Part Eighteen
When the light finally dimmed Taker saw only one figure standing. He looked
around to see the New Ministry all unconscious around him. He stumbled
forward along with Kane to get a better look. Both looked over to see a set
of tattered robes and ashes. Taker moved closer and caught Christine as she
fell. He saw the blood seeping from her wound and tried desperately to fix
it. He let out a growl of anger and frustration when he couldn't stop it.
Both could feel the life draining out of her. None of them spoke. A second
calming presence came and the woman once again appeared. She placed her
hands over the wound desperately tried to heal it. Taker started to pool
some of his energy into her. The wound very slowly began to close and the
pain began to lessen.
It would be another six months before Christine opened her eyes. Taker had
watched as the members of the New Ministry returned to normal. Mideon
became Dennis Knight again. Bradshaw and Farooq went back to being the beer
guzzling tag team that everyone remembered. Even Vince returned to normal.
Gangrel left the federation shortly after the higher power was destroyed,
and Paul was once again sent into exile.
One night Taker took a hard shot to the head knocking him unconscious. He
woke up to something cool being taken across his forehead. He woke up to
see Christine running a washcloth across his face. He grabbed hold of her
waist and pulled her on top of him. He took the cloth out of her hand and
threw it to the floor.
" Taker I don't think it would be wise for you to do anything physical
yet."
" Do I have a concussion?"
" No"
" Then I'll be fine. I've had to watch you sleep for six months. That was
pure torture." She let out a long breath.
" I suppose we also need to make up for the time that you were MIA and
training me." Another thought crossed Christine's mind.
" What happened to Mike and his father?"
" I'm not sure. I haven't seen Mike backstage. I assume they joined Paul in
exile."
" No they wouldn't back off not when they were that close."
" They can't call the high power back, and Gangrel left. All the other guys
are back to normal."
"They could try to find us."
" I told you darlin. No one knows that we're here except for us."
"Not even Kane?"
" He's aware that I'm not at the house in Florida. We have an
understanding. He doesn't know where I live and I don't know where he
lives. That way we just hurt each other."
" You don't think they would follow us do you?"
" We teleported here. At most they could find out where my house in Florida
is. We are perfectly safe here."
" What about when you go back?"
" You'll come with me."
" Have you forgotten what happened the last few times?"
" No, but it's easier to keep track of you if you're with me. That way I
can at least enjoy your company.
Part Nineteen
Christine felt physically ill. Taker was becoming more concerned. At first
he thought she had eaten some spoiled food but it had been going on for a
few months now. He decided to take her to a doctor to make sure everything
was ok. When the doctor came back with the test results Christine nearly
fell off the table and Taker stood there slack jawed.
" She's what?"
" She's about two and a half months pregnant. If you don't have an obgyn I
can recommend some very good ones. Christine was the first to regain her
voice.
" That would be great." The doctor gave her a smile and walked out to get
the names and numbers. Taker had slumped down in a chair still in shock.
Christine hoped off of the table and tried to get him to respond.
" Taker are you alright?" He looked up at her and smiled.
" I'll be fine, it's you I'm more concerned with. The doctor came back with
the list of names and saw them out. When they were gone he placed a phone
call to a friend.
" Tom I've got some news for you."
" Well what is it?"
" Christine's pregnant." There was silence on the other end of the line.
" You're sure."
" Positive, I just ran the test on her."
" Is Taker the father?"
" Yes." Tom smiled on the other end of the line.
" Thanks for the tip." He hung up and went to find his son.
Taker traveled until Christine couldn't anymore. He had told Vince that he
wanted to be there for Christine and that nothing would stop him. Vince had
seemingly returned to his former self and agreed. Christine was sitting in
the living room reading when she felt a sharp pain in her abdomen. Taker
walked out of the kitchen and she met him half way. Her breathing was
starting to become heavy.
" Taker."
" Yeah."
" The baby's coming." He smiled at her.
" Ok Chrissie when is it coming?"
" Now!" A contraction swept through her body almost forcing her to drop to
her knees. Taker rushed forward and caught her. He carried her into the
bedroom and set her down on the bed. Her water hadn't broken which
concerned him. He picked up the phone and called for an ambulance. He sat
down next to her and took hold of her hand.
" Where did you put your bag?"
" I haven't packed it yet. I wasn't expecting to be three weeks early."
Taker walked over to his suitcase and placed it on the dresser. He threw a
couple days worth of clothes for her and for him. He then went and got
their bathroom essentials and threw them into the bag he shut it and
carried it over to the front door. He heard the sirens approaching and soon
saw the paramedics pull up. He went back and got Christine carrying her to
the door. The paramedics met him half way down the sidewalk and had him
place her on the stretcher. He then went back into the got the bag and
locked the door. Taker hurried and placed the bag in the front of the
Ambulance before jumping in the back.
" Sir do you know how far apart the contractions have been?"
" No, I don't think her water broke." They nodded and started to work on
her. They pulled into the hospital and rolled her down to the maternity
ward. The doctors had to break her water in the labor room and wait. They
started to make preparations for an emergency c-section. Taker sat by her
head trying to keep her mind off the pain.
A few hours later Taker sat in Christine's room listening to her breathing.
He couldn't believe what was happening. Everything had seemed fine up until
she went into labor. The doctors assured him that both mother and daughter
would be fine, that they would just have to stick around for a few days.
