CHAPTER 2

Tony felt someone shake his shoulder and bring him out of his deep sleep. 'That's not the way Michelle would usually wake me up. Oh well I guess I'll have to get used to it' "Good Morning Sweetheart" he said with his eyes still closed "How you feeling"

"Uh this is really uncomfortable Tony" Chloe said

Tony eyes shot open and saw Chloe standing on the other side of the bed. "Chloe!?"

"Yeah look I just finished my reports and I came to see if Michelle was ok. But it looks like you've got her covered" Chloe said sarcastically although Tony was literally covering Michelle.

"Uh yeah the doctor said she'd be ok. She hasn't woken up yet and I can't take her home til she gives consent." Tony said

"Uh whatever. Tell Michelle I said I hope she feels better and I guess I'll see you tomorrow" Chloe said and left while silently thinking 'Wow, a divorced couple sleeping in the same bed and going home together almost makes me miss Morris…almost'

Back in the medical room Tony lay in the bed looking at Michelle 'God she's beautiful' He thought to himself. Just then he felt her tense and then relax and lazily open her eyes. "Hey sweetheart! How are you feeling?"

It took Michelle a minute to figure out where she was and how she had gotten there "What happened we were talking in the garage and as I was talking everything just went black."

"Sweetie you passed out. We think it was from an emotional collapse and exhaustion. I know you're a strong woman, but everyone has limits and you met yours. What time did you wake up yester day?" he said concerned

"5:00 I went in early because I couldn't sleep" she said

"Well let's see you passed out at around 7:35…. hmm that means you were awake for over twenty-six and a half hours! Plus all the emotional stress you've been under today and yesterday." He said "No wonder you passed out!"

"What time is it now?" she asked

"Its around lunch time." He said looking at his watch "you slept for about three hours"

"How long do I have to stay?" she said not wanting to stay any longer than necessary.

He started hesitantly "You can leave at any time as long as you have a guardian to watch over you until tomorrow" he said "I would have taken you home so you could sleep in your own bed but…."

"Our bed" she corrected

He smiled practically from ear to ear and continued, "I would have taken you home but they had to have your consent"

"I officially give you consent to do whatever you want with me" she said with a smile.

"Anything?!" he asked seductively.

"If your lucky" she said returning his cheeky grin.

They filled out the forms and left the hospital hand in hand. On the ride home they stopped to eat at McDonalds. When they arrived home Tony turned off the car and took the keys out of the ignition. He looked over at Michelle who had fallen asleep. 'Geez it was only a ten minute ride Am I that boring? Nah she is probably just tired still' He went over to her side of the car and picked her up and carried her into the house locking the car behind him. As he was walking down the hallway she took him by surprise pulling him in for a deep kiss, he stopped walking loosing coordination as it deepened although he did manage to eventually stumble into the bedroom and they fell onto the bed. She pulled away for a second "Wanna shower first?" she said seductively

"You read my mind" he said hurrying into the bathroom.

"Really hot" she said excitedly

"I know I am!" he said confidently

"No I meant the water!!" she said

"What about me" he smiled smoothening his hair

"You'll do" she said getting into the shower

"Hey!" he yelled in mock-hurt. He reached into the shower she was in and turned the water cold.

"Ahhh! Cold!!!!" She screamed

"I'll warm you up!" he jumped in shielding her from the cold water as he turned it around and turned it back up to a normal temperature. "I'll do! Pffff!………..I'll do you!" he said with a grin.

"Is that a promise!?" she said playfully

"Maybe be, but only if you tell me what you really think of me." He said as he wiggled his eyebrows.

"Tony you are the most sexy, sharp, slick, smart, smooth, spruce, stately, strong, stylish, seductive, stunning man I have ever met!" she said proudly

"Sweetie have you been reading the thesaurus again!?" he said with a giggle

"One I have never read a thesaurus, and two it's called alliteration. But you should know that because I bet you read the dictionary!" She said while shampooing his hair after hers.

He gasped dramatically "I do not! Although I hear it is a good read!" he said jokingly

"Oh yeah from who? Chloe?" she said sarcastically yet serious 'I actually could picture Chloe reading a dictionary' she thought. Once they were finished they got out and put towels on "Here Tony sit down lemme re-wrap your foot"

"Nah it's fine lets just go to bed" he said raising his eyebrows

"No it has to be wrapped. Besides you can wait 5 minutes!" she said getting the First-Aid kit.

"Aww come on it's been 9 months! I'm practically crawling the walls Chelle!" he said excitedly.

"Really?" she stopped wrapping his foot and looked right into his eyes.

"What?" he said "We have been divorced 9 months right?"

"No, I know but" she hesitated "What about that woman Jen?"

"Wait you thought I…." He said his face showing realization " No Chelle I mean she tried a few times but I couldn't let it happen" he looked down at the floor "It hurt too much. It felt wrong I just. I mean I didn't even feel right when she kissed me the first time. I actually threw up later that night. I didn't think she heard me, but now I think she might have because she never kissed me after that. She always seemed so distant and cold toward me. But she let me stay so I did. In a separate room though because she got sick of me sleeping on the couch." He said solemnly

"She made you sleep on the couch?" Michelle asked in disbelief "Why?"

He continued "The first night I told her I wasn't ready and the next morning she found a picture of you in my pillow and we had a fight. After that I was just the guy who lived with her. A burden." He explained "But she was really territorial about me"

"Yeah I got that feeling on the phone" Michelle said as she continued to wrap his foot. "If it helps I didn't either" she said after awhile "Me and Bill sorta dated but it didn't feel right…I just needed a companion…someone to tell about my bad days…but not intimately. I just couldn't do it"

"He told me." Tony said "He said 'I think the world of Michelle, love working with her. Outside work, we never got off the ground, she never said why but it didn't take a genius to figure it out – she cared about you. If you ask me, she still does."

"He said that?" she said

"Those were his exact words" Tony said confidently

"Well he's right" Michelle said as she finished wrapping his foot

"Ahh..there ain't no getting over me." He sang

But darling
There's ain't no getting over me
Well you can say that you need to be free
But there ain't no place that I won't be
Sweet darling bass run up
There ain't no getting over me
I'll be the bill you forgot to pay bass run up
I'll be the dream that keeps you awake
I'll be the song on the radio
I'll be the reason that you tell the boys no

"Isn't that from an old Ronnie Milsap song?" she said giggling

"Sure is!" he said getting up testing his foot "As good as new!" he said

"We'll see if you're 'As good as new'" she said pushing him into the bedroom

"Ooo…I like the sound of that!" he said