"What?" Linda asked in shock. "What do you mean Stephanie's been in a car
accident?"
"I just got answered your cell phone," David Flair said, helplessly shrugging his shoulders. "You can drive my car Linda, she's at Memorial Hospital."
"Who's at Memorial Hospital?" Kurt asked, coming down the hallway at the arena. He knew Stephanie should have arrived at the arena by that time. He was starting to get anxious.
"Stephanie," Linda said, turning towards her son-in-law. "She's been in an accident."
"No!" Kurt exclaimed.
"Here," David said, handing his car keys to Kurt and steering them towards the garage where his car was parked.
"Thank you David," Linda said. "Can you find Shane please."
"Of course," David said, nodding to his stepmother.
"Oh God, Kurt," Linda said, gulping for air between sobs. "She's in the hospital, it must have been bad."
"It'll be okay," Kurt said, trying to be comforting to the hysterical woman he was walking with.
"Linda!" Ric Flair called, rushing down the hallway. "Where are you going?"
"It's Stephanie," Linda said, tears streaming down her face. "She's been in a car accident."
"Oh God," Flair said, his eyes filled with sympathetic pain as he looked at his wife. He turned towards Kurt and saw he was equally distressed.
"Give me the keys," Ric commanded gently. "I'm probably the only one here who is completely in his right mind."
"Okay," Kurt said.
"Where's your car?" Ric asked.
"We're taking David's," Kurt said.
"Lets go," Ric said.
Moments later they were leaving the garage and speeding towards the hospital. "Ric, red light!" Linda said. "Stop!"
"I'm trying!" Ric exclaimed.
"Stop the car Ric," Kurt yelled.
"I can't!" Ric yelled. "The brakes aren't working."
Kurt looked to his side just in time to see the pickup truck running into them as they sped through the red light.
*
"There you are," David said as Stephanie and Shane walked into the arena about five minutes after Kurt and Linda had left. "Kurt was worried about you Stephanie."
"I'll go find him," Stephanie said.
As if on cue, Stephanie's cell phone rang. "Hello?"
Shane and David watched as Stephanie listened to the person on the other end of the phone. "Kurt? Mom?"
"What is it?" Shane asked, feeling worried at the distressed tone of Stephanie's voice.
"We'll be right there," Stephanie said. "It's Kurt and Mom and Ric. They were in a car accident. It was bad."
"What was Kurt doing with them?" Shane asked.
"I don't know," Stephanie said. "I've got to get to him."
"Lets go," Shane said.
"Can I come?" David asked, shocked to hear his own father was in the accident.
"Don't you have a car?" Stephanie asked.
"I let your mom borrow my car," David said.
"Come on," Shane said, pulling David toward the limo he and Stephanie had arrived in.
*
"Mom?" Shane asked softly as he sat next to her in the ER. The doctors hadn't been able to stop the internal bleeding and there was no telling how long she would be able to hold on. "I'm sorry Mom."
"No Shane," Linda whispered. "I'm sorry. How's Stephanie?"
"She's with Kurt," Shane said. "He was hurt pretty bad."
"I thought she was in an accident," Linda said.
"No, she was with me," Shane said, feeling confused.
Suddenly, Linda's face contorted with pain. "It won't be long now Shane."
"Don't talk like that Mom," Shane said, feeling tears well up in his eyes. "I know that I'm not happy you married Ric, but you're still my Mom. Stay with me."
"I'm sorry I hurt you," Linda said. "This wasn't how the plan was supposed to work."
"Plan?" Shane asked.
"Your dad and I wanted to make sure you and Stephanie got all of the WWE," Linda said. "I'll be with Vince soon."
"With Dad?" Shane asked.
"He's the only man I've ever been in love with," Linda said, tears in her eyes. "We worked so hard to formulate this plan. Ric hadn't changed his will yet."
"What are you talking about?" Shane asked.
"I was talking Ric into leaving me the WWE and his kids everything else," Linda said. "Ric has cancer. It would have worked."
"You don't love Ric?" Shane asked in shock.
"No," Linda said. "Your father knew what we had to do. Bury me next to him Shane."
"Of course Momma," Shane said, grasping Linda's hand tightly in his own.
"Tell Stephanie she was always my sweet princess," Linda said. She rose a shaky hand to gently stroke the side of Shane's face. "And you were always my prince."
"Momma," Shane said, a sob escaping his throat.
"No more tears Shane," Linda said. "I'm going to see my true love."
Shane held onto Linda's and until he felt it go lax in his grip. He rested his head on his hand as nurses and doctors came into the room to check on Linda. "It's over," he said, walking out of the room in dejected spirits.
*
"You bastard," Ric croaked as his son walked into his room. He knew he had to say this before the hemorrhaging killed him. "You tried to kill Kurt and Linda."
"Just Linda," David said. "Kurt was an added benefit."
"You don't deserve to live," Ric said.
