AU Backdarft corrie

Opie scooped her up in his arms cursing at the press as he led her back to his Opie's car. He helped her inside, covering her up with his jacket and turning the heat on once he was inside. He drove off toward her house, silently holding her hand as she wept.

Corrie felt like lead inside. As they left she'd heard O'Neal's wife's cries. This shit was hard and people wouldn't leave them be to grieve their dead. When they got back to her apartment she sat on her bed, not caring how dirty she was. She'd change the sheets later. When Opie sat beside her she cuddled up to him, her boots on the bed, not giving a damn, and put her head in his lap.

She no longer gave a damn about taking it slow or how confusing this all was. Either one of them could be gone in the blink of an eye. It was the nature of the job. She rolled onto her back and looked up at him, her head still in his lap.

"I love you, Harry."

Opie had slowly begun to undress her for the bath he drew her when she said those words. He paused a few beats before caressing the nape of her neck before leaning down to kiss the shell of her ear, "I love you too, Corrine Tregar."

Her heart skipped a beat when he whispered in her ear. She hadn't expected him to say it in return. She flung her arms around his neck and crushed her mouth to his.

"Do you mean it?"

Opie kissed her back, holding her by the waist, "I know it's nuts...but I do...I loved you the moment I first saw you...despite the world falling apart around us."

She smiled and kissed him hard. When they heard the banging on the door she let him answer it.


____________

After Dee left Corrie was pissed. She paced the room, not even beginning to know how to process.

Opie sighed, "She was only concerned, Cor. Give her time..."

She looked at him, "she just compared you to a man who beat me and tried to trap me in Chicago when I left him. He was psychotic. You are NOT like him. You aren't"

It sounded like she was trying to convince herself.

Opie sighed, "She knows that, Cor. Hey, she loves you and she wants you to be safe. Don't hold that against her. I'd be the same way: overprotective."

She sighed and scrubbed at her face, "God, I'm so tired."

She leaned against him and kissed his naked chest. She was content laying her head on him and smelling his on the tshirt/.

Opie held her close, kissing her neck, "Let's sleep then. You can talk to Dee in the morning ."

She sighed and scrubbed at her face, "God, I'm so tired."

She leaned against him and kissed his naked chest. She was content laying her head on him and smelling him on the tshirt she wore.
"You sleep in my bed tonight, ok?"

Opie smiled, "Only if I can hold you"

After she'd finally gotten a shower, they went to bed. Sleeping in his arms she felt safe and only had a few nightmares. Each time she woke, he was there. It made going back to sleep easier.

The next morning she woke up before him. She gently kissed his forehead and slipped out of the bed. She padded out to the front door and grabbed the paper, tucking it under her arm. She went into the kitchen and started the coffee. While she waited, she sat at the table reading The Post. Again, there she was on the cover, this tim placing O;Neal's hat on his head. She sighed shakily, opening the paper.

There was a picture of her and a whole profile of her. It had her family history and a glowing quote by her father about how proud he was of her for coming back to ground zero even after being trapped and helping. Next to that was the same for Opie



Harry "Opie" Winston

Born October 15, 1976 to one of the wealthiest families in America, has been a firefighter for Ladder 16 for two years. He's excelled in the field saving numerous lives, including that of his current girlfriend Corrine Trager, daughter of Captain Alexander Trager. Harry Winston is the sole heir of Peidmount Winston. His father had this to say about the dramatic rescue of his son's love,"That job is beneath him. I have no idea why he insists on living like common people. That woman is not up to the challenge of being my son's wife and therefor should not even be a blip on his radar,"Peidmount is a notoriously rude man. He built Winston Industries, a world leader in medical research, using his family's money when he was just sixteen. Though he comes from old money he sees himself as a self made man. Harry and Corrine could not be reached for comment.


She stared, open mouthed, at the paper. She was completely shocked by his father's unkind words and the fact that she was apparently dating a man that didn't need to work a day in his life, yet had one of the most demanding jobs out there.

She sat, so dumbfounded, she didn't even hear the coffee pot alert her that it was ready.

Opie came in scratching his head, yawning sleepily, "Mornin'". He dropped a soft kiss on top of her head.

"Oh, nice to see I'm a blip on your radar, Harry," she tossed the paper at him, "Who the hell are you?"

Opie looked at the paper, groaning, "Jesus almighty..." He collapsed into a chair ang scrubbed his face, "I was planning on talking to ya..."

She raised an eyebrow, "Yea? Your Dad seems like a really sweet guy."

She felt terrible, but she also felt like she was being lied to and she couldn't cope with that.

"Honesty is big deal to me. I know shit has been hectic, but now is your chance, Ope. You've got to tell me what in the hell all of this is about."

Opie sighed, "He's my dad...but as you can see why I don't like him. He thinks money is the only thing worth his time. I don't like telling people about my lucrative alternative...I'm not the type of guy that wants handouts or respect because my rich daddy."

Her face softened some, "So, am I your girlfriend then?"

She put her hands on her hips and cocked her head to one side.

Opie looked down, half smiling like a shy school boy, "I figured you were my girlfriend since day one."

November 20, 2001

Corrie was on her way to Opie's after a Doctor's appointment. He wasn't expecting her, but after the news she had just gotten, she needed him. She'd never been to his house before. It was in a really nice part of Manhattan. He'd given her his address just in case, but he didn't like her to see him in his "rich surroundings", the thought made her smile.
About a month after the towers fell she'd been at a routine appointment and her doctor had found one of her lymph nodes was swollen. He'd had her go through a surgery, she hadn't told Opie about, and the sent the node off to be biopsied. She'd just gotten the results.

She stood on the porch porch of his three story, brick home and let out a breath before knocking.

Opie came and opened the door: jeans and flannel shirt unbuttoned. His boyish face reddened slightly from humbleness. "Cor...hey, what are you doing here?" He reached out, pulling her close for a kiss. "Everything okay?"

She looked at his boyish face and it broke her heart. Her eyes filled with tears as she turned her face upwards to meet his gaze.

"Harry, we need to talk. Can I come in?"

Opie frowned, not liking serious tone in her voice. He stepped aside, ushering her in from the cold December air, "Sure...baby, you look like you've seen a ghost..."