11/13/05, Amanda's Perspective…
The hotel hallway is swarming with people… it's way too early in the morning for it, we should all be getting ready for the double brand taping tonight, we're all going to England before the Thanksgiving holiday...
Something is seriously wrong! That's Eddie's room that they're crowded by!
I have to shove my way through the crowd but I reached the door and try to run in, Chris's arms wrapping around me as I turn and see…
Good god, no! Damn it, why?! Why?! He and I were just talking last night, no sign of anything being wrong with him… he was excited for the tour, the holiday, the pay per view… all of it!
It's really just all gone in the blink of an eye… no!
"No… no, they have to help him, they have to!" I scream as tears start falling down my face like waterfalls, frantically trying to get into the room and to Eddie.
Eddie, my best friend… one of the ones who became family, who picked me up back onto my feet whenever I crashed and fell… why wasn't I there for him when he needed it the most?!
"He was already blue and grey when Chavo found him…" Chris said, me turning and looking at him… and I knew just from looking at him that his was breaking his heart more than mine.
"Chavo… where's…" I try to say… but I already know the answer, Chavo's comforting Vickie, the girls and the rest of the Guerrero family. "Chris, it's not fair… he can't really be gone…" I say as it starts fully hitting me and I look at Eddie's motionless body.
"I'm sorry, little one… he's gone…" Chris responded, wrapping his arms around me and the two of us holding onto each other as we cried.
We all fall… we can't always pick ourselves back up.
I'm so sorry, Eddie… I let you down…
11/13/06, Third Person Perspective…
Looking at the city skyline as the oversized Rated RKO shirt she had on fluttered in the cold autumn wind, Amanda looked through the clouds to try to find the stars in the sky… but there weren't any tonight.
The darkened cloudy sky reflected her mood… to her, it felt like it was being done on purpose.
Without her surrogate uncle, she felt so alone at times… were it not for the others, she would've gone insane a long time ago.
"Somehow, I knew I'd find you here." Chris replied as he found Amanda on the roof of the hotel, a silver flask in her right hand.
Amanda motioned him over, pouring vodka in the two shot glasses before closing the flask and setting it aside.
"Here's to you, old friend." Amanda said after a glass was placed into her right hand, the two clinking their glasses together before downing the vodka, the liquor of cold comfort to them.
"I don't want to ask this but… were you headed up here to…" Chris tries to say, Amanda pursing her lips into a thin line for a second.
"No… the rooms get to be too quiet at times so I head up to the roofs. Listening to the noise of the city helps calm my mind… but just temporarily. I hope one day, it won't hurt so damn bad when I think about him." Amanda responded, Chris taking her into his arms when tears started falling and the two hanging onto each other. "It's not fair, Chris. Why did he leave us? We still need him." She said, Chris rubbing his hand up and down her back.
"You're right, it isn't fair little one… but he's not truly gone, he'll always be around us." Chris replied, the roof door opening and both seeing Rey.
"Got any of that for me?" Rey asked, motioning to the flask. Amanda nodded as she and Chris let go, Rey walking over… but instead of grabbing the flask, he pulled Amanda into his arms as Chris brushed his own tears away.
"I miss him too, Mandy… it's not fair that he's gone." Rey whispered after a few seconds, picking Amanda up into his arms and Chris grabbing the flask, pocketing it before the three disappeared back into the hotel.
Morning was around faster than they wanted it to be, Amanda rubbing her sore eyes as she had drank more than Chris had… when they opened, she looked up and saw him lightly running a cool washcloth over her forehead.
"One year… has it really been that long?" Amanda asked.
"One year… someday, it won't hurt as bad, little one." Chris responded, lying down next to Amanda and pulling her into a hug…
Present time, 11/13/17, Amanda's Perspective…
The arena was still empty as I watched the ring crew set the ring, thinking back… every year on this day, it hurts just like it did.
And I don't know how to make it stop.
