So sorry for the wait, but life has been fucking ridiculous, y'all! I never have time for really anything anymore, but I'm on vacation and finally got to work on my stories! I am so happy with the ending to Shoot to Thrill and the response it got and now I'm focused on finishing this one as well. I'm so excited for these last chapters and how you guys will feel about our dynamic duo. So much love to labinnacslove, angelsdee327, Cougar3371, ThatGirl54, xSamiliciousx, gamesgrl58yahoo, caridee, HisMnkyPrincess, DeeMarie426, DJFireHawk, and hansonkali! You guys are the best!
*********khan*********
You told me you loved me. Why did you leave me all alone?
-Justin Timberlake, Cry Me a River
April 15th, 2016- Davenport, IA
Scarlett pulled her rental up to the curb outside 521 Chester Avenue and sighed loudly.
"I'm here, Anna."
"You just gotta walk in the door. The rest will happen naturally, lass. Don't worry about anything here. The bar is in good hands and we have everything under control. I know it's gonna be stressful, but try to have some fun as well. You are at a wedding, after all."
Scarlett smiled at her through the phone, "I'll try. Ok, I'm gonna let you go. Call me if you need anything, which I have a feeling you won't."
"You know me well, darlin."
They disconnected and she stared at the house in which Colby and Leighla lived. It was the day before their wedding and she had come to help out with any last-minute calamities. She also was there to see Jon and have the conversation that they were supposed to have a week ago. Jon had been all set to come see her on the European tour but had tweaked his knee pretty bad at Wrestlemania in his loss to Daniel Bryan. He had been pulled off the tour and had texted her himself to tell her he couldn't come, but that he still needed to see her. She had told him she was arriving a couple of days before the wedding and so they had agreed to meet at Colby's house. The couple wasn't even there but had graciously told Jon and Scarlett they could talk. Separately, they had told each of them not to let the other break something when they shared their long-held secret news.
She saw Colby's car in the driveway and figured they must've taken Leighla's car instead. There was another rental as well so she assumed Jon was already here. Slowly getting out of the car, she locked it before starting the walk to the front door. She felt like one of those movie characters who is knowingly walking towards their doom and they get a slow-motion buildup to the inevitable. It felt like it took forever to walk the short distance between the car and the door and in that moment, the only thought that saved her was Danny. He was currently back at the hotel with Brie and would be until Scarlett brought Jon to meet his son. She had considered bringing Danny with her but didn't want him to hear his parents fighting. She knew it was silly since he was only six weeks old but she still didn't want him to hear the things that Jon was sure to say to her. He would be angry, she was certain. He had missed so much: the pregnancy, the birth, Danny's first smile and giggle, etc, etc. She had so much to apologize for and she doubted that he could ever forgive her. But she would try for Danny. They would never be together again, but they had to be good parents and hopefully Jon could forgive her enough to make Danny's childhood a good one.
She got to the door and slowly twisted the door handle, letting herself in. She smiled as the first picture she saw in the foyer was one of her, Jon, Colby, Leighla, Joe and Galina, all smiling with their arms around each other. It was during the last month that the Shield was together and everyone in the picture just looked so happy. She grinned even wider remembering that time nearly two years ago. If she'd known how things were going to go, she would've savored that time much better.
She was brought out of her memories by footsteps behind her. Letting out a big exhale, she slowly turned.
"Hi Jon."
He stood five feet from her and she couldn't help but drink him in. He looked good. He'd gotten back in peak shape and his posture still held that swagger that had made him so alluring in the first place. His eyes, always a crystal blue, bored into her and she had to take a deep breath to keep calm.
"Hey Scarlett."
He had to pause in his movement towards her, he was so awestruck by her appearance. It had been so long since he'd actually laid eyes on her but it still took his breath away. She was a little fuller in the hips, like she had gained a little weight but her stomach was pretty flat and her legs still made her look statuesque. His favorite thing about her- that hair- was still full and shiny. She looked tired, like she hadn't gotten much sleep lately, and he noticed the guarded look in her eyes.
"It's been a while."
He grimaced, "July 10th...in the airport."
She sighed, "That was a long time ago, it seems."
