Disclaimer: I only own Mia.
A/N: A HUGE thank you to everyone who has followed this entire series. This whole series was by far one of my favorite things to write. Go check out the banner I made for this series, it's in the last section of my profile. Just look for the link called "Because I like the way it hurts". Well, enough babbling, go and read! Enjoy & review the last installment for this series!
Taryn refused to work things out with Drew. This time around she knew better and figured that fixing their short lived marriage would be a bad idea. Deep down inside she knew that he would always love Mia and she just couldn't compete with that. She did what she thought was best. She had annulment papers drawn up and sent them to Drew.
He wasn't surprised that she had wanted to end things. To be honest, he really couldn't blame her. They would never be able to solve anything when he was still in love with someone else. With very little hesitation he signed the papers and sent them back to Taryn.
That was four months ago. Surprisingly, everything had gone through quite fast for an annulment. Because they were married in Vegas, the courts saw the marriage as nothing more than an accident and granted the unhappy couple their wish. It also helped tremendously that they were only married for only a month and a half.
Now that he got everything with Taryn out of the way, he now focused all of his attention on Mia. She had fallen off the face of the earth after their night together. When he woke up and found her gone, his heart had shattered. Of course, he had tried calling and looking for her, but he came up short. She had disappeared.
Drew wasn't stupid though, he knew Matt had something to do with it. He found it odd that he was still around, but Mia wasn't. About a week after she had disappeared, it had been announced that Mia had asked for her release from the company.
"Any luck on finding her?" Cody asked one day.
"None at all." Drew sullenly replied. "It's like she disappeared."
"Have you talked to Hardy about it? I mean, he is her boyfriend."
Drew so desperately wanted to lash out at Cody, but he held himself back. Nobody knew what the deal was between Mia and Matt.
"I don't want to be anywhere near him. I can't stand the guy." Drew admitted as he zipped up his bag. "Besides, he wouldn't tell me anything even if I did ask."
"Then you have to send someone to ask for you." Cody suggested, not fully realizing what he was saying. "You'll probably find out a lot that way."
A light went off in Drew's head. Why hadn't he thought of that earlier? It seemed like the most logical thing to do. It was sure to work. Smiling, he looked at his newfound friend.
Cody caught the look on his face and started shaking his head. "No way, man. I'm not getting involved in this. None of this is my business. I'm not doing it, Drew. You can put that idea out of your head right now. No way!"
"Oh come on, man." Drew said. "You're the only one that can do it. Please? Listen, you'll be doing a lot more than helping me out. You'd be helping Mia out too."
"She's a grown woman, she can take care of herself." Cody remarked as he slung his gym bag over his shoulder. "I'm sure everything is fine."
"That's just it, Cody, she isn't fine. Nothing is fine." He urgently said, blocking Cody's exit. "I'm worried about her and there is reason why. I really need your help."
"Get your stuff and let's go. We'll talk on the way to the arena."
\\
"How's Baby Hardy doing?" Jeff smiled when he saw Mia. "Good, I hope."
She weakly smiled at the younger Hardy in front of her. There was so much she wanted to tell him, but she was afraid of what his reaction might be. It's not that she thought Jeff would lash out at her, she just didn't want to bring any unpleasantness between the two brothers.
"Very good." Mia replied, putting a plate of food in the microwave. "Did you want me to make you a plate?"
"I ate before I came here." Jeff said, pulling up a chair and sitting down. "I just came to see if you were doing fine."
When the microwave beeped, she took her plate out and set it on the counter. She was trying to find something to say to him without looking suspicious. She already had the sneaking feeling that he suspected something out of the ordinary was going on. Quickly, she walked over to the fridge grabbing a water for her and a beer for Jeff. On the way to the table, she grabbed her plate and then sat in the seat across from the short haired man.
"Don't you have a pregnant Beth at home to ask if she's doing fine?" Mia teased.
"She's getting irritated with it." Jeff laughed. "Actually, she's the one who suggested I come over here and bug you about my niece or nephew."
"Remind me to thank her later." Mia took a bite of her food.
