"Carrie?" Kane had lost her almost the second they had entered arena, when he caught up to a familiar group he called out her name.
"No dice big guy." Janet shook her head, surprised that Carrie wasn't, as she had assumed, with him. Kane had no other use for talking to the trio so without another word he began to walk off.
"Do you want us to tell her you're looking for her? Relay a message or something?" Lizzie tried her best to be accommodating. She was the calmer head that rarely prevailed, and the first one to realize that Kane and Carrie were slowly forming an even closer relationship.
"Y . . ." Kane paused, he wanted it to be 'relayed' how reckless he thought it was of Carrie to run out of eye sight, but he didn't yet want Carrie or her friends to know how much danger she was in. Much like any other problem he faced, he felt he could handle it all on his own. Kane was sure the group would try to drag Carrie away from him at the first sign of trouble, and that he would not allow. 'Plus . . . you have to come to terms with . . . I have to get used to her not being around. What is it a week or so till she's out of my life for good?' He had been trying to ignore that fact, as the days passed, as they spent more and more time together, the closer they got, it made him want to block out the expiration date on their friendship. Over the past few days it had caused him to lose sleep, he would turn over and simply stare at Carrie, trying to soak up every fleeting minute. "No." He resumed his stomp through the hallway, his stomach lurching at the notion that no matter how hard he fought not to lose Carrie, in the end it would all be for nothing.
"Oh captain my captain!" Sidney gave a sarcastic salute to Kane's distancing back. "Not much of a talker huh?" He looked over to his friends to see if they were equally off put by Kane's cold shoulder.
"You're no Carrie." Lizzie gave a shrug and a smile. She was fairly confident if Kane talked to anyone it had to be Carrie, they had been spending a considerable amount of time together lately, easily tripling that of the week before, it seemed implausible all that time was spent in silence.
"That, and in case you haven't noticed . . . Dude hates your guts." Janet stated the glaringly obvious.
"He's not exactly your biggest fucking fan either." Sidney mumbled under his breath. "You really think he talks to her? I just assumed he was a self centered dick." Sidney questioned with a heavy dose of skepticism. 'All I hear is him barking orders at her. Do this! Don't go there! Stop smiling! And he has the balls to say we're demeaning to her. How'd he like a taste of his own medicine?' He wished punching Kane in the nose would have the same effect the blow to his own face had. 'Who the hell does he think he is?' Sidney could not match Kane in strength, but they mirrored each other when it came to resentment.
"I mean I don't know." Lizzie had to admit Kane didn't exactly have a way with words. "But I'd like to think they have things to say to each other. If not yet . . . maybe he's working on it." Lizzie had almost a blind faith that there was more than met the eye when it came to Carrie and Kane.
"I call bull!" Janet shook her head in disagreement. Janet lived in an instant gratification frame of mind, she figured if there had been a spark between Carrie and Kane it would have lit a fire by now.
"Just admit it guys. I'm not sure what . . . but Carrie and Kane have something going for them and you know it! Can't we just be happy for them? You know supportive?" Lizzie would not let their cynicism keep her down.
"No." Sidney replied without hesitation.
"Whatever." Janet rolled her eyes. 'Let her have this. Crushing her dreams is like killing a puppy.'
Carrie had been on edge all day, her unease was exactly why she had ditched Kane at the first turn she could, she knew it would lead to another argument. 'You're just nervous . . . stage fright.' She tried to convince herself as she counted some deep breaths. Sure she was nervous about her first televised match with the company, but there was something else she couldn't quite put her finger on that was worrying her. She was frightened, she had a feeling in her gut that something bad would happen, that this day would not go smoothly in the slightest. She felt a wave of dread wash over her the more she thought about it. Part of her wanted to find Kane, wanted to be close to him, wanted him to hold her. She felt safe in his arms, she felt as though nothing could touch them in moments like that. 'He'd think you're losing your marbles.' Carrie smirked to herself. 'Running scared from . . . nothing but a bad feeling.' She knew Kane would hug her all the same, he would protect her from whatever nothing frightened her. They were comfortable with that level of embrace by that point, at least in private.
"Carrie!" Janet yelled out tackling Carrie into a wall with a thud.
"Janet?! Cheese and crackers woman! Nearly caused me to jump out of my skin! Thought you'd have learned your lesson by now when it comes to sneaking up on people!" Carrie let out a deep sigh of relief as her friends assembled around her.
"Sorry." Janet took a few steps back, surprised at Carrie's legitimately startled response.
"Hey Carrie! Kane was looking for you!" Lizzie ignored Kane's earlier request, still following her connection instincts.
"Did he seemed worried? Concerned?" It was obvious her friends had not caught the bad vibe bug. It was doubtful Kane, even if he was worried would have shown it, but Carrie still felt compelled to ask.
"No. But you do, is everything ok?" Sidney questioned, already hip to the fact that everything was definitely not ok. 'What's wrong? Did something happen? Did he scare her?' He assumed the worst out of the big red machine.
"I feel . . . It's stupid but I feel like something bad is going to happen. You guys alright? How about Kane? Is everything . . . normal?" Against her best efforts Carrie's mind raced with situations in which the people she care about most could be caught in harms way.
