She couldn't sleep.
She closed her eyes and tried to convince herself that she was tired, but she couldn't pay attention. All she could focus on was the sound of the dialysis machine. It's steady pulsing and her unwavering concern is what kept her awake. Concern that this time, he might not make it. And that was too much for her to bear.
Wiping a strand of light blonde hair from her big hazel eyes, she sat up and shuffled over the table. She had to admit, he wasn't looking so good. His large, cyber-genetic body lay there lifelessly. The only movement made was the raising and lowing of his chest as he breathed in time with the dialysis machine. She moved closer to him… wishing there was some way for her to help him in his condition. Slowly, she inched her small pale hand over to his, and place it on his large, cold one.
To her surprise, he opened his eyes almost instantly.
"Sunny." He breathed out as if relieved.
"Go back to sleep. You n-n-need your r-r-rest!" Sunny stuttered out in authority.
"I'm fine. I've been sleeping all day anyway." He tried to sit up, but was pulled back by a multitude of cables attached to his back. He growled a bit, but let it go with a sigh and leaned back against the metal support.
"I see I didn't miss much around here" he said acknowledging a sleeping Otacon and plethora of opened rations.
"Uncle Hal and I have been moderating Snake's p-p-progress all day."
"Oh." He answered back rather unenthusiastically. He was never one to just sit around and let others do the work, but at this stage in his health, he had to. Or, at least, that's what Naomi told him.
They were both silent for a moment. He looked up to see Sunny watching him intensely, then quickly turn away when meeting his eyes. But finally, she broke the awkward silence.
"Jack?"
"Yeah, Sunny?"
"You're not going to scare again, are you?"
"Huh?"
"When you got hurt. I got s-s-scared. I didn't want you to l-l-leave me."
He thought for a moment, contemplating an answer.
"No Sunny. I won't scare you like that, ever again."
As she turned to go back to bed, she thought of one more thing he needed to hear.
"Jack?"
"Uh huh?"
"… I love you."
Jack paused again, both shocked, and speechless. Finally, he looked up at her, and smiled for the first time in months.
"I love you too, Sunny"