So sorry its taken so long but ive gotton hardly any reviews and really havent been so motivated. but i figured id take a crack at it. still not possitive about this. as always discalimer i dont own this yadda yadda. warning in this one. there is some sexual content but nothing too bad i dont think. more for the sake of the plot kind of... well, youll see. please review asap!!! i love them! :)

Only a small amount of time had passed since Tony had carried Michelle into bed, and Tony and the others were having a nice time just talking.

"Shh," said Tony suddenly, motioning for everybody to be silent, and immediately realizing what he expected was true.

There was the sound of soft crying coming from the bedroom. Tony immediately jumped up and rushed quickly to the bedroom, flinging the door open on his way. The others hurried worriedly behind him and waited at the door as Tony ran in. He quickly crawled onto the bed and over her to see her face. Michelle's eyes were shut tight, her face scrunched up from the effort, and tears were making their way from under her eyelids down her cheeks. Tony maneuvered his body to the side of her so that he was lying next to her and stroked her face.

"Sweetheart," he said worriedly, "baby wake up. It's just a dream."

He continued stroking her hair, one arm draped over her body. She opened her eyes.

"Tony," she said, the relief evident in her voice.

"Yes baby, I'm here," he said with a soft smile, staring into her eyes.

She sighed and wrapped her arms around his neck. He sat up and pulled her up, brushing a piece of hair out of her face lightly.

"You okay," he asked, eyebrows raised and looking at her worriedly.

"Yeah," she said, her voice back to normal.

Tony used his thumbs to wipe under her eyes, offering her a small smile.

"Sor-" she started, looking down slightly with a little smile, trying to make it seem as though it was no big deal.

He put a finger on her lips, silencing her, then leaned in and kissed her lightly on the lips, pulling back but keeping his cheek lightly against hers so that he could nudge her face slightly with his, her closing her eyes at the closeness of his touch and nudging slightly back into him. The others started to slip back into the other room, making them break apart and look over at them.

"Sorry," said Kim.

"No no," said Michelle, "Sorry to get you guys worried. Tony, sweetie," she said, moving her hand back to his face, "go back in. I'll be there in a minute."

She forced a smile. He looked at her intently for a moment before standing up. He started to walk out before turning back.

"You sure you're okay?" he asked her.

"Yes honey," she said, again forcing that smile that he could see straight through.

He turned and followed the others out the door, glancing back in time to see her fall back onto the pillow and close her eyes for a second, sighing.

"Not yet," she said to herself.

No, now was not the time to fall apart. She was stronger than that. She would help him through this; she wasn't going to let herself become a mess. She swung her legs back around and got out of bed, went to the bathroom and checked her makeup and redid her hair. She walked out into the living room and curled up in Tony's arms.

"You okay?" he breathed in her ear.

"I'm fine baby," she said with a small smile, returning to talk with everybody, laugh, and push the dream out of her head.

By the time they had shown everybody to the door, they had returned to the normal light hearted conversation that normally took place when talking in a group like this. As Michelle closed the front doors, Tony turned her around. He wrapped her up in his arms and put his forehead to hers. This reality was just so hard to accept. She was here. He was here. With her. He was touching her, brushing his fingers over her flawless skin, feeling the tremble pulsate through her body. They walked together into their bedroom, and she sat down on the end of the bed. He went into the bathroom to splash water onto his face and came back to find her sitting in the same place. He sat down next to her and swept a piece of hair out of her face. As he went to brush another lingering curl behind her ear she caught his hand, pulling that and his face further into her so that she could kiss him. She pressed her lips openly onto his and pushed her tongue into his mouth. As he reacted to her kiss she pushed him over, back onto the bed. She continued kissing him while kneeling over him. She moved her hands to the bottom of his shirt and parted her lips from his only to pull it over his head. His hand steadily made its way under her shirt until he seemed to decide that he was willing to pull back for a second to take that off too. She reached to his belt and pulled it off, unbuttoning his pants and sliding them down as far as her hands would allow with her lips still attached to his. He unbuttoned her pants and pulled them down, allowing his fingers to graze over the back of her knees. She pulled back to finish undressing him and returned to his arms, pressing her bare stomach into his and finally slowing at the closeness this new attire allowed them. She kissed him as they started to make love. She felt as though the physical buildup was accompanied by an emotional one as well. He turned her over and laid on top of her as they continued. He could feel her body trembling and felt her body seem to loosen into a convulsion of sobs as she fell over the brink. Within seconds he had followed her and felt as though this had had the same affect on him. It was reality. He was really there with her. He was really making love to her. He had really almost lost her. He collapsed onto her, not trying to even muffle his own sobs as they seemed to mix with hers as they both let go physically and emotionally.

"Almost lost you," managed to creep out of her mouth in between sobs.

"Virus… knife," he cried, face scrunched up as the images of that day flashed through his mind.

"Blood…operating table… gone, prison," she sobbed, still wrapped in images of her own.

Still huddled in each others arms and sobbing uncontrollably, the only thing that seemed to help them calm down was the one word they both said at exactly same time, as images of that day seemed to continue invading.

"Kiss."

Their sobs slowed.

"I love you," he managed, staring her dead in the eyes.

"I love you," she said, her voice cracking.

He reclaimed her lips, rolling back over her. They made love again, but this time it was different. Neither was dying for release from the nightmare. They both cried the entire time, engulfed in the ability to sink into each other. He rolled off of her, tears still making their way down both of their cheeks, but both wrapping each other as tightly as possible in their arms, falling into the first peaceful sleep they had had in days, finally able to truly face that they were both there, alive and together, and never leaving the other's arms again.

enjoy! :) (oh and please review)