______________________________________________________
Edge awoke to a dull, throbbing pain in his upper chest. On top of this, he was burning up and disoriented, wondering where he was. Then, as his head cleared, he remembered and recognized his surroundings...
... Lita. He was at her house, where he'd staggered to after Christian had brutally attacked him. She'd been right by his side earlier, tending to his wound and generally giving him love and care. He didn't see her anywhere in the room now, however, and he wondered where she could be.
A moment later, as though she had perfectly read his mind, the redhead slipped into the doorway. She craned her neck just enough to gaze over at him, worry etched on her pretty face. At the blond man's estimation, she was probably checking to see if he was still alive and breathing. How very much she worried about him.
"Hey," he managed, and his voice came out in a raspy, dry croak, much to his dismay. He felt parched and needed water.
"Hi." She gestured to him with one hand, her hazel eyes widening slightly. Then, she slipped through the door and he was again left wondering. She returned seconds later, again evidently having read his mind as she carried a glass of water to the bed.
He gazed up at her with love and wonder. She was amazing... He'd never before known a woman who could read his mind. With some small effort, he sat up, and she helped him, and he drank small sips of the water. He felt dehydrated. He started to take bigger sips, gulping the cool, refreshing liquid and nearly choked as some slipped down the wrong pipe.
Lita pulled the glass away as she gently, almost reluctantly patted him on the back.
"Easy, easy... Baby steps first," she said.
Adam knew she was right and that he'd gotten overzealous. Hell, maybe she was right in insisting he should be in a hospital. He *had* lost some blood, and he was feeling weak and dehydrated now. Damn his stepbrother... Damn the entire sordid situation to hell!
He raised his gaze to the young woman's beautiful face. She looked pale, yet her eyes were red-rimmed and somewhat puffy. No doubt she'd been crying again - and most likely, she'd gone in another room to do so rather than let him know that, and probably out of fear of disturbing him as well.
"I'm sorry."
Her eyebrows rose quizzically.
"For what?"
"For dragging you into my mess of a life," he said sadly. "You don't deserve to have to deal with this vendetta between me and my stepbrother." He shook his head, his green eyes dropping with sorrow. "Look at this - you have work tomorrow and I'm taking up your bed. I'm disrupting your life."
"Stop right there," Lita cut in, shaking her head vehemently. "You're not 'disrupting' my life, Adam. And I'm a big girl - I'll deal with whatever I *want* to deal with." Her features softened as she placed a caressing hand to his face. "I *love* you."
He swallowed hard, the lump in his throat making that simple task difficult. She was a truly amazing woman.
"And I love you," he said. He could actually feel tears wanting to break free.
Lita reached down with one hand, pressing her palm against his wan cheek. Again, she gently tilted the glass in her other hand, allowing him to take small sips of water. It was on the tip of her tongue to tell him that he should be in the hospital, but she kept it to herself. Besides, she realized that he himself *knew* that - even though he was maddeningly stubborn.
The phone suddenly rang, startling the redhead, as it was still very early. She turned her head toward the direction of it, wondering who on earth it could be. The ringing sounded so ominous, for some reason.
Edge met her eyes, his expression placid although curious. She didn't seem to want to move a muscle, as though fearful.
"Aren't you going to answer it?" the blond man finally asked.
Lita bit her lip, nodded, and then reluctantly moved from the bed, releasing him as she did just that.
The blond man eyed her as she raised the receiver to her ear and spoke.
"Hello?"
"Hi, Lita," a female voice spoke. "I know you hate me now, but we need to talk. There are things you should know - thing you *both* should know."
The redhead's blood was chilled by the words more than the owner of the voice. What did the other woman mean exactly?
"I have to come by to see you - please... *Please*, Lita!"
Lita's heart thumped triple-time as she felt momentarily struck speechless. She couldn't even think clearly. She finally uttered a few words.
"Um... Yeah, all right. Do you want to come here?"
The conversation lasted less than another minute, and she hung up slowly, as though in a trance.
Edge squinted seriously as he gazed into her face. She looked nearly as white as a sheet.
"Lita? Who was that?"
"It was... It was Dawn Marie," she told him. "She said she has something to tell us. She's coming over here as soon as possible."
The man on the bed blinked at her with shock.