Jason slowly drifted back into consciousness, warmth surrounding him in a way that felt both comforting and unfamiliar. He blinked against the soft morning light filtering through the curtains, trying to shake off the remnants of sleep. As his mind slowly cleared, he realized something was different—he wasn't just lying next to Aubrey.

He was snuggled into her chest.

A wave of panic hit him all at once. His face was resting perfectly in the valley of her chest, her arms wrapped loosely around his back, her body pressed close. The steady rhythm of her heartbeat echoed softly in his ear, and the plush feeling of her skin beneath the thin fabric of her shirt was impossible to ignore around the sides of his face.

Jason's heart thudded in his chest, his pulse quickening. He felt completely out of his depth, unsure of how he'd ended up like this. He hadn't planned for this. Hell, he hadn't even thought about it happening, and now here he was—tangled up in a situation that was equal parts comforting and nerve-wracking.

Okay, think Todd!

He tried to calm the flurry of thoughts racing through his head. 

Just... don't freak out. Don't do anything rash.

Alfred's voice echoed in the back of his mind, a firm reminder of the gentlemanly manners he had drilled into him over the years. "Always treat a lady with respect, Master Jason. Especially in delicate situations."

Yeah, well, this is about as delicate as it gets...

He was trying to figure out how to free himself without waking her. Every small movement he made felt like it would disturb her, and the last thing he wanted was to make this more awkward than it already was.

Aubrey's breathing was slow and steady, completely at ease. Jason took a deep breath, willing himself to calm down. He could do this. He just had to move carefully, shift his weight, and—

Aubrey stirred in her sleep, nuzzling closer to him. Jason froze, his body stiffening as his heart raced even faster. She was completely unaware of the turmoil raging inside him, and yet she had instinctively curled tighter against him.

He swallowed hard, desperately trying not to let his mind wander in dangerous directions.

 Don't even think about it. Be cool. Be respectful.

But the more he tried to think of a way out, the more tangled up he felt—emotionally and physically. Finally, after what felt like hours of internal debate, Jason came to a reluctant conclusion.

I'll just go back to sleep.

Yeah. That was the best solution. Pretend this wasn't happening and hope he could figure it out later. At least then he wouldn't risk making a fool of himself.

With a deep breath, he closed his eyes and let the warmth of Aubrey's presence lull him back to sleep.

---

When Jason woke again, the bed was empty.

For a brief moment, panic surged through him. His arm instinctively reached out to the spot where Aubrey had been, finding only cold sheets in her place. His heart thudded in his chest as he sat up quickly, the sudden absence jarring him back to reality.

But then he heard it—a soft, melodic voice drifting through the air. Aubrey's voice.

He relaxed, the tension melting away as he listened. She was singing. The gentle sound floated through the apartment, and Jason realized she must be in the kitchen. He swung his legs over the edge of the bed and rubbed his eyes, trying to shake off the grogginess.

As he stood, he glanced down at himself and realized with mild confusion that at some point during the night, he had lost his shirt. The thin red tee he had worn to bed was nowhere to be found. How the hell...? He shook his head, deciding to worry about that later.

He followed the sound of Aubrey's singing into the kitchen, where the smell of breakfast and warm chocolate wafted through the air. She was standing at the stove, her back to him as she worked, completely unaware of his presence.

The song she was singing caught Jason's attention. It was soft and sweet, the kind of melody that spoke of hope and love. The lyrics drifted to him, making his chest tighten in a way he hadn't expected.

"But now you hold me in the darkness, Hold me 'til it hurts less, you... Tell me that I'm alright, Show me where the light shines through"

Jason blinked, his heart stumbling in his chest as he recognized the song—A Little Bit Better by Caleb Hearn. He'd heard it before, but now, as he listened to Aubrey sing the words, he couldn't help but notice how closely they resembled what they had been through together. The ups and downs, the uncertainty, the unspoken feelings—they were all there in the song.

"I met somebody, gentle and smart. He underestimates the size of his heart. He can be laughing, but he's got enough pain to fill up New York City. I met somebody so full of scars. The world's on his shoulders, but he won't fall apart. I met somebody, he really loves me, says I'm all he needs"

 Without thinking, Jason moved forward, an impulse guiding him. He stepped behind her quietly and, in one smooth motion, wrapped his arms around her waist, pulling her close.

Aubrey let out a soft gasp of surprise, but she didn't pull away. Instead, she relaxed into his embrace, her hands instinctively resting over his arms as she continued to hum the melody. 

"And I... Grew up thinking I would have to... Fight all of this alone"

Jason leaned his head down next to hers, his voice low as he started singing along with her.

"But now you hold me in the darkness, Hold me 'til it hurts less, you... Tell me that I'm alright, Show me where the light shines through... Please, stay, love me through the weather. Please, say, this will be forever. Hold me in the darkness, Even when it's hard with you...It's a little bit, little bit better"

Aubrey turned in his arms, her eyes wide but smiling as she met his gaze. They continued the song together, their voices soft and full of emotion. There was something so intimate, so raw in the way they sang to each other—like the unspoken promises of the future were woven into the very words they shared.

As the final notes of the song faded, Aubrey's gaze lingered on Jason's, their foreheads almost touching. His heart pounded in his chest, the weight of the moment pressing down on him. He could feel the pull between them, the magnetic connection that had been simmering just beneath the surface for so long.

But before anything else could happen, Gypsy, the ever-aloof cat, let out a loud meow from the kitchen counter, demanding attention. Aubrey laughed softly, breaking the tension as she turned to see Gypsy watching them with impatient eyes.

"Well, looks like someone's hungry," Aubrey said, still smiling as she turned back to the stove. "I need to finish breakfast and feed the cats."

Jason chuckled, stepping back to give her space. "I can help."

Aubrey glanced over her shoulder, her smile warm and genuine. "I'd appreciate that."As Jason moved to help her with breakfast, he couldn't help but think about how natural this felt—being here with her, sharing this simple, domestic moment. It was something he hadn't even realized he wanted until now.

After a few minutes of quiet cooking, Aubrey turned to him, her expression soft. "Thanks for helping," she said. "And for everything else." 

Jason shook his head, his voice quiet but firm. "You don't need to thank me. Not after everything you've done for me."

Aubrey's eyes softened, and she turned back to the stove, stirring the eggs. "It's not about thanks, Jason. It's about what should've been done a long time ago. You deserved better than what you went through."

Jason's heart squeezed in his chest. "So did you," he replied gently. "You should've been taken care of better, too."

Aubrey hummed softly, her smile tinged with something bittersweet. "Maybe. But we're here now, right?"Jason watched her for a moment, his mind swirling with thoughts of everything they had been through. She had given him something he didn't think he could ever have—a sense of belonging, of being loved. And in that moment, he made a silent promise to himself.

He was going to make sure Aubrey felt just as loved, just as valued, as she had made him feel.No matter what it took.