Is He A Lover or A Fighter {guitarfan2810 & WrittenFantasies}

Rich Franklin was going to be in Jake's corner again. He was becoming another trainer to Jake but Luke was his main guy. He was extremely talented in Jiu Jitsu which helped him out a lot. Having a technical guy in his corner helped his mind be at ease. Rich's wife and Amy found their seats by Adri and her brothers. They got drinks and talked a bit before a few people on the red carpet asked Amy about getting married. She sat back down and started to get nervous for her brother.

Jake warmed up a bit with some combos in the locker room as the other fights started. The other fights were good. The crowd got fired up. Jake wasn't the main event but the fight right before that. There was a title fight for a different weight class so that was the main event. He would fight second to last and even though he wasn't the main event his fight was just as important and the hype was just as high. A lot of people thought Jake was going to lose. This was his turn to show how strong of a fighter and man he was. He seemed most focused for this fight then any others.

Luke looked him over, "You don't seem pissed off like you normally are. Do I need to piss you off?" He joked and smiled. Jake looked up at him and gave him a little nod. "Bring it." Luke started yelling at him. Telling him he was going to lose, he was nothing, he should have backed out of the fight, everyone expected him to lose. It was a few fights before Jake's and Adri would be coming back at anytime and there Luke was screaming in his face. Jake getting angrier the more he yelled at him.

Adri stayed out with the VIP's and had a drink. She was feeling nervous but she wasn't going to drink away her nerves like she did at the club with Bisping. She had a feeling he was here and she wasn't going to be drunk when she saw him. She kept checking her watch for the time and when the time came, she went to the back and knocked on Jake's door.

She could hear Luke yelling at him and rich opened the door for her. She gave him a smile and stepped in. She wiped the smile off of her face when Jake looked at her. "Hey Boo." She rubbed his shoulders and looked at him, "You got this. You can do this. But if you want to back down no one will blame you." She said only to get him angry for real. Luke could yell all he wanted but she could make Jake really angry.

She rubbed his cheek and gave him a kiss. "Love you." She almost felt bad for Souza but whatever helped get Jake out of the octogon with the least amount of bruising and body injuries. She looked at Luke and then back at Jake.

Rich hoped Adri wouldn't freak at Luke for yelling at him. But then realized she wouldn't and he smiled at what she told him. "I'm not backing down..." He looked at her angry.

"You legit think you get a kiss after that. Ass." She knew he was kidding but was still pissed. He kissed her. "Love you..." Rich talked to him as Luke stepped out with Adri. "Adri, he's ready. He has this. Don't worry." They both knew he was ready but it only took one hit. John would walk out with Jake then join Adri and Amy in the VIP.

Luke went back in with Jake and Jake stayed loose. When it was time Jake came out first to Eminem and Rihanna's Kings Never Die like last fight. He waited until Eminem started and then he walked out. He gave high fives to some fans on the way down. He stopped outside rhe octagon and pulled his shirt off and got the vasoline on his face after giving hugs to the guys even his father who told him he loved him and to kick ass. Luke whispered a lot in his ear during the hug. They thing hit fists and Jake got in the cage. He moved and bounced around to stay ready and loose.

"I expect to get a kiss at all times or I will kiss ass after Souza." She smiled when he kissed her. She looked him over and really felt the nerves building up. Souza was the last fight before Bisping. She didn't want Jake to fight Bisping. She didn't want him to lose this fight either. She wanted him to achieve his dreams. She wasn't ready to see him fight Bisping after this.

She stepped out with Luke and nodded her head, "I know but it's hard. it's out of your control now. It's out of all of our control except for those two." She shrugged ehr shoulders and went back out to the VIP section.

She put on a happy face and watched the last fight before Jake and Souza. Her stomach was in knots and her hands were clenched in front of our her chin already. She said her silent prayer and sent it up with a kiss and then watched as Souza entered the ring. She closed her eyes for a second and mentally got prepared for the fight before opening them ready to watch the action.

