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Amazingly, Edge managed to keep from slipping into unconsciousness. The pain from the stab wound was incredibly great, so much so that it was to the point where he actually barely even felt it. It had been a searing, blinding, white-hot pain, the blade slipping cleanly through flesh and tissue. Fortunately, his piece of crap stepbrother hadn't plunged the blade into his heart or a major artery - so he doubted his was a mortal injury. Even so, it was agonzing, and he was feeling somewhat ill from the effects.
Lita seemed barely able to keep the tears from her eyes as she tended to his wound. She had gathered a clean washcloth and a large bowl of cold water to clean the deep, large cut. She still feared he might at least need stitches, and certainly medical attention in general, but she held her tongue about that now.
The idea of calling the police, getting them involved, kept flitting back into her mind. How could Edge *not* press charges? Christian could have *killed* him, and he was the one in the wrong here. He needed to give his stepbrother his money back, and needed to be brought to justice.
And just where did Dawn Marie stand in regard to this most vicious and horrific act? The redhead wondered... She really wondered. The woman had obviously been one-hundred percent in on the robbery part, but this? Assault, and possibly attempted murder? The fact that the brunette had been a friend and that she really didn't know made her sick to her stomach.
"Baby..." she said softly. She wasn't even quite sure how to ask him. "... Any-any better?"
The tall blond man gazed up at her with eyes half-closed as she kept tending to him. Her touch was so soft, gentle and tender, and it touched him deeply inside.
"You're amazing," he said.
Lita blinked with emotion, wondering why he'd said that now. It seemed so out of context. She wondered if he were growing delirious from blood loss... She winced at that thought as he raised a hand, his knuckles brushing against her cheek.
"Edge, I'm scared."
He merely eyed her silently, waiting for her to continue and explain.
"I-I think you need to see a doctor." She winced yet again, knowing how he would respond.
"Negative."
He saw the hurt in her eyes and felt like complete shit for it.
"I can't risk it," he said evenly. "But don't worry... I'm not going to die," he assured her.
She blinked through fresh tears, knowing - or at least *hoping* - his words were true. She had managed to stop the blood flow, although the wound was horribly open and raw. She felt a horrid pain deep inside every time she looked at it, and a sympathy more profound than she could ever recall experiencing.
The blond man reached for one of her hands, interlacing his fingers into her graceful and much smaller ones. "I promise," he said. He winced somewhat from the pain he still felt. "I'll live, even if it kills me."
Lita didn't laugh at his poor attempt at a joke. If anything, her crying grew just a little harder.
"Aww, shit," Edge muttered. "I'm sorry, I was just trying to lighten the mood."
The redhead's mood suddenly changed - so quickly and abruptly in fact that it startled him.
"Damn you!" she exclaimed. "You stupid, crazy man!"
"What?"
Tears were streaming down the young woman's cheeks.
"I really don't understand you," she went on. "You and Christian and your stupid dangerous games!"
Edge frowned.
"'Games?'"
"Yes, games!" Lita cried. "You should have gone straight to the police instead of taking the law into your own hands!" She was angry, but she had to refrain from striking him in any manner despite her urge to do so. She was torn by her love and sympathy and by her rage at this man - rage for having gotten himself injured in a way that *could* have been fatal. It made her so angry because of one thing, and one thing only - love. She was deeply, crazily, ridiculously in love with the man. And meanwhile, he could have very well gotten himself killed, and she would have lost him - and she didn't know *what* she would have done if that had happened.
"I'm... sorry," he whispered. He almost didn't know what to say and wished he could just pull her down to him and kiss her, kiss all her tears away.
"Promise me one thing," she said, meeting his green orbs with her teary hazel.
Edge said nothing for a beat, then bit the bullet. He loved her and knew he would do whatever she wanted.
"All right."
"Promise me you will never confront him again - unless you do so in a *legal* way."
The tall blond man sighed, his eyes slowly closing as he absorbed her words.
"Okay," he said resignedly. "I promise." He opened his eyes again and met Lita's as her hand was coming to cup
his cheek. He leaned into her touch, as he was powerless against her - just as he hadn't been able to refuse her a
moment earlier.