Sam brought Layla back into the living room just as Charlie walked in with the pizzas. Sam grabbed a pizza box and sat down, immediately handing Layla a slice and looking expectantly at her until she began eating. Once he was satisfied she was full, he ate the rest. Layla yawned and went to lay sideways on the couch as Sam was still eating. Emmett grabbed a blanket and wrapped around Layla before pulling her onto his lap and wrapping his arms around her. Layla yawned again and laid her head against Emmett's chest and closed her eyes, nodding off. Emmett smiled softly, watching Layla as she settled into sleep. Rosalie watched wistfully, wishing she could have given Emmett children. The way he acted with Layla was an amazing insight on what kind of father he would have been. Rosalie took a bunch of pictures on her cell phone of how happy Emmett looked and how content Layla was to be sleeping against his chest.

"If you wanna go shower and change, she'll be fine here with us." Rosalie said. "She looks perfectly content right now."

Sam bit his lip in indecision. He would really like to shower and grab clothes as he was unsure how long he'd be staying and he would bet Layla wouldn't be satisfied to let him leave otherwise.

"Half an hour, tops." Sam said.

"Take your time. We've got her." Emmett said.

Sam set the pizza box down and took his keys from Seth and rushed home to shower and change and grab some things to take back to Charlie's. Rosalie took Sam's spot and showed Emmett the pictures she took.

"I wish we could keep her." Emmett said.

"I wish you could have gotten her when she was little." Jasper said, looking up from the file about Layla he snagged.

Everyone frowned. Jasper set the file down and rubbed his face. Alice frowned, recognizing her husband was stressed.

"What's in it, Jazz?" Alice asked softly.

"I don't think everyone needs to know." Edward said, tightening his hold on Bella. "Especially not a temperamental Imprinted wolf, if you catch my drift. And they can't hide anything from Sam."

"Just tell us in a different language and the rest of us can decide if they should know." Rosalie suggested.

"Or we can do it the easy way." Seth said just before snatching the folder from Jasper and running.

"They're going to find out either way." Alice said. "Just tell us so we know what we are dealing took a deep, unneeded breath. He explained Layla's life since age 2. How she had grown up surrounded by drugs and violence. To being abused with a terrible frequency. How her own mother had stabbed her for refusing to do anymore drug runs. To being locked outside during thunderstorms and when it was cold and snowing. How Layla was regularly malnourished. Forbidden from social situations with any peers her own age. No physical contact that wasn't violence related.

By the time Jasper finished speaking, the entire room had gone silent, Charlie and Sue included. Seth dropped the folder and went over to Sue, wrapping his arms tightly around her, almost crying.

"Thank you for being a good mom and never hitting us or not starving us and not doing anything like that and I'm sorry for being a little shit." Seth said quickly.

Layla whimpered softly in her sleep, her face tense. Tears began rolling down her cheeks slowly at first. Emmett pulled Layla closer and tried to soothe her. Charlie left the room and walked outside so his emotions wouldn't get the better of him.

"She is having a nightmare about being outside in the snow." Edward said softly. "She's reliving her past. She got yelled at and hit and shoved outside into the cold."

Layla sat up in a rush, coming out of the nightmare and looking terrified. Emmett attempted to comfort Layla, but when he went to grab her hands, Layla jerked in surprise and slid sideways, landing on the floor. Seth quickly moved to the floor to stop Layla from hitting the table. Layla felt the warm skin and immediately turned and latched onto Seth, thinking it was Sam. Seth just held Layla close and let her cry, rubbing her back. Sam walked through the door and his heart dropped out. His Layla was crying one the floor and everyone around her looked grave and upset. He dropped his bag and was over to Layla in seconds, pulling her from Seth into his arms. Layla snuffled loudly and held tightly, recognising Sam's touch and scent.

"What happened?" Sam asked, pulling Layla as tightly to him as he could.

"Nothing that we can't handle. Right, Emmett?" Rosalie asked sweetly.

"Consider it so far handled that it's nothing you need to get worked up over." Emmett said.

Sam raised an eyebrow and turned to look at Seth who had lowered his head. He knew something had happened concerning his Imprint, and it caused feelings of sadness and anger. Sue picked up the folder and considered tossing it into the fireplace. But she knew that Sam needed to know, deserved to know. Against the looks of better judgement, Sue handed the folder to Sam.

