Lying motionless in an attempt not to disturb her, I stare intently at her ravishing face, still appearing flawless at this early hour. Her head is resting peacefully where it has remained all night; upon my bare chest. I begin to reflect on the previous weeks, thinking about the challenges we have faced, but how worth it they all were. Finally, she is mine. Carla has opened up to me, let me in, and now her life is back to normal – because she can do normal. Any regrets? Not realising the perfect person she is, before now. I can't change the past, but the future is ours to write. 'Ours' - how satisfying that is. I glance back across to her, and notice the duvet has curled upwards, exposing her feet to the breezy, autumnal morning. Beginning to place it back over her, Carla flinches and strands of chestnut hair tumble down to cover her face. I free my other hand from underneath the duvet, and brush the hair back behind her ear, still clasping it when she once again fidgets. I promptly remove my hand. Startling me, she lets out a small groan, implying she wants me to resume my hand position. I smirk and lean in closer to her, gently kissing her forehead. Carla's face lights up as a smile emerges on her face. She rearranges herself, rustling the bedspread, and pressing her left cheek against me. Silence fills the room again, but it's a pleasurable silence – not at all awkward. We savour the moment for a short while, embracing each other's company, and holding one another close. A few minutes pass before Carla begins to speak, keeping her eyes firmly closed. "Nicholas?" She asks. I glance at her for a moment, wondering what she is about to say. "Yes Miss Connor?" I reply. Carla likes it when I call her by surname. She begins to move her fingers over my chest causing tingles down my spine. "You don't have any regrets about hooking up with a disaster like me, do you?" It's as though she has read my mind from earlier. I let out a childish giggle, and she instantly opens her eyes, pulling a puzzled expression. "What?!" Carla exclaims. I continue to laugh, making Carla curious. "I'm being serious!" She proceeds. Gazing into her eyes, I stop my sniggering, and replace it with a playful smile. "I know you are!" She sits up, encouraging me to explain myself, and carry on talking. "I was thinking about this earlier actually." A look of sheer panic strikes her face. Everything suddenly comes blurting out, there's no stopping her. "Nick? You're regretting this aren't you? You chose a car crash of a girlfriend when you could have had a stable one, who is pretty, and funny, and… normal. I can't do normal. You were right, I'm sorry. I told you I would hurt you…" I sit back and listen to the words coming out of Carla's mouth; I begin to laugh – uncontrollably. "What?!" She gives me a slap on my arm, desperate for me to snap out of this mood. In a state of confusion, she swings her legs around to hang off the bed, and begins to stand up. I pull her back, closer than she had previously been, and lean into her. "My only regret is not realising what a beautiful human being you are – inside and out – before now…" She breathes out a sigh of relief, before intensely looking into my eyes. "Don't do that to me Nicholas!" I give her an apologetic look, and Carla just simply raises her eyebrow at me. She then relaxes her face before continuing, "thank you Nick - for everything." I smile to myself, a woman like Carla is thanking me for just simply being there for her. She acts as if it's a chore, but I would care for her every minute of the day if I could. Carla notices my face, but instead of being inquisitive, she carries on talking. "I don't know what I would have done without you! You've put me straight, given me something worth living for - rather than just the wine, and stopped me giving up all together." She lets out a slight chuckle, but I know underneath her jokes, she really means it. "I love you Nick." Those simple words yet meaningful words escape from her mouth, and I can tell she gains a sense of relief from letting them out. Carla's eyes become glazed over with tears, her emotions are still high, but one thing she is sure about, is her love for me – what a privilege that is. I take her hand and hold it tight; to show her I'm there for her. "I love you too." There's a moment of hesitation, similar to the time in the street after our drunken kiss. However, this time we can give in, this time we can indulge in each other, because Carla has knocked down the walls surrounding her, and confided in me. We're official – nobody can take that away from us now. Simultaneously, we lean in and our lips press together, creating a sensation of comfort. I pull Carla even closer to me, so her body brushes against mine. The spark between us is ecstatic, and fills me with the most happiness I have experienced in a long time. A few moments pass before Carla begins to pull back, I notice the grin on her face, she's about to say something sharp and witty - I can just tell. "Cup of coffee when you're ready Nicholas..." I knew it. I shake my head disapprovingly, whilst making my way out of the bed and through to the kitchen. Turning around at the door way, I look back at Her Majesty, who is already reclining in bed again. She looks content, and for the first time in what seems like forever, Carla is smiling freely. The other half of me is now happy. I didn't realise how much joy that would bring me, but it has. Carla is my world; I want her to be mine forever…