Zed woke up in the middle of the night. She was confused; she didn't have a nightmare or a headache, and the room was quiet. Why did she wake up? A moment of silence while she gazed the motel room looking for invasions was followed by a knock on the window. Tec tec.

She got up and searched for the thing causing that sound. It didn't take too long. John was on the sidewalk, one hand in his pants' pocket and the other preparing to throw another little rock at her window. He stopped when he saw her looking annoyed. Then he gave his best devil-may-care smile.

Zed opened the window. Her room was on the second and last floor, his room was across the hallway, but somehow he wasn't there and instead of just knocking on her door if there was a problem he decided to go back to his teenage years.

"John, why are you standing outside my window trying to break it when you should be asleep?" asked Zed, sounding mild, but truly uneasy inside.

"I went for a walk and I forgot my key card", explained him, shrugging.

"Liar." Zed rolled her eyes. "You could just have called Chas."

"Fine. The manager kicked me out." He probably had followed some female guest to her room and she felt peeved, thought Zed, feeling humorous while picturing the scene.

"What did you do?"

"I was simply enjoying the little happy things in life, some gal whined to the front desk and they kicked me out."

"You mean they tried to stop you from smoking?" translated Zed, knowing that "the little happy things in life" for John were cigarettes.

John nodded.

"You know this is a smoke-free motel, don't you?" Zed sighed.

"What? Who made the check-in?"

"Chas."

"I think he's trying to take revenge on something."

Zed shrugged. "I wonder why."

"Sarcasm doesn't look half as good on you as it does on me, luv. Nice try."

"Well, so I guess you'll have to sleep on a trash can and I'll find your frozen body tomorrow morning." She smiled. John rolled his eyes.

Zed stepped back. A few seconds and John was inside her bedroom, silent as a panther hunting down its prey.

"All these months of paying two separate rooms and it's all thrown away because you have an addiction."

John gave a side smile.

"I'll take the floor, I hope it's vacant."

Zed woke up on the next morning at 8 a.m. She stayed with her eyes closed, trying to clean her mind. Today was one of the first mornings she had woke up with no headache. It was an unique feeling, and she wanted to enjoy it as much as she could, until John knocked on her door saying that they needed to leave…

Except that John wouldn't knock on her door. Because he was there. She had forgot about his "invasion" on the middle of the night for a second.

She got close to the edge of her bed. John was there, sleeping on a bed of sheets. He looked peaceful, and she could beat this was the first time he had spent the whole night with a woman.

Looking closer with her mind eyes, she realized he wasn't peaceful at all. First, he wasn't even asleep. His breath was slow, but it was a fake slow, one produced for someone who was trying to deceive another person. Also, she could feel an uneasy energy coming from him – nothing new, but this one was bitterer and angrier than before.

Then she realized what was happening.

"John?" she called with a small voice. "You okay?"

John opened his eyes suddenly. He cracked a smile and put his arm behind his head.

"'Morning, luv."

But she wouldn't let be deterred. She knew his tricks, the way he didn't let anyone know his despair putting a charming smile on that pretty face of his.

"John. You need to stop doing this." It was a gentile request, not a bossy one.

"What, being beautiful in the morning?"

"I know you were picturing everyone you love dead. You don't have to do this. I'm right here and for your bad luck I'm planning on sticking around for a long time."

John got up quickly and stretched his muscles.

"You could stick around with me while I take a shower."

Zed rolled her eyes so far on her skull they could get stuck there.

"I'm serious. What else do I need to do to prove it to you?"

John sighed.

"I believe you, luv. But your wish isn't an order."

Zed felt suddenly tired and sad. This wasn't a romantic book where she could fix the bad boy. She realized that, not for the first time, and felt useless again.

John sensed her moody swing. He felt sad too, for not being able to give her what she wanted.

"I'm gonna take a shower."

When John left the bathroom, Zed had already got dressed. She was waiting, sitting crossed legs on the bed.

"Did you pack your stuff?" asked John.

"Yep."

She got up and grabbed her bag.

"I'll have to meet you at the truck." John pointed to the window. "It's better if they don't see me at the front desk."

Zed laughed and agreed. She was reaching the doorknob when John called her name. Not "luv", but Zed, which startled her.

"Yes?"

He seemed uncomfortable.

"I just wanna… thank you for letting me stay."

"No problem. It's not like I had other options of beggars to adopt, did I?" she joked.

"And also… I appreciate your… presence. It helped a lot. It made me skip your name on the… list."

She gave one of her brightest smiles, her most sincere one. She remembered how this was the first time in months she woke up with no headache. It had been a win-win situation.

"You're welcome, John."