This story is a work of fiction. I only own the characters that are non- WWE. Vince McMahon owns the WWE and characters. Do not distribute, do not sell, and do not sue. THANKS!!!

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After about five days, Chris was released from the hospital and the couple returned to Florida. Jason had also arrived home the day before; he'd been granted only two weeks to recover from his injuries. Lori made the suggestion to have him stay over at Chris's and she'd tend to them both while they recuperated to which Jason had readily agreed.

The simple motion of walking created a real challenge to Chris, thankfully the blade had missed his major organs and he would indeed recover, in time. But it would take much longer for his surgically repaired muscles to heal than the initial three weeks that Bischoff had granted.

After a phone call to the 'Boss' (Vince MacMahon), Eric suddenly felt more generous in granting leave to the blonde wrestler. The doctors predicted at least two months before he'd be safe to return to the squared circle. The hardest part of the recovery process for Chris was not being able to work out at all for fear he'd rip his stitches back open once more. Right then, the simple process of getting in and out of bed gave him excruciating pain.

Jason was not much better; his skull had received a hairline fracture from the beating he'd taken. Vision in that eye was distorted most of the time and he felt like he'd had one whopper of a headache.

Lori felt so guilty as she viewed then, knowing if it hadn't been for her affiliation none of this would have happened. One early morning, while standing alone on the patio, she was deep in the middle of one of these moments of quiet reflections. Tears rolled silently down her cheeks as she thought of the trouble she'd caused. She was startled when she felt his arms wrap around her from behind.

"Sorry Lori," Chris breathed into her hair. "I didn't mean to scare you."

"Chris," Lori said simply glad for his reassuring presence.

He leaned around to kiss her cheek and was surprised to discover the dampness there.

"You've been crying?" He observed, "Why are you sad?"

"It's all my fault," Lori muttered. "I know you say it wasn't but Chris, it is. None of this would have happened if I hadn't come down here."

"What are you talking about?" Chris tensed trying not to get angry when she was feeling so sad, "We've been over this a million times Lori. I feel we belong together, regardless of what anyone else wants or thinks. There is nothing I am more sure about in my life."

"But what about Jason," Lori tried to counter. "He was innocent in all of this and still he was attacked, because of me."

"Lori," Chris took a deep breath and turned her around to face him. Cupping her chin, he tilted her lips towards his own. "For once in your life, quit worrying about the past and things you cannot change."

"I..." Lori sputtered.

"Shhh!" He told her and then enveloped her lips with his own, kissing away all the sadness.

Things began to get more heated when she pushed him away as gently as she could.

"What?" He asked.

"Your stitches," She reminded him.

"Be gentle," He quipped flashing her an irresistible grin.

She followed him into the house and through the hall to his bedroom. There they made love (albeit gingerly for his sake) for what was only the third time in their relationship.