A/N: This one-shot is a peek into married life after "Star of the Sea." I have been toying with ideas of a continuation even in the form of simple one-shots from time to time, so here is the first attempt. I don't own these characters, even though I wish I did.

"What in the world are you doing, woman?" Seth asked in the dead of night.

"What does it look like I'm doing?" Jessica muttered.

She had woken up in a pool of sweat, her winter flannel pajamas plastered against her hot skin, her breathing heavy, and her heart pounding. The residual hot flashes of menopause had long ago slowed down, but had unfortunately, never completely ended. Having one, on one of the coldest nights of winter when they were piled under a heavy duvet and flannel sheets and the wind chill outside was below zero with a foot of snow from the past few days of flurries seemed the height of irony to her.

With all the snow this past week and more in the forecast tomorrow, the month of February had been brutal thus far. Yesterday, they had stayed indoors all day, drinking tea and coffee, eating bowls of soup and snuggled on the couch with Morag beside them. They were still newlyweds and neither minded being squirreled away together away from the world outside.

Getting out of the bed and unbuttoning her pajama top and pushing down her pants, leaving them on the floor, she had immediately walked to the window. Pulling back the curtains, she lifted the blinds, and pressed her chest flush with the coolness of the window, thanking whatever higher power was out there that the glass was ice cold from the snow outside. Grasping the window frame in her hands, she rested her forehead at a somewhat odd angle on the glass as well, closing her eyes. She had gasped at the initial contact but then felt soothed and her breathing and heart rate had begun to regulate.

Morag had investigated when Jessica had first leapt out of bed, hurrying to get her clothes off. She had settled back down in her dog bed by the door, once Jessica had given her a head scratch and assured her, she was fine.

Jessica could hear Seth behind her in their bed, muttering under his breath. She was topless now, only wearing a pair of underwear. She had worn flannel to bed; they both had. But when she had woken, she felt smothered, as though she couldn't take in a full breath. Thankfully, she understood almost immediately what was wrong. It did not matter how many years she was past menopause; she was one of the unlucky ones that still had the occasional hot flash.

Seth had gotten out of bed behind her, and she felt his warm hand touch the small of her back, still damp from her perspiration.

"Hot flash?"

Still trying to get her breathing in check, she turned her head towards him, while keeping her chest against the glass and her hands on the frame, she breathed, "Yes. I'll change the sheets once I cool down."

"I'm sure the sheets can wait until morning."

"You must not have felt my side of the bed; it's soaked."

He regarded her in the darkness. The moon was waning and he could only make out her silhouette.

"Well, let's just say that right now, I'm grateful that this window doesn't face any of our neighbors. Although you are probably giving any wildlife in the trees a show."

Chuckling, she agreed.

Instead of climbing back into bed though, he walked down the hallway, where she could hear the water turn on. She remained pressed against the glass. It felt so good against her feverish skin. She knew she would become cold soon, but relished the coolness for a few moments longer.

Hearing Seth walk back into the room, she turned towards him, pulling away from the window finally, grimacing at all the smudging her body had left behind.

"Jess, I'm running you a lukewarm bath. Go on and get in and I'll change the sheets."

For some reason, she felt close to tears. He really was the most thoughtful husband.

"Darling, it's a good thing you are already married to me, because otherwise, I would make a move on you."

Laughing outright, he reached over to kiss her cheek, "Jess, please go get in the tub. If I have to see you standing there in your skivvies alone for another second, I will drag you back to bed."

Winking at him, she sauntered off to the bathroom, knowing he watched her every step of the way.

Morag followed her into the bathroom, watching as Jessica lowered herself into the lukewarm water. Seth was a master at drawing baths, knowing exactly how warm or cool she needed the water. Seeing the jasmine bath salts on the counter and smelling the water, she knew he had added them to the bath as well. She felt her body relax, as she watched Morag settle on the bathmat beside her out of the corner of her eye.

Her sweet girl never let her out of her sight if she could help it. Jessica had never imagined she could love a dog so much, but she did. When she and Seth had married last summer, Jessica's heart had felt so full. She had loved being independent and alone in many ways over the years after Frank had died, but creating a new family with Seth and Morag had softened her in a way that gave her peace and contentment she had not realized she was missing.

