Part Nineteen

get to … the …. surface…

Lita screamed in her mind, fighting with all her might to push through the murky water, her entire body aching. She'd hit the water on her side, hurting her left ankle, making it difficult to use her legs to make powerful kicks towards the surface. Her hands were still handcuffed, so she was limited with how strong she could paddle. She kicked her feet with all her might, trying to ignore the pain, struggling to reach the top where she could get air.

Her lungs stung as she struggled under the water. The water fought back, pushing and shoving at her, beating her like no in-ring competitor ever had. Finally, she was able to break the surface, dazed and gasping desperately. Her lungs burned as her body took a deep breath. The sweet air hurt her entire chest as she sucked it in. She flapped her arms best she could, kicking her legs, but she was disoriented, and struggled to regain her full wits about her. As Lita took a second breath, a wave washed over her filling her mouth and nose with the dark water. Involuntarily, she swallowed, choking on the vile liquid. The next wave proved too powerful and drug her back under, forcing more water into her mouth and lungs.

The second they realized Raven had shoved her over the edge, both Matt and Jeff had launched into action, Jeff rushing Raven with Matt going to Lita. Matt ran as hard as he could towards the spot on the bridge railing where Lita had been, only stopping himself momentarily after he leapt single-legged onto the railing. His eyes raced along the water's surface for the woman he cared about more than anything else in the world. In less than a second he spotted her, just below the water's surface. Without hesitation, he leapt off the bridge, falling freely, splashing down into the water to her aid.

Jeff, meanwhile had speared Raven, the two fighting furiously on the ground. Both were fierce, slugging it out back and forth. "You wanted a match, but you're getting a beating, you moron," Jeff hissed.

Raven didn't say a word, just flung himself at Jeff, grunting as he attempted to clothesline him to the ground. But Jeff was enraged, more angry than he'd ever been in his life. He fought with Raven as if he wasn't even within his own body, as if someone else were bringing blood from the fallen man. Jeff had Raven on the ground, beating him with every ounce of strength he had. Raven tried to return the blows, but had been forced into a defensive position.

An army of police officers seemed to swarm them at that point. Jeff felt hands on his arms and shoulders, pulling him off the fallen Raven. He attempted to break loose, but was restrained by the officers. Another group of officers were restraining Raven, lifting him to his feet and taking him into custody. It was then that Jeff realized the sirens had stopped, that the police had arrived. Looking around him for the first time, the area looked like a war zone, what with Matt and Lita's smashed cars littering the highway, while the blue and red lights of the police cars danced around the pavement. Two officers were with Jeff, guarding him to keep him from going after Raven, who had been taken to the police van across the road. Jeff turned away from the officers trying to question him at the approach of an ambulance's red lights. In a flash the image of Matt leaping off the bridge after Lita came flooding back to him. Jeff broke free from the inquiring officers, racing to the edge of the bridge to see what happened to his brother and friend.

A few moments earlier

Lita screamed in her mind for her body to keep fighting to stay above the surface. Sadly, her body was betraying her, given her injuries and handcuffs. She grew more tired with each futile kick, bobbing above, then below the water. She felt herself slip under the water, for what she knew was the final time. She was exhausted and the power of the waves was too much for her.

Lita was near blackout when she felt something strong reach out and grab her shoulder. She was too disoriented to know what was going on as she was lifted out of the murky depths to the world above.

Matt held Lita in a lifeguard's hold as he swam her over to the banks. He talked with her all the while, praising her for her bravery, and reassuring her she'd be ok. She didn't answer him. Dripping wet, he carried her out of the water and placed her gently on the ground. She was so still, eyes closed, not moving.

"Ok, ok, ok," he said to himself out loud, trying in vain to recall the basic CPR he learned back in high school. Leaning over the red-haired beauty, he placed his ear to her chest listening for a heartbeat. Relief flooded him as he heard a steady beat. "Oh, thank you God" he said. Trying to ascertain whether or not she was breathing, he moved his ear over her mouth. He couldn't tell if she was breathing because of the wind blowing along the river bank. Panicking, he positioned himself to perform mouth-to-mouth resuscitation.

"Head tipped back," he told himself, as he gingerly attempted to tip her head backwards. He couldn't really do that with the brace and was afraid to do so for fear of injuring her further. He decided he'd just hold the back of her head with his hand, supporting her neck as best he could. "Check the airway," he stammered to himself, using his other hand to make sure her mouth was clear.

Matt bent down to share his air with Lita. Just as he was inches from her mouth, her eyes fluttered open, surprising the dark-haired man. He raised up an inch, shocked. The redhead below him began coughing as she expelled the remaining water from her mouth.

"What … are you… doing?" she finally asked him in a raspy, whispered voice.

"Giving you CPR?" he answered with a question.

"I don't… need… CPR," she whispered hoarsely, staring into his brown eyes.

"Oh, sorry" was all he could manage to say. Suddenly embarrassed, Matt moved his head back to move out of her way to give her more room to breath, but Lita reached up quickly with her handcuffed hands, snaking them behind his head as she stopped him. She pulled him back down to her, pressing his lips to hers in a sweet kiss.

