We stepped out into the hot air of Richmond, Virginia. Mickie's arm was still around my waist, but we haven't spoken since that minor incident in the stairwel. I was just trying to enjoy this. I loved Randy with all my heart, but I needed to spend some time with one of my friends. I was distancing myself from them, and getting closer to Randy. I guess I can't have both Randy and a really strong friendship.

"Is something bothering you, hun?" Mickie asked me, as she moved her arm from around my waist. The void was back.

"Mickie...can I trust you?" I asked her, serious now.

"Of course you can, you know that" Mickie's eyes already were glossed with sympathy and she hadn't even heard what I had to say.

"I've been dating Randy..." I whispered. I waited for her jaw to drop, her to slap me and tell me the same thing Vince has told us all for many years. But she didn't.

"Good for you" Mickie smiled and tried to hug me, but I moved away. I didn't look at her for a moment, and then, looked back at her. She seemed hurt.

"Mickie, I'm sorry...I just..." I felt my eyes get watery and I tried to blink the tears away "I just can't do this anymore! I want to marry Randy, but Vince would probably fire both of us. But...I want him so badly." I fell into Mickie's still open arms.

She caught me and held me close. Gradually, I felt my knees get shaky and weak. I was trying hard to keep my balance, but I just couldn't anymore. Mickie dropped to the ground with me as soon as my knees gave out. We now sat in the parking lot of the hotel, my face was buried into her chest, and I was sobbing. She ran her fingers through my hair.

"I'm so sorry, Melina" Mickie whispered into my ear.

"Thanks for being here for me...I know I've been neglecting my friends as of late," I paused to look up at Mickie who was looking down into my eyes, and I exchanged the look. Her deep brown eyes suffocated me and I couldn't help but to gasp. I quickly looked away, I had never felt like that before "Um...and that's going to change. I'm going to be there for my friends from now on."

I was lucky I remembered what I was going to say. Looking in her eyes...my mind just went blank, and I felt breathless. Why did I feel like that?

"That's good, because we all miss you" Mickie gave me a quick hug and carefully helped me up to my feet again. She looked at me and smiled warmly "You look great."

I smiled back "Thank you...is my mascara running?" I touched my finger under my eye and then examined it. There was nothing on it, just a tiny bit of wetness from my tears.

"No, but even if it was...you'd still look beautiful" Mickie's smile hadn't left her face, only this time, it was a smile of admiration. A smile that I couldn't help but to return.

"Come on" I laced my fingers with Mickie's and we started walking down the street.

"So, do you love Randy?" Mickie seemed kind of nervous talking about the subject.

"Yeah" I nodded and smiled up towards the sky. I know that my sister would be glad that I found a great guy, and had finally made a friend. When we were kids, I was always the quiet one. I didn't have many friends and I took my cousin to my senior prom. Once I got into wrestling though, I came out of my shell and became more vocal. I actually had dates for big events and I had plenty of friends. But, unfortunatly, my sister hadn't seen me the way I was today. She died just a year after I graduated, of cancer. She was 16 at the time and she had it for years. We all believed that she could make it through it, and I think even she believed it. But one day, when she was in the hospital, she just closed her eyes and never seem to wake up. The last thing she said was to me, and that was 'Mel, you know that I love you. Not matter what happens, you're my sister. Forever and always.' I miss her everyday.

"I think love is a great thing" Mickie interuppted my thoughts as she meerily skipped along, unaware of what was going on in my head.

I nodded solemnly.

Mickie and I walked in silence until we arrived at the beach.

"Where to first?" I asked, gently releasing her hand from mine. I didn't want to though, I felt that void again. But my palms were getting all sweaty.

Mickie pointed towards a small shack on the beach "It sells drinks, and food"

"Perfect, I'm thirsty as hell" I smiled cheerfully, hoping that she wouldn't notice my newfound state of emptyness. I hated the feeling of this new damned void. It made me feel lost and confused.

"Great, there's plenty of..." Mickie put her hands on my hips to prevent me from moving as she looked me over. I felt good again, actually, great. "Miller...lite?"

"Sure" I said, silently praying that she wouldn't move her hands so that I wouldn't have to feel the void again. But, like everything good that I want to happen, the exact opposite happens. She moved her hands and I was back to the same shitty feeling of a lost depression.

But not for long, she gently wrapped her finger around mine and motioned for me to follow her to the small shack. I gladly did. Now, I felt a lot better. The void wasn't there and I didn't feel lost at all. I felt like I knew exactly what I was doing.

Once we got to the shack, Mickie ordered us a 6 pack of Miller Lite and after paying for it, we were on our merry way down the beach. Of course I was watching the ground for any night critter that may want to pinch my feet, Mickie found this funny as hell.

"When are we going to sit?" I asked, just now noticing that we were leaving the main part of the beach.

"Just a little bit farther..." Mickie carried that beer that occasionally clanked against each other and made me think that they were going to break. Just then, Mickie stopped and set down the beer "Right here!"

I plopped down onto the cool sand and shut my eyes. I love the beach.

"Let's drink!" Mickie opened two bottles and gave one to me. Randy Orton would never even say that.

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