"Everyone seems fine to me." Lizzie answered trying to sooth Carrie's fears. Looking to her friends, Sidney and Janet nodded in agreement.
"I know what it is!" Janet snapped her fingers. "First night jitters. You want this night to go perfect and it sent that paranoid brain of yours into overdrive." Janet smiled when she noticed some of Carrie's tense muscles loosen.
'It sounds a little more believable coming out of someone else's mouth.' Perhaps ignorantly Carrie began to believe it was nothing more than nerves. 'Stop worrying Carrie.' She tried to snap herself out of this negative slump. 'Why now? Why start freaking out now?' She took a deep breath as she pulled all the confidence she had from within.
"Maybe Kane will go out there with you. He'd make sure nothing bad will happen!" Lizzie suggested, now fully immersed in this matchmaking role.
'Sure. No one is allowed within five feet of her . . . except for him and his twisted mind.' Sidney was bitter and angry at Kane for trying to use brute force to keep Carrie from him.
'No need to waste his time. I'll go alone. He has enough on his plate. Honestly it's best if we keep our distance anyway.' Carrie shook her head.
"Or there's always that guy with the terrible wig!" Janet pointed slightly down the hall. The blood ran from Carrie's face as she saw who had appeared just feet away from them. "News flash dude! You're doing it wrong. Carrie might be into freaks . . ." Janet glanced over at Lizzie. "But not creeps!" She taunted the man looking Carrie up and down.
"Real funny Janet." Carrie laughed to hide her intimidation.
"Who is that?" Lizzie voiced her curiosity and slight concern, there was something not right about this guy.
"Kane." Carrie sneered, the name seemed tainted referencing the cheap knock off.
"I've seen Kane. Of no fault of my own . . . every inch of the man. By the way, is it weird that I saw your boyfriend's dick before you did?" Janet smirked.
"You're an idiot." Carrie replied. In reality it did bother her slightly. Kane wasn't her boyfriend, but still knowing Janet had seen what was off limits to her was a bit upsetting.
"You're the idiot1 You must be blind, cause that ain't Kane." Janet pointed again at the still staring man, a pudgy oaf wrapped in red, there was no doubt in her mind that he most certainly was not Kane.
"The other Kane." Carrie and the impostor locked eyes, she was sure he hadn't blinked since he first found her.
"Great there's more than one?" Sidney let out an unhappy sigh. One Kane was more than enough for his liking, now he had two behemoths in his life.
"In a way." Carrie trailed off, not explaining herself, still locked in a malicious stare.
"You're not making any sense." Sidney rubbed his forehead, thoroughly confused and now somewhat annoyed. The heat emitting from the second Kane's eyes was boring holes through Carrie, turning her legs to jelly. Regardless she tried to keep an unwavering, uninterrupted aura as she slowly stepped closer to him.
"Watch out Carrie! If you flirt to hard Kane will get jealous . . . of himself." Janet laughed at the awkward situation they were in.
"Hey guys would you mind going on a quest for skittles? I have yet to find a vending machine with a single bag. I feel having that a sugar rush could really help me out later on." She thought of a lackluster distraction.
"No! Absolutely not, you must be out of your god damn mind if you think I'm going to leave you with some seven foot stranger!" Sidney could not believe Carrie would even propose such a plan.
"The faster you go, the faster you can get back. He might not look much like Kane, but I'm sure he's just as stubborn and I think he wants to talk to me . . . alone. If shit hits the fan I'll run, you know there's no one here I can't out run." Carrie tried to reason with a very skeptical Sidney.
"Stubborn? So what Carrie? This guy could be twice the maniac Kane is for all we know, he could rip you apart!" Sidney shook his head defiantly.
"I can out run you too." Carrie was forcing Sidney's hand. "It's going to happen one way or another Sidney."
"Of course it is." He scoffed, knowing that if Carrie was so determined to talk in private there was not much he could do to stop her. "Fine. But if I don't see you in twenty minutes I'm calling in a swat team. I'm serious Carrie." Sidney spoke harshly to prove he meant business.
"Twenty minutes, yeah yeah heard you, perfect. Time starts now." Carrie waved her friends off, a semi reassuring smile on her face.
"Twenty minutes!" Sidney repeated.
"We all got it ok?" Janet tugged on Sidney's arm. "Like she said faster we go faster we get back. My belly is agreeing with Carrie right now." A slight grumble stirred within her stomach as they slowly walked off.
Carrie and the imposter were now emersed in their first official meeting. Seeing him beaten down on her hotel room floor had been so brief it hardly counted. Kane had gone out of his way not to talk about the doppleganger. This was the man that made Kane anxious, it was almost as if Kane was afriad of himself, and what he was capable of. 'He's just a coward like Kane said. Percive no threat.' Carrie walked herself through a calm mindset before stopping infront of him. "You know what I think?" Carrie never got an answer to her rhetorical question. The silent brute grabbed both of her wrists and yanked her close to him, she bounced into his chest, she was so close she could hear his irregular heartbeat. She winced as he increased the pressure in his grip, she whrithed in pain as he clenched tighter still. Looking down at Carrie, his angry eyes almost smirked at her, relishing in her discomfort. Remaining silent, he lifted Carrie by her trapped wrists and with a slight toss he slung her over his shoulder.
