Conrad and Piper

Chapter 3

Piper groggily opened her eyes. Where was she? This wasn't her room. She could feel Conrad's slow breathing next to her. Ahh. She was in his room. She pushed off the wall slightly to look out the window for the moon. It was still high in the sky, no sun in sight. She sighed. She didn't particularly want to go back to her own room, but she rather wanted to lie down.

Slowly she inched down from Conrad's arm and laid beside him so that his dropped arm was now circled around her head and lightly brushing her shoulder. She pressed her face into his side and breathed him in. She wished that he never would have gone, but of course she'd had to encourage him. It wasn't often that a top university in the world invited you to help teach a summer program. Nearly unheard of actually. Wouldn't they want their own professors to complete the students' experience? Piper wasn't quite sure, but she thought they would.

So she had told him to accept, and though he was hesitant at first, he had finally given in, and excitement (with a dash of nervousness) soon crept into him as doubt left.

Piper sighed again. At least he was home now. That was all that mattered.




By the time the sun started to rise, Conrad had been awake for an hour. He had barely moved, though, reveling in the ability to be able to just sit and do nothing for once. The last month had pretty much drained his energy and he was still always thinking that he had forgotten something even for the simple job of putting a new towel on the rack.

He kept his eyes closed, playing a little with Piper's hair sometimes to give his fingers something to do, so he didn't even notice when Piper's eyes opened and she started watching him.

"Whatcha thinking about?" She asked quietly.

He started and looked down at her. "Nothing, actually," he said, his shoulders relaxing again as he resumed playing with her locks. "Just that I can actually rest for a bit."

"Didn't have much time to do that over there, huh?"

"Nope," he sighed. "Constantly working, constantly teaching, constantly getting dirty looks from people that didn't like having someone their own age telling them what to do."

Piper grimaced. "Was it that bad?"

"No, no. It was great fun, really, once we all got used to it. But still, with a job comes stress."

Piper thought for a moment. "Are ya glad to be back?"

Conrad shot her a surprised look. "Of course. Why wouldn't I be?"

She shrugged. "Oh, I dunno. Just wondering, I guess."

"Well, you don't have to wonder anymore. I wouldn't trade this place for the world," he said sincerely, looking fondly at his surroundings. Piper smiled, and snuggled down closer next to him, dozing off once again, Conrad, eventually, following her into sleep.

Betty walked in a half hour later to inform Conrad that breakfast was ready before going to Piper's room down the hall, but stopped when she saw them sleeping there peacefully. She smiled a little and watched them for a moment before quietly closing the door and going back downstairs.