Colin followed along with Abby as Steve led her to her new room. After Steve had gone, Abby turned to Colin, her arms crossed in front of her.

"Thanks for helping me lug all my stuff here," she told him,

"No worries," he said, quietly, then sat down in an armchair across from the bed.

When she saw that he wasn’t budging, she added, "I think I can manage it from here on out, though."

"Abby," he sighed, "Humor me, luv. I’ll sleep here in this chair or on the floor – won’t even know I’m here."

"Oh, I’ll know you’re here alright – can’t help but notice a handsome man sleeping in my room," she chortled. "Look, Dwayne’s not going to come back – not tonight, anyway. And even if he tried, he has no idea which room I’m in now. I’m fine. Really. And I don’t need a baby-sitter."

"The sheriff and I think otherwise," he replied, staring into her eyes.

"Fine. Whatever," she snapped, throwing her hands up out of frustration. She could tell that the man had his mind made up and there was no reasoning with him. "I’m going to bed. It’s been a long night and I’m wiped out."

Abby yanked back her covers and flopped into bed, then angrily turned off the light so the whole room was pitch black.

Colin didn’t say a word. He sat there quietly in his chair, wondering why she was so angry. He’d done nothing wrong that he could tell. On the contrary, he’d actually thought he had been protecting her. Hell, even Abby had called him her "hero". So how could she go from upset to happy to angry in the blink of an eye like that? "Sheilas," he thought to himself, shaking his head, then pulled out a cigarette and lit it. Taking a long drag of it, he slowly exhaled, wondering to himself how he was going to get back on Abby’s good side again.

Abby heard him lighting the cigarette and pulled the covers over her head. Damn, but that man was getting under her skin. Just who did he think he was, barging in on her and Dwayne like that, anyway? And then insisting he spend the night to watch over her like some sort of baby-sitter! She peeked out from under the covers a bit, watched him sitting there in the dark, enjoying his cigarette. "Humph," she thought, "well, he does look mighty cute sitting there... and he said he was only trying to protect me... thought I was in danger or something... he must really like me if he’s willing to spend the night lookin’ out for me there in that chair... must be awful uncomfortable.... hmm... maybe..."

She scooted over in the bed and pulled back the covers a bit, then said outloud, "Okay, you big lug, get over here before I change my mind."

"Excuse me?" Colin chuckled, not understanding why she was suddenly not angry anymore, or for that matter, inviting him into her bed with her.

"Can’t have a boyfriend of mine sleepin’ in that uncomfortable chair all night," she said, smiling. "Now put out that cancer stick, kick off your shoes, and get in bed."

Within nearly a blink of an eye, Colin had done just that and nuzzled up next to her. "Forgive me then?" he asked, unsure of what the hell was going through her mind.

"Forgive me?" she replied.

"For what?" he asked, wrapping his arms around her and nuzzling her neck.

"Well, for not telling you about Dwayne for one thing," she said.

"Yeah, I think I do."

"Good. Now that that’s settled, I can finally get a good night’s sleep," she told him, grinning, and rolled over on her side and closed her eyes.

"Sleep?" he chuckled.

"Oh, you didn’t think... oh Colin. I’m sorry... umm... I am technically still a married woman, so it would be wrong for us to... well, you know..." she told him, apologetically.

Actually, he had thought exactly that and was more than a bit disappointed that she only meant for him to sleep in the bed with her and nothing more. He sighed. "No worries. G’night, sweetheart."

"Good night, Colin..." she grinned, then kissed him on the cheek.

Colin sighed again, thinking, "Ah hell, but this is going to be one very long night."