"What?!" Kane finally relented turning around to see Carrie's friends whose calls he had been purposely ignoring for the last several minutes. "What do you morons want?" To his disappointment Carrie was absent from the group. For the second time that night it seemed as though Carrie had no desire to be around him. 'Is she avoiding me? What's wrong? What did I do now?" He felt a tug on his emotions. The two scenarios in front of him were either Carrie had gotten herself in some sort of trouble, or she was upset with him and going out of her way not to be around him. Both options left Kane at a loss.
"Is Carrie with you? We got her skittles but can't find her anywhere." Lizzie lifted exhibit A: two fists full of skittles. " Sidney's about to have an aneurysm if we don't find her soon." She leaned her head to point at her visibly anxious and irritated friend. Kane slowly looked to his left then to his right, when Carrie didn't pop out of nowhere he looked back at her friends, an annoyed look plastered on his face.
'Good for nothing idiots . . .with friends like these who needs enemies, they lost her. Why is she sneaking away from everyone? What's going on? Did Sidney tell her to hide? What lies is he spreading now?' Kane wanted to place the blame squarely on Sidney.
"I think I'm catching Carrie's bad vibe." Lizzie frowned, even the ever optimist was growing concerned. "Maybe you were right Sidney."
"Gee you think? Where were you . . . approximately eighteen minutes ago?" Sidney looked down at his watch.
"Huh? What are you blabbering about now?" Kane's pulse skipped a beat, if Carrie had gotten herself into more trouble he foresaw himself tearing the arena apart piece by piece to find her.
"We were just chilling and then this-" Janet started but was abruptly cut off.
"Boo!" Carrie shouted as she put her hands on Kane's shoulders, trying to push herself up, or at least get her head past them. "Did I scare you?" She was wobbling on the tips of her toes, stretching herself over him best she could.
"The hell are you doing?" Kane grunted as he moved to oblige her. He reached behind him, lifting her by the waist until her arms fell over his shoulders, her legs straddled his hips and her head rested alongside the crook of his neck. He felt slightly uncomfortable being so close in public, it was an awkward and somewhat nerve racking sensation.
"Carrie! See you women worry too much." Sidney let out a relieved sigh.
"Riiight." Janet rolled her eyes. "Hey what smells like burnt hair?" Janet lobbed her gaze upwards at the perched Carrie, knowing exactly where the answer would come from.
"Well see . . . you know that parlor trick I do?"
"Juggling flaming cards." Sidney nodded.
"Yeah. So I was doing that to calm me down while I was looking for you guys and-"
"Obviously." Sidney rolled his eyes then nodded a second time to prompt her to proceed.
"Anyway. I wasn't really paying attention to where I was going and POW! A door comes flying open at me, while trying to dodge it one of the cards falls straight in my hair. Singed it good, is it that noticeable?" Carrie was surprised when she felt Kane's gloved hand rake through her hair. She had successfully broken through another 'boundary' of Kane's, it was a big step reaching out and touching her like that out in the open. She had forced herself on his back, but he was dutifully and gently combing through her hair of his own free will. She basked in their achievement till she felt Kane tense beneath her. "What?" Carrie asked quietly as she pondered what she had done to make the big man flinch.
"You burn your arm too?" Carrie's right arm had caught Kane's attention, he lifted it closer to his face. From the base of what seemed to be a roughed wrist to the end of her forearm was dressed sloppily with and ace bandage. He held it lightly as he turned it from side to side, examining every inch of her delicate skin. He could see some spots where blood had seeped through. 'I know burns . . . and this . . . she didn't burn her arm. She hasn't even had her match yet. I'm sure she's hiding something, I'm sure it has something to do with that coward. Why won't she tell me? Why won't she let me protect her like I promised? What the hell happened?' He could feel his blood begin to boil, he could feel the heat of his face growing red, he could feel the surge or adrenalin, and most of all he could feel the desire for revenge. His jaw tightened, all this anger with no outlet in sight.
"Well . . . no." She admitted cautiously, retreating from the spot on Kane's back that she had been clinging to. She clutched her arm to her chest in an embarrassed motion. Kane turned to her, seeing her face completely for the first time since they had separated.
'She's afraid.' He could read it from the look in her eyes, they were restless yet meek at the same time. 'I keep saying it but I mean it Carrie . . . I'll make him pay. When I finally find him Carrie I promise, I'll make him pay. I'll protect you. I won't let him hurt my . . . friend like that.'
He was lying to himself, he was no longer satisfied with being Carrie's friend. It was a combination of the lust, the time limit, the acceptance and the connection he felt with Carrie that was seamlessly transitioning Kane from friendship to aspirations he felt unobtainable. He wanted a relationship with Carrie, he wanted her to stay with him, stay by him, he wanted Carrie to be his. Kane felt magnetized to Carrie, almost bewitched. He had reached the point where he couldn't fathom being without her. However, the fear of rejection was too daunting for him to admit those feelings to anyone, even himself. He would suffer in knowing how badly he wanted her but remain silent, remain simply a friend because above all else he did not want to lose her, it was not an option, it would simply destroy him. He knew the weeks were winding down, that she had already made up her mind to leave, but any connection was better than none. The distance would sting but he held onto the hope that whatever bond they had would over power the miles that separated them. He hoped that they would see each other again, hoped that if not physically, emotionally she would stay.
