Matt slept the rest of the night. Sometimes Claire would feel him stir through the night and hug her closely again. Whenever he did that he showed that cocky little side smile. Claire never realized how much Matt sleeping made her feel good. It was like this was the only time he could have a refuge from all the chaos in his world. And with her arms around him she felt like she could reassure him that he wasn't going to be alone. Throughout the night she'd run her fingers through his hair, gently kiss him, or trace features of his face with her fingers. She almost had his face memorized. From the small creases in his forehead, to roundness of his cheeks.

She quietly whispered to him, "I'm not letting you go." It wasn't loud enough to wake him up, but she needed to say it, she wanted him to know. The sunlight began to brighten the room around them. It started dim then, more and more light came through. She noticed how different his face looked in the natural light. She ran her fingers through his hair again. Claire wished she could have this all the time. The closeness, the ability to touch him... the opportunity to love him. She tightened her embrace around him, and held him closer.

I'm not letting you go....

Weather it was hours or minutes she spent laying there with him was a mystery to her. When she was with him it was as if time stopped and all the big things turned out to be small things and the only thing that mattered was him.

Matt started to stir. He lifted his head and looked up at her. He placed his head on her shoulder.

"Good morning." He said in a half-awake voice. Claire smiled, and kissed his forehead.

Matt returned her smile. "Well, it is a good morning.", he said.

"Morning stitches"

"Stitches?"

"Yeah I figured it was better than 'garbage pigeon'"

"I don't know the last one would explain why you want to take me out so bad."

"Oh, as if", she said and playfully shoved him back a little.

"What? Come on",he said jokingly. "You could if you wanted to you know, we could go by the dumpster, under the moonlight, and have a nice spaghetti dinner."

"Really? You've been planning this?"

"Oh yeah, it's my wildest fantasy." Claire stifled a laugh.

"You'll get me flowers, and at the end we live happily ever after... In a castle, made of candy and pizza."

"Matt, you're a dork."

He put on his signature smirk. "You're the one cozyied up to me so..."

"Hey the only reason I am is because you're my dork."

Matt blushed. Claire kissed his cheeks.