The knock on Layla's door startled her into wakefulness. When she jumped a sleepy Jotaro hugged her tighter to his big body threatening to crush her. She wheezed as he pushed the air out of her lungs with his powerful arms.

"Oh, my god," she gasped, poking him in the chest. "Jojo wake up before you kill me."

"Layla? Dear, are you in there?" Suzi called, knocking on the door again.

"Good grief," Jotaro mumbled, releasing Layla and rolling over to pull the cover over his head.

Layla snorted and giggled as she tripped over his feet bared by the comforter too short to cover him completely from head to toe. She grabbed her new white silk robe covered in cherry blossoms as she stumbled toward the door.

If the family did not already know the two of them had a thing going on there would be no doubt now. Nothing like being caught in a big way. But Layla seriously doubted they didn't know. At least his grandparents were aware of the relationship. Poor innocent Holly might miss the clues.

Layla pulled back the door to see Suzie Q. standing there with fidgeting with the big red and white polka dotted bow on her collar of her dress while she looked back toward the part of the house where her and her husband's room was located.

"Grandma Suzi, is everything okay?" she inquired, worry settling heavily into her chest when the woman turned to her with watery blue eyes. She grabbed her trembling hands which were freezing cold. "Are you all right?"

"It's not me," she said, glancing back to their section of the multi compartmented house. "It's Joseph. He hasn't been sleeping well. He says he has a headache and doesn't want to get out of bed. Every time I try to get him up, he pulls the cover over his head and moans."

Layla cast a glimpse behind her at Jotaro, the man presently hiding under the pink and white blanket on her bed. She could see the family resemblance. Rolling her eyes and shaking her head, she turned back to Suzi.

"Let me get dressed and grab my bag. I'll go check on him. I'm sure he's fine," she assured the distraught woman, squeezing her cold hands. "Go get some coffee and get warmed up. I don't want you getting sick."

"All right," Suzi reluctantly agreed with a sigh. "I'll grab you a cup for you and Joseph too, dear."

"That would be awesome. Thank you," she exhaled in a gush of gratitude.

Layla closed the door and flipped on the light. A growl came from under the blanket. She slapped the approximate place on the comforter where she assumed his behind would be located in comparison to the placement of his uncovered feet and the covered lump that would be his head.

"Get up. I gotta go," she said, stepping over him.

"Uh uh," he mumbled, reaching out from under the comforter to grab her ankle and pull.

Layla landed on her belly, hitting the futon with an audible 'oof' as the wind got knocked out of her lungs for the second time already this morning. She giggled as he pulled her under the blanket like some kind of sneak attack creature dragging her into his lair.

"Jotaro," she groaned as he placed a kiss on the hollow of her throat. "I gotta..." Her words died away on her tongue when he pushed aside the silk fabric of her robe and pressed a kiss to her collar bone. "I need to..."

"You need to what?" he taunted her as he slid apart the robe with his hands and cupped her pendulous breasts.

"I need to...mmm, god," she moaned, wrapping her arms around his neck while he stroked her taut nipples with his thumbs. She pressed her hands against his face and pushed him away when he tried to lower his mouth to her nipple. "You need to hold this thought."

"That's not all I'll be holding," he muttered, as she rolled away from him across the futon.

"Well then if you're that impatient, have fun with yourself. Unfortunately, duty calls," she said, pulling off the robe to get dressed in her usual jeans and sweater combo.

"You're a mean woman. It wouldn't take but a minute," he said, pulling back the covers as if to entice her to join him under them as she pulled on her rainbow striped sweater.

"You know you're insulting yourself by saying that," she giggled, raking the brush through her waist length hair.

"Hmmm, I suppose you're right," he muttered, watching her as she gathered her hair in a ponytail and twisted it around to form the bun. "I'm going to miss you when you're gone."

Layla froze as she was pinning the bun to her head. Gazing at his reflection in the mirror, she said, "Weren't you the one who suggested enjoying this as long as it lasts and not worrying about the future?"

