Disclaimer: WWE superstars belong to the company not me. I'm just letting them play in my mental sand box I promise that I will return them when I'm finished.. The other names are mine- all mine. Any likeness to real people is probably who you think it is.

Chapter 10

Glen and Angel come from the back room. Mark is over in the corner. Mark walks over to Glenn who is holding Angel to him; Mark looks up at Glenn who still looks pissed. "Where you guys off to?"

"I'm going back to her place for the night. I'll call Vinnie Tomorrow and see where I'm supposed to be Monday."

Mark looks down at Angel "You ok Little One?" He puts his index finger under her chin guiding her gaze to his.

"Yeah thanks to you and Glenn. I'm so glad I didn't go into Dallas or Houston. I'd been having this reoccurring dream that kept advancing each night. Hopefully the dreams will stop and I can get some sleep tonight. Thanks for not letting me run back into what could have been a trap." Angel steps forward and hugs Mark around the waist. Mark hugs her back.

"No problem Little One. I have to ask you a question about your show tonight. You didn't disband because of fear of him did you?" Mark looks down in to the doubt and fear in her eyes he already had his answer but it wasn't his call.

Angel stepped back and looked away. "I started Angelic Impression as a side job. It was fun, I met Braden and he was from another band and he picked our band over a well known band that paid more. People told me that if I wanted to I could have just fired him. I disbanded the band because I didn't want what happened tonight to happen. I'm scared when he's behind me on stage and I'm scared when I see him and he disappears like he did tonight. Firing him would just make him do what he did tonight. There is no way I was going to continue to live in fear for my life every time I stepped out on stage."

"What are you going to do now?" Mark asked.

Angel sighs on a shuddering breath. "I don't know."

Glen pulls her back against him. "Well tonight she's going home getting some damn real sleep for a change and will worry about all this shit later. Come on Angie I'll drive your truck if you don't feel like driving tonight."

"Thanks Glen" Angel says as a yarn takes over. She hoped Glenn was right about getting some real sleep. She had been going strong all day on less than two hours of sleep. Today had been filled to the brim with all kinds of emotions.

Glenn walks her to her truck. He was angry all over again when he saw the carving on her truck. He already knew who did it and he wanted to make the little punk pay all over again. He looks over at Angel she had been through so much today. She had just given up her career for fear that what happened back stage would happen. Now she sits in the truck, eyes closed head back on the head rest and asleep. When they turned into the drive to the house he stopped in the cul-de-sac, got out of the truck and carried her sleeping form into the house. Evie and Jeff opened the door Evie told him where her room was. As Evie opens the door her mouth drops open along with Glen's. Evie had forgotten how much of a fan her dear friend is.

Glen looked around after putting Angel on the bed taking off her shoes and covering her up. She looked so peaceful he hoped she got the much needed rest. As Glen walks out of Angel's room Sophie is coming down the hall. "She ok?"

"Yeah, she's just sleeping. I drove her home and put her to bed she didn't even wake up with me carrying her."

"She must've been worn out because when she finds out you went in her room she's going to freak out."

Glen pulls the door closed and takes on a defensive tone. "Look she said her self she only got two hours of sleep last night. She's exhausted, she's been having nightmares about that drummer asshole."

"Hey I'm on your side on this one. She didn't tell me about any nightmares or not being able to sleep. The only reason I said she was going to freak out is because you saw her little fan girl shit. The room hasn't been used on a regular basis in over 5 years. This is the longest she's been home since this was my parent's house. Are you staying tonight?"

Glen nods his head yes. Sophie offers him the room right next to Angel's room. He thanks her walks in the room and closes the door behind him. He looks in the mirror and half laughs. He'd forget to take off the bald cap. Someone had gone through the trouble of putting his bags in this room. He peals the rubbery bald cap off revealing a head of dark curly short hair. He takes out the contacts revealing deep brown eyes. He runs his hands through his hair and feels a vibration. He grabs his phone and sees Taker's number moving across the screen. "What?"

