Layla washed her bowl and put it back in the cabinet and yawned. The lack of sleep over the last 3 days was taking its toll on her.
"When is the last time you've slept more than a couple of hours?" Sam asked, watching Layla.
"3 or 4 days? Between the arrest and court and moving…" she shrugged.
"Let's get you into bed." Sam said.
"The storm is really loud and really bright up in my bedroom. I'm okay." Layla said.
Sam refused to accept that his Imprint was ready to go without sleep.
"Come sit on the couch with me. There's music on my phone we can listen to so the storm won't be so loud." Sam suggested.
Layla but her lip and nodded, following Sam to the couch. He pulled a big blanket over and laid back, motioning for Layla to lay down next to him. Sam turned the music on, picking 80s music and pushed play.
"Close your eyes and just concentrate on the music." Sam said, covering Layla up.
Layla laid on the couch for several minutes, her eyes getting heavier and heavier. Sam began to hum along softly, smiling when Layla finally gave into exhaustion and let herself sleep. He turned to his side and pulled Layla to curl up to his chest and rest his hand on her hip. He tucked her head against his neck and allowed himself to be completely selfish for a few sacred moments and bask in the feeling of sharing space with his Imprint. Layla mumbled unintelligibly, moving her hand to try and grab hold of his shirt, but ended up scratching weakly against his chest. Sam gently took her hand and brushed a kiss against her knuckles before settling it over his heart.
Sam was allowed nearly two hours with his Imprint before Jake walked into the living room and gently touched his shoulder.
"Charlie is pulling up. Better move before he comes in here and gets the wrong idea." Jake said quietly.
As much as Sam hated it, he disentangled himself from Layla. Layla whined immediately at the loss of contact and warmth. Sam bent back down and shushed her back to sleep, substituting his pillow for his body. Layla buried her face against the pillow and settled back down. Sam stood and moved away just as Charlie came through the front door. His flashlight landed on Sam and Jake before shining on Layla curled up on the couch.
"The storm scared her up in the attic. She calmed down on the couch when Sam bundled her up and turned music on his phone." Jake said.
Charlie nodded.
"Thanks for staying with the girls. I appreciate it." Charlie said.
Jake nodded and motioned for Sam to leave with him. It took every ounce of strength Sam possessed to make his body move farther and farther away from his Imprint. He snagged his phone and walked outside with Jake. Sam was in no great hurry to get back to the reservation. Everything inside of him, his wolf especially, was demanding he go back and take his Imprint back to his house and put her safely in his bed so he could watch over her.
"It doesn't get any easier… leaving your Imprint. You feel that hard pull to want to rush back to them. But she seems to be taking easily to you. She's shared her food with you twice without being asked. And I saw how she was all but wrapped completely around you on the couch. Her scent was so relaxed. And man… you were pumping out your bonding scent like it was going out of style. Leah is gonna think I've been stepping out on her." Jake teased.
Sam smiled when Jake commented on his Imprint's actions and behavior. His wolf was as content as it could be considering. The two males walked home in relative silence.
…
The next morning found Layla sitting up on the couch, slightly disoriented. She looked around and after several long moments, she remembered she was no longer in Mt. Shasta but in Forks, Washington with her uncle Charlie and cousin Bella.
"Sleep well, kiddo?" Charlie asked from the recliner.
Layla looked over at him and nodded, still half asleep.
"Mhm. Did you?" Layla asked.
"Like a rock." Charlie said. "What are your plans for the day?"
"I don't know. They mentioned about showing a movie at Jake's house this evening. Are you hungry?" Layla asked.
"I wouldn't say no to food." Charlie said.
Layla went into the kitchen and started putting together a big breakfast of waffles, eggs, bacon, and biscuits.
"Wow...I didn't mean you had to cook, Layla. I could have gone out and picked something up." Charlie said, walking into the kitchen. "Oh, before I forget. Sue is sending over a bunch of Leah's clothes that she's outgrown. You and Bella should go through and see if there's anything you want before she hauls it off." He said.