"Not while she's awake. She doesn't need to relive it more than she already has." Sue said quietly.

Sam nodded and stuck the folder in his bag for later. Charlie walked back in, his eyes rimmed with red. He took one look at how Sam was clinging to Layla and vice versa. He didn't even have to ask if Sam was staying the night. He knew that anything, or anyone, who cares that much for his niece and whose very presence kept her calm and happy, was expected to stay.

"Layla's bedroom is in the attic. Don't make me regret telling you that." was all Charlie said.

…

Layla hugged everyone as they left, but kept making sure Sam was never more than arm's reach away. She couldn't begin to explain the need she felt to keep him near. In truth, it made her feel clingy and needy and whiney. But Sam didn't seem bothered by it. He seemed to almost revel in the fact that she didn't want him to leave or to even get too far away. His very presence seemed to calm her down and that cologne? She needed to find out what it was and save up to buy a bottle for herself. Layla would douse everything she had in it, herself included. She really wanted Sam to stay the night. He kept the nightmares and memories away. Nothing bad stood a chance against Sam. As if sensing her thoughts, Sam closed the short distance between them and wrapped his arm around her waist, gently tugging her close to him. Layla moved happily, tucking herself against his side.

A perfect fit.

Layla shook her head. She didn't want to get into why she was being this affectionate and this clingy. She'd never been either before. Layla wiped it from her mind. She enjoyed Sam's company and that's how she wanted it to remain.

Because…

She couldn't…she couldn't have him?

Layla winced at the sharp pain in her head. Sam immediately noticed and pulled Layla in front of him and wrote on a notepad. She read it.

"HEAD PAIN. YOU STAY?" Layla asked, looking up at Sam.

Sam wrote on his pad and held it up to Layla. Layla smiled and read it aloud.

"AS LONG AS YOU WANT ME, I'LL BE ANYWHERE YOU NEED ME TO BE. FOREVER." Layla said.

When everyone had left, Layla leaned heavily against Sam. She didn't realize how exhausted she truly was. Sam grabbed Layla's medicine and a bottle of water and made sure she took all of it before picking her up and holding her against his chest.

'Ours.' Sam's wolf said in his head.

Sam agreed with his wolf. Layla was theirs and he was prepared to do anything to keep her. Even if he had to pull some of Paul's own games against him. He could walk around without a shirt and flex whenever he had the chance and wear his cut off jeans tighter and lower slung on his hips.

'Need to punish bad wolf. Tried to take ours.' Sam's wolf growled. 'Tomorrow. Punish tomorrow. Imprint tonight. Love Imprint.'

Sam mentally nodded. He needed to decide and carry out the proper punishment against Paul for attempting to seduce and for kissing his Imprint. Sam growled art just the thought of someone else kissing Layla. It should be only his lips on hers. His lips giving her pleasure and comfort and showing her love. Only his lips making her sigh and whimper with need. His lips swallowing all the sounds she makes… sounds that he draws from her… sounds meant only for his ears… sounds that would let any eavesdropper know beyond the shadow of any doubt that her heart and her body were owned by him… sounds that Sam hoped and prayed Layla would one day give him the chance to make…

God it was hell walking upstairs while trying to conceal an erection from someone whose legs were wrapped around your waist. Sam thought for sure he was going to explode in his shorts like some prepubescent boy. The happy, comfortable scent his Imprint had was only adding fuel to his fire. Layla rubbed her nose against his neck, making Sam falter as he reached her bedroom.

"Smell so good." Layla whispered, her breath warm against his skin.

It's official.

Sam probably wouldn't survive the night without exploding.

...

so i just barely got this chapter finished because i slacked so much because of this crappy week. The next one night nor be out until Tuesday. I need to think of a punishment for Paul, but what? Give me some ideas and suggestions! Also, call your state representatives and everyone in Washington and tell them to KEEP NET NEUTRALITY! If it gets repealed on the 14th, i won't be able to afford internet and that means this story wild go unfinished and my future stories would go unwritten. We need net neutrality!

Also thank you all so much for the comments. You've made my bad week a little brighter 3 and i Love you all so so much.

Whose reasy for Sam to strut and show off and get Layla to lime him more than Paul? Will she remember their kiss? His boner? The accident? How she thinks Sam and Leah are secretly together? Stay tuned and comment, y'all! Xoxoxo