Baby, It's You & No One Else

I sat at the kitchen table in Eric's house, desperately trying to stay awake as I studied for my history exam I had later in the day. I was trying to take advantage of the empty house since all the boys had cleared out for practice. My head was propped up, leaning against my hand as my eyes started to slip shut. But just as I got comfortable, the front door flew open and the inhabitants of the house came in laughing.

"Riley! Riley!" Eric called to me, laughter lacing his voice, "baby, where are you?!"

"I'm in here," I mumbled, rubbing my eyes as he bounded into the kitchen. His strong arms wrapped around my waist firmly, lifting me of the chair and spinning me around while he yelled loudly. I threw my arms around his neck and shoulders, squealing as we twirled around in the middle of the kitchen. Blake and Adam laughed from where the stood in the doorway, watching Eric with amused smiles.

"I'm cleared! I get to play in the bowl game!" He screamed at me, his joyful laugh music to my ears.

My heart stopped beating in my chest, hitching at his words. I pulled back to look into his brown eyes, the undeniable sparkle confirming his previous statement.

"Are you serious?" I exclaimed my cheeks hurting from how wide my smile was.

"Hell yeah! I practiced yesterday and today with no pain or any damage to my arch. The surgery worked. I'm playing in three weeks!" He yelled joyfully. I joined in, placing kisses all over his face and then his lips, kissing him with so much joy and passion. He had to steady himself against the counter.

"Oh my gosh, Er. I'm so happy for you. Look, all your hard work paid off," I grinned at him and his big, boyish smile.

"I've never been so excited to play football before. This is going to be amazing, playing with my boys once more before I graduate," He murmured. "But I couldn't have done it without your unwavering support. Baby, I owe you so much of my football career."

"No you don't. You worked for this and earned it all by yourself. Don't belittle how much you pushed against adversity." I ran my hands up his arms, resting them on the sides of his face. "I love you and I'm so proud of you," I whispered, softly kissing his lips before wrapping him into a tight hug.

"I love you, too. I couldn't have done this without you."
***

"I like the way you're everything I've ever wanted!" Katie and I screamed to Taylor Swift as she played on the radio. We were currently driving up to Duluth, heading to UMD and Kara's for the New Year's festivities.

"Stop singing," Blake groaned loudly, shifting around as he tried to get comfortable enough to sleep.

"Blakey, cheer up! We're going to see Karabear!" I exclaimed, reaching my arm back and squeezing his knee. Eric was driving and I was riding shotgun as we drove North at a steady pace. We were an hour outside of Duluth and Blake was beyond antsy to see Kara.

"I'm sick of listening to you guys scream. I should have driven myself," he moaned, smacking his head against the window as Katie and I burst out laughing.

I glanced over at Eric who had an amused smile on his face. We held hands over the center console looking like the standard happy couple, content in our perfect little life. I let out a small sigh, happy with the route my life was taking. I fingered my locket, clutching it as a smile graced my delicate features.

"Are we there yet?" Adam asked, his elbows leaning against the front seat, his head tilted towards Eric.

"No, we've still got about an hour," Eric informed him, his eyes never wavering from the road.

"Dude, I'm cramping up," Adam whined as I rolled my eyes.

"Suck it up. We aren't stopping until I'm with Kara." Blake informed him, "Decks if you stop I'll make sure you don't play in the bowl game.

"Okay, big, bad kicker," I laughed loudly at Blake's threat, Adam and Eric's laugh echoing mine.

"Shut up," Blake snapped.

"Wow, you should probably cheer up before we get there. Kara's not going to put up with your shit, Blake," Katie suggested.

"I get cranky when I'm hungry," he retorted, grumbling as he turned back to the window.

"I agree. I'm hungry, Erbear," I pleaded sweetly to him. Eric turned his blinker on, switching into the right land and getting off on the Hinkley exit.

"Yes!" Adam pumped his fist as Eric turned into Toby's, a truck stop kind of place with huge cinnamon and caramel rolls.

We all piled out of the car, stretching as we made our way into the restaurant. The whole way through breakfast, Blake chided us to eat faster, beyond desperate to get back on the road. An hour and a lot of Blake's complaining later, we were back on the highway, close enough to Duluth that we could see some spots of frozen Lake Superior. I drifted to sleep, stuffed after the caramel roll I had shared with Eric. He ate most of it but I tried to do some damage.

