Disclaimer: Same as always.
I conflicted. I inhale now I'm addicted to this place, to you babe. I can't stay away, can't stay away.
So things continued on in their not so usual way. Serenity wore her wedding band on a chain around her neck, so to not draw too much attention. When Phil asked her where she got the ring, she told her brother that she had found it in the stands after a show one night. He seemed skeptical, but went with it.
Things seemed to go back to normal, but tension was still there with the New Breed. Elijah was very well aware of what happened when Serenity caned her own brother, and she was considered a traitor in his eyes. But Phil had forgiven her for it, so she was allowed to stay with them after she promised never to do it again.
Elijah Burke didn't believe her. One night, during a show, but when the cameras were away, he caught Serenity in the hall by the locker room and pinned her to the wall.
"You wanna explain why there's a gold ring around your neck, Serenity?" he asked.
"You don't have a right to demand an explanation from me".
"Who…is…he? Is it Fullington? Hm, is it?".
"I won't answer that. If it was, he'd be here right now to kick your sorry ass in".
"It is him, isn't it?".
"Go screw yourself".
"Your brother forbade you to ever see him again. You disobeyed him. Well get this, you don't hand me that ring so I can dispose of it properly, I'll see to it that he never sees you again and you never set foot in a WWE ring ever again".
Serenity was quiet for a minute. "I'd die before I let you take this from me".
"Really? Then what do you call" Elijah tore the chain off from around her neck, "This?".
Serenity was left in shock. She wasn't expecting him to take it like that.
"Give it back!".
"Only on one condition, Serenity, go back to Chicago and leave the Sandman behind. He doesn't need you. If anything, he's just using you to get what he wants".
"I'm not listening to you".
"You might want to. Sandman has his way with women you know. He'll grow tired of you, and he'll want something better, someone more willing to give themselves up".
Serenity jerked her head up. "What do you mean?".
"Isn't it obvious? Serenity, you haven't consummated the marriage yet have you?".
"No, so what?".
"He's using you, honey, trust me. Otherwise, he'd be here right now, protecting you, rather than keeping up his whole "I hate you" charade with his buddies. You've thrown off the blinders, why can't he?".
"I told him not to in hopes you and Rob wouldn't catch on".
"Well, it's a little late for that. See, unlike the Original's leader, I'm not blind. I can see that ring on his finger, and on your neck from a mile off".
He released her, and held the ring up to the light. "You know…on second thought, I'll keep this".
And like that, Burke left her, battered and broken in spirit. Despite her tears, she started to sing to herself to try to calm herself down.
"They call me the Leather Apron. They call me Smiling Jack. They prayed to the heavens above that I would never ever come back. Can you hear how the children weep? Chills of fear like a saw blade cutting deep. Once again there is pain. I bring flames, I bring cold. I'm the blood red sandman coming home. On this unholy night I will make you my own. Blood Red Sandman, coming home again. I'm coming home again".
"Serenity?" Jim's voice suddenly sounded.
She looked up with her blue eyes still full of tears. She couldn't bear the compassionate look on his face. Deep down, she knew Burke was right. He'd want someone more willing than her. Serenity began to long for home and for her brother as she looked away.
"Serenity…what'd he do this time? I'll kick his ass for whatever it was".
"Do you want me, Jim?" Serenity asked, still not looking at him.
"What kind of question is that, Kid? Of course I do".
"I'm starting to believe not. I can't live with you regretting being with me".
"Regret? Serenity, I've done a lot of crazy shit in my lifetime, and I've regretted a lot of those things. But getting with you, picking you as my wife, my partner, my best friend…how can I regret that?".
"I can't give you everything you want, Jim! I just can't!".
"You've given me everything I want and more, Serenity".
"No…no I haven't. I haven't given you…".
"What haven't you given me that actually matters?".
"Does myself matter?".
"That subject again. I told you, babe, I'd wait for ya. No matter how long it took".
"But what if I'm never ready?" now she dared to look him in the face, "Then what'll you do?".
"I'll stay with ya. You can't make me turn away if that's what you're implying".
"Burke told me you'd want someone better. Someone more willing".
"And you believe him? Dang Serenity, what kind of guy do you think I am? I'm not gonna leave ya for some…minor difficulty. When you're ready for that, then we'll take care of it. But until then…I'm perfectly happy with everything you've given me".
"A part of me doesn't believe me, but at the same time…given your history, the other finds what you've said hard to believe".
Jim locked his arms around Serenity in a comforting manner. "I'd never, ever, hurt you like that Serenity".
"You swear?".
"On my life, kid. I'd never do that to ya. I know what that's like, it hurts. I'd never put ya through that. I love ya Serenity, okay? Don't ever, ever forget that".
Serenity nodded as Jim kissed her cheek lightly. "Now, where'd Burke take off at? I'll get your ring back, and kick his ass".
Serenity smiled. "He took off that way".
"Alright, I'll be back in a sec…".
"It better be a quick sec!".
"Don't worry, it will be".
A/N: Well, now that that's out of the way, what else does the future hold for the couple? Keep reading to find out!