"Yeah..."
An awkward silence took a hold of both of them. They weren't moving or talking, just standing there. They both knew they had each had a secret to spill, but neither one wanted to go first. Finally, Jon let out a huff and pulled out his cigarette pack. He'd cut down, only having one when he was really stressed out, and right now, he needed one. Desperately. He saw her eye the pack and smirked as he nodded his head toward the back.
"C'mon, we both need one."
Stepping out onto the back deck, they both lit up and stayed silent, enjoying their cigarettes. Their eyes would meet every so often in silent contemplation before she smiled ruefully.
"I haven't had one of these in a long time."
"But it's just like riding a bike, right?"
"Yep."
He smiled at her, "So how you wanna start this?"
"I don't know...for the first time in my life, I'm absolutely terrified."
"Me too."
Their eyes met again and he took a deep breath, stubbing his cigarette out and walking towards her. Slowly, in order not to scare her, he brought his hands up to her face and cupped it, leaning forward to kiss her forehead. She didn't back away, just closed her eyes at the contact.
"I've missed you, Scar."
"I've missed you too."
"I'll go first, but I need you to know something."
She looked up, green meeting blue, and nodded.
"What?"
"I thought I was doing what was right and what was for the best."
She bit her bottom lip, already feeling the emotion build up inside her. This day was going to end in tears, she just knew it. Putting her arms on his sides, she squeezed slightly.
"I'll do my best to understand, Jon. Just tell me."
He stared at her for another moment and then swallowed hard, taking a few deep breaths before getting the courage to speak.
"I never cheated on you."
Her eyes flared wide and her eyebrows knitted together in confusion. His hands still cupped her face while her arms slowly fell back to her sides. The war inside her head was brutal. There were way too many questions and not enough answers. Refocusing on the man in front of her, she inhaled and exhaled slowly.
"What did you do, Jon?"
She whispered it so softly that he barely heard her. He took her hand and led her back inside, her sitting on the couch and him on the coffee table. He leaned forward, putting his hands on her knees, and met her eyes once again. They were even more guarded than before and it dawned on him that the last time they were in this position, he'd been breaking up with her and destroying their world. He hoped that this time, he would be putting that world back together instead.
"Scarlett, I...I guess I should just start at the beginning. We were so happy...we'd been together over a year and I just couldn't picture a world without you in it. And I...I wanted to marry you."
Her eyes widened a little at that but he kept steady and continued.
"I had a ring picked out and bought. I even showed it to Colby and Joe and they were so excited for us. We even joked about all being engaged at the same time..."
His gaze had fallen down to his knees and his eyes were closed, but they opened once he felt her soft hands on top of his own hands. Looking back up, he saw tears slowly sliding down her face. The first of many, he thought.
"Oh sweetheart, I didn't mean to make you cry."
"No," she replied, taking a deep breath, "I just...I wanted to marry you so bad and now...to hear you had a ring...why didn't you ask me to marry you?"
He paused, not knowing what to say or where to even start. He would have to tell her about Vince and Stephanie and what they did, but he was also to blame. Who did he start with?
"I got it in my brain that I wanted your father's permission before I asked you. Looking back on it, that was the worst idea I've ever had."
She squeezed his hands, urging him to continue.
"I met with your father and Stephanie and I asked him for your hand. They, um, didn't like the idea...at all and said no. Well, I got mad cause it seems like they liked me well enough and when I asked why, they basically said that I wasn't good enough to be in your family and that they thought we would naturally implode. I was so angry, Scarlett. So fucking pissed off and I told them that. I said it didn't matter if they didn't want us to get married. I was going to ask you anyway and we would get married and be the happiest fucking people on the planet and they would regret it."
Scarlett had stopped crying. Her face was stone but her eyes had a forlorn tone, almost like she knew what was coming.
"What did they do?"
The anger in her voice surprised him. He had expected sadness, but there was only a touch of it in her tone.
He sighed, "I was about to leave when they stopped me and told me why I shouldn't marry you."
He squeezed her hands, wanting to brace her against the news he had to share. He was about to destroy her sense of identity.