"I suppose I was," he mumbled, closing his eyes as if preparing to go back to sleep.

She finished pinning her hair and knelt down beside him. He did not move or open his eyes. She kissed his forehead, each cheek, the tip of his nose, and his chin. No response, not even opening his eyes. Lastly, she fitted her mouth to his for a gentle kiss which received no puckering lips to return the kiss.

"I'll miss you too," she whispered. She smiled down at him when he opened his gorgeous turquoise eyes to meet hers. When she kissed him again, he returned the tender kiss. "You are definitely not the man I thought you were. Maybe I wanted to think those things about you so I wouldn't be so tempted to fall in love with you."

"You're in love with me?" he questioned her, that obnoxious arrogant grin curling his lips ever so slightly.

"I'll be going now," she announced, jumping to her feet. She grabbed her little black bag and scurried out the door.

"Ugh," Jotaro groaned, throwing a pillow at the closed door. "Infuriating damn woman. Good grief."

"I heard that!" she yelled from somewhere along the path.

Layla knocked on the door of the room that presently belonged to Joseph and Suzi. She waited patiently for someone to answer. Guessing Suzi must still be in the kitchen and Joseph was being an obstinate pain in the ass, she cautiously slid back the door.

"I'm coming in, Grandpa Joe," she warned him before stepping inside.

"I'm fine. I'm just tired. Go away!" he grumpily shouted at her as she approached the bed.

He lay on the four poster bed his daughter had ordered for him soon after his return from Egypt. Hearing him whine and complain for days about sleeping on the futon, Holly called the furniture store to have one delivered. Since they were going to be on an extended stay here, his doting daughter humored her petulant father by getting a king sized 'real' bed just for him.

Joseph lay in the middle of the bed wearing his blue and white striped silk pajamas. Propped up on half a dozen pillows, he held the gray and black block patterned comforter up to his chin as if the cloth barrier would stop the nurse from performing her exam.

His eyes were open and stared blankly at the ceiling above him. He looked sad and angry all at once; two expressions she hardly ever saw in his face and only for fleeting moments so seeing him like this she was taken aback and stared at him in astonishment.

"Soooo what's going on with you?" she asked, placing the bag on the bedside table and opening it up.

"Nothing. I'm fine," he insisted grouchily, folding his hands over his belly more to keep the covers clamped down tightly over him than for any other reason.

"Well, I'll be the judge of that. It's what you hired me for, right?" she reminded him, placing the earpieces of her stethoscope in her ears.

"Layla, I don't need - "

"Deep breath," she ordered him pressing the device to his chest over his heart.

Joseph inhaled deeply as ordered.

"Again," she told him, sliding the chest piece down then over to listen to his lungs.

Although he clearly did not want to, he went through the rest of the check up routine but not without subtle complaints. He rolled his eyes through having his blood pressure and pulse taken. When the thermometer was pulled out of his mouth, he huffed loudly and crossed his arms.

Layla wrote down a few things in her notebook then sat down on the bed beside him but facing him to give him a hard accusing stare with her arms crossed over her chest.

"What?" Joseph asked, shrinking away from her because of her severe expression.

"You're stressed. Plain and simple," she said, resolute in her diagnosis.

"Yeah. Is that so surprising?" he inquired, settling back onto the pillows.

"Yeah, it is," she returned, standing up from the bed. "You're never stressed. Even when you should be. What's bugging you?"

Joseph sighed and it was the most morose, doleful sound she had ever heard. The lids lowered to hide his sorrowful green eyes that has lost their usual twinkle.

Layla's arms dropped to hang limply at her sides. This wasn't like him at all. She had never seen him so depressed. Of course, he had died and stayed dead for several minutes. Severe emotional trauma could only begin to describe the emotional effect that would have on him. But the jerk had the warped sense of humor and presence of mind to play a cruel prank on his grandson the second he came back to life.

"Joseph - " she began to be abruptly cut off when his eyes, suddenly ablaze with anger locked onto hers. What the hell is he so mad about? Who made him this angry?

