Chapter 22
As AJ�s eyes fluttered open he awoke to see Serenity looking into his eyes as well. Their bodies were still intertwined with each other. She blinked a few times and stared at him. �Good morning.� He said looking at her. �Morning.� She said as she gave a closed warm smile.
�Believe it or not I�ve slept better last night then I have in a while. Maybe I need to sleep on the couch more often.�
�I slept good too. I haven�t been getting much sleep lately. I think this is the most sleep I�ve had in a long time.� She yawned.
He watched her as she stretched in his arms. �Your beautiful.� He said as he brushed some of her hair out of her face. He didn�t mean to say it but he couldn�t help it.
She felt as if she were going to melt as he brushed the top and side of her face with his hand. He then rubbed the side of her cheek with the back of his hand softly. �Do you feel better?�
�Yeah, actually I do. Thanks for last night. I guess I just needed someone to babble to. Sorry for being so silly.�
�You were not silly. Stop doubting yourself. I don�t want to hear another bad thing about yourself come out of your mouth. You were being human last night, that�s all.� With those words a slight smile came across her face. She felt so safe with him, and for once, in a long time, she was at peace.
�Thanks for being there last night. I don�t know what I would have done without you.� She said while she tightened her grip around him a bit and berried her head in his shoulder. � Humm, your so warm, I wish I could stay here forever.� She said into his chest, without thinking.
�I wish you would.� He whispered under his breath, the words just spilling out of his mouth. She slowly looked up into his eyes as his words registered in her mind. Then, all of a sudden she was brought back to reality.
�I should probably be leaving soon.� She said slowly pulling away from him and sitting up.
�You don�t have to rush. Let me fix you breakfast.� He said sitting up also.
�Really, you don�t have to cook breakfast AJ.� She smiled rolling her eyes.
�No, I want to. What? You don�t think I can cook?�
�Sure you can cook, but weather it�s good or not is what I�m scared of.�
�Hey, things have changed since you�ve been gone. I can cook a pretty mean omelette now.�
�Sure,� She giggled..
�Well I guess I�m just going to have to show you aren�t I?� He said standing and walking towards the kitchen.
�AJ please, no.� She protested as she leaped after him, smiling. �It�s okay, really, Believe me.� She grabbed his arm.
�No, no, I�m going to show you. Now just let me go."
He yanked his arm away and continued on his way to the kitchen. �Let me help you. I�ll cook pancakes so we�ll actually have food.� She laughed.
�Oh see, that�s wrong. I really am hurt by that.� He quickly ran to the cabinets and stood in front of them trying to keep her from taking a pan out.
�Now, now AJ, just move aside and let someone who knows what their doing do this.� She told him.
�Nope, your not getting in the cabinets. I�m not moving until you sit down and let me finish my job.� He told her.
�Okay then, were just going to have to do this the hard way then.� She said as she began to tickle him in his side. He jumped quickly and laughed. He gave her a surprise push and she fell onto the floor, her bottom hitting the floor hard.
�Oops, I didn�t mean for you to fall, you okay?� He asked her as he laughed. A flash of fear crossed her face and she covered her cheek and closed her eyes as a reflex. When no slap came she shook it off quickly and looked at the ground.
AJ saw the seriousness that shaded her face and stopped laughing. �Are you okay? Let me help you up.� He said reaching out a hand to her. �No, I�m okay I�m fine.� She said turning around and getting to her feet. She slowly began to walk away.
�Serenity what�s wrong? It really was an accident, I didn�t mean for you to fall. I was just playing around.� He said following her, realizing that something was wrong with her. She turned around quickly and then back toward the couch.
�No, really I�m fine.� He noticed her eyes were starting to fill with tears. He went around her and stood in front of her way.
�What�s wrong baby? I really didn�t mean to hurt you.� He said with concern in his voice.
�AJ don�t call me baby, were not together anymore. And nothing is wrong, I�m just being silly.� She said as she hung her head.
AJ pulled her close to him and hugged her. �Sorry about that. But hey, what did I tell you about putting yourself down? You are not silly. Anything your feeling or want to say is important.�
�No, it really is silly. I�m sorry I�m ruining your breakfast by crying and acting dumb.� She said as she wiped her eyes.
�You are not ruining anything. If anything, your making it better. I usually eat breakfast alone. And you are not being dumb. The reason you�re here is because were friends so let me help you, and be a friend.�
�I...I just... I really don�t want to talk about it.� She said as a few tears started to wail back up in her eyes.
�Okay, it�s okay. You don�t have to talk. It�s okay, Bear, Teddy�s here.� He said without even thinking. He had called them by their nick names they had given each other when they were together. He immediately stepped back from her and shook his head. �I�m sorry, that just came out. I wasn�t even thinking. My mind was just somewhere else or something. I really didn�t mean to say that.� He apologized.
�No, it�s okay, don�t even think about it. It's my fault anyway, how about we go finish breakfast.� She said, putting a wide grin back onto her face, walking back over to the kitchen.
�Okay, but not before we play a little music.� AJ said running over to the stereo.
�Music?� Serenity questioned as she smiled.
�Yeah, of course we have to have music.� AJ told her as he turned the stereo on.
�Hey, isn�t this Korn?� She asked him.
�Yap, I had to buy another CD. Unlike me, it didn�t make it through my car accident.� He turned the volume up and blasted it as he went back into the kitchen to start breakfast.
Another thing AJ and Serenity found they had in common was rock music, when they started dating. Serenity always loved rock music and she was very surprised when she found out that AJ liked it too. She didn�t understand how he could like that kind of music when he sang another kind. She loved to tease him about being a Backstreet Boy but he didn�t mind. He knew at that time it was because she loved him.
Whenever They cooked or had to clean the house AJ would always blast music when they lived together. Especially Saturday mornings. It had almost been like a ritual for them. On Saturdays he would wake Serenity up with music and they would listen to it while they got ready and started their day out. He said it passed the time, and it made it more fun. He would dance around and play air guitar as he sang loudly. Much like he was doing at that moment as Serenity went around him to grab bread from the refrigerator.
He suddenly took her arm and twirled her around. �AJ what are you doing? I have to get a pan.� She announced as she looked at him like he was crazy. �Take a load off, you�ve been thinking too much. Just listen to the music...don�t be so serious.� He said as he danced with her. He then twirled her again and dipped her before letting her go. The only thing she could do was laugh. She had kind of missed how silly he could be.