Voices in My Head

“What the fuck happened, what did you fucking do to her!”

Brad rushed into the waiting area of the hospital ward, looking mad enough to take on a bull. He pushed Randy by his shoulders, not really caring for him still being in just a pair of trunks. AJ pulled him back, pushing him into the farthest corner of the room and raising his hands in a calming manner.

“She just went limp, no one touched her man! She just….got up and started tumbling. Randy went right after her when she fell in the pool and didn’t make any moves to come back up.”

Brad seemed to calm down as AJ was fast tracking the events, worry still written across his face.

“Doctor’s said she is ok, but she has temporary paralysis, she can’t move. She is awake and very vocal, but they won’t let us into her room right now. They’re taking blood and all, one of the doctors mentioned that it looks like some sort of drug and they’ll run a tox screen.”

Brad rubbed his face and looked at both men.

“So you’re telling me she got drugged? How is that even possible, I was told she was at the hotel pool, with both of you! How the fuck did she get drugged!”

Randy shot out of his seat to wring this guy’s neck, his accusations didn’t help his already thin patience, but the door opened and some doctor entered, raising his brows as he looked at the three men.

“Brad Sinclair?”

Brad raised his had and quickly came to the side of the man in green scrubs.

“Your friend is fine. Her blood pressure is about as good as it could be at this stage. From what she was able to tell me, it looks like her drink got spiked, rendering her completely immobile. Thanks to these two guys she lives to tell the story, she would have surely drowned if she hadn’t been pulled out of the water.”

Randy turned towards AJ and narrowed his eyes.

“You got your drinks at the pool bar, it could have been you man. Was anyone near your drinks, surely you would have noticed something if someone would have put something in there?”

AJ stopped to think, but came up blank.

“We were chasing around the pool for a bit, it could have been anyone. But seriously: who spikes a drink in the middle of the day when there are plenty of people around?”

The doctor started asking for more details that may have escaped Ana but came to the same conclusion as before. Looking between the three men in the room with him, he had to smile: obviously this young woman had good guys looking after her.

“As soon as we know what drug it was, we can start giving her something to fight against the symptoms but for now we just have her on liquids. These kinds of things don’t last all too long as they’re just ment to keep the victim immobile for a short amount of time. As soon as she regains ability to move she’ll be free to get discharged, but she should take it easy for a day or two. I doubt all three of you will need to stick around, but if one of you could-“

“I’ll take her back to the hotel later, you guys can leave. Make sure to give Paul or Stephanie a low down of what happened.”

Randy spoke up quickly, determination etched into his features making it clear that he wouldn’t give a crap about any arguments from the others. AJ nodded his head and grabbed Brad’s shoulder: it was clear that Ana’s friend was about to contest Randy’s comment and no one needed to see The Viper lose it this afternoon when he was quite obviously taking it upon himself to play Ana’s knight in shining armor.

“Give me a shout later when you get back, Brad and I will swing by and see Steph. Good luck!”

They both left Randy and the doctor alone in the small room, and it suddenly hit him that he really didn’t like hospitals all that much.

“I can see if I can grab you a pair of scrub bottoms if you like? Come with me, I am sure Ana would gladly thank you for saving her life…once she stops verbally abusing my staff.”

Randy had to laugh as he followed the doctor out of the room: sounded very much like his little spitfire! He was led down the hall and they rounded a corner or two until they stopped in front of a door.

“Blood work should come back in about half an hour and we’ll, be able to know what exactly we’re dealing with. Do let us know if she starts moving or any other changes. Good luck!”

Randy exhaled deeply before opening the door, immediately looking at Ana’s sour face. She was propped up with pillows in the hospital bed, dressed in a typical hospital gown. He couldn’t help but smirk when her demeanor darkened even more when he made his way to her side.

“Don’t you even say a fucking word Randy, this shit is fucking embarrassing! They put a catheter in so I don’t piss myself!”

He couldn’t help but laugh out just as he came to a stop next to the bed and sat down on the chair next to the bed.

“I can’t turn my head, so don’t be rude and come sit on the bed so I can at least see you as I thank you.”

Her low voice still carried in the small room, the two other beds luckily unoccupied. Clearing his throat and sitting down next to her knees, he finally took a good look at her as she was obviously mustering up the right words to say.
She looked much paler than normal and her usually vibrant eyes seemed dulled down. He wondered if she was able to blink and roll her eyes but in that moment, she looked up to him and he felt paralyzed himself.

“I have no idea what happened, but I do know that you were right there with me and pulled me out of the water. Hell, if it had been more of us and we had all been partying, I doubt anyone would have even noticed that I didn’t move and wasn’t able to resurface. So…thank you. For…saving my life I guess?”

His right hand rose to rub his short hair, before letting it fall back to the bed, softly grabbing her hand. It was so odd that she felt like a lifeless shell as he raised her hand a bit and squeezed it.

“Who else would I have to annoy if you wouldn’t be around anymore? It was clearly self serving reasons for my amazing lifesaver skills.”

He could hear her huff in response and he scanned her face for any kind of smile but it was a solid façade.

“Well, as we have some alone time, why don’t we talk about what AJ brought up earlier: things changing drastically once I decide to sign this contract. Give me your side of it.”

