Post by Gerard Angelo on Feb 25, 2020 23:59:20 GMT -5
Gerard Angelo sat next to the hospital bed, rubbing his beard as he stared at its occupant. He had gotten there as fast as he could after abruptly leaving his PCW.com interview, taking a private flight from Myrtle Beach International to San Diego International , before driving down to the hospital. He’s been there ever since, only leaving to do Trauma before flying back, to sit bedside. Gerry sat there in the quiet, the only sound in the ICU was the low beep of the heart monitor. He looked over at Jonathan, lying in the bed, unresponsive to the world around him.
The call Gerard had gotten during the interview was from Jonathan’s fiancé, Maria. The woman informed him that Jonathan had been in a serious, multi-car accident and he was in a coma. The police were doing an investigation and suspected foul play. Gerard ran a hand over his chin, the thick stubble coarse between his fingers, as he thought about this news again. Jonathan wasn’t a man with a lot of enemies. Sure, he had his fair share from his days as a wrestler and manager but most of them were dead and had buried the hatchet with most of the living ones. Even the ones he was still at odds with wouldn’t stoop as low as trying to kill him. Gerry was just hoping beyond hope that Jon would wake up soon and they could begin to make sense of this. He sighed and reached into the pocket of his jacket and pulled out his flask. Gerry unscrewed the top and raised it up to Jonathan’s still form.
“Here’s to you.” Gerard choked out before taking a long swig. He wiped his lips on his sleeve and screwed the cap back on. Gerard looked over at the large analog clock on the wall that read seven-thirty. He had been here for at least three days, refusing to leave the side of his friend, trainer, mentor, and father figure. Gerard told Maria when he got here to go home and eat something, advice he wasn’t taking himself as he had been surviving on a diet of whiskey and cigarettes. Maria had been back and forth since then but she was also busy trying to help with the day to day operations of the wrestling academy, and getting their affairs in order in case the worst happened.
No, Gerard thought to himself, shaking his head. Jonathan is going to be just fine. They’ve been through worse situations then this. Like the time when Jonas Black kidnapped Jon to try and get inside Gerry’s head. Or Jonathan’s heart attack in ESW. They got through those things and Gerard will be damned if he lets Jonathan go out like this. He already told Maria that is she needed anything at all, Gerard would do everything with in his means to help them.
The door to the ICU opened, which wasn’t strange do to the amounts of doctors and nurses coming in and out for Jonathan, but the person that came through the door caused Gerry to snap out of his thoughts and stand up.
“Kara…” He said as he moved towards her, wrapping the short blonde girl in his muscular arms as she returns the embrace.
“Oh, Gerard,” Kara says, tears welling up in her bright blue eyes, “This is so terrible. I came as soon as I heard! I would’ve been here sooner but trying to get out of Milan with the corona virus and everything. I had to call in so many favors but I should’ve been here sooner and…”
“Hey, hey.” Gerry says, cutting her off and wiping a tear off her face. “You’re here now. That’s what matters.”
Kara manages a small smile as she looks up at Gerry, before wiping away her tears with one, well manicured, finger. She looks over at Jonathan before walking over, fighting back tears again. Kara reaches over and grabs one of his large hands, calloused and rough from years of weight lifting and setting up wrestling rings. She remembered these hands showing her how to lock up in a wrestling ring, how to catch herself properly when she fell out of the ring, and how to throw a punch to the nose. She felt the tears starting to flow from her eyes again, turning away and covering her mouth. Gerard started to go over to comfort her when he ICU door opened again and Theo strode through the door, carrying a large bouquet of flowers in a vase. Gerard froze as he stared at his ex-wife’s fiancé, mixed emotions running through his head. As Gerry was mentally processing a man he hated, for selfish reasons, being inserted into this horrible experience, Theo had placed the vase down on the bedside table and took Kara into his Herculean arms.
“There, there, babe.” Theo said, as he rubbed her slight back with a massive hand. “It’s gonna be okay. I’m here.”
“And thank god, for that.” Gerard said dryly, crossing his well defined arms over his pecs. Theo lets go of Kara and gives Gerard a slight, cocky, smirk.
“Nice to see you too, Gerry.” Theo’s deep voice echoed slightly in the intensive care unit. Gerard sucked his teeth and stared daggers at the ex-football player. The tension in room was growing, causing Kara to put her hands on her fiancé’s bicep, silently trying to tell him not to antagonize. Gerard opened his mouth to say something when he was interrupted by the door opening again. All three conscious people in the room looked over as Jonathan’s fiancé, Maria, walked in. Kara ran over and embraced the tall Mexican woman, sobbing into her chest.
“Oh Maria, I’m so sorry.” Kara said between sobs as the two women hugged. Maria stroked Kara’s blonde hair as she fought to keep her own tears in.
“Relax, child,” Maria said with a slight accent, “It’s not your fault. Jonathan wouldn’t want you to be upset.”
Maria was a beautiful woman in her early forties, but still looked like she was only thirty. In her younger years she was a model and did a bit of acting in commercials and Telemundo. She met Jonathan on the set of Gerard’s tv show, Miami PD. She wound up falling in love with the wrestling business because of Jonathan and helped him run the Academy and the small promotion her ran in SoCal.