"Kane?" Carrie could see how his eyes were glazed over, she knew the expressionless face of Kane when he got lost in thought. He did that a lot, she wished Kane would open up to her, explain what was going on in that head of his. She felt there was so much she didn't know about Kane, that he wouldn't let her know. Time was running out for her to pull Kane from his shell, and at the pace she was going the clock would surely beat her. "Kane?" She waved a hand in front of his face.
"He's checked out, a lost cause." Sidney quickly gave up on the monster. "So what the hell happened?" He tried to pry information from Carrie.
"Well funny story . . . I broke a window with it." Carrie gave a nervous chuckle as she held up her forearm, gesturing it forward in reenactment. "How much do windows cost nowadays anyway? I'm probably going to be billed for the expense of fixing it. Oh skittles!" Carrie allowed herself to ramble on, hoping that it would cause the conversation to be derailed. She had no such luck, as she reached out for her treat Sidney positioned himself between Carrie and her skittles.
"For any particular reason?" Sidney followed up with another question, it felt like he was pulling teeth. "You could have really hurt yourself!" This statement caught Kane's interest, his ears perked and his eyes studied Carrie's reaction.
"Would you believe me if I said no?" Carrie answered with a question of her own, a pleading tone to her voice. It was Carrie's turn to stare off into the distance, her eyes locked onto a blank spot on the wall. She wanted to escape the scrutiny of her nosey friends but she was boxed in at every corner.
"I can't believe you Carrie! Tonight you have your first and possibly only WWE match and you went and got yourself injured before it even starts!" Sidney took her arm and looked it over in disapproval.
"Well Sidney it wasn't exactly in my day planner! I had to get out of that storage closet somehow you know? Or I would've risked missing my match all together! Not me, I couldn't live with myself if I let that opportunity slip through my fingers. I worked hard for this! Desperate times call for desperate measures." Carrie blurted out most of what she had been holding back.
"Why the hell were you in a-"
"Stop the presses! I got it!" Janet's mind made the connection before the others had put two and two together. "That guy locked you in a fucking closet? I knew he was weird but that's . . . beyond weird. Why would he do that? Did he want you to miss your match?" You could see the lightbulbs go off in the heads of Lizzie and Sidney.
"What guy?" Kane's protective nature shot into overdrive. He didn't know if she was referencing his doppelganger or some new threat, as always it didn't matter to Kane. He held back his rage, he had to dial it down a notch, he felt himself teetering on the verge of possessive and that was a road he did not want to go down.
"The-"
"Janet shut the hell up!" Carrie snapped placing a finger up in the air to punctuate her statement. This was as far as she would let this go. 'This is exactly what he wants . . . he wants Kane to be distracted by a silly need to protect me. My arm will heal soon enough, I can't let him get to Kane, I can't let him hurt Kane.'
"What did he do?" Sidney asked adamantly, knowing Carrie was stonewalling them as he tried to force his way through to the whole truth.
"Who?" Kane's voice bellowed through the hall. 'What is Carrie . . . Who is Carrie hiding from me? I already know about the masked maniac, is someone else on our coattails? Does she not trust me?' Kane had a confused and bitter lock across his face.
"Nothing, nothing! He trapped me in that closet and did nothing! He talked, for someone who should be silent he just wouldn't stop! I couldn't get him to stop!" Her voice cracked as she held her palms against her ears, the horrible things the man had tried to drill into her head played like a record in her mind.
Kane swayed on his toes, not exactly sure what measures to take to console Carrie. Eventually he took two broad steps towords her and rubbed a large hand across her back.
"It will be ok, I promise." He leaned down to whisper to her. "Carrie I won't let him . . . or anyone else hurt you. I'd kill them first." He pulled her close, cocooning her in his wide hold. Carrie was stunned, eyes wide open in surprise that Kane was growing bolder, even showing signs of what could be seen as affection, in his own threatening way.
'Don't fool yourself Carrie. Don't fall head over heels like an idiot. I leave in a week or so . . . we'll say that we'll keep in touch but give it a month or two, he won't remember your name.' With Kane's true feelings cloaked in mystery Carrie forced herself to take into consideration that perhaps, as Kane often said, he wanted to be alone in the long run. She sighed as she came to the troubling realization that she was, against better judgment, falling for Kane and there wasn't anything she could do about it. She felt foolish, the thought of Kane feeling the same way seemed outlandish. He had only recently accepted her as a friend, what was the likelihood they could cultivate anything more in such a short period of time? As close as the two had gotten, their separate insecurities were keeping the two apart. They both were beginning to want something more, but they both felt it was a lost cause, that the other did not, or rather could not feel the same way. "Well I got to get ready . . . stretch and prepare and stuff. Wish me luck!" Carrie put on her best look of determination as she broke from Kane's hold.
"Good luck!" Her three friends answered in tandem.
"Oh snap! You do like Carrie don't you? Lizzie I guess you were right!" After seeing Kane's body language, perhaps Carrie was the only person who couldn't see it spelled out in front of her.