"Thank you," she said after they finally broke the kiss.

"You're welcome," Matt smiled widely, relief flooding his features. He turned serious again. "I was so scared. Are you ok?"

"Yeah, I am now," she half said, half coughed, sending him a smile. "And I think we need to talk later."

"Definitely," he said, caressing her bruised cheek softly. She attempted to rise up, and Matt immediately circled his arms around her, helping lift her to a sitting position. He bent down and met her lips again.

Up at the bridge, Jeff stood beside Detective Atkins, who'd arrived a few moments later. Jeff had several lacerations on his hands and a cut across his eye, courtesy of his fight with Raven. The two watched what was unfolding down on the water's banks. Jeff smiled, relieved that Lita appeared to be ok and happy that it looked as if his brother and her had finally realized what he had known all along; that they were made for each other.

"Well," said Detective Atkins, breaking Jeff out of his reverie. "There go the EMTs to help them. Think they'll even know they're there?"

"Sir, I think those two have everything they need at the moment."

"I think you're right. Come on, Jeff. Let's go over to the ambulance and get you checked out."

A little while later, Jeff was patched up and good as new. He sat on the edge of the stretcher out the back of the ambulance, waiting patiently as the EMT covered his cut. He had no major injuries from the fight. Out of the corner of his eye, he observed Matt and Lita. It looked as if they were bickering. "Well, some things don't change," he thought happily. As the EMT finished, he hopped off his seat and started over towards them.

Lita was sitting up on the stretcher in the back of an ambulance, insisting she was fine. Matt, of course, was hovering over her, trying to convince her to go with them to the hospital.

"I'm fine," she said, beginning to sound exasperated.

"Lita, please listen to them. You're not fine. Let's just go to the hospital, for my piece of mind if not yours," Matt pleaded with her. Lita had bruises on both her cheeks and a cut over her eye from the wreck. The EMTs had told her in all likelihood her ankle was severely sprained from the fall. Matt had helped her climb up the hill back to the road, but at a very slow pace. She hadn't outwardly shown any more than a grimace, but Matt knew her well enough to know she wasn't feeling ok. She had allowed the EMTs to clean her cuts and wrap her wrists where the handcuffs had rubbed her wrists almost raw.

"C'mon Li," said a new voice, "do it for me if you won't for him."

"JEFF!" Lita gingerly raised her arms, bidding the young man in for a hug. Lita hugged him with all her might, ecstatic to see he was ok.

"Thank you so much," she said in his ear. Jeff leaned back, looking into her eyes.

"Anything for you. You know that."

"I know," she said simply.

"Lita, please go to the hospital and get checked out. You're going to need a cast or something on your ankle I'm sure," Jeff said again. "Matt will go with you while I take care of things here."

Lita looked down, tears filling her eyes. "I just don't want to let you guys out of my sight," she said.

Matt, who had been standing, sat down beside her, wiping the hint of tears away. "Oh, girl. Please don't do that. I can't take that," he chuckled slightly. "We're all together again, and Raven's not going to hurt you ever again. We made sure of that."

Detective Atkins joined the group then, adding, "He's right Lita. We're transporting him to the station now. He's never going to be able to bother you or anyone else for that matter ever again."

"Detective?" Lita asked. "Can you please make sure he gets some help too? I mean, what he did was wrong, but he also is crying out for help. Please help him," she said.

"We'll do that Lita. He'll get a full psychiatric evaluation and will get the help he needs."

"Thank you, sir."

Matt folded his arms and looked at his new girlfriend. "You are incredible," he said. "After everything he put you through, you still are able to think about his well-being. He certainly didn't think about yours. I'm so pissed at him right now all I can focus on is how much I want him to pay. But here you are worried about him."

"I want him to pay, Matt. What he did to you two and to me was wrong. Psychotically wrong," she laughed a little. "But I also don't want to see him locked up like a rabid animal and just thrown away. Somewhere inside of him is a real person. He's just lost deep inside there. I saw peeks of the real Raven while he held me hostage. While he's away, I just want him to be able to find that person again."

"As much as I hate him, I hope you're right."

"Me too," echoed Jeff.

"C'mon, Lita. Can we please go get you checked out now?" Matt reached out and took her hand.

"I'll meet you both later at the hospital after I finish here," Jeff said and turned to walk away with Detective Atkins. Matt nodded an affirmation to his brother.

"Yeah," she said, finally agreeing to go to the hospital. "But then I want you to take me home."

"Home sounds good."

Matt squeezed her hand, then turned and spoke quietly to the EMTs, who were waiting to transport Lita. Matt climbed up in the back with Lita, still holding her hand.

"Matt?"

"Yes, babe?"

"I think I want to go to your home instead and be with you."

"You got it. Forever if you want me."

"I like the sound of that," Lita said tiredly. She lay back down then, still holding Matt's hand. The EMTs shut the doors, and the ambulance left, leaving the chaos that had happened there behind.

Fini.