Please Indulge me a bit of a long A.N.

When a door closes, a window opens. I'm hoping a window is opening to a successful new endeavor for me. Throughout a stressful yet exciting time, Sammy and Ilna once again proved how strong our bond has become by standing by me, offering a sounding board, advice, a rock solid support system and much needed Nonna hugs. I love you both & you have my undying gratitude.

REALMcRollers, the REAL World has provided me with not only a wonderful creative outlet, but a constant in my life, due to Sammy and Ilna's wonderful talent and friendship and your incredible, beautiful reviews and feedback.

Your outpouring of love is humbling and so very much appreciated. We are here for Steve and Catherine and promise they'll ALWAYS be safe with us. Much love!

Suz, your friendship is a true blessing and I appreciate it every day.

And to my real life "Carrie": Kelly, I love you to Belleville and back. Thanks for the eternal support you & your amazing family provide me with.

Best Plan

Steve entered the bedroom after feeding and running Cammie with a small smile. Yesterday morning had seen the end to a grueling seventy-two hours of high tension and no sleep. Today, the team was off duty unless something unavoidable broke. Twenty-four hours ago, they'd closed a particularly heinous case and were physically and emotionally exhausted, but after showering and changing at HQ, Steve and Catherine had gone immediately to Grace's school with Danny.

While he insisted they could beg off going to the literacy fundraiser, they'd adamantly refused, saying they were fine. Both had certainly been through worse, and they'd never disappoint their niece simply due to lack of sleep.

Later that afternoon, Steve and Catherine wanted nothing more than food, sleep and to get lost in each other. Upon returning home, they'd done so, albeit not necessarily in that order. They'd eaten a quick meal of omelets; spent time with their 'happy to have them home' dog and sought badly needed physical comfort and reassurance the other was safe and sound in each other's arms. Six hours of sleep later, Steve caught up on the pile of laundry and exercised Cammie while Catherine cleaned their bathroom and changed the sheets.

Two loads of laundry and a run with the dog later, Steve expected to find Catherine outside on the deck. When he didn't, he followed Cammie upstairs, knowing she'd honed in on her. Cammie always preferred to nap wherever Catherine or Steve were, and she entered the bedroom and plopped down happily on her dog bed with a little sigh.

He smiled to see the Catherine-shaped mound in their bed. Pulling off his shirt and tossing the rest of his clothes over the bedside chair, his eyes followed the curve of one bare leg peeking out of the sheets.

He sat and ran a hand over her exposed skin from mid-calf to hip. "Want some company?"

Catherine's sleepy voice emanated from somewhere under a tangle of shiny dark hair and covers. "Know what I really want?"

Steve's words were growly and sweet in her ear as he tunneled under the comforter to join her. "Hmmm." He kissed her bare shoulder. "Want me to guess?" His hands wandered, one sliding down her back to her butt, the other at the nape of her neck.

She wrapped herself around him and snuggled into the crook of his neck, her soft giggle leaving puffs of air on his skin.

"A nap. I really want a nap."

With a low, rumbling laugh at her words, Steve's hands stilled before his motions went from sensual to soothing. "A few more hours sleep sounds pretty good, actually," he breathed into her hair.

"But you'd rather sleep after …?" Her fingers slid from his chest to his abs, while his gently played across the skin of her hip and thigh.

Her movements were already so weighted with slumber that the peppering of kisses lining his jaw were sleepy enough to make him chuckle against her lips when she reached his mouth.

"Doesn't mean we can't sleep afterwards, too." He kissed her and grinned. "Besides, if we sleep first, you won't fall asleep during," he teased.

"Mmm mnn, never," she whispered, although she was nearly asleep already. "But ... mmmhmm, yeah ... nap first," she murmured. "Maybe after, too. And in between, I'm counting on a really intense wake up call. Sound like a plan, Commander?"

Steve smiled and pushed her hair back to see her face. "Sounds like an excellent plan, Lieutenant." His lips brushed hers again, then moved to her forehead. "You went right from the analysis, to the takedown, to the wrap up. Seriously, Cath, rest. I'll get some dinner together later, when I get up for Cammie." His thumb made tiny circles where it rested on her butt near the base of her spine. "Sleep. Please."

With a soft murmur of, "'Kay, L've you," Catherine sighed and moved a leg across his hip, tucking herself tighter around him to do just that.

When Steve woke not long after, he'd had every intention of untangling himself from her lithe form to get some work done while she rested, but he quickly dismissed that plan,deciding instead to watch her sleep. Not for long. Just a few minutes, really. She was almost more beautiful when she was relaxed in sleep, and he loved watching her. He never tired of the way her lashes laid against her cheeks; the tiny wrinkling movement of her nose when she had what he assumed was an amusing dream; the way she always moved to face him just as she was waking up. So he'd indulge in watching for just a few minutes he decided, then he'd get up.

But somehow the days with no rest, their comfortable bed, and Catherine's warm, soft body pressed against him combined to coax him back to sleep. He stifled a yawn and realized she was watching him with heavy lidded eyes.

"We'll get a delivery tonight," she said. "You could use the rest, too." She reached for his hand and played her fingertips over his before sliding them down to capture his large hand in her smaller one. "You're exhausted, too," she reminded him as Steve contemplated for the millionth time how her delicate frame could harbor such strength.

"I'm good, I dozed a little ..."

"Ah ah." Her tug on their entwined fingers stopped his protest. "You're just as tired, fess up." She grinned drowsily and as her eyes fell closed, he knew she'd felt his nod.

Catherine's content sigh vibrated through his body, and he inhaled deeply as she said, "Then stay right here with me."

Steve tightened his hold when she shifted, molding herself even closer against him. She'd intertwined their legs, and her nose was pressed against his collarbone. When he glanced down as he adjusted the light blanket over them, Catherine looked so content, he suddenly had no intention of going anywhere at all for the next several hours. Placing a kiss in her hair and sighing, he whispered, "That's exactly the plan. Forever."

"Another excellent plan." Catherine's voice was breathy and he knew she'd be asleep again in seconds.

"My best one ever." Steve smiled. His muscles relaxed as sleep began to overtake him.

.

End

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