Nobody Wants To Be Lonely
by
Indigo X

(Happy Fun Disclaimer: I don't own Debra, Steve Austin, or any other of those WWF type critters. There, now Vinny Mac can't sue me. :P The song I used is 'Nobody Wants To Be Lonely' by Ricky Martin. There, now Ricky can't sue me either. Which is good, seeing as I'm not rich... XP)

"There you are, in a darkened room, and you're all alone, looking out the window, your heart is cold and lost the will to live, like a broken arrow..."

Debra didn't want to move. She didn't want to cry anymore, she didn't want to have to put up with Steve's yelling and self-centered egotism anymore, and she didn't want to get Vince McMahon coffee anymore. She just wanted to lie there on the bed, blanketed by darkness. She could see out of her hotel room window slightly, at the merrily twinkling city lights. People out there were having fun, enjoying themselves. There was a time, she recalled, when Steve would take her dancing. He would whisk her onto the dance floor, he would hold her close and stroke her hair, and whisper sweet things to her. It seemed so long ago. It wasn't really- a month or two ago- but Steve had changed so sharply since WrestleMania that she really didn't think she knew him anymore. Her Steve had gone away somewhere, and she couldn't find him.


"Here I stand in the shadows, come to me, come to me, can't you see that... nobody wants to be lonely, nobody wants to cry, my body's longing to hold you, so bad it hurts inside, time is precious and it's slipping away, and I've been waiting for you all of my life, nobody wants to be lonely, so why... why won't you let me love you?"


She couldn't just lie there forever, though. As nice as that would be, she couldn't. Steve'd come and get her sooner or later, and he'd give her the third degree for making him late. He'd have the belt with him, too. A surge of anger rushed through Debra as she thought of that belt- gold and leather, studded with diamonds. A pretty thing. A pretty thing that Steve loved better then anything- or anyone. He used to smile at her. Now he only smiled for that belt.
She stood up and smoothed out her clothes, put her shoes on, and brushed her hair out. Fixed her makeup. She was a beauty, but it really didn't matter anymore. Steve never saw any beauty anymore but the belt's.

Sure enough, the door opened a minute later, and Steve walked in. "C'mon, woman, we're gonna be late." He narrowed his eyes at Debra as she grabbed her purse. "Hey, why's it so damn dark in here?"

Debra sighed. "Oh, no reason really. Let's go."

They rode to the arena in silence. He used to tell her everything. Now he barely spoke to her- in normal volumes, anyway. When they arrived, she got out of the car- herself, though he always used to open the door for her- and the walked inside. "Debra?" Debra looked up at Steve hopefully. What was he going to say? He walked over to her, leaned in close... and slid his heavy duffel bag onto her shoulder. "Carry that for me."

Debra wasn't surprised, really. She should've known better than to expect anything tender from her husband nowdays. Struggling under the weight of the bag, she followed Steve as fast as she could and dropped the bag on the locker room bench, twisting her arm in the process. "Ow!" Steve whirled around. "Careful, Deb!" Steve quickly unzipped his bag and pulled out his prize. "My belt's in there!" Again, Debra felt a surge of jealousy.

"I'm going for a walk around. I'll be back later." She couldn't stay. She couldn't stick around and watch Steve fawn over that belt like she knew he would. "Huh? Oh, fine. Just watch yourself... I don't want to have to save your ass if you get in trouble."

Clenching her fist, Debra stalked out of the locker room, wandered into a shadowy corner where she could be alone, and stifled a sob. A possesion. That's all he was to him anymore, just a trophy wife. She was just like that belt, only she wasn't his favorite trophy- that damned belt was. "Oh, Steve... can't you see? I'm so lonely... Where are you, Steve?"


"Can you hear my voice, Do you hear my song? It's a serenade so your heart can find me, and suddenly you're flying down the stairs, into my arms, baby... before I start going crazy, run to me, run to me, 'cuz I'm dyin'..."


Suddenly, Debra felt a sharp tap on her shoulder. Gasping slightly, Debra whipped around to find herself staring into the twinkling, mischevious hazel eyes of her best friend. "Oh! Mick, you scared me."

Mick Foley chuckled softly. "Let me assure you that that was not the original plan." Debra smiled slightly. Mick could always make her smile, no matter how miserable she was. Steve used to be able to do that to her, too. But the smile soon faded. She was just too down for even Mick to cheer her for long.