"She's not interested." Sidney had all intentions to nip this in the bud.
"Sidney you don't know-" Lizzie was cut off before she could disagree.
"Who locked her in the closet?" Kane demanded answers, ignoring their trivial debate.
"From what I got . . . You." Sidney shrugged, he still didn't fully understand himself.
Quite sure the worst was behind her, Carrie made her way closer to the curtain, her match was next. Mid stride down a seemingly empty corridor she was shoved against a wall. "Ow fuck!" She rubbed the back of her head which was growing tender seeing as this was not the first time that night that she had made such a collision. As she refocused she noticed that she was stuck, a long stocky arm at either side of her and a mammoth frame blocking any escape from view. "I hope you know I didn't tell him! He doesn't know. He's not coming!" Carrie though frightened felt a twinge of pride in proving that she didn't always need Kane to save the day.
"You're wrong." Was his muffled response.
"Huh?" Carrie bit her lip. 'Is there something he knows that I don't? Was this a trap within a trap?'
"He does know." He cocked his head to one side as he stared at her. "He knows that I've been stalking him and his precious pet for some time now. He knows, and might even appreciate it. He knows what it's like to stalk your prey . . . to toy with it . . . to make it suffer in every way imaginable until finally you get bored . . . and you do what monsters do . . . destroy. He knows because he's just like me, Kane is me and we-"
"You don't do him any justice! Hiding behind someone else's mask that's pitiful. You two are not the same, not on your best day." Carrie had finally gained a small victory she could see that statement chipped at the statue slightly.
" Deny it all you want Carrie, but Kane is everything you hate about me, I've learned everything about Kane, I have combed through every moment of his life and embraced it as my own. This mask is just a symbol of the fact that we are two in the same. Remember that as you step deeper into Kane's inferno, he's just as sick and twisted as me. But maybe that's what excites you. Knowing that the soulless monster could snap at any moment. Does the anticipation get you off? To know that he will tear you to pieces when he finally realizes how worthless you really are? You know you deserve a creature like him, and that's what gets you all hot and bothered. Or maybe you're settling with Kane, most women don't know they can't do better than a mangled, psychotic has been. Is that it?"
"Just because you think you know everything about Kane's past doesn't mean-"
"I don't just think, I KNOW. I know Kane inside and out. Which brings me back to my first point."
"What do you have a whole fucking slide show presentation about this? I don't want to hear anymore!" Carrie shook her head trying to ignore all those slimy statements. She assessed her options, she knew he wouldn't just let her walk away, she knew fighting him was out of the question, if she yelled for help she wasn't sure how long it would take, or if anyone would even take up the challenge to help her. " I might be worthless, but you're down right scum, you're nothing . . . You don't compare to Kane at all, no one cares whose under there. You're a mask and nothing more." And with that Carrie leaned up and spat in his leather bound face. When he recoiled Carrie took her opportunity to run, sprinting for the curtain.
" You're wrong, I'm not nothing and Kane will make me famous, everyone will know who I am! You also don't understand Kane like I do. You're so proud of yourself, think you're so brave for keeping our conversation a secret. I don't need to have Kane face to face just yet, I didn't need you to bring him to me. I've got all I need, I've got his past." He spoke out loud though Carrie was long gone.
Kane had parted ways with the three musketeers after gaining what little information they had on the impostor and his interaction with Carrie. 'I'll kill him . . . I swear if he touches her I'll kill him! Why does this always happen?' He flipped a table on the way to his dressing room. 'Why can't I hold onto anyone without them getting hurt?' He clenched and unclenched his fists as he grew angry at the world. 'I'm seven feet tall, I'm three hundred plus pounds, I crack skulls for a living why is it I can't PROTECT anyone?' As he grew closer to the door he noticed something was taped to it. "The hell is that?" He squinted trying to make out the mystery item.
'A polaroid? Who the hell takes polaroids anymore.' As he got to the door he realized the dated film was the least unusual thing about the photo. The picture was of Carrie and Kane leaving the hotel. He knew exactly what moment this was. It was from two days prior, they were heading to a gym, Carrie was pulling him through the doors, holding his hand in hers. Kane had wanted to sleep late that day, but Carrie had been in a hurry, she said she wanted to get back in time to take Kane to see the movie little miss sunshine. Once she had taken his hand, she could've yanked him straight off a cliff, all he had been focusing on was how Carrie's skin felt and his need to be gentle with her. It was odd enough that someone had taken such a random shot of them but what was most alarming was the writing scribbled in red marker over Carrie's side of the photo. Her body was almost completely obscured by one word. "Katie." He read the name out loud before crumpling up the picture in his fist. 'He's mocking me.' Kane constantly felt he was being laughed at, it was his biggest pet peeve and whoever was after him was exploiting that fact. This scene seemed oddly familiarly, he contemplated it a moment longer before beginning a long stride to where he hoped Carrie would be. 'It can't be DDP can it?' Years prior DDP had taken up an interest with Undertaker's wife. Taking candid photos posting them around in an odd shrine to Sara. Was it possible DDP was up to his old tricks using some brute to do his dirty work while he sat comfortable in Atlanta? Cogs were churning in overdrive as Kane's pace sped up. Or was it Undertaker himself? No one knew Kane's torturous past better than his own brother, of which he was always on shaky terms with. Could he have taken a page out of his own previous tormentor's book and used it against Kane? Another option was Edge, the ultimate opportunist was pulling strings from every angle it wasn't out of the realm of possibilities that he had enlisted the skills of a stalker to get at Kane. Is that why he had placed Carrie in Kane's lap? As all these and countless other theories spun through Kane's head only one thought resinated. 'I need to find her. Before he gets to her again I need to find her. I need to protect Carrie.'
