I Deserve It

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*Four days later*

With dismay, Amy realized her hands were shaking. She glanced down at them as though seeking confirmation of that - and sure enough, her hands were shaking in her lap.

She was sitting in the waiting room of a small clinic Adam's doctor had recommended. They'd just come from a visit with the man, and now they were here for the MRI the blond man had been ordered to get done. And the word 'just' was horribly inaccurate, as the redhead suddenly realized she'd been sitting here for the better part of two hours!

Two hours... And Adam had been called in close to an hour ago. His appointment had been pretty much last minute, so the tall Canadian had been required to wait. It seemed to the diva that most of their time lately had been spent waiting.

She shuddered as she thought about Adam being trapped inside the MRI machine. She knew how that experience was first-hand after her own neck injury. It was most unpleasant, to say the least. Like herself, she knew the blond man wasn't fond of tight, enclosed spaces. She only hoped they'd offered him a blindfold and headphones to listen to music while the procedure was going on - like had happened when she'd received her own MRI last year.

Amy felt a surge of anger suddenly well up inside of her as she recalled an incident that had occurred four days earlier at the arena for the houseshow. Matt and Torrie had somehow gotten wind of the tall blond man's situation - and her wonderful ex-boyfriend hadn't hesitated to smirk cruelly and make a snide remark about it.

'So, I hear your neck might be broken... Tough luck!'

The redhead recalled how her boyfriend's right hand had clenched into a fist at the words, and at the expression on Matt Hardy's face. Amy knew Adam had wanted nothing more than to pound the man to a pulp, but a physical altercation would certainly do him no good at the moment.

Suddenly, she roused from the reverie as he appeared from the back. Her gaze found him instantly, and in a haste, the redhead stood up. Their eyes met.

Adam approached her, his expression dire.

"I definitely did *not* enjoy that."

She winced as she reached for him. Her arms wound around his slim waist, and the Canadian drew her to him, his chin resting atop her head. He nuzzled her soft red hair for a moment before he released his hold and led her back to the chairs. Now they would have to wait for his MRI films. From there, they would be heading back to Dr. Stanley Cohen's office, where the physician would explain the results.

The tall blond man held tightly to Amy's small, soft hand, his heart softening as she rested her head against his shoulder. He hated to admit it even to himself, but he was damn scared. About a million concern and fears had played out in his head over the last week or longer, in spite of trying to deny that it was *that* serious.

"Ames?" he suddenly spoke.

The redhead raised her head and looked up at him. Her hazel eyes were flooded with concern as she met his green.

"What if..." He paused, sighing for a beat before going on. "... what if I end up paralyzed? What if we have children someday and I'm unable to play with them, or even *hold* them?" He lowered his voice to a whisper. "What if... God, what if I can no longer make love to you? What if-"

"Shh..." she hushed him, one of her hands snaking up to cup his cheek. She moved it so that her fingers were in his soft long blond hair. She moved her face closer to his, nuzzling him lovingly and hoping with all of her might that she would remain strong and not break down. "Don't think of any of that. You're going to be just *fine*."

Adam met her eyes, his own filled with emotion and nerves. She knew she had to be strong for him... After everything they'd been through together, and everything he'd done for her over the last few months, she owed him that much.

"God, I love you," he breathed. "What would I ever do without you?"

Amy smiled at his sweet words, although she felt as though she were forcing it. She could only hope the MRI films would show his injury wasn't anywhere near as serious as her own had been last year.

*

About a half hour later, they were sitting beside one another in Dr. Cohen's office. Amy sighed, then took a deep breath as though bracing herself, and folded her hands in her lap.

Adam sat unblinking at her left side, his gaze serious as his physician set up the MRI films for display to show them.

"It's a very good thing, you came to see me, Adam," Dr. Cohen began as he glanced from the results to his patient. The man pointed back at the MRI film as he continued. "I'm afraid you have a break in the C-5, C-6 and C-7 vertebrae... If you take one more fall in a wrestling ring, you might end up in a wheelchair."

Amy felt as though her marrow had completely frozen. It was her worst nightmare during this ordeal come true.





Part 68

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