The truth was, both him and Beth were worried. Over the last few months they had noticed a dramatic change in both Matt and Mia. It frightened the couple how fast things had changed. Matt become vicious and Mia had become withdrawn. Both were very unusual characteristics for either one to obtain. However, the couple tried to ignore it and move on. That idea was suddenly tossed out the window when Beth noticed Mia was sporting some bruises. She automatically voiced her concern to Jeff and together they decided to get to the bottom of things. The first thing to do was to talk to Mia when she was alone.
"I'll be sure to remind you." He winked, but he then quickly turned serious. "How's you life without wrestling?"
The young brunette sighed as she started pushing her food around on her plate. Life had definitely taken a dramatic turn after her last night with Drew. Matt had basically told her to say goodbye to him and then she was gone from the WWE forever. It was either she comply or he do something horrible to the Scotsman. Fearing for Drew's safety, she agreed to everything and had been gone ever since. She missed him and she was sure he was going crazy trying to find her.
"I miss it a lot." She admitted. "I miss being on the road and seeing everybody."
Jeff had picked up on her tone voice. She had missed somebody in particular and he knew just who it was. From what he knew, Mia was in a relationship with Drew McIntyre before she started seeing Matt. He wasn't sure on all the details, but he knew that Drew broke up with her. Jeff had always figured that she was over him, but now he was thinking otherwise. He had picked up on it the other night when they were watching Smackdown. When the young Scotsman appeared on the screen, she stopped what she was doing and her eyes were glued to the screen. He also caught onto the fact that her hands had dropped down to her protruding stomach.
"Anybody in particular?" He inquired.
Her gaze immediately met his and she stared at the man in front of her for a while. Did he know something or was she just being very obvious? She knew that Matt had been very careful about his actions when they were around other people. He feared what people would think of him if they found out he put his hands on his girlfriend, his very pregnant girlfriend.
"You can tell me." Jeff whispered when he saw her hesitating.
When he still got no response from her, he left his seat and went over to the pregnant girl he came to love like a sister. Carefully, he wrapped his arms around her and whispered reassuring words in her ear. He was hoping to get somewhere with her, he really wanted to help out. Even if meant getting her away from Matt. If his and Beth's suspicions turned out to be true then he had every reason to help her.
"You can talk to me, Mia." Jeff said. "All I want to do is help you."
Pulling away from him, she wiped her eyes of her tears and signaled for him to follow her to the bathroom.
"Please don't think I'm trying to turn you against your family or anything." She pleaded. "I thought I could get out of this without getting anybody involved, but I can't. As much as I hate to admit it, I need help, anybody's help."
"That's all I wanted to do." Jeff said warmly, closing the bathroom door behind them. "Why are we in here?"
When she started to pick up her shirt, Jeff knew that his suspicions were confirmed; Matt was putting his hands on her. Some of the bruises looked fresh, which also told him that he was laying his hands on a pregnant woman. Did he have no shame? It was wrong to beat a woman, pregnant or not. Jeff felt his anger rising, along with the pity for the young woman in front of him.
"How long has this been going on?" Jeff asked, his eyes falling over a scar on her left shoulder blade. "I can't believe you never said anything, Mia."
"I'm sorry, Jeff." She apologized as she slid her shirt back on. When she turned around, she looked up at the older man standing before her. "I'm so sorry about all of this."
He quickly pulled her in for a hug and allowed the tears to spill from his eyes. He couldn't believe that this had been going on for so long and nobody ever noticed. This all could have been prevented if they opened up their eyes a little better.
"You don't have to be sorry, Mia." Jeff held onto her tightly. "None of this is your fault. You never asked for any of this."
"It is my fault, I deserved this." She cried, pulling away from him. "If I hadn't talked to Drew, then none of this would be happening. Matt wouldn't feel the need to touch me if I didn't call him that one night."
"Shh. Relax, Mia. We can't have you getting worked up." Jeff soothed her. "We'll fix things."
"I am fixing things." She reassured him. "I stopped wrestling and I cut off all communications with him before I left."
