Disclaimer: The characters in my stories are completely made up characters and have temporally been given borrowed names for the sole purpose of satisfying the qualifications for posting on this fanfiction site. These stories are fiction and should be perceived as such. They in no way reflect the lives, beliefs or views of any persons living or dead and any similarities are coincidental. I am not affiliated with any company or professional wrestler in any way. No disrespect or copyright infringement intended. And if any of my favs happen upon my stories, I hope your not offended because this is not about you, it is about feedback on my story ideas. :) I love and respect what you do and I thank you for all the joy and entertainment over the years.

(Remember this is fiction. Some character facts will not be accurate) Thanks so much for the reviews guys. Please keep them coming. They really inspire me to keep going with the story. :)

Chapter 21

"Where are we going?" I couldn't make myself speak in a tone that wasn't demanding and a bit hateful.

"Home." Jimmy answered.

"Home?" I felt the blood drain from my body. I gazed at Roman. I was terrified and my voice faltered. "You know I can't go back to New York."

"He lives in Florida." Jey informed me. "He just hides out in the gutters of New York."

I noticed Roman narrow his eyes at the twins.

"I don't understand."

Roman shook his head, took a swig of his soda and pointed at his cousins, then himself and mouthed 'not me.'

"The family lives in Florida. I don't care where you want to hide. It's still home." Jimmy insisted.

Roman leaned forward and snatched Jimmy's controller then ran his hand across his throat.

"Yeah, alright." Jimmy said. The twins relinquished the television and got comfortable on the sofa. The thing wrapped around the entire part of the bus and the corner was Roman preferred seat. He kicked out his legs and stretched both arms across the back of the couch.

"Again. No. Come on." His cousins complained as Roman played the disc.

"Every time he buys a new movie he has to watch it a hundred times." Jimmy told me. And Roman defended himself by waving his hand my way as if he was saying that I hadn't seen it yet. And I hadn't. I didn't buy many movies and it was a comedy that had come out the week before. One I really had been wanting to see. I sat to Roman's right with plenty of space between us. I sat with my arms and legs crossed and my neatly on my lap. I didn't feel comfortable lounging around like I would at home. That bus was their home and I didn't want to offend them by putting my feet on their sofa.

Half way through the movie I caught Roman watching me laugh at the silly dialog and scenarios. I smiled and my gaze kept going to him. He beckoned me with a nod of his head, but I was set on being stubborn in the affection department. Falling into his embrace would only confuse my heart when I was looking for the truth and to be honest the deck was already stacked against him. I had to keep the facts straight in my head. The man had stalked, kidnapped and underhandedly obtained information about me. He demonstrated classic signs of a controlling personality and I feared I would fall into another trap that I would have to claw my way out of.

I found myself unable to follow that movie. I was on a bus, alone with not one but three men. Roman seemed to do whatever he had to do to get what he wanted and his cousins stood by him no matter how criminal his actions.

What if Roman never let me go? What if he continued to hold me even after the week ended? Would I end up tied to his bed while he fulfilled his work obligations? Would he take my phone? Would he become violent? I shook just thinking about the things he could do to me. Roman was much stronger than Will. I'd seen him lose his temper. I'd seen the damage he left behind. I feared that I had somehow gotten myself into a situation far worse than what I'd fled. What was I going to do?

"Home Sweet Home!" The twins were in the windows watching as the bus pulled into the drive way of a very nice home. They gathered bags and I expected Roman to do the same, but instead they shook hands accompanied with a gentle shoulder bump. "We'll see you tomorrow."

Then the bus pulled out again. Being alone with him made me tremble a bit. But he didn't invade my space. He stayed in his corner, head back with his eyes closed. He seemed exhausted.

"Where do you want to park it this time?" It was the first time I'd seen the driver. He opened a partition door and called out his question.

Roman let out a breath. It seemed to be a hard question for him to answer even though we were supposed to be in his home town. Roman gave the guy a look and a sigh.