"What's wrong, my little ex-lieutenant Commisioner? You look so sad... I think I know what you need. A nice, big Foley hug." And without waiting for a yes or no, Mick tossed his arms around Debra's waist and squeezed playfully. Debra squeaked in surprise- but wrapped her arms around Mick's neck and buried her face in his shoulder, letting all her frustration pour out. Mick didn't lie when he said he was a good hugger. He wasn't a bad crying shoulder either. That's why he was such a good friend. "Aw... don't cry, Debbie..." "It's Steve, Mick... he's changed so much, and I miss the way he was... oh, Mick, I don't think he even really loves me anymore..."

Mick loosened up a bit and pushed Debra back, so he was looking her right in the face. "I know what you mean, Debbie. I watch every Raw and SmackDown at home, and I see how bad he treats you... Debbie, I really think you should get out while you can."

"I know... I should... but I can't." Debra sobbed. She couldn't. She just couldn't leave him. Mick furrowed his brow in concern. "But Debbie, why not? He treats you so badly..." "I know, Mick. I know. But I can't leave him because... I love him." Debra wiped her eyes on the handkerchief Mick offered her, and stood up straight. "He can't stay this cold forever. He'll come around, I just know it. He'll come around soon, you'll see." She tossed her hair. She didn't know about Mick, but she was doing a pretty good job of reassuring herself. "Nobody wants to be lonely. Not even Stone Cold Steve Austin." She smiled at Mick. "But thank you, Mick Foley. Thank you for being so good to me." She leaned over and kissed Mick's cheek... and that was about the time the steel chair collided with Mick's head.


"I just wanna feel you need me, just like the air you're breathin', I need you here in my life, don't walk away, don't walk away, don't walk away, don't walk away, no..."


"WHAT THE HELL DO YOU THINK YOU'RE DOING!?!" Debra wasn't sure if Steve was screaming at her or Mick. "THAT IS MY WIFE!" Steve raised the chair to hit Mick again, and Debra grabbed it. He was much stronger then her, and it took a lot of effort to hold the chair from him. "Stop it right now, Steve! Nothing was going on..."

SLAP.

She took it right in the mouth, full force. It rattled her teeth, cut her lip, and knocked her to the ground. All she could hear was the blood pounding in her ears, along with a faint buzzing in the background which she guessed was Steve, calling her a whore or a bitch or something else of the like. He grabbed her by the shoulders and shook her, still screaming words she couldn't hear, all because of the sting of that first slap. "You're...not...Steve... Not Steve at all..." she murmured. Then she sank, sank into a shadowy black void...

"Debra?" Steve's blinding, red rage slipped away. He'd been so angry, he couldn't think straight. Now rationality was slowly creeping back to him, and he could see that something was definetly wrong. Then the realization of what he'd just done blindsided him. "Oh, no..." What had he done? He'd been so mad... he'd seen Debra kissing Mick, and he'd snapped... Spiraling into a panic, Steve picked up Debra's motionless form and ran. He wasn't sure where he was running to, but he needed help. He had to help her. "HELP! PLEASE, SOMEONE, HELP ME!" Steve looked down. Blood from Debra's cut lip was dripping onto his arm. She looked... no. She couldn't be. "Don't go away, Deb... Please... Don't leave me like this..."

A nearby EMT rushed over. "What happened to her, sir?" Steve choked, and cleared his throat softly. "She... took a hard shot in the mouth. Please, help her..." "Here, let me see her." The EMT carefully carried Debra to a nearby gurney and layed her down. "Is she going to..." "She's banged up good, but I think she'll be alright." The EMT shook his head. "Man... the jerk who did this to her really should be ashamed. Hitting a woman this hard... geez, that is really, really low." Steve closed his eyes. "Trust me. The bastard's paying for it." The EMT nodded grimly and sped Debra off.

"I don't deserve her." Steve shook his head. "Not for the last two months, you haven't." Steve turned around to face Mick, who was weilding an ice pack against a large bump on his head. "Debbie's a real sweet friend and a good girl, and you haven't deserved her at all." Steve narrowed his eyes dangerously. "Who asked you, Foley?" "No one. But it's the truth. The way I see it, though, there's still time to fix it." Mick winked slyly. "Nobody wants to be lonely, Steve-O. Not Southern belles, or even Texas rattlesnakes. Run to her, Steve Austin. She still needs her gold-hearted rattlesnake. She's needed him for a while now."

Steve nodded gratefully, hopped in his black pickup, and raced off after the ambulance. He had a lot of work to do. Time was precious, and it was slipping away. Debra was waiting for him. This time, he'd let her love him- and he'd love her back.


"Nobody wants to be lonely, nobody wants to cry, my body's longing to hold you, so bad it hurts inside, time is precious and it's slipping away, and I've been waiting for you all of my life, nobody wants to be lonely, so why... why won't you let me love you?"