Mark slowly groaned silently. He looked around the coffee shop. A few people strolling in and out, ordering huge decaf drinks. He stood behind the cash register, waiting to ring someone up.

"Earth to Mark," Denise said to him.

He looked at her. Denise was one of his good friends. Ever since Mark started working here five years ago they were friends. She had short brown hair and gray eyes that were hidden behind thick glasses.

"Uh…what?" he asked her.

"What did you do on your day off?" she asked him.

He sighed.

"I worked on my film. I got forty five minutes of sleep last night," he mumbled.

Denise shook her head.

"Go home. I'll cover you."

Mark looked at her. "What?"

"I'll tell the boss, if he comes in, that you were sick. Go on ahead. Go to sleep," she told him.

He smiled.

"Thanks Denise."

He hung his apron up and waved goodbye to her. He trotted out of the coffee shop and took the subway to his apartment.

He collapsed in the sheets. He sighed.

He rolled over and fell asleep instantly. His dreams wondered off. Dreaming about random things. Cheese, Denise, Yoga, Denise.

Okay, so he had a little crush on Denise.

He was completely out and didn't care. He was going to sleep till that alarm clock went off tomorrow at 11 AM. He was going to sleep. He needed sleep. He had been working on his film every night for the past two weeks. He wouldn't go to sleep till nine usually. He needed sleep, badly.

He wasn't gonna get up for anything in the world.

Knock.

Mark saw Denise through the peephole in his dream.

Knock.

Just her and a gossamer robe over her body…

Knock.

Mark jerked his head up. He looked at the clock. 7 PM. He groaned and put on his glasses. He stood up.

"I'm coming."

He scratched his back. He realized that if it really was Denise, he didn't want her to see him like this. Hair a mess, t-shirt and jeans on. He looked like a slob. He saw his scarf on the nightstand and wrapped it around his neck.

He sighed as he looked at himself in the mirror.

The rapping on the door was getting more violent.

"I'm coming!" he barked.

He groaned and headed towards the door.

He opened it and stared into familiar chocolate eyes.

There she was. Wearing a blue dress that was long and loose. Her hair pulled back recklessly and her eyes filling with tears.

"M-Maureen?"

She looked at him. She had a suitcase in her hand. She suddenly dropped the suitcase and ran into his arms. She wrapped herself around his body, sobbing. Mark didn't know what she was crying about, so he just patted her. He pulled the suitcase in and slammed the door. He let Maureen have a good long cry in his arms.

After Maureen cried, she started falling asleep. He brought her to his bed, putting her to sleep. He watched her. Something was different about her. She seemed more tired than she was. But she wasn't sleep deprived, but it was like she was spiritually tired. Like her body, mind and soul grew too tired from whatever she was doing before and she needed sleep.

Mark yawned, realizing he only got about two hours of sleep. He had a big bed. So he crawled in the bed beside Maureen. She didn't move, saving her energy. He looked at her and smiled.

What the hell just happened?