In Her Sleep

Going Home

Layla didn't know just how much she loved phone calls until her last conversation with her doctor. What was supposed to be a quick chat turned out to be a full blown conversation that lasted all the way through out his lunch break and part of his shift even though she regrets that last bit.

With Simon it's always been quick, short and to the point. His excuse has always been that he has to run, something about making sure his company is fine. So to have Caleb take time to just...talk was nice.

Everytime she talks to him it feels all brand new and she can't get enough and it's all she can think about. She can't remember anything in particular that they talked about but it was so enjoyable she wished they could go on.
She hasn't seen him ever since and she is eagerly waiting for the next time she will see him.
In the meantime her thoughts are full of him and she doesn't mind one bit. She just wants to indulge in this bliss before she has to face reality which will be soon.

"I was told you would kill for one of these."

That voice in her room causes her to look up with a smile because she knows exactly who it is. She finds a milkshake cup placed in front of her and her smile turns into a full blown grin.

"Ooh yeah!" She grabs it in excitement and takes a sip and moans in delight at the amazing taste.
"This is to die for!" She exclaims

"I can see that."
She finds Caleb grinning and she feels a little embarrassed.

"Sorry about that." She clears her throat lightly.

"You don't have to be sorry. I always love watching you enjoy your food. There's not many of your species that can do that especially in front of other people."
He smiles as he sits down at the edge of her bed. He looks tired with dark circles under his eyes. His hair is messy too. Her heart goes out to him. If only she could do anything to help him relax and rest.

"Rough day?"

"Yeah, but nothing I couldn't handle." He stretches out a bit.

"Why don't you go and get some rest? You look like you could drop dead any moment."

He just chuckles as he turns to her.

"Just one more patient then I will be good to go."

Layla frowns.
"Don't you have shifts or something? Am sure someone else can check that patient out."

"No can't do."

"And why not?"

"Because this one patient is special to me and I don't want to hand them over to just anyone. And besides she's my favourite patient."

"That doesn't make any sense. Favourite or not you shouldn't have to kill yours...." She stops mid sentence when she realises what he means.

"I shouldn't have to what hmmm?"

He is now towering over her with arms folded and amusement all over his face. Layla just keeps her mouth zipped. Now that she realises that he is doing all this for her, she is speechless. And hearing that she is his special patient just makes her smile inwardly.

"What...nothing to say anymore?"

"You could still check this patient later. It's not like they are going to die if you don't."

"Nah!"

He comes close and stands by the side of the bed and looks at her.

"May I?" He points to her leg.
The cast had been removed earlier but Layla couldn't use her leg just yet. She needed him to give her his ok.

"Yeah sure."

He bends down and seems to hesitate before he takes it into his hands. The leg is still a little sore, so when he gives it a little squeeze she flinches.

"Does that hurt?"
Both his hands and voice are gentle.

"A little yes."

"Okay, what about that?" He gives it another squeeze in another place but it doesn't hurt as much so she shakes her head.

"I see. How does going home tomorrow sound?"
He finally looks up with a smile after jotting down some notes on her file.

"You are letting me go?"

"Unless you just love this hospital room and want to stay otherwise I don't see any need to keep you here."

"You healed perfectly, though for the first few days I suggest you keep your weight off of this leg."

He points to the one he just examined. She had learnt from him earlier that it was the one that had received the impact in her accident hence the reason she had a cast on all this time.

"And don't worry about the pain, it will eventually stop"

"Thank you."
She looks up at him with a smile even though deep down she is feeling conflicted. While she is so happy to be finally going home she is a little sad that she may not get to see him as she does here.

"We are friends right?" His eyes are now locked on hers as if he is searching for something.

"I guess."

"It has to be a yes or no Layla."
His eyes are still holding hers and she just nods.

"Then don't look so sad hmmmm? We will see each other even out there."

That makes her smile a little. She didn't even think he would want to see her outside of this place. They stay quiet for sometime before he asks her a question she didn't expect at all.

"If you had one wish in this whole world, what would it be? Something that you would do anything to have or do?"

"What? And why are you asking me that all of a sudden?" She chuckles nervously.

"Take it as a friend wishing to know just one thing about you."

"But you know so much about me already." She laughs but her laughter dies down when she finds him looking at her seriously.

He takes her hand in his and squeezes it as he looks at it making her become breathless. When he looks up he smiles and she is sure her breathing function just malfunctioned.

"I...I just wish to know one thing about Layla Jones that the world doesn't know. " he whispers as he looks up from her hand to her face.

She doesn't know what to make of what he is doing now. No one has ever asked such a thing of her and she hasn't even thought of telling anyone any such information about herself. She has always been a private person, keeping those details to herself. Even if she was struggling with anything she would do it alone silently. But right here in this room with him looking at her like that, she finds herself willing to tell him about the one thing that she has desired, prayed for and even cried about.

"A family of my own."

When she looks up at him her eyes are teary as she feels so vulnerable after letting go of that detail about herself. When he looks at her a bit confused she explains.

"After mom died, it has always been just me." She looks out of the window just to gain a bit of courage to talk about the one thing that makes her sad.

"I never knew her family or dad's family. And I may have a few friends but it's just been me, Layla Jones for so long. And I don't want...wish it to be just me until am gone." She turns to look back at him and the tears that she has been holding back just rolled down her face freely. She lifts her hand to wipe her face but he quickly holds her back and he himself wipes them for her.

"I didn't mean to make you cry." He looks at her with a warm gaze.

"But am glad you told me and I do hope you get to have that. Like I said you deserve so much more Layla Jones."

He touches her cheeks and she leans into his touch. She can feel the sincerity in his words and she is speechless for the longest time with only one thought in her mind.

She wants him in her life.