Sleepless Nights

"Jeremie?" he heard a timid voice call from the doorway. It was almost midnight, and there was no doubt in his mind he knew exactly who it was.

The door swung open slightly, revealing none other than Aelita. Jeremie spun around in his computer chair, slightly embarrassed. He knew she wouldn't approve of his constant working.

Aelita slipped in and closed the door lightly behind her. Jeremie noticed she was dressed in her oversized pink T-shirt and socks, and judging by her slightly tousled hair, this meant she'd just woken up, most likely worried about him. Why else would she come?

"Jeremie, you need to take a break and get some rest…" she said as she laid her hand gently on his shoulder. Her eyes were red-rimmed, and she almost looked as if she'd been crying.

"Aelita, are you alright?" Jeremie asked. Nothing mattered to him any more than Aelita did.

Aelita looked as if she'd been caught stealing a cookie out of the jar. "I'm fine… Don't worry about me," she said, averting her eyes to the ground with a crimson blush on her face. Jeremie frowned, worried.

"Aelita, look at me. Please."

She brought her eyes up to meet his. Aelita loved their beautiful blue-gray color.

Aelita looked so small and fragile to Jeremie at that point. He needed to find out what was the matter, and
fix it. Jeremie bit his lip, unsure.

"Yes?" Aelita asked, waiting.

Jeremie sighed and got up from his chair. He took her hand, and led her over to his bed. Now, at least, she wouldn't be standing.

"Firstly," Jeremie began once they were both settled, "never tell me not to worry about you," he blushed. Jeremie took a deep breath to prepare himself for what he was about to say. "I care about you, Aelita, and if that means running myself dead to set you free… I'm going to do it."

Now Aelita began to cry softly. 'Jeremie, you idiot, what did you do?' Jeremie scolded himself inwardly. Jeremie scooted a little closer to Aelita and, unsure of what to do, he placed his hand on her back as she sobbed.

"Aelita, I'm sorry, I…" he began, but he stopped, still hesitant.

Aelita sat silently for a moment, but then she met Jeremie's bloncket eyes once again.

"Jeremie, you're going to kill yourself over me if you keep this up. I care about you too, and I don't want you to die just because…" Aelita couldn't bring herself to finish her sentence.

"No, no, Aelita… No…" Jeremie attempted to comfort, feeling terrible himself. "I'm sorry, I honestly didn't know that… God, I'm stupid…"

"No," Aelita sniffed, "You just… care about me… You know, since I came back to earth… no one has treated me like you have. I mean, our friends are nice and all, but… there's something different about you." She looked into his eyes again, but this time she looked deeper, right into his soul. "I care about you in a different way than I do our other friends… I don't understand it… But I feel that you feel the same way I do."

Jeremie's breath stuck in his throat. Was Aelita saying what he thought she was? Jeremie took the hand that still rested on Aelita's back and wrapped it around her waist, pulling her closer to him, as they both blushed.

"I do feel the same way…" he murmured quietly. "You like me as more than a friend, too?" he asked, his head spinning.

Aelita closed her eyes, concentrating on his words.

"Yes. I do." She rested her head in the crook of his neck, wondering what happens next.

He kissed the top of her head gently. Never had he thought for even a second that this moment would ever finally come…