Hello again, readers! Before I let you get to the story, I want to thank Burt00, krazyy989, KongLiu, halaA, Confidential Brunette, GabrileyLuvrrrr, yagmuysu, TabbyHazelEyes, Halle Alexis and jemsimmons for the reviews! Also thanks to everyone that has followed/favourited since last time I thanked you all.

Anyway, I actually had a few people suggest this (or a similar) idea, but I had already written this before I published the first chapter. Otherwise I'd credit you for the prompts.

-Scottie.

Candle

It had been a long week at Cyber Command, so when Friday afternoon finally rolled around and there were no pressing threats to the country, Riley was glad to finally be able to get home and eat junk food and sleep. The week had included Gabriel, as usual, dragging Riley into a number of fights, one of which had involved her being thrown down two flights of stairs, and an unhappy trip to the hospital. Fortunately, she had been cleared of any serious injuries, and had been able to return to work sporting a black eye, bruised ribs and a sprained wrist.

Riley sighed as she unlocked the door of her apartment and pushed the door open, kicking off her boots and shedding her jacket before closing the door and flopping onto the couch, her socked feet resting on the coffee table. She had just turned the TV on and had begun flicking through channels when the lights flickered a few times before they and everything else electronic turned off. Riley groaned and pushed herself off the couch and began hunting for a flashlight so she could go and check the fusebox. She had just found one and was looking for fresh batteries when her phone rang.

"Gabriel, if we have a case, I think I might actually kill you." Riley heard a laugh at the other end of the line.

"Actually," Gabriel replied, "My power has gone out, and assuming yours has as well, I was going to invite you over. I have Chinese and a laptop with a full battery." He laughed again. "But if you're going to kill me, I may rethink that offer." Riley rolled her eyes.

"Well seeing as we don't have a case, I think you're off the hook."

"Good. So you'll be here in five minutes?" Gabriel's voice trailed off as he waited for her response.

"Give me ten and I'll bring my DVD collection."

"It's a deal."

So that was how fifteen minutes later, Riley was seated on Gabriel's couch, Chinese food in hand and a huge stack of DVD's between them.

"Why do you have so many movies?" Gabriel asked. "I thought you'd've been too busy protecting the President to have free time." Riley shook her head.

"We work in shifts," she replied. "I got the nice daytime and family event shift. Which means I had plenty of time for movies after work." She took a bite of whatever food Gabriel had shoved into her hands earlier. "Why did you order so much food?" She asked, noting the collection of dishes both on the coffee table and the counter in the kitchen. Gabriel shrugged.

"Lunch," he replied vaguely. "Now, let's pick a movie."

After much deliberation, they eventually settled on a movie they'd both enjoy and found a comfortable position to watch from. But it had been a long and difficult week, and less then an hour in, Riley's eyes kept sliding shut before she would force them open, and the dialogue in the movie was making less and less sense. Sometime between Riley's eyes sliding shut and her opening them again, Gabriel had shifted, slinging one arm around Riley's shoulder, and allowing her to use his chest as a pillow. She knew she would regret it later (both her ribs, and the teasing from Gabriel for falling asleep in the movie), but she was tired and it seemed to be a good option.

Next thing Riley knew, it was morning, and somehow she had gotten wedged between Gabriel and the cushions of the couch, yet no matter how much she tried to get out (without waking Gabriel), she couldn't. Sighing, and wrapping an arm as best she could around her now very sore ribs, she stared up at the ceiling while she waited for Gabriel to wake up. But before long, the sun started to creep through the open curtains, and he begun to stir. One arm tightened around Riley's shoulders, and she had to admit that she hadn't noticed it was there. Gabriel's grip tightened further, and he pulled Riley into his chest before his other arm curled around her waist.

"Gabriel," Riley whispered. "Gabriel wake up." She put a hand on his chest to try and push him off. "Gabriel!" She whispered sharply." She grinned as he startled awake, his eyes looking at the surroundings before landing on Riley's.

"I guess we fell asleep last night," he said, not trying to hide the grin on his face at Riley's attempts to free herself.

"I guess," she replied. "Will you let me up?" She stopped her attempts for a moment to watch him.

"Suppose I'd better," he replied, his grip loosening slightly. "After all, you're late for your Saturday morning jog." Gabriel grinned at Riley's gasp.

"No seriously," she replied, wincing at the pain through her ribs. "Let me go." He didn't relent, and Riley winced again. "Ribs, Gabriel!" Gabriel suddenly remembered, and he released her so quickly that he almost slid off the couch.

"Crap, sorry," he mumbled. "Are you alright?" Riley nodded.

"Yeah, I'm good." Gabriel pushed himself from the couch and stood, arching his back and stretching his neck and shoulders.

"Coffee?" He asked, padding toward the kitchen.

"If the power's back on, that'd be great." Riley replied as she pushed herself to a seated position, arms curled protectively around her ribs. Gabriel turned and smiled from across the kitchen.

"Looks like we're in luck," he winked before turning back to the coffee.

Please review! As always, feel free to PM me or add ideas in the reviews! Any and all are welcome, and you will get mentioned for it.