Leila blinked twice, trying to get the sleep out of her system. What time was it? She moved a bit, to find herself trapped between a naked torso and that torso's arm. What? She closed her eyes again, trying to remember what had happened the night before. It clicked instantly, this wasn't just any naked torso, it was Sam's. And she'd just spent the greatest night of her life, even better then New Year's Eve, when he'd shared everything about his past.

She sighed softly, opening her eyes again. She didn't move a muscle as she gazed around the room getting a first actual look at it. How many times had she been in here? She couldn't beleive she'd never actually noticed the clean room of her boyfriend. Trying not to wake him, she shifted her body so as to face him, watching him sleep was something she enjoyed, a lot . She didn't know how much time had passed, seconds? Minutes? All she knew was that she couldn't take the silence anymore.

Sure, having him so close, his body so warm against hers, that was everything she'd been dreaming about for the last month, but she wanted him awake, now. She kissed him softly on the neck, slowly making her way towards his lips. "Are you waking up now?" she whispered in his ear, wrapping her arms around him, watching his face as he too started wakening.

It had been a long night, long but great after Leila passed out Sam laid there for an hour or two looking from Leila who slept beside him too the wall behind her. Sam didn’t know why but the fact that he couldn’t sleep unnerved him a little. However that feeling soon passed as he eventually needed up falling asleep around four in the morning.

Sam was caught in a vertigo feeling as he felt like he was flying in his dream, usually Sam tossed and turned throughout the night due to dreams and nightmares from the past but not tonight. Tonight Sam’s dream was a happy one he couldn’t remember exactly what it was about all he knew that it made him happy.

"Are you waking up now?"

The sleep was a short one for a few hours later Sam found himself being awoken to a familiar and welcoming smell; it was Leila, the love of his life. “Nope…” Sam said with his eyes still closed as Leila wrapped her arms around him, “How did you sleep?” Sam asked still sounding like he was asleep as he snuggled closer to Leila. He loved this the feeling of being this close to someone not just someone but Leila. His Leila.

Leila inhaled his scent as he breathed into her face. She felt slightly dizzied by all of this. Her feelings for him had intensified over night, something she'd beleived impossible. Her heart couldn't possibly be able to bare this much love, could it? She leaned her head against his chest, as he snuggled closer to her. Taking her time to answer his question, she studied his features once more. They looked much different when he was concious, older, definiately, but she could see something else about him, something that hadn't been there minutes ago.

"Truthfully?... I haven't slept this well in ages." she admitted, still in a quiet voice, so as to not disturb the mood of the room. Everything was perfect right now, the right amount of sun peered through the window, casting reddish light everywhere, turning the walls a beautiful pink. Then there was Sam, her Sam, the man she adored, loved even more then anything else. This was no joke, this wasn't anything to get herself closer to the X-Men. She truly loved him, and there was no way she'd stop loving him.

Not even if he stopped, after finding out about what she really was. She just hoped, a tiny little bit of hope, that he'd accept her, just like she'd accepted his awful, sad childhood. She pushed the thoughts far at the back of her mind and put a hand on his the side of his face. "How about you?" she asked, "I watched you sleep for a while," she whispered, "I never imagined you could look so cute." she laughed, kissing him.

Smiling Sam said, “Neither have I despite the few hours it was, always thought this bed was to big for one person.” Sam leaned in and kissed her still cuddled up on her. The sun began to rise through the small gap in the window giving a pink tint to everything, Sam let out a small laugh that quickly died down, ‘pink’ thought Sam, ‘same color as those crappy valentine paper hearts weird coincidence’ Sam looked back down to Leila and smiled as she started to speak again.

“Cute” Sam asked curiously as he continued to smile. “First time I heard I was cute… in ever.” Nodding in Leila’s direction Sam said, “Check the nightstand in the top drawer there is a picture in there, if I was ever cute it be at that time. It’s either in the frame or it isn’t. bit faded and worn out. ” Sam felt slightly nervous, as he was about to show Leila his prized possession. She would be the first person that would have seen it other than him self since he escaped from TAT.

His eyes slightly closed Sam had a mental picture of the photo, he has seen it so many times, studied it. He knew everything that was in the picture by heart, the expression of happiness like he never had before as he towered over the boy who was smaller than him. It was the picture of when Sam was a kid. It was a picture of him and someone Sam believed to be his brother. Who else could it be they looked exactly alike despite the size.

“Think it was taken when I was four or five.” Sam said as he continued to imagine the photo in front of him, their was mountains in the background along with trees of all sizes.
Most of them looked like pine trees which blended into the large snow covered mountains behind them. From where they were standing it looked like summer but off in background by the mountains it looked like winter. ‘Home’ thought Sam as he opened his eyes to see what Leila thought.

Leila nodded, "Yeah, well I like my big bed. You know, I usually move around a lot at night." she admitted. She could get used to being trapped between a man's warm body though, it sort of stopped the nightmares too. For over five years now, ever since she'd been kidnapped, every night had been spent a bit restlessly. Well, most of them anyway. Sometimes, she'd wake up sweating and screaming, others, she'd have no dreams at all, just silent blackness. Though, the blackness used to sometimes scared her more then the dreams...

