Waking up, Neela could feel that something was different. For the first time in months, she awoke without a heavy weight on her chest. She could breathe freely!
'Why am I feeling so much better?' the woman got up and looked around, then saw the cause of her sudden relief.
'Oh. Him. That.' Neela saw that she was lying on top of Tony, and her head had just been on the man's chest.
'Hmm. He has a comfy chest.' Rasgotra thought as she watched Gates wake up.
"Mmm…good morning Mayday. You slept well?"
Smiling, Neela nodded and began tracing the scar on his torso. "Where did you get this?"
Tony smirked and reached out to caress Neela's cheek. "Don't you remember? You had to push etomidate when that plane crashed. Without a lot of warning, thank you very much."
The woman's smile grew as she remembered a time without as much sadness and grief in her life.
"Hey I haven't seen you smile like that in all the time I've known you."
Neela realized that it had been some time since she had smiled, really smiled. Suddenly she realized the reason, "Yeah…I guess you just have a good effect on me."
Holding onto Rasgotra's waist, Tony rolled over so that she was lying on the couch and he was on top of her. "I'm glad to hear that, but I think there's been a bit too much talking, don't you?"
Giggling slightly, Neela nodded and responded as Gates leaned in for another kiss and an inevitable repeat performance.