CHAPTER FOUR

"We're on commercial, then you're next, Carly." The tech said, walking by with a clipboard in hand. "Gia, you go with him."

Gianna nodded, swallowing hard.

"Are you alright?" Carlito whispered, taking her hand in his, entwining their fingers together. He could see the fear in her eyes and lifted her chin, seeing the faint bruises through the make-up, then the stitches. "Don't worry, Cherry. Everything will work out."

Gia just nodded, reaching up to gently rub her stitches, wincing. "I'm fine." She whispered.

"Who are you facing?" She asked, pulling her hand from his and leaned back against the wall.

"Michaels." He answered, sighing when she cringed and knew why.

"Oh God…" Gianna buried her face in her hands, stiffening when she heard a familiar laugh and sighed, knowing Shawn had arrived. She chanced a peek through her fingers, seeing him staring at her with a shit eating grin on his face. "Go fuck yourself." She said suddenly, laughing inwardly at the shocked look on his face, then mentally slapped herself, wondering where THAT had come form. No more shopping with Maria, she decided.

Carlito's brown eyes widened in shock and when Shawn's own shock finally wore off, he went to go after her but Carlito stepped between them. "That's enough Shawn. She's not getting beaten up anymore. She's not fucking him anymore. NOTHING. If you don't like it, that's tough shit, get a life. You boys keep messing with her and I'm going to the McMahons, got it?"

"Hell boy, you think anyone is going to listen to YOU?" Shawn sneered, raking a hand over his ponytail. "You're nothing but a pain in everyone's ass. And as for Gia… who'd ever believe it? She's a slut, remember? Or don't you pay attention to the rumors around the locker room?" He snorted.

"Go to Hell." Gia said quietly.

Shawn raised his finger, making a tsking gesture. "That's not nice honey, you're supposed to be a good little bitch."

"Is THAT right?" Carlito challenged, raising an eyebrow. "I'm sure the McMahons would LOVE to know just what they're soon to be in-law is up too… wouldn't you agree, Gia?" He asked casually, a wicked gleam in his eyes and smirked when Shawn swallowed hard.

Gia swallowed hard too, color infusing her cheeks. She shook her head, shying away from Carlito. She wasn't about to go to her bosses, they'd laugh at her THEN run her out of the WWE. "Your match is up." She whispered, hearing Carlito's music starting.

Shawn started laughing at that, pulling Gianna to his side and kissing her forehead in a brotherly fashion. "That's the Gia we all know and… love. Now you be a good little girl out there and I might tell Paul to go easy on you."

She almost threw up.

Carlito snarled and pulled Gianna to his side, glaring at Shawn. "Keep it up, man and I WILL go to them and show them EVIDENCE that PROVES who and what Paul Levesque really is."

He pushed her gently through the curtain and walked down the ramp way with her.

Gianna was all smiles, doing the whole 'encouraging her man' bit, trying to get the crowd going when he was on the losing end of the match. She sighed, running her fingers through her long auburn hair, wondering if Carlito was out of his mind, threatening to go to the McMahons. And proof? What proof? The physical evidence on her face? That could easily be explained away as something happening in the ring. She frowned when she seen Shawn 'tuning up the band' and brought her hands down on the edge of the ring.

Carlito smirked when Shawn went to kick his face off and ducked, instead delivering a devastating back cracker and got the pin.

"AND YOUR WINNER, CARRRLITO!" Lillian Garcia announced, rolling his name off her tongue.

Carlito grinned as he got up, walking over to the ropes and holding them open for Gianna to enter. He slid out long enough to grab a chair and handed it to her, pointing down at Shawn. "Do it."

Gia stared at Carlito, abhorred and shook her head no. "Are you crazy?" She hissed, backing away, tossing down the chair. She was stupid, yes, but not that damn stupid. Shaking her head, Gianna slipped through the ropes and headed backstage, brushing her eyes with her knuckles.