"Are you sure?" I guess the driver knew what Roman wanted. he must have been around long enough to know his language. "I hear that new arena has a campground like deal going on."

Roman shook his head.

"Alright."

We pulled out of the twins drive and took the very next road. We weren't on the bus five minutes before it slowly traveled down a very long, thin paved path. I wasn't sure if it was drive way or a road. There were fallen trees and broken branches all along that path. The grass was overgrown and when a house finally came into view I saw the yard around it was very tall as well and there was car parked in front with two people pulling suitcases out of the trunk.

"Roman!" I recognized Dean Ambrose when we got off. "Hey man." He greeted him. He seemed a bit surprised to see Roman there. He gave me a smile and nodded as if my presence explained why Roman had suddenly appeared. Maybe the home belonged to one of Roman's friends.

We walked to the door and Roman used his key to enter. We stepped inside a small foyer that had a long table against the wall with several pictures lined neatly across it. I gazed around. It was Roman's home. There were pictures of him and – his wife. Just looking at the pictures of him saying I do sent a pain through my heart. I couldn't help but think that she still meant something to him. That he was still holding on. Why else would those pictures still be there?

Roman didn't seem happy to be inside that house. He gazed around as if he too was seeing it for the first time.

"Geeze there's an inch of dust on everything." Seth groaned. "You really need to rehire your caretaker, man."

"Why don't you hire one, Seth?" Dean snapped. "You spend more time here than he does. You okay, buddy?" He patted Roman's shoulder.

Roman walked over to the table and stacked up those pictures. He walked through a couple more rooms, plucking pictures off the walls and shelves, then he deposited them into the kitchen trash can.

"He hasn't stepped foot in this place since Diane left." Dean excused his friend. "But he lets Seth and I stay here when we're in town or just need to get away." I nodded my understanding. The place seemed like an abandoned house to me. There were cob webs in nearly every corner. Film over the windows and mirrors and the floors needed serious mopping. It wasn't a huge home, but I could tell it was nice. It had an upstairs. A big open living room and a nice sized kitchen, a dining room and I could see a sun room sitting behind the sofa. It was filled with dead plants and I guessed it used to be someone's favorite room.

Dean fell back on the sofa and a cloud of dust floated into the air. He coughed then laughed.

"I don't know about you guys, but I'm going to enjoy being off this month."

"It's bullshit." Seth complained, swatting the air with a turned up nose. "Why the hell did they put the shield back together if they were going to write us off for a month?"

"Suspense builder, man." Dean laughed. "Hell, enjoy it. It's not cutting into our vacation time and we're still getting paid. Win-win for me."

"Well, I don't like the world thinking I'm on suspension."

"It's just a storyline." Dean laughed. "You take everything so seriously."

"And what the hell is she doing here?" Seth pointed my way.

"She's Roman's girl." Dean snickered. "I think he remembers you." He put a hand to the side of his mouth. "He's a little sensitive."

"No kidding." I rolled my eyes. I hadn't left my spot in the foyer. I felt like I was in a home filled with ghosts and Roman walked around like he was uncomfortable being back there. He crossed the room went back to the kitchen and returned snapping a trash bag open. He started throwing things into it. Glass figurines, throw pillows, curtains, lamps. He ripped things off the wall, filling bag after bag and throwing out the front door. His friends just watched him. Saying nothing. The man even cleared out the kitchen cabinets, deliberately smashing plates and saucers as he dumped them in the trash can.

When I thought about how hard I worked for the simple things I owned it seemed wasteful to watch so many nice things just tossed away, but I didn't know how Roman was feeling or what he was thinking.

"Guess this means he is going shopping." Dean laughed when Roman finally fell into a chair. He was out of breath from the speed he had been moving. Roman gave a big smile and let out a small chuckle. Throwing out all those things much have been some kind of therapy for him. He tapped the arm of the chair, then tossed a thumb over his shoulder. "Hell yeah." Dean rubbed his hands together.

"You're going to have a pile outside your door." Seth complained. "It's going to draw rats."

