I don't think Nicole's ever seen me nervous before until Randy Couture walks up to me at Sparta. I'm stuck doing all the shit I tried to avoid last year. They got me in here signing autographs like some kinda goddamn movie star. I don't mind posing with the kids, but the grown men that skip up to me like they know me are starting to piss me off. I'm trying real hard to be nice, 'specially 'cause my girl is having so much fun. It's getting hard though.

Some of the other fighters are walking around posing with each other like we ain't gonna be trying to beat each other half to death tomorrow. I ain't got time for that fake shit.

At least when Rampage Jackson came up to me, he wasn't bullshitting. They might get me in here rubbing elbows with fans, but I ain't gonna make nice with guys I gotta fight.

The only other option is talking to the vets. It ain't a chore. I'm pin balling around between guys I watched fight when I was coming up, guys I patterned my game on. I feel like a little kid in a toy store on the inside, but I'm trying to be real calm. These guys, guys like Chuck Liddell and Eugene Jackson, are telling me they're my fans. Don't seem real.

I keep it together til Randy Couture comes up to me. I see his bald head coming before he gets there and I feel my legs lock up. He's bee-lining straight for me. Nicole glances over at me.

"Is that Randy Couture?" Sometimes I forget she's new to this fighting thing.

I nod. She keeps looking at him. He waves at us and she waves right on back, like he's some average Joe just walking down the street. I'm tryna think of something clever to say when he stops right in front of me.

"Conlon, my man," he's grinning, "nice to meet you."

"You too, sir," I wanna kick myself. I'm freezing up like a teenage girl with a crush.

"You've got talent," he tells me. "I'm lookin' forward to seeing you fight."

All I can do is nod. I'm trying not to turn red or smile like an idiot. "Thank you," I pretty much stutter it out.

"Is this your girl?" he glances over at Nicole. She's smiling all big and bright, looking as beautiful as she usually does.

"Nicole," she shakes his hand. She's a natural at this. She's asking him little questions, keeping his attention on her. She's buying me time to think of something to say. I'm starting to understand why some of the kids today have been walking up to me shaking in their shoes.

"So," Couture turns back to me, "Do you have a plan to win this thing?"

I decide to answer the way I woulda if he had been some regular guy. "Beat the shit outta everyone else."

The second I say it, he starts laughing his ass off. I smile a little, feeling better.

"You have balls, kid." Coming from Couture, it's high praise. I think I blush a little.

"Can I get a picture of you two?" Nicole pulls out her camera and holds it up. Couture nods, grabs me by the shoulders and smiles. I'm pretty sure I'm grinning like an idiot in the picture, but I don't care.

"Better shut your mouth, babe," Nicole starts teasing me the second he walks away. She tucks her camera into her purse. "You're starting to drool."

"I used to watch that guy," I tell her. I'm still a little dizzy from meeting him. "He was an animal." I wish she could know how much I looked up to that guy as a kid. I needed a role model. Couture was a better one than Pop was back then.

"So are you," she grabs my hand and pulls herself close to my side. She starts looking 'round the hotel and bites her lower lip with that worried look she always gets when I'm 'bout to fight.

"So are a lot of guys in here," she looks from fighter to fighter.

"You worried?" It ain't really a question. She's always worried 'bout me. Still though, it seems like more than her usual amount before I fight.

"I would be lying if I said I wasn't," she looks up at me with this kinda sad look. I wonder what's worrying her, if she's thinking I'm gonna get beat up, or if she's thinking I might lose.

There ain't no chance of me losing. I gotta win this, for more reasons than one.

This is my ticket to a new start. I can make an actual name for myself as a fighter, not just as the tough guy who lost, but someone who went all the way to the top. It's what I've been dreaming of doing since I was in high school.

Plus, I got plans for them 7 million dollars.

Last year, I wanted it for Pilar, so I could take care of the family Manny left behind. This year I want it for myself. I want that big house, the picket fence, kids everywhere.

If I win this, I could get it. I would have enough money to make a future, a future with Nicole.

I wanna give her the world. The best of everything. And with 7 million dollars, I can do it.

So I'm gonna win. She ain't got nothing to worry 'bout.

A couple of bruises are a small price to pay for a life with her.

'Sides, I ain't half as nervous 'bout the fight than I am 'bout the ring burning a hole in my suitcase.

I drape my arm over her shoulder and kiss her, telling her not to worry. She smiles up at me and relaxes a little, but I know she ain't gonna calm down 'till I got the belt 'round my waist. I better make these fights fast or she's gonna have a nervous breakdown.

I leave Nicole upstairs with Tess while Brendan and me go train with Pop. We don't talk much.

