Hola! I'm back again. I realized the other night that I have 40 stories that I'm writing on and haven't finished any of them. It's a sick, sad thing. So I finished this. At least as much as my abilities allow.

Three A.M.

This was freaking ridiculous. Carlos tossed back the blanket and slid out of bed. It was three a.m. and he was awake again. He knew that it was because he was still feeling guilty about hurting Cassie last week. And until he accepted it, his sleep was going to be disturbed with images of Cassie falling again and again with more serious injuries than a hurt shoulder.

He'd been forgiven. Except it hadn't been forgiveness because Cassie had never blamed him, just seen it as part of the price of being a Ranger. It wasn't a penalty he was willing to pay. Even if it killed him, he was never going to be the cause for another Ranger's injury.

Pushing his tousled hair from his eyes, he cocked his head at the low sound coming from the deck. A rhythmic swearing pulsed out of the room and he stuck his head in warily.

A smile played around his mouth. Cassie sat on the floor, leaning against the wall, hunkered over something she held in her lap. She was mumbling steadily as she fumbled with it. She looked so cute and innocent compared to the harsh words she was using.

Though remorse warred with the humor, he laughed and walked into the room.

Cassie looked over her shoulder and grinned. "Hey, Carlos. Can't sleep?"

"No. What about you?"

"I'm up every night about this time," was the startling reply.

"Is this why you're the last one up every morning?"

She laughed up at him, eyes sparkling. "I'd rather sleep late in the morning than miss this view. It's nice around here when everyone's asleep." She patted the floor next to her and nodded toward it.

He sat down next to her, craning his neck to see what she was holding. "Is that yarn?"

Cassie picked it up with her uninjured hand. "Yeah, I knit."

She leaned her head back against the wall and he mirrored her position.

"What do you knit?" he asked once the silence stretched too long. He usually valued silence but tonight he was extremely aware that she was sitting next to him.

"Washcloths, hats, scarves, and an occasional baby blanket; whatever I can sell."

"You sell these things?"

She grinned at his incredulous tone. "You'd be surprised at what people will buy. And it's spending money because it's not as if we can hold down regular jobs with everything that we do."

Carlos frowned, struck with a new worry. "Are you behind now?"

Cassie turned toward him and stared steadily at him until he turned toward her. "It's fine, Carlos. My arm will get better. I promise."

Staring into her eyes, he felt his heart stumble in his chest. He'd never noticed how beautiful her eyes were before.

"Look inside." Cassie gestured to the duffle that was on her left side.

He leaned around her and pulled the pink duffle bag to him and peeked inside. He reached inside and drew out a thick stack of knitted washcloths. He stared silently at a cloth made with pink and black yarn. He stroked his fingers across it.

"Don't worry so much, Carlos." He glanced over at her to see her smiling sweetly. "Everything will work out in the end."

She settled back against the wall to watch the universe pass them by and he looked at the cloth still on his lap. He really hoped that she was right.