Someone Like You Part 3 “I thought they were never going to leave,” Chris confessed with a hefty sigh as he and Greta stood outside her hotel room after their long dinner with Ian and Eve.         “It was nice,” Greta offered with a light smile, “though I’m surprised at how much two married people could bicker about little things. How long did you say they were married again?”         “Far too long,” Chris groaned slightly, “but enough about them,” he leaned over her as she stood back against the wall by her room. He placed his arms out on each side of her caging her beneath him as a soft smile pressed over his lips, “I’d much rather focus on something like, oh I don’t know...say you?”         “I’m not a very interesting subject,” Greta offered with a half smile as her eyes turned up towards his with a hint of playfulness, “wouldn’t you much rather talk about the infamous Dr. Thornhart and his many tales of medicinal miracles in the Virgin Islands seeing as I couldn‘t help but notice the way your eyes rolled each and every time he made a remark about it?”         “You know, I don’t get it,” Chris noted seeing the teasing fleck of brown behind her eyes, “How is it you two encountered one another again to begin with?”         “In all honesty,” Greta paused, “my mother was touring the world as she often did when I first met Dr. Thornhart. I was quite young at the time and rebellious if you will,” she paused a blush rising over her features.                “Go on,” Chris urged, “I have a feeling that there’s an interesting story building behind this one.”         “Not really,” she half laughed as she looked up at him seeing the obvious interest behind his eyes, “actually you know Chris, while Ian and Eve had to go home to that little baby boy of theirs, I’m really not tired.”         “Now somehow that doesn’t surprise me as I see some mischief behind your eyes,” he touched her cheek gently, “I’ll tell you what Greta, you give me the rest of that story you’re trying to desperately to make me forget about and I’ll show you the nightlife that Port Charles has to offer.”         “Is that some kind of blackmail to get me to reveal all of my secrets to you?” she questioned in amusement.         “Maybe,” he pulled her into his arms, “is it working?”         “It might be,” she replied bridging the distance between them as she offered up a playful kiss, “okay you’re on.”         “That was easy,” Chris extended his arm to her, “so now about this story?”         “Can’t we just bypass that one for a while?”         “No, no, no. I want to hear it. That was part of the deal.”         “Okay fine,” Greta conceded, “when I was in my younger years, I was a bit adventurous you might say. I met Dr. Thornhart during the times when my mother was staying with the Duke and Duchess Fairmont. We were there for yet another party in my mother’s honor, but as usual, I was lost in the mix kind of in the shadows while my mother wowed the crowd. Needless to say I ended up back by the stables that night in my white lace gown and I was determined to get a sneak peek at the Duke’s prize winning stallion Marcello,” she explained with a color rising in her cheeks, “I was so disinterested in acting like a young lady if you will and when I saw this beautiful creature before me, well I was determined to ride him, bareback and all.”         “A rebel I see,” Chris noted leading her along the corridor towards the elevators as he noted the enthusiasm behind her tale, “and?”         “And against my better judgment I did it anyways. I took Marcello out and attempted to ride him,” she paused a tiny laugh bubbling up inside of her, “however I lasted all of five seconds before I came crashing down into a puddle of mud, thus ruining my mother’s evening as I ended up not only bringing about an abrupt close to the party, but breaking my leg in the process.”         “You broke your leg?” his eyes widened.         “It wasn’t one of my finer moments,” she confessed, “but after the party had come to a screeching halt, my mother searched high and low to find a doctor to tend to my injury and while there had been a vast many of royals there that night, it seemed that the physicians were absent from this particular party and my leg was set by a doctor in training in the form of a stable boy if you will.”         “Ian Thornhart,” Chris guessed.         “He wasn’t a full fledge doctor at that point, but he’d had some training,” she explained, “and he’d been there shortly after the fall.”         “Of course always the hero,” Chris half rolled his eyes.         “In a way yes he was, but in another way he was more an object of interest to my mother more than anything else,” Greta confessed with a sigh, “while he was significantly younger than the Great Princess von Amburg, my mother had a taste for younger men.”         “Are you saying that your mother and Ian,” Chris’ eyes widened with hungry curiosity.         “Had a relationship behind closed doors that remained between them,” she interrupted severing his lofty thoughts as she walked beyond him into the elevator, “I didn’t stick around long enough to discover the outcome, but evidently judging by the ring on your friend’s finger, I would say that the infamous young stable boy slash doctor in training found his way onto other projects as did my mother.”         “I must confess I’m thankful that you don’t share your mother’s tastes in men,” Chris teased stepping into the elevator beside her.         “As am I, however, don’t let that fool you, my mother was a wonderful, generous person despite her flaws,” Greta defended, “she had a good heart regardless of what the world thought of her.”         “I’m sure she did,” Chris noted the apprehension behind her tone as he reached out to her, “hey we don’t need to talk about this if you don’t want.”         “It’s not that, well, it is,” she hesitated, “Chris, my life hasn’t exactly been normal and believe me that’s a polite way of putting it.”         “Well, you’re in luck Princess,” Chris offered with a sexy smile, “you happen to be talking to the king of bad choices and broken hearts.”         “And here I thought I was rescued by a lonely shoe salesman working his way up to martini master of the world,” she teased in response.         “That’s my nightlife you see and this doctor thing,” he leaned in towards her, “well that’s just a cover until the dream of the wild and reckless life pans out for me.”         “I see,” Greta nodded in response, “so then that little number you tried to feed me about a woman and her feet...”         “Is a personal fetish of mine, but one that I don’t get to indulge in most of the time in the OR,” he paused, “although I will say that your feet are by far the most incredible feet I have ever happened upon...”         “Stop,” she couldn’t help but laugh, “all this sweetness and I swear I’m going to get a cavity.”         “I thought you enjoyed it,” Chris swept her into his arms, “at least I hoped you did nearly as much as I enjoyed saying it.”         “Chris Ramsey, you are a flatterer,” Greta insisted, “and if we are truly going to even begin to enjoy the nightlife around here, you’re going to have to do your best to remain focused and get back to the topic at hand.”         “Which was?” he questioned lazily tracing her features as the elevator doors opened.         “Showing me what Port Charles has to offer,” she reached for his hand, “come on. We have the night ahead of us.”         “And what would we call this place,” Greta questioned with a laugh bubbling from within as she followed Chris down the dim hallway.         “The greatest place to kick back in Port Charles,” Chris explained to her holding the bag in his left hand as he opened the door with his other hand, “the pleasure is now ours.”         “Tell me,” Greta flashed him a teasing smile, “this place wouldn’t happen to be a major tourist attraction, would it?”         “Now Princess, don’t you know by now that a place like this is only meant for a select few,” he offered up following her into his apartment.         “I’m sure you say that to all the girls,” Greta answered feeling his arm slip around her waist as he pulled her from the floor and into his arms in the darkness. She opened her mouth to speak up as she felt a kiss upon her lips as his mouth sought out her soft, subtle reactions to him.         As they parted, Chris cradled her against his body before whispering in her ear gently, “Perhaps I should turn on the lights or we could skip that all together and make our way into the bedroom.”         “Chris,” Greta fought to regain her breath as she felt the warmth of him wrapped around her, “perhaps we should just stick to that hot chocolate that promised me on the way up.”         “We could,” he kissed her again, “or we could skip to dessert.”         “Chris, you’re going to be the death of me,” Greta kissed him again hearing the sound of the door closing behind them as he carried her through the darkness.         “You love every minute of being with me,” he urged feeling her arms around him as he held her close to him while moving towards his bedroom, “I’ll give you the grand tour later.”         “Later sounds good,” Greta agreed tugging at his tie as he carried her along. She felt him press her down upon the thick softness of his bed before he moved away from her. A few moments later a faint, luminescence filled the room as Greta turned her eyes towards the source of the glow. A breath escaped her lips as she watched him slowly opening his shirt revealing himself to her beside the light of the flickering flame. The heat of the room seemed to dance around his body as she noted the strong, powerful contours of his chest.         Lifting herself up from the bed, Greta eased herself over towards Chris. Feeling the blankets bunch up beneath her knees, she reached out to him drawing him close to her as her fingers fell upon the part in his shirt. With a playful smile, she pulled him in nearer to her, his warmth encircling her senses wrapping her up in a familiarity she hadn’t anticipated experiencing again as she touched him. Her eyes connected with his as she took her time learning the lines of the man who’d taken his time in loving her completely. Inhaling his intoxicating scent, she pressed her lips over the center of his chiseled chest taking in the taste of his glorious skin.         “Greta,” he spoke her name feeling it fall nothing more than a whisper from his lips as her lips beckoned him reaching deep within his soul, coaxing him out to her. His arms wrapped around her, surrounding her in the warmth she’d ignited within him, with her touch, her every caress as her lips played over his body. Chris released an involuntary moan as her wandering mouth pressed over him drinking up each and every one of his responses. Her moist lips traveled to the center of his chest, her touch lightly grazing a hair encircled nipple before her mouth closed over the tensed peak.         Greta closed her eyes absorbed in the sounds of his body’s sensual reactions to her. As she tasted of him, drawing out pleasures from him, she felt a warmth press over her washing through her system at the notion that she alone was capable and worthy of bringing to life the desires of a man like Chris. Feeling his hand slip into her dark tresses, she gazed up at him as he coaxed her towards him offering her a savory kiss in return for the passion she’d provoked in him.         “You’re so beautiful,” he whispered caressing the softness of her face as he wrapped her up in his arms easing them both back onto the mattress. He lay beside her touching her soft skin, seeing the look of passion behind her eyes as he thought of the beauty that remained beside him. He cupped her cheek in his hand before pulling her close offering a slow, tantalizing kiss, “promise me something.”         “Anything,” Greta whispered melting into his touch as he held her. The strength of his beautiful heart pounding against hers set her soul ablaze as she found herself lost in the sincerity behind his eyes.         “Promise me that this time you’ll stay with me,” Chris pleaded a vulnerability in his tone as he thought of what it had been like waking up alone in the hotel room, “tell me that you won’t run away again.” “I’m not going anywhere Chris,” she promised kissing him again as the warmth of his breath touched her, reaching deep within her being as their gazes remained upon one another, “I want to know what it’s like to wake up in your arms,” she whispered again kissing him with the promise of a passion and anticipation, “make love to me, Chris.”         “There’s nothing I want more,” Chris answered her desperate pleas as the two found themselves lost in a moment, in a time and place that only existed for the two of them. The flickering flame of the candle expired long before they surrendered themselves to the power of passion that was alive only for the two of them in their tenderness. All the roads that had somehow weaved a path to a dead end for each of them had transpired into something more, something greater as two halves evolved into a deeper spiritual union between them and at last they were whole in one another. Feeling the warmth of the dawn’s rays hint in through the blinds in his bedroom, Chris Ramsey snuggled into the softness beside him. As he opened his eyes to the impending morning, he noted the soft, silken tresses across his chest sprawled out in a cascade of beauty. He felt a smile tugging at his lips as he gently eased a strand of hair from his companion’s beautiful face and he found her eyes closed in a soft slumber. He pressed a gentle kiss on her forehead as her dark eyes opened followed by a yawn.         “So this is what heaven feels like,” Greta breathed against him as she shifted in his arms.         “You should try being on this end,” He offered up kissing the top of her head once more.         “What time is it?” she questioned snuggling in closer to him as the warmth of his arms blanketed her from beneath the thick comforter.         “It’s still early,” he explained leisurely tracing her spine as a smile washed over his features.         “You know,” she propped herself up a bit gazing down into his dark eyes as a smile crept over her features, “you never did get around to making me that hot chocolate.”         “Well, I’d planned on it earlier and then I’d thought about getting up and making it for you when you were snoring,” he teased.         “I do not snore,” Greta objected, “not at all, but you on the other hand...”         “I don’t snore,” Chris laughed lightly, “and if you heard any type of snoring last night, it wasn’t me.”         “Yeah right,” Greta chuckled, “though I will admit once you get over the volume associated with it, well it does have a certain copasetic value to it. It was a beautiful rhythm to settle in over.”         “Really?”         “That’s right,” she nodded, “it’s magical melody gave me such beautiful dreams of the two of us.”         “Dare I ask?”         “You can ask all you want Chris, but I’ll never tell,” she traced his chest with her index finger, “you know what they say about dreams.”         “No, what do they say?”         “If you speak about them aloud, they may never come true,” Greta answered openly.         “Well in our case, I don’t think we need dreams. At least from where I’m at right now it looks like all of mine have come true in the waking hour.”         “Chris,” she felt another blush wash over her.         “Now that is adorable.”         “How is it you can manage to do that,” Greta questioned turning her eyes away from him, “when you look at me and say such things I swear I’m blushing all the way down to my toes.”         “Can I see,” Chris questioned reaching for the blankets and pulling them back to take a peek at her feet.         “Hey no, I don’t need you teasing me about that too,” she shook her head tugging at the comforter.         “Hey those are mine,” he began as she tore the blankets from him.         “Not anymore,” she shook her head as a playful laugh erupted from her and their blanket tug of war began. As he moved in over her, Greta held her ground laughing lightly as he reached for the blankets.         “Didn’t anyone teach you to share,” he laughed playing along with her as he moved in over her pinning her down beneath him, “now what are you going to do?”         “I don’t know,” she replied with a soft smile, “maybe this,” she leaned up to kiss him gently, “or this.”         “That’s working,” Chris decided as he remained above her and the blankets, “but it’s not doing much for this morning draft I’m getting wind of.”         “If you ask nicely, I’m sure I can find some room for you under these with me,” she teased as he kissed her again.         “Pretty please,” he questioned as his lips hovered just above hers.         “Well I don’t know...”         He kissed her again.         “Oh okay,” she finally gave in offering him a hint of the view beneath the blankets as he crawled in beside her. He wrapped his arms around her squeezing her slender form against him.         “Much better,” Chris whispered in approval placing tiny, feathery light kisses over the back of her neck, “much better indeed.”         “I can see that now,” Greta leaned back into his arms losing herself in his embrace as a smile washed over her features.         “So what are your feelings on breakfast in bed?” Chris questioned moving his lips just below her earlobe before teasingly nibbling upon it.         “It all depends.”         “On?”         “On whether or not I’m the main course here,” she answered tilting back to meet his passion filled eyes.         “I’m sure we could work something out to our mutual satisfaction,” he whispered rolling over her as he kissed her again, “Greta, you’re an amazing woman.”         “And you’re an amazing man, Chris,” she answered touching his face as they parted.         “No, Greta, I don’t think you realize what I’m saying here,” Chris hesitated seeing the way her eyes held him with such adoration. It was the first time in a long time, if ever, that someone was looking into him, truly reaching into the core of who he was and seeing him for him. She looked to him with such untarnished feeling and admiration and his heart swelled at the notion of what it meant to have her in his arms, “when I first met you, I was having a day that could’ve been down in the records as one of my worst, but then when I least expected it, there you were. I was in the middle of no where with the most beautiful woman in the whole world and I had no idea in that moment how incredibly lucky I was in holding you before, but now as you’re in my arms like this...”         “Yes?” she began her eyes widening.         “It makes me realize how precious life truly is,” Chris traced her features gently, “and more than that I see that in this short time we’ve been together, you’ve made me believe in things I never dreamed a man like I would dream of,” he kissed her again sealing the moment, “Greta, I know that there is a lot we don’t know about one another, a lot we still are yet to discover, but still I can say this to you knowing in my heart that I’ve never felt anything as real as what I feel in holding you in my arms. Greta, I know this might sound crazy, but what I feel for you...what you do for me....”         “...is unlike anything I’ve ever known,” she touched him gently, “believe me Chris, I know what you’re saying as I feel it too.”         “I don’t doubt that, but Greta what I need to say to you, well it’s not something that come freely from me, but I need to get it out. After I nearly lost you before, I realized that I can’t let a moment like this pass us by again. I think, no I realize,” he kissed her tenderly, “that I, Chris Ramsey, the king of being jaded have somehow fallen head over heels in lo...” he was cut off by the sound of the doorbell ringing.         “Yes?” she questioned again her eyes widening in anticipation at his declaration.         “Greta, it’s just...” the bell sounded again.         “Are you expecting company?” she frowned.         “Not this early,” he shook his head, “maybe they’ll go away,” he frowned as the persistent ringing continued.         “Maybe you should answer it,” Greta sighed realizing that the moment had slipped away as he was distracted by the ringing.         “I’ll be right back,” Chris promised giving her a quick kiss as he hopped out of bed quickly throwing on a pair of pants in an attempt to get rid of the unwelcome visitor at his door. He threw Greta one last look before he left the bedroom making his way over to the front door, opening it with a scowl, “what?”         “Chris,” Eve’s tear streaked face greeted him as she held Daniel close to her, “thank God you’re here. I was afraid you wouldn’t be around.”         “Eve, what’s wrong,” he questioned noting her tears as he reached out to her, “what is it?”                “It’s Ian,” Eve sobbed, “he and I are over. We’re getting a divorce and Daniel and I didn’t have anywhere else to go.”         “Eve,” Chris began looking back to his bedroom momentarily.         “Please don’t tell me this is a bad time,” she tried wiping at her tears as Daniel began to cry.         “No, no it’s not,” Chris sighed opening the door, “come on in.”         “Thank you Chris,” Eve replied making her way into the apartment, “I don’t know what I would’ve done if you weren’t around.”         “You don’t have to worry about that,” Chris promised closing the door as his gaze shifted back to the bedroom and he realized that his plans for a quiet morning with Greta were once again altered.         “Okay, so tell me what happened,” Chris questioned circling around the sofa as Eve seated herself comfortably with Daniel in her lap.         “It’s such a mess,” Eve groaned, “I don’t even know where to begin, but right now Danny and I are all on our own.”         “Eve, how did this happen,” Chris questioned reaching for the box of Kleenex as he glanced over towards his bedroom, “I thought everything was alright with you and Ian.”         “It was, but then all of a sudden he and I just started fighting and,” Eve paused noting Chris’ eyes straying back towards his bedroom, “Chris?”         “Huh? Oh, what?” he looked back to her, “so you were fighting and then?”         “And then he,” she watched him closely, “Chris, is this a bad time?”         “No, no of course not. I mean you should know by now that my door is always open for you and Danny,” he reached out to the tiny boy in her hands, “I hope you realize that.”         “Well, naturally I do which is why I’m here, but with the way you keep eyeing your room like that,” she paused, “oh my...”         “What?” he questioned looking to her.         “You aren’t alone, are you?”         “What gives you that notion,” he asked a bit uneasily.         “Chris Ramsey. Who is she?” Eve’s eyes widened, “who did you sucker into coming home with you?”         “I don’t consider it suckering anyone to anything,” Chris objected, “in fact if I do recall, you were the one who came to me this morning, correct?”         “Chris, I don’t doubt your abilities as a friend, but who did you bring home,” she asked temporarily dismissing her own concerns, “do I know her?”         “Eve, I really don’t want to get into this,” Chris shifted uneasily as the door to his bedroom opened and Greta emerged wearing his night shirt.         “It was getting cold in there,” she explained to him as her eyes fell upon Eve and Daniel, “oh, I can see this is not a good time.”         “Greta wait,” Chris began as she fled back into his room a bit embarrassed.         “Greta,” Eve reached out to him tugging on his arm, “Chris, you brought Greta here?”         “Look Eve, it’s complicated,” Chris began looking from his room back to Eve again.         “Explain,” she urged refusing to let go of him, “what is she doing here?”         “What do you think she’s doing here,” he asked with a frown shrugging out of her hold, “I’ll be right back.”         “Chris,” Eve watched him as he took a retreat to his room and she looked to her son with a sigh, “what has your uncle gotten into Danny?” Chris stepped inside his bedroom closing the door behind him as he found Greta over in the far corner of his room searching for her clothes in a hurried fashion. He approached her feeling her anxiousness fill the air as she turned around to face him briefly before reaching for a shoe.         “Chris, I am so sorry that I just walked out there like that when you were obviously in the middle of a conversation and here I am bursting out of your room in your nightshirt when obviously....” she trailed off as he reached for her.         “Greta,” he turned her to face him, “it’s okay. Really, it’s not a big deal.”         “Chris, you had Eve out there and I stepped out of your room like a woman who’d just...”         “Made love to a man who loves her very much?” Chris questioned taking her face in his hands as he tried to alleviate the embarrassment that had overtaken her.         “What did you just say,” she asked a bit surprised.         “I said that I love you Greta,” Chris leaned down to kiss her tenderly, “and I don’t care who knows it.”         “You love me?” she questioned wrapping her arms around him as he kept her close to him.         “Of course I love you,” he answered with a smile, “couldn’t you tell by now how I feel about you?”         “Well I was hoping and wondering if maybe just maybe you and I could become something with one another, but then I didn’t know what you were expecting or what came with this thing between us and then I started to worry that maybe just maybe having me around wasn’t what you....” she was cut off by a kiss as he wrapped her up in his arms.         “Don’t doubt yourself so much,” he whispered against her lips, “I love you Princess.”         “I love you,” she confessed holding him closer to her, “I knew it from the moment I met you that you were someone I couldn’t be without. In fact after we‘d made love the first time, I was convinced that we had something special between us as I couldn‘t imagine not having you in my life.”         “Then don’t run out of here,” Chris urged, “you promised you’d stay this time and I hope you don’t take that back.”         “Well it’s just I saw Eve and,” she hesitated, “Chris, I don’t want to intrude upon your life.”         “You aren’t intruding,” Chris touched her cheek, “you’re a part of my life and I don’t want you to feel you have to run off, unless of course you don’t want to let the world know about the two of us.”         “No, it’s not that,” she shook her head, “I’ve never wanted to reveal as much of myself with the world around me as I do when I’m with you.”         “Good, then why don’t you just go over to my top drawer over there and pull out a pair of pajama bottoms I have that are a bit small for me. They should fit you nicely seeing as they lace around the waist,” he offered with a smile, “then you can join Eve and I out for hot chocolate.”         “So now I get my hot chocolate,” Greta teased.         “And this time you might get the opportunity to savor it seeing as Eve and Ian are on the outs,” Chris nodded, “but know that when we get this settled, you and I have a few things to get back to.”         “I’m going to hold you to it,” she squeezed his hand taking a step back, “are you sure Eve won’t mind that I’m here?”         “Greta, it’s my apartment,” Chris explained, “and she’s my guest as well and if she has a problem with it, well then she can find someone else,” he half teased, “really Greta, it’s no big deal. In fact, maybe you can help on this one.”         “How so?” she raised a curious brow.         “Well, I’m not exactly a woman...”         “Which I’m very thankful for,” Greta reminded him.         “So am I,” he took in a breath, “but even so, I think it might be good for Eve to have another perspective on things, a woman’s point of view if you will.”         “I take it she and Ian are on the outs.”         “The joys of marriage,” Chris half groaned, “you’d think the second time around Eve would be smarter than this, but I guess some people never learn. I, on the other hand, don’t plan to make the same mistakes.”         “In marriage?” Greta raised a curious brow, “you were married before?”         “A long time ago,” Chris nodded in response, “but it was a while ago.”         “What happened?” she asked watching him closely as she realized that there was still a great deal she didn’t know about this man she’d let into her heart.         “It didn’t work out,” he shrugged, “I guess it just wasn’t meant to be.”         “Just like that?”         “It was a bit more complex than that, but the cards were stacked against us,” he answered a bit uncomfortable, “but anyways, like I said you might find something that will work for you in my top drawer.”         “I’ll take a look,” she nodded in response as he moved to the door and she felt a bit uneasy as he stopped.         Chris turned around to face her again, “Greta?”         “Yes?”         “I just wanted to let you know,” he paused searching for words as a smile pressed over his features, “you look great in my shirt. It fits you better than it does on me.”         “I happen to like it on you,” Greta confessed with a smile hugging it, “but then again I like the feel of having a part of you wrapped around me like this.”         “I like the idea of being welcome enough to hold you,” Chris answered proudly, “and I intend to do just that later.”         “I think we can arrange that,” Greta agreed watching him leave the room as she moved over to his dresser pulling open the top drawer to find something to wear. As she skimmed through his things, she felt a bit curious as she noted a picture frame buried beneath the pajama pants. Pulling it out from within the deep drawers, she turned it around to see a photograph of Chris and Eve drinking martinis with one another, toasting something in what appeared to be happier times. She noted the expression on his face as she thought to Eve sitting back on his couch. The photograph was a bit older, but there was something in his eyes, something in the way he looked at Eve...         “Get a grip,” she shook her head wondering why she was feeling this sudden insecurity as she slipped into Chris’ things. He’d already told her he’d loved her and they shared something incredible, but...she hesitated thinking to Eve and her son waiting out in the other room with Chris. Was Eve the ex-wife that it hadn’t worked out with? Could she be the one that Chris felt slipped away? Was he another Eric waiting to happen? She shook the thought as she rubbed her arms trying to rid herself of the chill in the air. As her eyes fell upon the bed she and Chris had just spent the night making love in, she thought back to her time in Salem, to a man who’d hurt her, a man she’d loved who’d left her for his beautiful ex-fiancee, someone she’d trusted, someone who...         “He’s not Eric,” she insisted thinking about how irrational she must be to the world around her as she kept thinking back to the times love had kicked her down. With Chris, there was so much more she was yet to learn about him, but somehow she’d felt a comfort with him that she hadn’t reached with Eric. She’d given Chris a piece of her heart, a part of her soul that she’d been unable to give to Eric Brady. Surely things would be different this time. She and Chris had a connection and that in itself was reason enough for her not to be so insecure this early on in their relationship. Eve was beautiful, but she was married and not a threat, Greta reminded herself as she put the photograph away and concentrated on getting dressed. “So are you going to tell me what you’re doing bedding the princess?” Eve questioned placing Daniel in the high chair Chris had set up for him in the kitchen, “what were you thinking?”         “Eve, you don’t understand,” Chris began with a sigh, “it’s not what you’re thinking.”         “Tell me you didn’t seduce that woman for your own twisted pleasures,” Eve eyed him intently, “I told you she was a sweet woman.”         “I know that,” Chris blurted out with a frown, “don’t you think I realize that?”         “Then why did you bring her here last night? Why set her up for a heartbreak?”         “Eve, did it ever occur to you that maybe just maybe there’s more to this than what you and Ian are reading into it? Did it ever hit you that maybe just maybe I might find this woman to be someone very special, someone that I might enjoy spending time with?”         “She just doesn’t seem your type,” Eve lowered her voice, “well other than the being loaded part...”         “That’s just it,” Chris explained bringing a mug over to the table as he sat across from Eve, “she’s not. She’s not my type at all. She’s kind and generous, beautiful and charming, all the things that I could ever dream about in a woman and her heart,” Chris paused thinking about Greta, “Eve, she has the most amazing heart and her spirit, well, there’s just something about it that has me completely captivated.”         “Whoa, hold on a second,” Eve watched him closely, “if you keep talking like that, you might actually have me believing what you’re trying to sell me.”         “I’m not trying to sell you anything,” Chris confessed, “it’s the truth. Eve, when I met Greta something happened to me. I wasn’t looking for it, hell, I wasn’t even imagining it would ever happen for me again, but there she was and somehow it just all fell into place.”         “Dare I say you could be falling into that word we promised you’d never utter again?”         “What might that be?”         “The “L” word?”         “Honestly,” Chris paused sipping his hot chocolate slowly before answering, “I think it could be.”         “Really?” Eve raised a curious brow, “and you’re not just saying that because she’s a princess and she’s loaded beyond your wildest dreams?”         “Eve, when I met her I had no idea that she was a princess,” Chris confessed finally opening up to his best friend despite his initial desire to keep his encounter with Greta to himself, “I knew nothing about her other than she was someone special.”         “Chris, you met her at the hospital,” she noted the expression on his face, “or did you?”         “Not exactly,” he took another sip of his hot chocolate again as her eyes widened.         “Are you trying to tell me that she,” Eve trailed off noting the look on his face as she spoke in a hushed whisper, “was she the one you ended up....”         “We met on my trip,” Chris cut her off abruptly, “let’s just leave it at that.”         “Oh my god,” was all Eve could manage as the bedroom door opened and Greta stepped out into the hallway looking around.         “In here,” Chris called out to her as he motioned for her to join them in the kitchen.         “Oh hey,” Greta smiled entering the kitchen before looking over to Eve, “about before...”         “Don’t even worry about it,” Eve raised her hand in the air, “we can just pin that little embarrassment on Chris for not giving you proper warning that I was here.”         “Hey that’s not fair,” Chris objected.         “Life is seldom fair,” Eve teased back before looking to Greta, “so how are you enjoying Port Charles so far?”         “It’s been,” Greta started as Chris rose from his seat retrieving her mug of hot chocolate before holding out her chair for her to take a seat, “incredible,” she smiled looking over to Chris thoughtfully.         “I’m so glad to hear you say that,” Eve replied noting the closeness between the two of them as she saw her dear friend look happy for the first time in a long time, “there are quite a few interesting things here in Port Charles to see.”         “So I’m learning,” Greta replied turning her attention back to Eve as Chris reached for her hand giving it a light squeeze.         “Yeah well if Chris doesn’t spend his time keeping you here the whole time you’re in town, I’d love to give you a tour of the sights,” Eve smiled seeing the closeness between Greta and Chris, “from a woman’s perspective.”         “I’m sure I can fit that in,” Greta agreed, “in fact I think I’d like that very much.”         “Excellent,” Eve nodded, “right now I could use a distraction from life and when all else is going miserable, shopping tends to be the right solution to nearly any problem.”         “So I’m told,” Greta chuckled lightly as Daniel let out a tiny squeal.         “Apparently Danny’s with me on this one,” Chris replied watching Daniel wrinkle his nose slightly, “he’s not into shopping.”         “Of course he is,” Eve argued.         “The last time we took him shopping you did your thing while Daniel and I were in the toy store,” Chris rose from his chair picking the small boy up and holding him close, “we couldn’t wait for the chance to dive into our own world instead of that of designer fashion.”         “It wasn’t that bad,” Eve objected, “and besides Danny does like shopping with me.”         “He likes shopping with me more,” Chris argued.                “That’s because you spoil him rotten.”         “I wouldn’t be me if I didn’t spoil my godson,” Chris confessed with a smile as there was a knock at the front door.         “My you are popular this morning,” Greta noted curiously.         “I’m not usually,” Chris looked to Daniel, “but hey since I am, what do you say we check it out little buddy,” he smiled back at the women, “Ladies, we shall return.”         “We’ll be here,” Greta offered.         “Take good care of him,” Eve blew her son a kiss as Chris left the room leaving her and Greta to talk. Curiously she looked over to Greta, “So I can see you’ve taken an interest in Chris.”         “You could say that,” Greta admitted shyly, “I suppose that’s one way to put it.”         “He’s really a great guy,” Eve confessed, “despite what you might hear around the hospital he’s all heart.”         “I take it you two are close,” Greta began fishing for details.         “As close as Chris will allow another human being,” Eve paused, “well except for you of course.”         “Oh I see,” Greta hesitated, “so I take it you and he were....” she trailed off.         “Were what?” she questioned noting the expression on Greta’s face, “you mean Chris and I?” she shook her head, “oh no. God no...not that there is anything wrong with Chris because he’s a wonderful, wonderful man, but we’re just friends...best friends Nothing more. I swear.”         “Oh,” Greta fought to keep in the breath of relief building within her, “I guess I just assumed that you and he were, well,” she shook her head, “he’d mentioned that he was married before and....”         “...naturally you thought that maybe he and I,” Eve shook her head, “no, it wasn’t me. If I was smart I would’ve married Chris, but you know I think if I had we would’ve killed one another by the end of the first week. As for his first wife,” Eve wrinkled her nose, “she was completely wrong for him. I’m honestly surprised it lasted as long as it did with them, but truth be told, she didn’t deserve him.”         “Oh?” Greta sipped her hot chocolate.         “Well, I probably shouldn’t be telling you all of this, but Julie, well with Julie and Chris it just wasn’t what you’d call a fairy tale romance,” Eve half laughed sarcastically, “then again, time is proving that they never are.”         “Lambert,” Ian’s voice interrupted as he marched into Chris’ kitchen determined to see his wife, “I need to speak with you.”         “I have nothing to say Ian,” Eve hissed in response as Chris followed up behind Ian.         “I tried to keep him out, but with Danny in my arms...” Chris explained.         “I’m not leaving until you hear me out Lambert,” Ian grumbled raising his voice.         “I already told you that there’s nothing more to say,” Eve argued with a frown as Daniel began to fuss.         “I think there’s plenty say Lambert. Please just give me five minutes,” he begged of her as she crossed her arms in front of her chest.         “Fine,” she reluctantly agreed, “but that’s it,” Eve turned to Chris, “keep an eye on Danny.”         “I’ll be right here,” he said his voice full of concern as Eve and Ian went out into the hallway to talk.         “Everything okay?” Greta questioned rising from her seat.         “I swear I don’t know what she sees in him,” Chris shook his head, “he’s such a jerk and she falls for what he has to say each and every time.”         “He’s her husband,” Greta reminded him, “I think she wants to at least hear him out before she knocks him on his butt.”         “Well,” he thought it over with a tiny laugh, “yeah, that’s Eve.”         “I thought so,” Greta smiled, “she seems like a wonderful woman.”         “That’s a subjective term,” Chris shrugged, “but I suppose she’s alright.”         “I’m sure she’s more than alright,” Greta reached out to Daniel as he smiled at her, “after all she has this handsome little man here.”         “Well you know he does take after Eve as opposed to his father,” Chris wrinkled his nose as Daniel extended his arms out towards Greta, “I think he likes you.”         “Is that so,” she asked as Daniel offered up the rattle he’d been chewing on, “why thank you,” she smiled as he wiggled towards her.         “I can’t say I blame you either Danny,” Chris chuckled in amusement, “I wouldn’t mind being in the arms of a beautiful princess either,” Chris looked to her again, “do you mind?”         “Are you kidding,” she reached for Danny, “not at all,” she finished taking him into her arms as a smile pressed over her features, “hey Danny, how are you?”         Daniel smiled in response before pointing to his cheerios on the table top and letting out a coo.         “You’re still hungry aren’t you,” Greta watched him for a moment before moving over to the table and picking up a handful of the cereal, “but you know what, I’ll tell you what we’ll do,” she looked to Chris, “your godfather here promised me that we could kick back and watch my favorite fairy tale last night, but since we never got back to it,” she eyed Chris, “think we can get to it now instead?”         “I think I can arrange that,” he nodded getting a bowl for Daniel’s cheerios and handing it to Greta as she stepped into the living room. He noted Eve’s jacket draped over the back of his couch and he pulled it up making room for Greta and Daniel, “have a seat. I shall return.”         “Okay,” Greta eased herself onto the sofa with Daniel in her lap as Chris returned a few minutes later minus the jacket.         “All set,” he explained popping the tape into the VCR, “Danny, you’re all ours. I sent your mom and dad out for a while to talk while you and I do our best to prove to the princess here that we are the best company in Port Charles,” Chris finished with a smile bringing his arm around Greta as she eased back into his arms holding Daniel close to her. Chris noted the way Daniel seemed to melt in her lap as she held the small boy close to her, helping him with his treat as the cartoon played on screen and Danny’s eyes lit up with obvious interest.         As the movie continued on, Chris felt Greta relax in his arms as Daniel’s eyes had drifted to a close and he nestled in against her. A smile crept over Chris’s features as he watched Danny at such ease in Greta’s arms. As the credits rolled over the television, Chris reached for the remote control turning off the movie as he lay back comfortably with Greta and Daniel in his arms. After a moment he heard a faint tapping at the door followed by a turning of the lock in the door. He turned his eyes towards the entrance to his apartment as Eve stepped inside with Ian standing behind her.         “I came to collect my son,” Eve whispered looking to Chris as she found Daniel and Greta asleep over him.         “He seems to be having a good time all on his own,” Chris explained with a smile, “in fact, if it isn’t too much of a bother, why don’t you just let him stay over tonight?”         “Chris, I don’t know if that’s a good idea,” Eve frowned slightly, “Ian and I patched things up and we were just going to go home and spend a family night together.”         “So go on,” Chris waved at them, “it’s not every day you get to have a night to yourselves,” he explained brushing his fingers through Greta’s hair gently, “consider this my one random act of kindness. Danny can stay with me and you two can do whatever, well I don’t want to think about it, but Danny will be fine with me.”         “Are you sure?” Eve questioned seeing how at peace her son seemed with Chris and Greta.         “Positive and if by chance you feel the need to check up on us, you have my number and apparently still my key,” Chris noted with a pointed look.         “Oh yeah, I guess I do,” Eve offered with a tiny smile.         “So go,” Chris waved at her, “enjoy your day or night or whatever it is. Daniel will be just fine.”         “Ramsey I don’t know if....”         “It’s fine,” Chris explained, “now go before Daniel and I kick you out of here.”         “Alright, alright, but if anything happens to him,” Eve warned.         “I’ll guard him like he’s my own son,” Chris promised as Ian and Eve left the apartment leaving him alone with two of the most amazing creatures in the world as a smile crept over his lips.         Greta let out a tiny yawn as his finger tips pressed over her cheek. Opening her eyes she looked up to him with a smile, “Hey you....”         “I can see how much you love the movie,” Chris teased lightly.         “Sorry about that,” she shifted a bit before feeling Daniel upon her lap. Looking down to him, she felt his tiny, warm form nestled in against her and a smile crept over her features as his fingers were wrapped around Chris’s index finger, “Oh he’s so precious Chris.”         “And he’s our for the night,” Chris explained with a sly grin, “I figured we could spare the kid a few hours of his parents love fest. I hope you don’t mind.”         “Are you kidding,” Greta laughed lightly, “do you think I would mind being surrounded by two of the most incredible men in the world?”         “Oh so you’re admitting I’m incredible now, are you?”         “Actually I was referring to Danny and his pet tiger,” she teased in response as she fought to suppress the hint of laughter tugging from within her.         “I see how it is,” he moved his lips just over her neck and let out a soft growl, “though if you’re looking for your own personal wild cat...” he gently blew on her skin.         “Chris,” she squealed wiggling in his arms as she shot him a look, “don’t wake up Danny.”         “I’m sorry, but you’re just too cute not to tease,” he watched her again as Daniel seemed at perfect ease in her arms, “so tell me Greta, seeing as kids just love you, have you ever thought about having any of your own?”         “Only just about every day of my life,” she confessed with a sigh, “in a way I’ve always wanted to be a mom. I’m sure that sounds crazy, doesn’t it?”         “No, not at all,” he shook his head, “you’d be a perfect mom. Come to think of it, you’d be the greatest mom there is and any child that is lucky enough to have you in their life is truly a blessed one.”         “Chris, you’re going to make me blush,” Greta hinted of a smile as she looked back to him and the way he held her and Daniel lovingly, “of course I have no doubt in my mind that you’re going to be an amazing father one day as well.”         “I’d like to be,” Chris confessed, “although I will confess that my childhood leaves much to be desired.”         “Oh?” she raised a curious brow, “how so?”         “Well besides my father the conman,” Chris sighed, “I can’t say I had what you could call a close family. I mean I tried to do what was right for my brothers and sisters, but I didn’t always make the right choices with them.”         “That’s called being human.”         “Even so, I wish I’d done some things differently,” Chris sighed, “in the end it seemed like we all went our separate ways and nothing could repair the damage that was done.”         “Chris, just because you ended up having bad times in the past, it doesn’t mean that the future has to stay that way,” she pointed out, “if your family means as much to you as you say they do, well, then maybe it’s time you took the initiative to tell them just what you told me.”         “Just like that?”         “Sure, I mean why not,” Greta sighed, “I’d give anything to have a family, to really have someone in my life that I could turn to now, someone I could confide in and share my life with, but after my mother was gone, well it was like those hopes ended for me.”         “Greta, I’m sorry to hear that,” he paused, “what about your father?”         “My father,” she let out a tiny laugh, “if only you knew.”         “That bad huh?”         “I never knew my father,” she confessed, “Prince von Amburg loved my mother very much, but he wasn’t truly my father. My father never really played a role in my life at least not with my knowledge of him being my father.”         “How so?” Chris questioned as she seemed to tense up in his arms.         “When my mother was on her deathbed, she revealed to me who my father was and at the time I wasn’t sure if I could believe her words or not,” Greta confessed, “at the time of her demise, she was very, very ill and brokenhearted as well. She had one great love in her life and she’d been taken from it you see,” she hesitated, “you don’t want to hear this.”         “No, I do,” he urged, “go on.”         “Well it’s not really the happiest of tales.”         “Even so, it’s something that is important to you,” Chris explained, “I want to hear it.”         “Well, you see, while you’ll hear a great many things about the Princess Gina, my mother was far from a saint,” Greta hesitated again as he squeezed her in his arms encouraging her.         “Go on,” Chris paused, “unless it’s too difficult.”         “It is, but at the same time, it’s a part of me as you pointed out,” Greta closed her eyes thinking back, “as I told you when we first met, my mother was an incredible artist, brilliant even and in her talent she found a darker side of herself. While she enjoyed lavish attention and all the riches that came with being the princess, it wasn’t nearly enough for her. She needed more in her life and she found that extra excitement in the arms of a man, a priest, Father John,” Greta paused, “at the time I’d seen their friendship as something sweet and wonderful, but only recently I discovered what my mother truly was, what evil she was capable of. It turns out that not only was my mother a talented woman, but she was a charmer, a jack of all trades as she and John worked together to steal priceless works of art for a man named Stefano Dimera,” she paused, “perhaps you’ve heard of him.”         “I can’t say I have,” Chris shook his head.         “Then you’re one of the lucky ones,” Greta sighed, “to make a long story short, my mother made reproductions of the pieces that Stefano desired and in doing so she found a way to replace the originals with her forgery and they got away with millions in their con. It was really more of a game to my mother. She would charm those around her, win her way into their hearts and then she and John would work together to rob those unsuspecting victims blind. Needless to say they had quite a con going and the game was enjoyable until my mother and John were careless about their private affairs. Enraged by the betrayal Stefano had felt for my mother’s love for John, he took John away from her, erased him from her life before he locked her away from the world, leaving her with nothing but her broken heart for a great many years of her life. She was left to live in solitude as the only man she’d ever loved was taken from her and she was held prisoner to Stefano’s evil.”         “Greta, I’m sorry,” Chris noted the tears pooling in her dark eyes as he touched her cheek.         “The worst part was when she found her freedom, when she found John again, it was too late. Their time had passed and John had found another love. Stefano had succeeded in keeping them from one another and once again my mother was left to deal with her loss. However, in her discoveries of John and his new life, she came to Salem, posed as a woman living in Salem that Stefano had manipulated and in the end she died in the deepest pool of her insanity after her lies were exposed,” Greta choked up on emotion, “my mother died alone with the world knowing what a fraud she was and her legacy of good and kindness was washed away by her servitude to Stefano Dimera.”         “Greta, I had no idea....” Chris reached out to her.         “Being a princess isn’t all it’s cracked up to be,” she offered trying to wipe at her face in a way not to disturb Danny, “and the worst part about it is that it’s still not over. While my mother is dead, Stefano still lives his life as if nothing has happened. John has found a new life and happiness, but my mother, well, she ended in misery and all alone. She loved and lost and in the end she was left with nothing, with no one in the world to be with her, to miss her.”         “That’s not true,” he touched her cheek gently, “Greta, she had you.”         “I don’t think that was enough,” she shook her head, “I wasn’t there when she needed me.”         “I’m sure if you could’ve been, you would’ve been there.”         “I don’t know,” she sighed, “I was so determined to make my way in this world, to be something that she wasn’t. To prove that I wasn’t just a spoiled little rich girl who was going to live the high life and look what happened.”         “What that man...that Stefano did to your mother wasn’t your doing.”         “No, but I didn’t stop him. I could’ve stopped him had I known.”         “Greta, you couldn’t have known,” Chris hesitated, “you can’t blame yourself for what happened to your mother, just like I can’t keep blaming myself for the way my father destroyed my life.”         “Chris, I knew what that man was capable, what kind of evil he was harboring, but instead of going to seek out help, to find someone, I stayed on my own away from the world living in fear and by the time I found my way out, it was too late for my mother. It was too late,” she sniffled a tear slipping down her cheek, “and now all I have are memories and the knowledge of the evil that had torn my mother apart.”         “Greta, that evil isn’t going to touch you anymore. Stefano Dimera can’t hurt you anymore and you aren’t alone,” Chris promised squeezing her to him, “you won’t ever be alone again.”         “Chris, you don’t understand. I can’t ever escape Stefano,” she sighed, “not only did he tear my mother’s life apart for his own personal pleasure, but he offered her the greatest gift only to taunt her with it as time went on. He kept it over her head, keeping her prisoner to his game until the end for he wouldn’t ever let her go.”         “Greta,” he watched as her eyes closed again lost in obvious pain.         “He’s my father, Chris. Stefano Dimera is my father and while I’d never admit that to another living soul, it was because of me, because of my birth that my mother ended up losing her life to his evil.”         “Greta, don’t say that,” Chris watched her falling apart in his arms. Daniel shifted a bit and he wiped at her face again, “look at me.”         “I can’t believe I’m doing this,” she tried to bite back her tears, “I told myself that crying was never going to lead me anywhere and here I am sobbing in your arms when we’re having a beautiful moment, when you and I should be enjoying our time with Daniel here. I should be just relaxing and here I am revealing a world to you that you most certainly don’t want to be a part of. You know me for less than a few days and here I am crying my eyes out to you.”         “I’m glad you felt you were able to confide in me,” Chris confessed with a soft sigh, “and truth be told, in hearing the truth, in learning about who you are, it only makes me love you all the more. Greta, you are an amazing woman.”         “Chris, you’re just saying that.”         “No, no I’m not. Greta, I’ll be completely honest when I tell you that I don’t deserve a woman like you. I am not a nice man by any means and I’ve done some horrible, horrible things,” he confessed painfully, “I’ve hurt people, lied to get ahead and even went so far as to harm others for my own personal gain, but now looking back I see it was all for not. What I was doing was just wasting my time foolishly on things that I felt were worthwhile, but now looking back I see all I was doing was putting myself down a path to loneliness, a means of self destruction that was only going to lead me to misery.”         “Chris, I’m sure you weren’t all those things you claim to be....”         “No I was worse,” Chris explained motioning to Daniel once again, “on second thought, why don’t you let me put him down and we can continue this?”         “Alright,” she nodded carefully repositioning herself on the sofa as Chris scooped Daniel up into his arms. A few minutes later he returned keeping the bedroom door open a crack behind him as he took a seat beside her.         “Now where were we?” he asked reaching for her hand.         “Opening up our hearts,” she offered with a smile.         “Ah yes,” Chris nodded, “I was about to tell you about me, about who I really am.”         “I know who you are Chris,” Greta squeezed his hand.         “But not who I was,” Chris took in a breath, “Greta, I was a lot like this man, this Stefano Dimera that you spoke of. I manipulated people, used people to get what I wanted from life at whatever cost it would take to get what I felt I needed. I lied, manipulated, hell even stole someone else’s research and passed it off as my own on the road to getting rich quick. I would’ve sold my soul to the devil if it meant making the fast buck and getting the prestige I felt was meant for me,” he hesitated, “even with my first wife. When I married her, it wasn’t for love, at least not at first. She and I had a business arrangement, an agreement if you will and it was something we both stepped into for all the wrong reasons, which is why we fell apart, but now looking back I see just how foolish I was. I was so determined to do things my way, to have things my way that I couldn’t see just how precious the important things in life were. I’d already convinced myself that the only person I could depend on in this world was me as my father had proven it time and time again and I never wanted to need anyone. Love was something I was determined not to have in my life as in a way I felt myself unworthy, unable to be capable of any real emotion for anyone, but then when I was at my lowest,” he hesitated, “there you were.”         “Chris,” she opened her mouth to speak as he pressed a finger over her lips.         “Please let me finish,” he urged, “Time and time again when I’ve gotten to a point I’ve always chickened out and I can’t do that now.”         “Alright,” she nodded in response.                “Greta, when I met you, I’d given up. I was on my way out of Port Charles because I felt life had nothing more for me to offer. I’d tied up all my assets and loose ends and when I’d happened upon you, it was on my way out of this world. I was ready to say my final goodbye to everything around me and accept the fate that I was given, this destined to be alone, but then my car blew up and there you were. When I held you in my arms that first moment in the store, there was something in your eyes, something in the way you looked at me that opened my heart and I knew in that instant that I’d found my reason, I’d found my own last chance in this world and I found it with you,” Chris reached for her hand, “while I might not be good with words and lord knows that I’m not worthy of you by any means, I love you. I love you with all that I am and the more I learn about you, the more I realize just how much I need you in my life. Greta, I know that you and I are not more than strangers, but what you’ve reached in my heart,” he placed her palm over the center of his chest, “what you’ve pulled from within me, it’s something I felt I’d never be capable of. I never imagined I’d find me longing to give so much of myself to another, but here you are and it’s as if I can’t find enough time to give you everything that you truly deserve. Princess or not, you’re the most amazing woman in the world to me and while I know that we have only just begun, I’d be a fool to let you slip away from me. I can’t let you walk out of my life when my heart, my every synapse is telling me that you’re the one, that we are meant to be with one another,” he touched her cheek gently, “when I look into your eyes, I imagine our children, our future together and I know in my heart that I want to spend my live with you, loving you, learning about you, about the powers of your love.”         “Chris, I don‘t know what to say,” Greta choked up on her tears as he leaned in to kiss her tenderly.         “Say yes,” he whispered offering up another heartfelt kiss as his arms pressed around her, “say you’ll marry me.”         “Marry you,” she looked to him in surprise as she saw the sincerity in his eyes.         “I know that’s asking you to take a big risk, a big chance on someone who is anything but worthy of your love and I won’t lie to you and not tell you that a great many people will think that your worst decision would be being with me. Hell, I can’t even deny it either seeing as I know in my heart that I could never be the true prince that a woman like you deserves, but what I do promise you is a life full of love, happiness and I will give my all to you to the best of my abilities and I’ll always keep you in my heart, at the very essence of my being as our souls remained joined for all eternity. I love you Greta von Amburg and I know what it’s like to have that kind of love slip away. I know what it’s like to live that life of solitude as it was my life before you were in it and I don’t want to go back there again. You said it yourself that you only have so much time and if you miss that window, well you spend the rest of your life regretting it as you explained your mother did.”         “I know she did,” Greta nodded, “but are you sure...I mean are you really sure you want to marry someone like me knowing who I am, knowing what I am.”         “You are the most beautiful creature in this world and the most amazingly wonderful woman to me,” he kissed her tenderly taking his time to draw out the sweetness from within, “you are everything I’ve always dreamed of and never imagined being able to have in my life. When I’m with you it’s like the past is just that and all I see is a bright, beautiful future with you. Maybe that makes me completely insane, but I love you and I want nothing more than to have you with me each and every day for the rest of my life.”         “I couldn’t imagine anything more beautiful than being with you, being your wife,” Greta touched his face tenderly as tears spilled down her beautiful features, “nothing would please me more than to start a family with you, to share my dreams with the most incredible man I’ve ever known.”         “Then are you saying,” he searched her eyes as he hoped his ears weren’t deceiving him that his heart wasn’t offering him hope for something that would never be as he was lost in her.         “Yes,” she nodded excitedly as the tears spilled from her face and she embraced him, “oh god yes. I’ll marry you Chris,” she kissed him again as a rush of relief washed over him.         “You will,” he searched her eyes as it registered within him and he lifted her in his arms as he rose from the sofa, “you will,” he cheered as he spun her around in his arms, “I’m about to marry the most beautiful woman in the world.”         “And I am about to marry the most wonderful man,” she mused kissing him again as Daniel sounded from the other room.         “It sounds like we get to share our news,” Chris carried her into the bedroom as he noted Daniel standing in the crib watching them intently, “Get this Danny,” he grinned from ear to ear as he kissed Greta once more before lowering her to the floor, “your Uncle Chris is getting married,” Chris beamed from ear to ear reaching for Daniel and pulling him out from the crib as he spun him around getting a chuckle from the tiny child, “it’s time to celebrate.”         “He thinks we’re crazy,” Greta laughed lightly seeing the joy rush over Chris’ features, “you know that don’t you?”         “Even so,” Chris grinned excitedly as he reached out to her wrapping both her and Daniel up in his arms, “this is the greatest day of my life and knowing that you and I are about to become husband and wife, I’d say that this is the greatest miracle of all,” he smiled at Daniel, “Well aside from Daniel here being our little ring bearer.”         “Oh but of course,” Greta agreed, “hey I have to hand it to him, in his own little way this little one found a way to get us together.”         “He did, didn’t he,” Chris smiled thinking back to holding Greta and Daniel in his arms, “in that case, it’s ice cream time,” Chris looked to Greta with a nod, “you game.”         “You bet I am,” She agreed happily as the three of them left the bedroom full of hope for things to come as they were finally on the road to making their happily ever after a reality once and for all.