her as if she'd never let go.
"Mommy, you're squishing me," Sarah groaned as she placed a distance between her and Eve, "Mommy, why are you crying?"
"Because I love you so very much," Eve touched her daughter's face unable to contain the tears that over came her.
"I love you too mommy," Sarah squeezed her arms around Eve, "I don't ever want to go back again. I don't want to be without you, mommy."
"You're never going to have to be," Eve promised her with a soft kiss on the top of her head, "We're going to live with your daddy now and nothing is going to keep us apart again."
"Do we have to keep moving to new houses again?" Sarah inquired with big, brown eyes, "Will I have to keep getting new toys once we leave?"
"The toys we get today are toys you can keep forever," Eve promised her tearfully.
"Really?" Sarah's expression shifted as she looked to Chris, "I get to keep all the toys we get today?"
"Forever and ever," Chris promised her as he extended his arm out to her, "What do you say we get a head start on picking out the good stuff? I hear they have some nice Barbies inside the store today waiting to go home with a pretty little princess named Sarah."
"That's my name," she squealed leaping into his arms.
"You don't say," Chris teased with a wink, "Well Sarah, rumor has it that there are lots of books that want to come home with you as well."
"I love books," Sarah confided with a grin, "and I was thinking that maybe there would be some stuffed animals and games that want to go home with us too to the new house because they need new houses too."
"So they do," Chris poked at her belly gently, "and I think they'd like some milkshakes too huh?"
"Would they ever," Sarah agreed cheerfully as her eyes drifted back to Eve, "Mommy, are you ready to get me some toys?"
"You bet I am," Eve nodded in response wiping at her eyes as she and Chris took Sarah for her first family adventure at the toy store.
*************************
Silence surrounded Chris and Eve as Eve tipped her head to gaze at Sarah in the backseat of the rental car as she'd now drifted off to sleep in her car seat with a floppy eared rabbit in hand that Chris had picked up for her along with the bags of toys that were in trunk. The enthusiasm and excitement had seemingly been too much for Sarah as her exhaustion had carried her away to dreamland a short while ago and now Eve leaned over the seat to tuck a blanket over Sarah before she returned to her seat once again.
"She had a big day today, didn't she?" Chris commented as he smiled at Eve.
"I think we all have, but then again it was hard to tell who was having more fun in that toy store given how you were going overboard with her," Eve couldn't help but laugh.
"What my little girl wants, my little girl gets," Chris explained proudly, "as that's Sarah's first rule of being a good daddy."
"I think our daughter's bilking this for all it's worth with you," she teased back, "and you're buying right into her charm."
"Well, she is my daughter," Chris boasted as the thought sent a warmth right though him as pride washed over him, "Would you expect anything less?"
"Never," Eve reached out to touch his leg and offer up a soft squeeze as she scooted in closer to him in the front seat, "You're one in a million, Chris."
"No Eve, you're that one in a million," he whispered as he felt her lay her head upon his shoulder, "as I've waited a lifetime for something like this."
"Chris, I just wish things were different for us," Eve sighed heavily, "That somehow we could've had this from the beginning instead of…"
"I know," Chris nodded in response, "Baby, I wish things were different too, but well, right now we just need to focus on keeping what we have from falling apart," his eyes drifted to the rear view mirror as he caught a glimpse of his sleeping daughter.
"You don't think it's over either, do you," Eve questioned with a frown as she lifted her head up from his shoulder.
"I wish I could say I did, but with Henry, we both know better," Chris sighed heavily, "and in him leaving Sarah for us like that, well, as much as I'm grateful to have her back, Eve there's something missing in all of this…"
"I know," she agreed feeling a chill creep up over her spine, "Henry wouldn't do something so generous without an ulterior motive."
"Maybe we should go get Sarah checked up," Chris hated to say it, but given what condition he'd found Eve in, he wouldn't put anything past Henry.
"Chris, you and I both took a look at her when we found her…" Eve began with worry evident in her tone.
"I know we did, but it couldn't hurt to have a second opinion," Chris explained with a sigh, "and besides Kevin agreed with me when I said I didn't think it was safe for us to go back to Port Charles right now."
"But I thought we were going to the airport and…" Eve began in confusion.
"Kevin and I worked on something else," Chris explained to her as he continued down the darkened path before them, "We both know that men like Henry just don't throw in the towel and given that he is obsessed with having you back, well I don't expect him to just back down…"
"But Chris, he gave us Sarah and he tried to kill me," Eve started in confusion, "If he really was going to come for me, then why do what he did today?"
