Mom Returns

"No I can't let you do this to yourself Leah!" Mark said as he watched me pack a few things.

I was preparing to return to The Undertaker's castle to confront him once and for all. Hunter and the other guys agreed to accompany me there but Mark was not having it.

"Listen Mark, I know you're upset but if I don't do this then he'll never stop coming after me and Katrina." I said. "I know you don't want me to do this but I have to."

He sighed and laid Katrina in the play pin. "Look…I want to come with you."

"You can't…I need you to stay here with Katrina."

"What about your father?" He asked.

I sighed, "I haven't heard from him in a few days. At this point I think he's done with me."

"Why? For putting him in his place? I'm sure he's not mad at you Leah,"

I looked away from him hiding my tears, "I don't want you to get hurt Mark…not because of me."

He walked over to me and put his arms around my body. I turned around and faced him and he kissed me softly. "Look at me, you've been hurt already because of me…now its my turn to repay it."

I sighed and nodded before hugging him closely. Katrina started giggling and clapping her hands together at us. Sometimes I swore she knew what was best for us.

Later that night I decided to take Mark's advice and go check on my dad. He didn't answer the first time I knocked but the door creaked open on it's on.

"Hello? Dad? Are you home?" I said as I entered the house. It was dark inside…the only light that could be seen was from the living room where he kept the fireplace burning.

As I got closer to the living room I could hear someone sobbing. At first I thought it was my dad, but then the realization that voice was much softer than his came over me.

"Hello?" I said as I slowly turned the corner. I felt a slight sense of relief when I saw my mother's face but that feeling soon passed. Sitting next to her sprawled out on the floor was my fathers body.

"Oh my gosh! Mom what happened!" I asked as I hurried to her side.

"I don't know…I came to tell him something and I found him like this…there's so much blood…" she cried.

I looked up at his face and it was indeed covered in blood. I got up and quickly grabbed the phone to call an ambulance. They arrived almost a few minutes later and took my dad to the emergency room. I then returned home with my mom and we drank some hot tea to calm our nerves.

"How long do you think he was like that?" I asked.

She looked at me, "You should know, you've been with him almost everyday haven't you?"

I started crying, "No…I haven't seen him in awhile because we had a fight…I feel so horrible."

"Leah don't blame yourself, it isn't your fault." Mark said.

My mom smiled, "Mark's right you know. Whatever happened to your father, happened because The Undertaker knew I was coming to tell him something."

"What exactly were you going to tell him?" I asked.

She sighed, "I was going to tell him that The Undertaker was a lot closer than we thought."

"What do you mean?" I asked.

"I mean he's in this state…and he's been watching you both very closely."

I shook in fear, "Oh great…now I've really got to get a hold of that dagger."

"What dagger?" she asked.

Before I could answer I felt my back burning as if it was on fire. I dropped to my knees in pain, screaming at the top of my lungs. I started pulling off my shirt and they gasped once I did.

"He's close…" my mom said.

"What's wrong with me!" I cried. "It hurts!"

"I know it does, just hold still for a second." Mark said as they examined my back.

My mom bent down to me, "When did this happen?"

"Not that long ago…but then the scars disappeared so I thought I was fine."

Mark sighed, "Well your not…the scars are back and they look worse than before. Just sit here until I come back."

Mark got up and went upstairs to get me some bandages. While he was gone I explained what I needed to do in order to stop all of this from happening to my mom. She advised against it but she knew I had to do it. When Mark returned he not only had the bandages, but he had Katrina in his arms. My mom smiled and gladly took her into her arms. Katrina was a little hesitant at first but she smiled and laughed once she was in her arms.

"She's beautiful," she told me as Mark gently cleaned my wounds.

"Thanks mom, where is my little brother?" I asked.

She sighed, "I had to leave him with Shawn."

"Shawn? Did you two…"

"Work things out? Yes. He felt really bad about what he did and he wanted to make up for it. So I told him to start by being a good father."

I laughed but then quickly stopped when it made my wounds hurt. Once he was done I sat straight up in a chair without putting my back against it. I watched my mom play with Katrina and I knew that I had to complete this mission…even if it meant dying in the end.