"Well good morning, sunshine."

She rested there in front of him with her messy hair, silky bedclothes, and smeared makeup from last night's tornado of grief. She looked up at him and smiled before turning to place her feet on the floor.

"Are you hungry?"
"A little."

She was hungry, there was no doubting it, but she was so tired and upset about the day before that she didn't even want to get up. Without Will there, she knew that she would've laid there in her empty bed until she disappeared.

Will already knew where everything in Natalie's house was.

"Cinnamon and Nutella toast?"/p

No response. Confused, he paused and looked up at her, and her eyes met his with a questionable look.
"How did you know?"
"You're Natalie Manning, that's how."

She looked at him in awe. He paid attention to little details like that? For a moment, she felt his eyes burn into her as she smiled at looked down at the floor, trying so hard to hide it. He watched as she made her way across the living room and into the kitchen. She took her place at the bar, pulling one leg up and running her fingers through her hair. She was still looking down, and he was looking at her with dreamer's eyes. She looked up and her gaze met his. He didn't look away. He just smiled.

"What?" Her voice sounded giggly and friendly.
"Nothing...I just...nothing."

She looked at him from across the room with pure wonder in her eyes. Noticing her gaze, he grinned at her, shook his head, and turned back towards the counter. She sat for a little while longer before he walked over and placed the toast in front of her.

There's that smile, he thought to himself.

"Thank you so much, Will."
"It's my pleasure."

He made four pieces of toast, just in case she hadn't eaten since yesterday (sometimes, that happened), but she absolutely insisted on splitting it with him.

"You were the one who stayed up all night watching out for me. It's the least I can do."
He tried to refuse, as he wanted her to eat something...but she wouldn't budge. He eventually gave in and accepted half.

Taking a seat next to her, the two of them ate quietly until they were both finished. He stole glances at her through the little bit of distance between them, and he was struck each time by her simple, natural beauty.

"This is incredible."
"I'm really glad you like it! Do you want some coffee?"
"Always!" She laughed a little after noticing that she'd basically been living on coffee for the last few weeks.
"Black with light creamer, right?"

She glanced up at him and he looked right back at her. He really cared. He knew where her house key was, how to calm her down when she was upset, he knew what her favorite breakfast was and how she liked her coffee...he came to her house in the middle of the cold night because he cared that much.

"You really pay attention, don't you?"
"I do. Every single—"

Before he could even finish his sentence, Natalie leaned over to his body and pressed her lips gently into his. They were soft, warm and inviting, tender and sweet. They were filled with passion and love. She stood up and took a step to position herself in-between his legs. Placing her hands on either of his knees, she kissed him softly and he did it right back. She pulled back and stared at him for a minute, and then dove back in—this time more passionate than the first time. Never in a million years would he have thought he would be able to see her like this or feel her body so close to his. It was small and warm in his hands. She fit perfectly. She wrapped her tongue around his and he returned the favor. Despite his growing passion, he was hesitant and nervous, because he didn't want to push her away or come on too strong. He was still unsure of how to react to the situation, but for some reason, it didn't feel strange at all. It felt comfortable...perfect. It felt like it wasn't the first time, and rather the millionth time. Was this really happening? Was he dreaming?

He didn't want to do anything to hurt her, and really, he never knew she had such feelings for him. Often times, he felt as though it were a one-way street, and he was the only one following it...but now he knew. Even though he'd thought that he was the only one in love, he continued to fall more and more in love with her each passing day.

As it turns out, he wasn't the only one after all. Natalie was so precious and delicate to him, so he promised himself that absolutely no damage was to be done. He would never, ever hurt her.

This was everything he could've ever dreamed of. A seemingly impossible victory. Sitting in Natalie's kitchen, holding onto her sleep-deprived body, his hands wrapped around her tiny waste. She had seemed so closed-off and protected. Untouchable. Private. Reserved. Now, he was seeing a whole other side of her, and still, he could hardly believe what was happening.

They kissed for a lifetime. Somehow they managed to make their way to her couch and rest themselves upon it. He had kissed her once before in the break room, because on that day, his feelings for her completely took over. She kissed him back and didn't pull away, but she admitted that she "wasn't in that place yet."

He was willing to wait.

Today, sitting in her cozy kitchen, entangled in each other, they'd finally found that place. They were here together in her apartment, exhausted bodies pressed together, comfortable in pajamas and sweat pants, bare feet wrapped around each other. Their hair wasn't combed, and her mascara was a mess, but all he could see was this beautiful woman who had once been so distant that he felt like he'd never find her.

They laid there for hours, entangled in each other's beings, her leg thrown over his and his arm draped over her waist. It felt so incredible and meant-to-be. He could not even come close to processing what was happening. How could he feel so comfortable laying half-naked with his co-worker when he had never touched her like this before?

After thinking about it, he remembered that to him, she was so much more than just a "co-worker." Natalie was his best friend. She was his rock as his entire heart. She knew him like nobody else did, helped with his patients, gave him helpful advice, shared breakfast with him at the hospital, checked up on him, and asked if he was okay multiple times a day. He couldn't understand why he was just realizing these little hints, but it didn't even matter anymore. He was exactly where he had always wanted to be. The woman he loved finally decided to love him back.

Boy, did he love her.

Eventually, they fell asleep holding onto each other, pressed tightly together and so in love.

Will still couldn't figure out how he'd made it here, but all he cared about was that it finally happened.

For once in a blue moon, they both slept peacefully.