Book One/Chapter One

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Chris walked out of the arena late at night after finishing up tapings for SmackDown and Heat. His body ached from the brutal ladder match that he’d been a part of and the only thing that he had his attention focused on was his rental car about 500 feet ahead of him. He wanted nothing more than to into his car and get to his hotel as quickly as possible. What he needed was a soak in the hot tub to relieve his sore, tired muscles and then a good night sleep before catching his flight to the next city the following morning. He didn’t even see the woman lying semi conscious on the pavement until he stumbled over her battered body, causing her to moan painfully.

“What the hell!” Chris exclaimed as he stared down at her for a moment in shock before dropping down to his knees beside her. He quickly gave her a once over, able to see that she was injured. He pulled his cell phone from his pocket and immediately called for help, guessing that she was the victim of a mugging or perhaps a hit and run accident.

As he talked on the phone, Chris glanced around the dimly lit parking area, looking for anyone who might have seen what had happened to this woman. Seeing nothing, he finished up the call and then turned his attention back to the woman. He saw that she had opened her eyes and was gazing up at him. He peered into her blue eyes and there was no mistaking the fear that he saw there. Not only could he see it in her eyes, but her body was trembling with it as well. Chris could well imagine why she was so scared. And although he didn’t know her, or didn’t even know what happened to her, he felt his heart breaking for what she was going through.

“Its okay.” He said soothingly as he reached out and gently touched her bruised cheek. She flinched back from his hand, but then relaxed again when she saw the warm, caring expression in his own blue eyes.

“It hurts.” She managed to force the words through her dry, scratchy throat. She felt him take a hold of her small hand and could feel the warmth radiating off of his body.

“I called for help. They’ll be here soon.” Chris promised as he took off his jacket and wrapped it around her the best that he could with out hurting her when he saw her shivering in the cool night air.

Chris pulled his eyes from hers and looked around. He could hear the sirens in the distance, but was unable to see them just yet. When he looked down at her again, he saw that her eyes had rolled back into her head as she began sinking farther into the darkness that was attempting to drag her down.

“Hey, come on..stay with me.” Chris softly implored as she gently shook her arm. He felt a wave of relief wash over him when her eyes returned back to their normal position and then locked with his once again.

“My name is Chris.” He told her, trying to keep her alert. He couldn’t let her go out again.

“I saw you…” She trailed off, gasping in pain, her face pale. She waited until the wave of pain passed and then tried again.

“I saw you tonight…wrestling. I work here. I’m Lissa…” She stopped again, her words catching in her throat as a new wave of pain made its way through her body.

“Lissa…that’s a nice name.” Chris said as he brushed some hair that had fallen into her eyes back off of her forehead. When he pulled his hand back, he couldn’t help the fear that crept into his stomach for her when he saw the blood covering his fingers.

“Chris..Please…” A piercing pain in her chest cut off her words. She could vaguely remember her attacker producing a knife, but she wasn’t sure if she’d been stabbed or not.

“Shhhh, don’t try to talk anymore.” Chris said to her, not wanting her to exert herself any further, She was already incredibly weak from the amount of blood that she had lost.

She shook her head slightly, ignoring his previous request. “Don’t leave me…Please.” Her eyes pleaded with him not to leave her alone.

“I won’t. I’ll stay as long as I’m able to.” Chris promised as he squeezed her hand tight in his.

No sooner were the words out of is mouth did the police and the paramedics arrive. It had seemed like an eternity that he’d been with this woman already, but in reality it was only a few minutes from the time that he’d found her to the present time. In no time, the paramedics had her loaded into the ambulance and were on the way to the nearest hospital with her. Although he didn’t want to, Chris had to stay behind to give his statement to the police before he was allowed to go to the hospital to check on her. He quickly told them what little he knew and then hurried to his car, anxious to see about the woman who he knew nothing about with the exception of her name.

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Book One/Chapter Two

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After getting directions to the hospital that Lissa had been taken to, Chris got there as quickly as he possibly could with out endangering himself, or the other drivers around him. Once he arrived there, he headed straight for the emergency department Where he figured she would have been taken first. When he asked at the desk about her, he was shown to a waiting room and told to stay there. Someone would be out to speak to him as soon as it was possible.

