When I wake in the morning, it takes me a couple of moments to realize I am not alone. I can hear faint breathing behind me, along with someones arm around me with their hand on the mattress. I realize I must have fallen asleep in Jason's room last night. This was easily the best night of sleep I've gotten in weeks and I was not complaining about it. 

Although I dreaded how awkward this could get when he wakes up and realizes I never left. It was one thing to hang out and talk, but I've basically slept over before we even went on a date.

I try to turn my head to make sure he is still sleeping, but he must have felt my movement because I can hear him stir behind me, before his very large hand presses against my stomach and pulls me closer to him. Now with his chest completely pressed against my back, I can feel the rise and fall of his chest as he breathes. I sit for a second, thinking about how to get up without waking him up, when I realize I really wish I didn't have to. Despite how awkward this could be, I actually feel really comfortable in his arms, and we fit together perfectly in the position we are in. 

"Good morning," I hear Jason whisper sleepily in my ear. I jump slightly, not realizing he was awake.

"Good morning," I say back quietly. "Sorry, I must have fallen asleep here last night," I say while trying to get up. His grip tightens before I can though, and I am back pressed against him.

"I don't mind." I can tell he is probably smiling right now. "Besides, this is very comfortable." I can feel him slightly lower his head to my neck and breathe in a little, before kissing right under my ear. A slight shiver runs downs me at how much his kiss affected me, while I completely ignore the fact that he just sniffed me. 

I don't really know what else to say to that, so I just adjust a little, getting comfortable in his arms. I can tell it is still very early, because the sun is barely out, so I decide to not question it for now and just relax. 

I am so close to falling asleep again when I remember Ella is not in this room, but across the hall.

"Ella!" I say while jumping out of the bed, catching Jason by surprise as he jerks into a sitting position. I run out the door and across the hall. When I open the door quickly, I see her sleeping in her crib, looking completely at peace and relaxed. I breathe out quickly, not really knowing why I jumped so high in the first place. 

"She's still asleep," James says quickly as he comes in rubbing his eyes and walking over to me. I glance over my shoulder to talk to him when I noticed he is completely shirtless. Any reply I had dies in my throat as I once again appreciate how good he looks. I nod quickly and look back to Ella in the crib. 

"Seriously, we can get one of those baby monitors, I am sure we have one in the house," Jason says as he keeps walking over to me, putting his hands on either side of the crib around me, and resting his chin on my shoulder. 

"Uh-yeah, sounds good," I say a little caught off guard by his affection. He asked me on a date, and we talked a lot last night, for hours really, but I know I should feel uncomfortable with how much he touches me. Despite knowing it's a little odd, I actually enjoy it.

But it still makes me nervous every time he does it.

"Wait, I won't be staying with you anyways," I say taking a step away and rubbing my eyes, realizing how early it really still is. I look over at the clock and notice it says 6:23 am. "I apologize again, I didn't mean to crash in your room," I say while looking back to Jason's face. He seems to want to say something, but just nods his head instead.

"Do you have any plans today?" he asks.

"I wasn't really sure. Maybe talk Ella outside to walk and play around in the back yard, or a park if there is one near by?" I end in a question.

"Yes there is a park, but you have to walk through trails in the woods to get there," he says eyeing me, like I will now be afraid of the woods.

"As long as there is a trail, I won't get lost this time," I say with a smile, brushing off his concern. I know I can take care of myself, and if there is a path and a park, hopefully the wolves stay away from the populated parts.

He nods his head and leans down quickly kissing my cheek. "Connie can show you later, I have to go to work today for a little bit." When he gets to the door he turns around to look at me, "And don't make any plans tonight, I want to take you on that date." I can feel butterflies in my stomach as he walks out, suddenly nervous for tonight.

I sigh and look over to Ella, who is content and still asleep. 

"Oh boy," I say quietly.

---

Ella and I eat in the kitchen upstairs before we head out in search of Connie. Today is another hot day in the middle of July, so I dressed Ella and I in comfortable sundresses to be outside. If I am being completely honest, I also put a little more effort into my outfit, knowing I am going on a date later.

When I finally make it down the stairs with Ella, who insisted on slowly walking down all of the flights, I see Connie and Charles walking towards the front door.

"Hi girls, how did you both sleep?" Connie asks innocently, although I can see a smirk make its way to her face. 

"Good, thank you," I say while looking back down at Ella, trying to hide the blush when I am reminded again that I slept in Jason's room.

"What are your plans for today?" Connie asks while leaning into the arm Charles has around her. 

"Well actually I was thinking we could go to the park. Jason mentioned there was one nearby, but I am not exactly sure where," I trail off. 

"Well Charles has a meeting with Jason soon, I can bring you girls if you would like? I need some fresh air and sun anyways," she says looking down at Ella, who has made her way to Connie and Charles' legs. She leans down and picks Ella up, who gives her a hug before wanting to be put down again.

"Yeah that sounds good," I say with a smile. I have my shoes on, and Ella's in my hand. I try and wrangle her to put them on along with her little sun hat, while Connie kisses Charles goodbye. 

