"Thank you," he said softly as he put an arm around her.

The redhead smiled at him shyly.  They were sharing a room with two separate beds.  After his "near-death" experience the other night, Adam didn't want to room alone.  Besides, despite the fact that he was the man and physically the stronger of them, he felt safer with Amy.

His angel.  Adam felt as though everything that had occurred was fate.  He gazed at her and there seemed to be some mysteriously beautiful light surrounding her.

"Come on," she said as soon as the desk clerk handed her a keycard.  Adam followed her up to the second floor to the room without a word, as he was still thinking deeply about how he felt about this woman.

Once inside, Amy wheeled her bag to the side of the bed farther in, beside a large window.  She flopped down onto its edge and took a deep breath.

"I'm so tired," she said, running both hands through her auburn hair.

Adam watched her silently, marveling at the sight of her in her stretch jeans and black tank top.  Although she claimed exhaustian, he thought she'd never looked more beautiful.

Amy kicked off her shoes and stretched out on the bed.  "I'm sorry, Adam...I just need a nap for awhile.  I didn't sleep very well last night," she explained, placing a hand over her eyes.  "I was too worried about you."

The blond man cocked his head to one side as he gazed at her.  He felt a flush of tenderness inside upon her last words.  She truly did care.  As he continued to watch her, the redhead moved her hand, then rolled over onto her left side.  She briefly opened her hazel eyes and gave him a sweet smile before closing them again.  Before long, Adam realized she was asleep.

Adam eyed her for a moment longer, then crept softly to the door, shutting off the light.  Afterward, he left the room in search of Jay.

*

Stephanie McMahon stepped out into the hallway, as she planned to get a bite to eat downstairs.  After she shut the door to her hotel room, she caught sight of a movement in the corner of her eye and turned to see Adam a bit further down the hall, apparently exiting his own room.

Her breath caught in her throat, and, heart suddenly pounding, the brunette began to rush over to him.

"Adam!"  She waved and instantly caught the tall blond man's attention.

He looked up at her.  "Hey, Steph."

Stephanie threw her arms around him, holding him tightly, and he hugged her as well.  "Oh, my God!  Adam..."  She loosened her hold on him to stare up into his green eyes.  "I heard what happened last night!  Are...are you okay?"

"Yeah, I'm fine," he replied, feeling somewhat awkward.  He had an unbelievable past with this young woman, and although they'd agreed to remain friends, he felt odd nonetheless.  He was relieved that Stephanie hadn't seen him entering the room a bit earlier with Amy.  She'd always been a bit of a jealous type.

"I just want you to know that if you need anything - anything," Steph continued, her blue eyes locked on his, "just let me know...Oh, Adam!  I'm so relieved you're all right.  When Dad told me..."  Her voice trailed off as she became choked with emotion.  She hugged him again.

"I know," the blond said softly, gently stroking her long brown hair that fell down her back.  "It almost feels like it was all just a bad dream."

"I am just so grateful toward Amy," Stephanie said as she pulled back a little.  "I know you and I are done...but I still care about you."  She raised her eyes to meet his, and after a beat, Adam smiled.

"Come on," he said.  "I was just going to head downstairs to find out what room Jay is in...I promised him I'd meet up with him when I got here."

Stephanie smiled and allowed him to lead her toward the stairwell.  As they walked, she suddenly became aware of a presence to her left but much farther down the hall.  She turned her head and noticed the man, whom she suspected had been watching them.  When she realized his identity, her tension eased and she lifted a hand and waved.  He waved back.

*

He was furious as he'd watched Stephanie McMahon with Adam Copeland out in the hall.  It was more than obvious that she was still in love with the blond man.  This knowledge made him even angrier.  Why wouldn't she look at him that way?

The muscular man could not comprehend how the brunette could still hold such respect for the other man.  How could someone who had so brutally, so callously shattered her heart be so dear to her?  The man himself would hold Stephanie McMahon in the highest esteem.  What a fool Copeland had been for dumping her.  The Canadian could have been married to one of the most beautiful, sexy women in the world.  Not to mention the fact that Stephanie was incredibly wealthy.  Copeland could have been spending every night fucking that and would have had Vince McMahon as a father-in-law.  He would have been in the boss' back pocket.  The man was certain that, in that scenario, Adam would have gotten the biggest push in his life - how could Edge have not been given the WWF championship?

