Jeff and Rachel arrived at the Superdome around noon time, much to the fans delight. Adam had gotten their earlier, and he and Chris were in the weightroom working out. Jeff waved to the few fans that were standing out in the June sun, and thought about signing a few autographs.
Jeff and Rachel walked slowly behind Matt and Amy, Jeff was still relying on his crutches. He was eager to get back in the ring, but not back on the road. The road made him think too much, he thought.
"JEFF OVER HERE!!" A young girl screamed out.
Matt stopped and waited for them to catch up. Amy walked on into the Dome, promising the fans she would be back out.
"Can I get a picture of the three of you together??" One of the fans asked.
"Sure." Rachel says as Matt and Jeff stand on either side of her Rachel for a picture.
"Can I get your autograph??" Another fan asks Rachel.
Rachel looks at Jeff with her eyebrows raised, Jeff smiles at her in return.
"I have to go sit, these crutches are killing my underarms." Jeff says, as he takes off on his crutches. He spots Adam and Chris as he enters the weight room.
"Couldn't stay away could you!" Chris says laughing, when he sees Jeff hobble up.
"You know me." He says with a smile.
"Where's Rachel?" Adam asks, as he wipes the sweat off his chest.
"Signing autographs." Jeff replies, pointing a thumb in that direction. He lays on a bench to lift some weights.
"Signing autographs?? That's different." Adam says, and then walks to the exit where he can see Rachel mingling with fans. He goes unnoticed until a girl starts screaming his name.
---
Rachel turns to see Adam walking up to them. The girl Rachel had been talking to looks as if she is going to pass out.
"Are you OK?" Rachel asks, as she holds the girls hand.
"I'll be fine. He's just so so DREAAAAMY." The girls says with tears in her eyes.
Rachel wanted to laugh, but didn't want to hurt the girls feelings.
"How do you deal with all the women that are in love with him?" Another female asked.
"She doesn't have to worry." Adam says smiling at Rachel. He winks at another girl, and signs her book. The girl sighs and laughs nervously.
"Is Chris back there anywhere??" A young man asks Adam.
"Yeah, did you want his autograph??" Adam responded.
"Just tell him Tommy is in the front row." The man says, and walks away.
"Tommy?? Who's Tommy?" Rachel asks.
"Hmmm, part of the Mystery of his disappearance maybe??" Adam says with a shrug.
"So when are you guys getting married?? Everyone knows you guys were supposed to get married a few weeks ago. Then, shall I say, shit hit the fan." A girl says, as Adam signs her shirt.
"You were shot right??" The girls boyfriend asked.
"Yes, my sis was shot. And it was a scary few weeks." Matt said, as he signed their autograph books.
"You guys should have a Test and Stephanie wedding." A girls says to Rachel.
Rachel looks at Adam, and started to laugh.
"You never know." Adam says with a smile. He takes Rachel's hand to lead her back into the Dome. They walk back laughing about the wedding idea, and give Chris his message from the mystery man.
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Rachel, Adam and a few of the others decided to spend a few days in New Orleans. Rachel considered it a mini vacation since it was one of her favorite places to be. Chris had met up with his friend Tommy and taken off with him. Jeff had taken the first flight to Seattle, to be with Beth.
"You know, I've really been thinking about the wedding." Adam says, as the wind blew the hair into his face.
"What about it?" Rachel asked, as she took a seat on the Ferry.
"I know this seems strange, but I kind of like the idea the girl had." Adam said, as he sat next to her.
"A wedding in an arena? In front of tons of people? Oh Adam, I always thought of a church wedding." Rachel replied. "You can't be serious!"
"I'm totally serious about this. Just think of it as a celebration of life. We would be showing everyone you fought death and won. "Adam says, holding her cheeks in his hands.
"You really want me to think about this??" She asked, starting to laugh.
He just looked at her with his crazy smile, and kissed her on the tip of her nose.
