Author's Note: Had this idea for a quick story, and it was too good to not write immediately. Paige and Becky need to stop being so cute.

Every Waking Moment

White sheets, white walls, white floors - hospitals desperately needed some color, preferably an all-over coating of black.

My attempts at trying to distract myself failing miserably, I stared up at the ceiling, a sense of dread looming over me. Appendicitis was serious - treatable, but deadly if not caught on time. My stomach had been rebelling against me all day, and I was positive something was wrong. I wanted to tough it out, telling myself that it was only a bit of 'tummy trouble,' but after three hours of constant groaning and hunching over a toilet, I was driven to the hospital by Becky.

And let the record show that it was against my will.

It was no secret that I despised hospitals. They just screamed pain and suffering - not to mention that they smelled like death. When I learned that I'd need to have surgery, I nearly turned on my heels and ran, and if it wasn't for the small fact that Becky wouldn't give me my clothes, I probably would've. I wasn't going to run around with only a gown on. This wasn't the way I wanted to spend my Saturday night. There was a hot bath with my name on it waiting for me back at the apartment. The bath would probably read 'Paige and Becky' if I had it my way.

I turned my head to the sound of Becky's soft singing, her chair several feet away from my bed. She was the sole owner of any color in the room, her radiant orange hair a major contrast to its cold paleness. She wasn't the greatest singer, but hearing her voice helped ease my nerves. She was gorgeous. She cleared her throat, snapping me out of my trance.

"You just can't keep your eyes off'a me, can you?"

"Why would I want to?"

"Ah, it's all this hot fiya catching your attention!"

"Fire does have this natural glow about it. Besides, it… helps."

"Oh. Still nervous?"

It was embarrassing. I didn't want to talk about this - didn't want Becky to think less of me. But the way she was looking at me, her eyes pleading with me to talk with her. How could I refuse?

"What if I don't wake up? The surgery is one thing, yeah, but being put to sleep is another. What if I'm, like, allergic to anesthesia or something? I just close my eyes and don't wake up? It's scary."

I braced myself for the laughter I was so sure was coming, but it never did. Instead, Becky pulled her chair close to me, sitting at my bedside. She took hold of my hand, planting small, gentle kisses in the spaces between my knuckles.

"You don't have to worry about a thing, darlin'. People get stuff like this done all the time. You're going to be fine."

She rubbed her thumb over my hand, the digit caressing the skin that her lips had gracefully touched moments before.

"But what if I'm not fine?"

She dropped my hand - much to my dismay - and scratched her head, before letting out a loud 'Aha!' My head spun around, making sure that no nurses, or other patients, heard her. Before I could ask what she was doing, she put her hand up.

"Listen. I want you to close your eyes."

I raised my brow in confusion, which she took as a sign to go on.

"Just… close your eyes, okay? I'm going to count to five - no no, backwards from five - and when I give the word, you open 'em. Got it?"

'Got it? Got what?' The words never left my tongue, because I knew better than to question anything about Becky Lynch at this point in our relationship. I shook my head at her antics, but gave into her demands nonetheless. No sooner than the instant I closed my eyes did she begin the countdown - backwards from five, as she said. This was silly, especially since I didn't know what she was planning. Was she trying to make me fall asleep? I'd need a lot longer than five seconds.

"One. And open!"

"What on earth was that?"

"See, that wasn't so bad, right? That's how it'll be - you'll close your eyes, and you'll be awake in five seconds."

I facepalmed. I should've expected as much. I understood what she was trying to accomplish here, but it didn't work out like she'd planned.

"Becky. Love. I appreciate what you're trying to do, but I think it's a bit more complicated than that."

Becky ran her hand through her orange locks - something I wished I could be doing myself - probably cooking up another little scheme to calm me down. Whatever it was, she was taking her sweet time with it, minutes passing like cars at a yellow traffic light. The time of my surgery was approaching, my legs shaking in nervous anticipation. I wonder if the doctor would let Becky stay here, for emotional support. I started to pitch the idea to her, but she cut me off with one of her own.

"Close your eyes."

I groaned.

"Again?"

"Yes! And I'm going to count-"

"Backwards."

"Yep! From five! Now, close those 'lids."

I sighed, but complied anyway. I loved her goofy side, but sometimes it was a little out of place. Although, the sooner we completed this exercise in redundancy, the sooner I could latch onto her and never let go.

"Five."

Here we were again, my eyes closed, her voice a touch louder than it should be in a hospital. Still, I didn't mind - her voice was soothing. Every word that came from her mouth made my heart soar. I could listen to her talk for hours.

"Four."

She brought her voice down a few decibels, her voice sounding a bit farther off than before. This was new, the change in her tone piquing my curiosity.

"Three."

My ears twitched when they heard Becky's chair screech across the wooden floor, inching it closer and closer to my person. She was hovering over me - I could just feel her presence - my body tensing up at the unexpected closeness. I blushed when I felt her face leaning down towards mine.

"Two."

Her voice was hardly above a whisper, but I heard her - good lord, did I hear her - as she spoke directly into my ear. She sent a shiver down my spine, and a wave of pleasure crashing throughout the rest of my body. Her whispers were heavenly - she's whispered so many sweet nothings to me on countless nights as we lie in bed, her arms always wrapped firmly around my waist. The sheer force behind her barely spoken words made my lips quiver, as they did now. I could feel my breath, caught in the back of my throat, my breathing rapid and out of sync.

"One."

There was a brief pause, like time had momentarily stopped, before her lips met mine. A flurry of emotions swelled within me every time we kissed, and now, as she released her captive tongue from its prison, my fears - my worries, my nervousness, my unease - melted away. My soul was as bright as Becky's hair, the scent of which was filling my nostrils, a scent I never grew tired of. I moved my arms from under the sheets to pull her into me. I needed her closer. I let out a whine as she held my arms together, effectively preventing them from making the journey to the base of her neck. I could sense her backing away after another few seconds. This was longer than five, the cheater, but I wasn't complaining, at least not until she pulled away.

"And… open."

It was only then did I realize that I still had my eyes shut. When I opened them, I was greeted with Becky's smiling face, a subtle hint of redness adorning her cheeks.

"If all else fails, I'll just have to kiss you awake. It'll be like a modern 'Sleeping Beauty!' You've already got the 'beauty' part down, in this lass' humble opinion."

"Becky?"

"Yes?"

"Can you kiss me awake every day?"

When I awoke from a successful surgery to the wonderful sensation of Becky's lips pressed onto mine, it was clear that she'd taken my words to heart.

End