Leila laughed, her laughter breaking the blissful silence. 'Damn,' she thought. "Yep, very cute. Seriously, though, you looked like a little kid." she laughed again, imagining him with a little blanket and sucking his thumb. That would of been so hilarious. Leila tried not to move so much, but by the time she could reach the Drawer of the Night stand, she was nearly out of the bed. Leila opened it carefully, very curious as to what she'd find.

After about ten seconds, Leila was holding a photograph of a younger version of Sam, and...Sam? Wait, no this was his brother. She settled back in bed, holding the picture up. She smiled at the little boys, "You looked a lot like him just moments ago." she whispered with a smile. "I love this picture. Did you ever find your family... After... you know?" she said, slightly hesitant to speak about what she'd learnt a few weeks ago.

Smiling at the fact that she was holding the picture and smiling said a lot to Sam, even though she might of not have treasured it like the way he treasured it still said a lot to Sam mainly that she could be trusted, well he knew that after he told her about his past but now he would be more than willing to share anything with her. The fact that she didn’t blow the picture off made it that much more of another one of his special moments with her.

Not really responding to Leila’s next question right away Sam looked at the picture and sighed. He took the picture from Leila gently and then looked over the picture the way a child looks over a new shiny toy. “Want to say I found a lead on them when I escaped but it wasn’t a good one.” Sam put the picture on the night stand and then turned back and cuddled back with Leila, “found a little information that lead me to a log cabin where it said I was taken but…” Sam paused and then sighed again, “All that was left was a half burned down cabin which looked to be abandoned for a few years.”

Taking Leila’s hand that was closets to him Sam ran his fingers through it and then said, “Don’t think they are dead, they got to be somewhere right?” Continuing to run his fingers through her hand with the attention that a palm reader would give Sam said, “looked for a while back but like I said, all the leads were a dead end. Finally got fed up with it and moved on.” Pausing at his next statement Sam said, “After I gave up the search I went into hiding for a bit, which I guess wasn’t that decent of hiding seeing as TAT found me about a month after I was there. After that I made a run for it and came here.” Sam smile and looked up at her, “This is my home now, haven’t given up on my family at all but I’ll find them.”

Leila frowned slightly at his answer. Not exactly something she wanted to hear, for his sake, but an idea popped into her head, lightening her mood a bit. She could always help him find them, she was about to speak the thought aloud, when he cuddled back in the bed with her, continuing on with the leads he had. It would be really fun to help him, plus she knew it would mean a lot to him if they were both able to track them down. People always said two heads were better then one.

Leila watched his hand tangled into hers. "I'm sure they are somewhere." she agreed, squeezing his hand tightly. She listened as he finished talking and looked back into his eyes. She leaned in and kissed him, when she let go of him, she thought back to her idea. "You know," she whispered shyly. "I could always help you find them. I know how much this would mean to you..." she drifted off, not knowing how exactly to finish.

Sighing, she leaned back against his arm and looked at the ceiling for a while. She couldn't beleive this, how much her life had changed since she'd come to the Mansion. Not only that, but how unreal everything seemed. People with abnormal abilities, her life was like a fantasy novel, or a comic book, maybe. She smiled slightly at the thought that she was the villain in all of this. The villain who, for once, would win against the Super heroes.

Smiling then kissing Leila Sam said, “Yeah you could, but,” he paused for a second trying to find the right words, “feel this is something I got to do on my own… but when I find them you’ll be the first to know!” Sam said with a smile on his face as he kissed her again. He would have loved the help if he was going to be a hundred percent honest with her but all the places he would look for his family would be full of openings that TAT would love to exploit.

In fact he would have loved help from anybody but, Sam wasn’t willing to risk any his friends safety just so he could have a slim chance of finding information that may not even lead to his family. To quote one of his teachers in TAT ‘ the juice wasn’t worth the squeeze’ meaning he wasn’t willing to give up the family he had now to find the one he couldn’t even remember.

Smiling to Leila Sam said, “I appreciate the offer I do but, don’t want anything to happen to you…” Sam couldn’t even imagine what he would do or was willing to do if they took Leila from him. Either way their would be bodies somewhere and a lot more blood on his hands.

Leila nodded, not exactly the response she'd expected. "Okay, just seeing if I could be any help. Though, if you do need anything, I'm here for you." she told him. She didn't mind that he didn't want her to help, she actually understood quite perfectly, but she really wanted him to know she would be there for him, whenever he was in trouble. She smiled at him, brushing her hand against his cheek again as he kissed her.

Now that he mentioned it, this could be dangerous. She felt a bit uneasy now, not for her sake, but for his. She'd never imagined the people that might be hunting him down. When he'd told her about this, she'd always thought that it was his past, and he was done with it all. But no, people were probably still after him. He wasn't dangerous, but being around him may be. What if the... T.A.T. as he called it, held her prisoner for him? If ever they found out about, them.

