Laelia dragged herself to the coffee shop. She was an hour late for work, but decided stopping wasn't going to hurt anything since she was already incredibly late. She felt groggy and weak. There was no way she was going to make it through the day without her sugar-filled caffeine fix.

"Hey girl!" Jana called out to her as she entered the shop. "Wow, are you getting sick?" Jana asked when Laelia reached the counter. Laelia nearly glared at her friend. "No, you look pale, and your eyes aren't as bright. Are you coming down with something?" Jana's voice was filled with concern.

"No. I overslept. Yesterday was awful and I think today probably will be too. And that's just the start of my list." Laelia replied sourly.

"You need to take a day or two and do nothing. Call in tomorrow, give yourself a three day weekend." Jana suggested. Laelia only shrugged. "You want your regular drink or do you wanna try something new?" Jana asked when she realized she wasn't getting anywhere with her friend.

"Tried and true with two extra shots, Jay." Laelia smiled weakly.

"I'm not trying to be mean, babe." Jana began. "But this not looking well and not sleeping well has been happening for two weeks."

Laelia sighed, "I know. I've tried everything for sleep I can." Laelia glanced down at her nails for a moment with shame. "I've been sleeping on the sofa so I don't bother Michael. It's getting to him too."

"Are you having those dreams still? Is that what's causing it?" Jana's concern was growing. Laelia only nodded. "Have you told Michael anything about them?"

"No. He'd just get his feelings hurt." Laelia answered.

Jana handed her the large, hot coffee with a frown, "I'm going to do some research when I get off work tonight. Will you send me everything you've been dreaming about? I mean, literally everything."

"I can come over later? Michael is going out with Liam and the boys tonight." Laelia stated.

"Yes! Amelia will help too. We can figure it out the three of us." Jana assured her run-down looking friend. "I'll see you when you get off work."

"How much for the coffee, love?" Laelia asked quickly, noting she hadn't even opened her purse.

"Nothing. It's on me today." Jana stated. "Get going, you're already late." Laelia blew her a kiss before rushing out the door.

The walk to Jana and Amelia's apartment seemed quicker than normal. Laelia had been counting down the hours until she could see her friends. The thought of being in their warm, comforting presence excited her. Michael had been testy and mostly grumpy with her. She wanted someone to listen to her, take her issue more seriously than he did.

The setting sun made Laelia walk faster. The sooner she got to Jana's, the sooner she would have some kind of answer. Answers meant solutions, and solutions meant sleep. She craved sleep. She wanted a whole night without being woken by the sights in her mind. Not that the dreams were horrifying. Mostly, they caused an overwhelming swirl of emotion.

"Hey there." A familiar voice dragged her out of her own thoughts. Laelia smiled brightly seeing deep, brown eyes gazing at her.

"Hey." She nearly melted at the site of the man from the restaurant. He was dressed down as compared to the night they "met". His dark jeans and black long sleeve shirt fit him well. It was strange to see him in every day clothes though. She thought he was stunning in a suit jacket and button down shirt. " Hi." She cleared her throat quickly, catching herself gawking at him once more.

"Have you figured it out yet?" He inquired with a sneaky grin. Laelia shook her head quickly. "It's a shame."

"Yeah. It's weird." She informed him with nervous laugh. "Deja Vu, I guess?" She shrugged.

"Might be." He chuckled at her. "Where are you off to? It's getting late." He stuffed his hands into the pockets of his jeans.

"A friends house a couple blocks from here." She motioned down the street. "And it's only six."

A shy smile appeared on his lips, "May I walk you? We could get to the bottom of your Deja Vu?" He questioned.

"I'd actually like that." Her answer swift and too loud. The tattooed man that had filled her waking imagination walked at her side, seemingly happy to be there. "What brings you out now?" She inquired, wanting to start a conversation.

"Just taking a walk. I like the way the sunset looks between the buildings." He answered softly.

"It does have that picturesque quality, doesn't it?" Laelia agreed as she surveyed their surroundings.

"Who were the people you were with at the restaurant?" He asked.