Eric nudged me once we came around the bend of the highway. My eyes fluttered open and I was met by the imposing body of water below along with the bright city lights, contrasting against the dark water and sky. I looked behind me, laughing at the sight of Adam and Blake leaning against Katie, all of them sleeping. I turned back to Eric who was also checking on them.

"It's been quite peaceful since Blake fell asleep," Eric chuckled, shaking his head. "That kid is crazy in love."

"So are you," I giggled as he gave me a cheeky grin.

"Yeah, but at least it didn't make me psychotic," he countered as we neared the campus. "Blake wake up," Eric called, hitting his knee.

"Hm?" Blake asked, sitting up with squinted eyes and sloppy hair, making him look hungover more than anything.

"Directions please."

"Straight, then a right and a left. She lives in apartment 11C." He informed before laying back down.

"Thanks bud," Eric rolled his eyes.

Eric followed Blake's directions eventually coming to a brown, bricked building that was pretty nice when considering on campus apartments. I unbuckled my seat belt and climbed out of the car to open Blake's door. He still leaned against the door, using it as a pillow, until I opened it and his seat belt jerked him into place.

"Wakey, wakey, Kara's waiting!" I screamed, slapping his cheeks lightly. His eyes fluttered open and he looked at me, glaring until his brain registered what I said. His eyes lit up like fireworks and he unbuckled himself, sprinting to the door where he buzzed for Kara. She came down a couple minutes later, dressed in sweats with her hair piled up on her head. She wrapped her arms around her as she descended the stairs, the cool air biting at her exposed arms.

"Baby!" We all heard Blake exclaim as she pushed through the doors, her smile wide as Blake picked her up and spun her around. I grinned at them as Eric handed me my bag. I lazily held it, until it crashed to the snowy ground, bringing me down with it until Eric wrapped an arm tightly around my waist. I looked up at him and he smile sheepishly.

"Let them have a moment. Jeeze, Ry," Eric mocked me. I tisked at him and grabbed his chin, pulling his lips to mine before kissing them lightly.

"I'm going to ignore that," I told him, lightly tapping his face.

"Okay," He grinned as he wrapped an arm around my shoulder, heading over to where Blake stood with Kara in his arms, making up for lost time.

"Why do we always have to remind you when you're in public and can't bang each other?" I asked, grimacing when Blake's hand tried to snake up her top. Kara slapped at his hand and giggled, telling him he had to wait a little longer.

"Please, please, please, have sex when we are not in the house," Adam mumbled, pushing past them and into the stairwell.

"What are you talking about Weber? You're not staying here this weekend," I laughed, shoving his head. Katie and Adam had opted for some hardcore alone time while Eric and I already had that last week when we were home for Christmas. They opted to stay at The Inn located in Canal Park where all the touristy attractions were.

"Hey Riley," Adam called down to me.

"What?" I asked, rummaging through my purse, looking for my phone.

"I'll race you up the stairs," he suggested. I looked up at him, giving him my best, not going to happen look to which he pouted. "You're not fun anymore." He grumbled to which I snapped my head in his direction and shoved him out of the way to run past him up the stairs. "Hey! You cheat!" He screamed after me, trying to haul ass up the stairs. I could hear Eric laugh as he grabbed the back of Adam's backpack, preventing him from catching up with me. "This is not fair! Coward!" Adam huffed to me as I stood laughing outside of Kara's door. I slid down the wall, my chest quaking with my laughs.

"You're just not that fast," I told him.

"Bullshit, you cheated. Plus you had Decks' help."

"You should have know he was going to help me. We're a team, right baby?" I looked up at Eric who nodded, flexing his muscles a bit. I giggled and playfully slapped at his leg. "I love you."

"Aw, I love you too," Kara cooed as she fell to her knees next to me, squeezing me as Blake opened the door. "Do you love me too, Ry?" She asked, hauling me to my feet and into her two bedroom apartment.

"Yeah unless you want something, then no," I stuck my tongue out to which she gave me an unamused look.

"Tomorrow there is this amazing charity event called the Polar Plunge. It's only $5 and all you have to do is jump into Lake Superior! You should do it with me." She informed me, her eyes sparkling with excitement as she explained it to me.

"Why would you do that to yourself?" Blake asked, chomping on an apple he found in her fridge.

"You're doing it too boobear," she cooed to him. Blake stopped mid-chew and gave her a look that told her she had to be joking with him. "Yeah, I signed you up too!" She giggled as Blake opened his mouth in shock.

"Excuse me? Can you please repeat what you just said?"

