The next morning, Maria woke up to an arm around her waist. She jumped up and heard a groan from next to her. She looked and saw Adam slowly sitting up and holding his leg.
"I'm sorry, did I hit your leg?" she asked.
"A little, but I'm fine. Are you okay?" Adam asked. "With the way you sat up like that."
"Yeah, I'm fine, just didn't know I fell asleep in your bed is all and it startled me," she replied with a slight smile.
"Yeah, I would have slept on the couch but I ended up falling asleep myself," Adam told her.
"It's okay, Adam, it's your bed," she told him, prompting him to smile."Well, are you up to walking downstairs for breakfast or would you like me to bring it up to you?"
"I think I can make it downstairs, with your help, that is,"Adam told her with a smile. She smiled back. "Feel free to close your eyes so I can get into pants at least."
"Okay," she replied and lay down on her side and closed her eyes, as she had her back to him.
Adam chuckled as he slowly got up, he then went over to his dresser, got some pants out, Adam then gingerly as he tried not to hurt himself more, exchanged his nightshirt for his everyday clothes. Once he was getting dressed he found his belt and going through each belt loop he put his belt on and buckled it in the front. "You can get out of bed now, sleepy head," he said, chuckling.
Maria slowly got out of bed. "I think I should go and get out of the dress I had on yesterday," she told him with a slight smile.
"Okay, need help unzipping the dress?" he asked.
"Yeah, can you go into the room I was first placed in and grab the light brown and dark brown dress?" she asked.
"Yeah, be right back, anything else you need?" he asked.
"My make up?" she suggested.
He nodded and he left the room.
"Morning, Adam, about time you woke up," Ben greeted, making Adam stop.
"Morning, Pa," Adam greeted as he opened Maria's room. Ben followed him.
"What are you doing?" Ben asked.
"Oh, Maria asked me to grab a clean dress and her make up," Adam replied as he grabbed the stuff and also grabbed a hair brush for her.
"She stayed in your room?" Ben asked, a little upset, not really thinking that he already knew that from last night when he went to get the dirty plate and cups from Adam's room.
"Yeah, Pa,she did; she cried herself to sleep and before I got the chance to get up and get on the couch, I was asleep. I woke up to her accidentally hitting my leg," Adam told him and saw the upset look in his father's eyes. "Pa, nothing happened, she was asleep and I fell asleep."
"Better not have. Why didn't you call for one of us to take her to her room?"Ben asked.
"Pa, honestly, last night you knew about where she slept and all," Adam told him in an upset tone, "so why are you doing this?You suggested the couch; I declined it since my leg was hurting really bad,and you didn't argue about it last night" Adam went back to his room before Ben could reply.
Ben followed and smiled at the sight of Maria sitting on the chair.
Maria glanced up and smiled. "Good morning, Ben," she greeted softly.
"Good morning. How did you sleep, dear?" Ben replied.
"Okay," she said in return.
Ben nodded and left the room. He was still upset that Adam had declined to sleep on the couch.
Maria stood up and Adam unzipped the dress, then stepped out into the hallway.
"She's changing," Adam told Ben with a small smile on his face.
"You like her, don't you, son?" Ben asked and Adam nodded.
"Yeah, Pa, I'm starting to like Maria," Adam replied just as Joe came out of his room.
"Starting to, older brother?" Joe asked, making Adam sigh in return.
Before anyone could say anything,"Adam, can you help me,please?" Maria called from the bedroom.
Adam was happy to be saved by Maria.
He went into the room and smiled. "Need to be zipped?"
"Yes, please," she replied as Adam zipped up her dress. "Thank you."
"You're welcome," Adam told her as she turned to face him; he slowly leaned down and kissed her lightly on the lips.
He pulled back a few seconds later and the two of them smiled. "I-I should brush my hair," she told him, but didn't move from his arms, which were wrapped around her waist.
"You should; it's a little messed up. Rough night?" he asked, holding her still.
"I did toss and turn a bit," she told him.
He slowly removed his arms and allowed her to brush her hair.
She sat at the vanity and brushed her hair, watching Adam in the mirror as he made the bed and tried to keep the look of pain off his face.
"Sit and relax, Adam. I can make the bed when I'm done," she told him.
"I've got it; it only hurts when I hit my leg against the bed," he told her and saw the look she was giving him. "I swear, I'm fine enough to make the bed."
"Okay, just don't go hurting yourself more than you already are," she told him just as Ben came in.
"Maria, I promise, I won't hurt myself more," he told her.
"Fine, you win this time, Adam," she replied.
Ben chuckled as he entered the room. Upon hearing them talking, he knew it was safe to do so.
"You two fighting already?" Ben asked.
"She's just making sure I don't hurt myself anymore is all, Pa," Adam told him, making Ben chuckle.
"At least she's keeping an eye on you," Ben replied, sitting in the chair.
"Yeah, she does, Pa. Last night, she wouldn't even allow me to get up and get myself a glass of water-she got it for me," Adam replied, making Maria chuckle.
"Well, you could have hurt yourself, Adam," Maria replied, making Adam smile.
"Just walking across the room?" Adam asked skeptically.
"Yes, you could have tripped over the bed frame, the chair or a blanket," Maria listed.
"She's right son, and she's a keeper," Ben replied, chuckling at the blush that came onto Maria's face.
Maria just finished brushing her hair without saying anything, Adam just smiled and lightly nodded to Ben.
Ben's smile got bigger. "Well, Hop Sing has breakfast just about done; are you able to go downstairs. Though with the way your leg is, I'd rather you have your breakfast brought to you."
"I'll be able to, Pa," Adam replied.
Ben nodded. "All right, see you two downstairs for breakfast." Ben got up and left the room after receiving a nod from Adam and Maria; Chuckling as he made his way downstairs to the living room.
"What's funny, Pa?" Hoss asked.
"Well, your older brother is in love with Miss Maria. I went in to talk to them and they were arguing about Adam making the bed," Ben replied.
"Over making the bed?" Joe asked.
"She didn't want him hurting his leg anymore and he kept telling her that he'll be fine and he's more than capable of making the bed," Ben replied, making Joe and Hoss laugh in return.
"Nice, so they are arguing like a married couple and they aren't even courting or anything?" Hoss asked.