I woke up to the low hoots of a nearby owl and the song of the crickets. What little light was left in the world, thanks to the moon, shone softly across the bed I was sleeping in. It was nightfall once more and that meant, I needed to get to work.

"Rob," I called out, for once, remembering where I was. "I need to get to work." There was no answer. "Rob?" I tried again, but still. Nothing.

Nervously, I peeked my head around the door and into the hallway. As quietly as I could in the darkened home, I snuck down the hall and towards what I hoped, was a door that would get me out of this place.

I could see the door handle shining in the dark; it was right in front of me. Getting more confident, I quickened my pace until I was almost there. With one last push, I would be able to open the door, and leave. The hard floor under my feet changed to something hard, yet squishy at the same time. And then that thing mumbled. I, however, I screamed.

"Reina, it's ok, calm down. It's just me," the shape told me.

"Rob?" I recognized the voice. "Is that you?"

"Yup it's me." He turned on the light so I could see his face.

"What are you doing here?" I asked. "Why aren't you in bed?"

"I knew you were going to try to get out and go to work and I had to stop you, you need your sleep."

"That is so not for you to decide," I glared. "And besides, I can't lose this job too, I'll be totally screwed."

"You won't, just call and explain that you'll be there tomorrow for a day and night shift like you planned, but last night's episode left you too tired and stressed to function tonight. They'll understand."

"But what if they don't," I asked nervously, not wanting to risk anything else.

"They will, from what I heard form Steve when he called me angry and in jail, you handled yourself magnificently. There's no way that anyone in their right mind would want to do away with such a hardworking employee like yourself." Rob smiled at me, helping me up from my seated position on the floor and guiding me over to a comfortable seat on the couch where he then proceeded to tuck me in with a blanket like a little burrito.

"Alright," I responded with a giggle, unable to help myself. "I'll call."

"Great! Do you like hot chocolate?" I nodded in response, who didn't like a nice warm cocoa? "Then I'll leave you to make your call while a whip one up for you."

While on my phone, I barely heard what the other person on the other end of the line was saying. Instead, I focused on the beeping of the microwave, the crinkling of a bag and the satisfying sound of whipped cream leaving the can. My stomach rumbled in appreciation when Rob turned the corner, carrying a very large mug of the stuff.

"Are you all set now?" he asked me, placing the mug into my hands. It was that perfect temperature: burning me slightly and yet, I did not want to ever remove my hands from around the cup.

"Thank you," I replied staring into my mug, watching the marshmallows grow smaller and smaller, disappearing beneath the foam.

"Anytime," he responded. "I love making hot chocolate, it's like, the best!"

"It is," I responded, really meaning it. I took a sip, the cocoa slightly burning my tongue as it went down warming my throat, chest, and finally stomach leaving a nice tingly feeling behind it. A soft smile formed on my lips. This is nice, I thought, this is happiness.

"Do you want to go back to bed now?" Rob asked me as we finished our mugs, breaking the silence.

"Where will you sleep?" I asked, genuinely curious.

"In the bed with you," Rob responded gleefully. "I'm joking I'm joking!" he amended, catching the frown on my face. "I'll sleep on the couch."

"Where I am now?" I asked.

"Yes, is that a problem?"

"Of course not, but I'm not sure I'm ready for bed yet," I grinned. "I am used to staying up all night, you know."

Rob was the easiest person to read that I had ever met, his face clearly reading "what is she up to now?" and while I didn't know the answer to that question myself, it was still very fun to pull him along.

"Do you want to watch a movie?" he asked suddenly, leaping to his feet and racing to the rack of DVDs. "I've got loads!"

"Sure, what do you have?" I asked. "I'm up for anything. Anything except horror please, I don't like those very much," I said after thinking for a moment.

"How about a romantic comedy?" he asked, pulling a few off the shelf. "Girls usually love those." I was tempted to point out that not all girls like the same things, and that romantic comedy normally wasn't my cup of tea, however I had said that I would be up for anything.

"Alright," I agreed. "What have you got?"

"Here, take a look at these," he responded handing over a pile.

I grabbed them and did a quick shuffle through the bunch. Abs. Pass. More abs. Pass. Even more abs. Pass. A werewolf with abs. Hard pass. What was this guy into, I wondered. Finally, when I was ready to give up and just pick one at random, I found one that was different. The cover showed two women holding each other with a rather sinister looking male in the background.

"This one, please," I said, holding it out.

"Bam Went My Lesbian Heart," he read. "Interesting choice," he smirked.

"Are you judging my movie choice?" I asked defiantly. "That's not very nice."

"No, of course I'm not," he laughed. "I just find it interesting that the movie you choose, out of all the others, is a lesbian romance. Reina," he says, suddenly serious. "Is there something you're not telling me?"

"It was funny looking!" I said, feeling a sudden need to defend my choice. I pick up a nearby pillow and chuck it at him. He tried to dodge, but was too slow so it beaned him right between the eyes. I crossed my arms across my chest and glared at him. "The rest looked stupid."

"Alright calm down fiesty one," he laughs, turning to put the disc in the player. "We'll watch this one." He then sat down on the couch next to me, letting the movie play.

I was right about the movie, it was funny and there was an actual plot that I found intriguing. Much hilarity ensued, especially in the scenes with Mr Arnaldo Banks, the billionaire who seemed to think he deserved everything, but it was also quite emotional. The sex scenes were slightly awkward to watch, but for once, it wasn't because they weren't any good. It was because of the funny feeling in my chest I got while watching.

As the movie progressed, Rob inched closer to me ever so slowly. First, it was a hand on top of mine. Then, his arm snaked itself behind my back pulling my burrito self closer to him. Now, as the credits rolled, I was practically on his lap, silent tears dripped from my eyes and down my cheeks. Overcome with emotions I wasn't sure how to control, I suddenly pulled Rob's face close to mine and kissed him. Pushing my lips softly into his, I felt him kiss back, the sweet smell of chocolate on his breath, pushing gently against me. His hands moved, one around my waist, the other, rummaging through my hair while my own hands remained loose at my sides. I opened my mouth ever so slightly, just in case, but he did not take the invitation.

"Wait!" he shouted suddenly, backing up from me. "Are you sure you want to do this?"

"Don't you?" I asked.

"There's something you should know," he mumbled. "I slept with Nicole..."

"Well, you're not together or anything, are you?" He shook his head. "And you don't have any other girlfriends."

"Or boyfriends," he clarified.

"And neither do I. So I don't really care. what you did with her. She gets around, I know that." I wanted him. I really did. I wanted to feel loved and supported from all that was good and evil in the world, just like those girls in the movie. And more than anything else, the burning throbbing impulse in my center was begging me to let myself be touched. And here was this man, ready and waiting.

"Alright," he agreed. And he opened his arms, letting me in.

Hours later, Rob called out to me from the floor next to his bed where he had decided to sleep. "Reina?" he asked. "Are you awake?"

"Barely," I responded. "What is it?"

"Will you be my girlfriend?" A normally loaded question that I would always say no to, but now...

"Ok."