"I need to talk to you," he said, his eyes sliding toward the door when he heard Suzi's voice.

"You are talking to me, go ahead," she urged him, sitting back down on the bed.

His eyes looked past her, staying on the door as his wife approached. "Not here. I can't risk her hearing."

"What the - "

"Layla! Can you get the door please?" Suzi requested from the other side.

Layla hopped off the bed and ran to the door to open it. She took the tray loaded with a full coffee pot, cups, and cream and sugar from her to set it on the round table in the corner of the room.

"So how is he?" she asked, sitting down in one of the padded chairs at the table.

"He's just a little stressed. Probably the lack of activity the last week. After his coffee, he's getting up, and we're going for a walk," she informed Suzi as she poured coffee into the cups. She picked up one cup and took it to Joseph. "Isn't that right, Grandpa Joe?" she asked, handing him the cup of black coffee.

"Yep. The fresh air will do me good," he agreed, taking the cup and saucer from her with a relieved expression on his face.

This is why he liked this girl and wanted her to be his private nurse. She sensed and understood things, using her intuition and emotional intelligence as well as her book smarts to treat her patients.

Layla sat down in the other chair at the table to fix herself a cup of coffee while sitting with Suzi Q. After taking her first sip, she set the cup down on the saucer and looked at Suzi who was gazing at her husband. The concern and love she saw in the woman's glittering blue eyes made her smile.

"He's fine," she assured her, reaching across the table to pat her hand. "He just needs a little exercise. He's probably stressed because he's not running around in some god forsaken country doing something crazy and dangerous to make us all worry."

Suzi chuckled lightly which helped dispel the tension in the room.

"You're probably right," she agreed, taking a sip of her coffee with cream and sugar.

"What are your plans for the day, Grandma Suzi?" Layla inquired.

"Holly and I are planning on doing a little more shopping. Jotaro's birthday is only a week away," she stated as if anyone needed to be reminded. "Speaking of my grandson..."

Layla's cup clinked against the saucer as it slipped on her finger when she tried to pick it up. She concentrated on keeping her hand steady as not to spill the hot liquid on her thighs as she brought the cup to her lips.

"You two seem to be getting on quite well. I notice you've taken to calling me Grandma Suzi more than you used to. I quite like it you know," she admitted, giving the red faced nurse a sweet smile.

"Ah, w-well, th-thank y-you," Layla stammered, taking too big of a drink of the scalding hot coffee and burning her tongue. "I think of you both as my grandparents. You're not just patients anymore. You haven't been for quite a while. Even before...even before now."

Layla cast a glimpse at Joseph Joestar who was staying suspiciously quiet and sipping his coffee as if he could not hear the conversation taking place six feet away from him. She poured herself more coffee, adding extra cream this time to cool it off a little more and hoping the cream would coat her burning tongue.

"You know, I can't help but think someone had a hand in playing cupid," she remarked.

Joseph coughed, choking on his last mouthful of coffee before he could swallow it.

"Jotaro and I seemed to know an awful lot about each other before we even met. He took me to the aquarium last Saturday. I just can't imagine how he figured out I absolutely love visiting aquariums without a big old gray birdie telling him," she said, side eyeing Joseph.

"Layla, will you get me another cup of coffee please?" he requested, extending the empty cup to her on the saucer.

"Of course, sir," she replied, abandoning her cup to fulfill his request.

"Where is the boy taking you on a date today?" Joseph asked when she handed him the freshly filled cup.

"We haven't decided yet. Got any ideas?" she asked, raising a genuinely curious eyebrow.

"I made reservations for you two at a very nice restaurant. Wear something pretty. And sexy," he added once she had returned to her chair.

"Jojo, tsk tsk," Suzi admonished him with a cluck of her tongue.

Layla resisted the desire to giggle like a giddy schoolgirl. Although embarrassed, she did enjoy their good natured joking despite it being at her expense. She lifted her cup to her lips and inhaled the scent of the coffee before drinking it. She really loved being a part of this family.

