Chapter 38: Salvation

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: SALVATION BY SKILLET

All alone, lost in this abyss, crawling in the dark.

••••

I'm in the easier part now, now was when I started seeing my friends again. Not out of the woods yet, but closer. Haven't had a bad nightmare in months. I hope this worked out for Jeff as well as it has for me. People underestimate the power of friendship. It moves mountains. It took me a long time to fix the trust issues I developed after Paul, but being surrounded by all the people I trust who didn't turn their back on me and go into a psychotic rampage certainly helps. I don't think I could've got through without them. And I know I'd never get anywhere without April.

Nothing to wet my longing lips, and I wonder where you are.

When I wake up there's a lot that's changed. There's tubes going in and out of me, my whole midsection is wrapped up in gauze, my wrists are wrapped, my ankles are wrapped, there's something around my head, my arm is in a cast, the light hurts and the room spins a little, I don't exactly remember who I am, where I am and what happened, and the pain is numb.

Are you far?

Shit, the pain is numb! One of these tubes must be feeding me painkillers.

Will you come to my rescue?

It makes me mad but my attention is called from it by a doctor opening the door. My basic knowledge comes back in fuzzy, incomplete waves.

"Mr. Brooks, I'm the resident orthopedic surgeon here." He approaches the side of the bed and holds his hand out. I shake it and glance surreptitiously at my broken arm, all cast-ed up.

Am I left to die?

"I needed surgery?"

"Yes, you had a compound fracture of your radius and ulna bones. In essence, your forearm was broken clean, all the way through." That explains the two snaps I heard. "Besides that, you've got some second and third degree burns, bruised ribs and one fractured one, major defensive and bondage wounds, and some serious tissue damage of your back. You needed 15 staples in your head along with a major concussion, there was water in your lungs that needed to be pumped out, you're dehydrated, and somewhat malnourished. Unfortunately, you're going to have to spend some time here. However, you do have a visitor."

But I can't give up on you.

"Did you put me on painkillers?"

"Yes, your wife warned me you wouldn't like it, but I'm afraid I must insist. Your blood pressure went through the roof without it." I sigh.

"Who is it?"

"I'll let her in. Take it easy, Mr. Brooks." He leaves the door open behind him when he leaves. AJ walks through it and I smile genuinely for the first time in I-can't-remember-how-long.

I feel you keeping me alive, you are my salvation.

It feels like I haven't seen her in ages.

Touch you, taste you, feel you here, oh yeah.

She puts her hand to her mouth upon first glance and pulls a chair to the side of my bed. My duffel bag is slung over her shoulder, it looks three sizes too big for her. She pushes my hair back with her hand and smiles sadly.

I feel you keeping me alive, you are my salvation.

She's got soft hands. I cover hers with mine and she drops it down to hold my hand.

"Hey."

"Hey yourself."

Hold me, heal me, keep me near, oh yeah.

"How do you feel?"

"Like I've been hit by a car, and then the car backed over me, and waited for me to get up so it could run me over again. I think Paul was driving the car and Hunter was in the passenger seat."

"Seems the sarcasm is still intact."

"It's here to stay."

"Perfect."

My heart will burn for you, it's all I can do.

She pushes the bag with her shoe. Chuck Taylors, I notice. Of course. "Seth found your bag in the house." At first I don't pay it mind and then I remember.

"Ape, they took my ring." Her face falls.

"We can—"

"Hold on, check if it's in the bag." She leans forward and starts to sift through the contents.

Been out from under who I am, and who I want to be.

Pulling out a small ball of washcloth, she hands it to me.

"This might be it." My hands start to shake as I undo it, knowing there must be something up and worrying about something happening in front of her. My breath catches as the white gold falls into my lap. In disbelief I hold it up.

"How…" my eyes blur with tears as I hold it tight in my hand. She reaches out and grabs onto my wrist as I slide my ring back onto my finger for the first time in a week. I look back to the washcloth. Where's the catch? It can't be this easy. I shake it out, but nothing. My only guess is that they planned on breaking it in front of me. In any case, this is a more than pleasant surprise.

Held you tightly in my hands, why are we unraveling?

I look back to her brown eyes, dark with concern. I frown lightly.

"Don't you worry too much about me."

"You think I can help it?"

Was it me?

I sit up a little to kiss her. That's something I missed for sure.

"I missed you. Thought about you a lot. Thinking about you got me through it." She smiles for real this time, her face lighting up like it does. She runs a hand through her long, dark hair.

"I love you."

"I love you too."

Will you come to my rescue?

She runs her eyes up and down me again and her expression darkens.

"Wh—"

"Please don't ask me why they'd do it to me, I don't really know. Try to keep it in the past, April. The important thing is that it's over and I'll be back to annoy everyone else in WWE soon enough."

"Are you going to tell me what they did to you?"

"You don't want to know." She furrows her eyebrows.

"That is what everyone has been telling me. I am not made of glass. I'm small, but I'm not fragile. You know that. You know it bothers me when people assume that. I do not have a delicate personality. You're not going to shatter me by telling me the truth. You're my baby, and I want to know what happened."

Or did I push too far when I turned my back on you?

I scratch the back of my head with my good arm and shrug my shoulders.

"You're right."

"Of course I am." She smiles.

I feel you keeping me alive, you are my salvation.

I look at the tubes around me, and shift to the side, lifting up the ones on my left. "Come over here." She lays down next to me, and I put my broken arm around her shoulders as she leans her head on my chest.

Touch you, taste you, feel you here, oh yeah.

I go through the whole story in as much detail as I can, stroking her hair absently. I start at the hotel and finish at the hospital, pushing on even though she sobs into me the whole time.

I feel you keeping me alive, you are my salvation.

She deserves the truth. She wouldn't want me to sugarcoat it. I hardly realize that I've been crying too until I finish. I wipe her cheeks with my thumb and then drag the back of my hand across my own face.

Hold me, heal me, keep me near, oh yeah.

"I'm sorry about Paul." How she knew that was the thing that hurt the most out of all of this, I'll never know. She's just that freaking intuitive, I guess. I kiss the top of her head.

"I am too. But guess what?"

"What?"

"I won. And I have you. So I won twice." She looks up at me and smiles, shifting to kiss me. I return it softly and smile into her.

"We've got loads of time for that when you get out of here."

My heart will burn for you, it's all I can do.

Reviews?