Jake put his hand up in the air when they called his name and bounced around. He looked at Adri and gave her a nod. He had this fight. He could feel it in his gut.

The fighters moved to the center and the ref went through his normal speech before Jake hit gloves with Souza after the reft told them to have a clean fight. He went back to his corner and well the bell rang he hit gloves with him again and then it was on. They went back and forth a few times with a few punches. Jake was keeping his distance but then when he went to shoot on him, to get a take down and Souza got him a kick to his left side. Jake moved a bit as he got hit. It hurt like hell but he didn't show too much. He kept his distance and got a few punches in. They were pretty even. Then Souza kicked him again in the same spot. Jake knew instantly something was wrong. It was already red and would bruise. Luke yelled some instructions and Jake got a good combos in but nothing too impressive.

The bell rang that the round was over. It was boring and Jake played it safe. But not safe enough. Jake sat down and got some water. "My ribs are broken." He whispered to Luke. He gave Jake a look and he gave him a nod. He could and would keep fighting. "You're playing it safe..." "Yeah look what he did..." Luke shrugged it off. "Go in there and show him you have the right to be here and go after that belt. Take his ass down. Knock him out. You got this..."

While everyone else was screaming their heads off for the person they wanted to win, Adri watch silently. She always did. She watched Jake's body and face for any clue as to what he was thinking or feeling.

She bit her bottom lip when the first kick to the ribs hit him. "Cracked." She said softly but no one could hear her. Then he kicked in the same spot, "Broken." She rubbed her lips together and then the round was over.

"He has to finish this now. The more his ribs hurt the more it will get to him." She said to herself. "Come one Jake." She yelled and clapped her hands. He could do this. He just had to pull through and knock him out.

Jake got up to start round two Souza and him hit gloves again. It took a few seconds like Jake was scared to go after Souza. Souza tried a few punches and Jake blocked them but kept his ribs guarded. Souza went for another kick and Jake blocked it. Luke yelled at Jake, "Keep the blocks up. Good Job buddy. Keep going."

Souza then snuck in a few combos at Jake and busted up his eye. Souza looked untouched almost. Amy was getting nervous. More than normal. Jake then saw an opening and thought about a take down. But if Souza got on his ribs, it would kill. Instead he went for a combo finished by a hard punch across the jaw. It rocked Souza and Jake acted like he was going to kick with his right low to the thigh but instead moved with his left across Souza's face. He went down and went stiff and was knocked out but Jake went to punch him but the ref pushed him away.

Jake put his right fist up in victory but waited to really celebrate until Souza was awake and okay. His eyes went to Adri and smiled. He kissed his finger and pointed to her and took a knee on the mat as the medics checked Souza. Jake really knocked him out. They kept replaying the kick. It was ironic Souza broke his ribs but Jake kicked him and knocked him out.

Once Souza could stand, they announced Jake as the winner and Jake celebrated more, but it was limited because of his ribs.

Joe Rogan motions him over for an interview. "Jake, wow what a turn of events here. You got some nice blows in the first round, what changed in the second."

"Well, the fact that I'm pretty sure he broke my ribs played a part. I knew I couldn't take him down and have his weight on them or I'd be done. I had to be patient and saw my chance. I've been working more kicks because of his quickness and reach. I kept my distance and tried to be smart." He told Rogan.

"A lot of people doubted you could get here. Especially after the last few months you had. What do you have to say about your win and their doubts."

"Joe, I'm always going to have haters and they continue to hate me but, at the end of the day I let my ability and strength do the talking. I'm indestructible. I can conquer anything thrown at me. I did it. I went through hell and still came out here and won. Imagine the fight if I didn't have the constant distractions. And honestly I could have fought better but I still brought a win. Nothing against Souza, he's a great fighter. I just came out to kick ass and I did."

"Good kick man. Good fight. Good luck against Bisping."