"Introducing second, accompanied to the ring by Kane, Carrie Lories" Lillian Garcia's voice echoed through the arena.
"What? Kane?" The short lived confidence Carrie had built up went sailing out the window along with all the color in her face at the sound of his name. She held her breath, unsure which Kane would come up and meet her.
"Couldn't find you." Kane nudged Carrie slightly, prompting her to move. Carrie let out a sigh of relief only to suck the air back in as a gasp.
'This is exactly what he wants!' Her brow scrunched in concern as she lead Kane out to be a sitting duck. "You shouldn't have . . . you didn't have to come." She studied the ramp as she walked, trying her best to seemed not frightened but rather preoccupied. She was studying it so hard she didn't even realize her walk had slowed to a crawl. Kane nudged her a second time to point out she needed to speed up.
"Payback." Kane gave a curved smirk as they reached the outskirts of the ring.
"For?" Carrie looked nervously over her shoulder, waiting for terror to come stampeding after them. 'He's messing with my mind.' She ground her teeth as she noticed the level of paranoia she had reached. Kane's stomach turned, his smirk shriveled into a grimace at the sight of Carrie's face, it was yet again full of fear, her smile still stood but her eyes gave her away. He knew what was causing her such panic and it cut to his core that he couldn't seem to protect her. It wouldn't stop him from trying. He hadn't tagged along for payback, he had come to make sure no unexpected harm came her way.
"Last week I distinctly told you not to come to my match. Where'd you end up? Smack dab in the middle of it." Kane leaned against the ring post as he watched Carrie slip between the ropes. Carrie had no desire to refute his logic and responded simply with a nod.
'You're a selfish person Carrie, you'd rather have Kane here watching over you than in the back where it's safe.' She chastised herself but still did not argue with Kane's presence.
Trying to ignore all the drama, Carrie finally took in her surroundings, and the woman standing in the ring waiting for her. 'You can do this Carrie. Confidence, perceive confidence.' Carrie gave herself a quick pep talk before the bell rand. Carrie took one last collected breath, but that stall was all Lita needed, she had pulled Carrie's feet from under her and went for the quick pin. "One!" A hand slammed the mat. Carrie quickly rocked her shoulder off the mat.
"I might not be a seasoned competitor, but trust I'm no push over either." Carrie was quick to get to her feet. She was slightly insulted by Lita's attempt to pull one over on her.
"I guess not, maybe there's a reason you're here." Lita and Carrie collided, grappling for the next executable move. Kane watched as the two women sparred from one side of the ring to the other, heavy chops being traded off.
'They're similar. I knew they would be, Lita chose her. Carrie isn't Lita though, she's different.' Kane wanted so badly to believe that, but after day and night drilling the thought women equal pain, it was hard to shake while in the presence of the woman who had scorned him. His battling philosophies ping ponged through his head as the two women flung off the ropes, both simultaneously hitting a clothesline. The match went on an on, back and forth. Lita was known for her dare devil stunts and she was using that skill to the best of her ability but her stamina was waning with each flourished move. Carrie had been more or less biding her time, occasionally boxing Lita in the corner with a line of punches, but finally a real opportunity presented itself. As they both stumbled to their feet after a Litabomb Carrie caught Lita in a sloppy sidewalk slam. Carrie was winded but she opted to go for the cover over catching her breath.
"One. Two. Three." The words rang sweetly in Carrie's ears as she fought to catch up with her lifted hand, stumbling as she did so.
'She's no joke. I guess there's a reason you're here too.' Carrie outstretched a hand, helping Lita to her feet.
"I hope you know." Once standing Lita distanced herself. "I let you win." Lita took the wind out of Carrie's sails for a brief moment.
'No one is going to keep me down.' Carrie was on cloud nine, her smile continued to grow. "Oh well, a win is a win." Carrie shrugged. "If that was the case to what would I owe such a gift?"
"Brains too." Lita nodded in appreciation. "Edge wanted you here to keep him at bay." Lita pointed over at Kane. "I had my own reasons. I'm not the most popular diva in town, maybe some time down the road I'll need you to have my back." Lita had it on good authority the woman's locker room had not exactly welcomed Carrie with open arms. They were both misfits in their own way, and an alliance among misfits could be a dominant one. "And hey! He's more afraid of you than you are of him." Lita nodded over in the direction of Kane who was impatiently waiting for Carrie outside the ring, his annoyed eyes glued to the pair. On that note Lita was done sharing wisdom, she slid out of the ring and into Edge's hungry embrace.
"How'd I do?" Carrie asked Kane who seemed to be in a hurry to leave the area, Carrie had to jog just to keep up with his long strides. "Kane?"