"It turns out you aren't Vince and Linda's daughter. They told me your birth mom is one of Linda's cousins- I don't remember her name- and that since your parents wanted another baby anyway, they just faked Linda's pregnancy so that no one would question that you were a true McMahon. I'm so sorry, Scarlett, that I'm the one who's telling you this. I really wanted to protect you from this."
Her face was still stone. She sat in quiet contemplation for a good five minutes before meeting his eyes again.
"So...they told you they would tell me this unless you broke up with me?"
He nodded slowly.
"Which you did. You left me, Jon, and...I'm guessing you knew the only way I'd be heartbroken enough to let you leave was if you said you cheated on me. So, you got Saraya to help you out, which I'm sure she was more than willing to do. What did you have to do for her to get her to go along?"
"I had to buy her an expensive bracelet and tell Stephanie to basically make her champion."
"Nothing else?"
"Well, she wanted me to sleep with her, but I said no. I couldn't do that."
"Why not?"
He stared into her hard eyes, "Because even though I left you, I was still in love with you. Hell, I love you now. Nothing ever changed in that department."
"So you lied to me, made me believe that you cheated, and let me believe the absolute worst..."
She had to take a deep breath to calm herself down. The tears were threatening to consume her but she had to get through this. She had to know the absolute truth.
"You did all that because...what? You thought it was better to let me believe that I was part of a great family than to be with you?"
She shook her head and stood up, slowly starting to pace, and Jon knew she was about to blow. Scarlett's anger never came in slow waves, it hit you in one big tidal-wave of an explosion. He had to make her see that it was all for the best before her temper got the better of her so he rushed to explain.
"Scarlett, they told me they would take everything away from you: the job, the money, your name, everything."
"I don't give two shits about the money or my job."
He sighed, "Stephanie said she would take the girls away and not let them see you again. I didn't know if Shane would get on board with them. I couldn't imagine being so selfish that you would never get to see the girls or boys again and even though they are irritating sometimes, I know how much you love your parents and your siblings. I didn't want to stand in the way of that."
Every footstep she took was a stomp now. Her eyes kept going to her phone on the counter and he wondered who she could possibly want to call. Colby? Brie? Her sister? Her father? Her motions were erratic. She would take two steps forward, turn and take five steps the other way, then turn again and take three short steps before stopping completely only to start pacing again soon after. Her hands would be on her hips, in her hair, wiping away furious tears, rubbing her upper arms. Finally, she stopped and put her hands down on the edge of the table near the wall. Jon saw there was nothing really breakable on the table so he didn't join her, just let her be. Her knuckles were white from the grip she had on the edge and he could see her shoulders starting to shake. He didn't know if she was crying or just so angry that the emotion couldn't be contained any longer.
"Scarlett, say something."
He didn't hear anything at first, but then she started mumbling to herself and he could make out some of her whispered words.
"Hate them...why didn't you just tell me...secrets and lies...so many goddamn secrets and lies...fuck me..."
Her head slowly came down so she was leaning on the counter, her head in her hands as her elbows supported her weight on the table. He could see her knees buckling slowly and raced to catch her, just getting behind her in time to catch her on the way down. She fell to the floor, knees bent and the rest of her body over them, and the tears really started. Sobs racked her form and all he could do was keep an arm around her stomach as his other hand rubbed her soothingly on her back. He whispered to her, repeating the same thing over and over.
"I'm sorry. I'm so sorry. I made a mistake."
For fifteen minutes, this continued until he heard her sniffles dry up and she seemed to realize the position they were in. She sat up very quickly, shuffling away from him, and sitting back against the wall next to the table. He came to sit opposite her, but kept his distance, not wanting to invade her personal space. She was staring off, looking lost in a memory of some sorts, so he waited patiently for her to come back to him. Finally, her eyes seemed to focus once again.
"You're a fool. A goddamn idiot of a fool."
Her gaze slid to him and she exhaled a huge breath, fixing him with a withering expression.
"They lied to you."
He quirked an eyebrow, "What?"
Scarlett smirked slightly, "My family lied to you. I am very much Vince and Linda's daughter. You haven't been around long enough to know this, but they've done this before. My first boyfriend..."
