The Things They've Been Telling Us Along...

[Madeleine Baudelaire&Russ Ford]

Madeleine pulled him closer to her, and hugged him, inhaling him.
She never wanted this moment to end, because she was safe in his arms. Nothing could touch them. Not Levi, or Kira, or Chloe...
And even though at that minute she realised that she and Lee were still seeing other people, she still felt happy.
Happier than she'd ever been.
Then, she realised that Lee was kneeling on the floor, and pulled back.
"You should really get a chair," she laughed weakly.
It was weird - she'd spent a week in bed, and she was absolutely exhausted. She'd been drained of energy and strength, and not only physically. Her powers still weren't working - as she demonstrated now.
She tried psychokinesing the chair from beside her bed over to the window, but it flew halfway across the room and gave up.
"Sorry," she said apologetically.

[Kira & Lee Norris]

As the chair juttered to a halt, Lee jumped up to his feet. Madeleine's arms clung to him limply, and he felt a pang of worry. She was still really weak. And she looked so pale- so tired. She was okay for now- he'd have to leave her for a bit. She'd have to rest. She had to get her strength back up-
"Madeleine," Lee said softly, leaning down. "Madeleine, you should go back to bed-"
That one wasn't going to go down well...

[Madeleine Baudelaire&Russ Ford]

"No," Madeleine protested. "I'm fine."
She didn't need to go back to bed, nor did she want to. And besides, she knew she wouldn't be able to sleep.
Last night, she'd been too worried that if she went back to sleep, that she wouldn't wake up again - and so hadn't slept. She knew that she'd have to sleep eventually, but she didn't want to.
Especially not now. She didn't want Lee to leave.

[Kira & Lee Norris]

Lee rolled his eyes, and in a sudden, swift movement, wrapped his arms around her and literally carried her across the room; ignoring her protests as he lay her back down on her bed.
"Ssh," he said, kissing her. "I'll stay, but you have got to get some sleep. You've got to get your strength back up! Your Warriors need you."
No kidding! According to Jack, Levi was a tyrant. Lee suddenly found himself grinning at that. Everything suddenly seemed a billion times funnier than it had just a few hours ago.

[Madeleine Baudelaire&Russ Ford]

Madeleine rolled her eyes, as Lee put the blankets on the bed around her. "I'm fine, and they'll be alright. They've survived this long with Asswipe looking after them, haven't they?"
Oooh, harsh. She was just a little annoyed that he'd a) sneaked into the front line (and yes, she knew that, and she knew that he wasn't the only one. They were all dead), and b) hadn't come to visit her, to anyone's knowledge.
Even though she was leaving him, she thought that coming to see her was the least that he could do.
"I won't be able to sleep, anyway," she protested, but her voice was small and weak. "I don't want to sleep - what if I don't wake up again?"
Well, there it was.

[Kira & Lee Norris]

Lee flinched- and didn't really do a very good job of hiding it. What if...? That little word if was gonna be haunting him for the rest of his life. Didn't she get it? Everytime Madeleine closed her eyes- everytime they were apart, he'd have that worry. Every time she... she fell asleep, he'd catch himself wondering whether or not she'd wake up.
He'd just have to believe she would...
He had to... or risk insanity again.
"Go to sleep," he commanded sternly. "And you will wake up. Or so help me, I'm sending Ailith in after you."

[Madeleine Baudelaire&Russ Ford]

Madeleine smiled weakly, pretending that she didn't see him flinch. "Oooh, I'm terrified."
She wriggled down the bed, and looked plaintively up at Lee. "Can you stay with me? I mean, talk to me to help me get to sleep, or something... It's just, I feel safer with you here."
God help her, but she did.

[Kira & Lee Norris]

Okay, that wasn't fair. She must know that he couldn't resist an invitation like that. Even if he wasn't so completely in love with her, a hot girl pleading with a guy to stay with her because he made her feel 'safe' was hardly something they were going to refuse! Lee smiled at her, and interlocked his fingers with hers.
"The whole time you were lying here," he said quietly. "I held your hand like this. All the wires got in my way though. Very annoying. But still, I held your hand..." he paused and kissed it, "... and talked a heck of a lot to you. Blathered on about the most boring stuff. Bet that's why you didn't wake up sooner."
That was a strange idea. That he was so boring she didn't want to wake up.
He gulped, a little nervously. "Hah! Maybe... maybe if I talk to you, I'll be the reason you don't wake up..."

[Madeleine Baudelaire&Russ Ford]

She squeezed his hand, feeling a rush of wamth at the familiar way their fingers linked. "I'd always want to wake up if I knew you were here."
Wow, that sounded clichéd... but the thing was...
She didn't actually care. At all.
It was silly, stupid, wonderful, fantastic, a million other things.
She looked at him again, taking every lovely detail of him in with her eyes, before giving in to her tired eyelids, and letting them close.

[Kira & Lee Norris]

As Madeleine drifted off, she seemed to sigh to herself, and her heartbeat slowed to a familiar, steady rate. Lee felt the warmth of her palm against is- and thought it almost unnatural. He'd grown so used to her comatose marble touch, he'd forgotten just how wonderful warmth really was.
Lee reached out carefully, and brushed a few of her soft dark curls from her face. She smiled softly; peaceful once more, as dreams claimed her mind and brought her from him to another plane. But this time, at least, he could be certain she'd return.
No matter what his fear was telling him, of that he knew he could be sure...
Could be...
He kissed her softly on the cheek.
"I love you, Madeleine," he repeated, closing his own eyes, and he too let sleep overwhelm him.