Once we are all set, we head outside. I try to carry Ella, but she yells at me and says she wants to walk very loudly. I put her down and we set off for the park. 

---

About twenty minutes later, Connie and I are sitting on a bench near Ella, who is playing in a sandbox with some other toddler kids. Ella usually doesn't speak a whole lot, but in the sandbox she is screaming and laughing and saying multiple words with the kids around her. 

"She seems happy," Connie comments.

"Yeah I think she is," I say while watching her. "She usually isn't very vocal at all, and I know she is a little young to be saying more than a few words, but she doesn't even do that sometimes. I thought she was going to start falling behind, but she seems to be speaking to the other kids."

"Did she like daycare? It could help her come out of her shell a little to be around more kids," Connie says.

"She did but since we're so far north and the towns are so small, her daycare only had about 4 kids, and they were all around 5, or the one younger baby that was 6 months old. It was someone my parents knew that ran a daycare in town," I pause choosing my words carefully. "We also didn't get out much before, the last year was an adjustment and we were slowly getting into a routine, but we didn't get out much. I should have brought her around kids her own age more," I say quietly.

"I am sure you were doing the best you can. I don't know if Jason mentioned it, but we do have a daycare specifically for the town," Connie says looking to me. "And there is a whole class of around 15 kids I think that are within a year of Ella. I'm sure they have room for one more," Connie says with a smile.

"Yeah he mentioned that, and I meant to ask more and to visit, but I completely forgot yesterday," I shake my head remembering my adventure in the woods with Ella.

"We could go and check it out this afternoon if you would like?" Connie says.

"I would really appreciate that, thank you," I say sincerely. I just got to this town three days ago and I already feel like I have friends here. Connie, although more like a mother figure, has been so kind and basically acting like I belong here since day one. 

We watch Ella play for a little bit more, before she starts running towards the slide and swings. Connie and I spend the rest of the morning helping her down the slides, pushing her on the swings, we even held her up while she tried to use the monkey bars. 

A little before lunch we decide to head back and try to feed Ella, who is getting increasingly tired and agitated, before I have to put her down for a nap.

When we get back to the pack house, I try to head upstairs and say I bought food for us, but Connie insists it's not big deal, and she would like to eat lunch with us. Around the same time, a bunch of teenagers are entering the kitchen looking for lunch. Some give me weird looks, and I begin to get uncomfortable when I swear I can see some of them take in large breaths.

I start to wonder if I smell, but I did take a shower this morning. 

Just as I am thinking about heading upstairs and finishing my plate, it seems like everyone pauses at the same time for half of a second, before all chatter dies for about ten seconds. I look around and almost immediately, they all start talking again, some of the younger girls sending me and Ella small smiles, and the boys slightly nodding their head in a greeting while walking past.

I am about to ask Connie when I look over a realize Ella has completely fallen asleep in my lap, her baby fork still in her hand covered in cheese from her mac and cheese.

"Look at that, completely tuckered out from her day," Connie looks over with a smile, taking a bite of her salad. I push my salad a little away while taking my napkin and try to clean up the mess Ella made.

"Don't worry about that honey, I can clean up. You should clean her up and put her down for a nap," Connie say gently. 

"Oh it's fine, I'll be back down in ten minutes, I can get the rest then." I smile looking to Connie before getting up, Ella now completely limp in my arms. I head up the stairs, making note to ask Jason why they don't have an elevator when they have six floors. When I walk into our room, I quickly undress Ella, throwing her cheese soaked dress in the hamper, before changing her diaper and putting her in the crib. 

I contemplate staying up here, knowing I don't have a baby camera, before I notice the one attached to her bed. I look around the room and notice a monitor on the bed with a sticky note attached to it. 

Found this lying around the house, hope it works for you -Jason

I smile down at the note before turning the monitor on, and look to where the camera is screwed into the wall above her crib. Realizing it has a full battery, and a little clip on it, I clip it to the pockets of my sundress. It is then that I realize Ella managed to get cheese on me too. I sigh deeply before running over to my suitcase, that I still haven't unpacked, and look for another sundress. Pulling it out I notice this one is a tank top and slightly nicer.

I just hope I can get through the day with no more food on it.

Walking back downstairs with the monitor. I notice Connie has cleaned up after Ella, and my half eaten salad is still there, now with a glass of fresh lemonade. I look over to Connie who is making some more fresh squeezed lemonade. 

"Thank you for cleaning up, you didn't have to," I say with a smile. I grab my salad and lemonade from the table and head to the stools at the counter, wanting to just hang out with another adult for a little while longer.

"Oh no problem honey, I cleaned up a little after those hooligans left the kitchen," she says with a laugh. I chuckle before diving back into my salad, still very hungry. 

Connie and I sit for a little while longer, making small talk about the pack. She mentions that her job is to cook and clean, and she started doing it before to help out Jason when he took over, but he insisted she get a salary for all she does. She agreed to take over the grocery shopping and maintenance of the common areas of the house, and now its her job for the time being. 

After a little while, I clean my dished and tell Connie I think I am going to unpack all of my belongings in the room Jason has given us. The smile on her face does not go unnoticed, as I guess she is probably happy I am sticking around.