No Matter What

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^*Madison’s POV*^
I leaned down towards Brian as he leaned up to me, and our lips met, the kiss soft at first, but quickly our tongues moving together and our lips molded against each other’s perfectly, seeming as we were meant to fit together like a lock and key. It was then I realized that I needed him. I…I loved him. Reluctantly he pulled away from me, his hands on my sides.

“No…we…we can’t start this.” He muttered, and I looked at him indifferently, not exactly understanding at first, but then I caught on. We couldn’t start a relationship. He was an inmate, convicted of involuntary manslaughter, and I was a nurse, only an employee, supposing to have as little contact with inmates as possible. But here we were, me lying basically on top of him, falling in love with someone who I can’t be with. But he also wasn’t the normal inmate. He was something else, but I couldn’t place my finger on it. “This would never work out.” He said, looking into my eyes, and I knew he was right, and I hated knowing that so much.

“But…but we can make it work.” I whispered, and he sighed.

“You don’t need to fall in love with a guy like me, Madison.” He said, and I shook my head.

“Too late.” I said, and he sighed.

“I guess it is too late.” He looked back at me, his eyes melting into mine. “But you can find someone better than me, Madison. Someone who isn’t going to spend years locked up in a cell.” He said, and I bit down on my lip, shaking my head.

“I don’t want to find anyone else. I don’t care that you’re in here. I’ve already fallen for you.” I said, and he let his arms slip around me, and pulled me closer to him, and I rested my head on his chest.

“You sure?” He asked and I nodded, bringing my head up and kissing his lips softly.

“I’ve never been more sure about anything in my life.”

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I eventually had to get off of Brian, and we continued to talk until morning came. We had to keep our relationship a secret. There was no question about that. The next day, I told Chuck that I was okay on my own with Brian, so he stayed stationed at the end of the hall. Brian was better, he said his ribs were hurting a lot less, but he didn’t want to leave, and I didn’t want him to go. Brian was sitting on the edge of the bed, swinging his les back and forth, and I was searching for a chart when a guard brought Matt in, barely conscious. I rushed over and helped him lay down, automatically seeing his eyes swimming and blood pouring out of his nose.

“Henslee bashed his head into the wall. Took three guards to get him off of him. Henslee’s being taken back to his cell, but Sanders can’t form words.” Joey said as I helped Matt lay down. He looked bad.

“Matt, Matt can you hear me?” I asked, concerned.

“Hurt.” Matt cringed, putting a hand on his side, where I could already see blood soaking through his white shirt.

“Joey, I got this, you can go.” I said, looking at Joey for a second and he eyed me suspiciously before he took his cuffs from his pocket. I stopped him before he could cuff Matt. “No, don’t, he’s fine.” I said and Joey hesitantly nodded before walking out. I turned my attention back to Matt.

“Heard rip.” He said, his words extremely slurred, which was a symptom of blunt force trauma of the head, neck or spine. Wonderful.

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^*Brian’s POV*^
I watched as Madison stopped the blood pouring from Matt’s nose, got his shirt off, and then went to work on stitches, and Matt fell unconscious. I was worried about him, I mean, he had become a good friend in this place, and it kind of scared me to see him beat up like that. After an hour or so, Madison got Matt’s side sewed up again, then washed her hands and came over and sat down next to me, leaning her head on my shoulder.

“Is he going to be okay?” I asked, and she nodded.

“He’ll be fine, just…his senses and mind got literally knocked off track. After a few hours of sleep he should wake up and be perfectly okay.” She said, and I kissed the top of her head. We stayed like that for a good thirty minutes, the only noise in the room being Matt’s light snoring. “You’re warm.” Madison mumbled into my chest, and I wrapped my arm around her.

“And you’re cold.” I said, putting the palm of my hand to her ice cold cheek. “Maybe I can warm you up.”

“I’d like that.” She smiled and leaned up, pressing her lips against mine and opening her mouth slightly, allowing me entrance. There was shuffling from Matt’s bed, and we both pulled away quickly, and Madison dropped into the chair beside my bed just before Matt rolled over onto his back, rubbing his eyes. He looked over at Madison and me after a second, and we tried to look like we hadn’t just panicked for a moment at the noise, thinking we’d get caught.

“So, how’d I get in this place?” He asked, motioning to the room.

“Crunch bashed your head into the wall.” Madison said simply.

“Yea, you looked like hell and you couldn’t talk right.” I said and he looked at me skeptically.

“Like how?”

“Instead of saying like, ‘it hurts’ you just said ‘hurt’ and instead of ‘I heard it rip’ you just said ‘heard rip’. Not to mention you were slurring so badly I thought you were just drunk off of your ass.” Madison said and he nodded.

“Great, I turned into my grandfather for a short period of time. That’s nice to know.” Matt said with a sigh.

“Are you feeling okay?” Madison asked and he nodded.

“My side hurts and my nose kind of hurts, but I’m fine other than that.” He muttered.

“You need to go back to sleep.” I said and he sighed.

“You just want me knocked out so you don’t have to put up with me.” Matt said and I shrugged.