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Chris, Tommy and Cindy made their way into the Hard Rock Cafe without anyone recognizing Chris. Sometimes that was a blessing, Chris thought.
"It's good to see you again." Cindy said to Chris, as they sat in their booth.
"Yeah, I should come by more often I guess." Chris said with a smile.
Michelle, Kurt, Amy and Matt entered a few minutes later, and were seated almost directly across from the other three.
"Who is that with your friends over there?" Tommy asks Chris.
"Michelle." He says, and puts a menu in front of his face, a second too late.
"Who?" Tommy whispers to Cindy.
"Exgirlfriend." Cindy mouths to Tommy.
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"Who is that with Chris?" Amy asks Michelle.
"I have no idea. I had no idea he would be here." Michelle replies, as she nervously plays with her napkin.
"Maybe someone should find out." Kurt says, and stands to go talk to Chris.
"Maybe we should just leave him alone." Michelle says, as Kurt walks over anyway.
"Be right back." Matt says, as he too goes to talk to Chris.
"I've lost my appetite" Michelle says to Amy. "Let's go for a walk."
Amy and Michelle leave the table, and walk out the door with the others watching them.
"I guess they aren't hungry." Matt says, and sits with Chris and his friends.
Chris watches through the window, as Michelle and Amy walk through the parking lot and into a bar.
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Night had fallen, as Adam and Rachel stood on the Riverwalk watching the nightlife. At night New Orleans always came alive. They had thought about going on one of the many ghost tours, but then decided to call it a night. They walked their way along the streets toward the Bed and Breakfast, hand in hand.
Rachel started to walk towards a fortune teller, but Adam pulled her away.
"I don't want to know the future." Adam said with a frown.
They walked the rest of the way in silence. Only the sound of their footsteps could be heard by the time they made it to their building. Entering their room, the stripped off their clothes to take a hot shower. The muggy day had almost glued their clothes to them.
Rachel stood behind Adam and scrubbed his back. She was still conscious of the scar she now had. She scrubbed his back, until he turned around to face her.
"Look at me." He said, and pulled her chin up with his hand so their eyes met.
She stared at him, and could see the love pouring out of him with just the first look. He kissed her palm, and then he let his kisses travel up her arm. She put a hand to his chest, and could feel his heart racing.
"Do you trust me?" He asked, as he kissed her neck.
She nodded as he started to travel down her with kisses.
"Do you love me?" He asked, as he kissed her scar.
The moon cast a shadow through the room as they lay next to each other on the bed. Adam traced his fingers from her forehead, to her bellybutton, not missing an inch. His fingers stopped at the scar, and he leaned over and kissed the scar. She held his hand that remained on the scar, as he touched his lips to hers in a passion filled kiss.
A knock on the door only slightly turned their attention away from each other.
"Don't answer it." Rachel said to Adam, as she rolled on top of him. This was a long time coming, she thought. And gambling that five per cent, was a gamble she was willing to take.
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"I thought I saw them enter." Tommy said, as Chris knocked again at Adam and Rachel's door.
Chris started to laugh.. "We did. I think I know what's going on. Let's not disturb them."
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Amy and Michelle stagger their way back to the Bed and Breakfast, after spending most of the night on Bourbon Street. They leaned on each other for support as Amy called Matt's cell. They stop on a corner and sit, not caring about the cars that were coming close to their outstretched feet.
"Michelle, do you really like Kurt??" Amy asks, as she plays with her gum.
"Why?" Michelle asks laughing.
"Do you like em like em... you know what I mean. Like you like Chris."Amy says, as she lays back on the cement." I like Matt, but he likes someone else. I try not to like him." Amy says with a sigh.
"Don' t lay on the ground!! Ohhh everything is spinning. He likes Lily??"Michelle says, and then starts to fiddle with the Cross on her necklace. She lays on the ground so to be even with Amy. "Chris...er um.. umm... Kurt!! ahhh. What was the question??" Michelle asks laughing. "Soberly, ehhh I can't be sober. Chris is an idiot.. but a lovable one."
