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*March 10, 2003*

Adam stood uneasily next to Amy as they entered the doctor's hospital office. This was it - the day of his neck surgery had finally arrived, and there was no going back... Of course, the tall blond man wished he could go back to before the amount of wear and tear had vastly deteriorated his neck...

The redhead eyed him with concern, her heart in her hazel orbs. She grabbed hold of his arm, bringing him back to his senses.

"Are you all ready?" Dr. Lloyd Youngblood asked. The physician had a comfortable air of confidence about him.

"I guess I am," Adam replied. He exchanged glances with Amy, who'd remained mostly silent since they'd arrived here. She was so obviously trying to remain strong for him, and he loved her so much for it. Somehow, he knew that, while she was sitting alone in the waiting room while he would be under the knife, she'd be crying her eyes out. It hurt his heart just thinking about it.

"Any last questions?"

He searched his mind, but at the moment, he couldn't think of a thing to ask. To be honest, Adam just wanted to get it over with. The sooner he had the surgery, the sooner he'd be to returning to action, as far as he was concerned.

"All right, then," Youngblood said. He reached over to grasp hold of a clipboard with some documents and a pen attached.

"What's this?" the blond man asked as he glanced so quickly at it, he hadn't registered a word.

"Just the release forms - standard documents stating that if something goes wrong, the hospital and myself are not responsible."

Adam arched a brow at the man's words.

"If something goes wrong?"

"Yes," the doctor replied. "As in the unexpected event of your death."

Amy sucked in a breath, although she'd been given those same papers before her own surgery. But it was just so very bone-chilling and unthinkable - especially when handed to the man she loved.

Adam blinked, his heart nearly stopping at the words. Quickly, he glanced down at Amy, but the redhead was looking down, biting her lower lip. Then, recovering, he spoke.

"Oh..." He took the pen and signed the forms on the lines requiring his signature.

*

Approximately a half hour later, the blond man was in a room, clad in hospital issue garb and on a bed. Amy stood by his side, her face slightly drawn but full of nerves as she stayed by him like a magnet drawn to steel filings.

"I'll be waiting right out there for you," she said. Her attempt at a brave smile warmed his heart, though he knew she was moments from completely losing it. She reached for his hand, and the contact warmed him immensely.

"I love you," the blond man said softly. "And when all of this is over... We'll really start our new life together."

The redhead had to bite her lip to prevent the tears from flowing. She'd felt them threatening her for hours, but she didn't want to give in to them just yet. She had to remain strong for him.

"I love you, too, Adam Copeland." She leaned in closer, her lips pressing gently to his for a soft, tender kiss.

Adam kissed her back, all of his heart and soul into that small display of love and affection. When it was over, he realized a camera crew had joined them. It made him feel a bit strange, but he'd agreed to allow his surgery to be filmed to be shown on a future episode of WWE Confidential.

All of a sudden, Dr. Youngblood arrived.

"We're all set... Are you ready, Adam?"

"As ready as I'll ever be," the tall blond man replied. He shifted his gaze back to Amy, and their eyes locked and held. He gave her hand a gentle squeeze.

She didn't want to leave him... She didn't want to let him go, either. Tears practically begging to well up in her eyes, she moved forward one last time, her lips hovering just inches from his. He gazed deeply into her hazel eyes, his heart quickening at the intensity between them. Her breath was warm and deliciously sweet on his skin as she whispered.

"I love you..."

"I love you, too," he whispered back, one hand coming up to caress the soft silky skin of her cheek. "Stay strong for me, babe."

The redhead swallowed hard, nearly choking as she felt a sob wishing to burst through.

Adam gently captured her lips one last time, kissing her far more passionately this time than before. She nearly died at the sensation of his tongue entering her mouth, the tenderness in the kiss.

Finally, Amy broke the contact, her heart in her eyes as she backed away from him. The blond man, despite his large size, looked somewhat strangely small as he eyed her in an identical fashion.

She raised her right hand in a wave, biting her lip as she turned and ducked out of the hospital room. And she knew, without question, that when she reached the waiting room, she was going to break down and cry harder than she'd ever done in her life.