I nodded awkwardly.
“Did you know four of them are our new neighbours?”
“Yep. Did you know Sams one of them?” I asked, gesturing towards the unconscious Sam with my chin.
He didn't answer, but he finally looked up, meeting my gaze, and sighed.
“Layla, I'm sorry I haven't been there for you lately but... can you honestly tell me you didnt just go looking for trouble,” he said, frustrated and not answering my meaningless question.
I stared at him disapprovingly. “Dad, of course not. If it wasn't for the Archers and the Bales I might be in a mental institution... or worse. They were there for me when you weren't, and that's when I needed someone most, so cut them a little slack.”
“I know, I'm sorry,” he said quietly.
We were quiet and the only noises in the room were the beeping of the monitors and the rustling of the wind outside.
The nurse walked in and saved me from more awkward silence. “I'm sorry, visiting hours are closing unless you are willing to stay in the waiting room again,” she said kindly.
Dad looked back at me and smiled a little. “I'll see you when you get out kid,” he said.
He got up and kissed my forehead.
“Bye dad,” I said, yawning and feeling slightly drowsy I think from the painkillers.
That night I didn't have any dreams because I was pretty sure a nurse had sedated me because I couldn't sleep that well. Earlier in the day she said I wasnt physically hurt so I could go home within the next two days, I was however very pale when I came in, like I had been drained of all my nutrition, thats why they had kept me. And it was true, I drained everything out of me and into Sam so he would live. I had also asked about Sams condition. They couldn't tell me much but I had found out he was fine except he looked like he had had premature pneumonia when we came in. He was also in a light coma because his body had lost a lot of blood, but he should come out of it within the next few days, so that was a relief.
I woke up late in the night I presumed, or early in the morning. I could feel someone hovering over me because their body heat was surrounded me like in a cocoon. I squinted in the darkness but knew it was him.
“I'm sorry, did I wake you?” he asked in his musical soft voice.
I felt him caress my face and sighed into his hand. I grabbed his hand and pulled him down slowly so we were huddled on my small hospital bed, face-to-face.
I missed the feel of his arms around me and his scent filling my lungs. The feel of his bare chest was comforting to me with the warmth soaking through my clothes. I was so glad he was moving and had life in him, just the thought of his motionless figure made me shiver.
“I told you you'd be okay,” I said, stroking his smooth cheek.
In the darkness I could see his light green eyes brighten up. “Im sorry I lost my temper in the forest,” he said, smoothing back my hair. “I am usually in better control. I dont know what sort of idiotic thoughts came over me.”
“Don't worry, I forgive you. Just don't you dare leave me again,” I said fiercely, glaring at him playfully.
He chuckled. “I promise,” he said, pulling me closer.
It kind of bothered me that Sam wasn't even worried about dying, but I wasn't going to judge him, because death didnt really scare me either, what really scared me was what I stood to lose.
I looked into his eyes again, envisioning “You scared me... I was scared knowing Id lost you. I know who I am when I'm with you,” I whispered.
He smiled a small smile. “I'm glad you have grown so fond of me because I like who I am when I am with you too. I'm sorry I scared you.”
I grazed my hands across his cheekbone and jaw line for a while, mesmerized by him yet again.
“At least you know how powerful you are now,” he said after a while of peaceful silence.
“Why did I feel like I didn't want to stop?” I asked, slowly and precisely.
“We all feel like that. We all feel powerful using our ability, thats why its so hard to restrain, but not impossible. Most people cant but some can, its all about self control and discipline really,” he said lightly.
“Umm. Ah, I don't want to talk about that now, can we talk about something else?” I asked.
I didn't feel like discussing that. When he was taken away from me I realised that time may be short and can end abruptly. I also realised just how much he meant to me.
“You know we have all the time in the world,” he said gently.
“Huh?”
“Oh, I forgot. You don't really know, do you?” he said, surprise colouring his tone.
“Know what exactly?” I asked cautiously.
“We age once every fifty years.”
My brain still paused. “How can that be?” I asked in disbelief.
“Well, it's something that has been happening for a while with us Supernatural beings. Just every normal 50 years, we age one year physically, but it's like we have growth spurts so we do look slightly older. It's different for everybody when you stop ageing. We still have our normal age, but after we stop ageing properly we start counting the years from then on, we call them Supernatural years. So if someone stopped ageing at 14yrs of age then they wouldnt turn 15yrs old until 50 years later. In that case they'd be 50yrs old in Supernatural years, and 15yrs old in human years. 64 years more or less though.
“When we use our ability often it makes us age like this, looking young for majority of time. But, if we restrain we can make our ageing closer to normal so we age once every 25yrs; it's halved,” he struggled to explained.
Whoa, this wasn't normal and it was scientifically impossible.
“But Peter and Summer have aged, obviously,” I pointed out.
“Yes, thats because when they got hand fastened they restrained. But after they had me they went to work for the council and use their abilities,” he said, lightly stroking the side of my face with the back of his hand. “Some people go crazy from living so long, but others use their time wisely and spend it with their amators.”
