He walked up the creaky stairs carefully, trying to be as quiet as possible, so as not to wake the babies sleeping in the two rooms to the left. The door to the room to the right was slightly ajar, and he pushed it open slowly. The silvery moonlight shone in through the windows above the bed, dancing on her peaceful, soft, and for once, unguarded, face. The halo of golden hair that surrounded her head seemed to shimmer surreally in the starlight. Her body relaxed flat on the bed, the sheets covering her legs, but her shirt was twisted around her ribcage, exposing her bare stomach, pale and smooth. One arm was curled, almost protectively, around her stomach and the other was flung out to the side. He wanted to touch her skin, to feel her warmth. Slowly, carefully, he stretched his hand out and stroked her shoulder. She flinched under his touch, and he quickly drew his hand away. He sat on the end of the bed, just watching her dream. He saw her smile an untroubled, placid smile, and wondered what she was dreaming about. Wondered if she was dreaming about him. He caressed her cheek, bathed in pale moonlight. Her eyelids fluttered open slowly, and she looked up at him, his hand still on her cool cheek. She touched his hand, slipping her soft, icy fingers into his.

“Hi.” She whispered.

“Hey.” He murmured

He leaned down and brushed a golden curl out of her face. He kissed her lips, and she kissed him back softly.

“Love, it’s one in the morning. What are you doing here?” She asked, her voice still husky with sleep.

“I was watching you sleep.” He answered gently, remembering the smile that had played on her dreaming face, wondering again if she was thinking of him.

“You smiled.” He said.

“Of course I did. I was dreaming of you.” She replied softly, the same smile playing on her lips as before, this time reaching her green eyes, and flooding them with a warmth that he could not explain. She closed her eyes and stretched, gently kicking the blankets off, pointing her feet, and extending her long legs, then loosening them and relaxing again. She closed her eyes for a minute, and he pulled the sheets back over her legs. She opened her eyes and smiled a sleepy, grateful smile. He got off the bed and walked to the other side, pulling down the sheets gently and sliding under them. She turned over to look at him, and he pulled her into his arms. She sighed a small, contented sigh, and curled into him, her body fitting perfectly into his. He pressed his lips to her cool forehead, and felt her relax before he drifted to sleep.