Chapter 75

Matt took a deep breath, he heard Adam mumbling something to Torrie and then Matt felt Adam’s hand leave his shoulder... no one was there to hold him back, he took a deep breath, feeling like he was going to pass out he took a step forward and then another, walking faster finding strength enough somehow suddenly. Adam hadn’t a chance to notice that Matt was gone by the time he was halfway down the hallway and then he left Torrie to try to stop Matt....

Jeff who was holding Lita looked up as Matt walked closer, releasing Lita suddenly Jeff started to stand... Matt wasn’t looking at him, he was staring towards the doorway... what would he see... what happened to Angela? Matt felt his pulse quicken and his heart race and then he realized Jeff was in front of him.

"Jeff move!" Matt managed to whisper feeling weak and sick.

"No Matt!" Jeff said reaching to push him back, to hold him back... to not have to see.

"Dammit Jeff move... I wanna see her... I need to know..... dear God I love her so much.... Jeff I have to know... I have to see....." Matt whispered, as tears blurred his eye’s and he fiercely rubbed them away on his sleeve, trying to push past Jeff.

Jeff held strong and Matt stopped shoving him as he stared at him, Jeff squeezed his shoulder.... "Its okay Matt.... its okay...." Jeff whispered as Matt squeezed his eye’s shut and let more tears roll down and Jeff hugged him trying to comfort him.

Matt was crying on Jeff’s shoulder when he felt Adam touch his shoulder and pat his back and then he heard Jay’s voice. "The ambulance is on its way.... I’m gonna get Matt some more water..." Jay said turning to leave.

Matt looked up at Jeff taking a deep breath, "I have to see her Jeff... I have too!" Matt whispered staring at Jeff.

Jeff sighed, "Matt you shouldn’t.... I don’t think you should see her this way..." Jeff said softly.

Matt stared at Jeff both annoyed, angry, frustrated, and scarred, and he was surprised when suddenly Lita who was still sitting on the floor in Angela’s blood spoke, "Jeff maybe he should see... just in case.... in case....." Then Lita began sobbing again.

Jeff frowned glancing down at her, then he took a deep breath staring back at Matt. "Matt you shouldn’t see her this way... it’ll be too hard...." Jeff said struggling, when Matt using his last bit of strength shoved Jeff aside and took a few more steps to the doorway and stood shocked and frozen as he stared at Angela.... bloody and lying still on the floor in her own pool of blood, her clothes tossed everywhere on the floor, Matt thought he could see her necklace and cross but he wasn’t sure... she wore nothing... what if she was cold?

She looked blue and there was no color to her cheeks, Matt’s heart skipped and then raced as he stared shocked. His mouth dropped open and he covered his mouth with his hand, feeling tears roll down his cheeks. Jeff was tugging at his arm but Matt didn’t budge he just stood there staring at his amazing angelic, sweet, beautiful girlfriend who suddenly he feared he never get to speak to again, to kiss and hug and love and he felt himself cry out loud and he was surprised when he realized someone was touching his cheek and staring up at him, and then he realized Lita was in front of him, touching his cheek and Matt stared at her, knowing she probably knew everything he didn’t.... Matt stared at Lita, his eye’s blurry and thick with wet tears and he reached out and hugged her and he cried aloud with her.....

***

Matt was standing against the wall Lita hugging him, while Jeff paced back & forth and Matt looked up as he heard a commotion from down the hallway... he saw paramedics and ambulance crew pushing a stretcher and lots of other equipment and making there way down the hall rushing into the room.

Matt stood Jeff holding his arm as Lita cried into the side of his chest, Matt stared as these paramedics leaned over Angela, and started trying to stabilize her, Matt stood frozen feeling like he would vomit, he watched as they stuck needles and tubes everywhere and there was a lot of shouting and yelling and Matt felt so confused and lost.

Matt looked at Jeff and stared at him. Jeff swallowed and looked back into the room as Matt heard the one woman paramedic shout, "All right we got a pulse, let’s get her to the hospital quick, she’s losing so much blood!" The woman shouted as more scrambling throughout the room began. Matt felt his heart race more... she was alive! Angela was still alive...

