"Mmmmm, I love listening to your heart beat." Maggie laid her head on Clara's chest, closed her eyes, and sighed with pleasure. "Makes me so happy." "You just like to be reminded that I'm still alive?" Clara teased.

"Yes," Maggie said. "That's it. It has nothing to do with feeling so lucky that I get to have you in my life, to be so close to you."

"You couldn't possibly be luckier than I am, sweets." She kissed Maggie on the head.

A long moment later, Maggie sighed. "I'm going to fall asleep if I don't get moving. Bye, love." They kissed. "See you after work."

"Bye." Clara smiled and watched her leave. Once the front door had closed and she heard the car engine growl into life, she reached down and unzipped an invisible seam in her chest. The two gremlins inside stopped and looked out and up at her. They stood over a fist-sized drum, one holding a big mallet, the other holding a smaller mallet.

"Good job, boys," she said. "You're really on it lately. Take a break."

Gribbling with happiness, the gremlins scrambled out of her chest. She lay back, and luxuriated in the perfect silence.