Sighing, Randy looked at her and then the rest of the bed. This position sucked and he could see that having her eyes strained to the side wasn’t the best for her either. So he grabbed her legs, got himself seated towards the bottom of the bed with his legs hanging off the sides, taking her feet in his hands and put them in his lap.

“Social media can make or break you. I don’t usually post much on my Instagram because the entire Internet is busy enough posting photos of me. People spotting me somewhere from afar, fans posing with me on the street or at events, sponsors, the corporation…I prefer to be able to keep some things of my private life just like that: private. But I am one of the faces of this brand. I have been with them for a fucking long time. People respect that. I still have millions talking shit about me online. Most have never even met me in person, but I don’t pay any attention to it: I know who I am, what I did to get here and how hard I work. I know most females in the business are different; they always search the brag mags online and look for those stupid hate-sites. Their image is so important to them and having some people ‘hate’ them can really bring them down sometimes.”

He started absentmindedly rubbing her feet, amazed at how soft they felt.

“You’re at a completely different level. You’re not a wrestler, you’re someone working within the company but your role is limited. Sure, there is going to be noise about you if you hit the screens, but both good and bad will subside sooner or later. You have to learn that the wrestling family when it comes to its fans is a worldwide community. Everyone has an opinion, no matter what it is.”

He looked up into her eyes and wasn’t sure if it was interest or fierceness he saw in them. He kept rubbing her cold feet, trying to word the next part just right.

“People will hate you should you ever start a romantic storyline with me. Females will hate you, men will love you. It’s the law of the game Ana; it always has been like that. At the end of the day it just depends how much you’re willing to give away and how much you care to pay attention to the comments of people you have never met. If you get storylines and they’re not just a once off, they will ask you to create social media accounts for just that. You will gain lovers and haters it just depends what face of you Steph wants the world to see.”

He didn’t hear a response, and as he looked back up at her he realized that she had fallen asleep. Fuck, she looked beautiful. Slipping his phone from his Quick Dry, he snapped a few pics before he felt her foot very strongly pushing against his crotch.

“Don’t you dare post this shit online Orton.”

He looked up at her now open eyes and he exhaled a laugh, grabbing the offending foot.

“Did you just try to kick me in the balls again Riot?”

Realization overtook her face, as both her legs nimbly moved. It was uncoordinated, but still a start!

“Let me call the nurse, wait!”

Randy jumped up from the bed and pressed the button next to her head as her whole body tried to shift around in the bed.

A nurse walked in not much long after and looked on amused as the big guy tried to settle the frail looking woman back into bed.

“I see we have movement at the station. That’s good news.”

She rushed in and pushed Randy out of the way and into the seat next to the bed, immediately taking Ana’s blood pressure.

“Much better now. Give it a few hours and you’ll be all good again tomorrow to be released. Let me see if the blood work came through. Don’t exhaust yourself, stay put.”

The nurse gave Ana a sharp look, which was returned with a stuck out tongue as soon as she had her back turned. Ana’s arm moved towards her chest and she scratched her left breast.

“I don’t care what the blood work comes back with, I cannot stay here over night. I am able to move my legs, surely that’s good enough? Orton-“

The door opened yet again with the same nurse marching in, followed by the doctor Randy had talked to earlier. Ana threw a leg as the doctor stuck a needle in her toe.

“Don’t even dare doing it with the other one, it may end up in your face.”

Randy could tell that she was serious and so could the attending nurse. The doctor just took a step back and looked over the clipboard the nurse had given him.

“Well, judging by this little knee jerk reaction, I am happy to suggest that you can leave in a few minutes. Your blood tests came back and we’ll give you something that should quickly work against the drug you were given. I would suggest, that you go to the police and give them the report we’re preparing, this is the 3rd case of a girl being drugged with the same substance at your hotel in a couple of months our system has flagged up.”

He handed Ana some paperwork to sign and told her to stay hydrated once she left and to take it slow for the next day or two. The nurse prepared a small syringe and had her make a fist as she pulled a band around Ana’s bicep before finding a vein in the hollow of her arm and injecting her with the clear liquid that promised an end to the remaining paralysis.

“I would like to apologize for my behavior and being mouthy throughout all this. I do appreciate your help but I really dislike hospitals and not having control over my own body was scary.”

Yet again, Randy was pleasantly surprised at her apology towards both the doctor and nurse, who gave her appreciative smiles.

“You look like a responsible boyfriend, so look after her for a few hours after you get back to your hotel. I do understand that she is somewhat of a daredevil, but at this stage, she really should remain on bed rest or at least sit down somewhere and watch TV.”

Randy nodded his head but couldn’t hide the smirk once Ana’s head whipped around at the nurse’s comment. He quirked a brow to dare her to counter the woman’s statement, but she remained silent, looking around the room. The nurse left and it was once again just he and she.

“Did anyone bring my dress & bag or will I have to hobble out of here in just my bikini?”

Randy was tempted to go with that, but retrieved her bag from next to the seat and offered it to her.

“And don’t think I forgot about you calling me babe after rescuing me Orton. I’ll let it slide because of the whole life & death scenario…but better drop that shit in future, it’s bad for my reputation.”