"I haven't figured that one out, but you said yourself that you don't believe it's over," Chris frowned in response, "With that tape and with what he was trying to do with us…Eve, I just want to be sure that everything is okay with Sarah and with you…"
"With me?" she repeated in confusion, "Chris, you know I'm fine now that we have Sarah and…"
"Eve, I know how hard these last few years had to be on you," Chris pointed out once again hating to think of the damage that had been done because of his father, "and if Henry took this much time torturing you, well maybe it's time you see someone…"
"You mean like a psychiatrist?" Eve shook her head adamantly, "No way. I'm not going to talk to anyone about this because I don't want anyone to know about what he's done to me."
"Eve, he manipulated you and violated you in every sense of the word," Chris reminded her painfully, "I don't think we can just ignore all the damage he's done."
"Chris, I can't talk about this," she argued with him, "I don't want to talk about it as all I want to do is get Sarah to safety and focus on the future, not the past."
"Eve, Henry still thinks of you as his wife…as his property and we have to work on changing that," Chris explained with a heavy sigh, "He's not just going to let you walk away from him without a fight…"
"Don't you think I know that Chris?" she snapped in response clenching her hands at her sides as tears pooled in her eyes, "Don't you think that I hate what he's done to me?"
"Eve, that's why I want you to talk to someone," Chris began gently reaching out to her, "I know how Henry's methods of torture can tear at a person and from what I saw over the last few days, well, I'm afraid for you baby…"
"Chris, it's over with…" Eve turned her eyes towards the road ahead of them as a hollowness filled her tone.
"No, Eve it's not and we both know better than to think that," he paused thinking of the tape Henry had left behind to torture them with, "Eve, you need to talk to someone about what happened…about what he did to you…"
"Chris, it's in the past," Eve insisted repeating her earlier words, "I don't want to think about what I went through as Sarah doesn't need to have a mother who is weak…"
"You aren't weak," Chris sighed pulling into the driveway before him making his way up to the small house that Kevin had arranged for the three of them to stay at until things were safer for their family. "You were never weak."
"Yes I was Chris," she wiped at her tears struggling to keep her voice down as she hoped not to awaken Sarah, "A strong woman would've fought like hell to get out of that situation."
"And you're expecting me to believe that you didn't," Chris inquired unable to believe that was the case as Eve let out a frustrated breath.
"Chris, we're not having this conversation right now," she blurted out opening the passenger side door and quickly removing Sarah from the backseat as Chris reluctantly followed taking the both of them into the house as he realized that Eve had far more demons haunting her than she cared to admit. He just prayed that somehow he could help her find the strength to break free of the nightmare Henry had placed her in.
********************
"Sarah's eyes closed as soon as her head hit the pillow," Eve announced stepping out of the bedroom she'd tucked Sarah away in as she noticed Chris over by the fireplace poking at the fire before him. She held the baby monitor she'd carried with her from Sarah's room to keep a listen on her away into her pocket as she approached him ready to take a few minutes to unwind with him.
"I'm glad she can find some peace," Chris admitted tearing his eyes away from the fire as he looked up at Eve, "but I just wish her mother could do the same."
"Chris, please don't push this," Eve sighed tucking her legs beneath her as she sat down beside him on the floor watching the crackling of the fire burning in front of them.
"Eve, I'm worried about you," Chris confessed openly, "Can I help it if I love you so much that I want to help you through this?"
"Having you here with me again is all the help I need," Eve offered up as she faced him fully, "I don't want to think about where I was before or how things could've gone. All that's important is that you're with me and we have Sarah again…"
"Eve, you know there's more to it than that," Chris reached out to her as Eve cupped her hand in his bringing it up over her face.
"There doesn't have to be," she leaned into his touch before bringing his hand up over her lips as she placed slow, tender kisses into his palm, "We don't have to have anything other than the love we have for each other and Sarah."
"Eve, it's just that you and I both know…" he sighed feeling her tender kisses cause sparks of electricity over him as her dark eyes penetrated his.
"Chris, we don't have to talk about the past or think about anything other than what we have right here and now between us," she guided his hand over her body, using her free hand to unfasten her blouse before she eased his hand inside the sheer material urging him to cup her breast as her eyes darkened with passion, "All that matters is the here and now…"
"Eve," he breathed in response as she dipped forward catching his lips in a whisper of a kiss as she urged his hand in beneath the soft, lace cup of her bra needing to feel his touch upon her as her tongue dipped between his parted lips.
"I need you Chris," she murmured reaching out to tease her fingers over the center of his chest as she clumsily fumbled with the buttons on his shirt opening them in a haste before her hand traced over the warm contours of his chest, ending up over his belt buckle as she withdrew from the kiss, her eyes burning with passion as she dropped her touch over his trousers, "You're all I need right now…"
"Eve baby, I need you too, but I really think that we should," he whispered as she nibbled on his lower lip as her fingers teased over his now hardened length beneath his trousers.