But no - the blond man had been an idiot.  He would have none of those things.  Instead, the man spying on him and Stephanie had held the WWF title numerous times - Vince made certain the belt circulated between himself and a few other men - but lowly trash like Adam Copeland - because he'd fucked up in a bigger way than he could ever realize - would never be in his shoes.

The man smiled.  He couldn't wait to get to the tall blond Canadian.  He would enjoy taking him apart.

*

A few minutes later, Stephanie left Adam at the front desk.  The blond found out what room his best friend was in and then climbed up to the third floor.  He knocked and waited.

The shorter blond man looked relieved as he saw his best friend standing there.  "Adam!"  He gave him a quick hug and then Adam stepped inside.

"Where's Amy?" Jay asked, surprised the redhead was not with him.

"She's napping in the room."

"Well," Jay said after a beat as he glanced Adam over.  "You sure don't look like a guy who spent last night in the hospital."

"Yeah...but I'm okay."

Jay thought for a moment before speaking again.  "I'm worried about Nora Greenwald..."

The other man was taken aback.  "Why?  What happened?"

"I saw her at breakfast this morning.  She...she looked like she'd been roughed up a little, and she was definitely scared of something - or someone.  I tried to talk to her - for a second there, I thought she was going to talk to me, but then she clammed up and left."

Adam's face wore a serious expression as he questioned his friend about what he suspected after hearing this news.

"I think he's treating her like shit," Jay said angrily.  "You should have seen the poor girl, Adam.  I want to help her."

The tall Canadian nodded.  "I know how you feel...there is no excuse for any man putting his hands on a woman in violence.  But Jay - be careful.  That guy could beat you to a bloody pulp.  You know how big and strong he is..."  He also knew what a bad temper this man had - that was no secret throughout the company or to the fans.

"I know," Jay replied with a sigh as he ran a hand through his hair.  But despite whatever the man would want to do to him, after having seen and spoken with Nora earlier, he fiercely wanted to protect the diva.

*

Amy roused and opened her eyes, stretching and yawning simultaneously.  The room was dark, and she leaned over to turn on the lamp situated at her bedside.  She squinted in the sudden brightness, realizing she was alone in the room, then glanced down at her watch.  She'd been asleep nearly two hours.

She decided to get up, as the SmackDown taping was that night.  She wanted to be fresh for it, but if she continued sleeping the day away, she would have absolutely no energy that evening.  And she owed the fans a good match against Molly Holly tonight.

She thought about her blond friend and frowned a little.  Nora had been avoiding her as of late, and it stung.  It seemed that ever since she had started dating her boyfriend, the petite blonde had slowly but steadily drifted away - not only from Amy, but also her other friends - Trish, Debra, Dean Malenko - everyone.  The redhead wondered what exactly was going on.  Unlike Trish, she had all but given up on trying to speak with Nora over the last couple of weeks.

Amy stood up and stretched, running a hand through her slightly rumpled hair.  She bent over and rummaged through her suitcase for her hairbrush, then began to fix her hair.  She decided that, tonight, before her match with her friend, she would try to talk to the woman and find out what was going on.  She was tired of not doing anything to help.

Amy suddenly looked up at the sound of the hotel room door opening and closing.  "Adam?"

"Yeah, it's me," came the reply.  The tall blond man suddenly appeared in the doorway.  He watched her brushing her hair for a moment, then said, "I just came back from seeing Jay."

"He must have been really worried," Amy replied.

"Yeah, he was - but not so much about me anymore."  He began to recount his best friend's 'meeting' with Nora Greenwald that morning.

"How weird!" the redhead exclaimed.  "I was just thinking about her."  Her expression became grave.  "So, Jay thinks he beat her?"

"Yeah...but he suspects something more may have happened."  Adam ran a hand through his long blond hair and sighed.  "It really sucks...a beautiful, intelligent, talented young woman like Nora - who could have anyone she wants - why does she have to be subjected to...that?"  He grew angry as he thought about the man the blonde had been dating for the past few months.  He couldn't understand what she would ever see in him, as he himself had never found the man likeable in the least.  And everyone knew he had mistreated his last girlfriend as well.

"Well...it doesn't always work out that way, Adam.  I've talked to Trish about this before.  She says Nora is nothing like her normal self since she's been with him.  Like she sort of 'loses' herself," Amy said sadly.  "I've noticed how down she is since she's been with him...it's like he does nothing to make her feeling good about herself.  She doesn't deserve that.  Nobody does."

The tall Canadian gazed at his beautiful redheaded friend.  She was so right.  He hoped that, whatever actions Jay took, they would have a positive effect on the insecure young blonde woman.