Chapter 9

Dean sat on the exam table and watched as Doctor Amman studied the x-ray. "Well, nothing is broken, but you'll need a MRI. If the ACL is not torn then you'll be out a few weeks."

"And if it is?" Seth asked.

Doctor Amman leveled a look at Seth. "Surgery and months of recovery."

Dean ventured a glance at his two best friends who now looked as worried as he felt.

"What in the hell happened?" Roman finally asked.

Dean shrugged. "My foot slipped."

"You weren't focused," Seth replied.

"I was too," Dean argued. "It was just an accident."

Roman took a step forward. "We've worked with you for a long time now. We know when you're focused and when you're not." He pointed toward the center of the arena. "You were way too aggressive out there." Then he folded his arms across his chest and stared at Dean with a don't bullshit me look. "I agree with Seth. Your mind was elsewhere."

Dean glanced between his buddies. How in the hell could he argue with them when they were right? At least he'd been the one who paid for his lapse in concentration and not Roman or Seth. He turned to look at Doctor Amman. "So what happens now?"

"I send you for an MRI with the company specialist. Then we decided how to proceed. Either way, you're done in the ring for at least a couple of weeks."

Late the next afternoon Dean sat in the specialist office with his heart in his throat as conflicting emotions dueled inside his head. The Shield had so much momentum and push right now. Any serious injury would kill that push and hurt the team. Still, if he did manage to get some time off out of this he could go to North Carolina and be with Zoey. Roman and Seth were a damn good tag team and could easily carry on without him. Zoey on the other hand desperately needed some support. Even on one leg he could totally give her that support.

The door opened and Doctor Shapiro entered. "Well, Mr. Ambrose, you are one very lucky man. The test revealed no tears to any of the ligaments."

Dean blew out a breath. "Meaning?"

"Meaning a few weeks on crutches and then a couple more rehabbing and you'll be back in the ring."

That also meant he was headed to North Carolina. He'd just give Lexi and see if she could coerce Zoey's address out of Hunter.

Zoey sat in the den turned temporary bedroom, next to the hospital bed with her mother's boney hand in hers. "When do you go back to work?" Sara asked her words slow and labored.

"I'm here for the duration," Zoey replied. "My bosses are good people. They don't mind."

Sara gave her a sad smile. "It won't be much longer now."

Her words caused Zoey to close her eyes as she tried to contain her emotions. What in the hell was she supposed to say? "Mom-"

"Don't." Sara gently patted her hand. "Don't tell me not to give up hope. We all are adults and we all know the truth. It's okay, sweetie."

A tear escaped and trickled down Zoey's cheek as she looked at her mother, amazed at the woman's resilient spirit. "It's not fair," she finally whispered.

"No, it's not, but you know all too well that life isn't fair. Besides-" her smile returned as she appeared to stare off into space, and Zoey noted how this time the smile lit her dull eyes. "I'll finally get to be with your father again."

The joy in her mother's words pulled a smile from Zoey. "You really loved dad didn't you?"

"With all my heart-" Sara replied. "He was my everything. Being without him all these years has been so hard." She turned her head and stared at Zoey with that knowing look she used to get whenever she thought Zoey needed advice. "Zane has Carla to love after I'm gone. Who do you have, sweetie? Is there a man who has your heart?"

Zoey's thoughts immediately turned to Dean. After their conversation the other day she felt even closer to him. He'd abated the remainder of her fear and in its place gave her the strength she'd needed to continue on. He cared about her and as much as she might not want to admit it, she was coming to care about him. "There is this one guy at work."

"Tell me about him," Sara ordered.

"He's tall and a little mysterious. His hair is maybe a mahogany color, a little reddish brown." Zoey grinned as she tried to picture him. "It's definitely a different shade of red than mine."

"You like him?" Sara asked.

"Yeah, I think I really do," Zoey replied.

Sara gave her hand a light squeeze. "Then follow your heart, Zoey. Your mind can play tricks on you and make you question your intentions, but your heart-" She gave a slight shake of her head. "Your heart is never wrong."

Zoey heard the doorbell and nearly groaned. It was probably more friends or extended family coming to say their goodbyes to her mother, but they were having such a nice talk, such a great moment she didn't want it to end.

Knowing Carla or Heather would tend to the door she turned back to her mom. "I've never really been in love before, mom. How do I know if he's the right one?"

Sara's thin lips pulled into another smile as she stared at Zoey. "It's not something that can be explained. There's no single identifier that will tell you that you're in love. You'll just know."

"Zoey?" Carla's voice carried down the hall.

"Yeah?" Zoey yelled back, just a little upset at the interruption.

"Um...there's someone here for you."

Knowing she couldn't avoid it, Zoey let go of her mom's hand. "I'll be right back." Intent on getting rid of whoever it was she walked out of the den and down the short hall. She turned the corner and stopped in her tracks as shock zipped through her system. For a brief moment she thought her eyes were playing tricks on her. No way could he really be here.

Standing in the doorway with a crutch under his arm and a smile on his face he looked at her. "Dean?" She took tentative step toward him, still not quite believing her eyes.

"I hope you don't mind me showing up unannounced," he replied as he motioned to his crutch. "But I'm out of action for a few weeks and thought maybe you could use some help."

A wave of emotion swamped her as she closed the distance between them and wrapped her arms around his neck. She heard the crutch fall away a split second before his arms came around her. He held her close, with one hand against her back and the other in her hair as she buried her face against his chest and let the tears flow.