I do not own Mark Calloway or the Undertaker. This is purely for your entertainment only!

Chapter 1

Glancing at her watch for the hundredth time that day, Rachel let out a long sigh as she looked back at the large stacks of papers that were piled on top of her desk. She'd been there since 7:00 that morning trying to work her way through them, but the piles didn't seem to be getting any smaller. If she hadn't known better, she would have sworn that the damn things were multiplying on their own when she wasn't looking.

Of course, this was nothing new. Things were the same every tax season. Unorganized information, frantic clients, last minute adjustments….she had come to expect those things no matter how hard she tried to be prepared. But things just never seemed to go as planned and she always found herself falling behind, drowning in a sea of tax forms and government codes that would overwhelm an ordinary person. But Rachel was no ordinary person. She'd dealt with worse things before. Things that would make the complicated world of the IRS tax code seem like a walk in the park. Things that no woman should ever have to live through. And somehow, she had survived it all. This was just one more obstacle in her path that she would have to overcome.

Glancing back down at the papers on her desk, Rachel stretched and yawned before rising from her seat. Fuck it. The papers would just have to wait. She'd find someway to make up the work tomorrow. Right now she was tired and ready to go home.

Switching off the small lamp on her desk, Rachel gathered her coat and briefcase and headed out the door, making her way down the deserted hallway toward the elevator. The wall to her right was made up entirely of glass, allowing her to peer down into the dimly lit parking lot outside, where she noticed, though not for the first time, hers was the only car remaining.

Of course, that was the way it should be. Her co-workers actually had lives outside of the office. They had wives and husbands and children who were waiting anxiously at home for them to return from their day of work. She had no such luxury. All that was waiting for her at home was a frozen microwave dinner and her dog. And she wasn't sure if he was even happy to see her. She often thought that if the yappy little bastard could learn how to feed himself, he really wouldn't care if she ever came back.

But things hadn't always been so bleak and lonely for her. At one time, she had almost had a family of her own. At one time, she had been happy too. She'd had so much to live for then. So much to look forward to. But happiness for her obviously wasn't meant to be. In an instant, everything she had ever loved had been snatched away from her. Gone forever. With no way to get it back. And since that time, she'd never been able to make herself let go of the pain.

Stopping in front of the elevator, Rachel pushed the call button and waited for the car to arrive, her heart constricting a little more when she remembered that fateful day so many years ago.

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

"Mark, really, we still have a long time before we have to worry about this. Why do we have to do it today?" Rachel asked her husband, as she gazed at him from her seat in the truck.

"Because I want things to be perfect when the time comes. We need furniture and toys and clothes..." Mark replied, his eyes sparkling as he turned to look at his wife.

"But the baby won't be here for another EIGHT months!" she laughed, shaking her head as her husband smiled.

"I know. But you know me. I always like to get a head start on things!"

"No, you always get carried away with things! And if I know you as well as I think I do, you'll have the nursery looking like a miniature version of the garage before you're done, motorcycles and all."

"Well, you know, I hadn't thought of that…but now that you mention it…." Mark replied, tapping his lip thoughtfully as he flashed her a lopsided grin.

"We don't even know if it's going to be a boy or a girl. Don't you think we should at least wait until we know that much?"

"It doesn't matter. Girls can like bikes too, you know. After all, you like riding mine."

"Riding yours is what got us in the situation in the first place." Rachel quipped, smiling as Mark chuckled. "Besides, girls are supposed to be all cute and frilly and stuff. So how do you expect her to be that with all the plans you've got going on in that demented head of yours?"

Mark shrugged his shoulders.

"I'll buy her a pink bike." he replied, glancing over at his wife as she giggled at his response.

"You're incorrigible Mark. Really, you are."

"But that's why you love me so much, right?"

"Right." Rachel replied, as she scooted across the cab of the truck and snuggled close against his side.

That was the last thing she remembered.

When she came to a few days later, she found herself in the hospital, her body broken and bandaged, her husband and unborn child both dead. Their truck had been hit by a drunk driver, who had failed to stop at a red light at a busy intersection. Mark's side of the vehicle had taken the force of the crash, injuring him so severely that he had died en route to the hospital. The impact had also thrown her from the cab of the truck and, while she had managed to survive, her baby had not been so lucky.

In only a few short seconds, her life had been completely destroyed. And she knew there was nothing she could do to ever get it back again.

Rachel sighed as she stepped into the elevator and closed the door. It had been five years since that day. Five very long years. But the memories were still so fresh…so painful. Just as if it had only happened yesterday. Her heart still ached terribly for the only man she had ever loved. There had been no other man in her life since that time. And she didn't think there ever would be again.

Closing her eyes, she leaned her head against the wall of the elevator, rubbing her temples as she tried to ease the ache that was starting to surface there. It had been such a long day…so much stress. She was more than ready to head for home.