I gotta win this. I chant it in my head as I spar with Brendan. Sure, I wanna win it for me, but it's more than that. I want to be the best, be the man Nicole thinks I am.

I ain't never thought like that before, ain't never considered other people when I thought about my future. But it's all I do now. I'm sick of being just me by myself, or doing everything alone.

I want what Manny had, what Brendan has, what Ma and Pop shoulda had. And this is my first step.

I wonder if Brendan thinks like this. I know he's always considering what Tess would want, even if it's something simple like going out to watch a game. He don't move a step without asking her if it's ok. Used to think of it as being pussy whipped, but maybe he actually likes it that way.

I must be thinking about all this a little too hard, 'cause I ring Brendan's bell a little bit. He drops back and looks at me, shaking it off.

"Goddamn, Tommy. Save that for the real thing," he shakes his head around.

"Sorry," I put my fists back up, but Pop stops me.

"You ain't focusin', Tommy," his gruff voice makes me turn around, "Somethin's botherin' you.'

Old Pop woulda hit me upside my head and told me to get over it. New Pop is standing there all expectant, waiting for me to tell him what's wrong. I think about it for a second. I wanna play it off, but maybe I gotta say something. I don't want it popping in my head while I'm fighting tomorrow.

"I'm gonna propose to Nicole." His eyes get all wide. "Right after I win."

Pop nods. "That's good, son. She's a good girl." His eyes flicker to Brendan.

I know he's wondering if Brendan knows. I hope his feelings ain't hurt that I told my brother before I told him.

"You gotta ring?"

I nod. Brendan speaks up though, "It's nice Pop. You have to see it."

"I'll see it Monday," Pop says confidently, "when Nicole's wearin' it."

He winks at me. I smile a little bit. It's nice that Pop's so sure Nicole's gonna say yes.

"It isn't time to think about that, though," Brendan slaps me upside the head lightly. "You want her to say yes? Win this damn thing." I know he's teasing, but it works. I start focusing again.

We train hard for a coupla hours. I shower before we head back up. I don't wanna go back up to Nicole smelling like sweat. I know the other fighters are all out partying, but I just wanna spend the night with my girl. We ain't gonna be together too much the next coupla days. I gotta use tonight to try and get her to stop worrying so damn much.

But when we get back to my hotel room and answer the door, it don't look like my girl's worrying at all. Takes me all of a second to realize she's drunk off her ass.

Her and Tess got this loud music blasting all over the room. Little minibar bottles are laying all over the table in the room. Reminds me of Pop last year, 'cept instead of cussing and yelling, my girl's dancing real crazy. She's rolling her hips around in circles while Tess just keeps on laughing. I think she's a little gone too, but nothing like Nicole.

I ain't even seen Nicole have more than a coupla beers. Looks like she's drinking harder than that tonight.

I can hear Brendan start to laugh next to me. I guess it's kinda funny but I ain't laughing.

I don't like seeing her like this at all, 'specially since I know what's bothering her. She ain't getting drunk for the fun of it, she's getting drunk to distract herself.

I wanna get her alone and snap her outta her funk so I start walking towards her. I get there just in time for her to turn around too fast. She looks real excited to see me, but then starts spinning over, like she can't control her own feet. She goes down hard, but I make sure she hits my arms and not the floor. She curls into my chest like a baby, clutching at my shirt. I know she'd be embarrassed if she ever saw what she looked like right now. Her hair is coming out of its pretty style and sticking up all over her head. She's burrowing into me, with this huge, shit-eating grin on her face. "You showered," she inhales real deep and presses her face into my t-shirt.

"Jesus," Pop looks at her hard, torn somewhere between wanting to laugh and looking worried.

I shift her in my arms. Tess is laughing a little bit, leaning sideways in her seat. Looks like Brendan and I both gotta babysit tonight. I feel a little better 'bout my girl being drunk since Brendan's is too. And I guess it ain't like my family's in any position to judge.

"I'm gonna sober her up," I tell my brother. He laughs a little bit but nods.

"Make sure she gets some water," Pop tells me. He would know, I guess. I thank him and move a little awkwardly through the door to my room. Nicole ain't heavy, but she's wiggling around in my arms like a fish. I make it to the bed and start putting her down, but she drags me flat on top of her. I'm afraid for a second that I'm gonna crush her, but she just starts giggling and playing with the bottom of my shirt. "Nicole, what's got into you?" I pry her arms off and lay her down. She keeps right on giggling. "A lot of liquor," she slurs it out and flops her head back on the pillow. Her hair goes flying everywhere. I smooth it back the best I can.

"Kinda figured that," it's kinda funny, watching her so outta her element. If her work folks saw her now, they wouldn't believe it. "Didn't think you was a partier," I say.