After their coffee and conversation, Layla placed the empty cups on the tray and prepared to take it back to the kitchen. Not passing Jotaro on the way, she assumed he fell back to sleep.

The week had been long and difficult for him. He had several make up tests in addition to the many practice tests for graduation and university entrance exams. Only one month of school remained before he graduated high school and started on the true path of adulting. He deserved being able to sleep in this morning.

"Good morning, Layla," Holly greeted her cheerily after she toed open the door and entered the kitchen.

"Good morning," she rejoined, using her heel to push the door closed behind her. "How are you feeling?"

"Are you asking as a nurse or a friend?" the woman asked, giving her a thousand watt smile she could not help but return.

"Both," she replied, setting the tray on the counter beside the sink where Holly was washing dishes.

"I feel great!" she answered enthusiastically. Her voice quieted, growing more serious when she asked, "How is Daddy?"

"He's fine. He's just been far too lazy," Layla told her.

Her gut tightened with guilt because she might be telling a lie. She had yet to find out what is going on inside of that head of his which had to be an extremely busy place.

"We're going to the park for a long walk. I think it will him a world of good. He seemed to do really well last week after your walks," she said to make conversation.

"Yeah. He did. Thank you, Layla, for taking such good care of my parents," Holly said, picking up the cups from the tray to wash them.

"Oh, I enjoy it. They mean a lot to me."

"I know. And that's what makes you so special. You truly care."

"Thank you," Layla returned, feeling the heat of a pleased blush heating her face.

"Come on, Layla, let's go! I ain't got all day!" Joseph hollered as before he reached the kitchen.

"I'm coming," she returned, opening the door to meet him on the porch. "And yes, you do have all day."

"Here," he said, shoving her coat into her hands. "Suzi told me to get this out of your room." His mouth stretched into a lecherous grin. "I saw you didn't sleep alone last night."

Layla felt as if her face suddenly burst into flames. Snatching her coat out of his hand, she put it on and swiftly walked ahead of him almost running.

"Now I know why Suzi made the comment about you two getting on well."

"You shut up right now, and don't be a dirty old man."

"Slow down! Stop walking so fast!"

"You walk faster!"

"Ugh...holy shit," he muttered, picking up the pace to catch up with the nurse who was practically running away from him.

They walked the few blocks to the park that included paved walking paths with benches placed at intervals, playground areas for different ages, a pavilion and picnic tables all among several acres of trees and bushes and small hill. There was also a thin ribbon of a stream snaking it's way through the park with a traditional red bridge over it.

Joseph stopped on the bridge to stare down into the clear stream at the rock covered bottom.

"Layla, there's something I need to confess," Joseph said, laying his hand on her arm as she stood beside him gazing into the fast moving water.

I'm not a priest, you know, she was tempted to return in her typical snarky fashion. When she saw the pained expression on his face, the way his eyebrows drew together, his nose wrinkled, and his lips peeled back from his lips as if abject torment, her tongue stilled.

"What is it?" she inquired instead, placing her hand over the back of his resting on her forearm.

"This is going to be difficult for me to say," he sighed, looking up to sky as if requesting the strength from God to continue. "Seven years ago I did something I can't take back...but wish I could every day."

Layla felt sick when his face paled and his fingers grasped her arm. Not knowing what else to do, dreading whatever bombshell he was about to release on her, she patted the back of his hand reassuringly for him to continue.

"I was lecturing about the vampire cults of the Aztecs no one ever learned about in their history books at a private all girls university in Tokyo," he said.

All girls university? Oh, no!, her inner voice screamed. Her intuition quickly sensed where this was going.

"I had a replica of the Stone Mask Dio had used to become a vampire. There was one student who wanted a closer look," he went on, pulling his hand from under hers to turn his back to her.

Layla leaned against the stone wall behind her as her knees shook and threatened to give out on her completely.

