That Loving Older Brother Feeling

It didn't hit him almost ten months ago, when his step-father had up and left his mother and him in their tiny cold apartment in the middle of the night. It didn't hit him when almost eight months ago, he had been sat down by his newly divorced mother before wrestling and was told that there was going to be another mouth to feed at their tiny excuse for a dinner table. It didn't hit him when last night his mother had gone into labour during wrestling and he had to ask his neighbour to drive them to the nearest hospital before his mother gave birth to the tiny person in front of him in their bath tub, but on this day, May 1st, 1983, a mere five hours after his mother finally gave birth, did the news finally hit him. As he looked through the hospital nursery window with his best friend, Jay Reso, did Adam Copeland finally comprehend that he was a big brother; a big brother to a very tiny and very pink little sister.

"Adam, you okay, dude," Jay asked him, as he stood beside him looking down at the small baby in front of them. Adam looked at his friend and smiled slightly.

"Yeah, it's just, you know, I have a little sister," Adam answered. Jay looked at Adam and then looked down at the very tiny and very pink baby girl in front of them. He had a couple of sisters himself, but it was quite obvious to Jay that Adam had no idea how to deal with this. After all, it had just been him and his mother for most of his life.

"Yeah, a little sister," Jay said, "She's kind of pinkish isn't she…" Adam looked at his new sister.

"Yeah…"

"Does she have a name, yet?"

"I'm not sure," Adam answered, "I haven't seen my mom yet. She was really tired after giving birth. The only reason I know that she's my sister is because the card on the crib says our name." Jay looked at the small card.

"Wow, she's tiny," Jay said, "Five pounds."

"Adam," called an elderly gentleman, as he walked towards them. Adam looked down the hall to see his grandfather walking towards them. The elderly man walked slowly towards the pair before stopping in front of the nursery window to look down at his newest granddaughter. She looked so beautiful.

"Happy to be a big brother," Mr. Copeland asked. Adam shrugged in response.

"I dunno," he answered, "Like I know I'm a big brother, but I dunno, I guess it just hasn't sunk in-hey, wait, where are they taking her?" Adam watched as a nurse walked into the nursery and wheeled his little sister out and down the hall. Mr. Copeland watched as Adam's demeanor changed from one of indifference to very protective.

"Relax, junior," Mr. Copeland said, "They're taking her to your mother. Would you like to see them?" Adam quickly nodded. Mr. Copeland laughed, before leading Jason and Adam towards the maternity ward room in which Judy Copeland was resting. Adam was wringing his hands as they walked. Jason noticed out of the corner of his eye.

"Are you okay, man," Jason asked, as the pair stopped in front of the room Adam's grandfather had led them to. Adam shook his head.

"What if she doesn't like me," Adam asked, "Or what if she takes all of my mom's attention?" Jason placed a hand on his best friend's shoulder.

"Dude, she's what five hours old? You are going to be the least of her worries," Jason assured him, "And your mom loves you man, she'll never forget about you." Adam smiled at his friend.

"This never leaves this hallway, understand," Adam asked.

"Yeah, sure, whatever dude," Jason answered and both boys entered the hospital room. Once they were inside, Adam looked towards where his mother was lying and began to walk towards her. In his mother's arms, he could see his little sister lying there, looking around the world with most amazing bright blue eyes, he had ever seen.

"Adam, come here," his mother beckoned and he came closer, looking slightly hesitant. Adam stood beside the bed and looked down at the tiny and pink girl in his mother's arms. She looked up at him and something inside Adam swelled. A large smile began to spread across his face.

"Adam, I would like you to meet your sister," Judy said, "Rayleigh Marie." Adam continued to look at down at Rayleigh, his large smile still on his face. Both siblings looked at one another and suddenly as if by some miracle little Rayleigh knew exactly who he was, she reached for him. She reached her tiny little fist out towards and made to grab at him. Adam smiled.

