(A/N) Only a few more chapters left. The story is slowly winding up!
Only a few days later, despite the protests of his doctor, Chris checked out of the hospital. His doctor gave him some painkillers and strict instructions to get some rest. Chris was filling out some paper work, while scanning the lobby area for the nurse he was talking to the night before. He wanted to say goodbye, and give her some flowers he took from the vase in his room. She had been very good company and he wanted to thank her. He signed all the necessary documents and handed them to the receptionist. He took one last futile glance around the room, but she was no where to be seen. He turned towards the main entrance but spun around quickly when he saw who just entered the hospital. Ric Flair and three other mean looking guys walked in through the main entrance and began to advance toward the reception desk. Chris hurried away from Ric and the other three goons, who were built like football players. He parked himself in a chair in the waiting area and grabbed a magazine to conceal his face. He wanted to hear what Ric was doing at the hospital bringing along the kind of company you wouldn't usually bring to visit a dying mother.
"Hi. We are here to see John Cena. I believe he checked in about a week ago." Chris heard Ric tell the receptionist.
He heard the receptionist typing rapidly on the computer, and then deliver the bad news to Ric and company.
"I'm sorry sir, but Mr. Cena checked out a few days ago."
"Oh well. How about Chris Jericho? Is he still here?" Ric asked.
Chris flinched at the mention of his name. He heard the receptionist typing again.
"Ummmmm… Nope. I'm afraid you just missed him." The receptionist stated.
"Damn!" Ric blurted, slamming his fist on the receptionist's desk.
"I believe he just checked out a few minutes ago. I recall a blonde haired man filling out some paper work at my desk a few minutes ago. Does that fit the description of your… uh… friend?"
"Yes. Thank you very much." Ric said.
A few seconds elapsed before Chris dared to lower the magazine and peer over the top. He glimpsed the backs of Ric and company, standing outside the hospital, searching the streets for him. The automatic doors shut behind them and Chris got to his feet. He grabbed his belongings and started walking the opposite direction. He stopped a nurse to ask her if there was a back door that he could use to exit the hospital. The reason he gave her, to warrant the use of a back door was he was visiting a lover and his wife was looking for him in the lobby. It was the best he could think of in the spur of the moment. The blonde nurse bought his story and with a mischievous smile on her face, showed him the exit from which the ambulances unload patients in need of emergency treatment.
As Chris was riding in a taxi, back to his house, he went through the reasons that Ric would want to see him in the hospital. The only realistic one he could think of was he wanted to hurt him. But would they sink that low? To kick a man when he was down. He then remembered who he was dealing with. Hunter was capable of anything. He was going to have to be a lot more careful from now on.
A loud noise woke John with a start. He rubbed his eyes vigorously and scanned his surroundings. He realized it was the television and fumbled around for the remote to switch it off. The alcohol and the painkillers he had been popping had landed him in low point in his life. John had recently been discharged from the hospital, and now spent his days getting drunk by noon and lazing on the sofa, watching sitcoms and B grade horror movies. John struggled to his feet and slouched over to the window. He pulled the blinds apart and sunlight flooded into the room, nearly blinding him. He stumbled back and covered his face with his hands. Since he kept the blinds shut in his house, he had totally lost track of time. He stumbled back into the living room to look at the clock. 4:00pm. John flopped back into his sofa and buried his head in his hands. Even though he told all his friends otherwise, he still hadn't gotten over Hunter and the underground fighting finals. He had Chris beat. The money and the title were within reach until Hunter cruelly tore it away from him, along with giving him one of the most severe beatings he had ever received. He knew Hunter would kill him before he let Torrie run away with him. And John also knew that he would gladly give his life to get her back.