"She had so many questions. Intelligent questions. Serious questions. She didn't ask stupid things like the others such as can you really kill a vampire with a stake to the heart or do vampires use mind control or sex appeal to seduce their victims. She asked if she could treat me to a cup of tea," he said, inhaling a deep breath.

"You hate tea," Layla interjected. Why her reeling mind picked up on that minor point to address she did not know.

Joseph took off his hat and scratched the back of his head as if he meant to pull out the hair and rip off the skin.

"I know," he muttered, plopping his fedora back down on his head. "That's why I said make it coffee and you got a deal."

"Oh, my god," she gasped, pressing her fingers to temples and massaging as a headache began to blossom behind her eyes. "Joseph Joestar, if you're about to tell me something that is going to change the way I feel about you...that will keep me from looking you in the eye ever again...please, just stop right there," she begged, her voice shaking.

"Layla, please, I need to talk about this. I have never told another soul and I have carried this guilt around inside of me for so..." He inhaled sharply, his breath hitching. "For so long, I feel like it's eating away at my insides. I need to tell someone."

"Then go tell a priest," she said coldly.

"I'm not Catholic," he retorted.

"I don't care!" she screamed, her voice echoing across the park.

The people in their vicinity turned to look at them momentarily before continuing on their walks.

"I've heard confession is good for the soul," Joseph murmured in a low voice, shuffling his feet back and forth nervously.

"What about my soul, Joseph Joestar?" she retorted, her eyes latching onto his face with a fierce glare. "Like I said, go find a priest and - "

"I cheated on Suzi. I had an affair," he blurted, his eyes daring to meet hers that wanted to burn a hole through his head.

"Oh, no," she gasped, her face collapsing into despair. "I didn't - " Her breathe came in shuddering gasps as the tears rushed to her eyes. She squeezed her eyes shut and shook her head. "I didn't want to know that."

"I'm sorry," he whispered unable to speak any louder. He took a seat on the nearby bench.

She stared at him with shiny eyes covered by a layer of tears.

"How dare you do this to me? How am I supposed to look your wife in the eye and act like I don't know what I know about you...about what you've done...what you've done to her?" she demanded, staring at the ground under feet because she could not bear to look at him.

"I don't know. I'm sorry," he apologized, hanging his head guiltily.

"I'm not the one you should be apologizing to," she rejoined. She took in several deep breaths then asked, "Was there a child?"

"A...a child? I don't know. I never thought - "

"Yeah, obviously," she scoffed, raising her eyes to look at him.

Joseph looked dumbstruck. How could the possibility of the girl getting pregnant never have occurred to him? He could be so irritatingly dense sometimes.

"If she got pregnant, wouldn't she tell me?"

"Holy shit," she muttered, slapping her forehead. "Not necessarily, no. She might have been too embarrassed or too ashamed to say anything to anyone. Or maybe she just didn't want anymore of your interference in her life."

Joseph shifted uncomfortably on the bench as she glared at him accusingly.

"Perhaps she found out you were married and had the decency not to confront you for your wife's sake. More likely, after making one bad decision she did not want to make another by speaking to you again," Layla remarked cruelly.

"I guess I deserve that," he muttered, pushing back his hand and scratching his forehead self-consciously.

"Damn right you deserve that and a hell of a lot more. Maybe she never got pregnant at all. Who knows?!" she exclaimed throwing her hands up in the air.

"Please don't tell, Suzi," he pleaded with her.

"Oh, I definitely will not tell her," Layla assured him, standing up from the wall to walk over to him. "I will not be the bearer of that bad news. Oh, no, Joseph Joestar," she said, poking him in the chest. "Breaking her heart will be your job and your job alone. I will have nothing to do with it."

"Aren't you going to slap me or punch me in the face?" he asked, gazing up at her as she stood over him but barely. Even sitting down he almost eye to eye with her.

"No," she replied, shaking her head. "Hitting you would be punishment and that might make you feel better. The last thing I want to do right now is help relieve your guilt."

"We should get back," he stated flatly, standing up in front of her.

