Love's A Hard Game To Play

The Light At The End of The Tunnel

Lindsey sat by Stevie's bed not wanting to leave her side for anything. Christine, Mick and John had gone down to the hospital cafeteria for some coffee and told Lindsey they would bring him back a cup.

Lindsey had prayed all the way to the hospital that Stevie would be okay.
Once at the hospital, a team of doctors managed to save Stevie's life; they pumped her stomach and rushed her into an operating room for surgery to repair the damage to her wrist.

The doctors told Lindsey and the rest of the band that she would make a complete recovery but that she would need to go through physical therapy to learn how to reuse her left hand again. Now all Stevie needed was rest.

Lindsey had began to drift off to sleep when Stevie began to stir, her eyes slowly fluttering open.

Stevie looked around the room once her eyes were completely open.
Tears began to roll down her cheeks, she looked at her bandaged wrist and sobbed loudly.
She reached with her right hand and began to remove the bandage.

Lindsey's head snapped up and he quickly jumped up and grabbed Stevie's hand to stop her. "Stephanie! No!"
Stevie tried to push him away. "Leave me alone Lindsey! I wasn't supposed to survive! Joe won't ever leave me in peace! I want...to be with Angel! I need her!" She sobbed. "I want to die!"
Lindsey sat down on her bed and held her tight in his arms and rock her back and forth as if she was a small child.
"Please Lindsey...let...me...go." She whispered.
Lindsey just continued to rock her and said. "Never...I'm never letting you go again. I love you Stephanie. You're not alone, I'm here and I promise I will protect you from Joe. He won't hurt you ever again."
Lindsey's words sunk in and she wrapped her arm around him. She winced but she didn't care if it hurt her wrist she needed to feel him close to her.
"You...love me?" Stevie asked.
"Of course Stevie! I'm in love with you, always have, always will. I'm sorry I let my own selfishness and jealousy get in the way. But not anymore...I almost lost you for good last night and...it opened up my eyes." Lindsey was sobbing now. "God, Steph, I don't ever want to lose you. I...couldn't live without you."

Stevie and Lindsey stayed that way for what felt like forever.
Stevie's eyes were shutting close. "I love you too Lindsey." She said before drifting off to sleep.
Lindsey smiled and kissed the top of her head.

When Christine, Mick and John got back, they saw Lindsey and Stevie asleep in each other's arms.

Christine smiled and told Mick and John for them to leave back home, she knew Stevie was in good hands.

*Two Months later*

Stevie had now full use of her left hand again. Slowly she was becoming the Stevie everyone knew and loved.
Joe had sent divorce papers a week after Stevie's suicide attempt; he was finally setting her free.
Their divorce was finalized two weeks later of Stevie signing them.
Joe also checked into rehab and began counseling; he now knew the damage he had done to Stevie. He knew it was because of his jealousy and the drugs and alcohol amplify it.
Now he would get the help he needs.

Once Stevie's doctor gave her the all clear, Lindsey decided to take her away for a while.
He made plans to take her to a private beach house in Maui, that way they wouldn't be disturbed.
Stevie decided to give hers and Lindsey's relationship another chance; she was still in love with him.

Stevie fell in love with the beach house and loved watching the waves roll onto the shore. She found it so relaxing.

Now that she was there with Lindsey, she felt grateful that she got another chance at life. She was glad she survived her suicide attempt.
At the time, she felt as if taking her own life was the only way of being free of Joe.

The pain of losing Angel would never go away but slowly Stevie was letting go. She would always love her daughter and think of her every single day until they day she died.

On their fourth night at the beach house, Stevie took a stroll down the beach.
She walked along the shore, the water caressing her bare feet, the wind blowing her hair so it flowed behind her; the moon shining down on her.

Lindsey walked towards her but stopped as he was in a awe of her beauty; she took his breath away.

Sensing someone watching her, Stevie turned around to see Lindsey. She smiled wide and held her hand out to him.
He walked over and held her hand then they continued to walk down the shore.
And this was their ritual at night during their stay.

They stayed in Maui for another month; it did wonders for Stevie. She finally was at a healthy weight, her smile would reach her eyes.
It was all thanks to Lindsey's help; he showed her how much he loved her and he worshiped the ground she walked on.

At first Stevie had a difficult time accepting his love and his compliments of how beautiful she is. Even though she did love him, it was hard to hear such wonderful things being said about herself; Joe had made her feel anything but beautiful, and almost as she wasn't human.

With Lindsey's patience, she slowly but surely opened up her heart to him again and was able to look in a mirror without saying something negative about herself.

It was finally their final night at the beach house and Lindsey had planned something special.
They took their usual stroll down the shore in the moon light; his arm around her shoulders as she had her arm around him.

Stevie held him close, she leaned her head on on his shoulder and said. "Thank you."
Lindsey stopped walking making her stop too. She looked at him and he asked confused. "For what?"
"For everything that you've done these past three months. You were there for me since...well...you know." She said looking down then she sighed and looked up into his eyes. "You were there for me while I was in the hospital; you never left my side. You were there during my recovery, my divorce, you were there when I went through physical therapy. And you waited patiently while I worked through all the confusion inside my head. You help me feel beautiful again...you helped me feel human again." Stevie's tears rolled down her cheeks now. "I'm still working on myself but you have made me realize...I'm not worthless. You made me realize, I'm not any of those names that Joe used to call me. I love you Lindsey so so much."

Lindsey's tears rolled down his cheeks as well. "I love you too Stephanie, with all of my heart and more. Like I said before, I won't let you go again. You're my best friend and my soulmate."
Lindsey then stopped then decided to just go ahead of plan.
He got down on one knee and took out a small velvet box. "I don't want to spend another day with out you. So...Stephanie Lynn Nicks...will you marry me?" He said as he opened the box to reveal the beautiful engagement ring.
Stevie had her hands over her mouth as she sobbed. She nodded her head, she brought her hands down and said. "Yes!"
Lindsey slid the ring on Stevie's finger then embraced her as he kissed her lips.
In that moment, Stevie saw the light at the end of the tunnel.

Little did she know that Joe would re-enter her life to darken it once again.