Nothing happens in this chapter and it's so disgustingly cute you might die from the overload. So, you know, read at your own risk. Maybe don't read it at all. The choice it up to you.

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"Carter."

"No," Carter mumbled. 

She lived in a bubble of blissful sleep and she was not going to break it for anyone. Not even her husband. No matter how cute he was or how much she loved him. Somethings could not be sacrificed.

"Carter, it's nine o'clock," Donovan said.

This time his voice was combined with gentle caresses to her cheek. If he thought that would work, he was sorely mistaken. It only managed to lull Carter into a more pleasantly sleepy state.

"Your father warned me about this," he said.

Carter smiled and snuggled closer to Donovan, hoping to silently persuade him to give up the cause and go back to sleep. It seemed to work as Donovan wrapped her in his arms and kissed her cheek.

"We have a lot of unpacking to do today," he said in her ear.

She hummed, barely registering his words.

"You wanted to go for a run. If you want to, we have to go now."

Carter vaguely remembered that and thought it was a very idiotic thing to have said she wanted to do. Sleep, that's what she wanted.

But it seemed Donovan wasn't going to give her any choice. He climbed out of bed with her in his arms. Little did he realize, Carter loved his arms and found them quite comfortable. She could sleep like this.

"Carter," Donovan said, jostling her.

She grinned, her eyes closed, and curled deeper into his hold.

"Wow, your father wasn't joking. I really don't feel like dropping you on the floor to wake you up."

"Then drop me on the bed and let me go back to sleep."

"Nope, we have too much of the day ahead of us."

Donovan let go of her and Carter gasped before he caught her again. But it was enough, the moment of shock jolted her awake. She stared up at his wide grin.

"Morning, beautiful."

She laughed and kissed him. "Hey, handsome. Care for a run?"

"You know, that's a great idea."

Donovan set her down and they both went wading through the boxes of their clothes in search of workout attire. Once dressed and fueled with a power shake, they headed out.

Outside the day was trapped in winter as every breath crystallized in the air. Still, Carter and Donovan took off down the street. They found their rhythm and fell in sync, matching each other stride for stride.

Without comment, they wound their way to the Mall. The one place they'd had in common on their running routines when they were younger and hadn't realized it.

Everything beyond the walkways was covered in a foot of snow. As they reached the steps to the Lincoln memorial they sprinted up them and then slowed their pace on their way down.

Carter stared at the startling blue sky and the gleaming landscape of white around her. The serenity of the place was shattered when she felt something smack into the back of her head. She turned around just in time to catch a snowball to the face. She stood gaping at Donovan as he aimed at her again.

This time, she managed to dodge the attack. Racing away from him, she scooped up a hand full of snow and smashed it into a ball. She spun, aimed, and threw. It nailed Donovan in the shoulder as another one of his hit her in the side. Carter laughed as she hide behind a tree and armed herself with more snowballs.

She jumped out and pelted Donovan with them one after another. Ducking, he ran at her as she continued to hit him. As she let loose her last one, Donovan tackled her into the snow.

She shrieked as he took a hand full of snow and smeared it on her face. It froze her cheeks and stung her nose but she was laughing too hard to care.

Hooking her leg around his waist, she pulled him off her and flipped their positions. Donovan turned his face away and swatted at her hands as she tried to repay his kindness. Eventually, Carter stopped trying and they both remained there breathless from laughing and fighting.

"You ready to unpack our home?" he asked.

She kissed him then covered his face with snow.

She jumped up and sprinted off, glancing back. Donovan tore after her. He caught up to her as she reach the curb and so could do nothing in retaliation, not that close to traffic.

"I win," she said.

This time he kissed her, but it was long and deep, bringing a rush of blood to Carter's chilly face.

"No, I win."

Carter reached up and wiped away the last bits of snow on Donovan's face and hair.

Back in their apartment they showered, dressed, and started a large pot of coffee, bacon, and eggs.

"I have to say," Carter said, knotting her wet hair into a bun on top of her head. "I didn't realize when I got a husband I would get a new wardrobe too."

She wore a pair of joggers with one of Donovan's t-shirts that drowned her and one of his hoodies.

"I have to say, you've never looked sexier," he said, wrapping his arm around her.

"The bacon will burn," she said between kisses.

"I don't care."

He dipped her back as he kissed her and she laughed.

"The bacon."

"Don't care."

Carter managed to break from his hold and make it to the griddle in time to flip the bacon. Donovan trailed her, sliding his arms around her waist.

It was such an easy action but one she'd never known could feel so comforting. He'd never held her like this before they were married. They both knew where the line they'd drawn was and knew what to do to remain behind it.

But this, this was something she could happily get used to. He held her as she finished up breakfast. She didn't mind doing the work at all.

With their food and coffee in hand, they took up spots at the counter. The only place that had somewhere for them to sit. They had a couch and armchairs but they were buried under boxes.

