Chapter 3: Defiance
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Cold. Freezing cold. As he came aware, it was the first sensation he recognized. The air also smelled funny, as it didn't have the odor associated with stadiums. This air was cleaner. More…sterile? It took him a few tries to get his eyes to open, and when he did, the first thing he saw was white. White ceiling, white walls, standard nondescript curtains drawn across a window to keep out the light during the day and cloak the room in darkness at night.
Hospital. He was in a hospital bed.
He lifted his left hand and noticed an IV snaking out from a needle that was taped to his hand. He must have been here a while. He lifted his swollen right hand and touched his head. No bandages, but there was a sizable lump from where he had hit the tile. As he probed it, pain shot into his skull and he hissed to keep from crying out.
The sound alone caused a person sleeping in a chair in the corner to jump and waken. Shawn hadn't noticed anyone in the room, but then it was rather shadowy in here.
"Oh, thank God, you are finally awake." The voice belonged to Vince's daughter, Stephanie McMahon. She stood and walked towards the bed, rubbing her eyes as she did so. "Cover your eyes; I'm going to turn the light on."
Shawn used his right hand to shield his face as the room clicked into brightness. He lowered his hand and could see her clearly now. She looked exhausted and her clothes were rumpled.
Shawn licked his dry lips. Whatever was in the IV was making him thirsty. He noticed a pitcher and glass on the bedside table. Obviously whoever had set him up had known he was going to need a drink upon awakening. He tried to reach for it, but Stephanie stopped him.
"Stay put. I'll get it for you." She poured him a small glass and handed it to him.
He took it gratefully and sipped at it. "Thanks," his voice was at first a croak but as he drank it grew steadily stronger. "How long have I been out?"
"About six hours, give or take." She waited until he finished his first cup and then refilled it. "You had everyone very scared and worried, Shawn."
He frowned and sipped slowly at the cool liquid. "What are you doing here? Shouldn't you be with Hunter?"
She shrugged. "Dad thought it would be a good idea if someone stayed with you. It wouldn't do well for you to wake up alone and confused." After he drained the second cup she tried to refill it again, but he refused. She took the empty cup and placed it on the table next to the pitcher.
"Has my wife been called?"
"Yes, she has been notified, but she couldn't get a flight out right away. She's flying in tomorrow."
Shawn sighed. He hated to have to drag her and his son all the way to Ohio. She was due with their second baby in a few months. "Call her back and tell her I'm okay. I don't want her getting on a plane in her condition." He rubbed a weary hand across his face and sighed again.
"Will you be okay for a few minutes?" She asked.
He nodded being careful not to move his head too much. "Where are you going?"
"I've got to notify the doctor and everyone in the waiting room that you are awake."
"Who's out there?" He frowned wondering who else would have thought to sleep in a hospital waiting room.
"Well, there is Shane; and Dad of course; umm, Hunter and JR."
He closed his eyes, feeling still very tired. "Go get the doc."
She started to move away but a sudden thought made him call out her name and she stopped.
"Who found me, Steph?" He had a pretty good idea who had found him but he wanted to hear it for himself.
She bit her lip, knowing how the two ex-best friends had been feuding for so long. "Hunter did." She paused to see what that bit of information was going to do, and when the only reaction she got was a tightening of Shawn's face, she continued. "He had left the locker room to come find me, but decided that you were not really acting like yourself and went back in. He found you out cold under the shower."
Shawn didn't reply, but he did open his eyes again and looked at her.
She hated the emotion that she saw behind those hazel orbs. It was a mixture of embarrassment, pain, loneliness and emotional hurt. She could guess that Shawn would have rather have been found by anyone else. "I'll be right back."
She turned and left the room, leaving the door cracked so that he could just make out the corridor beyond.
In less than a minute, the door opened and Vince came in, followed by Hunter. Both men looked weary but upon seeing Shawn awake they looked relieved. Vince approached the bed first leaving Hunter halfway between the bed and the door.
"Shawn, I'm so glad you are okay."
Shawn snorted. "If you can call this okay." He lifted the hand with the IV in it. "What's in here, anyway? It's making my head feel swimmy."
Vince shrugged. Hunter approached the bed carefully and read the bag that was hanging down. "It's a sugar-water solution mixed with a painkiller that I can not pronounce."
"Figures." Shawn muttered, keeping his face carefully averted from Hunter's gaze.
Before the other man could say another word, Stephanie returned with the Doctor. Everyone stepped back from the bed so the Doctor could examine Shawn.
"Hi, Mr. Hickenbottom, I'm Dr. Kenneth Walden." He introduced himself. "I hear you took a nasty fall today." He picked up Shawn's chart and read over it quickly then placed it back and began to take his vitals. "How are you feeling, son?"
"Dizzy." Shawn replied truthfully. "How long am I going to be here?"
"Well now, that depends on quite a few things. I'm told that you are a professional wrestler." He picked the chart up again and started making a few notes on it.
"That's right." Shawn looked past the balding man to where Vince was standing. "And before you ask I already know that I might have suffered a concussion."
Vince motioned to Stephanie to come closer. He whispered something in her ear. She nodded then turned to Hunter and pointed towards herself and the door. He nodded back at her and she left the room.
The doctor waited until he had Shawn's attention again before speaking. "We want to keep you here for a few days to run some tests. The falls you took in the ring coupled with the fall in the shower did indeed provoke a concussion."
