"Here.."

The voice was soft, kind...and familiar. Lifting his head from his hands, he glanced up at the one the voice belonged to, and smiled. She was standing there beside the sofa he sat on, holding out a cup of hot coffee. Her amber eyes brimmed with affection, gentle smile curving her own lips, and as he reached out to take the cup, she sat down beside him, settling a hand on his shoulder. "Are you feeling any better?" she asked, rubbing his back soothingly. He sipped the drink, sighing a little. "A bit." Leaning back on the sofa, he rubbed at his temple, trying to ease the headache that had struck in the last few hours. The memories swirled in his mind, childhood mixing with the present day, with his time as Neo..all together in a confusing jumble of images and feelings. The one solid anchor point in all this, the only memory he had he was absolutely certain of..was sitting beside him, still with that same affectionate smile on her face. Gazing up at her, he reached out, brushing his fingertips across her cheek with a feather-light touch. She closed her eyes in bliss, tilting her head to lean into his caress, and he had to smile. Very little about her had changed in the last two years. Her hair was a few inches longer, and she had lost some weight, but aside from that, she was exactly the same...every bit as beautiful as he remembered. As his fingers moved upwards to run through her hair, she half-opened her eyes, and stretched out her own hand, tracing the ridged surface of the scar that wound across his face.

"Does it still hurt?" she asked softly, expression saddened. "I'm so sorry.." She looked down at her lap, thin hand clenching the fabric of her skirt. She looked incredibly unhappy, eyes closed tightly as though trying to hold back tears. Dismayed, he moved closer to where she sat, taking her hands between both of his and squeezing gently. "Hey, hey...what's wrong?" She glanced up at him, eyes full of tears. "It's my fault," she whispered. "Because I wasn't strong enough...you got those scars because of me...I.." She was cut off when he reached out and pulled her into a hug, wrapping his arms tightly around her.

"Don't," he told her, stroking her hair gently. "Don't ever blame yourself. None of what happened is your fault. These scars - I'm proud of them, because I got them protecting you.." Settling back on the sofa, he lifted the young captain into his lap, letting her rest her head on his shoulder. His headache had all but vanished now. Sure, some things were still a little foggy, and he had the feeling that they'd stay that way for a while. But what was really important..was crystal clear. He remembered her. Everything about her, likes and dislikes, hopes and dreams, and, most importantly, he remembered the time they'd spent together. The flirtations in the corridor, their first kiss on the bridge...the nights they'd spent alone together, either in her room or in his...it was all there. As if she knew he was thinking about her, she snuggled a little closer, sighing happily.

"You won't...go away again, will you?" she asked, sounding almost childish. Chuckling softly, he wound strands of her silky dark hair around his fingers, stroking the back of her neck, which he knew she loved. "Nope. Not ever. You're stuck with me now.."

Her cheeks rose pink from his caresses, she lifted her head to meet his gaze, leaning to brush her lips against his. "I've been waiting for two years to hear you say that..." she whispered against his mouth, before kissing him passionately. He returned the kiss immediately, using the hand he had still twined in her hair to push her closer, encouraging the exchange to deepen. It seemed to last forever, his arms wound around her waist, her hands settled firmly on his shoulders, and when they finally broke apart, both of them smiled happily, she touching her forehead to his. "Something else I've been waiting for..." she murmured, dark gold eyes shining. Snuggling back down into his embrace, she sighed in contentment. "You really did come back, didn't you..."

"And I have you to thank for it," he replied quietly, pressing a kiss to the top of her head. "Before..when I was Neo, I mean, I didn't have anything. Then I was brought here..and found you. You were the one who gave me my memories back, and I'll never be able to repay you for it.."

"Yes, you will," she answered, tucking her head into the hollow of his shoulder. "If you're here, by my side, then that's all I need.." She shifted in his lap, sitting up, and gazed at him for a moment, taking in everything. His deep blue eyes held that old familiar spark, the mixture of kindness, childish enthusiasm and love she remembered so well, and that spark only brightened when she reached up to brush her fingertips across his face, tracing the strong features just as she had done so many times before. "I love you," she said softly, her heart skipping a beat when his face lit up in a delighted smile. "I always will..."

In reply, he cupped her face in both of his hands, bringing her close for another kiss. "I love you too..." The kiss this time was more intense, drawing passion from seemingly nowhere before his lips left hers and made their way down her neck, nuzzling into the smooth skin. She in turn pressed close to him, thin fingers curling around the fabric of his uniform jacket. Things got a little heated after that, and the next thing she knew, she was lying on the sofa, looking up at him hazily, her own jacket unzipped. His hair was a mess, and he looked as flustered as she imagined she herself did. Returning to her senses, she blushed, rather embarrassed. He just grinned, leaning down to kiss her again, hands skimming down her sides. Her rational mind warned her about giving in to him so quickly, but right now, her heart was in control, and there was nothing she could do to stop it. Instead, she just closed her eyes.

"How much do you remember?" Her voice sounded faint and faraway, reflecting the exhaustion she felt. But the fatigue was nothing compared to the happiness. Lying beside her, arms wrapped firmly around her, he smiled. He looked as tired as she felt, but also as happy. Pulling her a little closer, he let her rest her head in the crook of his neck, in that one perfect spot that seemed made for her. "Pretty much everything." he replied. "Some stuff from when I was a kid is still a bit fuzzy, but everything else is there..." That made her smile, and she stretched out in his arms, exercising the stiff muscles, and sighing in drowsy satisfaction. Everything was just as she had wished for, everything they'd wanted but had never been able to have. He was here with her again, and this time, the war was over. Nothing could separate them. Nuzzling close, she yawned, and he chuckled softly, leaning down to kiss her cheek. "Sleepy, huh?" he asked, stroking her side. "Guess it's been a long day for both of us..." She murmured something in reply, cuddling as close to him as she could possibly get.

"It's okay," he reassured her, resting his head on top of hers. The sweet rose scent from her hair and skin enveloped him, and he closed his eyes, feeling as though he were home at last - with her.

"I'll be right here when you wake up..."

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( Random waffle.

Review anyway though plz. Lol. )