Chapter Twenty-Six:Forgive Me

April 1, 2008

3:55 A.M.

How could she have let this happen? How could she have not had enough common sense to see that this whole thing had been completely and utterly wrong?

Colby sat on her bed, contemplating these very questions. She hadn't slept at all for the past two nights, yet no fatigue had hit her. Despite the emotional and some physical pain, she had to be proactive. She had to make things right.

She stood up from her bed and grabbed a suitcase from her closet before she began throwing clothes in it. She didn't know how long she would be gone. Maybe she would be back by nightfall. Maybe she'd be back the next week. Who knew? All she knew was that she would be gone however long it took for Randy to forgive her.

Xxxxxxxxxx

From: Kennedy…Kennedy!

Happy Birthday, Orton! Ready for that party!

From: Big Dave

Happy Birthday, Randy! I'll be there around 7. Need me to bring anything?

From: Mickie J.

Happy Birthday, Legend Killer! Still lookin' hot at 28! See you tonight!

From: John Cena

Hey, man. I told everyone the party is still on. I think you need it. See you later. Happy Birthday, bro.

Randy sighed after reading his text messages and putting his cell phone in his pocket. Sometimes he wondered why he was best friends with Cena. He specifically told him that he wanted to be alone. Did Cena listen? Hell no!

As he waited to claim his luggage, Randy glanced at his watch. It was only 8:30 in the morning. He had wanted to get the hell out of Orlando as soon as possible. There were too many events that he wished would just stay there. Unfortunately, all of those events had managed to follow him home.

He quickly found his bags and headed toward the exit before hailing a taxi. The whole ride back to his house, Randy attempted to keep her from crossing his mind, but to no avail.

How could he put her gorgeous gray eyes out of his head? Or her amazingly plump lips which he had the experience of having on his? Or her silky raven hair that seemed to shine even in the dimmest of light? It was thoroughly impossible.

Randy ran his hands over his face just as the cab pulled up to his house. He paid the driver and got out, immediately noticing that it had started pouring on the way back from the airport. Randy hadn't even realized.

He pulled his bags from the trunk and began walking up the driveway when he noticed a black pickup truck sitting right in front of him.

"No way," he muttered to himself. "It can't be her."

He dropped his bags and ran up to the driver's side door to find the truck empty. He searched all around his property before finally spotting a familiar, shrouded figure sitting on his doorstep.

Randy immediately sprinted to her and took her in his arms. It had only been three days since he'd seen her last, but it felt like years. In the midst of his passionate embrace, Randy hadn't even noticed that Colby was shaking until he heard the sharp intake of her breathing.

He pulled away and took her face in his hands and immediately noticed that she was crying. "How long have you been sitting out here?"he asked, having to raise his voice to be heard over the pouring rain.

"I don't know," she replied, barely audible.

"Let's get you inside, sweetheart. And out of these wet clothes," he said, pulling his keys from his packet and unlocking his front door before ushering Colby inside.

"Did you bring a change of clothes with you?"

"They're in the truck," she nodded.

"Stay right here. I'll get them."

"I kind of locked the keys inside. That's why I was sitting on your doorstep," she said sheepishly as she sniffled.

"Okay, well, come upstairs and I will find you something."

Randy led Colby upstairs to his bedroom and lent her one of his t-shirts and a pair of his lounge pants both of which were enormously big on her 5'2 frame. He left the room to change as well and when he walked back in, he found Colby curled up on his bed. He sat beside her and ran his hand up and down her back.

"How can you do it?" he barely heard her ask.

"How can I do what, sweetie?"

"Treat me like nothing happened. Like I never said anything that I said. How can you do it?"

'Because I love you,' he thought but decided against saying it aloud. "Because I could never be angry with you, Colby. I think it's physically impossible."

"But I've hurt you so much. How could you possibly forgive me for that?"

"There's nothing for me to forgive you for. You like to see the best in people. And you were lied to. Those are things you can't do anything about. None of this was your fault. Now, I want you to stop thinking like that, okay?"