"Paula is ignoring me and it's pissing me off cause it's my fault." Mark had walked over to Paula she'd gave him her house key without a word and went back to cleaning the bar. Mark tells Glen about him proposing to Paula her saying yes and then he tells Glenn what he said in front of Paula to Dave."

"Oh, ouch, why you say that I think I know but please make it clear to me why would you say that in front of her?"

"I just didn't want everyone in my business. Dave is worst than a woman when it comes to a rumor. She took it hard she's not speaking to me. I don't even know how to word it to her where she won't turn it over into something else."

"Well, I say, just tell her what you told me. There ain't no telling what she's thinking unless you ask her."

"Yeah, you're right, thanks bro." Mark had an idea and little time to pull it off. He made a few calls and then left the house going back down into the bar.

Paula was pissed; why in the hell would Mark tell Dave not to tell anyone. Was Mark ashamed of her or something? Shit Mark was one of the moodiest men she knew. One while he was proposing then he is telling people not to tell anyone. She drops one of the glasses. "FUCK"

"Who?" Mark says as he walks up behind her. "Go have a seat we need to talk." Paula just looked at him like he had grown an extra head.

"Please" Mark says as he takes the broom and dust pan away from her and guides her to a seat. He sits in the chair in front of Paula.

"I'm not sure how to word this but I just have to know why you got so mad at what I told Dave. I have a dark suspicion on what it could have been. But I'd like to know from you."

Paula runs her hands through her short blonde hair. "I'm not liking the fact that you are telling people not to tell anyone. It's like you want to hide the fact that we're to be married. What's the problem? Like I said, I was ready to shout it from the roof tops. Glad I hadn't told anyone yet." Paula says as she crosses her arms over her chest to match her crossed legs as she kicks her foot making her sandal hit the bottom of her foot.

The slapping of the sandal was driving him crazy. He takes the sandal off her foot. "Though my words may seem like something hollow right now since you're pissed at me my actions will prove to you what I am going to say right now. Paula James if I wasn't serious about having you for my wife I would have never asked. I told Dave not to say anything because I don't mind people knowing but shit Dave gossips and I can't stand that shit. By the time the wedding gets here everyone and there retarded brother will know our every move not my style and you know this."

"Okay as long as there isn't something else to it"

Mark leans forward kisses Paula on the lips and says "Hun I'm not sure what you're waiting on but like I said I'm shooting straight from the hip on this one. Now let me help up to your place so I can show ya some new moves."

Paula holds her hand out Mark goes to take it she withdrew it and says with a smile "Can I have my sandal back please or I'm going look a little lopsided walking up the stairs."

Mark leans back keeping the sandal out of her reach with a huge smile on his face. "Na, that won't be a problem." He stands and picks her up carrying her towards the exit. Paula hits the main power button turning the bar's day to night lights on the room always stayed dimly lit at night. They reach the stairs to the upstairs apartment and Mark jogs her up them. He once told her if he were to take her steps slowly it would be killer on his knees. Paula makes short work of her lock and they enter.

Her mouth drops open upon entering her once lightly decorated home. There were roses and a rose petal trail towards the bathroom. She looks up at Mark. "Just go with it." He says with a smile and a wink. Their night was filled with scented baths, with candles lit, after he thoroughly washed every ounce of her they retired to the bedroom where they showed each other their new moves. One of Mark's new moves sends Paula over the edge and into slumber he then lays beside her sated and drifts off as well.

The next morning Dave leaves the house early. He wanted to talk to Vince and see what was going on. Vince told him to just stay in Grandville he gave the address to the arena they would be at he also asked where to send Mark's luggage considering it landed in Arizona.

Dave drives down Main Street He was going to win Sophie over. He had now made it his mission. He found himself at her book café in the parking lot. He'd wait something caught his eye. He gets out of the car Lady was sitting on the step of the Café. He pulls his sunglasses out of his breast pocket and puts them on as he walks over toward her.

