Steve sat down next to the sleeping Hera and nodded to Helo when he walked out to check on baby Hera, leaving the couple finally alone. Steve looked at his girlfriend with a frown between his eyebrows, though he wasn’t sure if the frown had formed because of the worry of her not waking up or if the one he had got since he woke up with those new memories just got deeper. He grabbed her hand and pressed a kiss to her knuckles. “Why won’t you wake up?” he whispered softly to her.
He didn’t need this right now. He didn’t need Atlantis playing games with his girlfriend and making her a Sleeping Beauty while the doctors couldn’t figure out how to wake her up -- or anyone else for that matter. Steve didn’t know if to feel relieved or not knowing that Hera wasn’t the only case like this, where they were seemed to be put in a very deep sleep.
Then it suddenly hit him. Sleeping Beauty. Deep sleep... Maybe... Just maybe...
He shook his head. It was a stupid idea, that’s for sure. To wake someone with a kiss... A fairytale, for sure. But there was no harm in trying, right? He leaned over and pressed his lips against hers in a soft kiss before pulling back, looking at her for some kind of sign of waking up.
Hera was completely unaware of the trouble she’d caused, she was in a deep blissful sleep and showed no signs of waking up. To her no time had really passed, for all she knew it was still early and soon her alarm would be waking her up for her working day. She had no idea she’d slept for so much longer.
Something pulled her from sleep, it was a gentle sensation that had her slowly stirring from her slumber. She became aware of the sun warming the blankets on her bed first. Opening her eyes felt like it took a while but in reality it wasn’t long at all and when she did she saw Steve. She smiled sleepily. “Steve?” she said softly as she yawned and stretched a little. “What are you doing in my bedroom?”
The moments between the kiss and Hera opening her eyes seemed like an eternity to Steve, but God was he relieved when he saw her waking up. And his face showed. He let out a breath he hadn’t realized he was holding and smiled softly at her, his hand moving to caress the side of her face.
“Hey Sleeping Beauty,” he said softly. “You gave us quite a scare, you know? You’ve been asleep for hours and your father nor the doctors could wake you up,” he explained.
She smiled more as his hand caressed her cheek, leaning into his touch a little as she continued to stretch. Her smile faltered a little as he explained why he was even here in the first place. “Hours?” she asked, frowning as she shifted to sit up properly.
“Oh… there was a rose on my bedside table when I woke up, I… I picked it up and then well then here you were.” When she’d been in her sleeping state she hadn’t remembered the rose but now she was awake it had come back to her.
Steve nodded. “Hours. You got me and your father pretty worried,” he admitted. “It wasn’t until I kissed you that you woke up.”
He looked at the bedside table but the rose wasn’t there. He had to look around a little bit to find it on the floor. He didn’t pick it up, just in case. “We’ll let the doctors know about the rose and we’ll grab it carefully in a moment so nobody comes in contact with it, just in case touching it makes whoever touches it fall asleep.” Maybe that’s what happened? He wasn’t sure, but knowing how Atlantis worked, once could never be too careful with a simple rose.
“I’m so sorry, I didn’t mean to worry you.” She smiled a little at his next words. “You woke me with a kiss? My Prince Charming.”
She glanced over to the floor, seeing the rose and nodding in agreement. “Yeah, don’t touch it, I don’t want you falling asleep in my bed. Not that I don’t want you in my bed, it might just be a little awkward.” It was a lame attempt at making light of the situation but she didn’t know what else to do. “Thank you for coming to check on me, it means a lot, Steve.” She smiled softly and reached out to take hold of his hand.
“I know you didn’t mean to, darling,” he said softly, caressing her cheek gently. He chuckled when she called him her Prince Charming. “It seemed like a silly idea, but I’m very glad it worked.”
He nodded. “I know. And I don’t think your dad would appreciate it either,” he chuckled. “Hey, you’re my girl, of course I worry when you don’t text me back in twenty minutes” he said with a smile, squeezing her hand and bringing it to his lips to press a kiss to her knuckles.
She blushed a little at his words, he made her blush so easily. Hera leaned into his hand a little, sighing softly. “Maybe it was a silly idea but it worked and that’s what matters. Also you know I’m never going to say no to getting a kiss from you.”
Her smile fell a little. “Where is he?” she asked, glancing towards the door before she looked back at Steve. “You were right to worry, you know I’d never keep you waiting that long for a text back,” she said, laughing softly as he kissed her knuckles. “I suppose I should get out of bed really. I mean you can’t join me in it and I want to spend some time with you so it’s the only option really.”
“He went to check on baby you,” he told her. “Maybe I was a little paranoid at first, I have to admit,” he chuckled. “But I’m glad I was or I wouldn’t have been able to wake you up.” He nodded in agreement. “Come on, let’s give your dad the good news that Sleeping Beauty woke up,” he said in a teasing tone.
“He’ll probably be back soon then,” she replied. “Paranoid about what? That I was ignoring you because I can assure you that’s never going to happen.” She smiled softly and gave his hand a squeeze. “I’m glad you came and woke me up too, thank you, Steve.” She hesitated for a moment, realising she needed to get dressed and she couldn’t really do that with Steve in the room. “I’m sure he knows I’m awake, unless he thinks you’re talking to yourself in here,” she added with a small chuckle. “But if we’re going to go and see him then I need to some clothes on and that means you’ll need to step outside, to avoid temptation and all.”
“Paranoid about something happening to you. You know I’ve been a little on the edge lately,” he admitted. Those damn memories made him extra worried about the people he cared about. “You don’t need to thank me,” he said, leaning in to give her one small kiss.
“I could be talking to myself, who knows?” He joked, laughing softly. “I’m always avoiding temptation with you,” he chuckled, teasingly, but reluctantly got up but not before stealing one last kiss. “I’ll be waiting outside, my darling,” he told her, smiling at her before heading out of the room.
She felt bad for having teased him now, she knew he'd been dealing with things. She squeezed his hand and offered him a soft smile. “I know I don't but I wanted to,” she told him, leaning into the kiss and smiling more as she pulled back.
“And doing a different voice?” She laughed softly. “I'm sorry I make it so difficult for you,” she teased, kissing him back. “I'll be as quick as I can.” She watched him walk out before she got out of bed and walked over to her closet to find something to wear, humming softly to herself as she looked through her clothes.