8-09-02

"Looking Glass"

By: Lonely Raven

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Distribution: just ask

Feedback: Would be highly appreciated.

DISCLAIMER: I do not own The Hurricane, Chris Jericho, the Rock and Shannon Moore, although I wish I did. :) I do own Amie so leave my bar-tender alone!!! This story is based loosely around the song "Brandy, You're A Fine Girl" by the Looking Glass. That song was my little muse for this story. So enjoy.

Amie stood at the bar serving drinks just like on any other night but she a had feeling. A good feeling about this night. Something was going to happen. As the wary wrestlers started coming in pumped up on adrenaline to celebrate their wins, she smiled. Most of them would get drunk and their friends would have to carry them back to their hotels.

"Hey, Amie!" Only one person had the audacity to call her out like that. She rolled her eyes playfully as Chris Jericho and the Rock came over.

"You still not married yet?" Chris grinned as she served him and his bud the usual.

"You got your titles back yet?" She muttered with a faint smile as the Rock started laughing.

"That was un-called for. And what are you laughing at Dwayne?" Chris muttered as she smirked.

"No it wasn't." She smiled. "Now let me ask you this, Chris. If some handsome man, came and swept me off my feet, he probably wouldn't want me working in this bar, and then who would you have to slip you free drinks when you've left your wallet in your room?"

"She does have a point." Dwayne laughed.

"Yeah, yeah, it's just that a nice girl like her should be tucked away somewhere..." Chris smiled.

"With kids?" Amie shuddered.

"Not exactly. with a house full of kids but..." Chris started thinking. "Put it like this, if I weren't married, which I am, you would be enough to make me give up the whole business and really settle down."

Amie blushed, "Aren't you settled down now?"

Dwayne got the indication she was making and elbowed Chris in the ribs, "Yeah, aren't you settled down now?"

"Of course I am, I mean I don't go around sleeping with people." Amie raised an eyebrow. "I'm a faithful man. This ring means something to me and so does my wife."

"Chris, what exactly are you trying to say then?" Amie asked waiting on another customer.

"When I say settle down, I mean have a family with. You're a special girl and I know I'm not the only one who's noticed." Chris stated seriously.

"Well, tell that to Shane. He thinks I'm special but not quite that special." She smiled sadly touching the locket around her neck.

"I don't understand why you waste your time with him. You could have anyone of these guys you wanted and you wait for him." Chris muttered in disgust, not at her but the object of her dismay.

"He is right." Dwayne agreed downing his beer.

"Is he in town tonight?" She asked casually.

"Yeah..." Dwayne watched the way her face rose.

"Well, happy waiting, Sweetness. We'll catch you later tonight if we're not drunk." Chris smiled as she playfully punched him.

Amie would wait all night for him if that's what it took. She was fool but a fool in love and that had to count for something. Then she saw a flash of green and squealed excitedly, this just might be the night. He might stop being so self-righteous and just return her love fully. She pulled out her pocket mirror and checked her reflection, she looked flushed and her hair was falling out of its bun. She quickly re-did it and waited.

Finally, after what seemed forever he walked up to the bar with his long-haired friend, Shannon.

"Hey, Amie." Shannon smiled sitting down.

"Hi..." She smiled but it wasn't for Shannon it was for Shane as he smiled back.

He reached across the bar and gave her one those hugs she loved and a kiss.

"I missed you." She whispered near to tears.

"I missed you, too." He sighed into her hair.

"This is all sweet and romantic but can a guy get a beer?" Shannon muttered before making hurling sounds.

"Ah, yes, sorry about that, Shannon." She blushed as Shane reluctantly released her. She quickly poured him and Shannon a drink. "So tell me, what happened tonight..."

That was all he needed as he started energetically re-living the past events that night. She could feel the hard unyielding ring, the air above the ring when you soared for those precious seconds, the humor of trying to choke-slam two guys twice your size, the pain of landing on your butt with no padding, and of course the sweetness of victory.

Amie's eyes never left his face once as her re-told his tell with side-notes from Shannon here and there. She loved to hear and watch him talk, he always got lost in a world of his own.

"I wish I could have been there, Shane but it feels like I had." She sighed contentedly, his presence alone made her little world content. Shannon had left by then to go socialize.

They just stared in each other's eyes for a moment, "You re-dyed your hair." She stated suddenly causing him to smile.

"Yeah...it was fading...I don't understand why I let that Hardy talk me into ever dying it in the first place." He laughed.

"I think it looks good on you." She commented. "So how long are you in town tonight?"

"I can't stay. We have to be in the next city by tomorrow afternoon to do promotions and then the next night we perform." He sighed.

"Oh..." She was clearly disappointed. "Wish I could be there..."

"You're making me feel guilty." He muttered.

"Sorry...it's just that I rarely see you anymore...and I just miss you so much when you go...don't you ever get any time off?" She stated.

"Amie, I miss you too but I've told you I just can't stay, I have a job to do." He was clearly not happy.