Lady looks up as someone was blocking her sunlight. She looks up and Dave Batista is standing there looking like he just jumped off the cover to a GQ Magazine. His dark collared shirt wrapped around his muscular frame his pants tight revealing his powerful thighs.

"Hey" Lady says

"Hey yourself, mind on telling me where you been?"

"You wouldn't believe me anyways no one seems to now a days."

"Your reputation precedes you. Why'd you do all that shit?"

Lady opens her mouth to defend herself but before she can utter another word Dave slumps forward almost falling on her. When she looks up Braden looks down at her. She tries to take off running Braden grabs her pulling her to him. "LET ME THE FUCK GO YOU ASSHOLE!" Lady shouts as she swings wildly.

"Is that the way to talk to the man that saved your very life? You could have been attacked by a wild "Animal" Braden pins her to the ground. "Now get up from here and come with me or I'll make your life not worth living." He holds a knife to her throat. "I'm not toying with you Lady Cander"

Lady looks over at Dave passed out on the ground. "What you hit him with?" She asks still trying to show some of her Jersey bravado. She looks around. She had heard something hit the ground."

"No worries hun he's asleep you want to join him?"

"NO get off on me." Braden puts the Knife away and pulls out a gun.

"What you gonna shoot me in broad fucking daylight."

"You're making a lot of noise for a pixie that wanted me all to yourself just hours ago. I guess to make you compliant I have to give you what I gave him." He shoots her with the tranquilizer gun as she slumps forward her face resting on the ground he picks her up and carries her back to her car. The Cander family would pay dearly her quack of a father had killed his favorite aunt. By putting Lucy Storm on a medication that killed her. When the medication didn't work Braden searched high and low for the quack but no one would tell him the doctor's name. He now had that family's prized trophy their Lady Cander.

Hours later Evie and Jeff ride by and see someone laying on the steps to the café. Evie gets out with Jeff on her heels they rush to Dave. Jeff shakes Dave partly awake "Yo man you can't camp out in front of her business I'm no chick but now you are starting to be creepy"

Dave looked like he was drunk but Evie didn't smell any alcohol on him. "Are you ok Dave what happened you look out of it." Evie asks as she waves her hand in front of Dave's face.

Dave shakes his head and tries to get up off the ground. He stumbles and Jeff catches him. "I was talking to Lady Cander and next thing I know you guys are here. What time is it?" Dave says looking up at the bright sun.

"Oh it's half past the 8 o clock hour in the A.M. of course." Evie says looking at her watch.

Dave walks over to his car and sits on it. "I don't even remember what I was talking to her about. I got to get out of here I just feel so damn sluggish,"

Evie hugs him as she is pulling away something touches her hand she pulls it free from the skin on his neck. "What is this?"

Dave looks at the shiny needle and rocket looking handle of a tranquilizer dart. Dave jumps to his feet and almost falls forward. "That Bitch is going to pay." Evie jumps back in fright. Dave notices her reaction and apologizes.

Above the Bar at Paula's house Mark turns over in the bed and notes he is alone. He sits straight up looking around confusion marring his handsome face. He then hears the answer to the question that had come into his mind. Paula was talking in the next room. More than likely telling someone about the wedding, he was fine with it now. When he first asked her then told Dave not to tell anyone he just knew he'd fucked up big time. But since their talk and his actions last night Paula had calmed down.

Mark was going to have to get used to being married again but he vowed to himself that this was it. Two was his limit. He'd always love his first wife Nina but in a different way. She was an Angel in life and he believed she had more than gained her wings in heaven. Paula was here on this plain of existence and she loved him for him not just his status. She would also keep him on his toes. A smile touches his lips at that thought. He gets up out of the bed and walks to the door of the bedroom. He then goes into the bathroom letting her have her privacy.