“Lovers, right?” I asked.
“Right,” he confirmed with smile.
I processed all of this, and was all of a sudden overcome with curiosity about him.
“Is that why you look s-...” I trailed off because I was about to say sexy but I stopped myself and thought. “Older?” I finished.
He grinned, suspecting I was about to say something else but he nodded. “Yes, I had a growth spurt around 30yrs ago. I have found that around every 100 years our full age rounds up to the age we were when we stopped ageing. ”
“How old would you be if you hadnt used your ability?” I asked again with burning curiously.
“I was born in London 1892 and I discovered my ability when I was twelve, and that is young for us. This year I am 100yrs old supernaturally and 16yrs old human years because I didnt stop ageing properly until I was 14 years of age. All together I would be 114 because we dont count the added years onto our human age. But if I didn't use my ability at all, I would be around 18yrs old human wise. That is if I had restrained from when I had discovered my ability of course,” he told me.
“Even if you were 100, 000 years old, I think I'd still love you,” I said, searching his face.
He pulled me tighter to him and kissed my cheek delicately. “That is slightly disturbing, but good to know.”
“How long have Summer and Peter been around?” I asked after a few minutes.
He looked past me like he was trying to think. “Peter has been around since before world war one, he joined the army when he was 20yrs old, around the 1200's I think. Thats when he found he had an ability so he fled to Paris. He wondered around the world for a while and found he didnt age normally. That's when he discovered another coven full of people like himself. The Quetail coven. That was where he met Summer; my mother. She was 19yrs old at the time and they fell in love the second they met.” He looked at me and smiled lovingly.
“Then what?” I asked, alr
eady absorbed in the story.
“Then they eventually left the coven and got hand fastened. Soon after, they had Jane. They stopped using their abilities altogether and then they had Elane and James; the twins, and lastly they had me in that same year.
“But when I was only a few years old, the Supernatural council offered them jobs as mercenaries, so they took it because of the century we were in and we needed the money,” he said, not stuttering in any part of his story.
He was an excellent story teller.
I bit my bottom lip, trying not to be embarrassed about being so close to him and thinking of my appearance.
“How do we actually get our abilities?” I asked.
I had been curious about it ever since I realised I had one. Obviously it didnt hurt to get my ability, but how did I actually get it?
“It usually is genetic, and eventually when we reach a certain age, our brains release this abundance of energy throughout our body system. The energy released is different in all of us because it is our ability, but you can feel when youve stopped ageing from it. Sometimes it is before you get your ability, sometimes after, and sometimes when you get it. Though I don't think any ability is exactly the same, maybe similar, but never the same,” he explained, which only extended my curiosity further.
“How do you know so much?” I asked gently.
“I have read a lot of books on our history in less than 100yrs. You get kind of bored when you are emotionless,” he answered with a teasing smile.
It was silent for a while whist I processed my thoughts. So much information was in my head, it was like re-learning our whole history.
“Do you…” I trailed off, embarrassed by the thought.
“Do I what?”
“Never mind,” I said looking away uncomfortably.
“Tell me. If you dont, I will think it is something bad,” he threatened with a dazzling smile.
Even in the dark I could see his features clearly.
I sighed. “Do you think maybe one day we might… you know...” I trailed off again, this was really embarrassing, I wished I never opened my mouth.
“Oh,” he said shocked. “I-I don't really know, maybe.”
It was quiet for a moment before I spoke again.
“Do you find me… attractive,” I asked quietly, not looking at his face but regretting opening my big mouth again.
“Attractive?” he asked slowly.
“You know, in that way?”
It was silent while I waited for him to answer. I was suddenly regretting saying anything, but then on the other hand I was curious to what his answer would be.
“Well, I am a male and just because I have an ability it does not mean there would be any reason why I do not,” he said too fast, I had to listen hard just to catch it all.
“So that would be a yes?” I asked with a smile.
“Yes, it would be a yes. I think you are the most beautiful curious girl that loves someone as dense as me,” he said, a smile in his voice.
I moved forward and pressed my lips to his gently for a minute and he kissed me back just as softly.
“You're not dense, you're very intelligent, and guess what?” I asked, a sly smile on my face.
“What?” he asked, half smiling and making my heart miss a beat.
“I love you for you. Not for your looks or your money and possessions, but you.”
“Thank you,” he murmured when I pulled away.
“For what exactly?” I asked, confused.
“For you. You are the purpose of my life now, I feel like I was put on this earth because you would be here, I just had to wait. They say that true love is an eternal flame, I had never actually believed it until...”
“Until what?” I asked softly when he didnt continue.
“Until I met you,” he murmured slowly.
I pulled myself closer to him again so my nose was touching his.
“You should sleep now,” I whispered. “You were more hurt than me.”
“No, I was not. We were just as equally hurt,” he whispered. “But you are right, I am tired and you probably are too.”
“Umm,” I said with a yawn. “Sam, I love you,” I whispered, hearing the words ring out from my heart.
A few seconds of silence ticked by before he answered. “I love you Layla. I will be here when you wake up.”