Jake thanked him and shook his hand. Jake headed back to the locker room.

If it were a competition of looks Jake was losing but he wasn't giving up. Adri just wanted the fight over with and Jake in the locker room so sent could see the extent of the damage. She didn't think about Jake not being able to take Souza down because of his ribs. A knock out never really occurred to her until it happened.

She let out a sigh of relief but looking at Jake Souza got the better end of the deal. When Souza got up, his mouth was bloody and it took looked like he spit out a tooth. While Jake did the interview with Joe, Adri went to the back to make sure there was a medic to check him out. He'd have a black eye in the morning and she would probably have to go pick up whatever perscription he'd get to the broken ribs. He'd also have to take it easy and let them heal as much as they could but broken ribs never really fully healed.

When Jake came back it was hard to look at his eye. It was swollen and red. She took an ice pack from the medics bag and put it again his eye while the medic checked out his ribs. She rubbed Jake's other cheek, "You did great." She told him him and kissed his lips.

"Feels like these three are broken and this one might be fractured but you need X-rays to see the extent of the damage." The medic said and stood up. Adri took the ice pack off and the medic did a series of tests on Jake's eye. He pushed around it to make sure the eye socket was broken, "Just a bad punch. You'll have a black eye but I'm sure you will feel the ribs more than anything tomorrow." He wrote out a perscription for some pain pills and went on his way.

"You want to take the pictures for the binder here?" She asked. "And I need to go buy a tshirt. Are you going to be okay?"

Jake sat on the bench so the medics could do some tests. When he felt around his ribs he groaned in pain. His eye had trouble following the medics light but the medic didn't say anything about it. "Great so I have to go to the ER?" He sighed.

Luke looked at him, "If it's broken the right way it could hurt the other organs. It's hard to tell if your heavy breathing is from fighting or your injuries. Just go man..."

He kissed Adri back. "I was getting my ass kicked...he's such a technical fighter." It's possible if he becomes champion the he may have to defend his title to Souza. "Will you take me?"

He nodded to Adri. "Yeah. I'm going to try to shower." It was ribs in the middle so it was painful doing anything. He got up going to his locker room to shower. Luke unwrapped his hands before Jake grabbed his underwear and went in to shower. Undressing was horrendous pain. He screamed out in pain a bit, feeling embarrassed for it. He could use help he fought through it. "Luke? Is Age back." He called out after he shut the water off.

Adri and the medic left at the same time and he looked at her, "When you take him in, get a head CT too. It could be nothing but it's best to be on the safe side." Adri nodded her head and went out to Amy and her brother's, "So I have to take him to the ER to make sure his ribs aren't puncturing anything. You guys go to the after party and we will meet you there later on, okay? Have fun." She gave her brother's a kiss and then Amy and John. John wanted to go to the ER with them so he was coming with. Amy and Luke were going to escort Adri's brothers to the party."

When she walked back into the locker room, Luke looked at her, "He's going to need some help. He's been asking for you." She nodded her head and went back to the shower area.

"Hey handsome." She smiled and unzipped her dress. She kicked her shoes off and walked into the stall with him. "You know how you should know this is true love?" She asked him, "I'm risking my hair and makeup for you." She teased and grabbed the sponge, "Let's get you cleaned up. Souza wants to talk to you and then we can go to the hospital. I figured you wouldn't want the ambulance ride so I am driving you."

She put some soap on the sponge and rubbed him gently. She didn't want to hurt him anymore than he was.

He looked at her. He had a defeated look on his face. "I'm sorry you have to help. I tried to get it on my own. I'm more worried about getting dressed." He chuckled but groaned. "Don't make me laugh." He smiled but groaned.

"Thank you Adri. No, I just want you to take me." Once he was clean he used her help to get his boxer briefs on. "I'm just putting my warm ups on. It will be easier and more comfortable." He walked to the locker room to get dressed.