"That's not fixing things, that's making them worse. Is he still laying his hands on you?"
Mia stepped away from him and nodded her head. She knew that everything going on was terribly wrong. None of this should be happening. She should be happy instead of terrified. Her whole life she had been waiting to find somebody to love and just when she did, she had completely made a mess of things. This all could have been avoided had she not cheated on Drew with Matt.
"Yes, he is."
"Then this isn't working." Jeff remarked. "And I think you know that too."
She nodded her head, resting her hands on her stomach. "I do know it, but I just can't leave."
"Why not?"
"Because I love Matt."
"You're confused, Mia. He's made you think that he loves you, but he doesn't. Men don't hit women ever. If they do, that makes them lower than scum. Believe me, you did nothing to deserve this."
"There's one more thing." Mia whispered. He already knew nothing, so she figured it was time to tell him the biggest thing of them all. The whole reason why Matt was still hurting her. "The baby I'm carrying is Drew's baby. It's not Baby Hardy, it's Baby Galloway."
"That's why he's still hurting you? Because he knows the baby isn't his."
"Yes."
"That son of a bitch!" Jeff stormed out of the bathroom.
Mia quickly ran after him and stopped him from leaving just in time. He was really angry and there was no telling what he could do. There was also no telling what Matt would do to her when he found out that Jeff knew everything.
"This is the whole reason why I didn't want to tell you." She frantically said, "I didn't want to turn you against him. He's your brother, your blood."
"Blood or not, that doesn't give him the right do this to you or anyone else for that matter!" Jeff shouted. "Not only is he hurting you, but he's hurting an innocent baby."
"I deserve it because I'm not carrying his child. Don't you see, Jeff, this is all my fault!"
"This isn't your fault." Jeff calmly replied, not wanting to scare her any further. "Despite what he's said to you, it's not your fault. From now on I want you to disregard everything he has ever said to you."
She was about ready to say something when the phone rang. For a moment she was scared, but she quickly relaxed when she realized that it was Jeff's phone that was ringing. Holding up his finger, he answered the phone and listened to the other person speak. While he was on the phone, she fell into her thoughts and wondered if Drew and the younger Hardy brother were right.
"You're staying with me and Beth tonight." Jeff broke into her thoughts. "I don't want you here when he gets home."
"I have to be here when he gets home."
"Is that a requirement? He asked sarcastically.
"No, it's all apart of my plan to get out."
Jeff looked at her for a second to see if she was being serious or not. For the last hour she had been so stuck on everything that he thought he'd have to throw her over his shoulder to get her out. "What happened to 'I love Matt'?"
"I realized that you and Drew were right, he doesn't love me and I don't love him."
"It only took how long for you to realize this?"
"A year and a half."
His nearly bugged out of his head. She had been dealing with this for a year and a half and absolutely nobody knew. He was at a loss for words. He didn't know what to expect anymore.
"Will you help me?" She asked nervously.
"What did you have in mind?"
\\
Two weeks later, Mia had gotten Matt to take her on the road with him. Of course, she had Jeff's help. If it hadn't been for him she would have still been at home, crying over everything.
"I let you come on the road with me." Matt said as if he were doing her some huge favor. "You are to stay in the hotel room the whole time and you are not allowed to talk to anybody. Understand?"
"I understand."
"Good." He leaned down and kissed her cheek. "I'll be back later. Remember, if you break any of my rules, you're going to regret it."
She only nodded her head as she watched him leave. When she was sure he was gone, she pulled out her phone and quickly sent Jeff a text. Everything was going to plan and she liked that. If everything worked out well, then she would be away from Matt for the rest of her life.
Matt would be gone for a while, which meant she had enough time to sneak into the arena without him ever knowing. All she had to do was find Drew and apologize a million times over and hope he would take her home with him.
\\
Getting into the arena was no easy feat. She hadn't anticipated a security guard being at the back entrance door she had planned on using. It had taken her a good while to convince him to let her in, but he finally did. There was a good twenty-five minutes of her life she wouldn't get back.