"Do you want to hold her," his mother asked, looking at the exchange between the two half-siblings. Adam looked up at his mother with wide eyed surprise.

"N-no, I'm g-good," he stuttered.

"Come on, Adam," she told him, "It's okay, you can hold her if you want to." Adam looked at his mother and then down at the tiny, little, pink bundle in her arms. She looked so tiny and so fragile. She looked like she was one of the most breakable things in the world.

"Adam," Judy asked, "Do you want to hold her?"

"W-what if…if I drop h-her," Adam asked nervously, his eyes not moving from his baby sister. Judy smiled at him and shook her head affectionately.

"It's okay, Adam," Judy said, "Why don't you pull up a chair and you're grandfather can show you how to hold her." Adam continued to look at Rayleigh as he thought about it. He wouldn't be able to get away with not helping his mom, after all, she was going to need his help to take care of her. Adam nodded his head, grabbing a chair to sit beside his mom.

"Okay," Adam said, "I can hold her now."

"Ad-d," Rayleigh stuttered, as she sat in front of her brother and his best friend as they continued to encourage her to say Adam. Rayleigh had already accomplished words like mama and pops, hell, she had even accomplished the word kitty, while trying to chase down Mrs. Ryan's old cat from next door, but she had yet to say Adam. And Adam was beginning to get jealous.

"She'll say it, sooner or later," his mother would tell him, but as he and Jason sat in the living room on this cold and rainy day in Orangeville, they were both determined to get her to say Adam.

"Come on, Sunray, Ad-am," Jason annunciated for the little girl, "Ad-am." Rayleigh looked at her older brother's best friend leaning her head to one side, the look on her face clearly reading that of confusion.

"Ad-d," Rayleigh said, once more causing Adam and Jason to both put their heads into their hands. It was proving harder and harder to actually get her to say it. Jason started chuckling slightly, causing Adam to look at him.

"What are you laughing at," Adam asked, looking at his best friend clearly confused at what he thought was so funny.

"Ad-d," Jason stated, "It looks like you've got a nickname. You call her Ray-bear and she calls you Ad-d." Adam looked at his best friend once more.

"Jay, I don't mean to, um, insult you, but," Adam paused, "You're insane."

"Not as insane as you are, Ad-d," Jason teased sitting down crossed legged into front of Rayleigh, who had now started playing with the teddy bear that Adam had bought for her with the money from his paper route.

"Yeah, well, I can't wait until we start teaching her how to say your name," Adam said, walking into the kitchen to get Rayleigh's mid-day snack, "I'd love to see what she comes up with." Jason chuckled.

"Jay-son," Jason said, looking at Rayleigh, but the little girl completely ignored him, looking down at her teddy bear. Jason huffed. Rayleigh Marie Copeland was a stubborn little toddler. It was obvious that she was already taking after her big brother and no one was going to make her learn a word that she didn't want to.

"Ada," Rayleigh said, looking down at her teddy bear causing Jason to look at her. Jason tilted his head and looked at the brunette toddler in front of him.

"What did you say Sunray," Jason asked, causing Adam to poke his head out from the kitchen.

"What," Adam asked, "What did she say?"

"It sounded like she was saying Ada," Jason explained, still looking at the oblivious toddler in front of him. Adam walked out of the kitchen and towards where the pair sat. Leaning down he looked at the small toddler.

"What did you say, Ray-bear," Adam asked, causing the little girl to look up at him with her big blue eyes.

"Ada," she repeated, throwing her hands up towards him. Adam smiled slightly and picked up Rayleigh placing her gently on his hip.

"Ada-m," Adam annunciated once more for the small girl. Rayleigh pursed her lips and looked at him. She was clearly annoyed with him. Adam chuckled at her facial expression and just shook his head.

"Ada-m," he annunciated for her once more. Rayleigh looked at Adam and quickly grabbed his blonde locks in her small hands.

"Ow," Adam said, as Rayleigh pulled on his blonde hair, causing Jason to start to laugh.

