Ripper: He needs something, that for damn sure. But I kinda like you locked away in my closet, darling ^^

WWEChica: I LIVE for tormenting you, honey. I've been doing it for HOW long now? LOL. Don't worry, I like Raine too much to actually hurt her... too much. As always, I appreciate your feedback chica, you always keep it real. :D

Devin: From a parental point of view: she'd of been out of harm's way, safe and NOT possibly a vegetable for the rest of her life. I don't see it as insanity but just one of those 'parent' moments, lol.

Jackie: They all gotta their heads straight eventually ^^

Pain Syndicate: I'm glad you think so! She's been fun to write because she is definitely flawed as heck and usually fairly blind when it comes to Mark, that poor guy.

: Um... LOL, I still love you? And your story is coming up next!

Since I usually don't reply to reviews, I'm sure some ppl are going 'wtf', but as this is the second to last chapter of Tear Me Down (It's finally ending!), I figured I would. Hope you enjoy!

CHAPTER 29

"She's really in a coma?"

Mark stirred from the half sleeping, half waking state he had been in; fully alert and stood up so fast his chair flew backwards into the wall. "What the hell are you doin' here?" He demanded, trying to keep his voice down; making his words come out a low growl.

David Bautista stood there in the doorway, his hands stuffed in the pockets of his jeans; looking uncomfortable. "I don't know." He muttered, his eyes on Raine. "I didn't believe she was really in a coma."

"Because people are goin' to lie about somethin' like that. Get the fuck out right now before you join her."

Instead of getting out, Dave moved to the bed; arching an eyebrow as he took her in. "Wow…" He was having a hard time believing this was the woman who had repeatedly handed him his ass. She looked so frail, so fragile right now. "Wow…"

Mark was damn near the breaking point. Six months he had been here, switching days with Shawn and this son of a bitch had the BALLS to come here? Shane he tolerated, Shane he understood. He didn't like the man, but he did have some grudging respect for him.

David… none. He wouldn't of pissed on Dave's teeth if his gums were on fire.

"She looks… hideous." David blurted out, flinching uncharacteristically. He was walking right into an ass beating and he knew it but he couldn't stop himself.

"What the hell are you doing here?" Mark demanded angrily, again. "You hate her."

"I didn't want to see her like this."

"Bullshit."

They engaged in a stare down, sizing each other up. It was broken when there was a low; muffled moan from the bed.

Mark instantly forgot about Dave, crouching down and took Raine's hand in his, his eyes searching her face intently. "Get a doctor." He ordered without looking up.

David hauled ass from the room.

"Raine?" He murmured, reaching out to brush his fingers along her forehead. "Raine?"

"Mmm…" Her brow puckered.

"What? What is-" The on-call doctor, Dr. Verne, blinked when she seen Raine and walked over to check her pupils, flashing her pen light in her patients eyes. She glanced at the monitor beside the bed, arching an eyebrow. "We need to call her father."

***

Shawn arrived within hours, walking into the room slowly; almost afraid of what he'd find. He was glad –more than glad- that Raine had apparently woken up. Now he was scared that she wouldn't be his Raine anymore. Dr. Cass had told them time and time again that she could very likely be mentally and/or physically disabled if she ever came round. There just wasn't any way of knowing until she pulled out of the coma.

He froze in the doorway, blinking back the instant tears. "Oh thank you, Lord." He whispered, dropping to his knees right there.

Raine had just been staring at Mark, but when she heard her father she turned her head. "Dad." She murmured; the word coming out mumbled, trying to raise her hand.

Mark smiled tenderly, reaching out to help her lift herself. Verne had explained that since she hadn't been mobile in six months, she was going to have to rebuild her muscles and learn how to use her limbs again. Of course nurses had come in every day and moved her, just to keep full deterioration from setting in.

After finishing his prayer, Shawn moved to her other side; nodding at Mark as he gently pulled her upright; enfolding his arms around her. "Hey, babygirl." He whispered, burying his face in her hair.

***

Now that Raine was out of the coma, came the testing. Physical and mental. Physically, she was fine except for the fact that she couldn't walk or move without help for the first few weeks. Afterwards relying on a walker to get her around as she regained her mobility.

Then it was the mental that had everyone worried.

Raine wasn't giving anything away. She just allowed them to do the tests, whatever was going on behind her green eyes… well, she wasn't saying.

Truth be told, she was frustrated. She KNEW what was going on around her, she KNEW how to respond to the tests but it wasn't coming out right! She was going to explode, or implode. She hated this helpless feeling. She hated relying on people to help her do the most basic of things, like going to the damn bathroom or just getting to her feet.

