An hour after the match had ended, John Cena sat in his dressing room, freshly showered and gathering up his things, shoving them in his bag. The door opened; he turned and saw Gabrielle there. She shut the door quietly behind her. "I just came to see how you were doing," she said. Cena grinned and shrugged. "I've been through worse. Where's Kane?" "He's out in the lobby, waiting. I told him I had to talk to you for a moment." "And he didn't want to kill me?" Cena asked, only half-joking. Gabrielle shook her head, that crooked smile on her face. "I won't let him kill you," she said. "I told him how you've been here for me while he was in the hospital, that you were my friend. I just wish I could have done more out there in that ring." Cena stood up and walked over to her. "You did what you could. Let me tell you something: never let anyone pin the name of Diva on you. Nothing against the rest of the ladies here, but you are, hands down, the toughest woman in the WWE. I am proud to call you my friend, and I know that I can always count on you to have my back." Gabrielle smiled slightly. "Thank you…and now, I guess it's back to SmackDown for me and Kane. There's a lot that still has to be done." They stood there for a moment, silent, then Gabrielle embraced him. "Thank you…for everything," she said softly. He returned the embrace, then they parted. Gabrielle gave him a little wave and walked out of the dressing room. John stood there, looking at the door, and felt an uncharacteristic twist in his gut. He shook his head, then turned back to getting the rest of his gear stowed away.
They lay together in bed, naked, sweating. It had been too long, and it had been so good when they were finally alone. Gabrielle turned on her side, her magnificent white hair falling down, covering her like Lady Godiva. Kane thought she was the most beautiful sight he had ever seen. He stroked her smooth cheek with one gentle hand. "I've dreamed of this night for so long," he said. She smiled; he was the only one she would ever smile for so radiantly. "I have too, my love…I have too," she replied softly. "I thought you were going to be in that hospital too long. What happened? What helped you wake up?" Kane turned on his side to face her, his face serious for a moment. "It was him…my brother. He came to me, told me you were in danger. I had to wake up." Gabrielle's smile faded. "What else did he tell you?" Kane shook his head. "He just told me you had joined Cena's team…I'm glad he woke me up. If I hadn't been there…" He refused to finish the sentence. Gabrielle still looked at him, her face betraying a secret that she didn't want to tell. Kane frowned. "What's wrong? What am I missing? Did Cena-" "No!", she interjected. "John is a gentleman, and he's my friend, and that's all he is. No…there's something else…something I swore I would tell you. He made me promise to tell you…" Kane raised up on his elbow. "What is it, Gabrielle? You told me Taker saved your life, but you never said anything else about that night." Gabrielle sat up, gathering the bed sheet around her. "I didn't tell you because I was…afraid….afraid that you would send me away. But he told me to tell you; he made me promise, and I can't refuse him, damn him to hell!" Her green eyes flashed in a way that made Kane uneasy. "What…please tell me. I love you, Gabrielle, and nothing you say is going to change that." She covered her face with both hands for a moment, then began to speak.
"When he found me, I was near death. I had been walking by myself that night, minding my own business. A group of men had been following me the whole time, but I didn't know it. They attacked me…I tried to fight them the best I could, but I couldn't….I couldn't make them stop. They hurt me…they raped me. All of them. I don't remember how many times and I don't want to. All I know is that they hurt me, they stabbed me and beat me, then left me like a piece of garbage in the alley. I was slowly bleeding out, and I welcomed it…I welcomed death. It was so fucking better than living like that, feeling like I was nothing but a piece of meat that men used badly then threw away. I literally felt my life running out of my body, watching the blood pool around me. And then he came. He picked me up and carried me away from that filthy alley. I don't know where he took me, but I was unconscious for a long time. I was in a soft bed, in a dark room, and I was healing. At first I didn't want to live, but he came to me and sat next to my bed. He talked to me; he told me of many things, he told me he was going to heal me…he told me he could give me power beyond my wildest dreams. Most of it didn't register at the time, but each day I got stronger, each day my memories of that horrible night faded. And then one day I woke up and he was there, and there was a tube that was running from his arm into mine…Kane, he was giving me his blood. And I think…no, I know that's what made me what I am today."
She took her hair in one hand. "You see, my hair used to be red. When I regained full consciousness, he gave me a mirror. My hair was streaked with white. Before I left him, it was fully white. My strength was returning, faster than I thought possible. I don't know what kind of being your brother is, if he's a demon or an angel, but he gave me some of his power, Kane. That's why I shut myself off from the rest of the world for so long. And then he made me promise…he made me promise that in return for his kindness, I would do something for him one day. And I promised." Gabrielle stopped, seemingly unable to go on. Kane sat up and touched her bare shoulder. "Please tell me," he said softly. She sighed. "The night before I left…I slept with him. It was never my intention to do so, but it was his way of sealing the deal, so to speak. That was the first and only time I've done that, Kane, I swear to you. I never…never again. Not until you." She turned to look at him, her emerald eyes swimming with tears. He stared at her for a long moment. Then he took her by the shoulders and kissed her, pressing her naked body to his. When they parted, he took her chin in one hand. "I don't care. I don't claim to understand my brother, but I know when you look at me, you don't see him. You see me. You see the man who would die for you. The past is the past, and in another time, I would have gotten angry. I don't want to do that. I know what I have with you is real, and I'm not going to do anything to jeopardize that. I love you with everything I am, Gabrielle. No one is ever going to hurt you again as long as I'm here."
She smiled at him, tears falling down her cheeks and kissed him back. They sank back down to the bed, Kane moving over top of her, hard against her soft secret center. And as they began to make love again, neither noticed the pair of green eyes watching them from the darkest corner of their room….
