Title: Yesterday to Tomorrow: Chapter Four, Completely Platonically
Rating: PG-13 [mild swearing]

Summary: Two best friends spend the night together

Previous Chapter A Breath Away

Current Chapter Completely platonically

Next Chapter Don't leave bed

With her head in his lap, Alyssa yawned. She couldn't beleive she was still awake after eating and watching two movies already, especially with as comfortable as she was laying on the couch. Her heavy eyelids kept threatening to drop close, her interest no longer focused on the images on the screen, but rather on keeping her eyes open.

"Chris," she began, interrupted by another yawn, "you need to take me home."

He looked down at her as she pivoted to meet his eyes, "I'd rather you stay here. I don't want to be in the house alone tonight."

Alyssa sighed, "Well.... I suppose so. You're just lucky I don't have anywhere to be early in the morning tomorrow."

Chris chuckled, "If you did, we could just stay up all night. We're halfway there."

Her eyes darted to the clock. With her tiredness she was unable to focus on the face of it long enough to actually decipher it.

"What time is it?" she asked.

"One a.m.," he responded.

Her head pivoted again to look at him, "I need to go to bed. Or I'll fall asleep here. And as comfortable as I am right now, I know I would regret it when I woke up."

Chris reached for the remote as Alyssa slowly sat up. After he turned off the movie and tv, he stood, pulling the sleepy girl up with him. She yawned audibly again, leaning against him slightly as they left the entertainment room. Pass the kids' rooms they walked. Alyssa pulled away from Chris to head to the guest room, but his hand went around her waist, keeping her next to him.

"Chris....." she whined, droopy eyes going to his.

"Sleep with me," he requested.

"Oh no," Alyssa instantly replied. "Even if you and Vicky are over, I'm not sleeping with you, Chris. We're friends. That's it."

"Please? Completely platonically," he claimed. "I am just tired of sleeping in a bed alone. There's a marked difference when there's a body in the room, in the bed with you. I sleep better."

"No," she replied, still pulling against him. "I'll sleep across the hall. Or you take me home. That's your choice."

His green eyes pleaded with her. He even pouted some, which garnered only a chuckle from Alyssa, not her sympathy. His hand found hers, using that to keep her from moving any further away than she already was trying to.

"Please? Just for a little bit. Until I fall asleep," he stated. "Then you can sleep wherever you want."

Her eyes wavered in the gaze between them. She pulled her bottom lip between her teeth, biting it softly.

"Fine. Until you fall asleep. Then I'm leaving. And I'm not getting under the bedcovers," she relented.

He flashed her a grin, "Thank you."

Hand held by his, Alyssa was pulled into his room. A sadness passed over her upon entrance, as she had helped Vicky with the decor. She hadn't been great friends with Vicky, but they had been amiable with each other. When he released her hand, Alyssa noticed she didn't smell a trace of Vicky at all.

"Chris? When was the last time she slept in here?" she asked softly.

He shrugged, "Some time ago."

"Oh," Alyssa replied, glancing about. "Can I have a shirt or something to sleep in

"Of course," he answered, already opening his closet.

Fishing out a shirt, Chris tossed it towards her. The gray tee fell to the carpet near her feet. As Alyssa stood from picking it up, her eyes collided with Chris's watchful stare.

"Turn around," she stated.

"What? Why?" he asked.

"Because you don't get to watch me change. Either that or I'm going in the bathroom, which you're blocking," she pointed out.

"I— fine," he replied, turning around, his arms folded across his chest.

Alyssa would have loved a shower, especially as she still felt kinda icky from their play in the ocean. However it was late and she knew it would wake her up. So she quickly pulled her clothing off, leaving it in a pile easy to find not far from the door. Pulling Chris's shirt on, she wiggled some, wishing it would have stretched further down. As it was, it barely covered her ass.

"Okay. Now you get into bed so I can lay down," she instructed.

"Bossy one, aren't you?" he turned around with a smile on his face.

"Only when I'm tired. Bed. Now," she pointed at it.

Chris shed his own layers, crawling into his bed wearing only his boxers, not that Alyssa cared much. Once he was situated, she turned off the light and made her way to the bed. Not entirely sure where it was in the darkness, she fell forward onto it when her shins hit the bed. She heard Chris chuckle for a moment, before feeling her obvious glare and silencing himself. Slinking up the bed until she found him, Alyssa laid down.

"Thank you, Lyss," he commented softly. "For everything today."

"You're very welcome," she muttered, wiggling to get comfortable.

"Do you remember the day we met?" Chris asked.

"Mmmmhmmm," she replied lazily, struggling to stay awake. "I was working at the deli.... my third day there.... the first time I was allowed to use the meat slicer.... nearly sliced off my finger when you entered...."

"Really?" there was a teasing tone in his voice.

"Mmmmhmmmm," Alyssa barely managed to reply before sleep overcame her.



A smile twitched at the corners of Alyssa's mouth as she slowly worked her way to waking up. One eye fluttered open briefly, before closing again. She hadn't felt so warm and cuddly in a long time. Which somehow didn't make sense in her mind, especially since it felt like there was an arm draped over her and the blanket.

Forcing her eyes open fully, she turned slightly. Her contented smile froze. Sometime after she had fallen asleep, Chris had apparently turned over and covered her with the blanket, his arm remaining draped over her. Which meant she was wrapped nicely in the blanket and his embrace, separated from contact by that blanket. She smirked slightly. So close yet so far away.

"Morning, beautiful," his gruff morning voice uttered. "Sleep well?"

She nodded, her smile genuine again, "Really well. You?"

His hand moved off her stomach and pushed hair from her eyes, "Better than I have in some time. Thank you."

"You don't have to thank me for everything, Chris," Alyssa stated. "Seriously.

"Sure I do."

"No you don't," she argued, starting to wiggle on the bed. "I think I'm going to steal some clothes and go shower. Then maybe breakfast?"

Chris didn't let her out of his embrace just yet, "Whatever you want.... in a minute. I just want to lay here with you for a few more moments."

Though Alyssa really wasn't entirely comfortable, she let her eyes close again. Without realizing it, she snuggled closer to him. In that warm embrace with her eyes closed, Alyssa couldn't help but start to drift off to sleep once again....