His lips creep into a wide smile. His smile reaches her eyes. Her eyes smile back. The reaction spreads down the rest of her face. Her lips upturn in a smile. He stands in front of her, waiting for her to take the first move. She feels her stomach doing flip flops. Why was she so nervous? She had been waiting on this, for some time. Maybe it was the past. She shakes the thought from her head. She was not going to allow the events of the past to ruin this; to ruin her. At some point she had to move on. Tonight. She wanted this. With him, she wanted this. Even if all they could ever have, was this one night. That was all she needed. She needed him, more than anything, or anyone.

He stands as still as a statue. He waits, patiently. He knows not to push her. The last thing he wanted to do, was make her uncomfortable. He didn't want to do anything, to bring up the pain. Pain, that she had fought so hard to overcome. He was used to being assertive. Tonight, he was not going to be assertive, or pushy. Tonight he was going to let things happen. However things worked out, was going to be ok. He peers into her deep brown eyes. Her eyes always seemed to reflect her mood. When she was sad, or angry, or hurt, they were darker, almost black. When she was happy, they were lighter. Right now they were like milk chocolate, light, and trusting.

She moves towards him. The closer she moves the more she feels his nervous energy. What did he have to be nervous about? It hits her. He was afraid that he would hurt her. He was afraid that he would reopen some barely healed wounds. Emotional scars. Her thoughts race. Scars? She had forgotten about the scars. Clothes covered her scars. They protected her, from scrutiny. Tonight she was going to have to face him. Face them.

"Are you having second thoughts?" he asks nervously loosening his tie.

"Let me do that," she insists. She closes the space between them. She dexterously removes the tie, and tosses it onto the arm of the couch.

He looks into her eyes, trying to read her, "You didn't answer my question."

"No. I am not having second thoughts."

"Then what was the look about?"

"Are you afraid?"

"Afraid of what?"

"Hurting me?"

"I don't know why you would think that."

"You seem incredibly nervous. Is that why?"

"I..."

"If you think that this is a bad idea, then..."

He cuts her off, "I just don't want to do any damage."

"I am not that fragile. I am not going to break."

"I would never want to do anything to hurt you."

"You are not going to hurt me."

"What if I do something that brings up..." he trails off. He tugs at his collar. He breaks eye contact, and looks away. She unbuttons the top button.

"Look at me," she insists.

He turns his head, and looks at her.

"You are not going to hurt me. You are not going to do anything wrong."

"What if I do?"

"I will stop you, before you do."

"And if you can't?"

"I am not that damaged. I can handle myself."

"What if it's bad?"

"What, if what is bad?"

"This. What if we've built it up in our minds so much, that it can never meet our expectations?"

"We'll just have to keep trying, until we make it meet our expectations."

"What if we can't? What if it is so bad that..."

"I have never known you to have performance anxiety."

"I have never been with you."

"I do not know why you are nervous. If anyone should be nervous, it's me."

"You? What do you have to be nervous about?"

"You mean other, than waking the neighbors?"

He smiles, "Yeah, other than that."

"There are things that you don't see."

"I know that."

"I..."

"It's ok."

"Tony, I haven't..." she trails off.

"Haven't what?"

"It has been a while."

"How long?"

"Does it really matter?"

"I'm just curious."

"Not since..."

He opens his eyes, and finds that she is still asleep, next to him. He watches her as she sleeps. She lies on her side. Her hand rests on his chest. It is pressed against his heart. He exhales. She stirs. Her eyes pop open.

"Sorry, I didn't mean to wake you."

"It's ok."

"No, it's not. It's late. Go back to sleep."

"What were you doing, anyway?"

"Nothing. I just woke up."

"What were you doing?"

"I was just thinking."

"Thinking about what?"

"About things."

"What things?"

"What do you think it will be like?"

"What, what will be like?"

"Our kid, what do you think he or she will be like?"

She shrugs, "I hadn't given it much thought."

"Why not?"

"Because I am still in a state of shock."

"I hope she has your eyes."

"She?"

"Or he."

"How are we..."

"We'll figure it out."

"That is easy for you to say."

"Why would you think that?"

"You're probably going to prison, and... I am the one who will physically be having the baby."