The air was still and warm, the neighborhood quiet, and the sky clear. It was 2:00 am in El Paso. Jane awoke abruptly, not sure where she was until she thoroughly observed her moon-lit surroundings, and then slumped in the chair as she rubbed her eyes. “Shit.” Her neck and back were sore from the position she was sleeping in, and after noting that it was still dark out, she searched the area to see if a better option was available. Nothing. She sighed as she stood up and headed for the patio door, which creaked as she slowly opened it, and her eyes, which had adjusted to the darkness, landed on the spot next to Rob on the pull out couch. “Of course,” she mumbled as she tip-toed over. But instead of laying down, she stared at him and the bed for a moment. Her and Rob had shared a bed so many times, she couldn’t keep count. They’d stay up into the wee hours of the morning – or sometimes all night – writing music, watching movies, and getting high, and eventually would pass out together, either at his house or her's. They would even accidentally cuddle once in a while, waking up and erupting in laughter when they saw themselves. It was nothing ever spoken of or given a second thought; it was just another night for them. And now, as she stared at the bed in the middle of the stranger's living room, it all seemed like it may have been just a dream rather than actual memories. Now, everything was just so… awkward. Tense. [i]Different.[/i] A frown took over Jane’s face as she slowly laid down next to him and pulled the sheet over her, her back facing his. She doubted the night she had was a secret, and she knew that when she woke up the next morning, things between them might be worse. But, at least for a moment, the first moment in a long time, they were together without any tension. Jane appreciated that, even though Rob was asleep. After staring aimlessly at the wall for a few minutes, she wiggled a bit to get into a comfortable position, and soon enough, her eyelids became heavy with drowsiness, and she drifted to sleep. At one point in the night, she had woken up when she received a kick in the leg. Jane popped up and looked behind her, to see that Rob had rolled over towards her, and she smiled faintly as she laid back down to enjoy the warmth of his body behind her. Maybe it could be like old days again. Maybe. -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Jane’s eyes fluttered open and looked out the window to see the first sign of light outside. Why did she always have to wake up so early? She instantly became aware of the familiar, rhythmic breathing behind her, and the events of the night before flooded her memory quickly. She wasn’t looking forward to him waking up, possibly scolding her for her actions or just being cold to her again, so instead of rising, she stayed in bed and stared out the window. The sun was painting the sky a pink color and illuminating the quiet house, and birds outside began to chirp back and forth. After a deep breath, Jane did something. Possibly something stupid. She gently backed her body up slightly until she was making contact with Rob, and she held her breath for a moment until she was certain it didn’t wake him up, then she closed her eyes again and fell back asleep.