Somehow being in Lizzy arms was my comfort. I thought I had truly lost her and it pained my heart when she didn't return any of my calls. Hearing her voice was like music to my ears. She had stayed and now she was here for me.

"I can't believe you stayed after our fight."

"At first I wasn't. I was really upset."

"I'm sorry."

"I am too Sean."

I pulled back and I caressed her face. I was more than sure my eyes were puffy and red from crying.

"It means a lot that you're here."

"Glad I could be of service."

"Lizzy are you ready?" I looked behind her and it was Aries. He had this sadistic smirk on his face that I simply wanted to knock off.

"Aries and some of his teammates came to pay their respects. We bumped into each other and he was taking me back to the airport."

"I can take you," I said. Some how I wanted to push her behind me. I've never liked him and never would.

"Nonsense Sean. You are the captain and leader of this team and they need you more than ever. I'm sure you still have a full day with reporters and fans. Your whole team is grieving but I know you will see them through this difficult time."

"Stay Lizzy."

"I can't. I have three surgeries the day after tomorrow and I need to get some rest."

Aries came up and put his hand on her lower back. I was literally grinding my teeth and holding back. His face was my bullseye and I was ready to do some damage. My hands were balling into fists. Just him being here was enough to set me off.

"Mr. Gibson they need you at the podium. The press will be ready for you shortly," Alex my equipment manager said.

"I won't be long. Lizzy, you and I need to talk."

"My flight leaves soon and I really need to go."

"Did you get my messages?"

"Yes."

"Why didn't you call me back?" I looked at Aries and a smile crossed his face. He looked at Lizzy and kissed her on the side of the forehead and that's when I lost it and charged. I had him against the wall and my fist was about to make contact but Lizzy grabbed onto my arm.

"Sean stop it! He hasn't done anything."

"Hit me Sean. You know you want to. Is the poor baby mad because she's with me and not you. Maybe you're not the friend she thought you were. I would never mistreat her the way you did. You must have really set her off for her not to return your calls. You are not her man, I am. Shouldn't you be worried about your baby?" He laughed causing my temperature to soar.

"Stop it Aries! How did you know about Shae? I didn't tell you about her fakeass pregnancy?" Liz asked pulling my arm down.

"I heard it through the sports world grapevine. Women talk. I'm sure you would want a son right?"

I charged again but Liz jumped in front of us, pushing me back. Aries raised his arms up as if surrendering but started to laugh.

"You son of a bitch!" I called out. I was trying to maneuver around her but she blocked my every move.

"Stop it Sean! Think about your career. He's not worth it. There are way too many people here. You're already upset about Lucius's death, don't take it out on him." She rubbed the side of my face calming me down. I stared into her eyes and my breathing went back to normal and I focused on her face.

"Aries let's go," she said turning back looking at him.

"Lizzy don't go with him. Please don't go. Just stay. I can have you back in time for work."

"No you have too much to do and I don't want to be in the way. I promise I will call you later." She was standing in front of me with Aries behind her. Why was she protecting this nutcase?

"Mr. Gipson, it's time to go. The press is ready for you now."

"Got damn it I'm coming, chill Alex." I turned around and he put his arms up and backed away.

"Go Sean."

"Not until you stay. Lizzy he is not the one for you. Please listen to me."

"Man, save your tears for your fallen comrade. Believe me I will take real good care of her, don't you worry," Aries said putting his arms around her waist and kissing her on the neck.

At that moment all my sensibility flew through that tunnel. I pushed Liz out the way and started in on Aries. I had knocked him to the ground and blow after blow I watched as his head swayed back and forth.

In the distance I heard yelling. I couldn't stop. I felt something on my back calling my name and I pushed whoever it was with my elbow. I was seeing red, he would pay for his mistakes. The only thing I saw was blood coming from Aries lip. Again something came charging on my back and I shoved it off. I heard a scream and the voice sounded familiar bringing me out of my terror. I turned and Lizzy was slouched near the wall. I started focusing on her and the next thing I knew Aries had taken control.

"You punk ass bitch!" he said now on top of me. My focus remained on Lizzy. She just laid there bunched up lying on her side. I felt the force of wind around me, but before he could throw his first punch he was pulled off of me.

"Gipson what in the hell?" I heard someone say but my focus remained on Lizzy and I ran over to help. She was holding her head and squinting.

"I need a got damn paramedic over here NOW!" I called out.

"Lizzy talk to me, please talk to me."

"Sean what is going on?" Jarreau asked stooping down next to me.

"Come on Lizzy," Jarreau said holding her hand. She moaned a little and a second later, the paramedic was attending to her.