"No." Shawn said plainly. "No tests."
Stephanie came back into the room carrying Vince's briefcase. He took it from her with a nod and placed it on the chair where she had been sleeping previously.
"Mr. Hickenbottom it really is in your best interests that you get the CAT scans and MRI done to determine the extent of the damage." The elderly man looked down at him.
Shawn would have none of it. "I have a doctor back home. When I get back there, I'll get the tests done then."
"Shawn," Hunter spoke up and moved closer to the bed. "I think you should listen to the doctor here. He knows what should be done for you."
"Who asked you for your opinion?" Shawn stated and looked at his former best friend for the first time. "If it wasn't for you, I wouldn't even be here tonight."
That one sentence was like a slap to Hunter's face. Stephanie could see it harden right before her eyes. She knew her husband could take a lot of physical punishment in the ring but emotionally in some ways he was very vulnerable. Shawn had just found a chink in the Game's armor. She placed one hand on Hunter's arm but he shook it off. "Well, excuse me for living!" He barked out at Shawn and then stormed from the room.
She watched him leave then looked to her father, then the doctor – who had wisely remained silent during this exchange – before letting her eyes fall onto Shawn. "That was completely uncalled for! How dare you treat him that way! If it wasn't for him, you'd still be in that locker room." She was angry and didn't care who saw right now. "Shawn, this might be hard for you to get into your thick skull but Hunter does care about you."
"Yeah, those three Pedigrees he gave me showed me that." Shawn knew he was being obstinate, but he just wanted to get out of the bed or just have everyone leave. He didn't care which right now.
Stephanie moved to slap him but caught herself at the last moment. "Fine, Shawn. Be that way. Go AMA if you want. See if we care anymore. You and that stupid match; just because he beat you!" She then turned away and stomped out of the room after her husband.
Shawn sighed and looked towards the doctor. "Get my release papers drawn up. I have a plane ticket for later today and I plan to be on that plane."
"If that is what you truly wish, we can't hold you here against your will. I'll get a nurse to unhook the IV and bring in the forms to sign."
"It is." Shawn stated. "I'm leaving."
The doctor nodded. "I do recommend that you seek out your own doctor as soon as possible." He nodded towards Vince then left the room.
Shawn closed his eyes, not wanting to talk to Vince. He knew exactly what the other man was going to say next and he didn't want to hear it.
Vince didn't disappoint him. "Shawn, you are acting like a spoiled child! You know that the WWE will not cover you by going against medical advice! What the hell are you thinking?"
Shawn waved him away. "Go home, Vince, or to whatever fancy hotel room you have this week."
"Do you know how worried everyone was when they heard? Do you have any clue how scared everyone got? Especially Hunter? Do you?" Vince stated with a small growl. "No one has been to bed, no one has moved from that waiting room for the fear of missing some important news about you." He got right into Shawn's face for the next part. "And you treated them just like crap. I don't mind if you are going to do that to me, but, you are damn well not going to treat my daughter like that and you should be damned grateful that Hunter was there to find you."
He stepped back and picked up his briefcase. "I'll have Shane bring your gym bag up from the limo." Without another word, he turned and left the room.
Shawn rubbed his hand across his stubbled cheek. Boy he had handled that one well. Not only did he piss off his boss, but he had verbally attacked his former best friend and his wife. Even the doctor had looked at him like he was nuts.
Way to screw up your life, Shawn. Way to go.
He was just about to turn from the door and try to get a little bit of rest when JR walked in. He stepped up to Shawn's bedside. "Hey there, son. I'm only going to stay a minute but I wanted to let you know that I'm glad you are alright. You had us all very worried, kid."
Shawn bit his lip to keep his emotions in check. If anyone was going to get to him, it would be this man standing right in front of him. "Thanks, JR." He took a deep breath and let it out slowly. "Listen, I'm a bit in over my head here. I just said and did some things that I really shouldn't have."
"I kind of got that impression with people storming past the waiting room." JR said quietly. "It will be alright, son. Everyone is just on edge right now with the Pay Per View having just ended and no one getting any sleep."
Shawn nodded slowly. "I hope so. Can you do me one favor?" He could feel tears starting to well up behind his eyes, knowing that he had no one else he could ask. He didn't want to let them out in front of JR though.
"Just name it."
"Call my wife. Tell her I'm okay, and not to fly out here. I'll be home in a few days and I don't need to worry about her in her condition." He knew JR would understand. He was fighting back his tears now, wanting to be with her and not in this cold, sterile room. She would understand him, she would comfort him and tell him the things he needed to hear right now.
"Sure, Shawn, I'll call her for you."
"Thank you." Shawn let the weariness into his voice now. He was still tired from having the match and now he was emotionally worn out as well.
"If you need anything else, all you have to do is ask." JR took and squeezed Shawn's hand lightly. "You know that."
Shawn nodded again. "Yes, I do."
"You get some rest now. I'll keep you updated." He gave Shawn's hand one more squeeze and then left the room to make the call.
Now that he was alone, he sighed heavily and finally let the tears out. If he was honest with himself, he would say that he was scared. He didn't want the tests here out in the middle of nowhere, because he wasn't sure what they would show. He had never blacked out like that in a match before and never like in the locker room. He was scared and worried and extremely tired. He let the tears slide silently down his face as he realized that he had probably just alienated any chance of making up with Hunter for good.
Way to go, Shawn. Way to go.
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