"Yeah Barb you gonna come down I haven't seen you and the kids in a month of Sundays. Oh well we haven't set a date yet. Oh you take care I just thought I would fill you in on what's going on. No I haven't told Harold. I will I just. Girl you're crazy. Well I'm gonna get off here alright bye." Paula hangs up the phone and pinches the bridge of her nose. Her sister Barbara Jean was what some would call a handsome woman she was hard looking but she had a good heart. They were not blood sisters Barbra was the product of her first husband's family.

Hilliard James was her high school sweetheart turned husband at the ripe young age of 17. They were married for three years. He couldn't take the fact that she was still so independent it drove him over the top when she opened the Bar and wouldn't take second fiddle to his mother's wishes of him running the business and her being a prim and proper wife and doing what he told her to. Paula had her own money her momma was brought up in the time of the women's movement of the 1940s. Paula herself was a free thinking woman of her own era. She played second fiddle to no one. In that third year of marriage the first year the bar was opened Hilliard broke the first rule she'd ever set in place when dealing with a mate. They got into an argument and he struck her she beat his ass then the next day filed for divorce. Hilliard granted it with hopes of getting his hands on her business. Paula had the bar in her mother's name for just that kind of dispute. So Hilliard went away with nothing.

After the divorce she'd first met Mark he'd worked in the bar across the street as a bouncer.

Paula gets to her feet and goes in search of Mark. Her husband to be it had a hell of a ring to it. She looks down at her hand the ring was beautiful. She had one more call to make. Harold her older brother they were close as siblings that lived in different cities could be. She dials the number he had from the time he first moved from Texas. Harold was her rock through everything the marriage the ups and down of the bar. He really didn't come back home a lot but he had a family of his own to take care of. He and Natalie his wife and Ian their 16 year old son lived in New York.

"Hello"

"Hey Bubba, how's it going?"

"It's going. What's going on? " Harold rarely heard from his younger sister until there was something to share.

"I'm getting married." Silence met her ears. "Harry, are you still there?"

"Yeah, so you're getting married again. Who this time?" Harold's protective nature was flaring in his tone.

"What's with the attitude man, you act like I do this all the time? But for your information his name is Mark."

"Well as long as he makes you happy good. You tell him if he hurts you I'll hurt him and I'm serious when I say that PJ. You won't have to worry about kicking his ass I'll do it for ya."

Paula knew where that comment came from but she wasn't even thinking about Hilliard. "Bubba calm yourself we haven't set a date yet but when we do I'll call you back with it. How are Nat and Ian doing?" Changing the subject was the safest thing when dealing with Harold. He was a detective with NYPD.

"Nat is fine and Ian is a teenager nuff said right. He got a tattoo on his back and Nat found out and went ballistic. It's not that noticeable it's not something that a future employer would notice. He's just trying to find himself. We cracked a cold case wide open and one of the loonies is still at large in this area so my captain thinks. She's a swell person but her optimism that this guy is just around the corner hiding in this area is a blow in the dust. My gut tells me that the guy is far away from home as possible."

"Well bubba, I'll call you later with the date and all." Paula wanted some snuggle time before she went and faced her daily round of idiots at the bar. As she hangs up she turns around to go back to bed and notices Mark is not in the bed. She looks around the room and even (as if he could fit under there) under the bed. As she is getting to her feet, she bumps into something, suddenly Mark picks her up from behind at the waist and plops her on the bed. She lands softly giggling like a school girl. Mark crawls up on the side of her and pulls her close to him hugging her against him.

Paula inhales his sent that could only be described as a mixture of Mark's natural manly musk and hints of Cool Water cologne. Mark's cell phone rings. He rises partly to reach for it, Paula stops his hand and says "Let the phone ring let's go back to sleep." She then punctuates her statement by curling his arm back around her and that is how they laid spooned together asleep until noon.

As all always don't hesitate to communicate Please R & R