You & I

Two days ago Helen had breezed into my bedroom without so much as a courtesy knock and told me that she was moving in with her boyfriend at the end of the week and taking Fudge with her. When my face fell she assumed I was concerned about losing her share of the rent and said her share was paid till the end of the month - and pointed out that Tara could take her room being that she had become part of the furniture anyway. Helen delivered the news in pure bitch form, making no secret of the fact she'd be glad to be away from us. Funny, she had been happy to make out that she was my best friend when Chris made an appearance.

Honestly? I didn't give a damn about Helen leaving, but I was pretty gutted about Fudge. This will probably sound pathetic, but it felt like another thing I couldn't control. More change in my life that I didn't ask for or want.

I turned the snow globe over in my hand and watched as the blizzard whirled around a tiny London. It was a present from Chris and imagining I was in that little glass globe was a welcomed escape.

Tara had pointed out that I would feel better if we went out. I knew she was right, and I would go out as soon as I had finished moping around in my room. There was a gentle knock on the door.

"Yeah?" My curiosity peaked a little, being that I didn't get many visitors and Tara would have walked straight in. I knew it wasn't Jackson - his sister was visiting.

Please Lord don't let it be Jackson and his sister. I am not ready to meet family members.

"Hi," I said meekly as Chris peered around the door. I made no attempt to move.

"Hi," he replied with a small smile. He sat down on the edge of the bed. "How are you holding up?"

"I'm fine," I said nonchalantly, sitting up and placing the globe on the bedside table. I crossed my legs and looked at Chris expectantly. He had this weird expression on his face that I couldn't quite read. There as concern there, but something else too. Clearly he felt sorry for me - which somehow made me feel even more pathetic.

"Tara told me about Helen moving out, and that she took Fudge."

"On the plus side it means Tara can have Helen's room. Now we only have to get rid of Bobby."
I smiled, hoping for what felt like the millionth time that he'd buy my mask of positivity.

"I have something to show you which'll take your mind off it." Chris pulled out his cell from his pocket and searched for something on it. He handed it to me.

There on the screen was a candid picture of the two of us in the park when we were out walking Fudge and East. The caption read; 'Captain America star spotted with pretty blonde'. I groaned when I saw that wasn't the only picture, the sneaky bastard photographer had also caught the moment we hugged.

Brilliant. This is exactly what I need right now. And for a hairdresser, my hair looked pretty frickin' atrocious in the photos - superb advertising Grace.

I sighed, and scrolled back through the pictures. "Hey, at least this faceless blogger thinks I'm pretty."

"I have to say, I'm pretty impressed Grace. I was expecting a freak out of some kind," Chris said.

"Because I'm a massive introvert and there are now pictures of me circulating the internet?" I paused and gave him my full attention. "How do you cope with it all? Every day you have people spreading gossip and invading your personal space."

Chris had been absently playing with a loose thread of the teal cotton bedsheet and kept his focus on it as he answered. "I've always managed to fly under the radar. It's harder since the Cap gig, but I do manage better than a lot of actors out there. I knew that movie would change things, which is why it took me so long to accept." He looked up. "You have to have good people around you. People you can trust and will keep you grounded."

He gave me that boyish grin I as so fond of, the oh so contagious smile, and I found myself mimicking without effort.

"Do you want to go and get a beer."

His grin grew. "Yeah."