"Don't you love me?" She asked, as another girl came to take over the shift.

"What kind of question is that?" He was shocked.

"I mean you come here every time you're in town, always saying you can't stay and I try to understand but I can't, Shane, I honestly can't...not when I have guys like Chris and Dwayne telling me how special I am and how any guy would give up everything just to have me in their arms...every guy but you...Shane...the one I want..." She was near to tears as she joined him on the other side of the bar.

"You know how I feel about you, Amie." Shane placed a hand on her shoulder.

"What's the problem then? I just don't understand and I'm tired of pretending I do." She fought the tears back down but there was hurt in her voice. She wouldn't look at him.

"I love you, I do, Amie but...the ring is my home and the only love of my life I can have right now." He whispered squeezing her shoulder.

"I have to go, Shane." She sniffled. Before he could stop her, she had grabbed her jacket and purse and was out the bar.

"You're a fool, Helms." A voice behind him muttered.

"A total assclown..." Another mumbled.

Shane rolled his eyes, "She should understand."

"No, you should. You don't find a girl like Amie everyday man. A girl whose willing to give up every thing simply because she loves you." Chris glared. "She sits in this stupid damn town every day of the year man and just wait for you to come around. You, a man who doesn't love her enough to a be a man and make her his. I don't get you, she's a great woman."

"Well, why aren't you with her?" Shane snapped.

"One, because he's married. Two, because for some reason unknown to us all, she loves you." Dwayne grumbled. "One day, you're going to come back to this bar, sit on this stool, and one day she just might not be here."

"You don't even know what you're talking about." Shane snapped. "I just don't want to break her heart. I don't want her waiting for me, I don't want her worrying night after night if it might be my last as a wrestler. I don't want that. I don't want to put her through that."

"You ass-clown..." Chris was so shocked he was speechless, which was first in his life.

Dwayne shook his head, "Don't you get it." He smacked Shane's head. "The first moment you walked into her life and said hi, she worried about you. When you left she waited for you, she even waits now. You're breaking her heart now. You are putting her through something, heartache. And what's sad is your too dumb to see it. Every girl will not wait for you, man."

"A ring is not going to seal your fate. It won't make life harder, it'll only get easier. She'll always worry about you, man. The moment she fell in love with you caused her pain because she knew she couldn't have you completely..." Chris was lost for words again. "You're an idiot...you should be chasing her down right night, begging her to forgive you for the ass-clown you are, begging for one more chance."

"What?" Shane was stunned.

"We said, go after her, apologize and make things right." Dwayne snapped.

"If you don't want her to wait take her with you or something, cause if I see her again and she's crying I'm coming after you and no this isn't Jericho talking trash, this is Irvine, it's me. I keep promises and you better believe I'll keep this one." Chris glared before leaving.

"He keeps his promises." Dwayne toasted Shane's glass before following after his friend.

Shane sat in silence absorbing every thing Dwayne and Chris had said. They did have a point. He was putting her through more torture by not giving her what she wanted. He felt horrible. Now that he thought about he had no real reason except for fear...but fear of what? Amie loved him with all her heart and he loved her the same. So why was he being so difficult? He smacked his forehead. He was going to lose her over his own stupidity. He had to talk to her. Shane got up and left the bar, he started walking. His mind was wondering so he didn't exactly know where he was going but his heart knew the way and his feet followed. He found himself in front of Amie's apartment building.

"I'm not letting her go." He stated determinedly. He walked inside and knocked on her door.

Amie snatched the door open, "What?" She wondered who would be knocking on her door this time of night.

There was a pull at Shane's heart as he stared at her tear stained face. Her eyes were red from crying.

She wiped her eyes on her shirt quickly, "I'm sorry, Shane."

"No, I'm sorry, Amie...I'm such an..." He searched for the right word as her face lit up with surprise. "...ass-clown...I never meant to break your heart or hurt you. I never realized how much my trying to protect you could just hurt you even more. I understand if you never want to have anything to do with me again but I want you to know I love you, Amanda and I always will."

He hadn't payed much attention to her expression as he babbled but as he looked her now, she had the most serene smile on her lips.

"Ass-clown, huh?" The smiled stayed in place. "Even if I wanted to leave you, that one word would do it."

"That's it?" He asked raising an eyebrow.

"Oh and the fact that I love you more than life itself." Her smiled widened as he grinned.

"I won't make you any promises, Amie, when the time is right we'll both know." He pulled her into his arms.

"I don't need a promise, anymore, Shane. That's all I need to know for now." She kissed his lips.

"Now go pack."

"Why?"

"I have to leave tonight and you're going with me, so go pack." He smiled as her eyes lit up.

Amie allowed him to enter into the apartment and closed the door. Shane "the Hurricane" Helms smiled to himself as he watched his girlfriend scurry about the apartment packing things. They now had a new beginning. Things were different and one day they would take that giant step but the thought was all Shane and Amie needed for now.

Fin