“Maybe, but seriously, you need to get some more rest, you words are still kind of slurred.” I said seriously, and he rolled over away from us.

“Wake me up when Trippy gets here.” He said and I rolled my eyes.

“Sounds like someone has a crush.” Madison said sarcastically.

“I heard that.” Matt muttered. We watched Matt for a second, waiting for his breathing to slow down so we could get back to each other. After a second, Matt was out, and Madison stood up and motioned for me to stand up.

“C’mon, we can talk in the office. We still have about two hours until Tripp gets here.” She whispered, and I followed her into the office at the end of the room. I sat down on the couch, and she sat down next to me.

“I like it in here, it’s quiet.” I said and she nodded, leaning into my side, and I put my arm around her.

“It won’t be once Tripp gets here and has to watch the football game.”

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^*Madison’s POV*^
My remark about Tripp sent Brian and I into an hour long conversation about sports, which ended when I lost the argument. But now, with Brian’s lips pressed against mine again, and my arms locked around his neck, I didn’t even recall what we were arguing about exactly, and we were in our own little world until finally we both pulled away from each other, smiles on our faces. Brian let his eyes wander from mine up to the clock, and he sighed. I already knew why.

“Almost seven?” I asked, almost afraid to look at the clock, and Brian nodded.

“I better get back out there,” He said and I nodded, knowing what he meant. “Tripp should be in any minute.”

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^*Brian’s POV*^
Not even two minutes after time had disrupted Madison and I, I got back in bed, and just as soon as I did, as if on cue, Tripp walked in.

“Hey Matt,” I reached over and shook his arm. “Tripp’s home.” I said, and he opened his eyes, looking over at Tripp.

“Oh, great, so, what happened this time Matthew?” Tripp asked as he walked in, and Matt sighed.

“Well, a scrawny ass idiot kid back talked me, and I got knocked out when guards rushed in and pried me off of his lifeless body.” Matt directed his sentence at Tripp with a glare, and Tripp just stared wide eyed for a moment before walking back towards the office.

“Nice one.” I said, and Matt let out a quiet chuckle.

“You can scare him with anything. Damn kid shouldn’t even be working here. One rouge inmate just even reaches out towards him and he flips out, screaming, yelling, it’s the funniest fucking thing in the world.” Matt said, and I nodded.

“I bet.” I said, and Matt gave me an odd look.

“So, when are you going to explain why you were in that office alone with Madison?” Matt’s question caught me off guard, but I quickly hid the sudden fear.

“Matt, you had your head smashed into a wall. You’re out of your mind.” I said and he shook his head.

“No, I saw you come out of that room.” He said sternly.

“No you didn’t. Just drop it.” I said, and he held his hands up.

“Someone woke up on the wrong side of the bed this morning.” He said, and I just shook my head.

“God you’re so childish.” I muttered.

“Of course, how do you think I wind up here so much, and annoy Tripp to the point where he doesn’t want to work here?”

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Not too long after Tripp came in, Madison’s shift was long over, though she had been stalling to stay here with me. I appreciated her not wanting to leave my side, but I also knew the dangers of her not wanting to leave my side; the suspicions that will rise, much like they have with Matt. He caught us in the office, he caught us both red-handed, but I will not allow myself to speak a word of the truth about Madison and me to him. I may have come to trust him, but this is one thing I can’t let him know. Just before Madison left, she snuck over to my bed. Matt was fast asleep, and Tripp was in the office.

“You’ll be back tomorrow, right?” I asked the question that would no doubt have close to the same answer as the last time I asked.

“Of course, this is my job. If I don’t come they’ll fire me.” She said, earning a smile from me. I propped myself up on my elbow and she leaned down, giving me a quick kiss on the lips, smiling as she pulled away.

“I’ll see you tomorrow.” I said, and she nodded.

“I’ll be here at six, bright and early.” She said, and I nodded. “Bye.” She whispered, and I sighed.

“Bye.” I said, and she flashed one more caring smile before walking over to the door, punching in her code, and the door opened, allowing her to exit. I sighed again as the door shut, the sound echoing slightly as I rolled over, pulling my sheet up to my neck. My ribs were hurting slightly, but I only figured it was because my heart was beating fast with the knowing that what Madison and I were doing wasn’t exactly right. I was locked up in hell, without a glimmer of parole for at least the next four years. Madison was sweet and seemingly blind to this fact about my life. She didn’t care that I had killed my step-father, she didn’t care that I was being held in prison, she didn’t care that I wasn’t a good person, she didn’t care about what happened to her job, she didn’t care about any of that. She only cared about me, and when I was with her, I was beginning to float into that same mental state. My condition and current ways of living that were forced upon me didn’t matter, the only thing I could comprehend when I was in her presence was her, and her alone. She was like a light, guiding me through this dark tunnel I was traveling, keeping me from sinking into a pit of black sludge, or getting hit by the many trains I got hit by anyway to even end up here. One thing was for sure; if I ever do get out of this tunnel, I want to stay with her. I love her.