AN: Hey guys! Sorry it took me two days this time, it was a tough chapter and my mom is out of town until Saturday morning so I'm assuming a few of her duties. Thank you all for over five hundred reviews. I don't know how long this story may go, I think I might get to fifty chapters if not more. :P Next chapter will be in Quil's POV, we haven't seen this all from him in a while. :P

Chapter Twenty-Nine

Stay With Me

I listened to Willa's rants about werewolves until she passed out late into the night. Jasper had come back and had taken the couch as his own, reading a very thick book. I wandered my room for an hour before finally succumbing to sleep and I really wished I didn't. I had another nightmare.

This one had no blood, but it was worse. Much worse.

I was with my mother, we were driving and I kept asking her where Quil was. She kept telling me there was no Quil, it was all in my head. When you hear something like that at five, it's hard to digest and I kept asking and I would get the same, cold, hard answer.

"Quil doesn't exist, he's not real."

That's how my mother made me forget Quil. She had me believe he was part of my imagination. I didn't wake up screaming. I woke up bawling my eyes out. I couldn't breathe for a few minutes I was sobbing so hard.

When I finally got a hold of myself I knew I had to go see Quil. Three in the morning be damned, I'm his imprint, he won't mind. Right?

I changed into jeans and my rain boots and left the house, walking down the road toward Quil's home. This was my semi-smart decision. I was walking to Quil's house alone in the dark, but I would be staying there, no matter what. Quil's truck and Lena's car were in the driveway as I cut across the yard and run up to the door. I only had to knock twice before Quil opened the door, still half naked.

He looked tired, sad, relieved and a little angry.

"What are you doing here?" He asked irritated and anxious.

"I couldn't sleep." I mumbled, hoping I wasn't in too much trouble. I mean, Jasper was near by, he would hear if anything went wrong.

He reached back into the house and pulled his keys out. "I'll take you home." He said blankly. He tried to walk out of the house but I didn't move out of his way.

I started squirming in my spot. "I was –um- kind of hoping to stay with you." I said hopefully, smiling as much as I could.

His dark brown eyes went from tired and somewhat relieved to pained in seconds flat. "That's not a good idea." He said quietly.

I looked down at my feet so he wouldn't be able to my entire face fall. "Yeah, stupid idea." I agreed as tears formed in my eyes and chest tightened, turning to walk for the truck.

I didn't make it two steps away before Quil had pulled me back and into a tight hug. I don't know what changed, but something did and I was grateful either way. He swooped me into his arms and carried me into his house, shutting the front door quietly and taking me into his room. I kept my arms tight around his neck in case he changed his mind again because I really didn't want to leave.

He carried me to the bed and laid me down. He followed, laying down in front of me and pulling me into another hug. I nestled myself into his muscled chest happily and I couldn't help but think how this was twenty times better then snuggling up to a fire. Just as hot, without all of those third degree burns.

"Comfy?" He asked amused.

The only response I could manage was a mumble. "Mmm,"

My eyes had drifted closed before Quil even got a blanket around me, like I needed one with his freakish body heat, and he took off my rain boots and tossed them in a corner. I was damn near asleep when his arms went rigid around me. His whole body was stiff, like he was in pain. I opened my eyes and peered up at him. His eyes were screwed shut tightly and his lips were pursed into a thin line.

"Are you okay?" I asked concerned.

His eyes opened slowly and smiled. I knew it was a fake and it only made me more worried. "Fine," He answered softly, rubbing my back.

I sat up quickly. "You're in pain." I noted as he lost the pained look on his face and sat up with me.

"It's nothing." He assured.

"Did one of the vampires hurt you?" I asked glancing around his ribs and arms. There were no visible signs of injury but he still looked like he was in pain.

"No," He said seriously.

I wasn't convinced that he wasn't hurt so I tried to look behind him at his back, but he grabbed my arm and pulled me back to look at him, cradling the side of my face as he made me look at him dead in the eye. How was I supposed to figure out what was wrong with him with those eyes staring me down?

"Don't worry about it, lay back down." He murmured.

There was no fighting, I was tired and his arms were so nice and warm and those flippin' eyes of his were still pleading with me. I eased myself back into his arms and rested my head on his shoulders. I could feel him stiffen around me, and I knew it wasn't fine. I started wiggling out of his strong grasp.

"Claire," He said exhaustedly, letting go of me so I could jump out of bed.

