"I know."

Emily was watching Matt with attentive, concerned eyes; he looked to her, and his eyes grew softer as he grew more at ease within her gaze.

"Someone on that team is harboring a secret, Matthew, and you must work it out!"

"I'm on that, right now," he replied firmly. "It's not something I can work out just like that, but I'm onto something."

"You must work—"

Matt flipped his phone shut. Emily offered him a sideways glance.

"The ARC?" She appeared to have resigned herself to being held in the custody of the ARC, but Matt refused to think of it.

"A friend," he replied calmly. "And a lie."

"You lied to him?" she asked, then paused. "Or…her?"

That inspired a little smile on Matt's lips. "It wasn't really a lie," he said, pocketing his mobile and crossing the room to her. "Not on the face of it, at least. I am onto something," bowing down slightly, he planted a gentle kiss on her nose, "something very good."

Emily's suspicious glanced became a nervous smile. "Oh," she said softly as her fingers rose to brush the bridge of her nose.

"Yeah," Matt replied, holding out a hand for her. She took it, and he led her across the room to his iPod and speakers. Quickly he turned it on, and with a glance to Emily, he selected a song. "Do you dance?"

"Of course," she replied. He smiled, nodding.

"I bet you dance beautifully."

He set a hand on her waist and one in her soft hand; she placed one on his shoulder, and they began to move. The music started, low and slow, and Emily moved just a little bit closer as their dancing matched the rhythm.

"I could stay awake

Just to hear you breathing,

Watch you smile while you are sleeping,

Wondering if it's me you're seeing."

"You do dance beautifully," Matt observed, extending one arm and letting her twirl beneath it.

"You aren't so bad yourself," Emily replied.

"Oh, me, I'm two left feet," Matt smiled. "Then again, I've never had the pleasure of dancing with someone so pretty." Quickly he quelled the knowledge that he'd never really danced before in his life; he'd spent his existence in blind obedience to Gideon, and that left no room for distraction—certainly, no room for love."

"I don't want to close my eyes,

I don't want to fall asleep,

'Cause I'd miss you, babe,

And I don't want to miss a thing."

"'Cause even when I dream of you, the sweetest dream would never do," Matt sang softly into Emily's hair; he realized with great delight that in the midst of his thoughts, the distance in between them had diminished to nothing. Her arms laid over his shoulders, and her sweet breaths tickled his neck made him sigh inwardly.

Slowly he lowered his head, and she met his eyes; that mystical, wise-beyond-years gaze entranced him. There was only a moment's hesitation before they closed their eyes and their lips were locked.

"'Cause even when I dream of you,

The sweetest dream would never do,

I'd still miss you, babe,

And I don't want to miss a thing."