A/N: Okay…this is my very first fanfic ever but please still give me a chance and read it. I will put in things that happened in the show but if they don't occur in order it's because I thought this would better suit my story. Also I will probably write in new storylines or leave some out all together but it's because that's the way it will help my story along. Please bear with me while I figure all of this out.
Jake was sitting at the bar at Bailey's drinking whatever concoction Mary's still had produced when Jimmy and a deputy came running in. Jake, Eric, Mary, and the other patrons in the bar turned to watch as Jimmy tried to catch his breath.
"What's wrong, Jimmy?" Jake asked, already standing up and getting his coat on.
Jimmy took one last deep breath before speaking. "One of the patrols just brought in a prisoner. She works for Ravenwood."
With a glance at Eric Jake ran out of the bar and towards City Hall. He ran into the building and straight to the sheriff's office where he found Gray talking with the men from the patrol who had brought the prisoner in.
"Where's the prisoner?" Jake asked automatically.
"Gray had us lock her up," Jimmy answered as he came in behind Jake once again out of breath.
"Tell me what happened."
One of the patrolmen turned to Jake. "We were watching the road as usual and she just came stumbling down it. She came up to us and just collapsed. The first thing we noticed was the Ravenwood patch and so we checked her for weapons. It was at that point that we noticed her wound—"
"Wait a minute," Jake interrupted. "She's wounded and you locked her up?"
"She works for Ravenwood," Gray argued. "We can't trust her."
"This isn't about trust. It's about being a human being," Jake countered. "Let Jimmy take her to the Medical Center and set up deputies to keep a watch on her. If she's wounded she needs medical attention before you ask her any questions."
"Jake's right Gray," Jimmy said. "I'll go and take her with a couple other guys."
A few minutes later Jimmy and one of the deputies came back into the office basically dragging their prisoner along. They stopped and stood the woman up before Gray, Jake, and Eric. She stood with her hands cuffed behind her back and her head bowed with her hair falling in her face. It looked like she could barely keep herself standing up on her own two feet.
"Do you want to come with us, Jake?" Jimmy asked. "So when April gives the okay you can talk to her."
The woman looked up at Jake in surprise. "Jake?" Just after she said his name she passed out and pitched forward.
Jake acted fast and running forward he caught her before she hit the floor. Cradling her in his arms he looked her over and found a large spot of blood on her side that had discolored a large portion of her clothing.
"She's been shot," he said to no one in particular. "We've got to get her to April immediately."
Picking her up Jake carried her outside and into a sheriff car that was parked on the side of the street. He got in the backseat with her and waited for Jimmy and a deputy to get in front. At the Medical Center Jake picked up back up and carried her inside. April came rushing up to him.
"Jake, what happened?" she asked as she led him into the exam room and directed him to lay his burden on the bed.
"One of the patrols brought her in and locked her up because she's from Ravenwood but she's been shot. I don't know how long ago she was shot of how much blood she's lost."
"Could you get Jimmy to uncuff her?"
"I'm right here. I'll do it," Jimmy answered as he walked into the exam room.
Several nurses followed him in and began to help April with the patient.
April looked up at the two men who still stood in the room. "I have to remove her clothing so could you be gentlemen and give us some privacy?"
Both of them mumbled something in reply as they backed out of the room. One nurse shut the door behind them as another closed the blinds on the windows.
Jake began to pace the hall and running his hands over his face and through his hair. It was easy for Jimmy to see that Jake was worried about the prisoner and he felt that talking to him might help keep his mind off what was going on in the room.
"So, Jake, do you know this girl?" he asked in a casual tone.
Jake stopped pacing and looked at the man. "Yeah. Her name is Layla Christian."
"Oh." Jimmy nodded his head. "How do you know her?"
"We worked together and were friends when I left Jericho."
"Just friends?"
Jake gave him a look. "Yes. Just friends."
Jimmy put his hands up to calm Jake down. "Okay. Do you think she's strong enough to make it?"
Jake looked towards the closed blinds. "The Layla I know is a fighter."
After some more pacing Jake sat down and just watched as nurses came and went from the exam room. He had been sitting there for well over two hours when April finally came out of the room. He stood up instantly and went to her.
"Is she going to be okay?" he asked with concern shining in his eyes.
She smiled at him gently. "She's had it rough but I think she'll be fine. She's conscious now and asking for you."
Jake made to enter the room but stopped when April laid a hand on his arm. He looked up and met her gaze.
"She's pretty weak so don't take too much out of her," she advised.
He nodded his head then entered the room and shut the door behind him. He found Layla laying in the bed in a clean hospital gown gazing out the window. She had an IV of blood and something else going into her arm. When he walked further into the room she turned to him and gave him a weak smile which he quickly returned.
"Hey Jake," she greeted quite warmly for someone in her condition.
"Hey Layla."