Layla stepped back quickly to avoid being close to him. In her rush to distance herself, she lost her balance and stumbled backwards. As she was falling, Joseph reached out with Hermit Purple to grab her. The tentacles appeared to her like translucent, spectral purple vines wrapped around her wrists. She could feel them contracting to pull her back to a standing position.

"You can see it, can't you?" Joseph asked her, withdrawing the Stand.

"Yeah, I can," she admitted. "I don't know how but I can. I saw Jotaro's Stand as well."

"Hmmm," he hummed pensively staring at her as if she had grown two heads.

"What?" she snapped, taking a cautious step backwards.

"Nothing," he muttered, holding out his hand to her. "Let's go."

"No. I'm not going back right now. I can't. I need a moment," she said, turning her back to him. "I will never forgive you for doing this."

"I will never forgive myself for the affair," he stated regretfully, staring at the ground between their shoes.

"Not just that. More so for putting me in this awful position. I won't tell Grandma Suzi, but it's not to protect you. It's to protect her. It was cruel of you to burden me with your shameful secret," she said, her voice surprisingly calm.

"I can't carry it alone anymore."

"That's just selfish and you know it," she growled, her hands forming fists at her sides and pressing into her thighs. "It was yours to carry alone and rightly so. It was your mistake. Why weren't you thinking of Suzi then...huh?" She rotated on her foot to face him. "Why didn't you think about your wife to stop yourself from shoving your dick into another woman?"

"You don't understand. Things were - "

Layla raised her hand, open palm extended toward him in a stop gesture. She closed her eyes and looked away from him. Her breathing was rapid and tremulous.

"I don't care about the why or how or whatever reasons you gave yourself to justify that betrayal. You cheated on your wife with a woman who was younger than your daughter."

"Twenty," he said.

"What?" Her head swung toward him, her eyes opening wide in shock if he meant what she thought he meant.

"She was twenty years old."

"Holy shit," she muttered, fastening her fierce glare to his fast. "She was forty two years younger than you! Oh, my god!" she exclaimed after a fast calculation. "Holly was forty! There was a wider age gap between you and that woman then the age of your daughter. OH. MY. GOD!"

Layla threw her hands up in the air, officially giving up on trying to deal with Joseph Joestar at this time. She started walking away from him as fast as possible.

"Hey, where are you going?" he called to her, expecting her to stop. "Hey! Stop!"

"Nope! No way!" she yelled back at him over her shoulder. "I can't deal with you right now, Mister Joestar. Leave me alone. I quit. I'll call Dad to book me a flight home later."

Layla could hear his heavy footfalls as he ran to catch up to her. With his long legs, a casual jog enable him to reach her in a matter of a few strides.

"Layla, please, I beg of you, please, don't quit," he pleaded with her, walking beside her. "I need you to take care of Suzi."

"I love Grandma Suzi, I do, but..." She halted abruptly. Gazing up at him, the tears she had been holding back leaked from her eyes. "But I just don't know if I can stand being near you anymore. I don't think I can look at you and not feel the guilt or the weight of what you've done to her."

"Layla, I'm - "

"No!" she exclaimed, shaking her head vigorously. She regretted it when she swayed slightly from side to side because of the dizziness. "I don't want to hear your useless apology. Besides, I'm not the one who really needs an apology for that. Good bye, Mister Joestar. I'm done."

The finality in her tone prevented him from following her. Layla continued along the path winding its way through the park. She followed the sidewalk until it looped around to where she began then continued for another revolution. Plopping down on a bench, too tired to walk anymore, she raised her eyes to the clear blue sky above her.

"God...what am I going to do now?" she asked, not knowing if her plea would be heard since she never really prayed.

"Hey!" a man with a deep and familiar voice bellowed at her.

"Shit," she muttered under her breath, standing up from the bench as Jotaro strode quickly toward her.

"Why didn't you come back with the old man?" he asked when he came close enough not to have to shout to be heard.

"Uhm..." She scratched her head nervously as she tried to formulate a fast and believable lie. "I needed to think a while. I've got a lot on my mind."

