Disclaimer: I do not own any of the WWE superstars in this story. It is purely a work of fiction, and the wrestlers used in the making of it own themselves.

A/N: In keeping with my motivation for this story, and not wanting to lose ground from being not allowed to post on fan fiction right now, I am writing the next chapter which will be posted on my site as soon as it's done and then on fan fiction when I am allowed to post again. Thank you all for being interested in this story and I can't wait until I can get all the reviews for this out of the way.

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*~Zach's POV~*

"How are you feeling man? You took quite the beating out there from Brock."

"I won't be able to wrestle for awhile that's a given I would think Brian. Did Hayley manage to take care of them?"

I had no recollection of what had happened in the ring, and part of me didn't want to know, but at the same time, I hadn't heard anything on Hayley's condition and all Brian could tell me was that she took a chair shot to the head and apparently it knocked her out, and she was lying in the hospital still. I knew what being in the hospital was like but even though I had extensive injuries they had let me out to take care of myself at home. Hayley apparently must have been worse off, because she was still there.

"I took care of Randy as much as I could, but I shouldn't have left her alone to face Brock, she's not a wrestler. Now she's lying in the hospital, and no one can get in to see her but Ariel who is posing as family. I don't know how she is, but this went down wrong."

"Yeah it did, and she shouldn't have been out there."

"Well she was, and she felt the need to get revenge for the attack on you, and before you ask, she told me she found you lying on the floor of your hotel room in Toronto and you were pretty out of it, and she knew Brock had done it, not to mention him laying his hands on her, and beating her up. She felt she had to do this Zach."

"He did what?"

"You don't know?"

"If I knew I wouldn't be asking would I?"

"You have a point. Look the night you caught Hayley and I in a kiss, she went to find you, ran into Randy who gave her the wrong direction to find you, and she ran into Brock. He hurt her; I mean I'm sure you saw the marks on her face and arms if you had been around her. She told Vince and Jim her dad did it, but we all know that's a bit of bullshit at this point."

"Why would he attack her though?"

"Because she told Jim she wanted to write a new story for Brock and you know how Brock feels about his stories. He controls them. None the less he wanted to make sure she went to her meeting with Vince and Jim and told them she was wrong."

"So he beat it into her, and then she went and told them she was wrong?"

"You pretty much have it. Jim filled me in on all of that, since usually everyone gets along in the ring and lately Brock is running his own show."

"Oh this can't get any worse can it?"

"Oh yes it can."

"What do you mean?"

I had no idea what he was going to tell me, but the fact that she had willingly put herself in harms way to get revenge on the attack against me, well it made me feel really weird. She obviously cared about me still, even though I had pushed her away. Come to think of it, I had pushed her away the night in the hallway after she had gotten hurt by Brock. I didn't think it could get any worse, but what Brian said next just about made my heart stop.

"They set us up."

"Set who up?"

"Hayley, you and I. That kiss, as natural as it was, was a setup. You came down to the ring, I'm not sure why, but you did, and they set it up that way because they knew, from Randy being down there, how close me and Hayley were getting."

"So I was supposed to see that kiss?"

"Yes, it was part of the game. Hayley wanted revenge, she did her plan the way she wanted, although it went wrong in a lot of parts, but she did it, and apparently they were plotting against her as well."

"Why was she hanging out with them though? For the past two weeks she was with Randy and Brock, along with her friend Ariel and they looked peachy."

"Part of her plan. She had to get close to them so when she came down to ringside it wouldn't look all that weird. But her plan backfired wouldn't you say?"

"Yes, it did, and now she's in the hospital with a concussion or god maybe something worse and there is nothing we can do about it."

"Well there is something, but if I can make it work, you can't go in there and chew her out, you need to be sincere about this. Do you really want to see her?"

I knew the answer to this; I did want to see her, because I hadn't given up on her no matter how hard I tried. If she liked Brian and they wanted to date, there was nothing I could do about it, but she was a nice girl, a brilliant writer, and apparently good with a chair, and a quick learner of the business. I wanted to see her, if anything else just to know she was alright.