Matt suddenly got nervous he watched as they cautiously lifted Angela onto the stretcher and made sure she was harnessed securely so she wouldn’t get move and be further injured. Where were they taking her, what was going to happen to her?

Matt stood back so the team had room to maneuver the stretcher out into the hallway. Matt stared at Angela, he’d never seen her look the way she did now. He was scared for her... he loved her so much.... he just wanted her to be okay... to be with him.

Matt was amazed it seemed like it had taken forever for the ambulance to come... but it had been only a mere few minutes not more then 4 or 5 minutes since Lita had screamed and he’d run as fast as his legs would take him. Matt was being faced with so much all at once that it had seemed like a lot longer.

"Where are they taking her?" Matt asked frantically grabbing Jeff’s arm.

Jeff stared at him and then looked at a paramedic leaving the room carry some equipment, "Hey what hospital are you taking her to?" Jeff asked meeting the guys eye’s.

The guy stared at Jeff and then glanced to Matt, he stood a moment and then spoke, "She’s in tough shape... it’s pretty bad, there taking her to Cider’s Hospital... they’ll be able to take care of her better at a bigger hospital... they specialize in more medical trauma’s there, she’ll be taken good care of." The guy said watching the three of them.

"Thank you." Jeff said staring at him, the guy nodded and then walked away.

Matt shivered looking at Jeff... "I’ve gotta go there... she might need me... I have to be there... if she feels better when she wakes up I need to be there for her! I’ve gotta be there.. she might need me.....!" Matt said practically histerical as he stared at Jeff.

Jeff looked back at Matt as Jay and Shane and Shannon, Chris and Adam followed by the girls all still crying came to meet them in the hallway.

"I was just talking to Vince... he’s canceling the show...the police are coming to take pictures of the room and the hallway... they want us to clear out now." Shannon said solemnly looking from Jeff to Matt who was still looking across into the room.

Jeff sighed, "Chris?" Jeff asked watching him.

"Yeah?" Chris asked quietly looking up at Jeff.

Jeff looked at Matt and frowned glancing back at Chris, "Would you mind driving us to Cider’s Hospital?" Jeff asked as Matt looked up and stared at Jeff grateful.

Chris looked around, his eye’s lingering on Matt.... "Sure yeah no problem, I’ll go get my stuff an go out and bring the van around out back." Chris said staring at Jeff.

"We gotta get there quick!" Matt muttered as Chris & Jeff stared at him.

Jeff looked back up at Chris sighing, "Can you just bring the car around out back and we’ll just go... we can get all our stuff later?" Jeff asked as Chris nodded and disappeared running down the hallway.

Jeff looked around at everyone, "All right here’s the plan... go now fast get anything you think you need, don’t bother changing, we won’t be back tonight.... be out to the van in 5 minutes... or else we’ll be leaving without you!" Jeff said as everybody stood a moment and then slowly started milling away.

Matt took a breath leaning against the cold cement wall, staring into the room. Jeff spoke, "Lita...?" Jeff said as he stared at her, she was leaning against the opposite wall, rubbing her head.

"Huh?" She asked staring at Jeff.

"You’ve got blood all over your pants, do you think you’ll be able to change your pants in 5 minutes?" Jeff asked staring at her.

Lita took a deep breath and looked at Matt who was still crying silently. She shook her head and wiped a tear away, "I can’t." Lita whispered as Jeff hugged her

"Stay with Matt, I’m gonna go grab a pair of pants for you... you want jeans?" Jeff asked staring at her.

"....Yeah..." Lita whispered as Jeff forced a grin and then glanced back at Matt.

"Matt dude you need anything?" Jeff asked staring at Matt.

Matt looked up at him, tears streaming down his face, "Yeah.... I need Angela............." Matt whispered as Jeff frowned.

"I’ll grab you a soda and a jacket... I’ll meet you both at the van." Jeff said looking from Lita to Matt then he turned and jogged away.

Matt stared down at the drying blood on the floor. He felt weak, and drained. He could feel Lita’s eye’s, but he didn’t bother to look up at her...

"Matt," Lita whispered as Matt finally looked up at her. "What?" Matt asked softly rubbing his forehead, wiping his eye’s on his sleeve.

