Téa and Atem busied themselves in other activities for the rest of the day. When night came and Téa changed into her pajamas she hoped that the nightmares would no longer plague her. Atem came by to say goodbye and she was reminded once more why she so desperately wanted them to stop. Yes, for her own sake, but more so for his. He didn't deserve this burden.

Sleep didn't come easy to her that night, as worry filled her, but she did eventually fall asleep.

When Téa woke she was alarmed for a moment not waking up to the warmth of Atem beside her. Then the startling realization came to her that she has slept alone, soundly without him. It made her heart beat fast as she took a deep breath. She had finally done it. But why did it make her somewhat sad?

She sat frozen on her bed for a few moments, just taking in the fact that she hadn't had a nightmare, and that things would change now. Finally, she decided to stop wasting time and got up to quickly use the bathroom. Having washed her face and brushed her teeth, she brushed her hair quickly too. She stared at her reflection in the mirror as she did so, still feeling a bit sad inside. She decided not to bother with changing her night dress and instead walked over to the guest room to see Atem. The door was surprisingly open and she peered inside seeing a shirtless Atem brushing his crazy locks of hair.

"Knock, knock." She chirped hesitantly, biting her lip afterwards.

Atem turned, smiling. "Téa. Come in!"

For the second time in her life (the first was when she came back from the hospital after waking up from the coma) Téa felt awkward in her own home.

"Hey…" She started. Téa walked over to one side, waiting for Atem to finish brushing his hair.

Atem turned away from the mirroring, as he turned to Téa still brushing a few of his last locks of gravity-defying hair. "How did you sleep?" He questioned.

"Uh…" Téa looked to the side. "Well actually." She turned back to look at him. "No nightmares at all." Her eyes shinned ever so slightly.

Atem widened his eyes and broke into a grin. "Téa, that's awesome!" He placed his hairbrush on the dresser and walked over to her to sit next to her. "I'm so happy for you." He warmly placed his hand on her shoulder.

Téa gave a gently smile before speaking again. "Now you don't have to sleep with me anymore." Téa said softly and she thought she saw Atem's eyes flicker for a second. "You can sleep in the comfort of your own bed, and don't have to worry about coming here every night." She forced a laugh.

Atem just stared at her. "You don't want me to sleep here with you anymore?" Téa was surprised that she thought she might have heard some feelings of hurt from his tone.

"No… No." Téa didn't mean to say she wanted to get rid of him. She shook her head. "Not, that I don't like you here… sleeping next to me." She bit her lip blushing a little. "It's just that," she looked sideways, avoiding his eyes, "now you don't need to feel forced to sleep with me every day."

"You think I'm forcing myself to do this?" Atem exclaimed incredulously.

Téa looked back at him opening her mouth open. "No, I mean—sorry, wrong word choice. I don't want you to feel obligated. I like you sleeping next to me every day, it makes me feel… safe." She blushed inwardly. "But, you shouldn't have to do that, y'know?

Atem blinked. "Uh, well I guess I don't have to do anything, but I want to."

"Uh, yes. But now you don't need… err… have to want to." Realizing that she wasn't making the most sense, and Atem still wasn't understanding, Téa tried a different approach.

"I'm so incredibly thankful for you doing this for me, but it would be silly to think this arrangement could work out long term, which is why I did this." Tea softened her voice. "I don't want to be a burden anymore."

"You're not a burden!" Atem blurted out standing up accidentally.

Tea smiled, standing up now too. "Thank you. But, I care too much about you to let you give up the life you would want, just so you can be close to me. It's… uh… nice having you with me all the time. But I'm stunting you."

"I don't see how you're stunting me." Atem argued.

Téa sighed. Atem just wasn't getting it. She'd have to take the direct approach. "Atem," she started. "I didn't just do this for just myself, I did it for you too." Atem was surprised to see her look slightly somber. "You sleep next to me everyday, but what would happen as we got older? We're in high school now, so it's fine, but what about afterwards? You can't be bound to me forever—you can't give up your hopes and dreams just to be there for me.

Atem opened his mouth to say something, but Téa put up her finger to quickly silence him. "I want you to find your dreams, go to college, or chase after a career, travel, whatever. You couldn't do that fully with me needing you to chase the nightmares away every day." Téa frowned. "I mean, what would happen when you met someone you were interested in romantically? How would you be with them? How would you get married and have a normal life with them? I'd just be in the way. I want you to have so much more! You deserve so much more than the life I have." She confessed sadly.

There was silence for a few moments and Tea was startled by Atem's impression, his eyes flaring and his face an expression she didn't recognize.

"Don't you get it?" Atem yelled, moving his hands. Téa widened her eyes, taken a bit aback, unconsciously taking a step or two backwards towards the wall. Atem took a deep breath, "I don't want a life without you." Téa blinked. "I don't sleep next to you every night because I am forced to or I feel obligated to. I care about you so much! I like sleeping next to you. I like being with you. I wouldn't want to sleep next to anyone else!" His voice softened slightly from his yelling. "You make me feel whole… I just can't live without you by my side!"

"Atem…?" Téa gaped, her heart now beating rapidly. What was he saying?

"Don't you see?" He questioned, grabbing her shoulders. "I love you!" He roared, and immediately looked away as if he was embarrassed. Téa could only gasp at it all. "I need you." He pleaded with heavy eyes, turning back to look at her. He was breathing heavily and staring at her for her reaction.

Téa didn't even know how to respond, all she could do was looking lovingly back at Atem with deep emotion pooling in her eyes. Atem had done so much for her. He loved her, and she had never stopped loving him-it was all so much to take in. The shock was too great. She closed her eyes momentarily and then opened her mouth to try to say something- anything to validate Atem's feelings, when suddenly Atem crashed his lips on to hers and hungrily kissed her. Apparently, the way she looked tenderly at him was enough to tell Atem her feelings too.

Téa would have fallen in surprise if not for Atem having wrapped his arms tightly around her waist. Atem's lips rubbing against hers was so electrifying and she simply melted, but then came alive again meeting Atem's vigor and longingness with hers.

Her hands first wound in his hair, as his grip on her waist loosened and eventually her hands squeezed against his biceps. Atem's hands roamed, and Téa was pressed against the wall. Téa didn't understand what she was exactly feeling, but she knew that this feeling was enthralling, addictive and it made her feel like she'd never felt before. She felt safe, she felt warm and Atem smacking his lips on hers repeatedly on hers was a wonderful, fulfilling feeling.

It was sometime later, that Téa needed to push against Atem's chest to breathe. It seemed Atem needed it too, because his sharp, deep breaths matched her own as they stared into each other's eyes.

"We… should… probably stop now…" Téa breathed widening her eyes. Atem nodded, his eyes unreadable as he loosened his grip on Téa.

Atem stood awkwardly trying not to look at Téa, pressing his lips inward as he fiddled with the side of his shirt's neckline as Téa straightened her shirt.

"Atem?" Téa pressed herself to him, hugging his side. Atem's shoulders relaxed and he wrapped an arm around her, tilting his head to look down at her. "I love you too." She piped. To that, Atem could only whole-heartedly smile.

Was it worth the wait? Sorry for the delay, I'd been so busy with school and other things, and then that nasty review virus came up on FF. I didn't want to risk posting with it going around. The story has a lot more to go, so stay tuned.

Let me know your thoughts!

~Startistica