He sat down for a second trying to breathe. "Fuck...this sucks. I never had it feel like this." He looked at her a second. "Baby..." He pointed to his shoes.

"Jake, this is my job and it will be your job if something happens to me. Let's be honest though, you are more prone to needing help than I am. Ask for help when you need it. I'll be there." She promised and gave him a kiss.

She took her time cleaning him off so he wasn't in too much pain. She dried him off gently and then slipped him into his boxers and warm up gear like he wanted. It was probably best anyways. The pants didn't have metal on them so he could keep them on. The jacket would have to come off when he went into the machine.

She started packing up his stuff until he called her. She walked over to him and put his socks on then some slip on Adidas sandals. "Something tells me you'll be wearing these a lot." She finished packing him up and then she put her dress back on and her shoes. There was a on the door and she opened it to a crack and then a little more to let Souza in.

"Congratulations. Glad to know you got beat up too though." He admitted and held his hand out to shake Jake's. "And congratulations to you as well." He said to Adri. "Beautiful ring."

It meant a lot to him that she saw it that way already. "Thank you baby."

He kept his arm by his ribs like he was still protecting it. "I thought we were supposed to check somewhere off our list?" He asked with a question when she got dressed.

When Souza came in he got up and shook his hand. "Yeah well it was by no means an easy fight. You fought a good fight. I'm sure I'll see you in the cage again." Jake smiled at his comment about the ring. He had to admit he did good with it. "I hope your head feels better than my ribs tomorrow."

After Souza left, Jake said he was ready. He grabbed his bag and put it on the opposite shoulder. Just walking to the car made it hard to breathe. Something felt wrong but wasn't going to say anything to Adri and worry her. "Can ee stop at Chipotle?" He smiled they may be closed when 2e get out of the ER.

"With you in that much pain? I don't think so. I can wait. We both can." She told him.

"We will probably feel like old men that can't get out of bed." He laughed.

Adri took the bag from Jake and fished her car keys out of her purse. She looked at Jake and thought about going to chipotle. She sighed and rolled her eyes, "Fine. Order your burrito and out an extra one in the order for me." She sighed and drove to the nearest chipotle

"You know I really hate your job sonetimes." She said softly and rubbed his cheek. "You're lucky I love you Boo." She kissed his cheek and went to get their food. She handed him a burrito to eat now and she could wait to eat hers. She drove them to the hospital and helped him get out.

"Do you want a wheelchair?" She asked in complete seriousness. He was hurt and she couldn't carry him. She wasn't going to drag him through the hospital either. She could push him in a wheelchair and it would be fun.

He shrugged, "I don't know...you've waited a whole week." He teased.

"You are probably right. I'm sure I'm not going to want to move." He smiled.

"Baby you are the best fiance ever. No wonder I wanted to make you Mrs. Drifter." He smiled and ordered their burritos. "I'm sorry babe." He tried to hurry and eat it before they got to the hospital.

Jake looked at her like she was crazy when he got out of the car. "I have broken ribs Adge. Not a broken leg. I'm okay. I'm going to pretend you didn't ask that. If I can walk, you bet your ass I'm walking and not sitting in a wheelchair." He carried her burrito in so she could eat it while they waited. He figured they'd wait a bit. That's why he needed food. He told the front desk who he was and he needed to get checked for potential broken ribs. They gave him paperwork to fill out and told him to sit in the waiting room. He sat down filling out the paperwork. After he was done he turned it back in. They said they'd be with him shortly. He sat back down. Almost an hour passes and they haven't moved from the waiting room.

She shrugged her shoulder, "I was hoping you would just say yes. How much fun would it be to go as fast as possible down the hospital floors? Or a wheelchair race? I guess we will never know." She pouted and walked with him into the hospital.

Since she had neater handwriting and she needed something to do, she took the paperwork and filled it out for him. When that was filled out, she handed it back to the nurse and sat back down. She took a few selfies for snapchat and used the filters to make the time pass faster but it still felt like they were waiting too long.