"Yeah, I'm sure," he replied, almost sounding sympathetic.

He had a lot on his mind as well. A lot of big tests and a lot of big decisions. He reached down and took her hand in his.

"Hey," he said, taking her by the chin and lifting her face to examine her more closely. "Are you okay?"

"No," she admitted, surprising herself by not bursting into tears again. "I'm not okay."

"You look like you could use a beach."

Layla smiled up at him. She had never been more grateful for not having to explain herself.

An hour later, they arrived at the beach. Layla kicked off her shoes and rolled up her jeans. Although the water was freezing cold, she walked along the edge allowing the foamy tips of the waves to wash over her toes as they flowed up and across the sand before being sucked back out to the deep.

Jotaro sat on the sand watching her. When the old man returned distraught and alone, he knew he had to find her quickly. Although he wanted to ask her what happened on what was supposed to be a nice relaxing walk, he did not.

His eyes followed her as she aimlessly strolled, occasionally bending to pick up shells. After examining whatever she picked up, she would fling it out into the waves. Sometimes she would stand facing the water and stare with her hands buried in the pockets of her coat. He wondered what she was thinking when she did that.

His stomach growled angrily reminding him they had missed lunch. Standing up from the sand, he waited for her to turn and walk back toward him. She had set a limit for herself at a a pile of driftwood on the beach. When she reached that wood, she would come back like she had before.

Patience was not typically a virtue Jotaro possessed but at this time he knew he needed to be patient with her because something devastating had occurred. When she stood in front of him, the sea breeze whipping wisps of her hair wildly around her face, he resisted the desire to reach out and grab her to bring her into his chest for a crushing embrace.

"Sunny - "

"Sunny?" Layla scoffed, gazing up at him with a smile on her face.

That was what he wanted to see. She did not look right without a smile on her face. Jotaro figured the unexpected nickname would catch her off guard.

"If I'm your Jojo, then you're my Sunny," he said, running his thumb over her blushed cheek.

"For Sunflower right?"

"Right," he agreed. His sunshine on a cloudy day. He still wanted to know what made those clouds form in her eyes, but he would not ask. "I'm sure you're not hungry, but I'm starving. Let's go get something to eat."

"Actually, I'm hungry too. What about our reservations?" she inquired, walking over to her discarded shoes to pick them up.

"Those were the old man's plans not ours. Since we're here by the ocean, why don't we go to a seafood restaurant? There's got to be at least one good one up there by the road," he said, taking her by the hand to walk across the sand to the boardwalk.

"Sounds great," she returned, squeezing his hand. "Hey, Jotaro...have you ever had anyone tell you something that completely changed the way you felt about them?"

"I'm not sure I understand what you're getting at," he returned, stopping to turn and look at her.

"Never mind," she said, tugging her hand out of his to take off running. "Hurry up, slow poke! I'm famished!"

Looking both ways as she neared the two lane road parallel to the boardwalk, Layla did not slow down as she crossed the empty lanes. They had come to a secluded beach in a little beachside town where only the locals milled about.

Two older women with scarves around their heads nodded and smiled at her as they passed her. She bowed in return, turning to look for Jotaro. He walked across the road casually, completely unhurried as he finished a cigarette.

"Good grief," she muttered using his favorite line. "Which one looks good?"

They perused the line of storefronts. There was a bait and tackle shop, a hardware store, a noodle shop, a small grocery store, a bar, a family restaurant, and a café.

Layla visibly cringed at the sight of the coffee shop. Ugh...damn that man. She didn't know if she would ever be able to drink coffee again thanks to Joseph Joestar. With limited choices, she grabbed Jotaro's hand and started toward the family restaurant.

"Hello, come in, come in," the woman behind the counter with a brown bandana on her head and wearing a matching brown apron warmly invited them. "Sit anywhere you like."

Since they were the only people in the place, the two of them took seats at the counter right up front rather than making her walk across the restaurant. A man they guessed to be her husband and the cook as well, peeked through the opening from the kitchen to the front. He waved a metal spatula in greeting to them.