I looked down at him as he looked up at me tiringly. "You're hurting, I don't want you to hurt because I'm a terrible sleeper." I mumbled guiltily. I still had no idea what was wrong with him but I knew it had to do with me.

In a swift second he was on his feet and his hands had laced with mine. "I'm not going to let you leave when I know you're not okay." He murmured sadly still with those damn puppy dog eyes!

"I'll stay, I just don't want to hurt you." I said defeatedly. He had a victorious smile as he picked me up and set me back on the bed.

I felt the slightest unshaven stubble of his chin as he leaned his head over my cheek. "I won't let you." He whispered before flipping over me and laying on the other side of the bed, reaching out to brush my hair out of my eyes.

"If I hit you, I'm sorry, I flail in my sleep." I mumbled as I slipped under the covers and watched Quil stretch out on the other side of the bed, leaving one arm to reach out and hold my hand.

He smiled. A real, amused and happy smile. "No, you don't." He said surely.

I yawned and snuggled deeper into the pillow. "That's creepy, you know." I whispered.

I felt his warm lips brush across my forehead. "You'll get used to it." He murmured against my skin.

I barely heard him finished his sentence when I fell asleep. It was that deep peaceful sleep that makes you feel like a new person even if you wake up two hours later. However, I don't know how long I was asleep when I was woken up by something, what it was I have no clue, but I was awake anyway and listening to a heated conversation between Quil and his cell phone.

"No Sam, I'm not, she's asleep for the first time in three days, and I'm not sending her back to her fathers because you say so." He spat viciously, all the while quietly.

So, it's Sam he's having a not so nice conversation with and it was about me. That's usually how it's been going around here. A few seconds later Quil was back on his whispering rant.

"You don't have to keep telling me, I know. This whole goddamn cluster fuck has blown up after I told all of you it would." He ground out, frustrated.

Do any of the werewolves of the Quileute Reservation sleep? The sun is starting to creep into the night sky and two grown men are up and fighting over my insomnia.

"You honestly think I'd hurt her?" He asked tired and still quiet. I don't know what Sam said on the other end but Quil's tense body relaxed, "Thanks Sam," He said relieved and hung up the phone.

He stood and turned to face me and I gave him an impish smile as soon as I was caught.

"How much of that did you hear?" He asked with a wince.

"Is this one of those things you can tell me?" I asked frowning. If it hurt him I didn't want to know. I didn't need to know.

"Did I tell you Sam and Jake are Alpha's?" He asked lying back on his side of the bed.

"No," I said shaking my head. I would have remembered something like that.

"Since they are, they can give us an order and we have to follow it, or we experience excruciating pain." He explained frustrated.

"Ouch," I said sympathetically.

"Sam gave us all a standing order, not to talk about Seth and Willa in our human form. And when you came back he gave me another one." He said looking at me wearily.

"What?" I asked, wincing already. I take it this is the one that's making me cause him pain, as much as I wanted to know, I really hoped it wasn't anything I did consciously.

"No sleepovers." He said nodding to me in his bed.

My eyes narrowed and my jaw dropped and I snapped up. "He didn't." I said lowly.

He sat up with me and grabbed my shoulders. "He's just looking out for you." He said trying to assure me.

I started yelling from there. "I'm eighteen! I am an adult. I can-" I was swiftly stopped by Quil and his lips.

It was a nice, calm kiss. Just like the one I gave him when he wasn't suspecting. Hm, he's learning. It wasn't long, but it was long enough to calm me down and make me forget all the painful acts I had been imagining up for my uncle.

When he released me, he still held my chin and made me look him in the eye. "Don't worry about Sam." He said quietly.

"Okay," I said already forgetting why I was angry at Sam in the first place.

He smiled and pulled away, laying back on the bed. "Come on, back to bed, you hardly got an hour of sleep." He said patting to where I was laying before I got all angry.

I sighed and settled back into the pillow that I'm claiming as mine because it's just so damn comfy. "It was a nice hour." I mumbled.

I closed my eyes and prepared to fall asleep, but my body wasn't happy with the position, so I rolled and twisted until my back was facing Quil and I was half on my side, half on my stomach. I felt a muscled arm circle around my waist as a warm body curled behind me. Quil has to be a sadist.

"Doesn't it hurt if you…?" I asked trailing off as I looked up at him over my shoulder.

