I Believe in You

Stay With Me

"So what are we?" Conrad asked as we walked hand in hand back towards the dorms after date night at the karaoke bar.
"What do you mean?" I asked.
"Like are we exclusive?"
"I've been operating under the impression that we are for the last four months." I stopped at my front door and looked at him.
"I have too but we've never defined this." He looked at me.
"I kind of just thought we knew what we were." I answered looking down.
"I just wanted to make sure we were on the same page." He assured me lifting my chin so I looked at him.
"We are. Unequivocally."
"It turns me on when you use big words." He teased light heartedly.
"Oh yeah?" I wrapped my arms around his neck.
When he kissed me it was like a fire lit in my core. I knotted my fingers in his hair holding him to me.
"Come inside?" I breathed when he pulled away from me.
"Are you sure?" He asked as I tried to get the front door open.
I nodded and pulled him in the doorway. He pressed my back against the door kissing me hard.
He lifted me up so I could wrap my legs around his waist. He carried me down the hallway into my bedroom.
Gently he pressed my back into the mattress.
"Are you sure?" He asked again trailing his tongue along my collarbone.
I nodded again.
"No, Meghan. You have to say it. I need you to say it." He breathed.
His desperate need for my consent was easily the hottest thing I'd experienced in my whole life.
"Yes, Conrad. I'm sure." I looked directly into his eyes.
He smiled and kissed me again. I tugged on the hem of his red long sleeved shirt until we got it off. I paused and ran my fingers over the marine corps tattoo on his chest. He kissed my temple before kissing on my neck.
"Conrad." I gasped out his name holding onto his shoulders.
Carefully he helped me out of my tshirt before pressing his lips to my stomach.
"Say it again. Say yes." He muttered against my skin.
"Yes." I breathed aching to pull him closer to me.
His jean clad thigh rubbed against me. The skin of his chest rubbing against mine. I pulled his mouth back to my neck.
He pulled away from me and began working on the button on my jeans.
His touch everything to me as we slept together in my bed.
I woke to my alarm clock with him still in my bed.
I turned to wake him gently and found a large tattoo across his back and shoulders.
DEATH BEFORE DISHONOR
"Conrad. Time to get up baby." I gently touched his shoulder.
He turned and took me into his arms.
"I think we should stay in bed today." He smiled nibbling on my skin.
"I'm in." I giggled.
"What happened to my voice of reason?" He teased.
"She's been replaced by the woman who wants to spend more time with you." I ran my fingers through his hair.
"I have to run back to my place before class but I'll see you after?" He asked before kissing me deeply.
"Of course." I smiled.
I watched him get dressed before he came over to kiss me again.
"Hey. Be safe, okay?" I told him.
"I always am, babe." He smiled at me, kissed my forehead and left.
My cellphone rang just as I was leaving my Anstheosiology rotation.
"Hello?" I answered.
I normally didn't answer numbers I didn't know  but I felt like I needed to answer.
"Is this Meghan Bishop?" A male voice asked.
"Yes. How can I help you?" I asked.
I was leaning against the wall in the hallway my heart pounding.
"Mr. Conrad Hawkins listed you as his emergency contact with the university." He stated.
"He's my boyfriend... What is this about? Is he alright?" I asked.
"This is Dr. Adam Scott. I'm the Director of River Valley University. We just got a call from Candler Hospital. Mr. Hawkins was dropped off in the emergency room roughly four hours ago. You're the only one listed." He explained.
"I'll be right there." I said breathless.
I ran out of the university to my car and drove to the hospital.
"Can I help you?" A young nurse asked as I ran up to the information desk.
"I'm here for Conrad Hawkins." I answered.
I could barely hear myself speak over the sound of my heart pounding in my ears.
"He's in surgery but I'll have the doctor come speak to you when he comes out." She assured me instructing me towards a waiting room.
My heart pounded so fast I couldn't feel it anymore as I sat in the waiting room staring at the wall.
"Meghan Bishop?" An older man said my name drawing my attention.
"Yes." I answered standing up.
"I'm Dr. Hunter Rush. I'm the lead trauma surgeon. Conrad was dropped off around eight this morning. He sustained multiple blunt injuries up to and including broken ribs. His right lung collapsed and he was stabbed twice lacerating his spleen and nicking his abdominal aortic artery. If he got into surgery even half a minute later he wouldn't have made it." He explained.
"How is he now?" I asked.
"He's not out of the woods but the surgery went well. We'll know more when the anesthesia wears off."
"Can I sit with him?" I asked.
"Since your listed as his only family I'll allow it. No one should wake up in the hospital alone."
He lead me down a hallway to a hospital room.
I froze in the doorway at the sight of his body in the bed.
"I can't imagine how hard it is to see him like this. It'll be good for him to feel you here." He assured me.
Conrad laid on his back in the hospital bed, a breathing tube down his throat. Heavy bruising colored his face and chest.
"What happened to you baby? Stay with me." I whispered gently taking his hand.
I sat in the chair next to him with his hand in both of mine and my forehead pressed against our hands three days after his surgery. I felt him move slightly. My head snapped up to find his eyes wide open.
He started to reach up and grabbed at the breathing tube.
"Conrad." I whispered his name touching his hand.
"Baby, don't do that. I'll call for the doctor, okay? I'll be right back."
He looked panicked and grabbed ahold of my hand when I tried to pull away.
He shook his head when I turned back to look at him.
"Okay. Okay." I whispered smoothing his hair gently.
I hit the call button and we waited in silence for the nurse.
"Are you okay, Meghan?" Nurse Alex asked walking into the room.
"He's awake. Get Dr. Rush." I turned slightly to look at her.
Conrad kept ahold of my hand when the doctor came in.
"Mr. Hawkins? Meghan can stay in the room but she needs to sit down so I can remove the breathing tube." Dr. Rush said gently.
Reluctantly Conrad nodded and released my hand.
I sat down in my chair and watched them remove the tube from his throat. It tore me apart to hear him cough.
They continued his examination and left us alone.
"How do you feel?" I asked gently as I sat on the edge of the bed.
"Like I got my ass kicked." He laughed then winced.
"Take it easy, love." I insisted setting my hand on his chest.
He caught my eye and held my gaze but didn't speak.
"Tell me what happened, Conrad."
"It was Christian, Bradley, and Aaron." He said quietly.
"Your roommates?" I asked.
He nodded.
"I walked in after I left your dorm room and Christian confronted me flanked by Bradley  and Aaron about him getting thrown out of the karaoke bar. I told him that he got himself thrown out and he sucker punched me. The second I hit the ground they started kicking me and stomping on me. I don't know who pulled the knife out and stabbed me." He paused and looked away from me.
I gently took his hand offering my support.
"They left me there to bleed to death. I forced myself to my feet and stumbled back out before I fell down the front stairs landing on the sidewalk. I don't know how I got here." He looked back at me his eyes glistened with tears.
"Someone dropped you off at the emergency room. No one left a name. They saved your life."
"I'm glad your here." He whispered.
"You made me your emergency contact." I looked up at him.
"I don't have any one else." He admitted.
"I'll always be here. Conrad, I love you." I breathed.
He reached out and touched my face.
"Meghan, look at me." He urged.
I looked up into his eyes.
"I love you."
He pressed his forehead to mine.
"You scared the hell out of me." I breathed.
"I know, baby. I know. I'm so sorry, Meghan. I love you."