Shuuhei laid on his futon and listened. He knew it would happen again tonight, and he wondered if she knew she cried in her sleep. He hadn't told her. When he had tried to talk to her, she had turned away and wouldn't talk to him. They rarely spoke if it wasn't about the mission.

They had been sent to Karakura Town nearly a week ago. Their assignment had been simple, and Shuuhei wondered why their captain had sent them. They slept each night in an empty one room apartment with a partition dividing the room.

Sleep had almost taken him when he heard her. Shuuhei sighed as hopelessness washed over him. He felt like there was nothing he could do for her. For a while it was just the quiet sobs, and then she screamed.

Shuuhei scrambled out of his futon and to her. She sat up in her futon, her arm outstretched, tears streaming down her cheeks. He sat and cradled her in his arms.

"Don't go," she muttered. "Don't leave me."

"I'm here. I'm not leaving."

"I miss you," she said as she tightened her grip on his uniform. Tears choked her throat.

"Let it out," he whispered. "Let it all out." Megumi held onto him and cried.

He reached down and wrapped the blanket around her, continuing to mutter to her as she cried. His lips brushed gently over her forehead.

Shuuhei didn't let her go when she fell silent. He didn't know how long it had been, but he had decided that he wasn't letting her go. He was going to tell her what he'd been trying to tell her for the past six weeks.

"I'm sorry, Shuuhei."

"Don't be sorry."

"But I am. I've been trying to get over you and I can't. I'm sorry you don't feel the same way for me. Maybe one day you will but maybe you won't. I can't change my feelings for you. I love you. You don't have to return my feelings, but I can't stay away from you anymore. I'm miserable without you. I need you."

"What makes you think I don't feel the same?"

She looked up at him. "You said you didn't mean it."

Shuuhei shook his head. "I've been trying to talk to you about that. I meant what I said. I didn't mean to tell you while we were having sex. I was stunned that I said it then. Sex has nothing to do with why I love you." He kissed her lightly. "I'm sorry I hurt you."

"I hurt you too. I think we're even."

"As long as I don't have to hear you cry in your sleep anymore. It breaks my heart."

"I didn't know that I cried in my sleep."

"You do. You cried tonight and then screamed my name. What were you dreaming about?"

"You. I thought I wanted you to move on, to walk away from me. You have been every night for the past couple of weeks in my dreams. It's not what I want."

"Why would I walk away from what I want?"

"It's hard. I tried and failed."

"You failed because you didn't really want to walk away."

"I shouldn't have."

"I'll have to agree with you on that." He kissed her again. "I love you. Never doubt that and never forget it."

Megumi looked up at him. "I love you, Shuuhei."

He saw the tears in her eyes. "Don't cry," he pleaded as he wiped them.

"They're happy tears. I promise." She was finally happy again.

Megumi rested her head on his shoulder and held onto him. They sat in the quiet for a while, and Megumi fell asleep against him. Shuuhei laid down on the futon with her and followed her into sleep.

Shuuhei woke before she did, and for a while he stroked her hair and watched her sleep. He kissed the top of her head, and Megumi snuggled closer to him. He grinned knowing she was somewhere between asleep and awake.

"I love you," he whispered as his fingers ran lightly up and down her arm.

"Love you," she muttered against his chest.

"It's been a while since you've fallen asleep in my arms."

She smiled and looked up at him. "It's a habit I'd like to get back into."

He kissed her as his hand traveled to the vee of her uniform. Tracing it lightly, Shuuhei inched under the material. His hand skimmed lightly against her breast and Megumi moaned dreamily.

Pulling at the material, Shuuhei pushed it aside so his mouth could run along the valley of her breasts. Megumi pulled the tie of her obi, opening her uniform for him. His mouth roamed over her breasts while his hands made their lazy journey down to her waist. The room filled with her soft moans as his hands and mouth teased her.

Shuuhei groaned once when she ran her hand over him and once when his communicator sounded. Gasping for breath, they both looked in its direction.

"We could ignore it," he suggested, wanting her to agree with him.

"We could but it's our last one. After we're done, we can go home. You can make love to me there." She kissed him.

Hesitantly, Shuuhei stood. He straightened his uniform as he walked over to his communicator. Reading the location, he walked over to Megumi. She was already up and fixing her uniform. "Let's get this over with." With one last kiss, they left to complete their mission.