Peach was absolutely gorgeous as she slept. George had awoken only moments ago to find her sleeping body beside him with his arm draped lazily over her shouders. Her cheeks were still stained with the imprints of her tears from only hours before when she had knelt before him and begged so desperately for his forgiveness of an unspeakable deed she had performed so long ago. George did not know what she could have possibly done that pulled at her heart so mercilessly, but it shattered his to see her in such pain. She didn't look that way when she slept, when she slept she was peaceful, undisturbed, humble. And as George watched her humble being breathe slowly in and out, he thought of nothing other than everything about her. When she had found him, a lost person on a bench, she had been a simple passerby, nothing more, it was only instinct that led him to walk with her, and then to make arrangements for the next day, and the next. She had been so carefree, so unlike anyone else he had ever met, so amazing. How had he not seen it? How could he think that was all she was, a perfect, undamaged instrument meant only to fix him? He hadn't seen that she needed fixing just as badly as he had, she had done her part, for the first time since Fred, in that very moment, with the woman he loved so much so close to him, he was happy. But she wasn't, he didn't know what caused her grief, what had bent and broken her so brutally, but he was ready to devote his entire life to fixing her.

She shifted, moving her face closer to his and entangling their legs even more, her arm flew up in the air it stretched before falling onto his side, she let out a brief huff before settling again. Her eyes remained closed. George let out a breathe of laughter, lifting his arm off of her soft body, he brushed away a stand of hair that had fallen into her face. He had meant to lightly and swiftly brush it away before returning his arm to its previous position protectively over her shoulder. But, the very second he brushed it away, his knuckle was briefly exposed to the feeling of her soft cheek, her beautiful face. He couldn't help but to caress it lightly with his fingertips. Running his hand smoothly along her cheek and into her gorgeous hair, again and again. Holding her face and gently running his thumb over her cheek, she let out a quiet moan from the back of her throat. George smiled at the angel-like sound before gently tipping her head closer to him and pressing his lips lightly against her forehead. Her mouth twitched briefly into a small smile before resuming to the peaceful expression George had woken up to. Fearing that his pounding heart would pop out of his chest if his fingertips were exposed to her face any longer, he let his hand slip from her cheek, to her neck, to her shoulder, to her arm. He ran his hand over it slowly before sliding his hand down her back and running it up to her hair, which he petted with his fingertips and waited for her to wake up.

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His arm had been draped over her shoulder when she fell asleep, and now, when she awoke, she felt it still there. He hadn't moved an inch. She had. Her arm was now resting on what felt like his side.

The daylight swam through her closed eyelids. She didn't want to open them. She didn't want the thought of day to ruin this moment. She didn't want the hair tickling her nose to ruin it either. She was about to lift her hand and brush it away when George's arm left her shoulder. She froze. Was he leaving? No, there was the sudden soft feeling of her hair sliding off her face and his finger grazing her cheek. His hand left her face for a second, then she felt his fingertips, caressing her face. Making her feel warm inside. His fingertips slid down her face and his entire hand rested lightly on her cheek. It was still for less than a moment before it began running down her cheek and she felt his fingers tugging lightly on her hair. She couldn't help but to moan quietly while his hand cupped face and he ran his thumb over her cheek. His thumb stopped moving. And she held her breath. Her breath returned after he tilted her head forward and she felt his warm lips against her forehead. The corner of her mouth twitched to a smile while his hand ran down her side, to her arm, where he ran his hand against it before his hand glided down her back and into her hair.

She kept her eyes closed for a few moments. Relishing the feeling of George's loving caresses. But soon the feeling was no longer enough. She needed to see his eyes. Opening hers, she saw his looking back at her lovingly.

"Hey," she whispered.

"Hey."

The very sound of his voice melted her soul. Inhaling loudly, she exhaled, "I woke up in your arms."

A toothy grin grew across George's face as he continued to pet her hair and laughed quietly, "Yeah, yeah you did."

They lay like that for hours. Not a worry in their heads. Only the other's eyes, and their smile. Peach gazed at the love that George sent her through his eyes and the content smile on his face. Unaware that George was feeling just as whole as her at the moment, the way her warm smile and the happiness in her eyes warmed his soul.

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The hours passed by silently with no need for words. Until they were needed. An expression tickled George's tongue. Desperate to emerge from his mouth and into her ears. The words escaped. George was more than willing to free them.

"Peach?"

"Yeah?"

"I have a regret."

"What's that?"

"When I came over, Tonnie answered the door. And, I swear, she was reaching for a knife to jam into my chest."

Peach snorted and George continued, "And, in order for me to live to see you again, I had to tell her something, something that I'd have rather told you first."

A jokingly smile spread on Peach's face and she lifted her head, her eyes twinkling flirtatiously, "What's that?"

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The words 'if only' are often used when another path could be taken, but the path that was taken leads to any horrible event. And at this point in both George and Peach's lives, the words 'if only' seemed perfect the occasion.

If only George had known what would happen when he lifted his hand to stroke her cheek, rested his hand upon it and whispered, "I love you, Peach."