Chapter 10

The FBI agent spoke with Mercy in the kitchen. Seth hadn't followed, but she could see him hanging outside the kitchen. It was Vince, Linda and Shane in the kitchen. Bret and Nattie had stayed in the front room with Marissa and some of the other guests.

"We found the place you mentioned, but he wasn't there." The agent said. "But there was evidence that someone had been there. And we're getting reports from small settlements that a bearded man has been coming in and getting supplies, fitting the description of Ernest Dickson."

"Still no arrest?" Mercy asked.

"No, ma'am. I am sorry for that. But there may be a way to go about getting him to get in contact with you." Said the agent.

"What?" The family asked together.

"Go public. Have her do a taped interview or something."

"No." Mercy said. "No." She waved her hands at that notion.

"Mercy, just think about this." Vince started to say.

"I just want to be left alone. You don't think I hear all the strange things that people say about me, or what my sister has said about me? No, I'm not going through with it."

"Mercy, just think about this." Vince tried to say.

"You know I don't like the kind of work you do. I don't want to be involved in anything that has questions. I'm still, I'm still." Her hands began to shake, her chest started to feel tight and her eyes ran with new tears. "I don't want to talk about all of this right now, I don't want people to ask me questions."

"How about they don't ask questions." Seth asked. He walked into the kitchen. "What if you just get filmed, in a room somewhere watching the show?"

She wiped her eyes.

"Care to explain your idea?" Vince asked, crossing his arms.

"It's obvious that she doesn't want to talk to anyone. It doesn't mean she can't do something. People want to see her so let them see her. Have her come to a show or something. Film her watching the show. Don't put her in skits but just make it obvious that she is in the show."

"I like the idea." Vince said, a smile starting to form on his face.

"I don't." Mercy said as she turned.

Seth's arm shot out, preventing her from leaving the kitchen. "No, you're running away this time, Mercy. Look at me." She did no matter how hard it felt to do so. "You can't live in this house forever."

She heard what he was saying, but it still was hard to believe.

Bret came into view, along with Nattie. Then she remembered why she had gone to that show, why she asked her mom to let her go. Her social issues, they were issues and they had tried to get her to go see people. Bret Hart was one of those people before he went to WCW that fought for everything no matter how scary it had been. Even though she was scared out of her mind, and looked for every possible exit when she saw him in the ring, it hadn't turned out bad like she had thought it would.

As her breathing evened out, and with Seth rubbing her arm, she looked down. "One show. I sit next to the ring or wherever but no one talks to me, no one says anything to me or does anything."

"Two shows," Vince countered. "Raw and SmackDown. Seth and Sheamus are on Raw, Nattie and Shane are on SmackDown. You'll have people with you at all times."

Mercy looked at her Dad then at her mom. "No one talks to me, no one asks questions, there isn't going to be an angle with me. Nothing. I'm just going to sit through those shows and leave afterwards."

"Agreed." Linda said. "No storylines, no nothing. I'll be here with the children. Shane is with SmackDown, Paul and Stephanie with Raw. Everything will be okay."

Just hearing her sister's name was enough to elicit a near back spasm from Mercy.

"Agreed. Can I go now, please?" Mercy asked, more so to Seth than anyone else.

He lowered his arm and she rushed by. The people in the room watched as she headed up the stairs back to her room.

"She agreed?" Sheamus found himself asking Bret and Nattie.

Seth hadn't said much but then again he was in the back with Nattie while Bret rode shotgun in the rental SUV.

They were going to split up at the airport. Nattie was going to head off to a house show, while Seth and Sheamus went on to the next Raw airing. Bret was headed home.

"Yeah. The girl is in a rough spot. They think if they announce her being at a show, it will make Dickson show up."

"For all we know he could be dead." Sheamus said.

"I'd help with the execution." Seth murmured.

Sheamus had watched Koda and Raven see Seth off after the gathering ended. He saw Mercy standing at the door watching her children hug Seth, and then Sheamus of course. Mercy thanked them for being there for her. After that the small group left.