"You should donate this stuff instead of throwing it out." I snapped. "There are people out there who need it."

Roman raised his eyebrows then bent down and handed me a phone book that had been sitting under the end table. I went into the other room. I don't know if he was humoring me or if he thought it was a good idea. Or maybe he realized he could get rid of what he wanted without having to worry or execute the cleanup.

"I found a second hand store that is willing to come right away." I had told the people that the things were really nice and that the owner was throwing things out as I spoke to them, but only one place I found seemed to sense the urgency of the situation. I told them to bring boxes and bags with them and laughed. Roman's actions still seemed insane to someone like me.

A huge truck arrived twenty minutes later and I stood back and watched as Roman pointed to furniture. Almost everything. He pulled things out of cabinets, closets and the thrift store people smiled as they took the donation. I don't know if they could see dollar signs or if they recognized the men from television.

"What are you doing?" I heard a woman's shrill voice. "No! Put that back! Where are you going with that?"

I recognized the woman from those wedding pictures. She wore much heavier make up and was draped in expensive jewels but it was her.

"Have you lost your mind?" she shouted at Roman who just glowered. A large man walked in behind her. An older man with the same skin tone. He took in the scene but he didn't smile.

"You finally came back." An older woman, who I thought looked a lot like Roman rushed past the man and Diane with a smile beaming. But she was held back by the arm by her husband who shook his head. She stood beside her husband, her head down and dabbing tears from her eyes.

"Who the hell are you?" Diane noticed me even though I had backed against the wall, hoping to be invisible. I swear the spirit of somebody else slipped into my body as she pointed her ruby red talons at me. I didn't know what kind of man Roman was in their relationship, but if the situation had been reversed, I would have never walked out on Will. I thought her a heartless woman. Roman had been seriously injured, lost his career and I know he must have been lost knowing he had to start all over again. "I asked you a question? Are you screwing my husband?"

I let out a small laugh. That woman had nerve. I glanced at Roman who seemed like a shell of himself.

"I'm just a friend." I snarled leaning back against the wall and folding my arms. I almost wished that woman would take a swing at me.

"Oh, another female wrestler." She snorted a snobbish laugh. "Another one of those."

I cocked an eyebrow. She seemed to insinuate that Roman had participated in many affairs during their relationship.

"Yeah, the monk of the WWE cheated." Dean seemed to find her confrontation hysterical.

"I guess it makes her feel better?" Seth stood by him with his arms crossed.

"Don't sit there and say I've stepped out on my husband." She insisted. "I've done no such thing."

"Oh, please lady." Dean growled. "The last time you attended a show you tried to stick your hand down my pants"

Roman snapped his head, his mouth dropped and he stared at his friend. He appeared betrayed and hurt. Dean patted Roman's shoulder.

"But I don't screw my buddy's chicks and sluts never did do doing thing for me." He sneered.

"You can find a hotel." She pointed at both of them. "All of you. I plan to try to make my marriage work and you influence him too much."

Roman pointed at her and then jabbed his finger at the door. She brushed it off like it meant nothing.

"This is last of it – unless there's something else you want gone?" I know the thrift store guy was trying to be professional but he was a down to Earth guy.

Roman picked his wife up by her shoulders and put her in the large guy's hands. Then wiped his hands together as he walked off. Dean and Seth snickered and so did I, but that poor thrift store guy. Diane wore a shocked, speechless expression and so did he.

The thrift store guys left and the stripped room echoed with every step and every word, but everyone was silent. The older couple turned out to be Roman's parents. They lingered as did Diane even though Roman had made it clear he didn't want her there. She stood next to his parents appearing humbled. She kept a solemn expression as his father glared.

"Diane is willing to make it work." His father spoke, taking a seat on a wicker sofa that Dean and Seth had brought in from the sun room. That set was about the only thing Roman had wanted to keep. His mother sat beside his father and Diane sat beside her.

Roman shook his head.

