Sorry about the lack of updates with this story but this chapter eluded me for a while. However its here now please enjoy.

Mickie spent the night in a hotel close to the airport, she could not get a flight until the following morning. She spent the night paralytic on her bed, waiting for a phone call and a knock at the door. Expecting someone to come and get her and tell her to stop being such a coward and to go back to Randy.

It didn't happen though, at five am Mickie got out of bed having not slept one wink and picked up her suit case which she had not bothered unpacking. Sitting now in the departure lounge that was surprisingly full for the early hour Mickie thought again on what she was doing. It had been the only thing on her mind since leaving the hospital and yet she still couldn't bring herself to turn back.

She had almost done it twice, once she had even got out of bed and picked up her things to leave. Seeing herself in the mirror had changed her mind. Her face was drawn and pale, her eye sunk in her head, and her hair was flat and lank. It was not the fact that she didn't look her best however that prevented her from finally going back. It was remembering her face the moment before she picked up the call from Beth.

She remembered looking in that bathroom mirror, a genuine smile on her face, her cheeks rosy from the alcohol and a feeling of excitement in the pit of her stomach. She had been even of it was for a moment truly happy, and in her happiness she also found out that she could be single to do it.

Getting up now as they announced her flight, Mickie did not look back once. Instead she walked along to the aircraft and stepped straight on bored. Staying here was no longer an option for her, she had made her choice and to go back now would be only for the benefit of her friends, for she was sure neither her nor Randy would benefit from her presence any longer.

Beth was livid with Mickie, how she had just walked out like that, leaving them here to deal with all of this. There was no way she could do anything about it though. Mickie had made her choice and forcing her to come back would not do them any good at this time. Randy did not need them arguing over his bedside when he was trying to recover. John held on to her tightly now as she raged about how Mickie had let them all down. How she had changed. It felt good to have him hold her though, his strong arms supporting her as her knees began to weaken under the influx of emotion. It was constant now, the fear the worrying, it hadn't let up since she had gotten that phone call, the one that had changed their lives. Now her body was protesting under the weight of it, and she was glad John was there to catch her.

"I think the doctor is coming back." John said rubbing his hands up and down her back, as Beth took a deep shaky breath, and pulled away from him. The doctor had been in checking on Randy and running more tests. His scan results had been positive, all his internal damage was heeling nicely. Now it was just a question of his head injury.

"Good morning." The doctor said as he approached them, John could tell the man was a s tired as they were. Knowing he probably had also been up all night trying to save people's lives John gave the man an immediate smile.

"How is he doctor?" John asked before Beth could get in there. Randy's parents had been in the room while the doctor had been running his tests, but from here they could not see Mr and Mrs Orton and had no clue as to their outcome.

"I am pleased to say he is getting better, the swelling in his brain has gone down significantly. I am hopeful that he will wake up soon."

Beth looked at John and the first hint of a smile grace her lips for the first time in what seemed like forever.

"Can we go in a see him?" Beth said a slight excitement in her voice and the doctor smiled back at her.

"Yes he is not awake yet but I am sure it will only be a matter of time now. Your friend has been very lucky." The doctor said as Beth and John started walked towards Randy's room.

"I guess that depends on how you interpret lucky doctor." Beth said looking back over her shoulder as John pushed open the door to Randy's room.

Randy's parents were already there, both of them looked like they could do with a good night's rest. John thought they probably all could, but right now sleep wasn't really an option. A quick nap on one of the impossibly uncomfortable chairs was all they had all managed so far. After three days however it was taking its toll on all of them. Beth had become increasingly irritable, and Mickie's leaving had only made it worse. Bob and Elaine had been pretty quiet over the last few hours and John was sure that they had been waiting for this phone call, ever since Randy joined the WWE.

They knew how dangerous it was to be a superstar, it was however not his job that now had him laid in a hospital bed, fighting to come back to them, but a random act of violence. The injustice had them all reeling and now all they could do was wait.

What the doctor had said was encouraging, but John knew as well as anyone else, when it came to head injuries nothing was certain. Randy could wake up any moment, but he may not be the person that they had once known. He could also be lying here for weeks before he came back to them. John knew none of them would handle either scenario well, and while he did not agree with Mickie's decision he understood it. Standing here powerless to do anything for Randy was one of the hardest things he had ever had to do. John however did not have the luxury of running all the way back to England. And now he thought about it, he wouldn't do it even if he did.

Mickie landed in London at three pm, her flight had been one of the longest of her life, the one thing that had kept her going was the knowledge that Martin would be there when she got back. Collecting her luggage Mickie made her way through the terminal and towards the taxi rank. She couldn't believe the fog that had settled over England's green and pleasant land. Almost unable to even see the taxi's Mickie walked slowly across the road and pulled her hat down low on her head.

Her phone had remained silent, no one had called or text her from either side of the pond. She had sent Martin a text as she boarded her flight, letting him know what had happened and why she had not been there to welcome him home. He had not replied, and Mickie knew this was a bad sign. Shivering slightly in the now familiar cold she spotted a taxi with its light on. Walking briskly now Mickie was certain that Beth and the others were mad at her, and not only were they not speaking to her, she was sure they would not tell her now how Randy was getting on. She supposed it was what she deserved. Thinking she would call the hospital later Mickie approached the taxi when a hand fell on her shoulder.