"Wait, what?"
She sighed, "My first boyfriend's name was Ryan. Ryan Groves and he lived on Long Island. During the summers, we would vacation in the Hamptons, like rich people do, and I met Ryan when I was 17. He worked at one of the restaurants there and we were crazy about each other. Not in-love crazy, but that first love, ya know, that puppy love that everyone experiences at some point. Well, the summer ended but Ryan and I wanted to still see each other so for the next six months or so, I would drive to Long Island or he would drive to Greenwich and we would spend as much time together as possible. We were so young and stupid and ridiculous that eventually we started talking about getting married...not like right then, but in the future when I was done with college and he had more money saved and all that. My parents found out and when Ryan was at the house one day, they sent me on an errand and pulled him into their office. Told him the same story they told you: I wasn't truly a McMahon and they would cut me out of the family if we stayed together. They said if he broke up with me, they'd give him $10,000. Well, to a 17-year-old kid who'd always been poor and had to fight and claw for everything he had, that was a fuck-ton of money. I'm sure you were the same as a kid. You would've done anything for that much, right?"
He couldn't deny that she was right and he slowly nodded. He was angry himself. The McMahons had fooled him and lied to him and made him feel like he had to destroy his life and Scarlett's. He would never forget this and never forgive them for this. Never.
"Well, I came back home and Ryan was just gone. He called me later after he'd gotten home and said he realized he didn't love me anymore and ended it. I was heartbroken in only the way a teenager could be. It was the complete end of my world...until my parents told me what they'd done. They explained the entire situation the next day. Even laughed about it while telling me. But they said to me...Scarlett, isn't it better to be without him? Seeing as how he gave you up for money? And me, I believed them, especially cause they said they'd never do something like that ever again. They were just protecting me, they said, and I believed them. Guess they were just protecting me this time too."
He didn't like the flippant tone of her voice, "What do you mean?"
"Well, you were rewarded for breaking my heart...just like Ryan. That shiny title must've been a sweet reward for ending our relationship."
"It wasn't like that, Scar. I didn't even want the fucking thing."
She smirked, "Yeah, but you took it."
"Yeah because that's my job. They gave me a script and I followed it."
"Just like when they told you to break up with me...such a good employee."
"Scarlett, it killed me to leave you. I lost everything that mattered: you, my friends, everyone who I considered family. Everyone I loved. Do I regret it? Every fucking day. That's why I kissed you in the airport. Why I said I still wanted us to be together. Because I did. I felt so fucking guilty when the guys told me what you were going through in Phoenix, but I can't do anything to change the past. All I can do is say I'm sorry until you believe me."
Her gaze fell to her hands neatly clasped in her lap and she took a deep breath, "I can't believe they did this...again. I guess I'm a fucking fool too."
She stood, leaving him on the ground, and quickly excused herself, saying she needed to make a phone call. She slipped outside and dialed a number, becoming very animated when the caller picked up. He watched as she went through a range of emotions, first solemn, then angry which led to a floodgate of tears and then her arms went wild as the anger returned tenfold. By the time she got off, he'd moved back to the couch and just waited, knowing the hell that was going to be unleashed when she came back inside. When she opened the door and stormed back inside, he still just waited. She was talking but it didn't seem like any of it was directed at him. She was venting and might've just been talking to herself.
"Well, Shane didn't know anything about it, thank fucking god. He's just as mad as I am, but said he'd stay quiet until I got to talk to them first. I can't wait to rip them a new asshole. God, this is so fucked up!"
Her eyes caught him in her field of vision and she pivoted, fully facing him and he felt the heat of her anger rolling off her in waves.
"Why didn't you just fucking tell me the truth?"
He stood, not moving closer to her, and fixed her with his most level gaze.
"I didn't want to destroy your life, your sense of identity. Scarlett, you've always been a McMahon, your family and the company are your life and who was I to take that away from you?"
