Chapter 36: Coming Home

Ten of these ~ is a time change

Four of these • is a pov change

DISCLAIMER: I do not own any of the wrestlers mentioned in this story, or anything pertaining to WWE and TNA. I am well aware that the ages of the wrestlers in this fic don't match the time period of the fic. (I found it more sympathetic and believable for them to be younger, and that they'd garner more pity with a greater age difference.) I also moved AJ and Punk's marriage up a year. It was necessary to my story. Sue me. Violence, disturbing torture, blood, angst, language, slash, smut, (in earlier chapters) non-con/rape (in earlier chapters, mentions of rape (earlier and later chapters)

SONG: COMING HOME BY AVENGED SEVENFOLD

I've been away, searching for a reason, another purpose to find.

Someone lays me down and straps me to something. That freaks me out because all I was for the past week is strapped down. Bad things happen to me when I'm strapped down. I don't know any of these people… what if they've come to take me back to Hunter and Paul? But every move hurts and I can't do anything.

I've sailed the seas, fought my many demons, I've looked to gods in the skies.

I've put my life into the hands of the few brave people who liberated me, whether I wanted to or not. But I do not trust these cold people with their unfeeling hands and sharp poking things. For all I know, they got those things from Paul and Hunter's table and they're carrying out their unfinished plan. I do not know these people and I do not want to be near them when I'm this weakened.

I've stood in hell, where many had to suffer, I've stared the devil in the eyes.

"Nic," I call out weakly. Nic has made me feel safe since he's gotten here. Nic was the first friendly human contact I've had in a week. I hear more muddled voices and then I pick his out.

"Can I ride with him?" More noise and then he comes into my field of vision. I automatically relax. Nic will at least fight anyone who'd try to bring me back to Hunter and Paul. I try to think rationally that EMT's won't do anything malicious to me. But still, there's hands all over me and needles being stuck in me and everything hurts, and now I'm lying on my back which hurts more. "Hey, try to calm down buddy." He speaks softly.

Walked many roads to witness ancient idols, and found the great gates of fire.

I blink in the bright light and try to focus on him. Nic is something I know to be constant. A siren starts up again and we lurch forward, I clench my fists as someone holds onto the thing I'm on to stop it from moving. There's a strap across my stomach, right on "WEAK" and it hurts like a motherfucker.

And many storms questioned my conviction, gave armies reasons to rise.

I feel Nic's hand on my shoulder, it's warm and friendly. I'm infinitely thankful for him being here, I'm infinitely thankful I'm not in this foreign place alone.

"How much longer?" I ask. I can't wait to get out of this screaming metal death trap.

The hangman searching, for bones he can borrow, while I escaped in the night, full of life.

"Five, ten minutes. Surprisingly enough, there isn't a hospital in nowhere-land." His voice bites with sarcasm. I'm used to it from him, but it's bitter and unfamiliar this time.

"Are you okay?" He laughs and looks at me admirably.

"I could ask you the same question. You have no business concerning yourself with my well-being. You've got enough on your plate as is."

Live again, I'll return, I'll be coming home.

"I know it must be hard, though."

"What, you mean seeing my boss as well as a man I respected attempt to demolish one of my closest friends? Nah. All in a day's work." More sarcasm. I'm starting to worry about him.

Send your light, cause on this night, I'll be coming home

"You're not acting like yourself."

"Nope, I'm fine." Still sarcasm. I work one of my hands out of the straps and place it on his knee.

"Look at me."

"Yes?"

Escape the hell, look at your latent mourners, and drink the blood of a king.

I stare at him for a second.

"It's okay not to be okay." He looks sad.

"You didn't deserve this. I wish it had been me instead."

"Trust me, you don't."

"But why you?"

"I can tell you once we get somewhere that stands still." He sighs.

"The going is gonna be rough for a while yet. There's a lot of things you need fixed, and it's not exactly smooth sailing."

"None of this has been smooth sailing." Talking is getting harder and harder.

"I just want it to be over for you. No one should ever have to be in this much pain." I cough and it jars my whole body. I make a face.

"Jeff isn't much better."

The deserving has lost their way, direction. And angels looking after me, so it says.

"I'm worried about you. I feel bad for the guy but I hardly know him."

"I know you love his wrestling."

Live again, I'll return, I'll be coming home.

"Who doesn't?"

"You make a good point."

Send your light, cause on this night, I'll be coming home.

My face falls as I remember something important. "Nic."

"Hmm?"

"He took my ring." His eyes go to my hands.

"I'll kill him."

"No. Is there any chance it's still around?"

"I'm not the right person to ask."

"Dean?"

"Mmhm. Shit, that's crossing the fucking line."

"Yeah, they crossed a whole bunch of lines." The ambulance comes to a stop. "Finally."

My story ends, not far from where it started, my weary limbs have grown old.

A couple bright hallways, a dozen doctors and a lot of horrified expressions later I'm in a room with two more doctors. Nic is still by my side, explaining the situation for the umpteenth time. I feel like sleeping but there's too much stuff going on around me. I figure they're going to ask me questions anyways. I rub my hands up and down my arms. From dark, freezing basement to bright, freezing hospital, surprise, surprise, I'm still freezing. Having already lost my shirt and my socks, the rest of me is drenched in cold sweat.

I've seen the world through the eyes of a nomad.

Staring at the IV in my arm, I listen to Nic's haphazard explanation. He doesn't know too much about what happened.

"… There for a whole week… don't know what they did… broken arm… weapons… crazy…" I catch bits and pieces, and I can already tell they're going to have to run a bunch of tests. He finishes telling them what he knows and attention turns to me. I can feel their scrutiny and I figure I look like hell. I don't know everything that's wrong with me, but I know it's a lot. One of them puts a blanket over my lap and asks me to sit up. They ask Nic to leave and he tells me that he'll be back when they let him. But then my heart starts racing and I can't breathe and a machine next to me starts beeping. I gasp and sit bolt upright, my hands going to my throat. I can see someone rush towards me out of the corner of my eye. A mask goes over my face and a muddy voice tells me to take deep breaths. It makes everything go away and I sink back to the bed, my blurry vision giving way to darkness.

Home is where the heart is I've been told, so I go.

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