The day Mackie got out of the hospital was a happy one. John was there with the newly dubbed Uncle Randy and Stacy and they said she could go anywhere she wanted. She asked them to take her to the Cemetery. John nodded and loaded her and her new chair into the truck. When they got there, they asked where Isabella Christenson was buried and drove to the plot. John helped her back into the chair and we went over to the head stone. Right next to hers was Johnny's.

"Mama…it's, it's me. It's Butterfly. I made it to dad's house." She said, smiling through her tears. "Thanks for getting me through the surgery and for forcing me to wake up. I'm gonna walk again…for you and dad. I promise." she wheeled herself in front of Johnny's headstone and smiled.

"JJ, its McEmily…I'm here for you baby boy. I found my dad. You were right. You knew it. I miss you JJ…you'll never get to be initiated into the group now…but you're an honorary member…I'll get James to set it up. Watch Wrestling still…you'll see me there one day…I'm watching out for you JJ…" She started to cry a little more and she just buried her face in her hands.

"Hey Bella, it's me…its Johnny. I'm here and I got her. I'm gonna do right by the two of you. I swear to you, I'll do everything in my power to take care of her and keep her happy. I swear, she's so much like you. I can see you every time I look at her. I still love you Bella…and I'm gonna take care of our daughter. She's a good kid, and she's growing up. I love you girl." John said, wiping his eyes. Mackie looked at him and reached up towards him. He bent down and gave her a hug.

"Come on, let's get outta here."

"Okay, but dad, before we leave, could we make one more stop?"

"Where baby girl?"

"Clearfield Park" was all she said. John and Randy loaded her and the chair in the truck and John drove to the Park. She got loaded back in her chair and she wheeled herself directly to her tree. She felt her dad come up behind her and he started to laugh.

"What?"

"Baby girl, this is me and your mom's old meeting place. We used to sneak out of the house and meet at this tree. Look over here…" he said, leading her to the engraving she used to stare at for hours.

"JC & Bella" She read out loud.

"Everyone in the neighborhood called me JC. Your mom called me Johnny though, she was the only person allowed to call me that. I was the only person allowed to call her Bella. I'd beat people up for calling her Bella. That was my name for her, no one else's. The day I was supposed to leave, we came to this spot and carved it in this tree with my old Swiss army knife." John said, touching the engraving.

"I used to come here with Mama when I was real little. She'd sit me under this tree and tell me stories about when she was a girl. As I got older, I started to climb this tree a lot, and I think I might even still have some money hidden in one of the branches…after mom's accident, I started coming here to think. I was in this exact spot when I decided to run."

Randy walked over to his niece and touched her shoulder. She looked up at him with tear-filled eyes and cracked a small smile.

"Ready to go Short Stuff?"

"Yeah Uncle Ran…I'm ready to go." She sighed, wheeling her way to the truck and loading herself back in with Randy's help.

John was sitting in the truck thinking hard. Randy was driving and John was staring out of the window. He'd set up the appointments with the Physical Therapist four times a week and he'd talked to his parents about making sure someone was with her at all times. But something in the back of his mind kept telling him that she still wasn't safe.

'Relax man, you're just being paranoid. You know nothing will happen at home;' he told himself. 'Between Mom, Dad, Shane, and the others, she'll never be alone. Don't get crazy, she'll be fine…just remembering what Bella said: Trust your instincts John. Nothing else can happen to that girl…too much already has.'

"Dad?"

"Yeah?'

"Uncle Randy asked if you wanted McDonalds."

"Oh, yeah, let's get some food…I'm starved."

"Well, instead of Mickey D's, can we hit an In and Out Burger?" Mack said, looking at the men in the front seat.

"Yeah, let's go to In and Out Burger!" Stacy chimed in.

"In and Out Burger? What do you say Randy? Feel like stopping there on the way to the airport?"

"Alright, In and Out Burger it is." He said, making a turn. They got the food, and then went to the airport. Mackie's plane was called and she was helped onto the plane and into her seat. Mackie pulled out her diary and started to write.

Well, I'm on my way back home…and I'm kinda weirded out. I mean, what will Shane and the guys say hen they see me in this wheelchair? Will they ditch me, or treat me like a charity case? I don't want them to treat me any different…Dad doesn't, even if he really does. I made him stop treating me like glass and let me be. I told him to treat me the same, and I just want everyone else to do the same thing. I don't want Shane to feel sorry for me. I just want everything to be like it was before Spring Break. I don't know how I'm gonna still go to the Spring Fling…I can't dance! I'll figure something out…at least my face isn't bruised anymore. I'm getting tired…I'll update after the gang leaves tonight.

