John had surgery the next day to repair the cords that were paralyzed. It was a risky surgery and there were no guarantees it would work. They could only wait and see. Dr. Grant had called John's family and explained about things. He told them they still couldn't come and visit but he would keep them updated on John's condition and progress.

He was in recovery for a few days and then back to his room. Mallory continued with the therapy to help him walk while he was recovering from the surgery. The speech therapy would have to wait until he was better from it. She had revised the plan for the surgery. Once Ken gave her the go ahead on the therapy, she was going to try art therapy.

"Good morning John." Mallory said walking into the room. This was the day she was going to see if the surgery worked and how his ability to talk was. "I know you can talk so, say something."

She waited for him to take a breath.

"I know you're a little scared but you can do this." She sat down on the bed and waited. "Let's start simple. Just see if you can say hey."

"Heey." He managed to say slowly.

"That's good." She replied to him. "Now, let's try some more. I'm going to say a word and I want you to try to say it back. Okay?"

"OooKkk."

"Good." She got out the note pad that had the words on it. "Alright, I'll say it first and then you repeat it. First word is at."

"Aatt." He repeated.

"Great. Now, lets try another one, the."

"Thhee."

"Excellent. Now, how about cat."

"Caatt." In his mind John wondered why she was having him say things that are so simple.

"Good. Now, how about hat."

"Haatt."

"Alright. Now, let's try saying them all." She got out the kids' book The Cat in The Hat. She saw him smile when she did. "Oh, you think it's crazy to have you read the book. We have to start slowly. Now, let's see if you can read the title."

"Thhee Caat inn Thhee Haat." He ready slowly.

"Excellent. That is so good." She said excitedly. She noticed his face. "What? You think I'm weird because I got excited about it right?"

"Yeess."

"Well you will get use to how I am and learn to love me for it." She joked. "Now, let's learn some more."

They worked on his speech for the next hour and then moved to the range of motion exercises and helping him walk. He got frustrated a few times while trying to walk.

"John, you will get this. Just be patient." She said as they stopped for the day. "I know it's hard to be patient when you are use to doing everything exactly when you want. But this isn't like that. We take a step at a time and then you will get better."

"Wiill I waalk aaagain?" He asked finally speaking a whole sentence.

"Oh my god, you spoke a whole sentence. That's great." She said excitedly.

He looked at her and said again. "Wiill I waalk aaagain?"

"Yes. I strongly believe you will."

"Wiill I wwwrestle aaagain?"

"That I can't say. The damaged caused by the stroke was severe. We can only work to get you walking again and talking again. John, I hope I can get you to where you can wrestle again but I can't promise you will."

He sighed when she said that. Wrestling was what he loved to do. What would he do if he couldn't do that.

"I know you love wrestling. I figured that out when we were playing the game."

"IIII wwwaannt to wrrrestlle."

"I know. John, I want you to set a goal for yourself. Something you want to accomplish by the time you get out of rehab."

"IIII wwwaannt to wrrrestlle."

"Okay. Let's set that as your long term goal but I want you set a short term goal."

"IIII wwwaannt to waallk."

"Good. That is a great short term goal. Once you reach your short term goal, then you can work toward the long term but John, you have to understand. You might not be able to wrestle again. You have to be prepared for that possibility."

He sighed when she said that. He knew she was right but he still wanted his career back.

"How about we end things for today and have another movie night?" She asked him. She knew he was really sad about the possibility of never wrestling again.

"Ookaay."

"Great."

She helped him back to his room and hooked up the DVD player. She got out some action movies that his mom said was his favorite. As they watched, she went over things in her head. She was thinking about his therapy. Her first goal was for him to talk better and walk but she also wanted to help him. But could she really help him to wrestle again. She hoped so but she didn't want to rush his therapy. She decided to do some research on things and see what she could come up with. Maybe she could come up with a new therapy that might help him to wrestle again.

Once the movies were over, she looked over and he was sleeping. She knew that the surgery had help with the breathing issue so, he would be okay. She checked his vital signs and headed out. She told Trina that she would be in her office if she needed anything. She could have gone home to research but she decided to stay at the hospital.

"Let's see what I can find." She said to herself as she began searching the internet.

She decided to do some research on wrestling as well as John himself. She wanted to know what he did in the ring so, she could see what they needed to do. She downloaded some articles as well as some videos. After she did that, she began researching the different types of therapy. Most she heard of and she did most of them. She didn't really see anything new.

"Aggh, this is not working." She said out loud. "I'm going to have to see if there is something I can come up."

She turned off her computer and got comfortable on the couch in her office. She knew it was almost two in the morning and there was no need to go home. She hoped something would come to her and she would be able to help John.

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