"What are you laughin' at Jay," Adam said, "She's strong for a toddler." Jay continued to laugh looking at the two siblings.

"Dude, how strong can she actually-ow," Jason shouted, cutting himself off. Rayleigh had managed to grab his short hair as well in her strong fists. Adam was right, she was strong for a toddler.

"Okay, Raybear, you have my attention-ow, what is that you want," Adam asked his little sister, as she continued to pull on his blonde hair.

"Ada," Rayleigh stated once more, "Down." Adam chuckled and placed the small girl on the floor, but still she did not let go of their hair.

"Rayleigh," Jason said, "Let go."

"No."

"I knew you shouldn't have taught her that word," Jason said, looking Adam. Adam was trying to pry his hair out of Rayleigh's chubby little hands, but was having a hard time doing so.

"It's a good word to learn," Adam argued, "If she starts using it now, she'll have no problem using it on guys when she's older."

"Yeah, but the only guys she knows now, Adam, is us," Jason pointed out, "And right now, all that word has gotten her, is the grip of our hair and I still don't know how she has a hold of-ow-mine." Rayleigh giggled at the two older boys.

"Mine," she shouted gleefully.

"No," Adam said, finally freeing his hair from her grip and was now trying to free Jason, "My hair. You have your own." Rayleigh pouted at him and gripped onto Jason's hair harder.

"Ow," Jason shouted, "Can you try not to contradict her when she still has my hair in her unnaturally strong grip."

"My Jay," Rayleigh said, now releasing Jason's hair and grabbing onto Jason's neck. Both boys chuckled. Apparently she seemed the think that Jason was hers and no one else's and it didn't look like she was willingly going to let go of Jason anytime soon.

"Oh, yeah," Adam said, a slight smile on his face, "He's yours?" Rayleigh nodded and continued to clutch onto Jason's neck. Both of the boys chuckled once more, before they both began to tickle her stomach. Rayleigh shrieked with laughter, letting go of Jason as the pair of boys tickled her.

"Adam, no," she whined, but still the pair carried on. Adam had a large smile on his face, as he continued to tickle his younger sister. She had finally and he meant, finally, said his name. He was so proud.

"You ready, Ray," Adam said, coming up behind her as they both waited in the back. She was premiering tonight and neither of them could tell who was happier, though Jason had a feeling that it was probably Rayleigh.

"As ready as I'll ever be," she told him. After weeks and weeks of build up, of Adam and Jason getting mysterious phone calls, it was here, she was finally here. Adam hugged her shoulders and smiled at her.

"You'll do great," he told her. Rayleigh smiled.

"Yeah," Rayleigh agreed, "It's just distracting David, so you can win, what could possibly go wrong? Oh yeah, I could be the victim a very cold blood bath!" Both Jay and Adam chuckled. She scowled at them.

"He's not going to blood bath you," Adam assured her, "You know, he's supposed to act very surprised. He doesn't know that you're 'alive' remember?"

"Yeah, I know, but things go wrong all the time," Rayleigh answered, brushing her finger through her long, loose, blonde hair.

"Nothing's going to go wrong," Jay answered, pulling his white shirt on, "Just stand behind the barricade like your suppose to and when David sees you, do what we practiced."

"The hair flip," Rayleigh asked, "I'll do it anyway. You both know I hate my sticking to my head, it's too damn flat." Adam chuckled and handed her the sunglasses that she was supposed to wear.

"Everything will be fine," Adam told her, "I'd never let anything happen to you anyway."

Edge jumped over the railing and sped towards the ring tackling Gangrel to the ground. Weeks of turmoil had built up between the two and now for the first time in weeks, Edge had the upper hand; a little secret in his back pocket. Not many people were aware of the fact that Edge & Christian had a little sister…in fact the only people that knew were no longer among the living…okay, so maybe the Undertaker knew…he is the deadman after all.