She stepped closer, a demented smile on her face, "Who were you? You were...scratch that, you are the goddamn fucking love of my life, Jon! We were happy, so fucking happy! If you had asked me to marry you, I would've said yes. I would've screamed it to the heavens! But no, you had to pick the worst fucking moment in the world to be noble. Why didn't you just tell me about them? We could've gotten past all this then and gotten engaged and been so happy. Sure, I would've been pissed at them and not spoken to them for a long time, if ever, but I would've had you and you were all I ever needed! As long as I had you to hold me at night and tell me you loved me every single day, I would've been fine! Absolutely goddamn fine!"
She was directly in front of him then and the look in her eyes- full of irate anger and disappointment- destroyed him.
"Why did you do that to us? If you had listened to your heart, then we would've been fine and none of the rest of it would've happened! I wouldn't have been a fucking wreck for two goddamn weeks in Brie's guest room, having to be forced to eat and having those goddamn nightmares of you and Saraya. I wouldn't have had to see you in Vegas and tell you that I didn't fucking love you anymore! Which was a goddamn lie by the way and it broke my heart all over again to say those words. I wouldn't have moved to England. I would've still been living in Vegas with you and traveling the country with you and running the shows and enjoying my life...WITH YOU!"
She walked away at this point, not able to look at him. Her head was in her hands and he heard her whispering.
"I need to get out of here...I need...need Danny."
She whirled back around at the sound of the front door opening. Colby and Leighla cautiously entered their home, not knowing what to expect. When they stepped into the living room, they were relieved to see all of their stuff intact, but the two people standing there looked emotionally exhausted. Scarlett, seeing them, panicked and quickly grabbing her bag, raced for the front door. Jon was at a loss for words, not knowing what to do to get her past her anger. Maybe she just needed time. Looking at the clock on the wall, he saw it was two in the afternoon. They had the rehearsal at seven and he would see her then. Hopefully, she was calmer.
Colby's voice interrupted him, "Jon, did you tell her?"
"Yeah, she wasn't very happy."
"And did she tell you her news?"
Oh, right. Scarlett was supposed to tell him something too. He shook his head at his best friend.
"No, I went first and she's so mad...we hadn't gotten that far yet."
Colby flew out of the house and Jon went to follow, only to feel Leighla's strong grip on his forearm.
"Let him talk to her. Maybe he can calm her down and she'll come back in."
Jon sighed, but agreed, and settled for watching the two people who meant the world to him from the huge windows in the living room. Colby had caught her before she could get in the car. He couldn't hear what they were saying, but both were very animated.
"Scarlett, wait!"
She slammed the car door shut, "You knew! It was all a lie and you fucking knew! Why didn't you tell me, Colby? Why didn't you tell me it was all a lie and I wouldn't have had to hide anything?"
Colby held up his hands, "I didn't find out til the night I got hurt, Scar. By then, you were already on bedrest and I wasn't going to risk your health or Danny's health when I knew the truth could wait a little while."
"But if I had known, then he could've at least been there for the birth!"
"Yeah, but you probably would've gone into labor early because of the stress and then Danny might've died. I wasn't risking that!"
She was fuming, taking deep breaths in and out, and her eyes flitted everywhere. She opened up the car door again and he stepped up.
"Where are you going?"
"I need to see Danny. He'll calm me down."
"No, you need to come back inside and tell Jon the truth about Danny."
"I am so goddamn angry right now, Col! And when I tell him, he's going to be equally as angry. We don't need that! Danny doesn't need that!"
"But you are going to tell him?"
She took another deep breath, blowing it out very slowly, "I need to calm down. The rehearsal is later. I'll be fine by then. I'll take him to my hotel room after and tell him. I just...can't right now. I am so fucking angry. How could he do this to us, Col?"
The tears came then and Colby embraced her, letting her sobs get all out before she slowly stepped back. Telling her to be careful driving, he walked back up to the house, praying to whatever gods existed that she could get past the hurt and that Jon didn't completely blow up later. He wanted both of his friends to be happy and smiling at his wedding tomorrow, but right now, he wasn't so sure that was going to happen.
*********khan*********
Whew, well one half of our couple knows the truth. How will Jon take the news? I already know how some of you think he's going to react, but I want to hear from you silent wallflowers out there. Can they forgive each other? Can they get back together? Until I answer these questions, hugs and kisses XOXO