"You are doing it with me. And stop being a baby, it will be fun. Riley, are you in?" She asked, ignoring Blake as he loudly protested. Kara turned her attention back to her boyfriend and silenced him with a hard glare. Blake crumpled in defeat, his mouth set in a deep frown.

"I don't know. I'm not really a big fan of water," I told her, biting my lips slightly. It sounded like fun but ever since I was a little kid and I almost drowned in our lake, I wasn't really into swimming in big bodies of water. Plus, Lake Superior was freezing and honestly scared the crap out of me with how deep it was.

"A net is placed at the bottom of the lake if that's what you're afraid off. You won't be able to slip under the ice. Plus they do it at a shallow point in the lake. Think about it tonight and you can decide tomorrow." She told me, squeezing my arm before smacking Blake as he tried to protest once more. "Blake Thomas Haudan, I don't really care if you want to do it or not. If I cared I would have asked you first. You're doing is so shut up." I giggled into Eric's shoulder as Adam laughed loudly.

"I love how Blake is your bitch, Kara," Adam told her, earning a punch on the shoulder from Blake.

"How come you don't listen to me like that," Katie pouted to which Adam rolled his eyes.

"Because I wear the pants," Adam pointed out, wrapping her in a tight, one-armed hug that seemed so impersonal compared to the ones that Eric gave me.

"Baby, I'm tired," Eric whispered to me, nuzzling his face into my shoulder.

I looked at the clock on the stove, noticing it was already 11 at night. We had to go up late because the boys had class and practice so late that we didn't hit the road until 7:30, the sun already set and a slight snow falling in the cities. But surprisingly as we got further up North, the snow stopped.

"Kara, where are Eric and I staying?" I asked her, standing up and following her down the hall.

"This is my roomie's room. She only had one request, no sex." Kara looked at us sternly.

"No problem there. I'm sure you guys will have enough for all of us," Eric told her, earning a slap on the shoulder. "And please try to keep the banshee like cries to a minimum, I would like to get some sleep."

"Shut up, Decker," Kara told him, shutting the door after we were situated in the room. Eric and I were so exhausted that we didn't bother saying goodbye to Katie or Adam, we just climbed into a stranger's bed and fell asleep in a tangle of limbs and sheets.
***

The cool water of the Florida ocean splashed around my ankles as I ran into the water, Eric following close behind me. I turned back to him, laughing at the determined look on his face. He thought he would be able to catch up to me, but I was gong a lot farther into the ocean than he thought I would. The salt water bit at my ankles, causing me some discomfort but I ignored it, knowing I was used to the soft water of the Minnesota lakes.

Eric stopped running as the water hit his knees, making it harder to approach me. He gave me a playful glare as I stopped, the water up to my waist. His hands were on his hips and he gave me a slight pout. I took in his beautiful face, his brown eyes covered by white sunglasses while blue swim trunks sat perfectly on his hips. I gave him a sexy grin as I let my eyes wander over the tone muscles of his whole body, starting with his abs and moving up his bulging arms to his broad shoulders.

"If you're not going to play fair than I'm going back on the beach," He called to me as I turned my back on him, not bothering to watch him head back to the white, sandy beach. I raised my face to the sun, smiling at it's warmth, so different than the cold, Minnesota spring.

I sighed, the water churning around my hips, feeling blissful now that my skin was used to the salty water. I let loose a laugh, perfectly happy with the Florida sunshine even though it was currently burning my shoulders. I turned back to the beach, ready to put some more lotion on my shoulders because I refused to spend the rest of our time here sunburn and miserable. I faced back to the beach, ready to head toward it and lay next to Eric for a little bit. But I stopped in my tracks, my mouth dropped as I took in the sight of a blonde perched on Eric's lap.

I gaped at the image before me, not really sure if what I was seeing was an illusion from the heat or if I was really watching my boyfriend's lips, gravitate towards another girl's. My heart lurched in pain as my brain tried to process the information, his lips pressing against her in a way that should only be reserved for me. I clutched my chest, trying to hold the pieces of my heart together as the ocean water started to pull me away from the beach. I tore my gaze from the tragic scene, down to my feet where the water was whirling around in a circle, much like a hurricane.

I looked behind me, hearing the sudden roar of waves. I tried to move my legs but they seemed to be stuck in the sand, not wanting to move from their position. I quickly glanced to the waves again, watching as they towered behind me before I opened my mouth and screamed Eric's name. I got no response, not even the splashing of water as I watched my impending doom lurch towards me. I screamed again, hoping this time he would hear me. But I was met with the same silence as before.