Oh yeah, dad and I hooked up the title yesterday…it is AWESOME! It's covered in yellow, red and white diamonds. It has the WWE symbol in the middle…and it SPINS! It has the word CHAMP right below it in regular diamonds and his name is on it. I got the first replica, before they even went on shopzone. I guess that's the life of a celebrity's daughter…ha, ha.

McEmily W

Mackie fell asleep, and she didn't wake up until she landed in Boston.


Mackie was in her new room…it wasn't bad or anything; it just was the spare guest room next to the kitchen. Grandma Carol had taken the posters that were on the walls up stairs and put them on the walls in the room down stairs. All of her clothes were in the room, and the stereo was brought down stairs as well. The bad thing was, she couldn't go down to the basement anymore unless she went all the way around the house and through the garage. So much for leading a normal life…

"Mackie-o! We're here!" Came Shania's cheerful voice through the house. Mackie took a deep breath and wheeled herself out into the kitchen.

"Hey guys." She smiled.

There was silence.

And Staring.

And more silence.

And more staring

"Guys?" Mackie asked, looking at the four of them.

"Hey baby girl…how're you feeling?" Chris smiled, giving her a hug and giving her a brotherly kiss on her cheek.

"I'm better C. Missed ya boy." She said, smiling.

"Missed you Cena." Sammie and Shania said, hugging her together.

"Mack…I…I missed you." Shane said, looking at her.

"Shane, I'm handicapped, not dieing. I'll get better…I promise."

"I mean, we knew you were hurt, but not like this dude." Chris admitted

"I know, but I'm getting better everyday."

"So…what's the verdict?" Shane asked.

"I'm recovering from broken ribs…I change the tape once a week, and I can stop in about three or four weeks. And I'm going to PT every other day starting tomorrow…and I go back to school on Monday. Dad talked to the principal already, so you guys can use the elevator to help me out; one person can help me per period. But I'm gonna be fine guys, I swear. And I don't want you guys to treat me any different, alright? We can still watch WWE, and play SD vs. RAW, and hang out at the mall and everything, I'll just be in this stupid chair the whole time."

"I got it." Chris said.

"I'll treat you the same." Sammie said.

"You're the same girl to me." Shania nodded.

"You're still my girl." Shane said, kissing her.

"Cool. Wanna go watch Videos in the basement?" She said, looking around.

"Yeah…wait, how're you gonna get down the stairs?" Sammie said.

"I gotta go out the front door, down the ramp grandpa had built and through the garage."

"Well, let's go!" Chris said, heading out the front door. They all went into the garage and Shane opened the door separating the basement and the garage. They started to watch videos when Mack did something no one expected her to. She slid out of her chair and sat on the floor with the rest of them.

"What? I said, everything was gonna be the same!" She said, looking at them.

"She did say that," Shane said, sliding behind her and leaning against the chair they usually shared. Mack leaned back against his chest and wrapped his arms around her.

"I'm glad you're back Mack." He said, kissing her cheek.

"I'm glad I'm back too…I missed you a lot." She smiled, twisting a little bit so that she could look at him.

"I missed you too." He said, kissing her lips softly.

"Now, question of the day…who wants to see what dad's new belt looks like?" she said, smiling at them.

"You mean you have it with you?"

"Maybe…"

"But your dad did trick it out though…right?"

"Totally…it's awesome!" I said.

"Well, can we see?"

"Sure…on Thursday."

"But it's Saturday!" Chris complained.

"You can see Thursday at lunch…I'll bring it to school and keep it in my locker."

"Yeah, well that's not fair…wait a minute, you HAVE the title?" he asked.

"A replica, yeah."

"You already have the replica? I mean, it's not even on the market yet!"

"Well dude, look who her dad is! He's the CHAMP, Duh Christopher!" Sammie smirked.

"OOH, burn."

"Shut up, Shania."

"Guys, its like, 10:30. Gramps is gonna come down here and ask if you're staying the night or going home. So, what are you doing?" Mack asked.

"We're Staying." They said at the same time.

"You have no clothes here." Mack said.

"Dude, we've all left clothes here at some point in time. I mean, even if I hadn't had clothes here, we wear the same size." Sammie laughed.

"Yeah, I left a t-shirt over here and a think a pair of skater shorts." Shane said.

"And I know I have some clothes over here from when I changed for basket ball and your grandma washed them for me." Chris said.

"So it's settled, you guys are staying here."

"Yeah, right here in the basement." Shane said.

"Well then Shane, Chris, I need you two to help me back into my chair so the girls can help me to get changed and go tinkle."

"Uh, didn't need to hear that." Chris said.

"Just help me get in this damn chair."

"I got it." Shane said. He stood up and lifted Mack off of the floor bridal style. He sat her down in her chair and placed her feet in the pegs. (I have no idea what those things are called…you know the foot peg things that they rest in so that they don't drag on the floor…)

"Thanks," she smiled.

"No Prob."

