Dean didn't want to get up. Not yet. He was still tired from last night's house show and his back hurt like a bitch. He rolled over to the middle of the bed without even opening his eyes, drowsily searching for Renee's waist with his hand. She knew that whenever he reached for her in the mornings, he had to be cuddled back to sleep, otherwise he'd get up, take a painkiller and walk around the house groaning until she got up and took a long bubble bath with him. So she would always let him press his face in her neck instead and throw an arm around her while she gently stroked his hair.

But this time she wasn't on the other side of the bed and Dean almost jumped out of his skin. But then he remembered that nothing was wrong and that she was in Orlando, doing some NXT tapings. He fell back on the bed and sighed, but instead of relief, he felt a weird pressure on his chest. He glanced at the clock on his nightstand. 7:30. She was probably awake now. He grabbed his phone and called her without giving it a second thought. He didn't even know what to tell her or how to explain such an early call. All he knew was that he had to hear her voice. That was the best thing he could do now that he wasn't able to touch her.

"Hello?"

Dean almost groaned in relief when he heard that one word. "Hey. It's me."

"Oh, hey", her tone got warmer as soon as she heard his voice. "Why aren't you sleeping?"

"I don't know. I just woke up."

"Are you alright? You had a house show yesterday, right?"

"Yeah. Well, my back hurts a bit." A bit was an understatement, but he didn't want her to worry about him too much.

"I wish I was there", he could hear pity in her voice and he couldn't help but feel slightly satisfied. It wasn't often that he felt spoiled, but when he did, it was because she made him feel like it. "You coming tomorrow?"

"Yep." He was anxious to see her again. Three days without her by his side seemed way too much. "You're still in Florida?"

"Nope, I came back to New York last night."

He felt a pang of guilt upon hearing that. "Oh, shit. Did I wake you up?"

"No, don't worry. You know I'm an early bird. I'll take a nap later if I feel like it."

"Alright." He sighed. "Did everything go well yesterday?"

"Yeah, I taped a few thingies for the network and did commentary on NXT. Regular stuff."

"Awesome." He was silent for a second, biting his lip in hesitation. "Renee?"

"Yes?"

He gulped. "I miss you." He could already imagine the beautiful smile on her face. He had to see it live, god damn it.

"I miss you too. I can't wait to see you."

He had to be with her. He tried really hard to listen to what she was saying to him, but he was too distracted by his own thoughts. He was twitching with anxiety and something else he couldn't quite put his finger on.

When he arrived at the airport that same morning, he realized it was lovesickness. Simple anxiety couldn't have made him go to the airport and board a plane to NYC as soon as their conversation ended.

Renee didn't even have the time to ask him what the hell was he doing there when she opened the door of her apartment. He just flew inside with his travel bag, dropping it on the floor and fiercely kissing her. Her legs immediately turned to jelly and she grabbed the back of his leather jacket to support herself. God, she didn't even realize how much she craved his touch until she found herself between his arms again. She missed his taste, his smell, his everything.

"Oh god", he gasped and placed his lips on her forehead when they broke the kiss, his hands resting on her hips. "Fuck."

"Are you… okay?"

"Yep." He sighed happily. He opened his mouth and almost said those three little words that had never been pronounced between them before, but he opted for "I missed you so much" in the last moment. He felt her embrace tightening and his heart finally felt at home.

"I'm so glad you're here", she said with a smile, her cheek resting on his chest. "But why did you come here so early?"

"I hated that you weren't in the bed this morning."

She looked at him in surprise. "Oh." She was silent for a moment, not knowing what to say. "Well, looks like we're snoozing together tonight. And tomorrow morning too." Her heart was growing bigger by the second. She knew that Dean was in fact a sweet person behind the rough image he presented for the rest of the world in the ring, but she never imagined that he would become attached to her so quickly. She brought her hand to his face and removed a few curls from his eyes, smiling. "You know, you're lovely."

"Look who's talking."

The next morning, when Dean all of a sudden woke up and found out that Renee was still asleep and lying next to him, he couldn't help but feel like he was the happiest man alive. He didn't move an inch out of fear that she would wake up, so all he did was observe her beautiful, relaxed features and think about how blessed he was to sleep with an angel like that.

While fighting the urge to caress her cheek and snuggle closer to her, he had to admit to himself, his feelings for her consumed every bit of his being. There was no denying that. It was strange for him, but at the same time, he was more than happy to take it. He just wanted to make her happy and loved, and, more than anything, he wanted her to stay. He needed her to be there. To love him and to let him love her. Nothing else mattered.