He took a seat in the chair by her bed as she shifted to make herself a bit more comfortable. He caught the slight wince that flitted across her features.
"Take it easy," he urged. "April says you'll be okay but you still need to take it easy. You've been shot."
"Yeah. I think I would be the one to notice that," she replied sarcastically. "The doctor said I was lucky. The bullet went straight through me and came out the back without hitting any vital organs."
"Do you mind if I ask who shot you and why?"
"My C.O. with Ravenwood and because I wouldn't follow orders." Tears began to well up in her eyes. "I've seen and done some horrible things since the bombs and I just couldn't go through it anymore." She looked at Jake with fear in her eyes. "It was worse than Afghanistan, Jake." She started to break down. "It was so much worse."
Standing up Jake cradled her head against his chest. "It's okay now. You're safe here. Just get some rest and we can talk when you have a little more energy."
He continued to rock her until she fell asleep and then he took his seat again and kept a vigil at her bed side.
A little over twelve hours later Jake had been asleep for quite awhile when he was woken up by something being pelted at him. He opened his eyes to find himself covered in little waded up balls of paper. When he looked up at Layla he was relieved to see that she looked much better than she had when he had first seen her. Although she still was covered in much of the dirt and grim from her journey her color had returned to normal. She had the warm smile and spark in her eyes that always seemed to be a natural part of her. That smile and spark lent her an innocence that belied the fact that she was a trained mercenary with a horrific past.
He smiled and brushed the paper off of him. "You seem to be feeling a lot better."
"I am but I'm sure that a blood transfusion, over twelve hours of sleep, and an actual meal have something to do with that. April says that she still wants to keep me here for awhile just to be sure everything it truly fine though."
"That's understandable."
"So I'm guessing April is your sister-in-law."
"Yeah. She's married to Eric."
"She looks pregnant." She grinned at him. "Are you going to be an uncle?"
He leaned forward and laughed. "Yeah. It's hard to believe but I am."
Just then Gray Anderson and Jimmy cane into the room with Eric and Johnston. Jake stood up and tried to push them back out of the room but Gray just pushed his way through. He came to stand at the end of the bed and stared down at Layla.
"I'm Gray Anderson, the mayor of Jericho," he announced.
"Wait a minute. I thought Jake's dad was the mayor," Layla responded with obvious confusion.
"He lost the election and I took over. Jake says your name is Layla Christian. Is that your name?"
"Yes."
"You work for Ravenwood, right?"
"I did."
Jake stepped forward. "Gray is this really the time to be interrogating her. She's had barely enough time to recuperate. Can't this wait a few more days?"
"Jake makes a good point, Gray," Johnston cut in. "Give the girl a chance to rest and get better."
"She's a mercenary for Ravenwood. Have all of you forgotten what they've done and what they almost did to us?" Gray argued.
"None of us have forgotten," Jake replied.
Layla gripped Jake's arm to get his attention. "It's okay, Jake. Mayor Anderson has every right to question me. I wouldn't trust anyone from Ravenwood either." She then turned her attention back to Gray. "Ask away Mayor."
"Who sent you here?" Gray asked.
"No one."
"No one?"
"Yes. I wouldn't follow my C.O.'s orders anymore so as I was making a run for it he shot at me. He mostly missed except for the one that clipped my side," she replied with a grimace as she shifted uncomfortably. Jake put a hand on her shoulder to keep her from moving too much and she smiled up at him. "I walked for probably three days before I came across your patrol. I have seen things you can't even imagine and so I left Ravenwood in search of something better. I don't mean you or this town any danger. I swear. I just want to get away from the life Ravenwood offered to me. I hate Ravenwood just as much as you do. Maybe even more."
After hearing her speech Gray left the room and the other men followed. Jake squeezed Layla's hand and giving her a reassuring smile he left and closed the door behind him.
"So Gray are you going to let the girl stay?" Johnston asked.
"She doesn't really present us any danger," Eric commented.
Gray looked at the three Green men. "If I let her stay she will be your family's responsibility."
Jake looked to his father.
"We accept that responsibility," Johnston agreed. Once Gray had left Johnston turned to Jake. "You stay here with her. I'll take her stuff home and your mother and I will see if we can't clean it up for her and get some other stuff for her. Your mother will get the guest room ready for her for when she gets released from here."
"Thanks Dad," Jake sighed.
When his dad and brother had left Jake went back into Layla's room to find her once again starring out the window. She turned to look at him with a nervous gaze.
"So?" she asked unsurely.
"Well, you're going to be staying with me and my family," he replied.
She let out a relieved sigh and smiled at him.
A/N: Okay…review and I just ask that you be somewhat gentle. This is my first time so I am still trying to work out all the kinks. Depending how fast I get reviews I will have the second chapter done and posted sometime soon. Thanks! -VintageGrl
