Love Letter

Proposal....

"So will you? Please? Will you?" he sat and looked at her while tears streamed down her face. She could only smile and nod, the enormity and emotion overwhelming her.

"Yes... yes of course I will!" she managed at last...

Tom instantly gathered her into his arms and kissed her, "Oh thank you my love. I'll feel so much better, so much more content while I'm away now. Thank you."

The little brown dog bounced around their feet. It had been quite a visit - for all of them.

Tom was as good as his word. On the stroke of ninety minutes, he walked into the bedroom and she was still, as he'd suspected asleep. He smiled. The visitor could wait downstairs until she - they - were ready. He'd never complained before and suspected that he wouldn't now.

Slipping off his shoes, he climbed onto the bed and snuggled in behind her. Wrapping his arms around her, he held her close. This was as near to sleeping with her as he'd ever been and it was, quite frankly, bliss. Circumstances being what they were it had never, in all the time he'd spent with her, seemed appropriate. Or possible. To be honest, she hadn't wanted anything more than a kiss and cuddle and little wonder. Her life was on the line. Making him her lover seemed, well, unimportant. She knew she had his love and vice versa. There was more to love than physicality. That would come. For now? For now this, this feeling of contentment and home, together with the feeling of her body in his arms? Perfect.

They lay for a few minutes in silence, Tom listening to her breathing. Regular, soft, reassuring.

Then, it stopped.

For a moment, Tom paused. No. Surely not? He sat up, turning her onto her back. "Ali?" he could feel the panic rising. "Ali? Wake up love!" he nudged her, at first gently then, as she didn't respond, with more urgency. "ALI!" he shouted, his mind screaming at him.

Suddenly, she opened her eyes and gasped. "Wh...what?" she seemed to be completely unaware of anything being wrong. She looked at him and he was crying! "Tom! What's the matter? Are you ok? Is Bobby ok? Why are you..." she sat up, rubbing her eyes and he let out a huge breath.

"Ali... you stopped... you stopped... I thought..." he took her hand and his face was awash. "I thought you'd left me" he said softly. "You stopped breathing love. You just... stopped."

"Oh Tom, oh my love, come here." she gathered him into her arms, for once she was the one consoling. "I would never leave you darling. I haven't done that since I was little! I must just have been so tired. It's a mild Apnoea. I stop for a few seconds - it must seem like minutes to you - but I'm always ok. Have I never done that in front of you before?" she stroked his tears away as he shook his head, unable to speak. "Oh darling, it's ok. It's not something to worry about, I promise. I have too much to live for." she added softly, looking into his eyes. "After all, who else would you get to adore you as much as I do?" she whispered with a devilish glint in her eye.

Realising all was really ok, Tom went into his usual teasing mode. "Oh I don't know. Evidently there is a line for that!" he smirked in his best Loki voice. She looked at him, eyes narrowed and he gulped. Evidently, with remarks like that he was about to get his comeuppance!

"Well if we're playing THAT game" she raised her hand as if to slap him and he theatrically winced, but she stopped, grinning. "That's better, remember who's in charge here MR. Step out of line again and you WILL be punished" she added, a corner of her mouth turned up in a seriously devilish smile.

"Promise?" he asked, hoarsely, pulling her close.

"Only if you promise to be extremely bad. As bad as possible." she answered, whispering into his ear, her breath hot and urgent.