She nodded slightly knowing she wasn't going to win the argument. "You know, I half expected you to tell me to get the hell off your property…after you chewed my ass out of course."

"Like I said, I think it's physically impossible for me to be angry with you. But you look exhausted. Why don't you lay here and get some sleep?" he said and stood up.

"Will you lay here with me, please?"

"Of course, sweetie," he said, crawling in the bed beside her, wrapping his arms around her tiny frame.

"You know, Randy. I've never felt as safe as I do when I'm in your arms."

Randy said nothing in return but snuggled up closer to her and kissed her cheek before they both drifted off to sleep.

Xxxxxxxx

When Randy awoke just a few hours later, he found the other side of his bed to be empty and heard voices coming from downstairs.

He jumped out of bed, afraid that the events that had happened earlier that morning were nothing more than a dream. He bolted down the stairs and into the kitchen, nearly tripping in his quest.

As soon as Randy entered the kitchen, however, he realized that there had been no need to hurry for none of the morning's happenings were a trick played on him by his subconscious.

There was Colby, sitting on the counter next to the stove, stirring a pot of boiling noodles. And sitting on a barstool on the other side of the counter was the source of the other voice, his best friend.

A sigh of relief escaped Randy's lips as he leaned against the doorframe for support.

"Was that really you sounding like a herd of damn elephants coming down the stairs?" John asked, turning to face his friend.

Randy ignored Cena and walked to the counter where Colby sat. "Please tell me that he didn't con you into fixing him something to eat."

"He didn't," Colby smiled. "I just figured since I imposed on your birthday party that I should at least fix something for it. So I'm fixing lasagna."

"There wasn't even supposed to be a party, but Cena insisted on it."

"What did you expect me to do, Orton?" John interjected. "Let you sit around and mope the entire time?"

"Shut the fuck up, Cena!" Randy hissed. God, how he wished John would just keep his damn mouth shut. Not just to preserve his own ego, but he knew how John's remark had affected Colby. He could see the guilt spread across her face. "Why don't you go make yourself useful and try to unlock Colby's truck? They're manual locks so is shouldn't be that difficult."

"Fine, I can tell when I'm not wanted," John said and walked out of the kitchen.

"I wish you could," Randy muttered under his breath.

"You know, you really shouldn't be so mean to him. He's just trying to help," Colby said softly, her attention on the pot beside her.

"I know, but John…sometimes he doesn't realize how what comes out of his mouth affects people. I saw how it affected you."

"But I know how much I hurt you, Randy. He's only telling the truth. And sometimes the truth hurts. You can't blame him for that."

Randy said no more. He knew that she was right and couldn't argue with that logic.

"So who all is coming to this party?"

"Who knows. You'll have to ask John. He's the one that invited people," Randy said, hoisting himself up on the counter beside her.

"Do you think it will be a lot of people?"

"Come on, Colby. You've known John long enough to know that he doesn't do anything small," he laughed.

"So one lasagna probably won't be enough."

"No, it probably won't."

Colby hopped down off the counter and began searching through Randy's cabinets for more ingredients for another batch of lasagna. Randy studied her every move. He wondered what that bastard Brad had done to her. He could tell that something had gone down between the two of them and he hoped it wasn't the worst.

Wow, I know it's been forever since I have updated anything. I just really haven't had the creativity that I used to have. Hopefully that will change though. Thanks to RKOsgirl92, alethea293, VolcomStoneBabe, CapriceCC, baybie, Enigmatic Lotus Leaf, Christina89, littleone999, fairytink101, cassymae, Joviper54, , On3LastBr3ath, StackIsTheNewBlack, Pinayprincesa, mandiicena-brooks54, , Tiffyxox, 22cuppy22, NoLongerInUseDeleteMyAccount, and Bingobaby for reviewing chapter 25. I really hope it's not as long before my next update. Thank you all so much for being patient with me.

Gabby