Before You, He Had Me

Seven

He's only gone for a minute, but Meg is able to work herself up again in the short time, her mind running rampant over the fleeting snapshots of events from the night.

"Shhh. Hey, breathe, Meg." Calum hurries to her side, taking her hand in his again as he comes back, a doctor she would guess is about forty-five following him. Silently thanking any and all gods that the doctor is female. Another woman in a suit following the doctor.

"Megan Clifford?" The doctor smiles at her softly.

"Ya." She nods softly, only realizing her neck is in a lot of pain as she does. 

"I'm doctor Roberts, and this is my associate, Pamela. She works with our social department on cases like yours, can we sit and discuss what you might remember from tonight's events?"

"Calum can stay?" She turns to look at him, shocking even herself with how much she feels the need to have him close, the arguing and annoyance of only hours prior seeming like years ago now.

"If you want him to." She nods.

"Okay." Meg sighs, swallowing hard as the doctor begins to ask her questions.

Calum sits quietly, not looking at Megan or the doctor or social worker, his eyes staying focused on Meg's hand as he holds it. His mind overwhelmed at the questions and answers passing between Meg and the others. Not sure how she can even be talking to them about this. Trying to understand how she is the one in the hospital bed, how five hours ago they were fighting in the hallway of Michael's house like they always do. How the girl he showed up to protect tonight ended up in the situation she did because he showed up at the club.

No. He stops himself from thinking like that. It wasn't his fault, she went to the bathroom, girls should be able to go to the bathroom without being raped. Even if she was annoyed at him it doesn't matter, if it hadn't been her it would have been someone else and them being raped wouldn't have been his fault. It isn't his fault. It's the asshole who did this to her, it's his fault.

"You found her right?" Calum takes a moment before he realizes the social worker is talking to him.

"Ya. I- we weren't there together, but we are friends. I went to the restroom and she was there, laying in the corner blacked out and looking like this." Calum motions to her neck, the handprint bruised around it seeming to have grown darker in the last two hours. "She woke up enough to say my name and start crying when I shook her, and then I called 911."

"You do know him? And you're sure he isn't the one who did this to you?" Calum knows it's not personal to ask but it still hurts to be being accused of such. He would never touch a girl like that, never take advantage of anyone, and never Meg. No matter how much they fight, no matter how many stupid arguments over stupid shit they have. No matter what, she is still family she is still part of his life and has been for so long. They are connected despite her distaste for him as a person.

"I've known Calum since I was five." Meg answers, "It wasn't him, I am certain. The person who did this he had blue eyes, the left was slightly smaller than the right. Blue like the ocean not like ice or dark, bright. Small flecks of dark blue in them, almost black spots around the iris. They were evil, and his eyebrows were extremely bushy, unkept, almost a unibrow. Calum would never do this to anyone, never."

He is grateful she clears his name quickly, but his heart hurts at the way she describes the guys eyes, knowing there is a good chance she will be haunted by them for a long time.

"Is there anything else you remember about him?"

"Not really, his voice was deeper, sort of gruff but I don't know if it would be in everyday life, it might have been situational."

"Thank you." Dr. Roberts says after a minute. "We need to do a few tests now, some with be vaginally invasive. To see what he might have left behind, and some tests to make sure he didn't give you any STD's in the incident. We will also be doing some measurements of the handprint bruised into your neck, and checking you for a concussion, it seems to us he might have slammed your head into the wall or dropped you, you've got a large goose egg on the back of your head."

"Ya, my head hurts." She sighs.

"I'll be back with a nurse to do those assessments shortly. Calum will have to step out while we do the vaginal exam and tests. Would you be more comfortable if I round up a female nurse to help me?"

"Please." Her hand tightens on Calum's as she answers.

"We will be back. Try to take some deep breaths, you are safe here." Dr. Roberts comments before the professionals leave the room.

"You are going to come stay with me until Michael and Crystal get home, okay?" Calum speaks into the silence.

"Calum. I don't want them to know about this. No one can know about this."

"Meg, you can't keep this from them." He frowns.

"Mike will never let me out of the house again if he knows. He will be suffocating about my safety. He can't know. No one can know."

"Meg."

"No, Calum. I am the one who got raped, and I don't want my family and everyone worried about me. I will cover my bruises until they go away and I will go to work Monday and we will move on from this. I can't let this ruin this chance for me, Calum. I can't take time off from this internship, it's my chance and I refuse to let this ruin it. And I refuse to let it ruin my new life here in LA."

"You're still staying with me for the week."

"What about Roy?"

"He flies out this morning for the next couple weeks to work on some music with some friends. He won't be home. But I am not letting you go back to that giant house alone."

"Fine." She concedes.

"But we have to go get things I need from Michael and Crystals."

"We can do that tomorrow."

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Long and heavy chapter.

Meg wants Calum to keep this a secret. Will he? Can he?

Can she really hide the way this will affect her from everyone around her?

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~M =)