Jess woke with a start, blinking. It was night but the moon was shining brightly in through the window and across the bed. Must sew up those new curtains this weekend, she thought to herself. Her feet were cold so she rubbed her toes together. Nick was squeezed in beside her, snoring evenly, his long fingers curled around her hand. She breathed in his familiar scent, smoky from the bar, and turned her body in towards his warmth. The reading light on her hat - oh dear, she'd forgotten about that – bumped Nick's chin, and he stirred and opened his eyes.

"Sorry," she whispered, as she pulled back and tilted her head to look up at him. She smiled at his bewildered expression. "Sorry I woke you."

"'Tis okay," he mumbled, squeezing her hand gently.

Jess yawned. "I didn't hear you come in earlier."

"It was late. I was out celebrating with Schmidt and Winnie." Nick raised his eyebrows at her and grinned. "Guess what? I won the case."

"Aw, Nick," Jess replied with a proud smile, "that's awesome."

"Yeah, I was terrible at the actual lawyering," he chuckled, "but a Miller knows how to get a pal out of trouble."

"And stick it to the man," he added, muttering softly to himself.

Nick yawned and stretched, and then relaxed back against the pillows. He laced his fingers with Jess's. "How was the rest of your day?"

"I got Coach his job back."

"That's my girl." He gave her fingers another squeeze, and rubbed his thumb up and down hers.

"That's why I was working late," Jess explained, lifting the folder that was resting on her lap. "Reworking the budget for Foster."

"And trying to figure out how we going to raise the extra funds," she sighed.

"You'll find a way, Jess. I know you can do it."

"So much admin, so many spreadsheets," she moaned with a little laugh.

"Oh! All my stuff, all over the bed - " she exclaimed, remembering what she was doing before she fell asleep. She sat up, hands waving. "Where are the files that were - "

Nick sat up beside her. "It's okay, they're right here," he reassured her, pointing to the floor.

"And don't worry, I've got this," he added, taking the folder from her hand, and reaching across her and gathering all the other files and folders beside her on the bed into one big pile. "No more work now. It's time for us to get back to sleep."

Jess scooted up the bed and drew her knees in.

Nick stood up and added the pile of paperwork in his arms to the one already on the floor.

He kicked off his shoes. As he started unbuckling his belt he was suddenly flooded in bright light from Jess's reading light.

"Looking sexy in that suit there, Miller" she quipped, moving the light so it travelled up and down his frame.

"It's my power suit," he grinned, with finger guns pointing at her.

"I like," she beamed back at him. "Very powerful."

Nick slipped the jacket from his shoulders and let it fall to the floor. His shirt followed, and then his trousers. As he stepped out of the pile of clothes in just his boxers he slipped on a T-shirt that he grabbed from the back of a chair, and crawled across the bed towards Jess.

"Well, Day, you look very cute wearing my Velvet Rabbit cap," his voice was low and husky, and Jess shivered. "But," he added with a growl, "you are an absolute menace with that damned light."

His eyes met hers and twinkled. He clicked the reading light off and took the cap from her head, tossing it to the side. He ran his fingers through her hair, smoothing down the dark curls that were ruffled from the cap. "So soft," he said quietly.

Jess smiled sleepily at him, and he held her gaze for a moment. Her hand had curled into the familiar worn fabric of his old T-shirt, and she gave it a little tug.

Nick smiled back at her. "C'mon, my Velvet Vice-principal, let's you get into bed."

He tossed a throw pillow out the way and tugged at the covers, pulling them down so that Jess could slip under. She slid down and rested her head on her favourite striped pillow, getting comfortable. As she carefully placed her glasses on the bedside table, Nick slipped in beside her, and she turned towards his embrace. He winced a little as she placed her cold feet against his shins. Then he drew her closer and kissed her neck, her cheek, her mouth. She snuggled into his arms, and kissed him back.

"I love you, Jess," he whispered.

"I love you too."

Thank you for reading. As always, comments/reviews much appreciated.