Sighing, Carlito followed her backstage. "Gianna, when are you going to stop being with a man who is already spoken for, who beats the living shit out of you and probably rapes you?" He demanded in front of everyone who was in the hallway.

It went dead silent.

Gianna stared up at him, tears pooling in her eyes though to her credit, she didn't cry. "At least he humiliates me behind closed doors." She said quietly, turning around and walking away from him, not looking at anyone as she disappeared from the corridor.

"GIANNA!" He shouted, rushing after her and stopped her in the parking lot. "Why do you stay with him? Why? Why don't you want to be with someone who actually WANTS you? Someone who'll love you?" He demanded, shaking her by the shoulders, trying to knock some damn sense into her.

"WHY ARE YOU DOING THIS?" Gianna screamed, trying to push him away. "You're hurting me Carly!" Her knees buckled and she dropped to the pavement, shrugging him off, clutching her chest. "Because… I-" She shook her head, not even knowing what to say anymore. Sometimes she still loved Paul, most of the time she hated him.

"WHY AM I DOING THIS? BECAUSE I WANT YOU TO LOOK AT AND WANT ME JUST LIKE YOU WANT THAT SON OF A BITCH!" Carlito stepped away from her, raking both hands through his fro frustrated. "Why don't you just tell Stephanie what Paul is doing?"

After a long moment's silence, Gia shook her head. "I tried… once, to tell her and the second I said his name…" She shook her head again, still not believing she had once been about to do that, remembering the look on Stephanie's face at the mere mention of the man, the woman was smitten.

She pushed herself up, wiping away her tears. "I tried leaving him tonight…" Gianna halted, suddenly catching on to what he had first said and backed away, not exactly sure if she wanted to hear anymore. Honestly, Carlito did not like living or his job.

"Would you stop worrying about my job for TWO seconds?" Carlito sighed, correctly interpreting her thoughts. He helped her up, not taking his hands from her shoulders. "Gianna, please, stop running from me. Let me in and let me help you get out of this. To get away from him. I don't want him to hurt you anymore."

She stared back at him, searching for a hint of deceit, something, anything. Gia chewed on her lower lip and sighed. "Meet me tomorrow morning for breakfast in the hotel lobby." She said finally, waving when Maria came strolling out. "I'm bunking with Maria tonight so…" She offered him a hesitant smile before going to meet her friend.

**********

"You know, if you don't want him, how bout passing him my way?" Maria said once they were back in the hotel.

Gianna just shook her head no, trying not to smile. She listened as Maria babbled on about clothes, watching as the smaller woman tossed outfit after outfit onto the bed. "It's BREAKFAST!"

"It's your first DATE in three years!"

"I'm going to get a Pepsi, want anything?"

"Um… something that won't rot my teeth." Maria said absentmindedly, now busy with Gianna's shoes.

Shaking her head, Gianna stepped out into the hallway.

"Pull the fire alarm if there's any trouble!" Maria shouted as the door closed.

"Oh dear christ…"

"Well well, look who it is." Came the unmistakable voice of none other than Mathew Hardy. "How are you, baby doll?" He asked, a grin on his face when she turned around though it turned into a frown at the sight of her bruised face and stitches. "Jesus, what did he do to you?" He whispered, stepping up to cup her face in his hands.

Gianna waited patiently while he inspected the bruises then moved onto the stitches. "I tried to leave him tonight, Mattie." She said softly. "He didn't like that."

A low growl escaped his lips as he shook his head, staring down into her blue eyes. "You need to do something about this. I know we've had this talk a million times, but I really love you, Gia. I don't want him to hurt you anymore." He was sounding desperate now.

"I'm working on it Mattie, I promise." She assured him, reaching out to place her hand against the side of his face, smiling when he leaned into the touch. "Stop worrying about me, I'll be fine. I promise."

Leaning against her, Matt pressed his forehead to hers and kissed it gently, right above the stitches. "When you finally figure it out, you let me know and I'll be there for you." He whispered, running his thumb across her lips and pulled her in for a tight hug.