Mack rolled herself out of the basement and around the house with Sammie and Shania in tow. She rolled into her room and Sammie helped her change into her nightgown. Shania helped her get back into the chair. Then she went into the bathroom and brushed her teeth. She grabbed onto the counter and pushed herself up. Her feet dangled as she shimmied herself down to the toilet. She went and then shimmied herself back to the chair. The whole process in the bathroom took forty minutes. When she came back to her room, Sammie and Shania were waiting on her.

"You alright baby doll?" Shania asked.

"Yeah…that was hard…maybe I did need help…"

"We have your back next time…don't worry girly." Sammie smiled.

"Don't call me girly…only Amy, Jackie and Stacy can."

"Okay…." They said slowly.

"Don't take it personal guys…but that's my special nick name from them, and only they can call me it, just like only my dad can call me Bella, and Uncle Randy can only call me Short Stuff."

"Uncle Randy? I thought he was like your number 1 crush?"

"Sam, he was, but now I think that Shelton Benjamin's my numero uno."

"He's a hottie too…I have no complaints."

"Come on, let's get downstairs and get some sleep, huh?" she said, wheeling herself to the basement. The girls followed her and when they came downstairs, they guys were sitting around watching TV.

"Took you guys long enough."

"Shut up Chris…it takes me a while now." She smiled, sliding out of her chair and on to the ground.

"I know, I'm just saying."

"I'm tired guys…I have PT in the morning."

"Alright Mack…we have to get up and go to church with my mom anyway." Shane said, stretching his arms over his head.

"Why?"

"She makes us go with her every once in a while usually once a month."

"Oh…goodnight guys…" she yawned.

"Night Mackie." They chorused. The group fell asleep quickly, sleeping through the night.


"Hello, I'm Doctor West. I'll be doing your PT for you. This is Nurse Johnson." She said, pointing to the other person in the room besides Mackie and her grandpa.

Alicia West was one of the most sought after Pediatric Physical Therapists in Northern Massachusetts under 35. At 30 years old, she was relatively new to the business, but she was good. She was smart, strong, and wonderful with children. She'd followed Mackie's story on the news and had contacted John, offering to be the girl's Therapist for half price.

"Dr. West, I'm appreciate you seeing my grand daughter." Mr. Cena said, shaking her hand.

"After reading about this courageous girl in the paper, I had to do something." She said, smiling at Mackie. "Let's get to work, shall we?"

"Okay.' Mackie said, wheeling herself out of the waiting room and to the other room. Inside, there was a set of parallel bars, some weights, a leg press, some leg braces, some crutches of various sizes, and a treadmill.

"Well, we can't do much until we can get those nerves in your back un-pinched, because right now, you can't even feel your legs." She smiled at the girl.

"So what do we have to do?"

"Well, can you climb up on to the table?" she said, motioning to the low examining table in the center of the room. Mackie wheeled herself over and tried to brace herself to climb onto the table. She tried for about five minutes before looking over at Dr. West. She smiled at the girl and helped her on the table.

"Now, we're going to lie on the table tummy down and we're going to try to un-pinch them." She said, smiling.

"alright…" Mack said, apprehensively. She lay down and lifted up the back of her shirt. Dr. West started to apply pressure to her lower spine, trying to find the pinched nerve.

"Let me know if you feel any tingling in your toes or legs at all, alright?"

"Okay…"

"Can you feel that?" she asked, starting to rub on Mack's legs.

"No…"

"Well, even if you can't, we have to keep rubbing them." She said, rubbing all the way down vigorously.

"Why?"

"Well, we have to make sure that the blood keeps ciculating through the legs, or you could get a clot in them and we could be forced to amputate."

"Amputate as in cut off?'

"Yes, and we don't want that, now do we?"

"I know, who ever heard of a paralyzed pop star or WWE Diva?"

"That's what you want to do?"

"yeah, I want to be a Diva more than anything. Then I could hang with Superstars all the time!"

"You like Wrestling?"

"Love it. My dad's a wrestler, I call some superstars Uncles, I used to wrestle with my friends in the basement of my grandparents house before I was in this dumb chair." She sighed.

"Now, you're not exactly a hopeless case…you have hope to walk again McKenzie."

"Mackie…please, call me Mackie."

"Well, Mackie, we're going to be together for a while, you can call me Alicia, or eve Ali if you want."

"Ali…I like that."

"Well, I'm glad that you do Mackie. Let's get to work." She said.

"What's next?"

"Well, we test reflexes. For every action, there's a reaction. If I can get a reaction in your leg, then I know you're gaining feeling in your legs."

"Well, let's try this!" she smiled. Alicia took her little hammer (what ever those little hammer thingies are called that the doctor hits you in the knee with are called…I'm calling it a little hammer.) and tapped Mack's knee.

Nothing happened.

