It's been a week, a long week, since they found me. Five days of that week was spent in the hospital, but yesterday they decided I was well enough to go home. Home. To Vegas. With Jon. I still haven't spoken to him, Colby and Joe are with us so I don't need to. The guys are all camping out in the lounge while I have the bedroom to myself. The light is on constantly, I can't be alone in the dark, and Colby is staying with Jon to keep the peace. I'm alone in here. A knock at the door tears my gaze away from the window, and I sit up quickly when Lex walks in. "Hey stranger" she says quietly, shutting the door behind her. "Jon got me a flight out, he said you needed a friend right now." I nod, holding out my arms to her and hugging her tightly as we both cry. "Oh Lora" she sobs. "What did they do to you?" I shake my head. Apart from the obvious facial injuries, I don't know what happened, and I don't want to know. "You can't keep it bottled up Lora" Lex warns. I nod. I know all this already. She lies on the bed with me and pulls me down beside her. I cuddle into her and cry some more. This is how I used to lie with Jon. Lex knows exactly what I'm thinking. "You need him, Lor" she whispers. I shake my head. "Stop being so stubborn dammit!" she hisses. "What happened was not his fault! Yes, he walked you to the car, but he didn't know it was the wrong car!" I shake my head. I don't want to hear it. She stands up and goes to the door. "I've missed you Lor" she says, opening the door. "And I'm glad you're ok, I really am, but your husband isn't ok. Maybe I'd be better off spending time with him instead." She walks out and closes the door behind her, leaving me with my thoughts again.
The next people through the door are Joe and Colby. "Hey" Joe says, sitting on the bed and holding my hand. "We're just going for something to eat with Lex, letting Jon get some rest. He's beat. You ok here until we get back?" I nod, smiling at them both. "Thank you" I whisper. Colby shakes his head. "No need to thank us" he says. I nod. "There is" I say. "You both missed Raw and Smackdown, plus you should be with your families, not holed up here with us." Joe shakes his head. "Raw and Smackdown didn't need us" he says. "Everyone knows about what happened, they understand why we're not there. You're more important baby girl. We'll see you soon, ok?" I nod and smile as they walk out. As soon as the door is closed I take a deep breath and stare at the ceiling some more. The light blocks out all the bright lights from the strip, and I'm glad, even though it would give me something else to stare at apart from the cracks in our ceiling. They seem to be getting worse, just like the cracks in our marriage. Then it happens.
Pitch black. The room is lit purely by the lights from outside. "Joe" I say quietly. "Colby. Oh fuck. Oh shit. Breathe Lora, breathe. Shit. Fuck. Jon! Jon! Jon!" "Hey hey hey!" he says, bursting through the door. "It's a power cut Lor, the whole block is out. Oh fuck babe." He wrestles with his emotions as I hug my knees and rock back and forth on the bed. He finally caves in and slowly gets on the bed with me. I don't fight him, I just watch him warily as he lies down slowly next to me and holds out his arms. "I'm here" he says quietly. "You're not alone. I'm here. Please, Lora, trust me." I nod and lie next to him, cuddling into him like I'd cuddled into Lex just an hour ago. "Oh Lora" he sighs, kissing my head softly. I nod, not trusting myself to speak. He feels good. He smells good. I need him, so much more than I realise. "Hey" he says, turning his head to look at me. "You're getting my shoulder wet, you know?" I frown and rub my eyes. Damn, crying again. I do it so much now I don't even realise it's happening. "I'm sorry" I whisper. He groans. "Don't apologise Lor" he says softly. "I'm just glad I'm close enough for it to happen." "No" I whisper. "I'm sorry for blaming you. It's not your fault, none of it was your fault. I lashed out and took it too far, and I'm sorry." He nods, kissing my head. "I know" he whispers. "Believe me Lor, I know. And it's ok. We're gonna be ok, I promise you." I nod and cuddle into him again, putting my arm around him and falling asleep just like old times.
"We're ok" I hear him say. "If you guys wanna go, I think we'll be ok. This is a huge step for her, right?" "Right" Colby says warily. "We'll go home, give you guys some space, but if you need anything, I mean anything Jon, don't be too proud to pick up the phone. She's part of us too." I feel Jon nodding. "I know" he says. "I just want my wife back guys." "We all want her back Jon" Joe says, his deep voice unmistakeable. "But it's not gonna happen overnight ok, don't rush her." "I won't" Jon whispers. "Just holding her is enough for me. I haven't held my wife in nearly two weeks. You guys have no idea how it's been. It's like I've been missing my right arm." "I know how you feel" Joe says. Jon groans. "I'm sorry" he says quietly. "I didn't mean..." "I know what you meant Jon" Joe says. "I'm lucky, I get to go home and hold my wife now." "I'll get a hotel" Lex says softly. "I don't want to be in the way here. Lora needs you Jon, and she needs to realise that without anyone else here to distract her." "Fancy coming to Iowa?" Colby asks her suddenly. She hesitates for a few seconds. "Sure" she says. "What harm could it do?"