She opened her eyes and they were glossy. My heart nearly burst into a thousand pieces to see her eyes looking so dazed.

"Sean?"

"I'm right here Lizzy Bear."

She looked at me and glanced up. She stared with shock and confusion. I turned around to see Aries walking towards her and my coaches standing around looking at me.

"Lizzy baby he did this to you."

"No I didn't!"

"Man you're gonna lie? You attacked me and then my girl. I'm going to sue you, your team and have you reprimanded by the league. You are going to wish you never met me."

I squinted at him. Shit, thinking back did I push Lizzy? I looked down at her.

"You're suppose to be the almighty Sean Gipson, best friend and here she is hurt because of you again."

I just stared at Lizzy as her eyes fluttered.

"Get way from her!" Aries yelled pushing me away. I fell back unable to take my eyes off of her.

Security came over asking questions. Jarreau kept them at bay.

"I keep trying to tell you this punk ass white boy is all about himself. He's not worth it. He pushed you baby causing you to hurt yourself. I'm here and he won't get away with it, promise. He's hurt you enough." He stroked and brushed her fallen strands of hair behind her ear.

He held her hand as the paramedic checked her head and back. Lizzy remained quiet but looked to be in pain and shock.

"Lizzy if I did this to you, I am truly sorry. You know I would never intentionally or otherwise hurt you, you have to believe that. I love you and you know I would always protect you." I felt water running down my eyes, how could I have done this to her?"

She continued to remain quiet. Something was wrong.

"Looks like a little swelling is forming on the back of her head. We need to x-ray for a concussion." The other paramedic put a neck brace around her neck, lifted her and laid her on the gurney.

"Can you do the speech? I'm going with Lizzy?" I told Jarreau.

"No you're not! You have done enough. She is my girlfriend not yours," Aries said blocking me from seeing her.

"Security you need to arrest this man for battery. He intentionally tried to hurt me and my girlfriend. I want to press charges as soon as possible."

I jumped up ready to strangle him. "Stay back man. You are in enough trouble," Jarreau whispered in my ear holding on to me.

"I want to kill him! You know that is not true! Lizzy please!"

"Mr. Gipson," the police said. I looked up and it was Buddy our chief detail officer.

"I know you want to handle up on him but you have to remain calm. The more you resist the more he looks like the good boyfriend. Keep your cool man," Jarreau whispered in my ear.

I watched as Lizzy was rolled away and put into the ambulance. Aries got in behind her and before the doors closed that same smirked that pissed me off was back and he winked.

"Stay cool man, stay cool."

The ambulance drove off leaving me to stare at the spot where she was lying against the wall.

My coach came up to me. "Son what happened here?"

I was speechless.

"I can't help you unless you tell me exactly what happened? He will pull out all the stops but you have to tell me everything that happened."

I walked away. I was angry, disappointed and fearful for what I had done. Aries pressed my buttons and I totally lost control. My emotions and thoughts were already on super charge from this whole situation with Lucius's death. I let him escalate my over zealous emotional roller coaster beyond my control and at the end Lizzy was the one that suffered.

"Gipson get your butt back here!" I heard Coach say but I needed to get to Liz. I turned and saw Jarreau and JC talking to Coach. I grabbed my keys out my pocket and unlocked the car. I heard footsteps running up behind me.

"I'm driving, you can't drive like this," Jarreau said taking the keys from me. I followed his instructions and walked over to the passenger side.

He started it up and we took off. "JC will do the speech and Andrew said he saw what happened so he will take care of Coach and Buddy. Just calm down."

"Please tell me she will be fine? It was an accident J."

"I know. I didn't see it but I know you would never intentionally hurt her."

"I swear he knows how to push my buttons." I hit the glovebox with my fist knocking it off the hinge.

"Sound familiar?"

"It was an accident."

"I know it was. I'm sure she knows too but you gave ammunition to Aries. Believe me he is going to play this hand to the best of his abilities. This is so messed up."

I rested my head on the window of the car. Looking down at my knuckles they were red and swollen. I didn't feel any pain, my thoughts were more worried about Lizzy.

"You and Lizzy can't continue to follow this chase. You're jealous, she's jealous and today it came to a head. She got hurt Sean and you need to really figure out what's going to happen next."

"My agent and his team are fixing this whole Shaunte situation. Michael is going to send Shaunte to a doctor and arrange a DNA test. In two weeks if she's not carrying my baby then this will be a distant forgotten memory and Shae will be humiliated."

"If she is pregnant and you are the father then what?"

"I will get custody and Shae can move along to her next victim. Michael will start working on that after the DNA test comes back if and only if it's mine."

"What about Lizzy?"