Chris took a seat in the furthest corner of the room, trying to be inconspicuous. But if anyone there did recognize him, they didn’t show it. Like him, they all had more important things to worry about.

An hour later, he found himself still waiting. The others who had occupied the room with him had long since gone after hearing the tragic news concerning their family member. He got up and began to pace, wondering what could possibly be taking so long. He realized that this was a very busy hospital, but….Man, he hated the waiting! Finally after what seemed to be an eternity and then some, one of the doctors came in to speak with him.

“How is she?” Chris rushed over to the doctor and asked, holding his breath while he waited for an answer to his question. He was mildly surprised on his sudden concern for the woman, but at the same time, it felt like the most natural thing in the world. For some reason that was not yet known to him, he felt strangely drawn to her…Like he was meant to be there at that exact time and place to find her.

“Well, in time I believe that she will make a full recovery. She was stabbed twice in the chest and it has caused some very minor internal bleeding. She’s been taken up to surgery, and within the next two or so hours, she’ll be out. There’s a waiting room on the third floor if you want to wait there, the surgeon will be able to give you further information when they’re finished. But, she’s young, strong, and in overall good condition. She was doing wonderfully when I was taking care of her and I think that she’ll continue to do so.”

“Thank you.” Was all Chris could say as a wave of relief washed over him. Then he turned and headed for the nearest elevators that would take him to the third floor.

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Book One/Chapter Three

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Chris quietly opened the door and looked into the dimly lit room. He had just gotten word that Lissa had been moved from recovery to a private room. He was told that he could see her for a few minutes although she would most likely be disoriented from the surgery and the pain medication that she was receiving in her IV.

Lissa turned her head toward the door when she heard it open. She had asked the nurse to please find out if Chris was still around. She wanted to see him and thank him for taking care of her those first few minutes after he’d found her. But most of all she wanted to see him again. Every time she closed her eyes all she would see was his own brilliant blue eyes gazing down at her. He had touched her deeply with his kindness and unselfishness.

Her eyes lit up when she saw Chris standing in the doorway. He wasn’t sure if she was sleeping and didn’t want to disturb the rest that she was going to need now more than ever. When he saw that she was awake though, he walked over beside the bed and carefully sat down.

“Hi.” Chris said softly as he looked into her eyes, glad that she was going to be all right. He took her small hand into his and even as bad as she felt, the warmth that he possessed again amazed Lissa.

“Hey.” Lissa’s voice was weak as she spoke, but she continued on. “I wanted to thank you…” Her words trailed off when Chris placed a finger on her lips, silencing anything else that she had to say at the moment.

“Shhh, don’t try to talk.” Chris said as he gazed down at her, a soft expression in his eyes as he gently ran his fingers down her cheek in a caring caress. He didn’t really realize what he was doing. It seemed like the most natural thing in the world to tough her cheek like that.

“I’m just glad that you’re going to be all right.” Chris said finally snapping out of the daze that he was in. This woman that he barely knew was having some kind of effect on him.

“Well, the outcome of this might have been different if it hadn’t been for you. Thank you.” She told him as her eyes locked with his once again. She could plainly see the exhaustion that he was feeling. He had to be after his match earlier that night and then staying at the hospital until the early hours of the morning. Lissa was caught off guard by the overwhelming feeling that she suddenly felt to take him into her arms, pull him down to her and let him fall asleep beside her as she drifted into her own peaceful slumber.

“I have to leave in a few hours.” Chris began, breaking her out of her thoughts. “I’ll stay as long as I can though. Why don’t you get some rest.” Chris suggested when he saw her eyelids beginning to drop,

Lissa smiled weakly as she looked at his face for a few moments as if she was memorizing every detail in her mind. Then as Chris brushed her hair back from her forehead, her eyes closed and her breathing evened out, He carefully got up from beside her and sat down in a near by chair, watching her as she slept.

The next time Lissa opened her eyes again a few hours later, Chris was gone. And she felt more alone than she could ever remember feeling in her life.