All the sudden her face starts scrunching up, like she's gonna cry or something. She tries to sit up but I hold her down. Don't need her falling over again.

"I'm not," she grabs my hand real hard. I let her hold it. Her fingers are playing with mine, tracing the calluses. "It's just…" she trails off, her eyes all shiny.

I pull her up into me, dragging her into my lap. "You know, it ain't good to drink away your problems, sweetheart. I should know." I did the whole pill popping, drinking thing and it didn't do a damn thing but make me sick in the morning. Better to deal with your shit 'stead of tryna push it away.

She throws her arms around my neck and starts running her hands down my face. She looks real hard at me, like she's tryna memorize what I look like.

"You're going to be all beat up tomorrow," she says real sad. I try and cheer her up.

"Wait till you see what the other guy's gonna look like," I smile at her. Her face twitches like she wants to laugh, but she pulls it together.

"You know I love you, right?" she sounds so quiet. I wonder what's really bothering her.

I know I ain't the best with saying how I feel, but she's gotta know. She's got me wrapped 'round her finger.

I don't like seeing her this way. Reminds me of me on a bad day. Reminds me of Pop.

"Yeah, Nicole," I hold her as close as I can, running my hands down her back the way I know she likes. She wraps her legs around my waist and leans her head right against mine. I kiss her ear, then her cheek.

"Do you-"

I know she's gonna ask if I love her. I don't wanna hear that. The words ain't gonna be enough now, so I press my mouth against hers, kissing her question away.

I hold her face between my hands, kissing her with everything I've got in me. She sighs against my lips, twirls her fingers in my hair.

"Let me take care of you for a change," I whisper in her ear and she shivers against me. She nods slowly, melting against my body. She don't complain when I help her undress and carry her to the shower. I know I just had one, but I get the water nice and hot and climb in with her. She leans against me the whole time, like if I move she won't be able to hold herself up. I wash out her hair, soap her body up, enjoying the little happy sighs she makes when I touch her.

Feels good to just take care of her. Makes me feel needed.

While she's drying off I go to her suitcase for her pajamas but she stops me, telling me she wants to sleep in one of my shirts. I smile at that. She looks great in lingerie, but ain't nothing as perfect as her laying around in one of my old t-shirts, her long legs sticking outta the bottom.

She crawls into bed and turns around, looking expectantly at me. I know she ain't gonna sleep if I ain't there. I happily follow her, pressing her tight to my side.

"Don't worry 'bout me, sweetheart," I tell her, running my fingers through her damp curly hair. She smells good, but not in that sugary way a lot of women smell like. There's some sensual about it, something that only she can pull off.

"I always worry about you, baby," she admits. I kiss her.

"On Sunday, it'll be over. And we'll be rich." I haven't told her 'bout my plans for the money yet. Her eyes widen, like she ain't even thought about it. If she had, she woulda seen it as my money, not hers. She ain't the gold digging type. But she oughta know that everything I got belongs to her too. That's the way I want it.

"I don't need money. I just want you," she looks up at me, like she's willing me to understand.

I can't think of nothing to say back. This is a conversation we should have when she's sober, when I'm not getting ready to fight.

I gotta tell her all this, all my plans, all the things I want for us.

She might not need money, but I want it. I don't wanna half ass this. We ain't gonna be like Pop and Ma, with me stewing away about all the shit in life I wanted but ain't gone for, and her tip toeing around me, trying to make ends meet. If we're gonna do this, we're gonna do it right.

She starts falling asleep against me, worn out from all the shit she got into with Tess.

I'm a little relieved that I ain't gotta tell her all that right now. Gives me time to think about what I really wanna say. Still though, I don't want her going to sleep thinking that I don't take us seriously, or that she's just some arm candy I keep around for the hell of it.

"You've got me, Nicole," I whisper in her ear as she drifts off. She smiles a little and stretches out against me. I wrap her up tight in my arms and listen to her breathing.

I know I should be thinking about the fights, going over strategies in my head, but I can't focus my mind on anything but the woman next to me.

If ever there was something to motivate me to fight harder than I ever have before, it's her.

I'm gonna have to tell her that soon.

I fall asleep staring across the room at my suitcase and thinking about the ring I bought her.

It's gonna be a long coupla days until Sunday.

I'll tell her everything then.

All of your feedback has been so lovely. I've noticed a sudden surge in Warrior stories ever since The Dark Knight Rises came out. I think that Tom Hardy is finally experiencing his career breakout. If you've only ever seen Warrior, get on watching the rest of his filmography!

And thank you for your continued support! Please continue to let me know what you think.