Author's note: So given that I won't finish this before series 5 starts (of likely finishes), I guess this fic could now be categorized as AU for series 5, since it will most definitely clash with the canon.

And now we vacillate back to the mush… :-)

2011...

Emily awoke to bright cerulean eyes.

Matt would be the type to snap perfectly awake and aware from a dead sleep. Unless there was a purpose plaguing her mind, or in the past, the promise of sport, Emily did not very much care for morning. She groaned and shifted, stretching as much as she could, limited beneath Matt's closely hovering form as she was. Amusement spread across her face as she discovered his body's interest of the previous night to be renewed. Perhaps, there was sport to be had this morning.

She met his eyes and frowned, finding concern in his look now that she were awake enough to detect it.

"What is it?" she asked.

"You had nightmares," he said. The back of his fingers softly stroked her cheek.

"Did I?" She yawned, feigning ignorance. It wasn't really a lie, since she could not remember them... The likelihood that her dreams had been unpleasant was more than a distinct possibility, however. It had been too much to hope that the comfort and security Matt's presence always seemed to lend her would translate to her consistently disturbed slumber as well.

He persisted in staring contemplatively at her.

"I don't remember."

His look turned incredulous, edged with hurt. He probably felt that she did not trust him enough to divulge the truth. She never wanted to hold him at a distance. Not when she had endured so much, done so many terrible things just to see him again, and he had accepted her into an intimacy that had begun to stir her heart to hope…

She sighed.

"I honestly do not remember. But it is likely that my dreams were less than easy." She smiled. "I am quite content now and would rather not recall such unpleasantness."

She slid the hand she had laid upon his arm over the bare skin of his shoulders to grip the nape of his neck and pull him down to meet her lips. The kiss did not retain the novelty of the first or that of the subsequent embraces the previous night, but it was no less stimulating or enjoyable. Matt returned her mouth's invitation fervently. Her fingers kneaded his neck, and then her hand fell slack as the kiss broke and left her panting and deliriously happy.

Heat blazed down her throat, between her breasts and across her stomach as his lips trailed over her bare skin. And more than just sensuous, the kisses tickled her. She laughed unreservedly. And then they stopped. She could feel a finger tracing over the raised, hard tissue of the four inch long scar to the left of her navel and shuddered over the memory of its acquisition.

His face reappeared, his penetrating eyes locking upon hers. He was silent for a moment that found Emily trying not to hold her breath or wince in anticipation of the questions to come.

"How are you?"

It wasn't what she had expected. She knew it was because he cared about her that he was so interested in knowing everything that had happened in the years she had been away -well, hours, for him. He seemed almost desperate to know, out of apparent guilt. But he had not yet asked her this.

Placing a hand on his cheek, she gave him a brave smile.

How could she tell him of all the lingering, haunting pain? How could she tell him that she finally felt whole now that she was with him? How could she tell him that she was so happy it hurt and so terrified she was dreaming it all?

"I'm well," she said. "I'm happy to be with you."

It seemed a satisfactory enough answer, for he leaned down and kissed her full on the mouth. Tenderly at first, and then as his tongue ran over her lips and parted them, the intensity only increased until their entire bodies were involved in the embrace. His hand wandered down from her face, caressing her arm, her waist, her hips, stoking a carnal fire within her. She arched into him, pressing the whole of her body against his, eager to experience the blissful intimacy of the previous night once more.

His mouth still captured by hers, Matt simply groaned in response. And then his lips moved to her throat. Emily sighed, enjoying his attentions. And she gasped when he parted her thighs, anticipating the ensuing ecstasy.

When Emily awoke again, the sun was still low in the sky. It couldn't have been long since her first, rather interesting awakening that morning. Matt stirred where he lay sprawled over her body, his head resting in the crook of her neck and shoulder, his face buried in her hair.

He had fallen asleep on top of her again. The overwhelming presence of him was something she rather enjoyed, the weight more a comfort than hindrance despite being slightly suffocating. Yet it was a habit that would doubtless become annoying if it persisted.

"Are you quite done grinding me into the mattress?" she asked when he moaned in a pleased, sleepy manner.

There was a poignant silence and she could just picture the facetious look on his face without seeing his expression. As he chuckled lightly, she felt his weight lift from her and a kiss was placed on her cheek.

"For now."

Another kiss found her lips. Then his piercing blue gaze bore into her once more. God, how she both hated and adored the ease with which he penetrated her soul! It unnerved her, aroused her, pulled her in and made her want to look away.

"Stay," he whispered.

She laughed so as not to cry.

"I only left last time because I knew you would not -could not ask me to remain."

"That's not what I meant."

She could see it in his eyes that her leaving again were no longer an option he considered bearable. Then what...?

"Don't go today. Don't come with us to stop New Dawn."

That again.

"Did we not already discuss this? Do you not think me capable?"

"You know I do." He sighed heavily. "And you know why I'm asking you to stay away."

Her heart quickened.

"Tell me," she said quietly. "Please."

"If you were hurt... Or worse..."

He looked away, shifting to a sitting position, swinging his legs to the side of the bed and putting his back towards her. Drawing up onto her knees and clutching the linens to her chest, she leaned against the tense muscle of his back. She nuzzled his cheek, and placed kisses along his jaw. Then she whispered into his ear the words she knew he could not deny for whatever selfish and overprotective reasons that made him hesitant to see her endangered.

"You need me."

He heaved another great sigh and she felt the muscles in his shoulders tighten, saw his jaw clench.

"You have no idea," he muttered.

"How was that?" she asked as she swung around, slipping into his lap with her legs straddling his waist. The bedclothes were a horribly twisted mess she would've despaired to ever being free of, if she could think beyond the man whom she was sat upon in an intriguingly stimulating manner.

He growled her name.

"I knew since the moment I first saw you," he said. "That you would drive me mad."

He took her face in his hands.

"Please, Emily, just be careful today. Don't do anything stupid."

"I promise I will not do anything you would not," she said, placing her hands upon his forearms and smiling mischievously. He returned her smirk despite his apparent concern.

"That's what I'm afraid of..."

A/N: Probably will continue to be shorter chapters as we get into the action-oriented bits and hopefully a quicker pace (If I cut down on my verbosity). And don't worry, we're getting to Connor in a few parts. It's probably going to be a let down after the build up of everyone worrying about him, but there should be some juicy bits (my favourite of which is already written), so stick around...