In Her Sleep

Hold On

His mission partly complete, Caleb allows himself a moment to relax. The war to get Layla back is far from over but he is glad the first part of it was a success. And now he is more than ready for the next part. 
The adrenaline rush episode has passed and he is back to his usual self.
The drive back home is almost peaceful as images of Layla running back into his arms keep flashing in his mind. It's now just a matter of time and she will be right back where she belongs.

"You think she'll be fine?"

Caleb turns away from the road up ahead and glances briefly to his side. Darren, like him, looks relaxed. Sitting next to him so casually, no one would be able to tell that the two of them had been involved in a blood bath not so long ago. 
They had discarded their gear the moment they walked out of Dawson Towers and left V to take care of everything, including their prize.

"She will be. Nothing a little bit of food can't cure." After a quick assessment, Caleb was relieved when the only thing wrong with their subject was low blood sugar levels. She had probably been starved days leading to her rescue. 

"Heartless pricks." Darren scoffs. "What did they think she would do? Fight a hundred armed men if they fed her?"

"Thanks for being here man." Caleb gives Darren's shoulder a tight squeeze. 

"What are brother's for?"

"Brothers…" A smile tugs on Caleb's lips. He owes part of the success of this mission to that relationship and maybe he appreciates it more than Darren realizes.

"So what happens now? I can probably do with a wink of sleep." Darren lays back on his seat and as if the sun agrees with him, it's rays break through car's windscreen, reminding them both of how long it's been since they were at Dawson Towers.

"I have to talk to her first, get the real picture of what in the world is going on. How she got mixed up with Dawson in the first place, though I have a hunch that that snake slithered his way into their lives without them even knowing. He probably promised her something they must have thought would get them what they wanted." 

"I hope that plan involves that bastard remaining penniless." Darren yawns while his eyes flutter shut. 

"Dawson has no idea what is coming to him." Caleb's hands tighten on the steering wheel. 
He already laid out his plan to bring Simon down. He only needs patience. A little patience to make sure that in the end not even Simon's own family will be willing to associate with him.
He is going to make sure the bastard regrets ever meeting Layla.

"I'm all for any fun coming up ahead." Darren mumbles, his eyes still closed.

"I know man, but I think it's time you had some fun with Janice and the girls. I hate taking you away from them for too long." 

"Still can't believe that I'm going to be a dad, again." Darren suddenly sits up, making Caleb let out a chuckle.

His best friend's excitement is unmistakable, one would think he is a first time father. The baby talk is also a welcome distraction from the heavy thoughts swirling in Caleb's mind.

"Thanks for making me an uncle again." 

"Sure man, but, am I a terrible dad for wishing for a son this time around?"

"What?!" Caleb glances at his friend and for a moment he doesn't know what to say to him. Personally, he has never really thought about kids in that way, having a preference and all.

"Don't get me wrong, I love the girls very much, but I can't help imagining all the fun me and my boy are going to have." Darren says dreamily.

"You are an amazing dad and terrible is one word that wouldn't fit you even if you tried. Just don't let Janice catch you out on your fantasies. I'm pretty sure she'll have loads to say about it." Caleb says while a stray thought makes him wonder what kind of father he would be.

"I bet she would." Darren lets out a chuckle. "I bet she would ask me to unthink the entire fantasy."

They both burst out laughing, no doubt imagining Janice insisting on it. The thought also makes him wonder what kind of mother Layla would be.
"You have to rescue her first." His mind retorts, reminding him of his insane plan to let her stay with Simon.
"I need her back." Caleb sighs, not caring if he sounds vulnerable.

"I know man." Darren's laughter dies down. "We'll get her back."

Caleb's phone rings before either him or Darren can say anymore. Genevieve's name flashes on the screen, making him tense instantly. 
"You are not supposed to be calling." Caleb all but growls.

"I know sir, but this is an emergen--."

"If that bastard has laid a finger on her, I swear I will gut his insides with my bare hands." Caleb doesn't let Gen finish before he loses it. A thousand murderous thoughts assault his mind at the thought that something has happened to Layla.

"Miss Layla is fine. But she's getting married." Genevieve announces in panic making Caleb frown. 

"I'm very aware that she's getting married, I asked her to."

"I meant she's getting married in the next two hours."

"Damn it! Two hours?! How did that happen?" Caleb roars. 
He didn't see this coming. He knew Simon would be rattled and push the wedding up, but he didn't expect him to make it so soon. Bringing it forward to two hours makes his plan almost useless.
"How is she taking it?" Despite his anger, his mind switches to Layla and the promise he made to her. A promise she must be thinking he is about to break.

"I heard protests and--"

"What?! You heard protests?!" Caleb loses it again. "You were supposed to be with her all the damn time. She was not supposed to be left alone with that animal." He roars.

"Hey man calm down." Darren grabs the phone and puts it on speaker before Caleb protests. "How are we doing Genevieve?" 

"She's fine sir." Genevieve answers quickly. "She's sticking to the plan, so Simon suspects nothing, yet."

"That's my girl!" Caleb feels an immense sense of pride. And knowing that Layla is fine also makes him relax a little. But no matter how in control Layla might be, he refuses to leave her in Simon's hands a second longer than necessary.
"Gen," he grabs the phone and brings it closer to his lips. "I need you to do something."

"Sure sir." Genevieve is quick to answer and Caleb runs through what he needs done. "I'm on it."

"Good, and make sure you have eyes on her all the time, or there will be hell to pay if you don't."

"I understand."

Caleb cuts the call and throws his phone down, not caring if it breaks. He hates threatening Gen, but she already failed him once and he isn't about to let it happen again. Not if Layla's life depends on it. And neither is he about to let that bastard wed his girl.

"I know what I said, but hold that 'I do' until I get there, Layla." His grip on the steering wheel tightens as an image of Layla walking down the aisle flashes before his eyes. "Please hold on baby."

"What now?" Darren is the first to break the silence between them.

"Change of plan."

"You know that I don't want that bastard wedding Layla too, but you can't do that. You need to think this through man. You don't want that sly fox getting away."

"I can and I have." Caleb makes the fastest U-turn he has ever done in his life and only the stability of his sport's car keeps him from going off the road. "We have a wedding to crash."