"Michael, my boyfriend. Liam, he's Michael's friend. And Gracie, my friend."

"Are you going to Gracie's now?"

"No. I'm going to a different friend's." Laelia snickered, wondering why he was a little uneasy all of a sudden. "Aren't you going to tell me your name?" Laelia asked. She could see Jana's apartment building not too far away. She didn't want to be guessing the name of the tall, dark, and handsome stranger's name until she fortuitously saw him again.

"Why is that important?"

Laelia blushed, "So when I strangely bump into you again, I don't have to say 'hey you'." He chuckled at her bright red cheeks. "Maybe it will knock loose why I think I know you?" She suggested after a moment. He remained silent, but smirking. "This is my friends' place." Laelia announced motioning to the grey brick, apartment building.

His smirk turned to a sweet smile, "Have a good night, Laelia."

"You're really not going to tell me your name?" Laelia scoffed playfully at him.

"Maybe it will come to you, since you think you know me?" He teased as he walked backward, away from her. She couldn't help but laugh at his shameless taunting. "Goodnight, Laelia." He spoke with a warm tone, still smiling at her.

"Goodnight, smartass." She snickered. He grabbed his chest, faking pain at her jab. Laelia threw her head back with laughter.

"I'll see you." He called out.

"See you." She replied before turning to the door to the apartment building.

"It's nice to see a smile on your face." Jana beamed, letting Laelia into her apartment. "I feel like I haven't seen you smile in days."

"I just saw a friend on the street." Laelia shrugged. She wasn't sure if telling Jana about the man that she'd met, and was certain she knew, was a good idea. There was something about him that made her want to keep him away from everyone, for the time being.

"Well, I'm glad they made you smile." Jana kissed her cheek. "Now come on. Amelia ordered food. I have books and Amelia has the internet." Laelia kicked her shoes off by the door, knowing her friends weren't big on shoes in the house.

"I hope you're hungry!" Amelia beamed as she exited the kitchen. "We got food from the Thai place you like down the street."

"That sounds amazing." Laelia grinned sinking into the sofa with Jana.

"Now, tell me about these dreams. Jay said they're intense." Amelia curled onto the couch as well.

"They are. I can see everything like I am physically there. I can smell it, feel every single thing too." Laelia explained nervously.

Jana's lips curved into a sly smirk, "Every single thing?" Laelia blushed and glared at the snickering girl beside her.

"Why is she making that face? What happened, Lae?" Amelia inquired quickly, not understanding the glances exchanged. Laelia shook her head as she went to speak. It was her intention to downplay the dreams.

"She had a sex dream about a dude that's not Michael." Jana giggled loudly.

Amelia gasped, "JANA! It's not your business to say that. Laelia could've told me." Amelia looked to Laelia with apologetic eyes.

"I mean, she's not lying. It's what happened." Laelia shrugged.

"That's nothing to feel bad about. You think every person on the planet only has those dreams about their partner? If they say they do, they're lying. It's okay for the mind to wander." Amelia stated. Jana leaned over, glancing at Amelia with a lifted eyebrow. "Shut up, you know I'm right."

"I still wanna know what happened in that dream, by the way. You never told me all of it." Jana announced as she grabbed the thickest book from the coffee table.

Laelia shrugged, "It was a spicy dream. I don't know what else you want me to say."

"I will need you to tell us as much as you can about all of your dreams. We can go one dream at a time to figure out the meanings one by one, then we can look at them as a whole to see what's going on?" Jana suggested to Laelia and Amelia.

"That's a good idea." Amelia agreed just as the doorbell rang. "Food. I'll get it." She popped up from the sofa, racing to the door.

"I really think you need to tell Michael about these, maybe leaving out the other man and the nasty business that happened with him." Jana murmured.

Laelia shrugged, "He's kind of made it clear that he doesn't think this is a real issue and doesn't want to hear about it anymore."

"Well," Jana sighed. "Maybe he can pick up that the dreams have been more salacious? Do you talk in your sleep?"

"The first one I had, I think he woke me up because I was fussing in my sleep."