Gia just nodded, resting her head on Matt's shoulder. "I got to get going… Maria is probably going to have a heart attack and pull another fire alarm if I'm not back soon." She said, laughing softly as she stepped out of his embrace. "Thank you, Matt."

"Anytime, Beautiful." He murmured softly, kissing her lips and walked down the hallway. He was in love with Gianna and she knew it, but somehow, he knew they would never be anymore than best friends.

Gianna watched Matt walk away and smiled, shaking her head. She had known him since before she had come to the WWE. They'd been best friends, for forever it seemed. She knew how he felt, but honestly, she couldn't imagine them in a serious relationship. Actually, she couldn't even remember what a serious relationship was like anymore. She retrieved the drinks and headed back to the room, groaning when she seen what Maria had set out. "NO!"

"What?" Maria blinked innocently.

**********

Gianna groaned, not believing she was letting Maria do this to her. In place of her plain jeans and sweaters, Maria had insisted she wear a pair of sparkly jeans Gia hadn't even remembered buying and a crimson tank top with high heels. "It's breakfast!"

"DATE! IT'S A DATE!" Maria shrieked, shoving Gianna out the door. "Now go find your handsome Cabana boy and get on with it already!"

"I'm going to seriously hurt you!" Gianna shouted, growling when Maria just rolled her eyes and slammed the door shut.

**********

Carlito's eyes widened upon seeing Gianna walk into the restaurant, blinking rapidly and had to remember how to use his legs as he shakily stood. He walked over to her, not even realizing it, and kissed her cheek before esorting her to the table. "You look beautiful, Gia."

Gianna shrugged, shifting uncomfortably. "Maria got a hold of me." She said, smiling slightly as she slid into her seat. "I um… I'm sorry about last night." She began in a rush. "Though if you EVER do that to me in pubic again, I'll never talk to you again." She blushed, remembering how he'd announced the on goings of her and Paul's 'relationship' in front of everyone.

"I was trying to open your eyes." He softly told her, holding out a menu and hoped she ate something. He had seldom see her eat and knew it was because of Paul. "It's on me so order whatever you want. I'm sorry about last night too, even though I did it for a good reason."

"Maybe, but bad way of doing it." Gia replied, browsing the menu. She smiled when the waitress appeared. "Green tea and a blueberry muffin, please." She didn't know why she bothered with the menu, she always ordered the same thing, smiling when Carlito shook his head. "Don't even, that's my breakfast and I like it."

"No wonder your purse weighs more than you do." He muttered, ordering himself a little of everything, catching the look on her face. "What? I got to eat." He grinned.

"Uh huh." Gianna just shook her head, glancing out the window and waited patiently, smiling when her tear and muffin arrived. "Simple foods are the quickest served." She teased, sipping her tea before picking up the muffin. "Last night… did you mean what you said?" She asked curiously, not looking at him.

"Yes." He answered without any hesitation and looked directly into her eyes, his own full of emotion and reached across the table to take her hand in his. "Every word."

Gia didn't know what to say to that and just stared down at the table, finally whispering: "Why?"

"Because I love you." Carlito replied bluntly, not letting go of her hand. "I love you, Gianna and I'm not sorry for it."

"You're out of your mind, but I've told you that before." She sighed, smiling slightly, a sparkle in her blue eyes. "Oh snikes…" She murmured, pushing away from the table when she seen Paul and his little bitch boys walk in. "Can we go somewhere else?" She asked, backing away already.

"No." Carlito shook his head, wrapping a protective arm around her waist, having gotten to his feet the minute Paul walked in. He held her close as Paul walked up to them, squaring his shoulders. "What's up, Levesque?"

"What are you doing with him?" Paul demanded, ignoring the smaller man.

"Having breakfast with him." Gia said, gathering strength from Carlito, that and knowing they were in a room full of people and not employees helped. "Why don't you find your FIANCEE and bother her?"

"Excuse me?" Paul snarled quietly, his eyes bulging and went to advance on her. He was

SHOCKED when her hand came flying out and slapped the taste right out of his mouth.