hello all and welcome to another splendid addition to my WWE fanfics! this is a sequel, but reading my first story isn't required for understanding, although it is highly recommended. now, please keep your hands, feet, and other appendages you wish to remain in place inside the vehicle at all times and enjoy the ride. i know i will!

Ruby Dust

When the Wedding Bells Ring

Chapter One

I was late. Not I-showered-too-long-then-got-hopelessly-stuck-in-traffic late. More like I'm-gunna-sue-the-ever-loving-pants-off-that-goddam-condom-company late. A bit brash, I admit, but I was already so aggravated I could put a hole through the wall. I didn't need this. Not now. Not in the middle of planning my wedding.

I got that news early in the morning, remembering that it had been twenty-eight days since my last visit from my uncle T.O.M. (see footnote), give or take a day. Thank God JC hadn't been there to see my meltdown, because he would surely have passed out. No, it was Monday, we all know Monday's mean a show. I will state once again, THANK GOD!

It took a couple hours for the initial shock to subside, then I decided I would wait a couple days before I made any sort of decision about anything. I would let myself relax for a couple more days, then I would worry about it. Until then I would continue calling caterers, going to dress fittings, and making the other necessary preparations one needs to take to have the ultimate wedding. Let's hope.

oOoOoOo

The phone rang about four times before I picked it up. Well, four times before I even had any thoughts of picking it up. Forcing the eyelid of my right eye open, and burying the other deeper in my pillow, I searched the dark room for the flashing red light from the alarm clock. It blinked back at me, blinding me for a moment until I could get a clear read out.

12 am.

I was going to kill whoever was on the other end of that phone. If only I could develop telekinetic powers within the next several seconds. Damn.

It continued it's shrill ring until my fist found the corner of the receiver and knocked it from it's base. On the other end, a high booming voice repeated mine over and over again. It continued to call for me until I pushed the covers aside, and nearly fell out of bed to find it. "Whoever this is, it better be good, jack off!"

"Acelynn?" It was Linda McMahon.

Shit!

"Mrs. McMahon, I'm sorry about that...I was just...and then you...you... shit..." I mumbled that last part.

"What was that?"

"Nothing. Sorry. Is there something you wanted?" Was she aware of what time it was?

"I was hoping to catch you. It's not too late is it? Listen, John left tonight before I could get his new contract to him. I was wondering if I could fax it over now? I'd like to get it up and running ASAP." I was speechless for a moment. I'm not sure if it was the sleep deprivation or the curiosity that flooded my brain when I heard that he was getting a new contract. "Acelynn?"

"Uh...Oh! Sorry! I just wasn't aware that his other one expired."

"It hadn't...I'm sorry Acelynn but I have to be going. Someone is calling on my other line. I just wanted to let you know that his signature is needed along with yours on the last page and he should double check it to make sure everything is in order. Bah-Bye now, dear."

Click.

Dial tone.

My signature? This day seemed to be never-ending. Feeling that it was absolutely too late to get back to bed, I returned the phone to it's cradle and made my way out onto the landing. Mr. Chuckles (or Chuckie, for short) the puppy JC had bought me for my birthday, nipped at my heels as I made my way down the stairs, tripping over his own ears and clearly telling me that I wasn't supposed to be up this time of night. I picked him up, cradling his small frame in my arms, as I flopped down on the couch and pulled a blanket around my legs. "Daddy fucked up somehow, Chuckers." I yawned, flipping on some late show that I had never heard of before.

Then the nausea hit me. Daddy, I silently whispered to myself. Shaking my head from the thought, I placed Mr. Chuckles aside and ran for the nearest phone. If I wasn't going to sleep, neither was my best friend. I mechanically dialed her number, like I had several times in the past two days, and waited for her to pick up. A groggy, "hellllooooo," sounded from the other end after just two rings.

"Got a minute?"

"What time is it?"

"A little after midnight." I'd spare her the details since I had been so obviously upset when I was first woken. Why the hell was Linda calling at such an ungodly hour anyhow,... I, once again, shook the thoughts from my head. "I really need to talk to you, Melanie." I could just picture her now. Her brown hair tangled and mussed, thrown every which-way across her pillow. Her hazel eyes shining in the dark like a cat's, squinting with the rage of a bear woken from hibernation. I knew she wouldn't be happy with me, but I needed to talk to her.

"Is it important?"

I nodded, then in a moment of pure idiocy realized that she couldn't see me. I could have slapped myself. "Yes."

"On a scale of one to ten."

"Come on!"

"Okay, okay..." She groaned. "Isn't John home yet?"

"Who?" Yet again another pure idiotic moment due to my rising hysteria. "No, he's not getting a flight till tomorrow."

"So what is it that you couldn't wait until morning?" Her voice was calming down now that she was waking up more.

Then the lock to the front door clicked and Mr. Chuckles started jumping up and down as if he had eaten some magical jumping beans. The only time he jumped at the door was when his master (since he really didn't like me all too well...) came home.

"Oh Jeez!" I also screamed some obscenities into the phone. Melanie laughed. She was always the one to laugh. She was a glass-half-full type of person, and ever a hopeless optimist. Redundant, but necessary. "Tomorrow morning, the coffee house on the corner." I instructed before slamming the phone back into it's cradle and hightailing it for the stairs. I don't know what I'd do if I had to face him right now. Guess I was going to find out.

The door creaked open and JC poked his head through the threshold, dragging two duffel bags behind him. He pushed the door open the rest of the way with his butt and hoisted the duffels onto his shoulders. I noticed , from the top of the stairs, he had been working out. Pursing my lips to keep from licking them in pleasure, I turned to the last step. The cliche "creaky one". Trying not to put my full weight on it, so he wouldn't notice me, I hopped over it, only to discover that the step to the landing had become a "creaky" step as well. JC's head popped up, but I ran the rest of the way to the bedroom to be avoided.

"Uncle T.O.M." Time Of the Month