I snapped my head to the beach again, watching in horror as the blonde girl, whom I now recognized as Lindsey Brass, the slut who had tried to take him from me in high school, straddle his hips and push him onto his back. The tears flew from my eyes as I realized no one would be coming to save me. My heart seemed to shatter all over again as Lindsey placed kisses all over his body. Despite the fact that I was too far away, I could still hear Eric's moans of pleasure loud and clear from where I stood, taking my breath away, before the waves crashed over me, pulling me down with so much force, I hit the sand on the bottom of the ocean.

I tried to scream for help on more time, but all I got was a breath of water. My lungs constricted in my chest, fire blazing in them as I tried to get some sort of oxygen. The panic started to rise but then fell as my mind and vision because fuzzy. I opened my mouth one more time and tried to push myself out of the water, to break the surface, but the current was too strong. My mind was starting to slow down, almost like it was running in slow motion until I couldn't think anymore. Only one image made it's way though my mind, the blonde who looked nothing like me, straddling Eric and pushing him back on his beach towel. And then, with that peaceful image, the rest of my world went black.
***

I flew up in bed, my skin coated with a thin layer of sweat as I desperately drew air into my lungs. Tears streamed down my face as I held my chest with both hands, clutching it as my body heaved and shook from the terrible dream I just experienced. I wasn't sure what was worse, the drowning part or seeing Eric with a girl who I had despised my entire life. I shuddered as I sobbed loudly, feeling the utter terror overtake my body. I usually wasn't a crier but to say I was scared out of my mind was an understatement. Drowning was one of my worst fears, along with losing Eric and a dream of both happening was like a one-two punch to my stomach.

Arms wrapped around my body as I placed my head in my hands, the tears falling into my palms. I had forgotten Eric was even there until his hands came in contact with my skin. I pulled my face away from my hands and curled into his body, sobbing into his neck as he rubbed my back, trying to calm me down a bit. My lungs begged for air as the sobs made it harder to breathe, making me feel like I was drowning all over again. This only made me cry harder until I was desperately waving my hands at Eric.

"Riley, breathe," He told me, his eyes laced with worry. I shook my head frantically at him, trying to tell him he was going to have to help me. He took the hint and flew from the bed, running out of the room and returning thirty antagonizing seconds later with a paper bag. He grabbed me, pulling me to the edge of the bed before shoving my head between my legs and rubbing my back. "Take a deep breath, you're okay." He cooed in my ear. More tears streamed down my face despite Eric's attempts to soothe me.

He stayed crouched in front of me, his hands rubbing over my back and then taking the time to wipe the tears from my face. The sobs eventually stopped as Eric placed a kiss to the top of my head in another desperate attempt to calm me down. It worked though, halting the flow of tears and my shallow breaths instantly. I took in a shaky, deep breath, enjoying the feel of the oxygen in my lungs as it eased the burning. I tilted my face up to Eric, who's look of concern made me feel guilty for scaring the crap out of him.

"What happened?" He asked me, scooping me up and laying both of us back onto the bed.

"It was horrible, Eric," I whimpered into his chest, the tears forming again as I thought about Lindsey with her lips pressed to Eric's body.

"Tell me about it, I'll make it better," He spoke gently, almost like I was sleeping. I sniffled a bit and tilted my face towards his.

"Kiss me first."

He immediately obliged, his head dipping, our lips pressing softly against each other. I sighed into the kiss, my hands coming up to the side of his face, caressing it as his tongue slid against my bottom lip. I moaned into his mouth, glad that he was kissing me and not any other girl, Lindsey or not. I pulled away, running one of my fingers over his now slightly swollen lips.

"I had a dream, a nightmare really, that I was drowning in the ocean and this horrible, blonde slut was straddling you and kissing you and I tried calling out to you, but you either didn't hear me or ignored me. And then I slipped under the water because of the strong current and I... I... died." I told him, one more tear making it's journey down my face.

"Oh honey, I would never let that happen," he whispered, his hands pressing into my back and holding me to his chest tightly.

"I know but it all felt so real," I croaked, my voice cracking a bit.

"Shhh, no more tears. It was just a dream and you're alright. You're with me. You're safe." He murmured, kissing my forehead, then both of my cheeks, the tip of my nose and finally my lips again. I sighed, feeling the stress of the dream completely melt off my body as Eric took my breath away in the only way I would ever like it.