"Is there anything in particular you two would like or are you feeling adventurous today?" the woman asked, holding two menus in her hand but not handing them over yet. "You can order off the menu or allow the chef to decide what to cook for you."

Layla glanced at Jotaro who gazed at the woman with a raised eyebrow. She poked his arm to get his attention.

"So what do you think?" she asked, waggling her eyebrows at him. "Feelin' lucky, punk?"

"Good grief," he mumbled in his usual grouchy manner. He shrugged noncommittally. "Sure, why not? Give me food and lots of it. That's my only request."

"Okay then. What can I get you two to drink?" she asked, stashing the menus back in the holder behind her.

"Water and beer," Layla quickly replied receiving a questioning glance from her companion. "What? It's been a rough day. I'm allowed."

"Tea for me," he requested.

"Two chef's specials!" the woman yelled back into the kitchen. Her husband must be hard of hearing.

"Are you going to tell me what happened?" Jotaro inquired after their drinks were placed in front of them. He picked up the steaming cup of tea to hold it between his hands to warm them.

"No," Layla answered bluntly picking up the bottle of beer to pour it into the glass. She drained the glass before saying, "What I will tell you is that I won't be working for you grandfather."

"My grandfather? What happened to Grandpa Joe?" he questioned her, a heaviness forming in the pit of his stomach. When she did not smile or offer a snarky retort, his sense of dread multiplied. "What do you mean you won't be working for him? You accepted the job. What happened?"

"Things have changed." She emptied the bottle of beer into her glass and raised it to request another. Bringing the glass to her lips, she took several big swallows, gulping loud enough for both of them to hear her swallowing.

"Hey, hey, slow down," he warned her, pushing down the glass. "Did the old man do something inappropriate?"

Yeah, but not to me, Layla thought but kept her mouth shut. "I just...I just need to work some things out. Some personal things."

That was not a total lie. She wanted to talk to her father, get the full truth behind where she came from and how she came to the Speedwagon Foundation. Her being able to see the Stands made her think there was something he wasn't telling her. She always had the feeling there was something he was holding back from her but never really cared until now. If only Joseph Joestar could be as good at keeping secrets as her adoptive father.

"Miso seafood stew," the woman announced, sitting down two bowls in front of them. Casting a glance at Jotaro, she added, "I'll get that beer, and more tea for you."

"What's going to happen to us if you don't work for my grandparents?" Jotaro inquired.

"I didn't know our relationship hinged on my employer," Layla remarked, finishing off the beer in the glass that was getting warm. "When did we become an us? This is only temporary remember?"

"My mistake for thinking otherwise," he murmured, pouring more tea into his cup from the ceramic pot. "You really are a cold hearted woman."

Layla bit her tongue to hold back the apology wanting to fly out of her mouth. She wouldn't be sorry for letting him go when all she wanted to do was hold on tight. She would not hold him back or hold him up by forcing him to be shackled to her.

Jotaro would be starting his real life soon, going off to college. He could meet someone else there and fall in love. It would be unfair of her to expect him to swear off all relationships while waiting for her. What exactly would he be waiting for anyway? No, she wouldn't ask him to do that.

"You need to explore your horizons, Jojo, see what else and who else waits for you out there. If we're meant to be, we'll find each other again," she assured him, picking up a huge chunk of flaky white fish from the stew with her spoon.

"I have a hard time leaving things up to fate. What about this, we meet at a designated place and time a year from now and see what happens," he suggested, pouring the new beer into her glass. He picked up his tea cup as if to make a toast. "We can decide then how we feel about each other then and discuss our circumstances. Deal?"

"Jotaro, I don't think - "

"Then don't think, you're thinking too damn much and that's your problem. A year from now. I'll even let you pick the place."

"Ugh...fine," she agreed, picking up her beer glass. "To us...and the unknown future."

"To us," he said, tapping his cup to her glass. "And our future."