"Can you believe what Stephanie said?" Nattie asked. "I mean I know she can be a bitch but really, saying that stuff about her own sister."

It was awful but Sheamus knew where to stand when it came to the family. It had always been best to keep his mouth shut and not pass personal judgment. But Judgment be damned, telling Aurora that Mercy willingly went with Ernest Dickson had been the worst thing to do to Mercy.

Sheamus glanced in the rear-view mirror and saw Seth's head reclined back on the seat.

He would ask Seth what was bothering him later.

The four of them got out of the rental and headed into the airport. WIth their things in tow, Nattie and Bret headed off to one direction while Seth and Sheamus headed off to another. Having ditched their suits before leaving the McMahon residence, both superstars, were able to get through security without any hassle. At least the airport was not all that busy for a Sunday.

"I have some interviews to do when we get there." Seth said.

"I have to talk to my tag partner about our place in the Raw match."

Sheamus saw something in the younger man. It was the beard scratch, something Sheamus found himself doing if he had been thinking too hard. The slow methodical scratch of the chin while staring off into space.

"You're thinking of her, ain't ya?" Sheamus asked.

"Huh?" Seth looked over at him. "What do you mean?"

"I know you're thinking about Mercy, fella. You're thinking as much as me when it came to what is going to happen when that bastard is caught. You're thinking about the kids, you're thinking about her."

"I can't believe it."

"I can."

"No, you don't." Seth half snapped. "Damn it, it hurts me to see her like this."

"Who wouldn't? I hurt for the lass as much as you. You're just being plain bitchy about it."

"I'm not bitchy about it."

Sheamus laughed. The kid scrunched up his face like Koda had done before. Though, even if Seth did look childish, it just proved what Sheamus said earlier.

"I think she appreciated us being there. I know she needed Bret the most." Sheamus said in an attempt to change the subject.

"Yeah." Seth sighed. "What do you think about this whole situation with Stephanie? Do you think things will get better between them?"

"I honestly don't know. I always thought she was an okay person, for the most part. But now, I don't even know."

"It sucks."

He couldn't disagree with that.

The two of them sat in relative silence. The overhead announcements for departing and arriving flights echoed through the terminal as they waited for their flight. Sheamus checked his phone for any texts or what was going on with Cesaro. Nothing of interest, not even social media could get his mind off of Mercy.

"They want her to take off that ring." Seth said but when Sheamus looked at him Seth was looking up at the ceiling.

"You've noticed it, too?" Sheamus asked.

"I think everyone has. But they want me to do it. On television."

"Why?"

"They think if the bastard sees me do it, then he'll come after me. And I agreed. I agreed thinking that if the heat is on me because of that, then maybe she'll get better."

"You're soft on her, fella."

Seth looked at him.

"Oh don't give me that look. Of course you are, kid. I'm just the ugly red head step uncle to them. But you, you have all their attention."

"Why? Why do I have the dubious honor of being that?"

"What did you do when you first met them?"

"We talked, I guess. She did most of the talking though. She talked about before all of this happened and stuff she had done. Nothing too distinct."

"And she couldn't do that with Trips, or her parents?"

"No, I mean, I don't know. Man, why are you making a big deal about this?"

"We weren't obligated to be there today, but we were there for her. Nattie didn't have to be there when Bret was asked to drop by. But the both of us knew why, we knew why because it would mean the world to that family if she didn't have someone there to back her up. And then you went beyond what I was willing to do."

He could only say so much. Their flight number was called for boarding, and Seth didn't give him the chance to talk. He grabbed his wheeled suitcase and headed for the boarding hall, leaving Sheamus in the dust. Sheamus didn't see Seth either way, they had different seats on the plane.

There you guys go. And I like to thank the people leaving comments, I really enjoy hearing from you guys. Anyway, thanks again. I'll post when I can.