Author's Note: -cries- The time has come... Time to end this story... Not really. Well, not now at least. I believe this chapter is going to be the second to last chapter. I'm seriously thinking about a sequel to this story, I even have an idea (yeah, very, very basic, but that's okay!), but I'm not quite sure if I'm going to write it. Please review, and tell me if I should do a sequel!
Note 2: Hehe... Sorry I didn't put this all as one, but I uploaded this a few days ago, so I thought it'd be fair to put up a second one. I wanted to thank everybody who reviwed! I didn't think that this story would be so popular :) Anyway, you'll be glad to note that THE ENDING IS NOT A CLIFFHANGER, lol.
So close to 200 reviews, and yet so far...
Okay, okay. :( I know we won't make it there, but oh well! All that matters is that this is going to be my first-ever finished story in the wrestling section! Yey! A little side note here... In a few weeks (depending on my muses and free times) I'm thinking about posting another story. I've got two already typed, both with three or four chapters (yeah, not a lot, I know). My point! I have a point! Which one should I do? The first one is a high school fic (yes, I succombed to the high school muses) and the second is a Lita story (surprise, surprise) where she is pregnant with somebody's baby (okay, here's a hint: this was completely based off of suggestions for a sequel to "I'll be Your Anything, you can find it on my website. However, it is NOT a sequel.) Well, my notes are nearing as long as the story, so I'll shut up now. Hope you enjoy!
Disclaimer: You should know it by now. All wrestlers are © WWE, Moceri, Porter, uh, anyone else I made up are © of me.
Distribution: No where, as of yet... Well, of course. Want it, take it, give me link and credit... Simple!
Always Watching
Chapter 19
Lita watched as the trunk lifted. She saw a brief glimpse of light spreading across the lake, and then water started to fill the trunk. The redhead clambered forward until her entire body was in the trunk. The back of the car immediately began to sink. Lita tried to get to a crouching position, but was thrown off balance and rolled to the side. She surfaced in the water that filled three fourths of the trunk already. Her cheek was pressed against the roof of the trunk in order to get air. The door to the trunk submerged, along with whatever air Lita had left. The redhead held her breath, swimming forward. The car was falling deeper quickly, and the movement had her back against the roof. With a mighty push, Lita went downward, and swum forward. The trunk door slammed against her ankles, but she was free of the car.
Suddenly, her body revolted against the lack of air. She turned her head to the surface, and opened her eyes, ignoring the stinging pain that came to them. There was a faint glimmer of light. Could that be it? Either way, Lita forced her limbs to move and swam to the top, praying that she could hold her breath that long.
By some miracle, she did. Lita took a gasping breath as her head emerged from the watery depths. "Keep moving!" Captain Moceri's booming voice came across the lake. The redhead took a breath and turned toward where the light seemed centered, and began to swim. Her clothes weighed her down, and soon, her limbs were sore, unwilling to carry on. A wave hit her, and she felt the cold water wash over her head. She spat out the water that found its way in her mouth, and tried to swim onward. She could feel her eyelids fluttering shut and her strokes becoming less and less. Lita tried to focus her thoughts on just getting to shore, but it was impossible. The redhead felt her body begin to sink, the water rising up her chin, her mouth, her nose...
Suddenly a hand grabbed her arm, and her head was jerked out of the water. She took a gasping breath as an arm was wrapped around her waist. "Lita! Hang in there!" Chris Benoit told her, positioning their bodies so he could swim to shore. Lita nodded, allowing herself to be pulled and throwing a stroke in here and there when she could. The black water spread out before them, and they didn't seem to be getting any closer. Her eyes fluttered once more, but she determinedly kept them open, kicking her feet. She hadn't gone this far just to give up. She owed this to Chris; to Edge; to Moceri, all whom had tried their best to save her: and they had. If they hadn't come, she would still be in that car, drowning or all ready gone.
As they reached the shore, hands grabbed them, pulling them to the safety of the shore. Lita looked around as she was helped up the hill, Benoit not far behind. Four police cars had arrived, along with an ambulance, the paramedics helping them up the hill at the moment. The redhead turned her head, spitting the lake water that had gathered in her mouth onto the ground. She stumbled a few times up the hill, but refused to let the paramedics carry her.
They sat her down at the end of the ambulance with Chris. When she tried to talk to him, the paramedics told her to save whatever she had to say for later. The redhead sighed, and prepared to endure endless questioning about her well-being.
"Are you hurting anywhere?" who she took to be the head paramedic asked as another one wrapped two heavy blankets around her shoulders with a friendly smile.
Lita shook her head. "N-No," she told him, her teeth beginning to chatter despite the blankets. "I mean... I'm dizzy and cold, but besides that and some soreness in my legs, I'm okay," she explained. The more she sat, the more questions came to mind. Confusion captured her thoughts quickly. 'Where's Matt? Where's Dean? What happened?' questions followed one after another in an endless stream that she could not stop. She tried not to fidget as the man looked her over, checking for broken bones and cuts, taking her temperature and whatnot.
"Well, you sure got lucky," he told her, leaning back. "All I can see is a few bruises and cuts. I'll have one of these guys bandage you up, but besides that, there really isn't much we can do. Did you take a hit to the head?"
"Yes."
"You mentioned being slightly dizzy as well. It could be that you are concussed, or simply because of the trauma you've been through. Either way, I'd suggest visiting the hospital just in case, even only if it continues. Also, you might want to have a doctor look at your lungs. I'm nearly positive they're fine, but if you inhaled enough water, there could be some damage. You'll probably be coughing up water, or having water run down your nose, for a few days. Don't worry; it's simply your body's way of getting rid of it. However, if after four days it's still happening, you really should go to the doctor."
Lita nodded, mentally tucking the notes away. The paramedic left, and signaled for another one. Lita recognized her as the woman who gave her blankets. The redhead smiled weakly as the woman bandaged the cuts on her shoulders and arms. Lita looked over at Chris Benoit, and caught his eye. She wanted to tell him how grateful she was, but the words couldn't shape in her throat. A paramedic temporarily blocked their intertwined gazes, and he looked away. Lita did the same, alone with her thoughts. A particular one struck her over and over again:
It was over.
Just as Benoit and Lita were done with the paramedics, Captain Moceri appeared, looking stricken, a cell phone in his hand. Lita's eyes snapped up, her body tensing. Chris looked up, wary of the expression on the detective's face. "I was just contacted by Miss Stacy Keibler," he spoke slowly, his tone disbelieving. "She learned about the identity of Lita's stalker, and went the police station with it. Lieutenant Porter took her hostage. He's currently in custody and facing several charges. Stacy is fine," he added quickly as both Lita and Benoit opened their mouths. "She learned the information from Chris Jericho, who had been attacked by Dean Malenko before he entered your hotel room," he nodded toward the redhead. "He's pretty banged up, but he'll be okay. He and Stacy want you to come to the hospital once you're cleared."
Lita let out a long breath, letting her shoulders slump. She was cold, her legs ached, but she didn't care. She was alive! Lita raked a hand through her soaked hair, and let her hand fall in her hands, getting a few moments of relative peace. Questions and concerns rattled through her mind like wildfire.
They could wait.
