In A Breath

By Kyizi

Disclaimer: All characters belong to the WWE, the story is mine.

Rating: R, for violence and rape

Summary: Christian turned his back on his brother, on his career and on his company, was it really all because he was jealous of his brother's success? Or was he trying to escape from something…or someone?

Spoilers: Up to and including Vengeance.

Setting: This starts the day before Vengeance and continues from there in my own storyline, but we will be taking a trip back in time every now and again :)

Feedback: Always appreciated

E-mail: wwekyizific@hotmail.com

Notes: This idea came into my head after reading Karen U's fic, "It Only Hurts" where she gave Jericho a reason for being, well, an ass, I began to wonder if maybe Christian had a reason…

(Matt and Lita aren't dating in this one and they're both at Vengeance backstage for the purposes of this fic!)

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Prologue

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He could hear a noise. It sounded nearby, but at the same time it was very muffled, almost as if it were coming from a padded room. Frowning, he moved closer, looking about him to see if anyone else could hear it. But they couldn't, because he was alone and there wasn't anyone else there to hear it. He frowned and took a step closer, his eyes narrowing as he caught what sounded like a female voice…and she was in pain.

Without thinking, he moved towards the door, throwing it open not worrying about the consequences, without caring what they were. His breath caught in his throat as he saw her, all bloodied and battered and definitely in no condition to be out of a hospital, let alone lying half beaten to death in a room at the arena.

She squealed and moved away from him, crouching in fear, shying away from him as he moved forward. Every step he took, she seemed further away, every little movement made her fade from his vision. Didn't she know? Didn't she realise that he could help her? Didn't she know that he knew exactly what she was going through? He was running now, trying to find her, but all he could see was white. An empty corridor of time, and he had lost her in it, had lost himself…and he wasn't sure if he'd ever find his way out.

Christian sat up, grasping for air, clutching at his chest, the vision of white, fading from his head and for a moment everything was clear and everything was okay. Before long, his head swarmed with images, with fear, with blood, just as he knew it would. Rubbing his eyes, he wiped away the tears that he hadn't realised he'd cried.

He stood up, pulling on a shirt as he walked to the window pulling the curtains and the large glass door open enough to slip out. He stared at the sky, the stars and the moon looking down in all their glory, but he didn't see them. All he saw was that face, that man laughing at him, taunting him and it wasn't alone. She was looking at him, her beautiful face covered in her own blood as they stood over her, his brother was glaring at him, an unforgiving look on his face and *they* were laughing in the background.

"Christian?"

He closed his eyes and sighed as she came up behind him, wrapping her arms around him. "I'm okay." He said softly.

"No you're not." She turned him around and looked up at him, her lovely eyes taking in the sadness on his face.

"No," he sighed. "You're right, I'm not. But I'll get over it."

She frowned and cupped his face in her hands. "This could all be over, Christian, all we have to do is tell the truth."

"No."

"I'm fed up of all the lying, of all the sneaking around!" she cried, her voice suddenly rising. She stopped for a moment and rubbed her eyes. "I love you," she whispered. "Don't you know that?"

"Of course I do," he said pulling her into his arms. "And if I wasn't so selfish and loved you back, I'd try to let you go and stop you from wasting your life hiding in the shadows with me."

"It doesn't have to be like this, Christian." She smiled and pulled him in for a soft kiss, barely a brush against his lips. "We could tell him the truth. He'd understand…and you'd have your brother back."

"I wish that was true, I really do." He pulled away from her and headed back inside, pausing momentarily at the screen doors. "It's not the simple. I ended my life with my brother a long time ago…that's what was taken from-" he sighed. "I've lost him and I don't think I'll ever get that back."

She rubbed her arms, tightening the robe around her and sighed as she watched him enter the house. She wasn't so sure he was right; in fact, she knew that if Edge knew the truth he would definitely care. All she had to do now was try to convince Christian that he would.

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End Prologue

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