"I don't know what happened…I'll try to get it to work next time."

"It doesn't work like that Mackie…your body has to do it on it's own…you can't make your self do it."

"Okay…"

The two of them worked on moving her legs and keeping the blood pumping through them. She figured out an easier way to get to a toilet than shimmying for 40 minutes down a 5 foot counter and she was able to pull herself out of her chair without nearly killing her self.

"You made a lot of progress today Mackie…I'm proud of you."

"Thank you…I'll see you Tuesday for our next session?"

"Of course! Good bye Mackie."

'See you Ali!" she smiled, following her grandpa out of the clinic.

"Did you make Progress Pumpkin?'

"Yeah grandpa…I can get in and out of my chair without help and nearly killing myself."

"That's wonderful…wait until your dad finds out."

"I know, he's gonna be happy for me."

"It's almost 5:00…he's not doing anything…important atleast." He said, motioning for her to call him. She pulled out her cell phone and dialed her dad's cell phone.

"Yellow!"

"Hey daddy…how's it hanging?"

"What's up baby girl?"

"I got out of my chair today by myself."

"You stood up?"

'No, I can climb in and out of it by myself without nearly killing myself."

"That's great honey…where are you right now?"

"In the car with grandpa…we're about two minutes from the house."

"That's cool…hey, there's a surprise for you at the house…I had a friend of mine drop it off there…mom put it in your room…."

"Cool…."

"Well, I had to get you something special to commemorate your first PT session."

"What is it?"

'A surprise.'

"WHAT KIND OF SURPRISE?" she screamed.

"One that I'm not going to tell you what it is."

"Dad that's not fair! Come on and tell me!" she laughed.

"Well…it's something that you've wanted for about…a two days."

"Well, we're pulling in to the house right now….it better be a credit card…"

"Not funny…you with a credit card is not funny. That's scary."

"Dad, hold on…I have to get out of the van and in my dumb chair."

"Alright."

Mackie got out of the car and into her wheelchair with her grandfather's help.

"Okay, I'm back…where's my gift?"

"In your room."

Mackie went into her room and sitting on her bed was none other than her dad.

"Daddy!" she screamed, smiling.

"Hey there Baby Girl…told you it was a surprise." He laughed. Mackie reached up and threw her arms around her father's neck. He hugged her around her waist and stood up, her legs dangling.

"I'm like, so happy you're here!"

"Me too…I wanted to come with you to your first PT session, but my flight was late."

"It's cool…I'm just glad to see you."

"Well, my baby girl is making progress…"

"Why aren't you in Chicago?"

"It's Sunday…I don't have to be in Chicago till Tuesday or Wednesday so I'm spending a couple of days at home…with you."

"At the other house and everything?"

"Well, you can't get to your room if we stay over there, so I'm going to be in my old room and you're going to be down here…that way we can go anywhere we want and still be together."

"Okay, that still works…but I have to go to school tomorrow…remember?'

"That's what after school is for."

"Good point…" she said, still hanging from her father's neck. "Hey dad?"

'Yeah?"

"Are my toes supposed to feel really tingly after PT?"

"Tingly? As in you can feel in your toes?"

"Uh, yeah?"

"This is great! Only one PT session and you already have feeling back in your toes."

"So this is a good thing?'

"It's a great thing." He said, setting her down in her chair again.

"Can we go get something to eat? I'm kind of hungry."

"Well, you are my kid…when are you NOT hungry?" he laughed. They went to IHOP and then to the mall to get her some spring clothes. She bought about three or for outfits…trying not to tap out her money supply in one day. They came home and watched some movies.

"Baby girl, its 10:30, and you have school in the morning. To your room."

"But DAD, I'm not even tired."

"March." He said, pointing towards her room.

"I can't." she joked, pointing to her chair.

"You know what I mean baby girl…now, BED!"

"Man, I never get to stay up late I'm 14, I don't need a bed time…" she grumbled, going to bed.

"I'll be in there in a little to put you to bed."

"Alright…"

Mackie got into her night gown and into bed. About two minutes later John came in.

"Alright Bella...I'm proud of you."

"For what? I didn't do anything."

"For not falling apart during this whole thing. You haven't complained once."

"So? What's so special about that?"

"You're still the same little girl I've grown to love. You haven't changed or cried, or doubted yourself. That's why I'm so proud of you baby girl."

"Oh…" she said, yawning.

"Why are you yawning? I thought you weren't tired…" he teased, tickling her.

"DAD…Quit it!" she squealed.

"Alright, alright, I quit. Go in to sleep baby girl."

"Okay…I love you Dad." She said hugging him. He kissed her cheeks and forehead and smiled.

"I love you too baby girl…now, BED. You have school in the morning." He said, tapping her in the middle of her forehead and getting up. McKenzie fell asleep before he even left the room.