This passed through her mind so quickly, that her expression didn't even have time to change into fear. What if she was taken for hostage? She didn,t care, as long as she was concerned, anyone could do anything to her, as long as she had her Sam all to herself. "I love you," she whispered out of the blue. She wasn't sure anymore if last night, the three words had only been a dream. Did he know she truly loved him, and that nothing would ever change that until the day she died?

He heard her say those three little words again. Harmless on their own but when put together they had a power a meaning, Sam sure enough said those words last night but was it just a heat of the moment type thing or did he actually mean it? He thought about the things that he and Leila went through over the past few weeks and then without even thinking about it he said, “I love you more.”

When his mind caught up with his mouth he silently laughed to himself and then smiled. ‘Guess I do love her’ Sam thought to himself. The symptoms were all there, his felt like he could float when ever she was around him, his knees felt weaker from time to time when he was around her and he always worried with what she thought about him when she was around him. He did love her.

He squeezed her tightly getting the feeling she was unnerved about the TAT comment, “Would never let them get near you…” said Sam as he squeezed her and then kissed her, “No one’s ever gonna hurt you when I am around…” added Sam hoping that it wasn’t an empty promise but one he could actually keep, after all the way things were now Sam would gladly throw his life on the line for her.

Leila smirked at him, wondering if he could love her more then she loved him. Finally, she concluded that there was no way he could. His hear would of burst so long ago. "I doubt it." she said, turning so she could kiss him better. When she let go of him, it sunk in that they had actually come this far in their relationship. He wasn't just this strange Ice man she'd met in a Café, no he was his Ice Man that had saved her life countless times, that had been there for her, that had shared his secrets... She wished she could do the same, tell him everything. She couldn't though, she knew she couldn't. Really though, rhey were a couple now, and in just a week, they'd be celebrating their month aniversary. Things were great!

Leila frowned after the kiss had ended. "Seriously Sam, that's not what I'm worried about." she said, "I'm afraid they'll get you. I wouldn't be able to do anything to help..." she closed her eyes, trying to push the horrible thoughts away. He was strong, he was a Mutant, those stupid Humans couldn't take him. He was hers, she'd try and kill anyone who came close to him. She was in the Order, she could ask people to kill the humans, they didn't need more info, just that they had to die.

This really reassured her, that she had that kind of power. She leaned against him again and watched the sun, it was way over the top of the trees now. If she was right, it was around 9:30 or something. She didn't want to get up, she really didn't want to leave for Australia in 5 days. She wanted to stay wrapped up in his arms forever.

Sam hugged Leila tighter as she expressed she was worried about him. Him, he who was one of the greatest dogs in TAT history, he who once upon a time killed without a second’s hesitation all for the ‘greater good’. Sam got a foul taste in his mouth every time he said ‘This is for the greater good’ on a mission; it wasn’t for any good only profit. Something that he had to come with terms with.

“Your worried about me?” Sam asked as he snuggled into Leila a little more, which he felt was due to the fact that he on the rarest occasions snuggled. It might also be because when ever he did snuggle as a kid it was in his small cell and a large ice doll that usually played the part of his father or mother.

He let out a small rumble that was a laugh from his chest, “Spent almost my entire life there, no way in hell would I be sucked back into that life, and if somehow I was dragged back to that life they would only put me to work. Too valuable to them alive, how would they make money if I died.” Sam kissed Leila and said, “You're the one that would be ‘disposable’” he bit off the word and felt like he was going to throw up at the words, “That’s why I’m worried about you, what kind of superhero would I be with out my super girlfriend?” he let out a small laugh and said trying to change the subject, “Want some breakfast?”

Leila sighed, "Yeah, I know there's no reasons to be worried, look at you. have the coolest abilities I've seen yet, and I'm not saying that just 'cause your my boyfriend.... But still, I don't like the feeling I have when I think that your being hunted down right now." she said. She shivered slightly, even in the warmth of the bed, even in the warmth of Sam's arms. Was she really that worried? Did she really think he had no chance? Come on, she should know by now that her Sam could easily save himself, even from those nasty Humans.

She didn't say anything when he mentioned he wouldn't ever go back to that life. She knew that, really, she couldn't imagine Sam Johnson a killer. Not even when she knew he'd killed so many people. "I guess I'm a bit paranoid aren't I?" she laughed shakily. At the mention of breakfast though, she realized for the first time that she was starvingly hungry. "Breakfast would be nice." she said, "And honestly, as much as I like staying in bed right now, it would be a good idea to get up." she laughed, watching the sky again.

She hugged him tightly for a few seconds, then let go. "Okay, breakfast time." she muttered as her stomach gave an other loud rumble. She let go of him and slowly stretched out of the bed, feeling rather stiff. She slowly started pulling on the tiny amount of clothes she'd been wearing the previous night, wondering what Sam was up to for the next few nights before she'd have to go. She didn't think he'd mind if she dropped by everytime she couldn't sleep.

Hmm, better start liking coffee if she didn't wanted reasons to not be able to sleep.