"That's it? You would bring dishonor to you family for what? This girl." He pointed at me. He got up and paced angrily. "Did he tell you he killed a guy?" He spat at me. "Huh?" He spat. "No. I guess not. All because he wasn't where he was supposed to be. Because he was irresponsible. That's why you lost the ability to talk. It's your punishment." He bellowed.

"Stan. Stop." His mother softly reasoned.

"No, I won't. He would rather continue not being part of this family then take his wife back. He wants to continue to bring shame to our family as if what he did wasn't enough. I guess he thinks he's doing fine because he got his job back but he will never be what he was before. You're a novelty act. They keep you on because of your family heritage, but you are not part of this family and you won't be as long as you keep living a life of sin."

"Stan. He's our son."

"I will not budge, Ellen. He's evil. He always has been."

"He was good kid."

"No. He's so evil that he was able to conceal it for years. He fooled us all, but this proves that he cares nothing for our family honor. He's disgraced our family and I have no son."

The twins walked in with a big smile.

"We're here to crash …" Jimmy and Jey paused when they saw the family standing in Roman's living room.

"you bring shame on your house." Roman's father spat at them.

"Dude, We're not going to turn our back on Roman just because some people in this family say he's shunned. That's messed up." Jimmy spat.

"Yeah. Blood is blood." Jey added.

Roman's eyes fell on me and then he lowered them to the floor. I don't know if he was ashamed or embarrassed. He got up and walked out. He didn't storm. He didn't slam the door. He just left.

His father stared at me. I could see the disapproval in his eyes.

"Well, now that you know what he is, i guess you'll be going?" His eyes bore into me. "Or maybe you have no problem laying with a murderer. You're just another evil temptation he can't resist."

I felt so out of place. So unwelcome and all three of their glares made me feel like they blamed me for Roman's defiance. I walked into the other room. It seemed Diane was set on staying and I didn't want cause a bigger problem by being there.

"Our family," The twins came in behind me and Jimmy, I guess thought he needed to explain. "We come from this culture that believes in family honor. It's like a credit rating here in the U.S. Our family moved from that island generations ago, but that code still means something. The older generation has a list of things that brings dishonor. Divorce is one of them."

"So they're disowning Roman because he doesn't want to take Diane back?"

"No. They're disowning him because that guy died. In our culture, it's the same as if he'd killed him with his bare hands"

"It was an accident."

"He drank at the bar that night. The other guy was the one that crossed the line. He's the one who hit Roman, but Roman was the one who was drunk and his father says Roman is to blame because he shouldn't have been there in the first place. To him, Roman was out partying, doing things that dishonored his family. Uncle Stan won't budge." Jey sighed. "And neither will most of the family. Our parents can't treat him that way. Not when it comes to Roman. He was around our house more than his own growing up."

"Like mom said. If Roman was that bad he would still be talking. You see Roman wasn't injured when that car crossed the line. And that man wasn't killed instantly. Another car hit Roman's when it was sitting still. They were in a blind curve. The impact caused Roman's car to flip and it crushed them both. Roman was trying to help the guy."

"He was pinned by the car. The only thing sticking out was his head. They were still getting him out when we got there. It happened on this road. He was almost home."

"It was a freak accident. There's hardly ever two cars on this road at the same time. And it was three a.m."

I stared out the kitchen window as they talked about the accident. Roman sat on an old stump, slumped over, his elbow resting on his knee and his head held up by his hand. He appeared so defeated just a shell of the strong man I had always known.

I went out the kitchen door and approached him without excusing myself. The twins were still talking and I just didn't want to hear any more of the details. I laid my hands on Roman's shoulders and gently rubbed. He touched my hand, but he didn't move. I kept rubbing. I wasn't going to push him for anything. He needed to sort his feelings out on his own.

His parents came out. They stopped when they saw us. Roman's father glowered and stormed toward his car fuming.

Roman shut his eyes tight and stared at the ground. I could tell his father's treatment hurt him the most. It was easy to see he looked up to that man and his disappoint stung.