He kissed me one last time with a smile before my eyes closed and I drifted to sleep in his warm comforting arms.
****
“You're being biased,” I said to Jane, rolling my eyes.
“I'm telling you, you are pretty powerful. Back in the forest you should not have been able to do that. You should not have been able to heal a heart wound, it is physically impossible. It goes against the rules of nature... though I am glad you had been able to,” she said, thankful.
I looked at her doubtful but let it go. “Well, what are we doing out here exactly?” I asked.
Jane had dragged me to the backyard and it was cold outside so I wasnt really enjoying myself.
I chaffed my hands against my arms and shivered when a strong breeze passed.
“We are all going to trade off sessions with you to try to teach you how to control your ability,” she explained, sitting on the outside seat.
I sighed and rolled my eyes before going over to sit next to her.
“Alright, first I am going to teach you some breathing techniques to help calm your temper,” she said, closing her light blue eyes and taking deep breaths through her nose.
I closed my eyes and did what she was doing. “So does everyone do this?” I asked casually.
“Yes, we were all taught to control our emotions because bad things can happen in consequence. As you saw previously,” she explained.
“Right, so… what do we do after this?”
“Umm, after this Hunter and Fredric are going to figure out what the extent of your ability is. They volunteered.”
I shook my head, laughing slightly. By the sounds of it they had their schedules sorted already.
“What was the point of coming outside then?” I asked, breathing in and out, feeling more relaxed.
“To breathe fresh air and to get you away from any distractions,” she answered in a sly tone, making me laugh.
“There,” Jane said.
I opened my eyes and looked at her.
“Do you feel calmer?”
“Uh, sort of. I guess I'll keep that handy,” I said.
I did actually feel calmer, more mellow I suppose.
“Can we go inside now?” I pleaded, jutting out my bottom lip and looking up at her angelically.
She looked at me disapprovingly.
“Come on Jane, it's cold out here,” I whined and pouted some more.
She laughed lightly and let up. “Okay, okay. I think they are in the ballroom waiting for us anyway,” she said, grinning.
I shook my head and sighed. “Jane, Jane, Jane,” I said, standing with her and wrapping one arm around her neck. “For someone who is older than me by like 100 and something years, you are so impassive sometimes,” I said teasingly with a smile.
She laughed trillingly. “Hey, I'm not that old, and I know its why you love me,” she said, still laughing.
“Yes. I love you all, you're all so unique,” I said, heading towards the house.
“Hmm, that makes no sense. And you call me impassive because I don't give anything away?” she said, shaking her head mockingly.
“Yeah, yeah,” I said, rolling my eyes at her.
She just laughed even harder. She was so beautiful that sometimes I was jealous, of her, Elane, and Summer. All of them are much more prettier than me, and I envied that.
“Okay, now what were you feeling when you drained that Warrigal member?” Fredric asked me.
I was now in the Ballroom sitting on top of the grand piano. Jane had left me with Hunter and Fredric and now their training was in session.
“Let me see… anger... sadness
,” I said darkly.
“Good, now we have to recreate those feelings to see exactly how your ability works,” Hunter said, getting up off the floor and walking over towards me.
“Fredric, come here,” Hunter said, motioning for Fredric to walk towards us, smiling like he had just had an idea.
“Alright Lays, we need you to concentrate on those feelings, when you think you have it, do what you did to that Warrigal dude, to Fredric,” Hunter encouraged me, making no sense at all yet perfect sense.
Fredric stood in front of me and had both his hands by his sides turned palm up.
“Are-are you sure?” I asked, a little worried.
I didnt want to hurt Fredric, never in a billion years.
“Were sure. Come on Lays I can take it. Just do it fast before I change my mind,” Fredric instructed, looking down at the ground and concentrating.
“No, I'm not going to hurt you,” I said to Fredric.
I jumped off the piano and started walking away.
“Lays, it's okay, if I think it gets to be too much I'll cut you off,” Hunter reassured me.
I stopped walking and thought it over. If I did get too carried away I knew Hunter could stop me, but what if he was too late and I killed Fredric accidentally. After all, I had almost killed Sylar in the forest and that was no accident. Surely it was impossible to think that I could leave an enemy alive and not family. I had self control, otherwise I would have killed Sylar.
“Okay,” I said unsure, turning to face them. “Are you definitely sure?”
“Positive, now close your eyes and concentrate,” Hunter said while leading me back to the grand piano. “Concentrate,” he said again, but softer this time.
I closed my eyes and tuned out everything. I went back to the day in the forest. I remembered seeing Sylar and feeling pure hatred and bile towards him. My blood was boiling under my skin, I could feel the same build up of energy inside of me. So I tried to remember further, when he had kissed me, when he had warned me to stay away from the Archer family, all of it came flooding back and the pressure inside me built.
I opened my eyes in a flash. My senses felt sharper, along with my vision. I looked down at my hands and they were projecting a bright blue vibrant light, and as I turned my hands over and over, it looked as if I could see tiny energy particles floating in the light.
The Hidden Revelations: First Light Page 23