Feeling the car lurch, Rachel opened her eyes and glanced up at the overhead light, just in time to see it flicker before it went out completely, thrusting the elevator into pitch darkness as it came to a screeching halt.

"Fuck! Not now! Not tonight! Stupid… damn…. piece of junk….." she cursed as she kicked at the door, knowing that it wouldn't do any good. There was no way she could ever budge it on her own.

Pounding on the door, she yelled for somebody to help her, but she already knew that her attempts were futile. At this time of night, there would be nobody else around to hear her screams.

"I can't fucking believe this! Why me? Why does this shit always have to happen to me?" Rachel muttered under her breath as she beat her head against the wall.

"I can't stay here. I don't want to spend all night alone in some stupid, crappy elevator!"

Closing her eyes, she tried to calm the anger and fear that was racing through her, knowing that it wouldn't do any good for her to panic. This was just another test of her will…one more hurdle that she would have to overcome. Trying to think ahead into the future, she knew that things had to eventually get better. At least, she hoped they would. She didn't think she would be able to take it if they got any worse.

Feeling a sudden chill run through her, Rachel shivered as she pulled her coat tighter around her small body, taking note for the first time of the cold air that was swirling about in the small compartment.

"This is just great!" she mumbled to herself again. "Not only am I stuck in this stupid thing but there's no heat either. Just fucking great!"

Stretching her arms out in front of her, she cautiously felt her way along the wall until she reached the control panel, randomly punching at the buttons in hopes that one of them would either restart the car or summon her some help. But still there was nothing. She was trapped here alone, in the dark, in the middle of this stupid office building and there was absolutely nothing she could do about it.

Resting her head against the cool metal panel, Rachel closed her eyes and took several deep breaths, trying hard not to have a complete mental breakdown as she contemplated her dilemma. It wouldn't do for her to go off the deep end right now. It wouldn't get her out of here any faster.

Hearing a rustling sound behind her, Rachel raised her head and glanced over her shoulder nervously, half expecting to see someone else there.

"Don't be silly. You were all alone when the elevator stopped, remember? There's no way anyone else could have gotten in here."

Shaking her head, she turned her attention back to the control panel and resumed her frantic button pushing, hoping that she would finally hit the combination that would get the car moving again. Then she heard it. That sound again. Only this time it was louder…closer.

Spinning around, Rachel found herself backing away from the door, easing toward the opposite corner as she tried to see across the darkened elevator. Then she picked up on another sound…one so faint that at first she thought she had imagined it.

"I must really be losing it." she mumbled to herself, when she realized what she was thinking. "I have got to find someway to get out of here."

Shaking off the confusion, she stumbled back in the direction of the door, stopping in her tracks when she heard the noise again.

"Rachel…."

Her name! Someone was calling her name!

"It's just my imagination! I'm just tired…that's all. I just need to get out of here and go home, get some rest and everything will be fine in the morning." she thought to herself, trying to calm her racing heart.

Reaching the door, she pounded with both fists, frantically trying to find someway out of her darkened prison.

"Rachel… come to me Rachel… Let me help you."

Casting another fearful glance over her shoulder, she found the crack in the doors, digging in with her fingernails as she tried to force them apart.

"Come to me Rachel. I can help you…."

"I don't need your fucking help!" she screamed, backing up and giving the door a hard kick as her temper finally broke lose.

"Just go away and leave me alone!" she sobbed, the tears rolling down her face as she rubbed her injured foot with her hand.

Resting her head against the wall, she began to cry in frustration, the unbearable ache in her heart making its painful presence known. It wasn't just about the elevator anymore. She was tired of not having things go her way. She was tired of the pain and the disappointment. She wanted to be free from it all. She just wanted it all to end.

As she stood there sobbing against the wall, she suddenly felt an incredible rush of warm air surround her body, effectively blocking out the colder air that was swirling around the small space.

"Don't cry Rachel. I'm here now. I'll make things better."

She jumped when she heard the soft rumble directly beside her ear. Then she caught the smell and her heart lurched in her chest. It was a scent that she had become so very familiar with. One that she would never forget as long as she lived. It was the smell of leather…well-worn leather…with the slightest hint of cologne mingled in for good measure. It was a smell that she would recognize anywhere.

"Mark?" she whispered softly, her voice barely audible as she forced the word past her lips. She jumped when she felt an arm encircle her waist.

"It's me darlin'. I'm here." he murmured, his lips grazing ever so softly against her ear.

"How? You're supposed to be…. How did you….?"

"I saw that you needed help. I came to help you." he stated softly, his lips nibbling gently on her neck.

Closing her eyes again, Rachel couldn't suppress the sob that escaped from her body at his words. Pulling herself out of his embrace, she slowly turned to face him, not really sure what she should expect to see.