She quietly walked through the arena corridors, trying to avoid being seen. It was important that she stay hidden from Matt. However, it was even more important that she find Drew. The sooner she found him, the sooner she could be with man she loves. She can be happy with Drew and their baby.
Mia had just turned a corner when she bumped into someone. Mentally, she cursed herself while trying to catch her balance. She closed her eyes, waiting for the fall to come, but it never did. Instead, she was greeted with a tight grip on her arms.
"Didn't I tell you not to leave the hotel?" Matt angrily demanded. "Nobody is supposed to know you're here."
"I-i-i'm sorry, Matt." She stuttered. "It's just that I missed everyone so much I wanted to see them."
"You missed everyone or you missed someone." He questioned, raising his hand and striking her face. "I let you have your goodbye and now you're done. You can't see him anymore. It's bad enough I'm letting you keep that little mistake." He said harshly, slamming her against the wall. "You were not to come. It's the last time I listen to you or Jeff."
Mia tried to fight back, but he was too strong for her. The most she could do was close her eyes and deal with the pain of his slaps and punches. She tried to hold her tears back, but she couldn't. They poured out of her eyes at a fast rate.
"Please, Matt. Stop! Think of the baby!"
This only angered him and his hits continued to get louder. He continued to shout at her, trying to get rid of every ounce of anger and frustration out of him.
"You want to me to think-"
He never finished his sentence. Out of no where, Matt found himself on the other side of the hall with and angry Drew McIntyre throwing lefts and rights at him.
"You son of a bitch! How dare you touch her? You have no right to lay your hands on her you bastard!You're fucking lower than scum! You don't deserve the air you breathe!"
Mia cowered on the floor where she watched both men fight. She had never seen Drew so angry before. Truthfully, it both frightened and excited her. He was helping her. She had left without telling him what was going on there he was defending her.
Minutes later, superstars and on road managers came and tried to pull the two wrestlers apart. So far, they were failing. Anytime they would peel one away, the other would run and attack. It was a real life fight taking place before her very eyes. Finally, they were able to pull them apart. Matt was taken to a room down the hall and Drew was led to where Mia was sitting.
"Are you alright?" Drew asked, sinking down to the floor. "Tell me what happened."
She didn't say anything, she only threw herself into his embrace and held onto him tightly. "I love you, Drew."
"I love you too, Mia." He gently picked her up and walked until he found a nearby room. He gently laid her down on the couch. "I missed you."
"I missed you so much, Drew." She whispered. "I'm so sorry for leaving the way I did."
He said nothing as he hugged her and held her tightly. She was finally back in front of him and he wasn't going to let her go this time. "What happened?"
Pulling away from him, she looked at him and quickly launched into everything that had been going on for the last few months.
"That bastard." He cursed. "I can't believe he stooped so low. Baby, I promise, from now on, it's you and me. I won't ever hurt you the way he did. I could never bring myself to do that. He's a despicable man."
"There's one more thing." She smiled. "Do you remember our one night together?
"Yes."
She leaned in and brought her lips up to his ear, "I'm pregnant."
"With my baby?"
"Yes, sir. You knocked me up."
He quickly pulled her up from the couch and rushed her out of the arena.
"Where are we going?"
"To the hospital." He anxiously replied. All he wanted to see if everything was fine with her and the baby. There's no telling what kind of condition she was in after everything Matt had done to her. "Just to make the baby is fine."
\\
"Baby, it's time!" Mia screamed.
She had finally been able to escape Matt's clutches. After that little stint in the arena, everything came to be known amongst everybody in the WWE Universe. It was now known what she had endured and what kind of man Matt had really been.
Because everything that happened at the arena was caught on camera, a solid case was able to be made against him. However, Mia opted out of going to court until after her pregnancy. She didn't want to have to face him while still pregnant. She didn't need anymore stress during her pregnancy.
"Let's go!" Drew screamed with her overnight bag in one hand, and helping Mia out of her seat with the other. "We can't waste any time."
Due to him driving like a lunatic, they made it to the hospital in record time. She was quickly taken to a room and prepped for delivery. Now, all they could do was wait.
Hours later, she was finally ready to push.