A car rushes by and splatters mud on the two ladies. They start to laugh at each other, when another car pulls up.
"Mich, Amy, is that you guys?" Matt asks, as he adjusts his eyes to the light.
"No." Michelle says giggling.
Kurt steps out of the car, and the two men walk over to help the ladies to the car.
"I think I gon be sick!" Michelle says, as she stops laughing. Matt holds her hair back, as she vomits on the road. His hand snags her necklace, and it falls off into the darkness. Michelle starts laughing, and a second wave of nausousness hits. "I'm hot." She says, and tries to take off her shirt.
"Hold on girl, I'll join you." Amy says, as Matt pulls her shirt down. Amy falls into his arms, and tries to kiss him. He kisses her, and pulls her into the car.
"Don't throw up in the car." Kurt yells to Amy, as he picks up a passed out Michelle. "They are going to have a heck of a hangover in the morning." Kurt says, as they drive back to the motel.
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Chris woke up early on his last day in New Orleans, and decided to go for a woke. The fog had lifted on a most beautiful sunrise he had ever seen. He walked the city streets, taking in the sites as if he had never been there before. He stopped on a corner and stared in all directions. It was as if he were at a crossroad.
A glint on the ground caught his attention. Curious, he stepped of the sidewalk to take a look. It was a Cross and chain similar to the one he had and lost. He turned the Cross in his hand, and realized it was his Cross. He put it in his pocket, as he heard footsteps echoing behind him. He turned to see Kurt walking as if he were looking for something lost.
"HI" Kurt said, as he looked up and saw Chris. "Have you seen a Cross and chain?? I think this is where Michelle lost it last night."
She had been wearing his necklace, Chris thought as he held the Cross tight in his picket. "I found a chain, is this it?" He asked Kurt.
Michelle walked up wearing dark sunglasses. "That's it, but there was a Cross..." She stops as she realizes Chris new she had been wearing his necklace. Chris smiled at her, as he dropped the broken chain in her hand.
"It has to be around here somewhere. I don't think that Cross was worth anything." Kurt said, as he walked around the corner, still looking for the Cross.
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Rachel sat at her desk on a Saturday afternoon wishing she was still in New Orleans. The phone rang bringing her out of her nice day dream.
"What are you doing working on a Saturday?" Jeff asked her.
"You can come work for me." Rachel says laughing. Jeff only groans at the mention of her work.
"Adam told me of a brilliant idea. I just wanted to see what you thought of it." Jeff asked, as he sat next to Beth on her couch.
"Oh no, not the Arena Wedding!!" Rachel says laughing.
"Yeah, sounds really cool to me. I even talked to Dad about it. He liked the idea too. So did Vince!" Jeff says, winking at Beth.
"Vince??? He'd like it for a publicity stunt." Rachel said, as she pushed away her notebook. There was no way she was going to do any work today, she thought.
"No, he said that it wouldn't be aired. And if any of the fans wanted to stay after the event, they could stay and watch yours and Adam's event.." Jeff replied.
Rachel sighed.
"Don't worry sis. Just think about it. We all think it would be a good idea. Remember, make the five per cent, one hundred and ten per cent." He said as he hung up.
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Amy sat in the ring before the next house show before the doors opened for the fans. She had written a poem to Matt, but wasn't too sure she should give it to him. It was clear he had feelings for Lily, she was really sweet. But what about what they had together, she thought. There was still something there, or was that just in her head?
Jeff would love her poem, Amy thought. It was dark, and moody. He would understand how she felt.
"Amy, doors are about to open!" Paul's boomy voice yells to her from backstage.
Amy gets up to leave, with the first sign of fans heading into the arena.
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Lily watched as Amy had left the ring. A piece of paper had fallen from her pocket, and Lily ran out to the ring to retrieve it. She opened the folded paper to see a poem. It was great, she thought. A love poem, deep and full of feeling. She stuffed it in her pocket, so she could read it later. Maybe she would put it to use, she thought.