Layla smiled and nodded, grateful that Sue thought of her. She loaded several big plates down with food before putting them on the kitchen table. Bella walked downstairs and commented on how good it smelled before fixing herself a biscuit. Charlie got his place and began eating. There was a knock on the door seconds before Seth walked in, carrying four large black bags full of clothes and shoes.
"Mom did some serious cleaning out… is that bacon? And waffles?" Seth said, all in one breath.
"Help yourself. Fried and scrambled eggs, bacon, waffles, and biscuits." Layla said.
Seth dropped the bags and headed for the table, loading his plate with a mountain of food and digging in. Layla chuckled and started on washing the dirty dishes and pans before drying then and putting them up. She figured she could have at the leftovers when everyone had finished eating.
At least, that was the plan. In theory, there would be leftovers. By the time Layla had finished cleaning up, Charlie had left for the station and Bella went to take a shower. Seth had all but inhaled the rest of the food.
"I forgot what not having to elbow the guys out of the way for food was like. This was delicious. Thanks Layla!" Seth said happily.
"I'm very glad you liked it. Please tell your mom that I thank her for thinking of me and Bella regarding the clothes. I had 3 outfits to my name and they were getting much too small." Layla said.
"Mom will load you down with stuff if you let her. I'm gonna go home and sleep this food baby off." Seth said, heading for the door.
Layla frowned at not having any leftovers but shrugged. She found an apple and decided that it would be an acceptable meal and are as she dragged the bags into living room. Bella walked back downstairs.
"Would you like to go through these first?" Layla offered.
"Oh...no. I've got so many clothes as it is. All yours. Why are you eating an apple instead of the food you made?" Bella asked.
"There weren't any leftovers by the time everyone had finished." Layla shrugged. "An apple is sufficient."
Bella shook her head. Layla had made a mountain of food. Did teenage boys really have a big enough appetite to finish off 10 eggs, ⅔ a package of bacon, a dozen waffles, and half a dozen biscuits?
Layla went through the 4 bags, keeping a lot of what would fit her.
'This must be what Christmas feels like…' Layla thought as she took all the clothes and shoes up to her bedroom. She sorted everything out into drawers and the closet. Layla picked out a pair of jeans and a long sleeved shirt that depicted a wolf and changed into them. She went to brush her teeth and put deodorant on and grabbed a pair of socks and shoes before heading downstairs.
"There's my number one fan club!" Emmett called out.
Layla smiled softly. "Hey, Emmett." She said.
"Remember how you were supposed to be all over me in adulation? Can we get to that part yet?" Emmett asked, grinning.
"Don't brainwash her, Em." Rosalie teased. "We need her fresh minded as she's coming to the house for a huge dose of pop culture!"
"I am?" Layla asked. "Please don't skip your hiking trip because of me…"
"It was cancelled because of the storm." Alice said quickly.
"Bella is going to be hanging out with Edward all day and he won't let me make her into my fan club." Emmett pouted.
Layla chuckled softly and nodded.
"Then I would enjoy the pop culture." Layla said. "And I will try to be your number one fan, Emmett. I just don't know how?"
"It's official. I like Layla waaaay more than Bella." Emmett said, grinning.
"Oh no, oh no, however will I heal from this." Bella said, her tone bored and flat.
Alice, Rosalie, Jasper, and Edward all broke out into laughter. Emmett pouted and Layla got an idea.
"Poor Emmett… everyone else laughing at him. Just wants love and affection and keeps getting pushed aside." Layla cooed.
Emmett's face lit up as he all but ran over to Layla, eating up the attention. He picked Layla up and put her over his shoulder and headed for the door.
"I'm keeping her forever, Rosalie. She's officially my most favorite." Emmett said, heading for the door.
...
another chapter kiddies! I hippie you all like the mushy stuff. Drama is good happen eventually, because duh we need it don't we? Tell me if y'all have any ideas or things you wanna see. I'm so loving these comments. The more you write me the quicker i write more chapters!