I decided to post this today, as a birthday present to myself. Woot!

Also, I know this chapter is way shorter than the other three, but I've looked over it about twenty times (no joke) to see if I could add anything to make it longer and I just couldn't. I think this is as good as it is ever going to get, so I'm leaving it as is. Oh, and FYI, this is it folks, the last chapter.

(Hey, Bits and Pieces! You can pull out those crackers now! Lol).

Nightmare

Chapter 4

"Bloody hell," Newkirk muttered to himself, shaking his head.

"Colonel-" he started, but then cut himself off, not sure what to say. Hogan had just told him the gist of what had happened in his nightmare and to say he was disturbed was an understatement.

Then he tried again. "I can't imagine what that must've been like."

Hogan nodded, "I don't know what I would have done if you hadn't woken me up. If it had been real."

Newkirk squeezed Hogan's hand, "It wasn't though, and I'm right here."

Hogan pulled his arm from between them and placed his free hand against Newkirk's chest, over his heart. "Alive."

Newkirk's eyes caught Hogan's and his breath hitched at the emotions he saw, but he knew that his own eyes were a mirror image, matching the other man; fear for fear, desire for desire, love for love.

He leaned forward and pressed his own hand against Hogan's heart, feeling the life it held. Then he pushed harder, moving to cover Hogan's body with his own as the colonel laid back.

Newkirk continued to stare in amazement until Hogan reached his hands up and pulled Newkirk's head down so that their lips met. It was slow and gentle at first, but then it gradually became more passionate. Eventually they had to come up for air, both men breathing hard.

Newkirk propped himself up on his elbows, "Are you alright?"

"I will be," Hogan answered honestly.

Newkirk nodded and leaned forward to kiss him again when Hogan's mouth stretched wide in a giant yawn.

Newkirk jerked back in surprise. Hogan chuckled softly, "Sorry Peter, I guess I'm a little tired."

"I'll say," Newkirk teased, grinning.

Then he rolled off of Hogan and laid next to him. "Why don't you go ahead and try to catch some shuteye before Schultz comes in and ruins the quiet, hmm?"

Hogan looked a little leery about the idea of trying to sleep again. "You'll be here when I wake up?" he asked, just to make sure.

"Even better," Newkirk said, wrapping his arms around Hogan's waist and pulling him close. "I'll be here while you sleep."

….....

The End