Kate -

Please forgive me, but I still can't explain what's going to happen tonight. All I can tell you is that you need to take the 6:35 am train from the Aberdeen train station into Penn Station.

Outside of the terminal, there's going to be a man in a suit, right in front of the entrance of Borders'. His name is Nick, he's a security guard, and he'll escort you to where you need to go.

Tell no one who you are unless they ask and make sure you have your driver's license. You're going to need it as a form of I.D.

I am sorry that I'm being so cryptic, but it's the boss's orders.

You'll see why.

See you soon,

John

"Can you please tell me what the hell that's about?" Kate sighed and sunk down into her mattress. "Because, quite honestly, I have no idea."

"Well, that makes two of us," Julia scoffed on the other end of the phone line.

The blonde girl rolled her eyes, "For a best friend, you sure suck sometimes…"

"Ah, ah, ah…" she halted her friend. "What do we know about making statements that can be interpreted dirtily…?"

Kate couldn't help but smile, "Don't make them."

"I've taught you well," the brunette surmised lightheartedly. "Listen, I have an early class in the morning, but before you ask… wear your dark blue jeans without any designs, your AC/DC tee with the red rhinestones, and your black Chuck Taylors."

"You are good," the younger friend chuckled. "I'll keep you posted tomorrow."

"Sounds like a plan… goodnight."

"Goodnight."


Kate folded up the paper again and looked up at the sign in front of her.

Borders.

It was because of John's weird-ass, cryptic as hell letter that she was standing in the middle of the plaza, completely confused.

It wasn't like she had never been to New York before. Hell, she was born in Brooklyn and was the child of a Bronx boy and a Brooklyn girl.

But nothing that her less-than-doting father and wise-beyond-her-years mother could have done to prepare her for this.

Not then, not now.

This one, she'd just have to learn on her own.

Her hazel eyes flickered around the storefront and soon locked on a slightly burly man in a navy suit.

Hesitantly, she approached him, "Are you Nick?"

He continued to stare past her, or at least… she thought he did. It was kind of hard to tell with the polarized sunglasses covering his eyes.

"That depends," his deep voice replied, his serious face never faltering. "What's your name, kid?"

Kate chewed on the inside of her cheek at that particular comment, forcing her stubborn personality to quit bugging her, as Nick was not the man to have an argument with at that particular moment.

Especially at seven o'clock in the damn morning.

"Kate Jackson," she stated simply, deciding it was the best way to avoid pissing him off or annoying him altogether.

"Yeah," Nick nodded and finally acknowledged her presents with a definitive tilt of his head. "Follow me."

For a few minutes, she stepped side by side with the mysterious older man as he mechanically maneuvered his way through the busy area with ease.

In fear of a seething retort, Kate tried to glance at their surroundings for some clue as to what she was doing.

Failing in her efforts, she adjusted her black backpack on her shoulder, which contained the suddenly very heavy zip-up sweatshirt, half-dozen bagels, iPod, and novel that her mother had forced her to pack that morning.

"Well, I can't just walk into the bagel store and buy ONE bagel, Kate. That's a little insulting, don't you think?"

Reflecting on her mother's words, the blonde couldn't help but smile.

At least she gave a damn about her own kid, contrary to what Matthew was trying to argue in divorce court.

Immediately, her father came to mind.

She wondered what he was doing with his life, now that she and Natalie were no longer a part of it.

Was he still sleeping around with other women? Or was the thrill of it now gone?

Was he still working hard to the point of sleeping three hours a night? Or was that all just a sham to begin with?

But as the five foot, four inch spitfire bumped right into the back of the muscular Nick, all thoughts of her father were pushed aside.

"Why did we stop?" she asked, looking up at the sign over her head.

"Because we're here," he replied with little effort.

"And where exactly is here?"

Nick pointed to a sheet of metal above her head and the eighteen-year-old followed his fingers.

Madison Square Garden.

"I have to go do a security sweep," Nick announced and reached into the interior pocket of his jacket, handing her a business card. "Go through the front doors, make a left once you get through the glass doors, and tell them that you are the runner. If you have any problems, have them call me at this number."

"Um…" Kate trailed off and then looked up from the card, only to see him nearly twenty paces ahead of her. "Okay."

Pocketing the small rectangle, she entered the World's Most Famous Arena.


Kate glanced around the stark white hallways of Madison Square Garden with a fondness.

For years, her father's company was a season ticket holder and he'd bring her to Knicks games as a little girl, but those days had long since come and gone.

As had the glass door nearly five minutes ago.

Continuing to walk forward, Kate began to search for the card that Nick had handed her before seeing her off, as it had become quite possible to her that she had mistaken his directions and was in dire need of assistance.

And then, she was knocked flat on her ass.


Kate's hazel eyes fluttered open and the world began to come into focus, albeit it wasn't too quickly.

After she regained her wits, she decided to sit up, but was suddenly overcome by a sense of dizziness and the spinning room around her, of which nothing could be made out.

"Whoa, whoa," a deep, gravelly voice halted her. "Take it easy there."

I know that voice…

The blonde reached for her head and rubbed the currently sore spot, discovering a bump in its place, "You should have told me that before I decided to sit up."