She had been told point blank she'd never wrestle again, just because the doctors were already determining that even with her physical rehabilitation, she would get around as far as 'normal' went but as for mixing it up in a ring, or flying off a turnbuckle… no.

That had broken her heart.

She had missed out on six months of her life, scared the shit out of everyone who loved her only to wake up and find her world was all shot to hell. Well, the professional aspect of it at least.

In the end, she was told what she already knew. Her mental faculties were fine. She just wouldn't be blurting shit out anymore, which was probably a perk. Though, the fact that she had to stop and organize what she wanted to say in her head (unless she wanted it to come out jumbled), made her feel a little… retarded.

***

"It's not the end of the world." Shawn consoled a few months later, watching as Raine finally got around to setting up her apartment. Seeing as how she would be actually living there, unable to wrestle anymore…. He sighed when she pulled out a picture of her standing on top of a cage, preparing to dive off and onto Batista; shot from her first ever cage match. When he seen the tears on her cheeks, he walked over to hug her.

Raine buried her face in his chest, crying openly. "I really loved wrestling, daddy." She said after a moment.

"I know you did, babygirl, I know." He murmured, stroking her hair soothingly.

***

"I've got to find something for her to do." Shawn groaned, burying his face in his hands. Once finding out Raine was going to be alright, he had started working matches again. Just the televised and PPV's, wanting to be near her. Which he knew irritated her, she had repeatedly told him to live his life; she was fine.

Shawn knew that she was scared. She had grown up in the wrestling business, it was all she really knew. Now she had to find something else, an actual job eventually. Granted, she was getting a monthly check from the WWE –at Shane's insistence- for the accident even though there was waiver in everyone's contracts just to prevent the settlement issue, and could comfortably live off of it for years if she wanted too. When it came right down to it, Raine was an active person who needed to be doing something.

Besides sink into depression. Thanks to Dr. Cass' preparation, he knew that depression was normal. Her life wasn't ever going to be the same, she had to give up her love of wrestling; etc etc etc.

"I have an idea…" Paul said finally, slapping his friend's back.

***

"Girl, get your lazy ass up outta that bed."

Raine raised her head off the pillow and groaned. "Go away, Mark."

When she pulled the pillow over her head, Mark rolled his eyes. Walking around the bed, he brought his hand down on her ass; smirking when she shrieked. "I said get up."

"What the HELL?" She reached back to hold her throbbing backside. "That-"

"Hurt?" He smacked the other side.

Groaning, Raine rolled out of bed and just stood there, staring at him. The look in her green eyes clearly said: go away.

But he wasn't going anywhere. For some ungodly reason, he loved this infuriating wench who had destroyed him completely for any other woman; stolen his heart and damn near killed him when she had almost died.

She was stuck with him, whether she liked it or not.

Raine arched an eyebrow when Mark just smiled at her.

***

"I miss it."

Mark looked up when she spoke, following her gaze to the television; which was muted. He watched as Shawn super kicked Paul, shaking his head before looking back to Raine. "You could wrestle again, darlin'." He said softly.

Raine snorted, running a hand through her brown hair and shook her own head. "The doctor-"

"Said PROBABLY. When it comes right down to it," He placed a hand over her heart. "It's up to you. Remember what I said?"

Raine remembered very clearly. He had told her a long time ago that in order to make it in the business, you had to have the heart. She smiled wistfully, wishing it was that easy but her body probably wouldn't cooperate with her wishes.

Sometimes, dreams had to be forgotten and you had to move on.

Having Mark around wasn't as bothersome as she had originally thought. When he had first moved in, she had ranted and raved. All he had done was listen to her with an amused grin on his face. He had slept on her couch for the first month.

He had also forced her to start doing more than just laying around moping in bed.

He made her get outside. He forced her to go shopping, which was a sacrifice on his part since he hated it as much as she did. He took her to MMA and UFC events, he had even started teaching her how to ride a motorcycle by herself.

Which had annoyed the shit out of Shawn who wasn't prepared to lose her for real this time around.

And which had also earned Shawn a slap upside his head by Mark when he actually voiced it.

Mark had made her live again, nobody could deny that.

"Darlin', if you really want to wrestle again, we'll get you back in that ring." He promised, smiling when she tossed her arms around him and pressed a kiss to her temple. "Come hell or high water, darlin', you'll wrestle again."

Does she ever wrestle again? Do Raine and Mark FINALLY hook up and actually do it right? Does Shawn stop pulling his hair out and just accept the fact that life is life and bad stuff happens no matter how much you try to stop it? We'll find out! ^^