"She knows I've always wanted to be a dad. I love her and I am going to make it work between us. I will expose Aries as a fraud and a womanizer and she will realize I'm the one and only for her. I will give her the world and we will be together."

"And if she doesn't choose you..."

"I can't think like that. I didn't mean to touch her. To be honest I thought it was someone else. If I would've known it was her, I would have never touched her like that." I put my face in my hands as my mind replayed those events leading up to Lizzy getting hurt.

To see Lizzy just lying there was eating me up inside. This was my fault again and here I was the ultimate bad guy and the worst friend ever. Her lying in that gurney would haunt me. This had to be a dream, this couldn't be real.

Jarreau pulled up in front of the hospital.

"I'm calling Thomas. If Aries is a threat then we need to make sure Thomas is in the loop. He will do his legal mumbo jumbo. You go ahead and find Lizzy." I nodded getting out the car.

I jogged to the front door of the hospital and went straight through the emergency room. I stopped at the front desk.

"An ambulance brought in my friend Dr. Elizabeth Johnson, can I see her?"

The nurse typed in the name and paused. "She's in x-ray. She has been assigned to room 296."

"Thank you."

I saw the stairs and took them. Moments later I was on the second floor trying to find her room.

"Why are you here?"

I turned around to find Aries walking behind me.

"You are a piece of work. Did you come here to start something?"

I remained quiet. It took every ounce of will power not to lay him out...again.

"You may have suckered punched me once, but best believe it won't happen again. I might not do it publicly, but I will get you back on the field and in your wallet."

"You don't scare me. You got what you deserved and honestly you should be the one in that room not her. I'm not here for you, I'm here to see Liz."

"For what Sean? You've done enough. She told me how you mistreated her and I should finish what you started by knocking your ass out."

"Go away. You are not needed here."

He laughed. "I'm not to sure about that. Once I destroy you, she won't think twice about you. You will become a distant memory."

"I swear you're lucky. Only if you knew how much I despise you."

"You envy me Sean. You want to be me. I've beat you in the playoffs, the Superbowl and now I got the girl you love. I've taken away everything that is important to you and I revel in the feeling." He started to laugh.

I eased up towards him until I felt something pulling me back. It was Jarreau with this don't do it look on his face.

They were wheeling Lizzy into the room. I broke away from Jarreau and followed the orderlies into the room. Her eyes were close and they had changed her clothes into a blue hospital gown.

"Mr. Wilson?"

I turned around and saw a man with a white coat on. He walked up to Aries.

"Yes," he answered.

"I'm Dr. Gordon. The test came back normal. There are signs of mild trauma but she should be find."

"When can I take her home?"

"In the morning. We would like to keep her for observation to be on the safe side."

"Thanks doc," he told the doctor shaking his hand. The doctor nodded and walked away.

"You're lucky Gipson. I was looking for a reason to knock your punkass out."

"Don't you start!"

"Oh we can finish this right now."

"You two please stop. My head is killing me."

I turned to see Lizzy trying to sit up. She was squinting and grabbing the side of the bed. I walked over to her pulling up a chair.

"Lizzy, I'm so sorry. I swear it was an accident."

"I begged you to stop Sean but you wouldn't listen. What has gotten into you? I've never seen you so angry."

"This whole situation has gotten out of control. I don't want to be with Shaunte, I want to be with you. Tell Aries to go, he's not needed here."

"Sean..."

"You need to leave before I make you leave," Aries said coming up to me.

"Please Sean...I can't do this right now. You need to leave."

"See she doesn't want you here just like I told you. Goodbye, toodeloo," Aries said waving me away.

"Stop it Aries before you're next. Please. I'm asking nicely for you to leave."

"I'm not leaving you like this."

"Please Sean. You've done enough." I could hear pure sadness in her voice.

"The lady has asked you to leave. If you don't I will call security to remove you."

"Lizzy..."

"Please Sean."

Her eyes began to water causing my heart to break. The universe was so unfair. I looked in the door and Jarreau was standing there. He shook his head and let out a deep breath.

"Aries can you ask the nurse to give me some water please."

"Sure baby."

"Sean please. Don't make this more difficult then it has to be."

"Lizzy I swear it was an accident. You have to believe me. I need you, oh God I swear I need you."

I was devastated when she turned her back to me. I walked out the door headed to the elevator. I pressed the button and waited. This couldn't be happening it was no way this was going down like this. I would bust Shae and try my hardest to win over Lizzy. Aries would be the distant memory and Liz would be mine for now and forever.

"Jarreau?"

"Yes."

"Take care of him."

"I will."

"Thanks."

I turned back around facing the wall and cried.