"Push sweetie." Drew coached. "You really need to push."
She slowly turned her head towards him and glared. It would have been the perfect moment to tell him exactly what she thought of him at that moment, but she was in too much pain to do so. Tearing her eyes off of him, she started to push as hard as she could so that she could finally welcome her baby into the world.
"Okay, Mia, I just need you to push one more time." The doctor coached her.
She was starting to feel weak, it was at the point where she didn't feel like pushing anymore. However, from the corner of her eye, she saw an excited Drew coaching her to push so that they could finally meet their baby. Sighing, with one final push, her baby was born.
"It's a girl!" The doctor said over the cries of the newborn.
When the baby was all cleaned, the new mommy finally got to meet her daughter. "You're the one who's been requesting all the spicy food." Mia greeted, smiling down at her daughter. "You're my miracle, did you know that? Someday, when you're older, I'll explain everything to you. Honey, you saved me and for that I love you even more."
Drew wiped away the tears from his eyes after Mia had finished talking. He carefully took the baby from Mia's hands and looked down at his daughter. "I love you so much. As of right now, I promise to always be there for you. No matter where I am, I'll be there."
"What should we name her?" Mia asked.
"I don't know. Did you have anything in mind?" Drew asked, not tearing his gaze away from the newborn.
Mia smiled at the instant connection between father and daughter. She knew that he would always be there for their daughter, just like he was always there for her. She had the perfect name for the baby and was just about to say so when the nurse interrupted her.
"We're going to move you to another room."
Twenty-five minutes later they were all settled into a new room. Once again, she was going to bring up the name she had in mind, but she was interrupted.
"Hey." Jeff and Beth greeted walking into the room. "Are we interrupting anything?"
"No." She smiled. "Come in guys and meet our daughter."
"Aww, she's too cute." Beth cooed, setting the pink balloons in the corner of the room. "How big is she? When was she born? What's her name?"
"Baby, one question at a time." Jeff laughed. "She just gave birth."
"Well, I just want to know."
"It's okay, Jeff. I don't mind." Mia smiled, loving the fact that she still had Beth and Jeff around. She always liked them and was glad they didn't alienate her after everything with Matt. "She's 7 lbs. 8 oz, and she's 20 inches long. She was born two hours ago and we still have no name. Now, this brings me to my question, how did you know I had the baby?"
"Some Scotsman called and told us." Jeff said pointedly, looking at Drew.
After that they all fell into conversation and eventually it all turned to Matt.
"He's freaking out about going to court." Jeff admitted. "But, there's nothing he can do. It's all his fault. There's no turning back and now he's getting what he deserves."
Everyone in the room nodded in agreement. After a few more minutes of conversation, Beth and Jeff decided it was time to give the new family some time alone.
"Thanks, Jeff." Mia said when he hugged her goodbye. "If it weren't for you, I wouldn't have had the guts to get away. If you didn't help convince Matt to let me go with him all those months ago, who knows what could have happened?"
"No sweat, Mia." Jeff kissed her cheek. "Anything to help you out. You're like a little sister to me and I wouldn't want to see you get hurt."
"Bye, Mia." Beth said. "Congratulations and text me when you name her."
When they were gone, Drew sat at the edge of her bed. He slowly ran his hands up and down her legs. "What did you want to name her? Because if you haven't thought of any names, I have."
"What did you think of?"
"Alexa Marie." He said.
"Hmm, I like Alexa, but I don't like Marie." She admitted.
"What did you have in mind?"
She sat up in bed and looked at the man sitting before her. "Sydney Drew Galloway."
He got up and walked to the side of her bed. Slowly, he captured her lips with his. When they broke apart for air, he pressed his forehead to hers and smiled. "I love it."
"I love you." She smiled.
"I love you too."
So much had happened in the last few months. If it weren't for the scars that she had, then Mia would have thought that everything was a bad nightmare. Despite all of the circumstances, she was finally happy. She had Drew and their daughter now. Together, they could all move forward and live happily ever after.
A/N: Wow, we finally reached the end. Well, what did you think?