Field of Innocence

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Adam paced the floor nervously, all of his nerve endings alert and awake. What was taking so long?

Lisa Marie could barely look up from where she sat in the hospital's waiting room. Her arms were wrapped protectively around herself, and she occasionally shivered, as though cold. After crying for the better part of the last hour, she was finally dry-eyed, seemingly completely depleted of her tears.

She gazed over at Randy, the young man seated next to her. She wanted more than anything to throw herself into his strong arms, draw strength from him. However, Orton appeared almost withdrawn, in shock himself over the situation. He looked stoic until he finally spoke to Adam.

"Settle down, man... You're gonna wear out a hole in the floor."

The tall blond man cast an annoyed glanced his way. He didn't look the least bit amused by the younger man's remark.

"Look... I'm just as worried as you are. I don't know her all that well, but she's a nice lady. I don't want to see her like-"

"Give it a rest, Orton..." Adam snapped. It wasn't that he was angry with Randy, he was just frustrated... That, and he wanted to get his hands on that fucking piece of shit Matt Hardy and tear his God damned head off. "... Sorry." He raked a hand through his long blond hair and sighed wearily. His gaze traveled to Lisa Marie, who looked totally defeated. It was an uncomfortable feeling when he knew the woman to normally be quite lively and warm. "I'm just..." He shook his head.

"I know it, man," Randy said. "Not a problem."

The Canadian sighed wearily. What was taking so long? Why hadn't a doctor, a nurse or *someone* come to tell them how Amy was doing?

Orton turned to eye Lisa Marie, who had remained eerily silent for a long time now.

"Hey... Are you all right? Can I get you something?"

"Water..." the woman managed, her brown eyes dolefully meeting his blue. She seemed so defeated, incapable of uttering any other words. Poor thing... He guessed she was most likely in shock over what had happened to her co-worker and friend. And, as Orton stood up to get Lisa Marie some water, he knew he couldn't blame her. After all, the perpetrator of such horrendous acts was none other than Amy's boyfriend - the very person who was supposed to love and *protect* her - not *hurt* her.

"Adam...?"

The tall blond man's head shot up as he looked at the raven-haired diva. He was surprised she had spoken, much less directed it at him. He stopped pacing long enough to approach her and sat down beside her.

"Yes...?"

"Sh-she's gonna be all right... Right?" Fear seemed apparent in Lisa Marie's dark eyes as she continued. "She'll press charges against him, right? He *has* to know that he can't get away with... with..." Her voice trailed off as she became choked up by tears again after what seemed so long without them.

Adam wrapped an arm around the diva's shoulders as she sobbed softly, her head lowering to his chest.

Randy suddenly returned just in time to witness the exchange, a bottle of Dasani water in his hand. For some reason, he felt a surge of jealousy. It wasn't that he thought for one second that there could be anything between Lisa Marie and Adam - he just felt that *he* should have been the one to comfort her.





Part 8

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