"I want to see her, do what you need too. I'm game to anything."

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*~Ariel's POV~*

"What is wrong with my daughter? Why won't anyone give me answers here?" Hayley's mom shouted so that everyone on the floor of the hospital could hear her. She didn't look too impressed with the lack of reaction she was getting, that was until a doctor came out of another room and headed over to her.

"I take it you are Ms. Peterson's mother?"

"You take it right. Now tell me what the hell happened here."

I figured since the doctor didn't know all that much about what happened, just the injuries sustained, I had better get up the nerve and tell her the truth before she had another attack of the yelling fits in the middle of the hallway.

"Mrs. Peterson, sit down and I will tell you everything, then the doctor can tell you the injuries and you can understand all of it, because I don't think you are doing Hayley all that much good out here yelling."

"Yes, dear tell me everything."

So I sat her down and told her everything. About Hayley taking the job, getting there, and getting involved with Brock, about my involvement with Brock as well, and how it tied into what she was doing in the ring that night, and why she was injured still now. I told her about the chair shot to the head, and about the beating she took at the hands of Brock Lesnar after, the beating that no one but the people in the arena had seen. How she had been covered with a crimson mask and they had to have all the trainers and medical personal carry her out, not wanting to risk another injury. I told her about Zach, and Brian and their attachment to her daughter. I didn't leave anything out for fear that if I did, she would have more questions that I didn't have answers for. She looked calm at first, and by the end of it, she was ready to yell again.

"So you are telling me some wrestler did this to her? Where the hell is he right now? I want charges against him."

"You can't charge him, Ms. Peterson, she signed a waiver that if she got injured in the ring it was alright and they would take care of her, but no charges could be laid."

"Oh well that's quite a deal isn't it. That son of a bitch can almost kill my daughter and because she signed her life away they can't touch him. Did she sign a waiver when he beat her the first time?"

"No."

"Then arrest the son of a bitch now. If I can't make this one stick I will damn well make the first one count. Now doctor, tell me what my daughter is facing when she wakes up."

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*~Zach's POV~*

"So what's the plan here?" I asked. I know I had told Brian that I was interested in doing whatever it took to get in, but I really hoped he chose something easy and not impersonating a doctor. I didn't think I would get far with one leg. I would get caught before I walked through the door.

"You can get in to see her. I called the hospital said I was her fiancé and that I needed to see her. Was real polite about it too, made sure that they didn't suspect anything, and a fiancé is like family, so you're in."

"You told them I was going to marry her?"

I had to admit it was a good plan, but at the same time it was a little odd. If anything Brian should be the one pretending that since she wanted nothing to do with me. I didn't know if I wanted to go through with it now.

"Yes, I had to do something, and I was tapped out on ideas. Now do you want to see her or not?"

"Of course I do. Just do what you need to do. I can play the part."

"Then let's go they are expecting us."

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*~Ariel's POV~*

"Brian, what are you doing here? You know they aren't going to let you in."

"Just tell us how bad it is Ariel, we need to know."

"Who are we?"

"Me and her fiancé Zach."

"Zach isn't her fiancé! What the hell are you talking about?"

"He wants to get in to see her, now the hospital staff is expecting a guy with one leg who is very angry and distraught over his fiancé's plight, so I'm giving it to them. Ariel don't blow it for us alright. He needs to see her."

"I won't blow it, but he better not fuck with her. She's been through a lot and she's in and out of consciousness. I don't want her upset."

"I already made him swear."

"I need to know something before he goes in."

"Anything you want to know I will tell you."

I know that Brian and Hayley had been getting closer in the last few weeks, and they had even kissed, so I didn't really understand Brian's need to help Zach get in to see her. I didn't know how much Brian would tell me, but it was worth a try.

"Why aren't you acting as the fiancé?"

