Unexpected

| xxviii | i've been

xxviii~ i've been here, at her side, when she called, when she cried… how could she leave me on my own?

Erin must fall asleep on the way to the hospital, for when she wakes up, she is alone in a room that is all white. There is a heart monitor beeping steadily beside her, reminding her of the strangeness that was Grayson's lack of a heartbeat. She blinks blearily and catches sight of the hospital-issued fire alarm.

St. Bibiana's.

Doesn't Madie volunteer h—

Erin's thought process is interrupted by a certain girl busting through the door. Madie looks frazzled; her hair is wild and her outfit crooked. She smiles, but it is a half-smile.

"Erin! What are you doing here?"

"My Mexican dad died in Vietnam," Erin says shortly, remembering that Madie was the only one who knew that it was false. Madie's cheer seems to fade.

"I thought so," she trudges over to Erin's bedside. "So, you're free now? From your step-dad?"

Erin thinks of the mutilated body in the upstairs hallway and cringes. "I think so."

"That's good." Madie suddenly looks sad. "We tried getting in touch with you, but…"

"I was locked in my room," Erin assures her friend. "I didn't get any news. Not really."

"'Not really'?" Madie's eyebrows shoot up. Her voice is hesitant and stops in several places. "Does that mean I'm going to have to fill you in?"

"I know some things," Erin shrugs. "Like I know about you and Will, and I know that Ian's come out of the closet."

Madie grabs a clipboard off of Erin's bedside table as she frowns at her. "How do you know that? And," Madie looks down at the clipboard and frowns. "Why are you here for 'potential hypothermia'?"

Erin is overtaken by a flash of sandy hair, blue eyes, a smirk, and heated kisses. She closes her eyes for a long time. She does not want to talk about him; not now, not ever. However, she manages to say, "Grayson."

Madie's face freezes in a way that shows her shock clearly. "What?" Her jaw stays open even after the word has escaped.

"He also told me that your relationship was a floozy the entire time," Erin just barely smiles. "Nice acting."

However, Madie just looks confused. She snaps out of her frozen state and shakes her head. "Erin, I don't know how you know this, but…"

"I told you," It is Erin's turn to be confused. "Grayson's been in touch with me. A couple of days ago he started coming to my window and hanging out with me."

"That's impossible." Madie's jaw is set and firm and yet Erin cannot stop herself from blabbering.

"He said we were going to run away," Erin can hear the dejection in her voice. "Somewhere where we would be safe and happy."

"Erin—"

"He took me out on the bridge last night and…. He tried to kill me." Erin chokes out the last bit before turning to Madie. "Why would he do that?"

Suddenly Madie bursts. "You're lying!" She yells, standing up. Erin reels back. Madie backs away from Erin, seeming wrecked with some strange emotion. "You're wrong, that never happened!"

"But—"

"It couldn't have!" Madie's voice is sharp and hoarse. She is on the verge of tears. "You don't get it, Erin. If you know all the rest of this, I…. I just don't understand how you haven't heard yet. It's been everywhere," she chokes. "We can't escape it."