When Betty Graham awoke in a hospital bed, there were many things to be confused about. The first was how she had gotten there...how did she end up in the hospital. The next was why...why was the there. She tried to recollect any memories from the night before but she couldn't, the last thing she remembered was sitting on the couch at the party with Jack.

Jack. She managed to turn her head but there was no Jack. There was no one at all in fact, her body seeming to regain feeling as she realized she was alone. She could feel in her bones that she had been cold, that tingly feeling reminding her of standing outside for too long. She was still wearing her clothes, they hadn't changed her but she was only wearing her undershirt and skirt, the jersey was missing.

She continued to try and remember how she got here but her thoughts were suddenly stopped when the door to her room opened, her lips parting as she figured it would be Jack coming in. But it wasn't Jack. Of course it wasn't. Her heart dropped when she saw that it was Conrad, the boy holding a cup of coffee in his hand, the steam rising  from the top as he started towards a chair in the corner.

"What happened?" Her voice was hoarse and her throat burned like she had been vomiting, and the sound of it actually seemed to startle Conrad, the boy looking over at her with wide eyes. He was surprised she was awake but he didn't seem to have a real urgency in moving to the chair by her bedside, his lips turned down into a frown as he realized he would have to tell her what happened.

"Well you uh...you had acute alcohol poisoning. I found you at the party last night alone and tried to get you home...good thing we didn't make it there because the doctor told me you could've died if I wouldn't have called the ambulance." He took a sip of the coffee as she processed the information, the girl feeling extremely confused as he gave her a smile out of obligation rather than because he wanted to. She didn't take her eyes off of him though, her eyebrows furrowing as she went over his words again in her head.

"Where's Jack?" He had told her he found her alone at the party and he had tried to take her home...but Jack was supposed to be with her. Conrad should've never even gotten a chance alone. Conrad wanted to roll his eyes at the mention of Jack, anger bubbling in her chest as he remembered that he had abandoned her and force fed her alcohol to the point of near death.

"I don't know. You told me he got you so drunk that you could die and then left you alone in a house full of strangers. I'm just glad I found you." There were a lot of things about Conrad that  gave him away when he lied, and Betty was looking for every single tell as he told her this. But he wasn't lying, this was the truth.  There was a silence as she processed  what he had told her and she still found it hard to believe, the girl trying desperately to recount what happened but not being able to remember anything past her and Jack sitting on the couch at the party. Conrad let her have her time, the boy sipping his coffee as he looked at the blankets that were covering her legs rather than the horrified look on her face. He was glad he didn't have to lie to make Jack look bad...he just did,  and it was all his own fault. He still wondered where he had run away to, where he was because he hadn't showed up the night before, and he hadn't showed up to the hospital. Not that anyone knew she was there, and Conrad was glad that he hadn't, because he would've had to explain why he had stayed with her for so long, and why he was there to begin with. And nobody knew that they had history, or at least he thought nobody knew.

"I know you remember everything when you're drinking Con...what happened at the party? I need specific details because I can't remember anything." He knew she would ask this, his face lighting up as he had the opportunity now to stress how vital it was that he showed up when he did.

"Yeah uh...I was just there with some people from my class, I walked out in the front of the house and I saw you there and you were like...freaking out. I tried to help you calm down but you were really upset because Jack had left you and you couldn't find him and you didn't know how to get home so I told you I'd get you home. Uh...we started walking back and you were cold but I didn't have a jacket to give you and then we stopped and you fell and started to throw up and then you passed out so I called the ambulance to come get you. I rode with you and they told me that it was a good thing I called because if you went to bed last night there was a high possibility you wouldn't have woken up." In hearing his explanation it seemed to click in her head at she had almost died, that she had drank too much and almost killed herself from it. It also registered that out of everyone in the world to be sitting in this room with her right now...it was Conrad. Not Jack, not Lori—Conrad. And she wouldn't forget that.

"Thank you." She knew when to give thanks, it was obvious to her now that he had probably saved her life. That had she found her way home alone things would have gone much different, and she acknowledged the fact that she was relieved he had been there. For the first time in awhile...she was thankful he was there. He just gave her a short nod, caught off guard by her thanks. He hadn't done any of it for thanks, but because he cared about her and her safety. Her memory of the night was gone, and he knew that his tears and worry would be his own secret to keep. The fact that he had never been more afraid...ever.

"Don't thank me...I'm just—I'm glad you're safe. And I'm glad I was there. I don't know what if do if—"

"Let's not think like that, alright? I'm okay...thanks to you. And I will never forget this Connie." She had never sounded more grateful, the boy being surprised when he hand gripped his on the side of the bed. He looked up at her and she smiled, and there was a glimmer in her eyes as he back at her. And just like that he could feel it--like a rush of adrenaline through his body he devoted himself to her again. He had had doubts...he had been calling Belly--they had been catching up. He missed her. But he couldn't feel this way about her...he never had been able to. With a smile and a touch of his hand he knew he was right. He knew that it was never over between them. He figured that they could spend 20 years apart and still it wouldn't be over, even then his heart would be hers. He didn't know what to say back, his mouth drying up with nerves as he recognized he would no longer hang back and watch another man with her. He would actively pursue her--try and make things right between them. Because her grip on his hand told him he still had a chance.