"You were the icing on the cake," David said. "Now I'll own WWE."
"Stephanie and Shane will make your life miserable," Ric said. "They will find out you were behind this."
"How would they know?" David asked. "Do you think I would actually tamper with my own brakes?"
Ric's eyes went wide with shock. Before he could say a word, he flatlined. David smiled smugly. He quickly schooled a look of sorrow on his face as he turned to leave the room to give anyone who would listen the bad news.
*
"I know I'm not the best wife," Stephanie said, gripping one of Kurt's hands in her own. "But I'll get better Kurt."
"Stephanie, you were perfect," Kurt said.
"Not really," Stephanie said. She didn't even notice the tears falling down her cheeks. "Why were you in a car with Mom and Ric?"
"David told your mom and I you were in an accident," Kurt said.
"I wonder why he said that?" Stephanie said. "You're going to be okay."
Kurt's eyes closed as another wave of pain swept over him. "I don't want to be in a coma. If it happens, don't keep me on life support."
"Kurt, you're going to be fine," Stephanie said.
"Lets not try to fool ourselves," Kurt said. His grip tightened on Stephanie. "I always loved you. I think I dreamt about you before I met you and I loved you then."
"Kurt," Stephanie whispered, a sob choking in her throat.
"Never doubt my love for you," Kurt said. "Our love wasn't perfect. But it was perfect for us."
"You aren't going to die," Stephanie said with determination. "You're stronger than that."
"I wish I could be," Kurt said. "For you."
"Don't you dare leave me," Stephanie said.
"Steph," Kurt said. "You haven't forgotten anything."
Stephanie looked at him. "Oh my God. You're right."
"I'm glad I might have been able to help you with that," Kurt said, closing his eyes with relief at that one last gift.
"Kurt, I have to tell you something," Stephanie said.
"Okay," Kurt said.
"I heard you talking to Shane," Stephanie said.
"Huh?" Kurt asked.
"You were always my hero," Stephanie said, squeezing her hands tighter. "I didn't need to write about you because you were always with me. You were the one I loved. You were the secret I didn't want to share. You are my real hero. Not Chris."
Kurt smiled at her. "Thank you."
Stephanie leaned over and pressed her lips against his. "I'm just sorry you didn't know before."
"I'll wait for you," Kurt said.
He closed his eyes and he was gone.
Stephanie walked out of his room and came face to face with her brother. They looked at each other and quickly crossed the room to embrace each other. Stunned friends looked on as Stephanie and Shane sobbed in the middle of the waiting room.
"I just got answered your cell phone," David Flair said, helplessly shrugging his shoulders. "You can drive my car Linda, she's at Memorial Hospital."
"Who's at Memorial Hospital?" Kurt asked, coming down the hallway at the arena. He knew Stephanie should have arrived at the arena by that time. He was starting to get anxious.
"Stephanie," Linda said, turning towards her son-in-law. "She's been in an accident."
"No!" Kurt exclaimed.
"Here," David said, handing his car keys to Kurt and steering them towards the garage where his car was parked.
"Thank you David," Linda said. "Can you find Shane please."
"Of course," David said, nodding to his stepmother.
"Oh God, Kurt," Linda said, gulping for air between sobs. "She's in the hospital, it must have been bad."
"It'll be okay," Kurt said, trying to be comforting to the hysterical woman he was walking with.
"Linda!" Ric Flair called, rushing down the hallway. "Where are you going?"
"It's Stephanie," Linda said, tears streaming down her face. "She's been in a car accident."
"Oh God," Flair said, his eyes filled with sympathetic pain as he looked at his wife. He turned towards Kurt and saw he was equally distressed.
"Give me the keys," Ric commanded gently. "I'm probably the only one here who is completely in his right mind."
"Okay," Kurt said.
"Where's your car?" Ric asked.
"We're taking David's," Kurt said.
"Lets go," Ric said.
Moments later they were leaving the garage and speeding towards the hospital. "Ric, red light!" Linda said. "Stop!"
"I'm trying!" Ric exclaimed.
"Stop the car Ric," Kurt yelled.
"I can't!" Ric yelled. "The brakes aren't working."
Kurt looked to his side just in time to see the pickup truck running into them as they sped through the red light.
*
"There you are," David said as Stephanie and Shane walked into the arena about five minutes after Kurt and Linda had left. "Kurt was worried about you Stephanie."
"I'll go find him," Stephanie said.
As if on cue, Stephanie's cell phone rang. "Hello?"
Shane and David watched as Stephanie listened to the person on the other end of the phone. "Kurt? Mom?"
"What is it?" Shane asked, feeling worried at the distressed tone of Stephanie's voice.
"We'll be right there," Stephanie said. "It's Kurt and Mom and Ric. They were in a car accident. It was bad."
"What was Kurt doing with them?" Shane asked.
"I don't know," Stephanie said. "I've got to get to him."
"Lets go," Shane said.
