Chapter 14 – Sister Knows Best

Roman sat in the hospital room looking at his father as he was hooked up to beeping machines, monitors, and IV's. His right leg was in a full cast from his knee to his foot; it had been crushed when the engine came back and smashed it between the center console and the engine block. He had a severe concussion from his head hitting the side window and his nose had been broken in two different places from the air bag deployment.

Roman had immediately called WWE headquarters and told them he was going to have to take personal time off for family emergency. He ran his fingers through his hair as he pulled his thick hair into a low tail at the nape of his neck, before he sat forward and rested his elbows on his knees. "C'mon pop. You have to make it through this." He mumbled as he shook his head. His head snapped over to his sister Summer as she touched his forearm.

"How are you and Avery doing? You haven't left this room in a week and you've not spoken to her on the phone." Summer asked as she readjusted her sideway sitting position to get more comfortable.

Roman shook his head. "I think we're taking a break right now. I didn't exactly leave the arena on good terms with her."

"Roman what did you do? a few months ago you couldn't' stop talking about her and now suddenly you left on bad terms and you 'think' you guys are on a break." Summer asked as she sat up more. She was now more interested in what her baby brother had to say then getting actual sleep.

Roman sighed heavily as he sat up and gripped the arms rests of the uncomfortable hospitals chairs that his butt had permanently imprinted for the last week. "I don't honestly know what happened. Six months ago were sitting in a law office and she's been told she inherited millions of dollars from her dead husband and now six months later she's been to court more times than I can count to make sure her dead husband's family doesn't get the money. We haven't spent any time together and I find myself suddenly trying to remember why we started dating."

Roman sucked in a breath and hissed when his sister pinched the skin on his tricep; before jerking his arm away and slapped at her hand. "I don't know. I was heated on Monday before Matt even called me and it was something little and something immensely stupid and my Samoan temper got the best of me and I spouted off at her out of anger once I ended the phone call with Mattie and now I've not heard from her since. Not that I can really blame her. If she kicked me in the balls the next time she saw me I wouldn't blame her."

Summer shook her head. "Jesus baby bro, you really know how to fuck it up. So how is she dealing with the money situation?"

Roman scrubbed a hand down his face. "She married the guy so he wouldn't be alone when he died. She loved him but she was never in love with him. She doesn't want the money; she makes enough through WWE that she doesn't need it. She's very adamant about not spending it or using it. She'd been trying to find the perfect charity to donate it too and she can't really decide. I tried helping her, but I've been snapping at her and short tempered lately and I've been an asshole about the whole thing."

Roman cringed as his older sister slapped his bicep HARD. Oh yea he felt that. "God Damn it Summer that hurt."

Summer scoffed. "Yea well imagine what your girlfriend feels like right now?" Summer sighed heavily. "So what were you so angry about before you blew up at her? I mean how minor was it?" She asked as her Anoa'i inherited grey eyes turned to her little brother.

Roman looked at the floor. "Man you are going to yell at me in about five seconds." He looked back up and smirked. "I couldn't find my wrist wraps. Avery packed our shit the night before while she was on the phone with that ass hat lawyer and she packed them in her bag by mistake. She actually does it all the time now."

"Wrist wraps Roman? Those shitty black velcro wrist protectors you wear all the time and look stupid wrestling without?" Summer hissed out. "Roman you're a grown ass man. Why is she packing your shit when you could get off your dead Samoan ass and do it yourself? Then your shit won't go in her bag by ACCIDENT."

Summer shook her head at her baby brother. "I – I can't even…I don't know how to respond. You know Avery hasn't asked you for anything. As much as you need her love and support right now – you sure as hell didn't give her any. You act like whatever she's going through with all of this is easy. Can you imagine having to go to court all those times and tell them how your significant other died? I mean it doesn't matter if they were never in love. They still meant something to each other and having to rehash that story a thousand times has got to be a fuckin killer."

Summer was about to continue when Vanessa poked her head into the room. "Hey Roman, you got a visitor and I want to come in and sit with daddy for a bit before work." She walked all the rest of the way. She watched as her baby brother stood and walked over to the door. He pressed a kiss to her forehead before she watched as he walked out to the waiting room.

Avery's hands were in her lap as she sat there. She was nervous as hell and she had contemplated calling Roman over the phone. She wanted to be here for him. She knew his father was one of the most important people in his life, but she also didn't want to intrude either. Avery watched as Roman walked around the corner with his hands stuffed into the front pockets of his jeans. He had thick bruise like circles under his eyes so clearly he hadn't gotten enough sleep in the last few days. She stood up as she kept clenching and unclenching her hands. She wanted to hug him and tell him everything was going to be ok, but she wasn't even sure if she should even touch him.

Roman looked up and saw Avery sitting in the ICU waiting room. He felt himself sigh with relief, he wanted her there; he needed her there and he shouldn't have pushed her away the way he had. He had let his temper get the best of him and Summer was right he should've supported her better. He stopped in front of her. "You came…" His deep voice rumbled. "You didn't have too."

Avery shook her head. "Yes I should have. I shouldn't have let you leave on Monday by yourself. Your parents and family mean so much to you. They really are the most important people in your life. I was just kind of taken off guard by what you said. I didn't realize how wrapped up in this stupid shit I was and I know I've been alienating you and neglecting our relationship and I'm so sorry. I didn't mean for all of this to get so overwhelming and time consuming. You never asked for any of this but neither did I and I just didn't know how to handle it." She pulled her fingers through her hair. "Look, I donated the money in the bank accounts to the WWE's Make A Wish Foundation. The stocks have been signed over to Brain Cancer Research. The houses are officially assigned to a real estate company and being rented out."

She grew quiet for a minute. "Except one that seems to be strangely enough located in Pensacola and I was sort of thinking…I was thinking of giving up my apartment in Texas and moving into the house in Pensacola to be closer to you. Trying to make this relationship work on the road is hard enough; but it gets harder with me living in Texas and you living in Florida. I have nothing keeping me in Texas and I want my future filled with you."

Roman almost passed out. She was seriously going to give up everything in Texas to live near him. He knew she didn't get along with her parents very well and when he'd gone with her to meet them they didn't like his long hair, they didn't like his Samoan tribal tattoo; they just didn't like him period. But they couldn't sway Avery from being with him. And now she wanted to move to Florida to be closer to him. They were going to shit purple Twinkies. But he didn't care.

It took Roman all of five minutes to snap out of his Avery reverie before he stepped closer and pulled her into his arms as he leaned down and buried his nose in her hair. "I have a better idea." Roman stated before he backed away slightly. "How about we both move into the house? We'll gut it and make it our own so there are no traces or memories of Brian in there."

Roman watched as she nodded in agreement before he leaned down and captured her lips. They were really going to do this. They were really going to move into together. This was going to work. It had too. He couldn't love anyone anymore than he loved Avery and he knew it didn't matter how much they fought she loved him as well.

Avery cupped his face. "How long since you've had some real sleep?" She asked softly as she felt his hands gripping her hips gently.

Roman shrugged. "It's been a couple of days."

Avery held out her hand. "Gimme your Chevy Tahoe keys. You're not driving, but I am taking you home to get a few hours of sleep. You will be no good for your family if your dad wakes up and sees you like this. He will kick your ass." She held out her hand. "C'mon, I'll even lay down and take a nap with you." She smiled as Roman put his hand in hers and let her lead him to his navy blue Tahoe in the parking lot.

Roman could already feel the sandman calling. This was going to be a GREAT nap.