City Streets

He had kept his eyes on the road for the most part but every now and again, he couldn't help but let his eyes wander over towards her. It was easier when she dozed off and she couldn't catch him marveling at her. She hadn't aged a bit and the last time he had even seen her in person last was a few months after that night. Chris unintentionally ran his hand through his dark locks as he remembered how stupid he was. How careless and selfish he was to let someone like Aspen to walk out his life.

Granted, he was beginning to gain a lot of attention with him being in Fantastic Four and any twenty four year old with that behind his name was going to get a little cocky. Women were practically throwing themselves at him and they were all what he wanted. Aspen wasn't one of those kind of girls, she was just a nineteen year old that had stolen his attention. She played a small role in a film he had done immediately after the Marvel film and then it began a sticky web like adventure he wish he could have appreciated a bit more.

With a five year age gap, she topped his maturity level but never seemed to hate him for it. Aspen saw past his new found persona of being a conceited party man. Underneath it all, he was just a goofy, fun loving guy. He knew she fell head over heels, it was written across her face. She always wore her emotions on her sleeves, it was a trick she hadn't learned to conceal yet and he would spend nights coaching her in the arts of acting. And it was those kind of nights, when it was just her and him that he loved and missed. Chris was so ambushed with fame and attention that he pushed aside what really mattered, time spent with her. But here he was, about ten years later with the hopes of fixing what he had broken.

Aspen stretched out her arms, pulling her legs from the crossed legged position, fluttering her eyes, she yawned. "How much longer?"

Chris smiled as he looked at her sleep induced face, "About half an hour."

"Did you want me to drive? I can use the GPS and let you get in a cat nap." She felt slightly guilty at the fact she had slept for most of the car ride. She wasn't a morning person and Chris waking her up at four thirty in the morning was terrible. Aspen had hardly slept the night before, afraid and anxious of how her trip was going to go.

He shook his head, "Nah, we're almost there."

She settled back in her seat, "Do they know that I'm coming?"

Chris had struggled with the telling his mother that she was coming or leaving it as a surprise. He wanted to leave it a surprise, he knew how much his mother adored Aspen. He had listened day in and day out about how he should have fought for her. And he should have. But, he was afraid that Aspen joining him on his trip would give her the wrong impression. Ultimately he kept it vague and stressed to his mother that he was just bringing a friend. It kept the element of surprise but reassuring to his mother that Aspen and Chris were not together. "Scott and Shanna know, Carly is in Disneyworld with the kids and Ryan."

Aspen's eyes popped, "Carly has babies?!" She glanced out the window, reminiscing about his family, she knew that his eldest sister was dating someone and knew by the look on their faces that they would someday marry. "Lucky ducky."

Chris gave a smirk, glancing over at the brunette, "What? Since when did you start wanting kids?"
She rolled her eyes and looked over at Chris, her mouth parted in a retorting manner. "I was nineteen when I said I didn't want kids, you dope." Readjusting in her place, she gave out a long sigh, "I can't wait to have kids, it's a part of my life that I can't wait for."

"Me either. When I'm around Ethan, Miles, and Kylie I just - I just forget about everything. It's refreshing to be around them."

A small smile found it's way on her face as she thought about Chris being around his niece and nephews. She could never imagine him being a father but at the same, she knew that he would probably be the perfect kind. "It's a shame that I won't be able to meet them, I can't believe Carly has three already."

"I know, it's crazy." He glanced over towards Aspen, sharing a short gaze between each other before she looked away, not before he could see the faint rose color grace her cheeks. He smiled with her, it was nice getting the chance to talk to her and be in her company. They sat in silence for the remainder of the car ride. He was beginning to get nervous as they drove closer and closer to his parents house. He knew that he would have to explain to his mother how they had gotten to be on good terms.

Pulling into the driveway, he glanced over at Aspen, seeing anxiety written all over her face. He gave a small chuckle as he placed the car in park, "Some things never change, huh, Pen?"

"What do you mean?" She inquired, her insides flipping at the sound of her nickname.