Lita frowned, "I have some things we need to talk about... there’s some things you need to know.... just in case.... Angela..... well in case she can’t tell you......." Lita said staring at Matt.

Matt felt his throat go dry again, and he felt suffocated, "I don’t know what to say Lita.... that can’t happen.... but okay I guess... we can talk later sometime." Matt whispered, wiping away another tear as he stood up feeling achy all over. He stood a moment and tried to get his balance he felt really shaky and dizzy.

Gaining his balance Matt looked at Lita. Lita ran her fingers through her red hair and sighed meeting Matt’s eye’s. "Come on." Matt whispered reaching for her hand as they began walking sluggishly down the hall and away from that room.....

*

Matt was tense the whole way to the hospital. By the time they left the arena it was almost 10pm and Angela had been rushed away in the ambulance almost 25 minutes before they finally left. Matt sat in the front seat with Chris who was driving. Everyone was quiet and it had started to rain, and Matt listened to the sound of the windshield wipers as they speed down the Vegas strip and out to the highway. Lita was snuggled against Jeff in the first middle section of the van, and she was still crying.

Matt set his head back and allowed several more silent tears to fall from his eye’s as he remembered just last night when he’d had Angela all to himself and they shared that incredible night together. He remember earlier when they were out walking, what they had talked about.... she was supposed to tell him everything tonight....everything after tonight was gonna be okay... but now... now what would happen now?

Matt saw the hospital as they pulled onto the street and he sat up, taking long deep breaths. Chris was pulling into the emergency entrance and hadn’t gotten to come to a complete stop before Matt burst out the door and started running to get inside and find Angela to know how she was doing... if she was okay..... if she was alive... if he’d ever she her again....

Matt ran inside, his eye’s still blurry and he ran down the hall and burst into the emergency waiting room now out of breath and stopped at the front desk as a lady stood up and stared at him.

"Sir this is a hospital... its not a place to ...." The woman started to say but Matt interrupted her, "I’m sorry." He said apologizing quickly taking a breath, "Please tell me an ambulance was supposed to bring my girlfriend here... is she okay?" Matt asked staring across the desk at the woman who stared at him like he was from another planet.

"Sir...." She said sighing as she sat down, "What’s her name?" The woman asked as she began pecking away at the keys on a computer.

Matt took a few deep breaths, "Angela... Tarantino... is she okay?" Matt asked anxious and nervous as he stared at the chubby graying lady.

The lady began to type and then she shoved her chair over to a basket full of files and flipped through several. "Ohh here it is... sir she’s in the operating room... she’s lost a lot of blood...." The woman said as Matt rubbed his forehead.

Matt stood afraid thinking faster then he had before....he had so many emotions going through him all at once and he didn’t know what to do.

Matt stood frozen holding onto the desk as the woman stared at him, she felt for him and she realized he must have been through a lot in the last minutes. She saw the woman being rushed inside and into the operating room, there had been lots of shouting and there was so much blood, a young girl... she looked awful and she was in very bad shape but she had tried to picture her as she might usually would have been.... she was probably a very beautiful girl!

Matt heard a commotion from behind him and then Jeff’s voice as he called to him from the doorway. "Matt... is Angela.... okay?" Jeff called as he watched Matt from behind, he was breathing hard, fast and heavy and he looked like he was shaking, at any moment he might just collapse.

The woman rose from the chair and walked around the edge of the counter and looked past Matt to Jeff and the others who had burst into the room. The woman took a breath touching Matt’s arm. "She’s in the operating room, so far she’s okay." The woman answered as Matt heard everyone mumbling and talking quietly at once.

Then the woman turned her attention back to Matt whose eye’s were now closed. "Matt....?" The woman asked trying to get his attention. Matt took a deep breath as he wiped a tear from his cheek and looked down at her. The woman sighed and spoke quietly, "My name is Judy.... I’m gonna get you a Tylenol... and some water... why don’t you have seat, try to relax little, and the second I get any word of her condition I’ll let you know... and if you need anything you come get me, I’ll be right behind this desk." Judy said squeezing Matt’s arm. Matt didn’t want to sit, he didn’t want water or Tylenol... he couldn’t relax... he just wanted Angela... and for her to be okay.