"We should just hold each other and say a prayer that our daughter is back with us," she whispered against his neck as her mouth tapered off over his heated skin. Suckling his earlobe as his pulse quickened, she tentatively opened the zipper on his slacks, bringing her hand in beneath the material to stroke him leisurely, "make love to me, Chris…"
"Eve," he gulped wanting more than anything to give in to her request, but as he reached out to touch her face, he could see the same hint of sadness behind her eyes that she'd tried to hide earlier when he'd first started speaking with her about her experience and a sigh spilled over his lips, "I can't do this to you now…not knowing that you're trying to avoid what's bothering you."
"Nothing's bothering me Chris," Eve frowned in response as her fingers danced over his skin, erasing the limits of his resolve as she pressed him back onto the floor, crushing him with her soft curves as she climbed over him, "except for the fact that I want to love you and you're being stubborn about it…"
"Eve, I…" his words were silenced by another demanding kiss from her and a slow moan rose up inside of him as she shed her blouse in an instant, taking with it her bra as the heat of her skin against his burned him to the core and he instinctively curled his arms around her savoring the feel of their bodies united on a more primal level as her kisses tapered off over his chest.
"I love you, Chris," she whispered over his naval, quickly opening the buckle on his belt as her hands worked to tug his slacks and boxers down below his knees before her kisses returned to his thigh, her tongue taking in every incredible inch of his skin before her lips pressed down upon his hardened length tasting him with one quick breath of a kiss over him.
"Eve," he sucked in a sharp breath bringing his fingers through her hair, as she took him more completely into her mouth sheathing him as desire coursed through his body. Her tongue flicked over him as she took her time to draw out his pleasure making him hotter by the second as she continued to lavish him with her complete attention. His hips bucked involuntarily up towards her as his pulse quickened, his breath growing ragged as the talk they'd been having earlier fell back into his mind and in that instant he grew rigid against her straining not to let his need for release keep him from focusing on what was important between them as he tugged on her hair gently urging her to stop what she was doing, "Eve wait…"
"What," she questioned in confusion dropping teasing butterfly kisses over his body, "aren't you enjoying this?"
"More than you know," he pulled her up to meet his eyes as he fought to keep his breathing even, "but baby, I'm not going to let you do this just to keep me from talking to you about what's bothering you…"
"Chris, I…" Eve started as tears pooled in her eyes and she placed her hands into the center of his chest shoving him away from her as she sat up with a huff, "You're not going to let this go, are you?"
"Give me one reason why I should," Chris demanded struggling to keep his cool as the chill in the air caused him to stiffen with the memory of Eve's kisses over him. Forcing the thought into the back of his mind, he scooped his pants up in a half hearted attempt to stay focused as he watched her pull her legs up to her chest and rocking herself on the floor as her arms held her body in the curled up position she'd come to be in. With a sigh, he reached for his shirt bringing it over her shoulders as he knelt in behind her covering up her bare skin as he whispered in her ear, "Eve, please don't shut me out…"
"Chris, it's just I don't want to talk about this," she turned to look over her shoulder at him as tears spilled down her cheeks, "Why can't you just accept that?"
"Because I know you need to talk about this," Chris pulled her into his arms as her tears caused an ache to fill his heart, "I know we need to do this before we can go through the healing process."
"Can't we just make love and try to forget about what happened," she asked in between tiny sobs.
"Eve, when we make love it shouldn't be because we're trying to forget what my father's done," he hugged her in his arms cradling her against him, "It should be because it's what we want to do--because it feels like the only thing to do when our love has taken over…not because you're trying to forget…"
"Chris, that's not what I'm doing," Eve began in desperation.
"I know what you said and what you're trying to say, but Eve," he pressed his lips over her forehead, "I love you so much that right now all I want to do is make this better and I know in my heart that making love like this is only going to make it worse."
"How can making love make things worse?" she questioned in confusion.
"Because right now you're hurting and I want to help you heal," he whispered tenderly, "and if you let me inside, we can find a way to do that together."
"Chris, I…" she started to argue, but then stopped herself as her tears overcame her and he hugged her in his arms accepting her sobs into his chest as his heart ached for the woman he loved and he said a silent prayer that somehow he'd be able to find a way to make up for all the damage Henry had inflicted upon her. One way or another, he vowed to make her feel safe again, to help her through the nightmare she'd been living as having Eve feel free again was something that meant so very much to him. Now as her tears overcame her, he just prayed that somehow his being here for her would be enough as he was well aware of the damage Henry had caused even if Eve was still in denial about the situation.
"I love you," Chris whispered humming a soft tune to her as he kept his arms around her offering up all the love he could as right now all that mattered was helping the woman he loved pull through the nightmare she'd been living for so very long.