"What did . . . You did good." Kane sighed running a hand over his head, he didn't want to ruin Carrie's moment, but he was still irritated at the sight of her casual conversation with Lita.
"Well thanks." Carrie was still smiling from ear to ear, her cheeks were burning from how far it stretched. "Holding something back? It's alright I can take it." Carrie gave Kane a playful punch in the shoulder, he froze right before the curtain.
"I don't like her." Kane's nose wrinkled as he glanced back at the happy couple waltzing their way closer. Carrie nodded thoughtfully before speaking.
"Understandable." She spoke as she made her way through the black fabric. Kane blinked stupefied as if he felt betrayed by her lackluster response. "Is that off in the distance stare mean you think neither should I?"
"Maybe. She-" Kane's large shoulders rose and fell into a shrug. 'She has no reason to hate Lita. She owes all this to Lita, but what Lita did to me . . . that can't be ignored.'
"You two ended on bad terms and-" Carrie found the most neutral way to put it.
"She screwed me over!" Kane bit back, neither of them would let the other get a full sentence out.
"You railroaded her into marriage." Carrie could immediately tell she had struck a sensitive cord, all the energy seemed to seep out of Kane's already placid face and rigid body.
"You don't understand." Kane's head sunk inward, as if he was a turtle receding into it's shell. 'No one understands me, no one will ever understand a freak like me, no one will understand what I've been through.' He scanned the perimeter for any sign of an exit. For a long five to ten minutes a silence lingered over them as they walked, Kane walling himself off, Carrie trying to think of the best way to respond. Kane by that point was not even looking over his shoulder to see if Carrie was following.
"No." Carrie grabbed Kane's hand in her drastically smaller fingers, Kane stopped at the feel of her touch but did not turn around to look at her, the brutish monster was still hurt by her words. "No I don't understand all that over the top . . . whatever . . . that transpired between you two, and you know what? Probably never will, but . . . that's ok." Carrie wove her fingers within Kane's as she stepped closer to him. She bobbed and weaved till Kane was forced to look at her. "There are things I don't understand about you . . . and there are things you don't understand about me, and probably never will . . . and that's ok. I could huff and puff about it, or just accept it for what it is and move on. It's totally fine if you don't want to try and explain what happened, but don't let this one thing make you close off completely, please we're trying so hard." Carrie squeezed Keyness hand slightly.
"What makes you think I want to be understood?" Kane's defensive nature erupted to the surface as he yanked his hand back. "What makes you think I understand myself? I'm a monster, if you knew what went on in my head, Carrie you'd keep your distance. The less you know about me the better." Kane felt the best way to keep Carrie was to seem normal, to do that he needed to hide a good portion of himself away, it was proving too difficult of a task, leading him to lash out at her. 'No one understands me, no one ever will.' A new mantra pulsed through his head.
"You can't mean that?!" Carrie could see all her hard work turn to dust, Kane was isolating himself yet again. Kane had been burned before, by people he thought were getting to know him, that wanted to be close to him. It was the part of him that wanted companionship so badly that always scorned him.
'Not this time, not another Lita . . . not another X-Pac not another Tori . . . I'm not as dumb as I look. I want you Carrie, but wants and needs . . . they're not the same thing. I'll protect you . . . I'll be your friend . . . but I won't . . . can't let myself be vulnerable to you.' Kane had every reason to be weary, since he could remember, anyone he ever trusted, ever cared for ever loved, had betrayed him, used him for personal gain and when he was no longer useful, they threw him aside, stabbing him the back on their way to bigger and better things. His mind was telling him to be smarter this time, his feelings were arguing that Carrie was different, it was an ongoing tug of war, confusing both Kane and Carrie. "Exactly, you'd never understand, you have no idea what I've gone through, and what it's made me." He looked at his up turned palms, calloused hands from years of fighting against adversity. "They call me a machine Carrie. That's because it's easier to go through the motions, than get lost in my demons." His palms curled into fists. "Just leave me alone for a while Carrie. Go celebrate with your friends." He felt a desire for violence, to make someone bleed, to pay someone back for all the things that had been done to him. Kane worried if they kept this up he wouldn't be able to stop himself from making that person Carrie. "Please just go!" He barked when he saw that Carrie had not budged.
"Not without you." Carrie did her best to stand her ground.
"Did you not listen to a word I just said?" Kane's voice grew louder in aggravation.
"I heard you. Kane I want to prove to you, that there are some people that see the man in you, not the monster, not the machine, when I look at you I see Kane. . . Just Kane. Please just give it a shot! If that's not intensive enough I had all intentions to go out to a bar and get completely plastered tonight and that means my friends would have to carry me home and-"
"Sidney would end up dropping you on your face." Kane scoffed with his usual skepticism of Sidney's competency as a a friend, this was not helping bring down his rage. He began to weigh his options. He could go back to the hotel, where he could be alone, have some peace and quiet and time to sort through his thoughts. Downside being, if he did that, his thoughts would get the best of him and he'd grow anxious, knowing Carrie was out somewhere drunk, with no one to take care of her. 'I can't have her stumbling around impaired especially with that stalker out to get her.' As angry as Kane was, his desire to protect Carrie was absolute. His other option would be to accompany Carrie to the bar, be completely miserable, surrounded by people, debauchery, loud music and Sidney all of which were on the bottom of the list of thing Kane felt he could deal with at the moment. The only upside being it would apparently make Carrie's day, and he could make sure Carrie was safe. 'I wonder if she's a sloppy drunk? Am I going to have to hold her hair back as she pukes after she gets this . . . plastered.' Kane grimaced at the thought.