"I should have taken you to a private practice. You'd be in and out in no time." She sighed. When they were recognized, a nurse told another nurse and the word spread and suddenly a chief of surgery came down and looked and walked over to them. They were taken to a special VIP area and given a private wait room. From there it was pretty quick. They did the same tests the medic took and then took him to get X-rays. When they took him, Adri stopped them, "I was advised that he needed a head CT as well." She told the doctor and by the look of Jake's eye, the doctor nodded and took him away after Adri gave him a kiss and went back to sit in the room he was given.

"Knowing my luck you would take some old person out or crash and I'd be in more pain." Jake smiled and kissed her shoulder.

If she wanted to fill out his paperwork, he let her. She knew all the answers anyway from being his assistant. He looked on his phone at any news about the fight.

"Babe it's late on a Saturday night. It's okay..." He let out a sigh when he got taken to a private room. He didn't want the special treatment. What if someone came in with a more important than his injuries. When she mentioned a CT scan of his head Jake squinted his eyes at her. Why did they tell her that and not him. He was annoyed. And why didn't she tell him.

He had the CT scan done first to allow time to read it, then did the X-rays. They both were uncomfortable. When they were done he went back to his room. "Why didn't you tell me?" He asked her quietly.

The doctor came in. "Well I have good news and bad news. You have a concussion. That's pretty apparent. That's actually the better news. You know the drill on those." Jake nodded. "But you have two cracked ribs and one completely broken. The one that's broken punctured your lung, which caused it to collapse. That's why you are having a hard time breathing. I want to admit you a day or so. I want to put a chest tube in to let the pressure out. It actually goes in on the side of your chest, like under the armpit. Any questions?"

"How long before I can start training again?" Jake asked. The doctor smiled, "Well, I can't give a definite right now. It depends how well the chest tube works. You'd have to follow up with your family doctor. But a good month I would say." Jake looked at Adri and let out a breath.

"Because I didn't want you to freak out. Because he said it could be nothing but I'm glad it was done. You Mr Macho man, wouldn't have asked for a head ct." She told him and rubbed her lips together when the doctor came in.

How many concussions have you had in the past?" She asked. She wanted to know what were the lasting effects of this concussion. If he had a bunch in the past it could affect his future mental health.

She bit her tongue but just let it out, "You're going to survive not training. You just won a fight. Dana isn't going to throw you into a title fight right now. You can afford a month to let your body heal and you aren't going to whine about it and ask me if you can work out or go for a run everyday either." She told him now so she wouldn't have to get annoyed with it later.

She smiled at his doctor, "When ever you guys are ready." She held her hand out for Jake to hold and squeeze if the pain became too much. She kissed his forehead and sat down next to him.

"I think I have a right to know about my own health Adge."

Jake tried to think of how many concussions he had. "I don't know for sure. Maybe four including this one." The doctor looked at Adri, he understood why she was asking. Jake knew why she was asking.

"I didn't say a word about not being able to train for a month. But Adri, that's my job. I'm so close. I need to be training. Even if I'm not fighting, I should be staying in shape and training. Even if you don't have a shoot you still work out and diet. It's no different." He gave her something to think about with that. It was no different.

The doctor told him he needed to take his shirt off and Jake had Adri help him. He had to lay back and a nurse came in to help the doctor. "I know it's going to hurt but I need you to put your arm up out of the way." His left arm went up over the pillow. "I'll get the paperwork started. You guys are welcome to stay here or we can move you to a different room." The doctor numbed and cleaned the area that he put the tube in. "Do not wrap your ribs. It will make it worse. Just let it heal on it's own. I can get you something for the pain. I'm going to put you on oxygen too until the lung re inflates."

Jake looked at Adri. "Good thing we got Chipotle first." He smiled. The doctor wanted him started on an IV and also pain medicine. Once they got him on oxygen and the tube set and were fianlly alone he looked at Adri. "I feel they are making too much of a fuss..."

