A/N: I revised this chapter a bit since the one I posted on 3/17, so you may want to take another look at it.
PLEASE review. I hate to beg, but seriously, anything helps.
Charlie grunted and pulled the pillow over his head in an attempt the block the light that was trying to sneak in around the edges of his eyelids. He rolled over and became immediately conscious of another body in his bed. His eyes snapped open and he instantly hardened as he realized a very warm and very naked Amita was in bed with him.
He lay in bed for a moment, wondering how this was all going to play out. Would this be awkward or easy? Should he wake her up or let her sleep? What should he say when she did wake up? He desperately wanted to wake her up and resume last night's activities, but he didn't know if the time was right or not.
Emotions and confusion roiled within him as he watched her sleep. There were so many things he wanted to say to her, so many feelings he had for her, but he didn't know where to begin or how she'd react. He hated the uncertainty, hated that he couldn't quantify or define what it was he was feeling.
A warm tightness clenched Charlie's chest as he watched her, and he blew out a breath he hadn't realized he was holding. He slowly eased out of bed, looking down at Amita's sleeping form pensively for a moment. Then he bent over and kissed her gently on the forehead. Quietly he slipped on his clothes, shut the blinds to keep the light out, and left the room, closing the door behind him.
His mind was churning as he headed down the staircase and out to the garage. He had some work to do on his cognitive emergence theory, and it would give him time to sort out the night's happenings.
Alan heard his son coming down the staircase, and stuck his head out of the kitchen. "Charlie, I've got pancakes, if you're hungry," he called.
Charlie shook his head and kept walking, not pausing to talk to his father. "No, I've got some work I need to get done right now, Dad. Maybe later."
"Wait wait wait," Alan said, following Charlie. "I want to talk to you."
Charlie turned around, and Alan could see he was agitated. "Dad, I'm sorry, but I really need to go…"
Alan held up a hand. "I just wanted to see how your date with Amita went last night. Things seemed to be going so well when I got home, but you seem like you're bothered by something right now. Is everything OK?"
Charlie squirmed. "Yeah dad, it went fine. In fact, ummm… She's still upstairs." He ducked his head and shifted his weight.
"Wait a minute, she's still upstairs," Alan questioned incredulously, "and you were going to go work in the garage?"
"Well… Yeah," Charlie admitted.
"No no no no," Alan exclaimed. "This is NOT how we treat women! You come into the kitchen, make her coffee, bring it upstairs to her, and then invite her down to breakfast! The pancakes will be ready in about ten minutes. We'll discuss this horrible breach of etiquette later, but go on and get going."
Charlie sighed and turned around, and Alan hurried him out of the room with a swat.