865 words. Over the limit, but oh well.

Jennifer stumbled back until her back hit the balcony rail with a painful thump. She whirled around and gripped the rail with both hands as her head began spinning and her stomach threatened to let her revisit her dinner. Her eyes looked out over the water as her grip on the rail tightened. The rolling waves did nothing to ease her queasiness so she closed her eyes tight and bowed her head as waves of nausea washed over her. She fought against the tide and willed her legs not to buckle as her chest started heaving as she tried to breathe.

But it was a losing battle.

She managed to open her eyes just long enough to let them roll back into her head as her knees buckled and her hands fell away from the rail.

The last thing she could remember was the sensation of falling backwards…

…and her eyes flew open as she sat up in her bed with a sharp gasp.

Her eyes flew about the room as she tried to discern what was happening and why she wasn't laying on her back on the balcony with her world in tatters.

My room! she realized with a mixture of excitement and dread. My bedroom!

She looked at the clock on her nightstand: 0325.

Rodney!

She threw the comforter off her and jumped out of bed. It took her only a second to decide that getting dressed would waste too much time so she pulled on her robe and headed for the door, her slippers an afterthought that she dismissed as another waste of time.

The deck was cold on her feet, but the fact that she ran through the corridors making contact with the floor minimal helped. After what seemed like an eternity she found herself at Rodney's door. More often than not they spent the night together in her quarters, but their schedules had been so messed up lately Rodney had decided- for her sake and convenience- to sleep in his own room. She tried the door chime three times before pounding on it twice with the bottom part of her fist, her anxiety concealing the knowledge in her brain that she knew the access code to Rodney's room. She was about to do it again when the door slid open to reveal a groggy and irate looking Rodney.

"What the hell…" he started to exclaim, but when he saw who was interrupting his beauty sleep he said, "Jennifer?" He blinked and his eyes seem to focus more intently upon her as he asked, "Jennifer what's wrong?"

Jennifer stepped forward and hugged Rodney tightly around his waist, cuddling her face against his chest as she did so. The movement forced Rodney to take a step back allowing the door to close. His arms wrapped protectively around her shoulders as she spoke.

"A dream. It was almost like I was awake in a dream," she whispered against his chest. "It was…" she looked up into his eyes, "…it was so real."

Jennifer searched Rodney's eyes, looking for any hints of the pain and resignation she still vividly remembered seeing in that dream. She felt a sense of normalcy when she saw nothing but love and concern, like this was how it was supposed to be.

"I love you," Jennifer said in a soft and hopeful whisper. She didn't think her nervousness came through, but when Rodney's head tilted just so to the left she knew he'd picked up on something: just like a man who knew her would; just a man who loved her would; and just as a man who would do anything to make her happy would.

"I love you too," Rodney replied as his brow creased. He was about to say more but his right hand quickly moved up to cover his mouth as a yawn forced itself upon him.

"You're tired," Jennifer said as her right hand cupped his cheek. She mentally chided herself for being so affected by a dream that she would disturb the man she loved at such a late hour. "I'm… I'm sorry for waking you." She leaned forward and upward to give him a quick kiss. "I'll see you in the morning."

She turned to go but only made it halfway because Rodney had taken a hold of her left hand.

Rodney didn't say a word as he moved towards his bed while keeping his grip on her hand, forcing her to move along with him. He kept silent as he reached over and undid the belt of her robe, then slid the robe off her shoulders so that it fell to the floor.

Jennifer gave Rodney a smile and at his prodding sat on the bed before lifting her legs up onto the bed and sliding them underneath the covers. A moment later she was underneath the blankets, cuddled into Rodney with his arm encircling her in a loving—and reassuring- embrace.

Rodney tightened his hug for a second and Jennifer smiled as sleep quickly crept in over her. As she surrendered to the encroaching darkness, her final thoughts were about Rodney and how, no matter what, he always made her happy.

A/N: "Awake in a Dream" was written by Rupert Gayle, Adam Alexander and Chris Perry and released by Kalan Porter in 2004.