"Can I come?" David asked, shocked to hear his own father was in the accident.
"Don't you have a car?" Stephanie asked.
"I let your mom borrow my car," David said.
"Come on," Shane said, pulling David toward the limo he and Stephanie had arrived in.
*
"Mom?" Shane asked softly as he sat next to her in the ER. The doctors hadn't been able to stop the internal bleeding and there was no telling how long she would be able to hold on. "I'm sorry Mom."
"No Shane," Linda whispered. "I'm sorry. How's Stephanie?"
"She's with Kurt," Shane said. "He was hurt pretty bad."
"I thought she was in an accident," Linda said.
"No, she was with me," Shane said, feeling confused.
Suddenly, Linda's face contorted with pain. "It won't be long now Shane."
"Don't talk like that Mom," Shane said, feeling tears well up in his eyes. "I know that I'm not happy you married Ric, but you're still my Mom. Stay with me."
"I'm sorry I hurt you," Linda said. "This wasn't how the plan was supposed to work."
"Plan?" Shane asked.
"Your dad and I wanted to make sure you and Stephanie got all of the WWE," Linda said. "I'll be with Vince soon."
"With Dad?" Shane asked.
"He's the only man I've ever been in love with," Linda said, tears in her eyes. "We worked so hard to formulate this plan. Ric hadn't changed his will yet."
"What are you talking about?" Shane asked.
"I was talking Ric into leaving me the WWE and his kids everything else," Linda said. "Ric has cancer. It would have worked."
"You don't love Ric?" Shane asked in shock.
"No," Linda said. "Your father knew what we had to do. Bury me next to him Shane."
"Of course Momma," Shane said, grasping Linda's hand tightly in his own.
"Tell Stephanie she was always my sweet princess," Linda said. She rose a shaky hand to gently stroke the side of Shane's face. "And you were always my prince."
"Momma," Shane said, a sob escaping his throat.
"No more tears Shane," Linda said. "I'm going to see my true love."
Shane held onto Linda's and until he felt it go lax in his grip. He rested his head on his hand as nurses and doctors came into the room to check on Linda. "It's over," he said, walking out of the room in dejected spirits.
*
"You bastard," Ric croaked as his son walked into his room. He knew he had to say this before the hemorrhaging killed him. "You tried to kill Kurt and Linda."
"Just Linda," David said. "Kurt was an added benefit."
"You don't deserve to live," Ric said.
"You were the icing on the cake," David said. "Now I'll own WWE."
"Stephanie and Shane will make your life miserable," Ric said. "They will find out you were behind this."
"How would they know?" David asked. "Do you think I would actually tamper with my own brakes?"
Ric's eyes went wide with shock. Before he could say a word, he flatlined. David smiled smugly. He quickly schooled a look of sorrow on his face as he turned to leave the room to give anyone who would listen the bad news.
*
"I know I'm not the best wife," Stephanie said, gripping one of Kurt's hands in her own. "But I'll get better Kurt."
"Stephanie, you were perfect," Kurt said.
"Not really," Stephanie said. She didn't even notice the tears falling down her cheeks. "Why were you in a car with Mom and Ric?"
"David told your mom and I you were in an accident," Kurt said.
"I wonder why he said that?" Stephanie said. "You're going to be okay."
Kurt's eyes closed as another wave of pain swept over him. "I don't want to be in a coma. If it happens, don't keep me on life support."
"Kurt, you're going to be fine," Stephanie said.
"Lets not try to fool ourselves," Kurt said. His grip tightened on Stephanie. "I always loved you. I think I dreamt about you before I met you and I loved you then."
"Kurt," Stephanie whispered, a sob choking in her throat.
"Never doubt my love for you," Kurt said. "Our love wasn't perfect. But it was perfect for us."
"You aren't going to die," Stephanie said with determination. "You're stronger than that."
"I wish I could be," Kurt said. "For you."
"Don't you dare leave me," Stephanie said.
"Steph," Kurt said. "You haven't forgotten anything."
Stephanie looked at him. "Oh my God. You're right."
"I'm glad I might have been able to help you with that," Kurt said, closing his eyes with relief at that one last gift.
"Kurt, I have to tell you something," Stephanie said.
"Okay," Kurt said.
"I heard you talking to Shane," Stephanie said.
"Huh?" Kurt asked.
"You were always my hero," Stephanie said, squeezing her hands tighter. "I didn't need to write about you because you were always with me. You were the one I loved. You were the secret I didn't want to share. You are my real hero. Not Chris."
Kurt smiled at her. "Thank you."
Stephanie leaned over and pressed her lips against his. "I'm just sorry you didn't know before."
"I'll wait for you," Kurt said.
He closed his eyes and he was gone.
Stephanie walked out of his room and came face to face with her brother. They looked at each other and quickly crossed the room to embrace each other. Stunned friends looked on as Stephanie and Shane sobbed in the middle of the waiting room.