She rested her head against the tub, closing her eyes. She finally felt as though her body temperature had returned to normal. She could hear Seth in the bedroom moving around and she knew he was changing the sheets for them. She wasn't sure what time it was, but was certain it was still several hours before daybreak. She hoped that Seth would be able to go back to sleep. He had rounds at the hospital in the morning and she knew he could exist without much sleep, but she never wanted it to be her fault.

After a brief respite, her body sufficiently cooled and relaxed, she began to drain the water, reaching for the towel and giving Morag an opportunity to move and avoid getting wet. Shifting to the side, she would not leave the room, instead sitting back on her haunches and waiting for Jessica to dry off.

Seth appeared at the door holding a fresh pair of lightweight cotton pajamas, more suitable to spring weather and clean underwear.

"Thank you, darling."

"I thought you probably didn't want flannel again."

"Not tonight. I may get cold in these, but I would rather that at this point. I hate waking up in a pool of sweat."

Returning to their bedroom, with Morag trailing behind her, Jessica coaxed her to get back in her dog bed by the door, wrapping her thick fleece blanket around her. Morag licked Jessica's hand in gratitude, before tucking her head back under the blanket, her warm wet nose the only part now visible.

"Seth, darling, Morag is the sweetest girl. I still can't believe she is ours."

"I think she thinks we are hers."

Giggling, Jessica said he was probably right. Sitting on the side of the bed, she reached to turn off the lamp, before getting into the bed. Settling back and moving the covers to get comfortable, she realized that not only had Seth changed the sheets, but he had switched out their warmer flannel sheets for cotton and instead of the thick winter duvet, he had gotten three quilts to pile one on top of each other.

He reached for her and pulled her close.

"Darling, you changed all the bedding and took off your flannel." Feeling that his arms were bare, as he only had on an undershirt and a pair of cotton pajama pants, she asked, "Aren't you cold?"

"Not now that you are beside me, my dear," he said, kissing her on the temple and tucking the covers around them both.

Trying to turn to face him in the dark, she queried further, "But Seth, I don't want you to be miserable. It's bitterly cold. You have to make rounds in the morning, and I have already cost you an hour of sleep at least."

"Hush, Jess."

"Hush?" She did not want to get angry with him, but he was pushing his luck, even as she tried to remain calm and remind herself of all the wonderful things, he had done for her in the last few minutes.

Reaching to caress the side of her face, he said quietly, "Shh, sweetheart. I'm not trying to say you can't talk or express concern for me. But I'm a grown man and am fully capable of deciding what sheets we can both tolerate in this weather and even what pajamas to wear."

Scoffing, she said, "I know, darling. I'm sorry. I just feel guilty for disturbing your sleep and then, you felt like you had to take care of me. I should have been the one to change the sheets."

"Why?"

"Why? Because I'm the one who made the mess."

"I see."

"What does that mean?"

"Jess, you had a hot flash tonight. Being a doctor, I know scientifically what they are and why they happen. Being a man, I know nothing about how they actually feel. And being a man, who lost his first wife before she could reach menopause, I have also never witnessed it. I think this is the first one that I have seen you have in the middle of the night."

"Yes, I believe so. Thankfully, they don't happen often anymore. I wish they didn't happen at all."

"What kind of man…what kind of husband would I be if I had watched you experience that and done nothing to help ease your suffering? And what's worse, what kind of husband would I be, if I watched you feel miserable and then expected to wait, while you changed the sheets? Honestly, woman, I sometimes wonder if you think I am an absolute beast. I love you and I want to take care of you. I don't know why you find that so hard to believe sometimes."

"I'm sorry, darling."

"Stop it, Jess. Don't say you are sorry for something that is not your fault and that is outside of your control."

"I feel bad."

"Let it go. You did nothing wrong. You are my wife and I adore you. I can't believe sometimes that I get to take care of you. I want you to let me when I can. I'm sure there will be plenty of times when I can't, or I need you to take care of me. That's what happens in marriage. Give and take. You do remember, right?"

Nodding her head, she whispered, "Seth, I love you."

"I love you, too, woman."

"I wish I could say something to express how much I appreciate you."

"Saying that is enough. Expressing your thanks for me is all I need, my love."

"Oh darling, I do appreciate you so very much. I am so thankful for how you care for me and show your love for me."

Overcome by her words, he said huskily, "I would do anything for you, Jess."

"I know."

Both of them snuggled in their warm embrace, finally feeling that their bodies were at a comfortable temperature for sleep.