"Shit!" she exclaimed as she spun round, quite prepared to hit the person that had grabbed hold of her. Pausing mid swing Mickie dropped her hand as her eyes fell on Martin's face. He looked kind of sad and Mickie felt for him.

"Come with me, its freezing out here." He said simply taking hold of her arm and leading her towards what she assumed was his car. A small flicker of hope rose in her stomach. The fact that he had come t pick her up was a far better sign than a simple text.

"I thought you were mad at me." Mickie said as they got to Martins car and they climbed in. Martin started the engine and pulled the car away without saying a word. Mickie was kind of worried about the silence that Martin was holding. This was not like him, he was usually so open about his feelings and right now he wasn't saying anything.

"I'm sorry." Mickie ventured now totally confused by his behaviour as they pulled off the motorway and onto the A roads towards home.

"No you're not, your only sorry because you feel guilty and want me to forgive you. And you know what I am not ready to do that yet." Martin said the scowl that appeared on his face seemed so out of place there. Mickie had never seen such a look from him and now she was for the first time scared.

"That's not true, but you have to understand, I would have gone if it had been any of them. Randy is still someone I care about and he is in hospital, you can't have expected me to just ignore that." Mickie said indignant now that Martin would ask such a thing from her.

"No of course not, but you could have rang, text. Let me know where you were. I was worried, you said nothing to anyone and when you do finally get in contact with me it's to tell me you are coming back. The guilt is your own Mickie, I thought I had made a decision while I was away, but now." Martin stopped mid-sentence and looked sideways at Mickie with the briefest of glances. Before turning his attention back to the road.

"Now what?" Mickie question after the pause had gone on too long for Martin to really finish what he was saying.

"Why did you leave Mickie, and please answer me truthfully, don't make something up because you think it's what I want to here." The quick change in subject had Mickie on the back foot for a moment, and she wondered why Martin was trying to avoid her previous question. There was no way however she could get out of answering him though. To avoid doing so would only make matters worse. Martin would no doubt then draw his own conclusions and Mickie knew they wouldn't be good ones.

"I left because I couldn't look at Randy like that, because I felt like I didn't deserve to be there after how I left him. I took myself out of his life, and I have no right to come back into it like that." Mickie answered finally, knowing that the truth was the only thing she had left. Her feelings for Martin were mixed to say the least. He was a good and kind man, but he was not Randy, and it wasn't far to either of them for her to love them both.

"I see." Was all Martin said and it was the last words passed between them as they drove back to their home.

Beth had fallen asleep in the chair next to Randy's bed, John and Randy's parents had gone for something to eat, but Beth had remained not hungry she had decided to stay with Randy. Only dozing she could feel her neck start to protest at the strange angle at which it had fallen. Shifting slightly to alleviate the ache she heard a corresponding moan. Beth was sure that it had not come from her own lips and her eyes were open in a second.

Looking down she saw that Randy had not moved, he looked the same as he had done since he was placed in this room, and Beth thought she had merely dreamt the sound. Relaxing back into the chair, Beth laid her head back and closed her eyes once more. Taking in a deep breath she thought about all the times she had spent withy Randy.

The most recent memory being the one at the hog races and a small smile crossed her lips. She knew if Randy did not come back to them she would at least have good memories of their time together. She could not have said that six months ago. In fact if this had happened back then, she wasn't even sure she would have cared. Feeling guilty for even the thought Beth opened her eyes again and looked down at her friend. There was no way she would wish this on anyone, let alone someone she had cares about for as long as she could remember. Wondering again how Mickie could have just turned and walked away Beth sighed and picked up Randy's hand from where it lay on the bed.

"I am sorry." She whispered to him, not knowing exactly what she was apologising for. Her own thoughts about not caring if he had had this happen to him sooner, or that Mickie had abandoned him when he had needed her most. She didn't even know whether it even mattered, Randy would have no clue Mickie had even been here when he finally woke up. And Beth had to believe he would wake up.

She could not go on sitting in this chair if she knew he was going to be like this for the rest of his life. she knew Randy would not want to live this way either. Even though he was off the ventilator, and he was breathing on his own now, he was still attached to many wires and there constant beeping was something she had phased out long ago. Randy would not want to live like this. She knew it like she knew the sun was hot. Not wanting to think about such things Beth lent forward and ran her hand across Randy's forehead. Feeling the heat of his skin below always made her feel better, for the day when he was cold and still she knew he would be gone.

"Come back to us soon Randy, we miss you." Beth whispered as she felt a small pressure in her hand. This time she knew she had not imagined it. Sitting back quickly and picking up the hand she was holding she squeezed lightly.

"Randy I am here say something." Beth said feeling his fingers flex slightly under her own shaking appendage. For a moment there was only silence, the beeping of the machines and the sound of their combined breathing. Then Beth saw Randy's lips part and her breath stuck in her throat. This was not her imagination, this was happening and as Randy whispered a single word her heart both sank and beet faster.

"Mickie"

Well well, Randy heard Mickie and she left, what will happen next? Hope you are still sticking with this even though my updates have been rubbish. Remember your opinion matters so let me have it, good or bad I am open to suggestion. Thank you for reading XxX