Fortunately for him he didn't have to figure out anything to say, a knock in the door pulling her attention--and her hand--away from him. She placed the hand back onto her stomach as the nurse entered, a polite smile on her lips as she looked at Betty and then briefly to Conrad.

"How are you feeling Ms. Graham?" The girl started to reply as Conrad stood up, gesturing towards the door now that she wasn't alone. She gave him a short nod and he hurried into the hallway, searching for a vending machine or something he could get a drink from. He was hit once again by a wave of emotion, his face paling as he stared into the glass of the vending machine he approached. He was relieved...a massive weight lifting off of his chest as it seemed to register that she was okay. He had played it off too well, acted like it was hardly a big deal when really he spent the night in agony, going through all the terrible what ifs of her condition. He pushed cash into the machine and typed in what he wanted, the boy letting out a shaky breath as he released the nerves and fear and calmed himself. He had fought his way through a panic attack during the night, when it had reached the quietest hour, when his mind had had time to ponder all that was wrong in his life and he had had the opportunity to stare at the woman he loved in a hospital bed.

Conrad shook the thought away and grabbed the bottle from the bottom of the vending machine, wanting to hurry so he could be there to help her when they discharged her. The nurse passed him on his way in, Betty looking at Conrad with another smile, a smile he appreciated more than anything.

"Here Bon...I got you this--I'm sure you're thirsty after everything." He handed her the bottle he had gotten from the vending machine, Betty choosing not to comment on the name calling and instead reaching for the drink. Their hands touched and they both held onto the bottle, their eyes meeting quickly. It was her favorite soda, the small gesture making her want to rip her hair out as she felt a small flutter in her chest. She felt inclined to say something about how well he knew her, Conrad continuing to notice the sparkle in her eye as looked at him.

"Connie can we--" She was cut off by the sound of hurried footsteps coming into the room, both of them turning back and Conrads hand immediately dropping from the drink. His face fell and so did a pit in his stomach as Jack bounded right past him, hurrying to her bedside and pushing himself into her arms.

"Oh my god-- baby I was so worried about you! I looked for you--" He pulled back and pressed a kiss to her mouth, the girl too stunned to stop him before he continued to talk. "--I looked for you all night and finally Derek told me to check the hospital. What--what happened?"

Conrad took a step back as Jack continued to hover over Betty, his lips turning down into a frown as he watched the scene. He couldn't even stop himself from talking, and Betty seemed to know he was going to, her eyes going to Conrad right as he opened his mouth.

"Yeah I don't know man... I found her all alone at the party last night. Then she told me that you left her alone after force feeding her enough drinks to put her in the hospital." Conrad looked angry as he said it, and both Jack and Betty seemed to be stunned by his accusations. Jacks back straightened, his eyebrows furrowing as he mulled over what Conrad had said a few times before he came up with an answer.

"I don't know Conrad...you weren't there—you think you really have any room to accuse me of something?" Conrad scoffed as Jack didn't deny any of it, instead deflecting back to him. Betty didn't bother to say anything, she wanted to know how this would unfold. And she was seriously mad at Jack.

"I think I do have room to accuse you of leaving her there because I was the one who tried to take her home. I looked everywhere for you dude and you weren't there.  And then when she passed out I called an ambulance. And I sat with her all night as she got her stomach pumped. And you—nobody knows where you were." Jack was appalled at Conrad's words, his mouth dropping open as a stranger spoke to him like he knew them or something.  He cast a glance back at Betty and knew he had to defend himself, Conrad looking stoic as usual as Jack took a step towards him. "Where were you?"

"I don't know who the fuck you think you are man...but you don't know shit about me or my girlfriend. It's none of your business where I was and you need to get the fuck out of here you crazy ass—"

"Hey! Don't talk to him like that!" Betty interjected, Jacks head snapping back to look at her. She had a pissed look on her face, her head shaking as she looked up at her boyfriend. Conrad felt a jolt of something in his chest as she defended him, Jack looking at her like she was crazy for a second. "Conrad's right. You weren't there. And you promised me you wouldn't leave."

"Yeah but baby I—"

"If I wanted you to be here I would've called you." Betty's words quickly shut Jack up, his lips pulling into a straight line as his confusion mounted. Conrad couldn't believe she was defending him, the boy almost wanting to smile at the way she had chosen his side. "We uh—we can talk later but...I think—I think I'll just go home with Conrad."

Jack stared at the girl for a few moments, his face falling as she realized she was serious.  He was confused at the dynamic here...she didn't know Conrad. She'd rather have a stranger take her home than him. He knew he had fucked up bad at this point and he also knew arguing to stay wouldn't do him any good. She wasn't even looking at him as he let go of the side of the bed, shaking his head as he started to leave. His eyes quickly lifted to Conrad's and the expression behind them told Conrad that Jack wasn't the perfect guy he seemed to be... because he recognized that look all too well. It was a look he had seen on himself a couple of times. He looked caught.