Category: Part of the Ariel Series. Takes place a year or two before "Priceless."

Rating: PG for a little innuendo

Warnings: OFC and gen romance (Blair/Ariel and Jim/Megan)

Note: By the time of this story, Blair and Ariel are married and living in one half of a duplex. Jim and Megan are living together in the other half.

Feedback: I live for it! Please, to <azarsuerte@hotmail.com>.

Archive: Please! To CL and GP. I'll put it up on my site as soon as I figure out a graphic for it.

Acknowledgments: Marianne Edison, for coming up with such a perfect title. <g> And of course, my beta-reader, Nancy Taylor.

Summary: Blair and Ariel discover one small disadvantage of sharing a wall with Jim and Megan.

"Ariel: Things that Go Bump in the Night"
by Azar

THUMP!!

Ariel Sandburg sat up in bed with a start. Either the sound or the movement also woke her husband, because Blair pulled himself into a sitting position beside her.

"What was that?" she whispered loudly.

There was another loud THUD against the wall, then the sound of two familiar voices raised in anger. Blair listened for a moment, then chuckled and placed a comforting hand on his wife's shoulder. "Just Jim and Megan fighting," he yawned. "Think you can get back to sleep?"

Ariel nodded and snuggled back into the covers, her husband following. The shouting on the other side of the wall continued.

"Why do they have to be so loud about it?" the redhead grumbled sleepily.

Blair shrugged and cuddled closer to her. His arms came around her waist and he pressed a kiss to the corner of her earlobe.

"Maybe Jim's just trying to get back at us for all the times we've...kept him awake."

Ariel squeaked. "Blair!"

All of a sudden, the shouting on the other side of the wall died.

"Thank heaven," Ariel mumbled, burying her face in her husband's chest.

Before they could get back to sleep, though, the pair on the other side of the wall burst into giggles. Apparently Jim had shared the joke.

Blair's wife groaned. "Remind me to buy a white noise generator to keep in the bedroom."

The giggling only got louder.

FIN...for now.