a/n here's another update! The next chapter will be where everything really happens! The dress is not up on the site, yet... It will be after next chapters completion!

Thanks again to bsbfan558, xHalosandwings, Neurotic-Idealist, wades wife, Sonib89 and xAracnaex for reviewing! =D

The Last Unbroken Hart;

By AliceJericho

Chapter 25: The Eyes of An Innocent.

"I have found the paradox, that if you love until it hurts, there can be no more hurt, only more love." – Mother Teresa

Wednesday, March 17

I stared into the window with wide eyes and a dropped jaw. I looked to Helen and pleaded with her to let me go in.

"It's your money, dear." She ushered me inside and I almost fell to the floor.

My eyes locked on a floor length dress that was black in colour and looked to be made of satin. A mauve taupe coloured piece of fabric rested underneath the bust to create an empire waistline which was topped off with a surplice neckline. All of that I knew without having to get a description from the store – I'm a wedding planner after all, I basically choose dresses for a living.

Martha's hand met my shoulder and I turned around to see her with a small smile on her face, "I know you want it." I smiled and nodded at her, quickly taking it and hoping it was the right size.

I groaned loudly when I noticed it was a size too big only to remember that I could also fix that. Without anymore hesitation, I took it to the counter and paid for it by credit card. The smile never leaving my face.

I took a photo of it on my phone and sent it to my mum with the caption HOF Dress 2010, which also meant that she would know I was alive and well. I was doing a very good job of not speaking to anyone I didn't have to because everyone in Calgary knows the Hart family. Whether they like wrestling or not.

Sunday would call me nonstop until I answered if I had forgotten to text her. I knew she was doing it begrudgingly, probably on orders of our fathers – she definitely didn't like me enough to try and get in contact with me for any other reason.

Things had, according to her, calmed down since she had last spoken to me. It made me feel mildly better to hear her say that. She never mentioned anyone's name, though. It was always "They're fine" or "Everyone's better" she wasn't going to give me the satisfaction of personal information.

Sunday, March 21

I cursed loudly and dropped everything I was holding when Athena entered the room and broke my concentration. I gripped my left pointing finger in my right hand and applied as much pressure as possible.

"Dammit, Athena!" I bit the inside of my mouth as I spoke, my words coming out muffled and strained.

"Oh my god!" she said like any true teenager would, "What happened? Are you bleeding? What did I do?"

"Ah, fuck, just... I need a Band-Aid. It's not bad." I gritted my teeth, "It just stings."

"I'm sorry!" she shouted as she ran to get me a bandaid. She came back within seconds, holding the entire box of Band-Aids. "What happened? What are you doing? You've been in here for days! I kinda thought you were dead." Her childishly worried tone made me silently laugh at her.

"No, no. I'm very much alive... I just need to take in this dress before Saturday." I made sure the Band-Aid was wrapped tight around my finger and picked up the sewing needle from the floor.

"Do you need some help?" Athena sat atop a spinning chair and began to turn in circles.

"I'm actually almost done with it." I said with a bright smile, "Thank you, though." Athena continued to turn around on the chair as I put the finishing touches on my Hall of Fame dress. "Once I'm done with this... I need shoes, a bag and someone who can do my hair and makeup." The young blonde looked up at me with happy eyes and an innocent smile.

"This is all for a boy, isn't it?"

Athena Hart had her arm linked in mine and we were walking the streets of downtown Calgary trying to find a pair of shoes to match my dress.

"No," I answered slowly, "This is for the Hall of Fame. Pa's getting inducted, this is for Pa." I told her and she shook her head knowingly, "Oh yeah, what do you know? You're fourteen." I reminded her.

"I know that you wouldn't have fixed that dress if it was just for Pa or your dad. You want to look good for someone."

"You're a lot smarter than you look." I eventually conceded and told her what I had told her mother. I could tell that parts of the tale confused her but I didn't bother to explain them to her. "What are you smiling at me like that for?" I asked as I put my hand on top of her head and gently pushed her sidewards, "Get that goofy grin off your face."

"You look like mum when she talks about dad." I stopped walking once she had finished her sentence and stared at her, "You look happy when you speak about him." She shrugged, "Mum looks happy when she speaks 'bout dad..."

"I've known him for three months, Thena."

"I think you love him. But what do I know? I'm fourteen!" She ran off ahead of me and I looked down at my own feet.

Who was I fucking kidding? A fourteen year old could see that I was in love with Matt Korklan. I knew that I did, I wasn't going to deny that to myself. I just didn't want too many other people to know. In case it didn't work out. In case I showed up at the Hall of Fame and see him with Eve or he hates me for running away.

I knew what I wanted to say to him and how I wanted to say it. I knew what I was going to tell my dad when I had to. If everything went as planned, then everything would be perfect in my life. I wanted to believe it was going to happen that way. Honestly though, when does anything in my life go the way I planned?

Especially love.