Chris stepped out of the car, his body hovering in the front seat as he reached for his phone and charger from the cup holder, his mouth formed in that notorious grin, "What have I told you about those emotions, Pen."

Aspen frowned, her own self hopping out of his vehicle, "I'm just nervous. I haven't seen your family in years." She opened the back door and grabbed her luggage, Aspen had agreed to stay at least a week. She felt guilty that Chris would have to drive her home and then all the way back to Boston. He always took time off from filming and it just so happened that he had wrapped up the second Avengers movie and decided to take six months to himself. Aspen had offered to drive separate but he wouldn't have it.

"Christopher Robert! I told you to call me when you were close, I would have had breakfast started already." Aspen poked her head from around the opened car door to the sound of a familiar voice, her eyes locking with Lisa's. "Is that? Is that - no way!" She shrieked, running up to Aspen, she tackled her with a huge hug, almost knocking the actress down. "Aspen! Honey, you look amazing - still think you need a good cheeseburger or two - my goodness, this is a very pleasant surprise!"

She hugged the woman back, "It's great to see you too, Lisa. It's been too long."

"Come, come inside, we need to catch up! Leave your bags here, I'll send Scott out to fetch them for you." Ushering Aspen to walk forward, Lisa bowed her head to catch Chris' eyes from inside the car, she mouthed the words with a stern look, "What in the world? You've got explaining to do."

Chris nodded his head, he already knew that much. Resting his arm on the door, he took a moment before continuing to gather his things. It was reactions like that-that he wish he could have received with his past girlfriends. Granted, he only took the ones he thought were worthy enough to meet his mother. Aspen had been the only one that Lisa had approved of the most. He knew that if he really liked someone, she would approve but while he never maintained a relationship more than three years, Lisa would always go back to Aspen being the one that got away.

"So, mom seems to be the happiest person on the planet right now."

Chris looked up to see his younger brother, he shrugged, "I suppose."

Scott squinted his eyes, his hip leaning against the side of the hood of the black SUV, "How did you manage to convince Aspen to come, again? I mean you royally fucked up with her."

He scoffed, "Thank you, Scott." Shaking his head, he reached for his bags, "I just told her that mom would love to see her again and that we'd go as friends."

Scott knew his brother pretty well and he knew how much Aspen meant to him after they parted their ways. What Scott knew that Chris didn't know was that Aspen and Chris would never be able to be together again. Scott would bet his money that they would fall blissfully in love and would end in shambles. "You aren't going to try to get her back, are you?"

That was thing, Chris didn't know. He didn't know if he should cross that bridge so soon. Seeing her again and spending the little time he had with her was so bitter sweet. He knew she wasn't acting entirely like herself, she was a lot quieter but he wasn't blaming her. "No."

"Bullshit."

Chris dropped his suitcase on the ground, causing the plastic bottom creating a loud snap sound. "What do you want me to say, Scott? That I loved her when she left me? That - that I want to go the rest of my life apologizing for the pain I caused her?" He raked a hand through his neatly groomed hair, causing the gel to break apart, creating a disheveled look. He lowered his voice as he placed his hands on his hips and looked up at the cloudy Boston sky, "That I think the main reason she was made for this world was to be the talented woman she is and that she was designed to be my downfall?"

Scott let out a heavy sigh from his lips. Rubbing his jaw, he looked at his older brother, his best friend. "Look, I've got a buddy who's good friends with one of her costars," he paused, catching his stare, "they went on a few dates and then she just cut it off. When things between them got heated, she just cut ties. Saying that she needed to focus on her career and couldn't be distracted with the idea of love and a family."

Chris rose a brow, shaking his head, "We were just talking about how she wanted to have kids - "

"- my point exactly. What I'm driving at, Chris, is that she shuts every man that wants to be with her out. All because of you," Scott pointed at his brother, "you broke her heart so bad that she's afraid to get serious with anybody." Chris' heart sunk deep in his chest, it was upsetting to even hear that she had the possibility of starting a new life to rewrite the old one. Scott put his hands up, "All I'm saying dude is that if a girl is stupid enough to love you after you broke her heart then you better not fuck up the second chance you get."