Michael Cole sat in the waiting room, shifting uncomfortably in the hard
plastic chairs.  He was amazed he had even gotten the man to come to the
hospital.  It had just taken a please and a look and he was agreeing.
He didn't complain, bitch or moan the whole way to the hospital.  He had
walked away with the doctor almost as if in a daze.

And that's what had Michael worried.  Tazz hated doctors.  He hated
hospitals.  Over the course of their commentating partnership, he and
Tazz had become friends.  He knew the man, knew how he was and his lack
of protests had scared him.  What if those shots had been worse than
they had looked?  What if something were really wrong?  What if...

"Mr. Cole?"  The doctor, wizened and silver haired, stood in front of
him.  His smile put Michael at ease.  "Your friend Tazz will be just
fine.  He has some pretty nasty bruises and a cut on his forehead that I
had to stitch up but besides that he's fine."  Michael breathed out a
sigh of relief, closing his eye's and sending a thanks to the heavens.
"If you want, you can go in and see him.  I'm going to get him some mild
pain killers and then he can go."

Michael nodded and shook the doctors hand before heading for the door
the man had just come from.  Knocking softly, he pushed the door open
and peeked his head around.  "Hey."

"Hey."  Tazz was slipping his shirt over his head, trying not to
agrivate his many bruises.  "I get a 'get out of jail free card'?"

"Not yet."  Michael pushed the door closed behind him.  "The doctor's
getting you some pain killers."

"I'm fine.  I don't' need any pain..."

"Tazz."    The look in Michael's eyes were pleading and Tazz nodded in
agreement.  Again, Michael thought it strange that the man would agree
so quickly with him.  He took a second look at the man in front of him,
but Tazz wouldn't even meet his eye.  Something was just off.  "Are you
ok?"

"Hell, I'm fine."  Finally, Tazz looked up and caught Michael's eyes
with his own.  "How bout you?"

The heat and concern in Tazz's eyes cause a bright blush to form over
his cheeks and he looked down at his shoe's, shuffling his feet.  "I'm
ok."  He could still feel Tazz's gave on him and he blushed harder.

"He didn't hurt you, did he?"

"He wanted to.  I walked away."

"Good."  Tazz reached out and gently took Michael's chin in his hand,
raising his head to look him in the eye.  "I don't ever want his dirty
hands on you again."  The sincerity, concern and caring warmed him and
he wanted to lean into the touch.

He had grown to care for the rough and tough Brooklyn man, dreamed about
what it would be like to hold and be held as they slept.  But he wasn't
about to tell Tazz that.  The man was so masculine, he didn't want to
ruin any friendship they might have.

Suddenly the sound of the door being pushed in forced both men to jump
apart and the doctor walked in.  "Now, Mr. Tazz.  You need to take one
of these every 8 hours or as needed for pain."

Tazz nodded, looking at the small bottle of pills the doctor had placed
in his hand.  Looking at Michael, he smiled and shoved them into his
pocket.

"Well, that's everything.  It would probably be a good idea if someone
stayed with you tonight, just in case."  The man turned to Michael.
"Would you be able to stay with your friend for the night?'

Michael wasn't sure what to say.  He wanted to, he really wanted to
share a room with Tazz.  But what if he said something in his sleep.
What if he called out Tazz's name.

"Sure.  you can stay can't you MC?"  Tazz seemed to decide for him and
all Michael could do was nod.

"Wonderful, just sign this and your insurance will handle the rest."
------------
Walking into Tazz's room, Michael almost stopped dead in his tracks.
'Only one bed.'  "um, Tazz?"  He glanced at the bed then back at his
friend.

"Damn, forgot I was staying alone.  Rave's off with Skittles."  At
Michael's confused look, he laughed.  "Jeff Hardy."

"Oh."  Michael put his bag down, trying to seem much more relaxed than
he really was.  "Are they?"

"Yep, they found true love, at least for now.  Neither one of them can
hold onto a relationship and I give it a month, maybe two."  His
sarcastic grin caused his friend to laugh. "But who's gonna mess with
love, even if it only last's a month?"

His pointed look at Michael caused the smaller man to sober and swallow
unconsciously.  "Yea." Suddenly the room seemed to small and too quiet
as an uncomfortable silence drifted over them.  Michael tried not to
fidget where he sat on the edge of the bed.  His eye's looked everywhere
but at Tazz as the silence dragged out.

And then, he felt a soft touch on his cheek.  He felt the bed dip as
Tazz sat next to him.  "Look at me."  He looked up into deep chocolate
eyes, wanting to drowned in them.  "I'm never gonna let him touch you
again." His soft thumb traced over the bruises on Michael's cheek and
around his eye.  "He looks like he's comin' up to you, I don't care what
for, you run.  Find me, Rave, The Hardy's.  You find someone.  I'm gonna
ask around tomorrow and I'm makin' sure you're never alone.  I don't
even want that bastard to come near you."  His fingers had worked their
soft touch up to his hair and were gently combing through the soft
strands.

Michael was in heaven.  The gentle fingers running through his hair, the
soft touches on his cheek.  They were all strait out of his best dreams
and fantasies.  And then, a soft touch at his lips.  A feather light
caress, undemanding.  He melted into the kiss and a soft moan pushed
it's way up from his chest.

ANd then it was over, almost the moment it began.  Those soft lips
pulled back from his own and a soft whimper of disappointment sounded in
the silent room.

"Oh man, MC.  I'm sorry.  I...I..."

This was unacceptable.  Perhaps doing the bravest thing he ever did in
his life, Michael leaned forward.  Pressing his lips against Tazz's, he
cut off any apologies.  He didn't want apologies, he wanted Tazz.

THE END