"Fuck it nevermind, just forget it." The look on Kane's face fed into a theory she had been forming.
'Why is she getting so mad over a night of drinking? She knows I don't like people, why would she even ask?' Kane was taken aback, he was used to being the one who lost his temper, the one who yelled, but here was Carrie snapping back.
"I didn't know going to the bar with me would be like going to the gallows! You're a man not a monster Kane, I'll say it till I'm blue in the face, but the man you are can be a real jerk sometimes! I'm over this, I can't do this agin, I'm done with this back and forth nonsense, I'm done with everything." She shook her head as she began to storm away from Kane. 'I know he has trust issues, and I know gaining that trust would be slow moving, but every time we move forward, when I think of friendship is finally stabilized, he just shoves me back, over and over again. I won't play this game anymore.'
'Done? With everything? With me?' Kane reached up a hand, wanting to grab her, wanting to pull her back, but both figuratively and literally she was out of his reach. 'What just happened? I didn't mean to hurt her feelings.' Kane walked off in the opposite direction. 'But that's what you do . . . hurt . . . inflict pain . . . man not a monster bullshit.' He made his way to the locker room.
"Carrie you were great!" Lizzie scooped up her friend in a hearty hug.
"Thanks!" Carrie gasped for air. The smile she had greeted them with wilted slightly once Lizzie let her go, Carrie was torn between joy from her victory, and frustration from her fight with Kane.
"'Your overwhelming amount of excitement is making me uncomfortable, bring it down a notch ok?" Janet's voice dripped with sarcasm. 'What happened now?' She rolled her eyes. Carrie's life had been playing out like a soap opera since they got to the company.
"Not sure why you're all grumpy gills, sure it has something to do with Kane." Sidney always needed to squeeze in his disapproval of the big red machine any chance he got. "But maybe this will cheer you up. I figured your pre match sugar rush has been depleted so I went to a corner store and TA DA." Sidney held up two ziplock bags, one brimming with assorted skittles and one filled with solely green skittles, her favorite flavor.
"Ha! That does cheer me up." Carrie was finally able to genuinely smile, she was pushing her argument with Kane to the side. ' No use crying over spilt milk I guess.'
"Maybe you forgot, but you won! That should be cheer enough." Janet couldn't understand why Carrie was in such a pessimistic mood. "Whatever. Lets celebrate! Already picked out a bar and everything, time's a wasting." She clapped her hands together eagerly at the prospect of mirth and merriment.
"What would you have done if she had lost?" Kane came up behind Carrie.
"What did you guys go to the same optimism seminar? Quit marshing my mellow!" Janet rolled her eyes again, smirking at her clever play on words.
"Kane?" Carrie looked over her shoulder, shocked at his sudden appearance. 'I thought he wanted to be left alone?' She studied his face, it had a look of determination etched across it.
"We would've just given Carrie the green bag and got black out drunk to forget the loss." Sidney shrugged. 'Great, the bully's here.' Sidney's face soured, knowing where this conversation was headed.
"Just the green? Why? Superstition?" Kane glanced down at Carrie. 'Quirky group.' He had returned with the single goal to mend whatever he had done to her, to talk her off the ledge, before she threw him aside like the others. 'I overreacted . . . again, that's what getting to her I know it. I can't keep doing this . . . I can't keep losing control, it's just too much. Between Carrie, her friends, Edge, Lita, that masked idiot. I can't keep a level head.' Kane was rubbing a hand up and down the adjacent arm, trying not to get riled just thinking about that mess. It had taken him a long walk to cool down from his previous rage. As he attempted small talk he could only hope that Carrie had calmed down too.
"No. Can't do red food dye when I drink . . . it doesn't sit well. Bleck, I end up getting sick and it looks like I'm puking blood." Carrie shook her head, still trying to figure out what caused Kane to pop back up.
"When are we going?" Kane made sure not to make a sickened face at Carrie's response.
"It'll take us about an hour to get ready." Lizzie pointed between herself and Janet. "So anytime after that I guess."
"We?" Carrie was sure she hadn't heard Kane correctly. "We as in all of us? As in including you?" Her big blue eyes opened wide in surprise as she continued to stare up at Kane.
"Lets go before I change my mind." Kane grunted. Taking Carrie's hand in his they began to walk off.
"Kane . . . at the bar . . . didn't see that coming." Janet watched as the pair turned a corner.
"He's doing it for Carrie." Lizzie was almost bursting at the seams, wanting to scream I told you so.
"Great, fantastic, Kane out celebrating, alert the presses, story of the century." Sidney huffed, not nearly as thrilled about the change in plans.
A/N: I know this chapter might not have seemed worth the wait, but I needed it to set up for things to come. Hopefully I'll get the next chapter up soon.