Christian had followed Edge out to ringside, but didn't dare step near the ring. This was Edge's fight and he would only get involved when it came to her. That little puff of blonde hair sitting near the barricade, not far from where he was standing now.

"There's been some dissention between the Brood as of late, King," JR commented as the two gentleman continued to fight in the ring, "It seems as though Gangrel is losing control of the two young men in front of us as of late."

"Oh please," King denied, "Edge is just jealous of the fact that Gangrel is more popular than him."

"I think as of late, King, Edge is more popular- and what a devastating move," JR cut across himself.

"By Gangrel," King said.

"Yes, by Gangrel," JR agreed, but then something happened. Gangrel stood from where he was watching Edge intently.

"What's happening," King asked, as the entire stadium watched him look at the young blonde sitting near the barricade looking entirely bored with the entire match. Lifting her sunglasses slightly she noticed Gangrel looking at her before quickly turning with a flip of her hair. Gangrel watched her leave looking extremely confused. How could she be here? She should have died in the accident that had killed Edge and Christian's parents. How did she find them? Before Gangrel could get his bearings back, Edge came up behind him and hit him with a devastating DDT before pinning him for the win.

Edge smirked down at Gangrel as the blonde that he had been starring at returned jumping over the barricade with some help from Christian. The entire crowd watched in awe as the three stood inside the ring looking down at Gangrel.

Gangrel sat up slowly looking at the young, shorter blonde that now stood in between his two former stable members.

"What is she doing here," he asked, a slight hiss in his voice.

"What do you mean, what am I doing here," she hissed back at him, "My brothers should have known better than to trust the likes of you, you vampire." Gangrel continued to watch in awe as the three exited the ring. No one in the audience knew who she was, but the word, brothers, gave them a clue.

"I'm going to start pulling my hair out over you two," Rayleigh complained, as once again her brother and his best friend had gotten themselves involved into yet another TLC match at Wrestle Mania.

"No, you're not," Adam said with a slight smirk on his face, "You love us too much to start pulling your hair out." Jason, who was standing slightly behind him looking at himself in her dressing room mirror, just shook his head at the two Copeland siblings. As of late this conversation had become a staple in their lives. Rayleigh drove herself crazy with worry with each TLC match they attempted and once the most recent match was over, she would go back to her normal way of life until the next one was announced.

"Daredevils," she muttered under her breath, "Why did my two brothers have to be daredevils? How would you like it, if I got involved in a TLC match with Trish and Amy?" Both men laughed in response causing Rayleigh to grumble at the reaction of the two elder men.

"You aren't allowed to be involved in TLC matches," Adam said very seriously, "You could get hurt."

"You could get hurt," Rayleigh repeated, "Hi Mr. Hypocrite, my name's Rayleigh." Adam looked at his sister un-amused.

"I'm serious Ray, you could very hurt and I don't want you to get involve-"

"They already asked you to get involved in our match at Wrestle Mania, didn't they," Jason said, cutting across Adam. Rayleigh looked at Jason with a slight smile on her face, but it was then that Adam started shaking his head.

"No," he stated, "No, no, no and no, you are not getting involved in this TLC match. Amy, Spike and Rhyno are already involved, I'm not allowing-"

"You don't have to allow me to do anything, Adam," she told him very seriously, "Creative has already asked me and if it allows me to not have to pull my hair out for the entirety of the match, even if it does mean getting slightly knocked out, then that's what's going to happen." Adam didn't look entirely happy with the idea.

"If someone so much as Swanton bombs you, I'm kicking faces in," Adam told her and Rayleigh just shook her head slightly with a smile on her face.

"I wouldn't expect it any other way."

A/N: Found this on my computer and thought it would be a good little one-shot for everyone to see the brother and sister relationship between Adam and Rayleigh a little bit more. I hope you enjoyed it. Don't forget to leave a review and check out (in order, but it doesn't matter if they're read in order or not) Broken & Healed, It Was You and Not Ready for Love.

xo