"How you feeling, champ?"

The words were whispered but Justin would have known the voice anywhere, just as he would have recognized the tender fingers that swept over his hand. He opened his eyes to look at her and quickly closed them, groaning at the bright light. She murmured an apology and he heard the click of the lamp. Slowly opening his eyes again he sighed at the dim glow that came from the bathroom. It cast half of her face in a shadow but he saw the worry in her eyes. "I'm okay."

"I was so worried." Calandra murmured, crawling closer to him in the large bed when he tugged on her hand. "I thought I'd lost you forever."

"What happened?" Justin tucked his arm around her, holding her close. He remembered nothing after being dragged over the roof. He had no idea if he had been gone for hours or days or even weeks and he sighed when her head nestled on his chest. The horror of nearly losing her still made his heart lurch and he couldn't believe he had been foolish enough to brush her away like she had meant nothing to him. It was amazing that she still wanted to be with him.

He listened intently as she told him about standing up to the Dream Weaver, smiling proudly at her tale. She had always seemed too timid to him, almost dainty. Except in the bedroom... Ignoring the weariness in his body he pulled her even closer, lips brushing her forehead as she went on about the fairies clearing away the mess and how when she had come to his hotel room he had been lying in the bed fast asleep. How she had stayed at his side until he had started to show signs of life.

"How long have I been out?" He felt groggy, as though he had slept for three days straight.

"Just a few hours. The sun is about to come up." Calandra pressed her face against his chest and her lips brushed over his heart, which flipped each time she spoke. She raised her head to give him a smile and motioned to the windows. "Do you want to watch the sunrise?"

He nodded and rolled out of bed, reaching for her hand. He pulled her to him before she could step towards the window, free hand sliding upwards to cup her cheek. His thumb brushed over her bottom lip and he returned her smile. "I want you to do something for me, Calandra."

"Anything." She wrinkled her nose slightly before pressing a kiss to the pad of his thumb. "Unless it's a threesome. I don't like the idea of sharing you unless she's hot and I'm half-drunk."

He should have known she would be up for almost anything his mind could come up with. A chuckle rumbled in his throat and he tilted her head back to press a kiss to her forehead. "No. Not that. I want to hear you say it again."

"Say what?" She asked, hands sliding up his chest and it occurred to him that he was naked. Whether she had stripped him of his wet clothes or that black void he had been trapped in had ripped the clothes from his body, he didn't know. And right now it didn't matter.

"I want to hear you say you love me."

She smiled. No, she beamed and Justin had an inkling that the sunrise would be nowhere near as bright as the expression on her face. She leaned up, hands cupping the back of his neck. Her breath brushed over his lips in a soft caress and his arms slid around her waist, glorying in her soft curves. "I love you, Justin."

He grinned as she pressed several tender kisses to the corner of his mouth. "Say my name again."

"Justin." It was louder this time, punctuated by a giggle and he brought her closer, hands slipping beneath the t-shirt she wore. Her skin was soft velvet beneath his fingers and he sighed.

"Again?" His request was a soft whisper as his lips found the spot just beneath her ear that he knew made her tremble.

"Justin!" His name was a sharp whine and she didn't protest when he pulled her back onto the bed. The t-shirt was peeled away and he groaned at the feel of her skin against his. Soft and warm. Her elbows propped on his chest and she gazed down at him, seemingly unaware of the way her nipples stroked his skin as they swayed. It hardly affected him because he was so enamored with the way his name sounded coming from her lips.

"Mmm." He moaned, thumbs sliding beneath the waistband of the flannel pajama pants she wore. "Again."

"Justin, baby, I will scream your name all day, I promise. But I really want to see the sunrise." Calandra wriggled against him, giggling when his fingers lightly stroked her sides.

"Why is the sunrise so important?" Justin groaned, hands falling to the mattress when she slid away.

"Because usually when I'm with you I don't get to see it." She tossed a smile over her shoulder and moved to the window. Justin blinked when the curtains were pulled open to reveal the pre-dawn light.

With a sigh he slid off the bed and followed her. His arms slid around her from behind and when he realized she was still topless his hands skimmed up to cover her. He finally had her and finally understood what having her meant and he wasn't about to let potential Peeping Toms see how lucky he was. He tucked his chin on her shoulder, perfectly content to hold her close as they watched the sky brighten on the horizon. Clouds that appeared dark were slowly transformed to white wisps. Shadows dissipated and Justin felt the darkness of the previous night float away.

When the sun had cleared the horizon and Calandra turned to face him he caught her lips in a soft kiss. "I love you." He repeated the phrase between kisses as he carried her to the bed, laying over her as he had countless times before. But he knew this time was different.

The kisses grew impatient and he reveled in each tiny sound that bubbled from her throat. The pajama pants were discarded and hands roved, already knowing where to touch and what to caress to bring forth the desired reaction, but this time it was appreciated much more. And just when he was about to sink into the oblivion of making love to her he became aware of the fluttering of wings. His head turned from Calandra's breast and he groaned in utter defeat.

Ariella smiled sweetly from her place just above the pillow next to them. "We really need to come up with a way for you to let me know this is going to happen, Timberlake. Watching you pork my best friend is not high on my list of fun things to do."

"How's this?" Justin suggested, popping up a middle finger. The fairy had the audacity to look horrified, flying backwards out of the bedroom. He waited until she was gone before turning back to Calandra. She was laughing and the sound was one that he knew would always raise his spirits.

I love you.

The. End.