"What should we start with?" Carter asked.

"Kitchen, dining room, living room, our room. If we do that then the essential places will be complete first."

Carter eyed him over the rim of her mug. "Our room isn't essential?"

"We need a bed and that's about it."

"True."

Finding a playlist they both agreed on, they hit play and went to work. Despite how playful the morning had been, they both focused on their tasks. Though Carter had to admit, she did get a little distracted when Donovan talked about the perfect places to put what types of dishes and how to organize the utensils drawer. How could a man be so hot talking about dish placement?

Halfway through his dishes TED talk, she slipped between him and the counter and kissed him. He completely forgot what he was saying and focused solely on his new task.

"Talking about dishes does it for you?" he asked.

"No, getting to share a home with you does."

Instead of kissing her again, Donovan just looked at her like that thought was hitting him as well. He cupped her face, running his thumb over her cheek.

"I love you," he said softly.

"I love you more."

"This isn't a competition."

She gave him a quick peek. "No, because if it was I'd win. Come on, back to work. Tell me more about where to put pots and pans."

From the kitchen, they set up the dining table and chairs with a carved, a dark wooden hutch nearby for the nicer, wedding china.

From there the living room got put to rights: rugs put down, end tables set up, lamps positioned, a couch placed along the wall with two armchairs facing it, and between them an entertainment unit that looked like a set of drawers but held their tv. When they hit a button, the tv rose up from the top. It meant it didn't always have to be in sight. Something Carter knew Donovan appreciated.

With most of the boxes emptied, Donovan carried over a big one marked pictures. He cut the tape and opened it. Inside were wrapped frames. One by one he took them out and handed them to Carter. She unwrapped them and set them on the couch. Once finished, Donovan got a hammer and nails. Together they made a layout of the frames and hung them.

Carter took a step back to absorb the sight. At the center: a family photo from their wedding day. Not a traditional one, but one that was chaotic and filled with laughing faces. Spread out around the center photo were a dozen others: Captain hold Carter when she was little and had ice cream smeared on her face.

Donovan with his brothers, all of them younger and covered in mud.

Carter, Donovan, and Link on their graduation day.

Maggie beaming at Carter in her wedding dress.

Donovan dancing with his mother at the wedding reception.

The first photo from the Keller Thanksgiving.

Their first Christmas together.

Captain and Maggie the day Danny was born.

Mason and Link sharing a rare moment of brotherly love with their wide smiles. 

Carter, Donovan, and Danny all of them wearing bits of Danny's birthday cake.

Link and Maddy on their wedding day.

A single one of Donovan and Carter alone. Their wedding reception, dancing, looking like they'd live through a gunfight but their smiles saying they didn't care.

Memory after memory now lived on their wall.

Carter found it hard to breathe and her eyes stung a little.

"How does it look?" Donovan asked, still holding the hammer in case a nail needed to be adjusted.

Carter cleared her throat. "Good."

The word came out a bit strained and Donovan looked at her.

"Hey, what's wrong?"

She shook her head even as a couple of tears spilled out.

Donovan quickly wiped them away and cupped her face.

"I'm right here," he said.

"I..." She swallowed. "I forgot what it's like to have photos on the wall."

Donovan hugged her and she laid her head on his chest.

"A year after my mom left, I took all our photos down. I couldn't stand to see them there. How happy we had been. Only two ever went back up. Once Captain married Maggie and she moved in and I moved out, photos went back up but I didn't live there anymore. In my old apartment, I didn't see the point. But now..."

"Now you have a home and good memories."

"I do."

Donovan kissed her cheeks and the tears on them. She gazed up at him.

"Thank you for being my home."

"Thank you for wanting to have a home with me."

He held her for a long moment.

"Do you want to get something to eat?" he asked, looking down at her. "We can explore our new neighborhood as we decide what to get."

Our new neighborhood. Carter liked the sound of that.

"Sounds like a plan."

Bundled up, they left the apartment and took to the street, hand in hand. Walking as they were wasn't something Carter found she was inclined to do normally, but that day she liked the feel of walking down the street with her husband.

Their pace was meandering, taking in what the neighborhood had to offer. Dry cleaners, florist, grocery store, bank, and gym. Restaurants: Chinese, Thai, Mediterranean, diner, deli, Starbucks, and pizza.

As they passed a bookstore, Donovan hesitated, eyeing the window display.

"I didn't know Cece McKenzie's new book was out," he said, musingly.

Carter smiled at the curious light in his eyes. She nudged him towards the door.

"You go get the book and I'm going to get pizza."

Donovan nodded absentmindedly as he walked away inside. Him and his books. Still smiling, Carter headed into the pizza place right next door.

"Owens, you have this weird thing on your face."

Carter turned towards the tables and found Mason sitting in one of the chairs. She dropped her smile. He let out a breath.