"Zach needs to do this Ariel that's why. Don't think I haven't thought of it, and wanted to do it, just to know she is alright, but he needs to do this more."

"Why do you say that?"

"Whether he admits it or not, something went down with those two, more then they both let on, and I think for everyone's sanity at this point, we need to let them be together."

"You're giving up."

"Never."

"Then bring him in then. But remind him of what I said, if he upsets her or her mother in any way, he's going to deal with me, and remember I did sort of date Brock."

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*~Hayley's POV~*

"Mrs. Peterson can I come in?" Zach asked coming into the room quietly and seeing her mother sitting by her bedside.

"Who are you? Are you the boy that did this to my daughter?"

"No, I'm not. I'm a friend."

"And your name is?"

"Zach Gowen ma'am."

"You are the young man that she was doing the story on a month or so back weren't you? The one she was always talking to Ariel about."

"Yes I guess that would be me."

"Then come in, I need to get something to eat anyway. I will give you some time alone with her. She keeps coming in and out, so if she does, and she doesn't know you right away, don't be put off. I'm sorry about your leg."

"Which one?" Zach asked smiling. He knew for other people not seeing the prosthesis and then seeing the other leg in a full cast, it was a little weird.

"Both of them, I suppose. Have a good visit with her, and it was nice of you to come by."

She walked out of the room and Zach watched her go, and then took a seat in the now vacant chair. Grabbing Hayley's hand in his he looked at her and brushed her hair out of her eyes. There was so much he wanted to say to her, but was afraid what he did say wouldn't be heard and it would just be a waste of time.

As he was lost in his thoughts, he felt the grip he had on her hand tighten, and when he looked up, she saw her eyes fluttering open slowly, and the grip on his hand grew tighter. She was waking up, and now he could tell her everything.

"Hayley, do you want me to get a doctor?"

"No..No Doc...Tors."

"Well do you need anything?"

"Wa.Water."

As he poured me a glass of water I watched him intently. It didn't seem to hurt as much as it did earlier, and keeping my eyes trained on him wasn't a chore. I wasn't sure why he was the one sitting here and not Brian, but at this point I would take what I could get.

"There you go." He said passing me the water.

"Thank. Thanks"

"Listen Hayley, why did you come to the ring?"

"He needed to.pay."

"We could have made him pay another time, not then."

"Zach he hurt you, then he hurt me, I had had enough."

"But you could have told me and we could have dealt with this another way. Right now you are lying here and I am not sure what's wrong with you, and I am here with one leg that's broken in a bunch of spots. We didn't need this."

"He would have hurt you worse if I wasn't there, and you know it."

"How can you be sure?"

"Ask Brian, he was out, and he isn't even totally healed, he just died to get back in the ring, so he agreed to help me."

"Hayley, I'm sorry."

"What are you sorry for?"

"That night I saw you two kiss, I flipped out. I mean we have been closer then any two people can be at this moment in time, and seeing you with him, just threw me."

"You were supposed to see that."

"I know Brian told me."

"Zach, when I get out of here, and I am better, we need to talk about all of this."

I didn't know what I would tell him, because I was torn. Brian had been there for me everyday, helping me train and making me stronger, and as much as I liked Zach, there wasn't any pressure to be a certain way with Brian. I just knew that we had to talk, and right now wasn't the right place.

"We have all the time in the world to talk when you are better. Now that I know that you are alright, I'm going to let you rest."

Nodding my head I watched him as he walked to the door, and closing my eyes I slowly drifted into a deep sleep, letting the pain subside.

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*~Zach's POV~*

As I walked toward the door I turned around to get another good look at her. Yes when she was better they would talk, but for right now all I could think about was how much I wanted to make her better. Walking back over to the bed, and placing my face to her forehead, I gave her a gentle kiss and walked toward the door again.

"Hayley, you might not be awake to hear this but I love you, and I won't let you go. Not even for Brian."

Walking out of the room, I didn't see her open her eyes one last time and smile lightly.

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