Chapter 14

Rachel had been right, as soon as Marie woke up she asked for John, but when Steve told her John couldn't stay for company reasons...Rachel knew Steve was covering for John...

She remembered the look on John's face when he left and as his words rang through her head, she finally figured out why...John loved her. He'd never said he loved her, he hadn't even told her he did...but that day in the parking lot...the unshed tears and the raw emotions...the words he spoke...He loved her...and he loved her so much she knew his heart couldn't bear to see Marie hurting or in pain...It would've killed him.

John sat in his hotel room and berated himself; he couldn't believe he'd just left the hospital. His head was cradled in his hands as he stared at the floor. John shook his head trying to keep the thoughts in his head down to one thing work...if he threw himself into wrestling, he'd be able to keep Marie out of his head.

Marie was allowed to go home, but since her home was in Chicago, Steve said he was going to stay with her for a while, but Marie refused to let him coddle over her...she had to go to physical therapy and get her life back on track so she could get back in the ring.

The only thing Marie was hoping for was that John would call...but since she'd been home, Rachel had said, John had been nothing but business at work, he didn't go out and party with everyone anymore, he wasn't in a joking mood anymore...everything was wrestling or working out or it was sleeping. Rachel explained how much he'd thrown himself into work, and knew how much Marie wanted to see him...but nothing could be done.

- -5 Months Later- -

Marie had finally had enough of everything...she really needed to see John. She called Stephanie McMahon and found out where Smackdown was going to be, and took a plane without telling anyone anything...She got to Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania and checked into the same hotel as the guys, she was a floor above John's.

Before Marie left the room she stood in front of the mirror and lifted her shirt and was looking at the scar...she was fully healed but she was still in physical therapy for her lung and shoulder. The scars were barely visible but she was self conscious about them...she pushed her shirt back down and headed down to John's room...

It was close to mid-night so she knew he was back from Smackdown already. Marie stood in front of the door to room 2354 as she knocked. She knew he was probably sleeping, but she had to see him. She heard someone moving around in the room as a few cuss words came from the room.

John had just gotten settled in bed and was just about to fall asleep his body was sore from the match he'd had with John Layfield...but he'd survive, he knew he would feel it more in the morning, but all he wanted to do now was sleep...but there was no chance of that happening anytime soon, when there was a knock on his door.

John was going to kill who ever it was, he pulled his track pants on...he stubbed his tow on the door jam walking out of the bedroom and into the living area, cussing as he went over to the door where he snapped a light on opened the door and was completely floored to see Marie staring back at him...She was standing there with her hands in the back pockets of her jeans.

They stood there in silence for a few minutes...John finally said, "Marie...What are you doing here?" Marie said, "I wanted to ask you something." John said, "What you don't know how to use the phone...it's almost mid-night."

Marie said, "Well I figured since you was being such a chicken shit and wouldn't come see me, I should at least come see you, and ask you face to face...Were you ever going to come see me? Because I have been waiting for forever to have you come and say something to me..."

John said, "What do you want me to say?"

Marie said, "Anything at this point would work...I mean are we really that far gone that we can't save this? Because you know exactly how I feel about you, but you also know I'm not going to just tell you how I feel without at least hearing something from you...Sitting in that hospital bed..."

Before she could finish, John said, "I don't want to talk about it..." He started to close the door, when Marie shoved it open, walked in and slammed it shut and said, "Too bad because I have a lot of shit to say to you, and you're going to listen."