She nodded her head and thought about what it could mean. It didn't change anything now but who knew what Jake would be like in his forties and fifties.

"I know it's your job but this is your life. You can say goodbye to everything if you don't have a lung to live with. Do you know how lon transplants take? Do you know what your life would be like living on a transplant list? This is your life. This is what matters. One month is nothing compared to never being able to fight again." She let him sit with that and rolled her eyes.

"You have a collapsed lung Jake. That's nothing to scoff at. You have lacerations in your lung and its filling with blood. If they didn't catch it you have died. If we went to the after party or went home you could have died next to me." She felt like he wasn't taking it seriously because he wanted to look like a macho man.

Eileen had gotten on his case from day one about being punch drunk when he was older. He shrugged it off. He felt invincible. But now he had Adri and Owen to think about more now. He wouldn't let this knock him down though, he was going to become champion.

Jake closed his eyes and let out a little sigh. He then looked at her and was going to tell her not to lecture him but instead let it go. She was probably really worried about him.

"Baby...I know it's a collapsed lung. I didn't need this private room. Or special treatment. That's all I meant. I'm sorry if it came across differently." He moved over. "Come here. Come sit with me." He wrapped his arm around her. "Hey, I'm okay." His other hand rested on her cheek. "I love you." His thumb caressed her cheek. "This is rare. It doesn't happen all the time. I promise."

Rolled her eyes at his attitude and crossed her arms over her chest. He was making it out like he didn't care, why should she? Because if she didn't then he would be dead in bed next to her one of these days.

"You're in pain and you have a tube in your chest. Do you really want to be in a different room where fans can take pictures and ask for autographs and not let you rest? No you don't. Let's get these few days over with so you can lay down in bed."

She looked at him and rubbed her lips together, "I have to tell everyone that you won't be making it to the after party." She said softly and made a couple calls. She sent her brothers a group message that said Jake was in the hospital and wouldn't be able to hang out with them tomorrow. She asked her mother if she could keep Owen a little longer and possibly bring him by tomorrow.

When she came back into the room she sat on the bed and put on his jacket. "Do you need anything from home? I'll go to the car and grab the burritos while you are sleeping. I wasn't expecting you to get admitted." She said softly.

Jake understood where she was coming from about being in a room with people bothering him. He just didn't want to be a jerk celebrity that expected special treatment.

He knew when she went to leave to call everyone she was upset. He couldn't lose his biggest supporter. When she came back he looked at her.

"I'm sorry we had to skip the party. How is Owen? You're brothers upset about not being able to spend time together tomorrow?" He held his hand out. "Baby just put on my extra clothes in the bag...they are clean. You can go tomorrow. Stay with me."

"I don't care about the party Jake." She said softly. "Owens fine. He's sleeping. It's a good thing I took max over there with Owen. My brothers aren't upset. Everyone just wants you to get better soon." She told him and zipped up his jacket.

"I'm fine like this. If I get too cold I'll put on the pants." She agreed to stay but when he went to sleep she was going to get the burritos because she was starving. Jake didn't want her to leave though so she'd stay.

She walked to the bathroom and washed her face of the make up. It didn't feel right doing it with soap and water but it was better than sleeping in it. She put her hair up in a messy bun and came back in the room and sat on the recliner again.

"Yeah. I wouldn't want him home alone. Plus he likes your parents and to be with his brother. Before long his baby brother will be bigger than he is." Jake had to lay on his back. It was awkward.

"Baby, I brought your burrito in with us." He pointed at his bags. "I ate half of mine." He let her get comfortable.

Jake reached for her hand. "Hey...I didn't tell you, you looked hot tonight. My girl is sexy. Mmm." He kissed her hand. "Will you turn ESPN on? I can't see it but can hear it. We should probably let Dana know in the morning." He watched her.

"Baby...talk to me. What's wrong?"