He shook his head and slipped his other arm under me to pull my back flush against his chest. "Sam rescinded the order." He said smiling.

I smiled back and snuggled into his arms. "I may not bludgeon my uncle yet." I murmured as my eyes closed once again.

"Sleep," He ordered in a whisper.

"'M getting' there." I slurred, too tired to try and clearly say my words.

I fell asleep without a problem. I was in the middle of blinking when I passed out cold. Again, I had no clue how long I slept when I woke up the next morning, but the sun was high and heating the whole room. I was however alone, the spot behind me no longer warm from Quil's constant fever. I shuffled out of Quil's room, trying to brush out my hair with my fingers and into the living area. The TV was on and lounging on the couch was my Quileute, still half naked, watching some kind of sport.

"Do you sleep?" I demanded. It's like he's always awake no matter how late it is or how long he's been up.

He looked over to me with a wide grin. "I've been known to." He said dryly.

My stomach rumbled, not very loudly but I felt it and was instantly reminded of my need to eat. "I'm hungry." I pouted.

One second Quil is sprawled out on the couch, next second I'm being carried into the kitchen and set in one of the seats. There was a plate in front of me with pancakes, eggs and bacon, much like the set up from the morning he told me the truth about this odd little place. I looked up at him and looked very pleased with himself.

"I could get used to this." I said happily.

I ate breakfast quickly, with Quil sitting to my right as I ate. When I was full and my stomach stopped communication with me, I took my dishes to the sink and started washing them. I set the dishes to the side and walked back to the seat I had and rested my elbows on the table and propped my face up.

"So, are you still prohibited to talk about Seth and Willa?" I asked timidly.

He nodded. "Yeah," He answered quietly.

"Oh," I muttered disappointedly.

"I don't like it either, but the order is Seth can only talk to Willa about it." He ground out, his shoulders tensing as he spoke.

"Are you okay?" I asked concerned.

"Not supposed to tell you the orders either." He answered, the corner of his lips turning up into a weary smile.

"So don't! I don't want you to hurt." I yelled angrily. This man is starting to infuriate me.

"I don't want to lie to you." He countered seriously.

I could tell there would be no stopping him from doing things his way, so I offered him an ultimatum. "Okay, here's the compromise, I'll let you tell me things that are important when it's against orders." I said trying to sound more firm than angry.

"And if I just start blurting things out?" He asked amused.

"I will jamb my fingers in my ear and start singing Twinkle, Twinkle, Little Star or hit you with a lead pipe, what ever comes to mind first." I growled irritated. I'd hit him if I thought it might do damage and not break a hand in the process.

He laughed and I tried to slap him playfully but he grabbed my arm and yanked me into his lap and I couldn't help but laugh with him. When we finally stopped laughing, I had my arm around his shoulders and his arms were wrapped tight around my hips. All the while, I couldn't help but wonder about Willa and Seth and how to get both of them to do something other than ignore the subject or vie for attention.

I started chewing on my bottom lip and looked down at my lap. Hopefully I could ask him this without the whole pain thing starting. "If it's not too much to ask, could you tell Seth I would like it very much if he would just talk to her about it, that's all. Cause she is very frustrated, and that might make life easier for all of us." I listed off hastily, praying that speed may take away the stupid side affects of Sam's orders.

"I'll pass the message on." He nodded. He wasn't showing any signs of pain, so hopefully he wasn't in any.

I sighed thankfully and dropped my head into the crook of his neck. "Thank you," I murmured appreciatively.

Quil wrapped his arms around me in a tight hug and rested his cheek on my forehead. "What was your nightmare last night?" He asked quietly.

"I remembered something's, with my mom." I answered, frowning as I remembered. I didn't want him to know what she did because it would only hurt him.

"Scary?" He asked, his tone blank and sad.

I snuggled deeper into his hold. "Painful," I mumbled.

He kissed my hairline for a long while and squeezed me tighter. "I'm sorry," He whispered.

"Not your fault." I said as I pulled my head away from his neck and looked at him. He looked at me with such devotion that I really couldn't help myself.

I closed the two inches between him and kissed him square on his lips. It's his own fault for looking at me that way. He let the kiss go on for a few seconds before pulling only an inch away and looked at me through heavily lidded eyes.

"You'll be the end of me Claire Asher." He grumbled as he shook his head. I smiled widely.

AN: Claire and Quil fluff, lots of it! Review!