Matt knew nothing would get solved by him just standing here or being difficult, he was exhausted and he felt sick... he took a breath and stared at Judy. "You come tell me the second you hear anything!" Matt whispered as Judy shook her head and Jeff came to Matt’s side taking his arm as he lead him to an empty chair and Matt sunk into the chair, burying his face in his hands as he cried softly. Lita came and sat next to him rubbing his back as everyone gathered around and sat silently.

Judy brought Matt a glass of water and a Tylenol and not bothering to refuse it he swallowed them both right down and rubbed his forehead confused and tired.

***

Matt was pacing around the waiting room about and hour later annoyed, worried and scarred. He felt sick and tired but he was anxious to hear word of Angela.

Jeff sighed as he squeezed Lita’s hand and watched Matt pacing. Chris had come back from the hallway where he had phone Ruby who was supposed to flying in on Wednesday to visit him...he told her what happened and asked her to come sooner... she rushed out of her office and over to the airport and told him not to worry that she’d be there as soon as she could... it’d be awhile... Paris was far away. Chris came back inside and sat down sighing.

"Ruby’s on her way. Any word yet?" Chris asked staring up at Jeff who shook his head. Chris frowned glancing at Matt who’d stopped pacing and was staring down at his hand... looking at the Hardyz ring Angela had given him for Christmas.

Chris sighed, "I think after Christmas up at the lodge this year we should all go to Times Square for New Years! What do you think?" Chris asked staring from Lita to Jeff to Jay.

Jay grinned and Lita smiled warmly at him. And Lita spoke softly watching Matt, "Angela told me once that she always wanted to spend New Years there." Lita whispered as she hugged Jeff and started to cry again softly as Matt rubbed his head.

Shannon sighed, "Matt dude you want anything?" Shannon asked as Matt finally turned around and looked around at everyone.

Shane, Molly, Trish, Torrie and Adam had gone for a walk, and to get coffee from the cafeteria for everyone. Matt looked from Shannon, to Jay to Chris to Jeff and then to Lita who was still crying into Jeff’s arm. "Yeah... Shannon can you do me favor... can you call my father... tell him what happened, ask him to fly out here if he can... tell him to bring...." Matt paused as everyone watched him, he sighed staring at Shannon, "Tell him to bring my mothers ring..." Matt whispered as he sighed and Shannon reached over and patted his arm.

"No problem Matt." Shannon said smiling at him. Lita stared at Matt finally smiling, she didn’t know what to do or say or how to feel she just prayed Angela would be okay for Matt’s sake. "Anyone else want anything?" Shannon asked looking around at everyone. No one said anything so Shannon rose to his feet and turned disappearing from the room to go call Matt’s father.

"I’m gonna go with Shannon." Chris said softly standing to go follow Shannon.

Jeff looked up at Matt and sighed, "I’m gonna go talk to Judy... see if she’s heard anything yet." Jeff said kissing Lita’s cheek as he rose and walked across the room.

Jay sighed as Matt touched Lita’s shoulder and smoothed her hair as he went over and sat down next to Jay. Jay sighed, "You doing okay?" Jay asked staring at Matt.

Matt shrugged, "Scarred you know....?" Matt whispered as Jay patted his shoulder.

"I don’t wanna lose her...." Matt whispered rubbing his head as he glanced at Jay who frowned.

"I know that." Jay said staring at Matt who closed his eye’s and sighed.

"I should call her aunt and tell her what happened... she should know." Matt said softly frowning.

Lita looked up at Matt and frowned, "I’ll go call her for you...." Lita said as Matt forced a grin and smiled at her.

"Thanks." Matt whispered as Lita rose and left walking slowly. Matt sighed as Jeff came back and sat down across from Matt and Jay. "Anything?" Matt asked staring at Jeff.

Jeff frowned, "No nothing... she’s still in the operating room, Judy said Angela’s lost a lot of blood.... it takes a long time for the body to make up for that.... that’s what’s taking so long. Judy said she’ll let us know the minute she knows anything." Jeff said as Matt stood and walked slowly back to the window.

The emergency room was pretty quiet and there were only a few people scattered throughout the large room waiting to hear news about there loved ones. Waiting, uncertain, not knowing was the worst part, at least Angela was still alive.....! There was hope in knowing that.