"Phew, it was only temporary. That's a relief. I was worried something was wrong with you."

"Mason, what are you doing here?"

He pointed out the window. "My family owns the apartment building two blocks away. And I live in the top apartment."

"So we live in the same neighborhood?"

"That's how it appears."

"I have the strongest urge to move now."

"Douglas?" one of the employees called out.

Mason rose. "That's me. It's okay, we can make schedules of when we'll be where so we can avoid each other at all costs."

"I'll send mine right over," Carter said.

Mason grinned at her. "Perfect. Welcome to the neighborhood, Owens. May we never run into each other again."

Mason collected his pizza and left. Carter shook her head at him and ordered. By the time the pizza was done, Donovan still hadn't appeared. Which Carter didn't find at all surprising.

She walked to the bookstore, pizza box in hand, and peered through the glass front. Donovan stood at a shelf reading the back of a book. Already he had five others tucked under his arm. Carter knocked on the glass and he looked up. She showed him the pizza box and he grinned sheepishly.

Quickly adding the book he'd been looking at to his stack, he approached the cashier and paid.

"Sorry," he said as he exited and kissed her.

"It's fine. Now food and our bedroom."

Back in the apartment, Carter set the pizza down on the coffee table as Donovan collected plates and napkins.

"We have to figure out where I'm putting my bookshelves," Donovan said, eyeing the apartment and the lack of wall space.

"You had them in your room in your apartment," Carter said. "I figured they'd be in our room."

"Yes, but it's our room. I want it to be a joint place and my books would take up most of the space."

Setting down her plate, Carter crawled across the couch to him and kissed him.

"You love your books and I love you. Therefore by the transitive property, I love your books. Our room is fine."

He stared at her. "Really?"

"Really." She backed away and picked up her plate. "But since they are still your books it means that I'm not going to help you set up the shelves and put the books away. Instead, I'm going to lay on the bed and watch you put your nerdy muscles on display."

"For that negative comment, your rights to watch me work shirtless have been revoked. Learn now, me and my books are not to be mocked."

"Lesson learned," Carter said, fighting a smile.

They ate, cleaned up, and moved all the boxes with Donovan's books into the bedroom. They put the boxes with their clothes into the closet and set up the rest of the room: nightstands, lamps, more framed photos, and a punching bag. Then Donovan got to work. As promised, Carter flopped onto the bed and watched him.

She had to admit, he put the shelves together faster than she expected. A nerdy shelf-builder pro. If she said that out loud though he might kick her out of the room altogether and she'd miss the nice view.

After the shelves went up, he cut open each box and started putting books into place. Again she was surprised at how organized he was. He never had to search for anything, each box seemed to be exactly what he expected it to be.

"What's your favorite book in your collection?" Carter asked, resting on her side, her head in her hand.

"Easy."

Donovan found a book and handed it to her. She scanned the title: The Scarlett Pimpernel. She opened the front cover, knowing what she'd find. After all, this was the copy she'd bought for him for their first Christmas as a couple.

Inside was written: Donovan, did you know that when you read sometimes you get this tiny smile in the corner of your mouth. It's the same smile you have when talking about books. Who knew you were such a book nerd. - Your current girlfriend, Carter.

Though the word 'current' was crossed out and 'always' was written above it so it read 'Your always girlfriend'.

Rolling over, Carter grabbed a pen from her nightstand and crossed out 'girlfriend' and wrote 'wife'; 'Your always wife'.

Donovan peered down at the change and Carter lifted her head.

"Do you want to change the 'always' back to 'current'?"

Donovan pressed his hands to either side of her. "Never."

He kissed her and she tossed aside the book, wrapping her arms around his neck, pulling him towards her.

"What about setting up your books?" she asked.

"I love you more than I love my books."

"Good to know. I was worried."

He laughed and ran his hands through her hair, gazing down at her.

"What?" she asked, taking in his soft expression.

"My wife," he said with a note of awe. "And our new home."

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Oh my pumpkin spice that was teeth hurting sweet!

Go ahead, give me your thoughts or are you a unless melted puddle of gooey feelings on the floor? If so, just gurgle and I'll translate. 💭🗯💬

Here's the thing, I could only get away with this level of nauseating cuteness because they are newlyweds and still in the honeymoon phase. This isn't really who they are normally, or as far as we've seen.

But hey, they deserve to be a cute couple who isn't being attacked or traumatized at least once. I guess this was needed.

I will admit it was kind of fun to see how cute and affectionate they were with each other. There were a lot more kisses and intimate moments in here than usual. But again they are finally married and crossed that line that it makes sense, it's still new.

Anyways, I hope you enjoyed it and your teeth aren't full of cavities over the sweetness of it.

Vote, comment, follow because you know you love the cuteness!

Oh jeez 🤦🏽‍♀️ I can't believe that had a snowball fight.