His eyes open and he tries to catch his breath as his heart slows to its normal pace. He knows the dream was riduculous—she was his fiancée now—but it had terrified him.
He turns to look at her, sleeping contentedly, and he pulls her against him and buries his face in her hair. He needs to make sure that she's real, that she's here, because sometimes he still isn't sure why she's still with him. He still isn't sure why this clever, talented, beautiful, unbelievable woman chose him, her goofy idiot of a best friend.
He realizes that he's crying, and she wakes up.
"What's wrong?"
"I just needed to make sure you were real."
"Real? As opposed to imaginary?"
Even in the middle of the night, even when they're both exhausted, she can make him laugh.
"Funny. No, I…"
He trails off, and he can feel her staring at him, worried.
"Sometimes I think I'll wake up and find out this is all a dream."
She doesn't say anything, just wraps her arms around his waist and lies on his chest. Then she does something unexpected.
"Ow! What was that for?"
"Well, you needed to know this wasn't a dream."
"Did you really have to pinch me so hard?"
"Yes I did. Now you know this isn't a dream. You're stuck with me forever, Halpert."
"You have no idea how happy I am about that."
"I think I do. Now stop talking, you need your beauty sleep."
He laughs, and they fall asleep holding on to each other like they're never going to let go.