Maria looked over the top of Kara’s head at the two young men in the room. Her eyes looked at them knowingly, seemingly feeling that there was about to be a fight before she walked. Maria looked down at Kara as she released her, wiping tears off the short blonde’s face. That’s when she cleared her throat.
“Gerard, Kara, I need to talk to you outside.” Maria said. She looked over at Theo. “Sorry, big guy, but you need to stay here. This involved family only.”
The tone in her voice made it clear that she wouldn’t accept anything but acceptance, which stopped any protest from him or Kara. Maria turned and opened the door as Kara followed her out. Gerard gave Theo a smug smile before joining the two women, closing the door behind him.
“So what’s up?” Gerard asked. Maria looked at both of Jonathan’s pupils, and sighed.
“I just talked to the police,” Maria said as she wiped tears off her face, “And they said Jonathan’s breaks were cut.”
Maria started to cry and Gerard pulled her into his arms, stroking her dark hair. Kara covered her mouth with her hand as her own tears streamed down her face. Gerard felt anger welling up inside of him as he processed the news.
“Who would do such a thing?” Kara asked, taking the very words from Gerry’s mouth. Maria pulled away from Gerard, trying to compose herself again.
“They are investigating, but there are no suspects at the moment. Jon is such a good man, I dunno why anyone would do this to him.”
Gerry turned around and punched the door, cutting his knuckles on the metal.
“Fuck! I’m gonna find out who did this if it’s the last thing I do!” Gerard yelled as blood dripped off his knuckles. “I’m gonna call PCW and tell them they have to cancel the match and…”
“NO!” Maria and Kara both yelled in unison, taking Gerry completely off guard.
“Don’t you dare, Gerry.” Maria said, wagging a finger in his face. “Jonathan wouldn’t want you to do that. He was so excited that you were gonna come to the academy to go over your game plan for the show. It was all he could talk about for a month. And if you canceled a championship match because of him, he would never forgive you.”
Gerard started to protest but was cut off by Kara this time.
“Maria, is right.” The blonde said, crossing her arms over her bosom. “Jonathan would feel terrible if you gave up an opportunity at the World title because of something that happened to him. And you know it.”
Gerard ran a hand down his face, looking for the words to say. Kara walked over and put her small hand on his arm.
“Remember what Jon always said?” Kara asked looking up at her ex-husband. “ ‘The show must go on, no matter what.’ Not competing would drive him crazy. The best thing you could do is go to Mass Destruction, and beat Stormm, dedicating the World title win to Jonathan.”
Gerry still wanted to protest, but he knew looking at the two woman that they wouldn’t take no for an answer. And still, deep down, Gerard knew they were right. Resigned, he sighed loudly.
“Fine. I’ll still go do the show.” The Hollywood Hero said, “But after it’s over, I’m coming back here to find out who did this.”
Maria stepped closer to Gerard and put her hand on his unshaven cheek, looking into his green eyes with her dark ones.
“You know Jonathan loves you, but leave that to the police.” She said firmly. “You’re a fine actor, and a damn good wrestler. But you are not a vigilante. Now, excuse me, but I need to go be with Jonathan.”
Maria turned and re-entered the unit. Kara went to follow but Gerry grabbed her elbow, causing her to turn.
“Can I talk to you a minute?”
Kara nodded and they both walked down the hall a bit. Gerard stuffed his hands into his jean’s pockets and sighed.
“What if I can’t do it?” He said, cutting her off before she could ask him what he wanted to talk about.
“Can’t do what?” The ex Kara Danger asked.
“What if I can’t beat him, again?”
“Stormm?” she asked, raising a perfect eyebrow. Gerard nodded.
“Gerry, I’ve know you for years. And I know on any given night you can beat any wrestler on the planet. You are one of the best in the world and, with a few tweaks to your game plan, I know you can beat Justin Michaels. You were inches away last time you met.”
“But with all of this now, am I really going to be able to? As much shit as I give Stormm, he’s one tough son of a bitch who won’t go down without a fight on regular nights. And with the title on the line, something that I know he loves as much and maybe even more then his family, I’d have to pry it from his dead hands.”
“So kill him.” Kara said with a shrug, which takes Gerry aback. Even with the whole day being so grim, Gerard couldn’t help but give a slight chuckle.
“Just like that, huh?”
“Listen, I know you want to be World champ again, more then anything. Like I’ve said before, I watch the show every time it’s on. I saw what happened to you after Grimm took the title from you. I saw you spiral down in a way that I’ve never seen before. I know loss after loss has taken a terrible toll on you. I know why you formed that group you had. What you did to win the Deadly Rumble. It was all to get back to this point.”
Gerard stares at the ground while she continues.
“It was all to become World Champion again. So do whatever it takes, Gerard. That’s what I mean. I know you want it more then Stormm does. Losing it changed you. So maybe winning it back can set you on the right path. So do whatever you need to do. Tell yourself whatever you need to hear. Just win the damn thing back. Do it to make PCW better as you like to say. Do it for Jonathan. Hell, even do it for me.”
Gerard looks up at this, looking into her bright blue eyes.
“But most of all, do it for yourself. Because you need it more then anyone.”
As she finishes she stand up on her tip toes and kisses his cheek, before turning around and walking back into the ICU, leaving Gerry stunned, his hand over his cheek.