Harry stood up, pulled back the duvet and got into bed. She switched the light off and lay down, her head swimming with thoughts. Why had she done it? Why had she let him kiss her? Now she knew what she was missing out on, what she could never have, and that thought alone made her heart ache. Her eyes were red from the crying and rather sore from where she had wiped them dry. She hated the fact that he apologised to her almost immediately. She felt so foolish, so embarrassed and utterly distraught that he didn't reciprocate any of her feelings. She tossed and turned for over an hour, her mind refusing to shut down. She wished that she had stayed downstairs and talked with Dempsey, after all, they had to work together! What would they do if they couldn't get passed this? She wanted to hear what Dempsey had to say, and she wanted to ask him why he apologised for what was one of the most passionate moments she had ever experienced. With that, she jumped out of bed, wrapping her silk robe around her. She slowly made her way downstairs, praying that he was still there and hadn't fallen asleep.

Dempsey couldn't sleep either. The sofa wasn't the comfiest in the world and as his mind was too preoccupied to sleep, he finally gave up trying and sat with his back to the sofa with a cup of coffee, watching the flames in the fire. He contemplated what had happened earlier and he couldn't help the smile that appeared on his face. Harry had actually let him kiss her. Fair enough, she now hated his guts it seemed, but the feel of her beneath his fingertips was something he would never forget. Still, he wondered where they would go from here. She was his best friend in England, his best friend full stop – and he didn't want to lose her. He battled with what his heart and his head were telling him to do. His head was saying to forget the kiss ever happened and try and carry on as normal. His heart was saying go for it, he thought he had lost her at Coltrane's hands today. What if something happened to her and she never knew how he felt? Or what if something happened to him? It was an impossible situation with no easy conclusion. Then, he heard the door creak behind him as Harry entered the room.

"James?"

Dempsey turned around on hearing Harry call him by his first name. She looked beautiful, but he could tell that she had been crying as he looked softly up at her.

"Princess, what you doing up?"

"I could ask you the same." He called her princess, and that gave her courage to walk towards him.

"Couldn't sleep."

"Me neither."

"This couch ain't as comfy as your old one."

Harry smirked slightly. "Oh I'm so sorry, I should have consulted you first."

Harry shivered beneath her robe as she made her way towards Dempsey.

"Here, use the duvet."

"Then you'll get cold."

"There's plenty of room for two."

He pulled the duvet back from himself, and Harry knelt down on the carpet next to Dempsey, the heat of the fire warming her immediately. She pulled the duvet back over both of them and Harry bowed her head, as Dempsey sipped his coffee.

"What time is it?"

"I don't know, after 1 I think."

"We're gonna be bushed tomorrow."

"Spikings said we don't have to go in until 2:30."

"He did?"

"Yes. I'm sorry, didn't I tell you?"

"Musta slipped your mind."

"I had other things on my mind."

Harry looked at Dempsey. All this small talk was grating on her nerves, she wanted to talk about the kiss, but didn't know how to bring it up.

"You want some coffee?"

"No, I'm fine."

"Why did you apologise?" The words left Harry's lips involuntarily. Dempsey was somewhat thrown by the turn in conversation, even though he knew it had to come up.

"When?"

"Before."

"When before?" Dempsey didn't know where to start,

"Dempsey, don't make me spell it out." Harry was getting frustrated. "Why did you apologise for kissing me?"

Dempsey stalled before whispering. "I felt I had to."

"Why?"

"I didn't exactly plan it, Harry. I just apologised cause I thought that's what you would do."

"Why would I apologise?"

"You wouldn't?"

"I hadn't planned on saying sorry to you. Unless you feel I need to?"

"Hold on, you're not sorry that we kissed?"

"Well, I hardly resisted you, did I?"

Dempsey smirked at Harry. "Well no." He admitted that much. "But for the last two years I've been trying that and gettin' nowhere. Why was tonight so different?"

Harry paused. It was different because she recognised her feelings were more than those of best friends. But she didn't want to make things any more difficult than they were already.

"Dempsey, these last few weeks have been an absolute nightmare. Not knowing whether you were dead or alive. It was just such a relief to have you back again. Here. With me."

Dempsey smiled at Harry's words. "You know there's nowhere else I'd rather be."

"Isn't there?"

"No."

"Then why say sorry to me when we kissed."

"We have a real special friendship, Harry. You're my best friend. I don't want nothin' to ruin what we have. I'd rather die than lose you."

"You won't lose me. You can't."

"What do you mean?"

"Because I'll always have you to protect me. Unless you plan on going somewhere that is?" Harry prayed he hadn't changed his mind about returning to New York.

Dempsey smiled. "I'm stayin' right here."

"But how do we go on from here? I don't want this to affect our working relationship, or our friendship."

"Me neither. You know I wouldn't wanna spoil anythin' between us."

"I know."

They hadn't resolved anything and they both knew that they had questions unanswered. But just to be speaking to each other again was enough right now. Both felt exhausted as the lack of sleep of the past few weeks began to catch up with them.

"Princess, I'm bushed."

"Me too."

"You should go on up to bed."

"What about you?"

"I'll be fine down here. I'll sleep in front of the fire."

"Dempsey, you can't sleep on the floor!"

"Well, you ain't gettin' me on that couch! Not unless you ply me with drink first!"

Harry smirked. She didn't want him sleeping on the floor. She wanted him to have a decent night's sleep. God only knows he needed it. But if she invited him to sleep in her bed, what sort of signal would that send out?

"How about I have the couch, and you have my bed?"

"Don't be silly, Harry. As if I would let you give up your bed for me."

"You need sleep, Dempsey."

"And so do you!"

Both looked at each other – thinking the same thoughts and wondering who would be brave enough to verbalise them first.

"You could always-"

"What?"

"Share my bed." Harry bit her lip, praying she hadn't said the wrong thing.

"You sure?"

"We've had to do it before now. I'm sure we can do it again. As long as you keep well over on your side."

Dempsey smiled. "Let's go, Princess."

Dempsey stood up and turned the fire off and placed his cup on the table. Harry threw the duvet on the sofa and began to ascend the stairs. Dempsey watched her go and smiled softly before following her.