"Yeah, maybe he heard you say something in your sleep or make a sound. I don't agree with him being a jerk about it, but maybe he's trying to protect himself?" Jana guessed. Laelia shrugged; she wasn't sure what to think.

"Okay, now the first dream you had. Tell me about it again." Jana instructed, setting her plate on the coffee table.

"Which one? The one I had two weeks ago or the ones that I had when I was a teenager?" Laelia questioned.

"We'll start with two weeks ago. Those are fresh in your mind." Amelia clarified. Jana agreed with a single nod. "You don't have to tell us anything that makes you uncomfy though." Amelia added quickly.

"What are the big things you remember about your dream?" Jana asked.

"Sea side, off a cliff, there were olive trees." Laelia answered as Amelia handed her a book.

"You can look up the meanings of trees in dreams. I'll take the sea." Amelia stated already typing on her laptop. Laelia didn't say anything. She began flipping through the book handed to her. "Mind you, a lot of this stuff is just hypotheticals. Maybe all of this will just open you up to the underlying issues you might be dealing with."

"Ami's way of saying, content isn't happiness." Jana muttered lowly.

Laelia sighed, "Jay."

"I'm just stating facts." Jana kept her voice low as she scanned the book in her lap. Laelia shook her head, returning her focus to the book in her own lap. "Here, found something." Jana announced after only a few moments. "Trees in general, spiritual growth, growth of maturity." Jana read from the book softly. "Have you been thinking about anything in that realm lately?"

Laelia shrugged, "Not until after we talked about the dream the first time." Jana reached for another book. Laelia realized it was going to be a long night of comparing theories and coming up with the one that fit her best.

"I'm exhausted." Amelia groaned, flopping back on the floor. "I don't think we're going to have a definitive answer, Jay."

"I don't either." Laelia agreed with the tired red-head.

"It's getting late. Maybe we should call it quits for the night." Jana agreed when she saw the sleep in the eyes of the other women. "Lae, do you wanna stay the night? I'm sure Michael would understand."

Laelia nodded, "Yeah, I don't feel like walking home." Laelia took her phone from the table, sending a quick text to Michael. Within moments, her phone was ringing. "Hello?" She answered tiredly.

"Hey. Are you sure it's a good idea to sleep there?" Michael asked.

Laelia sighed, "Yeah. I'm too sleepy to walk home. Jana offered the guest room. I'll see you tomorrow."

"Alright. I'll come see you at work in the morning then." Michael suggested.

"I was forced to take tomorrow off." Laelia informed him sadly. "It's okay though. I'll have more time to shop for Ami's birthday present."

"Why?" Michael sounded upset by the statement.

Laelia picked at her jeans as she answered, "I was told that I look like I'm coming down with something and my boss wants me to take it easy."

"Lae, this is getting out of control." Michael grunted.

"I'll see you in the morning, alright? Have fun with the guys." Laelia hung up, not waiting for a response. She didn't want another argument over her awful sleep habits.

"I'll get the guest room set up for you." Amelia spoke gently, knowing Michael had upset her. She rose from the floor, kissing Laelia's cheek before scurrying away.

"He sounded like he was in a lovely mood." Jana grumbled. Laelia gave her a stern glare. "You don't have to leave tomorrow until you're ready. Ami doesn't have to work either because of her birthday. Take you're time. We're not going to be upset if you stay longer to get more sleep."

"I think I might hide here for most of the day if it's alright with Ami." Laelia kept her voice low, not wanting her friends to know how much Michael upset her.

"I would love that. I need help finding an outfit for my party." Amelia beamed as she reentered the room. "There are extra blankets and some pjs in the guest room for you. Take a shower if you want."

"Night Lae." Jana kissed her friends cheek lightly. Laelia smiled when Amelia leaned forward to give her a friendly, loving kiss on the forehead.

"Night. Love you." Laelia watched her friends walk away, toward their own bedroom with lazy strides. She decided climbing into the guest bed would be the best idea. Maybe sleeping comfortably would help her get the rest, without dreaming, she needed.