The man chuckled in amusement at the spunky girl, "You shouldn't have been walking around Madison Square Garden by yourself at eight 'o clock in the morning."

"I'm here for a reason," she scoffed and hunched over slightly, resting her elbows on her knees as she continued to clutch her head. "What's your excuse?"

"Other than the fact that I work here, I believe I'm the one that ran you over like a monster truck," he continued to laugh at her expense. "Speaking of which, you okay?"

"Aside from the massive bump on my head?" her eyes rolled. "I'm just fan-fucking-tastic."

Continuing to look down, Kate caught sight of his white sneakers now directly in front of her on the black couch.

"Yeah, sorry about that. I can't really get rid of the bump, but here's some ice. Maybe that will help," he suggested, holding out a pouch of ice for her head.

"Thanks," she murmured and slowly looked up at the man in front of her, finally locking eyes with him and taking notice of what beautiful blue ones they were. "You're Randy Orton."

Randy gestured down his body and flashed a cocky smile her way, "In the flesh."

"Wow… this is a pretty crappy way to meet you," Kate surmised weakly, taking the ice pouch from his hand and placing it against her aching skull.

"I think that's the first time a girl's ever said that to me," the wrestler marveled in amusement. "Listen, I have to go, but can I at least help you to wherever it is you need to go? I kind of feel bad for injuring you…"

"Oh my God," Kate looked up in mock-shock, "He does have a soul."

His sapphire eyes rolled, "I'm being serious."

"Me too," she shrugged and slowly rose to her feet, with a little difficulty. "I'm not entirely sure where I'm supposed to go, all I know is that I was told to bring a form of identification."

Randy nodded and handed her the backpack that had formerly been resting at the foot of the couch, "You're probably supposed to go to the check-in and get your pass. I know where that is, I'll take you there."

For the first time that day, Kate smiled genuinely and sighed in relief, "Thank you."

The blue-eyed man pulled open the door for her and followed her through, "So, uh… what brings you here today?"

"Same thing that brings you here," she retorted simply as they began walking down the hallway and noticed the confused stare on her companion's face. "The W… W… E …"

"Thanks for the enlightenment," he rolled his own eyes this time. "So how old are you?"

"Old enough to know that you're married."

"It's called small talk, kid. I'm trying here…"

"And old enough not to be called 'kid' anymore," Kate added sharply.

"Please, I'm twenty seven now and I'm going to be a dad soon…" Randy shot her a look. "And there are guys in the back who are still calling me a 'kid.'"

"You know, you're the second person to call me a kid today," she added incredulously, turning with him at a corner.

"And I won't be the last," he shook his head as they came to a stop at the security check-in point. "Get used to it."

The eighteen year old couldn't help but laugh, "I'll try to remember that. Listen, thanks for the ice pack and helping me get here. I appreciate it."

Randy waved it off, "No problem. I did kind of bowl you over in the first place… and contrary to popular belief, I'm not an asshole…" he trailed off and then smirked slightly, "Well, not a complete asshole, anyway."

"Rrrrright," she continued to chuckle and ran a hand through her blonde hair. "Still, thank you."

"Like I said, not a problem," he smiled at her and Kate could feel the tiniest of quivers in her surgically repaired knee. "Now considering that I knocked you over, knocked you out, and helped you find your way again, can I at least know what your name is?"

Tell no one who you are unless they ask...

"I… I can't tell you," she bit down on her lower lip slightly.

Internally, Kate was groaning loudly. The one time she gets to meet the Legend Killer himself… and she can't even tell him her name.

Fucking John Cena.

At this point, all she wanted to do was give these people her driver's license and go find where the hell John was.

She'd already made enough of an idiot of herself for one day.

"I'm sorry," she continued to apologize as she sighed.

"It's okay," Randy nodded and Kate could have sworn that his blue eyes sparkled mischievously for a second before he leaned down, his head right next to hers and his lips near her ears. "I know he's here too."

The young woman smiled for a brief second, watching as Randy straightened up, and extended her right hand, "Well, it was nice to meet you, Randy."

Randy grasped her hand lightly and pressed his lips to the back of her hand, "It was nice to meet you too…" he trailed off and locked eyes with her once more. "Kate."


A/N: So, I think that I'm really happy with this chapter.

After re-reading the last one, I came to the conclusion that I there was a reason I went from twenty-something reviews to 15 or so. The last chapter was crap. Too much dialogue, not enough internal monologue, which this fic has become notorious for.

I'm sorry that this one was short, but I've learned that quality is better than quantity, even if it leaves you guys dying for more sometimes. Hopefully, I gave you guys some more incentive to review this chapter. I know it's much better than the last.

Shout outs: Queen Chaos- Hardy, Enigmatic Lotus Leaf, gurl42069, Johnny, pinkshadow89, nychick4, goddessofthenite, sideways anger, jada951, JCJF.lover, MissyKate21, RKOxLOVESxME, Fozzy-Floozy, Inday, JCEdgeRKO, Lilmisshardygirl, and Devil0Child!

Thanks for the reviews last chapter… and please review this chapter, especially if you didn't last chapter, so that I know that I did better on this one.

Thanks, everyone!

Danielle