Part Twenty Mike walked into the maternity ward with one target. He looked down at the small figure and smirked. He wrapped the nurse that had been taking the baby to her parents in a blanket and shoved her into a closet. He stepped onto the elevator with the hospital cradle and disappeared through a service entrance. Taker wandered by and noticed that his daughter wasn't in the nursery. " Maybe they took her down to see her mom." He walked into the room only find the baby not there. Christine woke and looked at Taker. " What's wrong?" " I can't find Aine." " What?" "Don't panic." " Like hell, my child is missing and you're telling me not to panic?" " Christine we'll find her. Let me go talk to one of the nurses and find out where she is." He kissed her on her lips before walking. She felt sorrow and pain begin to seep into her soul. She couldn't feel her babies' presence anymore. Taker came back with his face stricken. " She's gone isn't she?" " Yes. They called the police they're on their way over now. We'll find her I promise you we will." Taker sat by the bed holding Christine's hand. Losing Aine had drained the life out of her. Her eyes had become a dull grey her features were drawn. She had lost all her strength, and hope. Christine was a shadow of what she had been. Kane walked into the bedroom. She had closed herself of from all of them. " Taker can I speak with you?" " Whatever it is you have to say just come out and say it." " I found out who took Aine." He watched his brother's head slowly turn. " Who?" " The Galyons. The doctor that you two first went to is an old friend of Tom's." " You know where they are?" " Not exactly, but I can sense her. She's calling for her mother." " When you find out where she is come and get me. The only thing that will help Christine is her daughter. Taker stood outside the small building listening to the cries of a child. He would get to see his daughter for the first time in two years. His power had grown strong again. Both Taker and Kane teleported the small child stopped crying when she saw them. " Daddy!" Tom came rushing out to see the two brothers " Where's your son?" Aine ran away from Tom and hid behind her father. " Not here." " Aine cover your eyes I don't want you to see this." The small child did as she was told. Taker nodded to Kane who formed a ball of fire while Taker form one of lightening. When they were released the two balls combined and struck their target straight on. Tom screamed and then fell to the floor with smoke rising off of his blackened corpse. Aine let out a scream and began tugging on her fathers pant leg. " Momma's in trouble! The other mean man is with her." Taker scooped up his daughter and teleported back to Christine's side. He was met with a gruesome sight. Mike was standing over her, knife in hand covered with her blood. He turned back and gave Taker a sick smile. A ball of fire struck Mike in the chest causing him to fall to the floor screaming. Taker walked over carrying their daughter. Christine's eyes opened to see her small daughter again. She smiled and caressed her cheek. Kane walked over and took the small child from her father. " How could he get in?" " Take care of her for me." " No, we'll take you to a hospital. They'll fix you up, you'll be fine." Christine felt the cold coming again and her vision clouding. He lifted her up and teleported to the nearest hospital. She was rushed into an operating room. Kane came in with a change of clothes and Aine. A half an hour later one of the doctors came out with a very grim expression on his face. Part Twenty-One " I'm terribly sorry sir but we couldn't save her. We did everything we could for her." Aine had her arms wrapped around her father's neck trying to comfort him. Kane had made it look like Mike had turned the knife on himself. Taker held a small funeral for Christine. He had her buried with her parents. Mike and Tom's deaths were ruled suicides. For years Taker wondered how Mike got into his home. He never did find out how. He watched his daughter grow into a beautiful young woman. He never let Aine forget her mother. Taker retired from the wrestling industry without much of a fuss. After he had left the ring he had become a trainer but his heart just wasn't in it anymore. For years after that Aine tried desperately to lighten her fathers mood, but she knew there was only one person that could do that and she was gone. Her father never married, never showed any interest in meeting another woman. The only time he ever seemed happy was when they would go visit her mother. He would sit for hours and talk to her headstone. She had come home for college to surprise him for his birthday and found the house empty. She drove down to the cemetery and found him sitting on a bench deep in thought. For the first time her father was the intimidating figure that she remembered him to be. His long red hair was now streaked with silver, and his beard was handsome silver grey. His dull jade eyes seemed to sparkle. Because of all the years of abuse in the ring he now had to walk with a cane. She walked up and sat down next to him. " Happy Birthday daddy." He let out a long breath and turned to look at her. " Thank you sweetheart." " What made you wander down here? I thought you hated going outside." He laughed. " I hate going out into public. To damn noisy, I like the peace and quiet here." " I spoke to Uncle Kane he's going to come over later a celebrate." Her father just nodded. " Daddy what's wrong?" " I'm dying." " You are not." She gave him a nervous laugh and stopped when he didn't laugh with her. " I have cancer sweetheart. I've had in for about five years now. That's why I had the surgery done." " But you would have done chemotherapy." " I had a wig made of my own hair. After the treatments were done I had them put my hair back into my head. Then it grew back out again." " Why didn't you tell me?" " I didn't want to scare you. If it make's you feel any better the only person I have told was your mom." She had started to cry. He wiped away her tears with the pad of his thumb. " Did they say how much time you've got left?" " A couple of months tops." Aine cried as she gave her fathers eulogy. He had lived long enough to see her graduate from college. Something he had never done himself. That night Aine saw her parents one last time. Her father looked younger and happier. Her anger faded when she realized that for the first time her father was finally happy and at peace. She gave them both a warm smile before they faded from sight for forever.
The End
Part Twenty Mike walked into the maternity ward with one target. He looked down at the small figure and smirked. He wrapped the nurse that had been taking the baby to her parents in a blanket and shoved her into a closet. He stepped onto the elevator with the hospital cradle and disappeared through a service entrance. Taker wandered by and noticed that his daughter wasn't in the nursery. " Maybe they took her down to see her mom." He walked into the room only find the baby not there. Christine woke and looked at Taker. " What's wrong?" " I can't find Aine." " What?" "Don't panic." " Like hell, my child is missing and you're telling me not to panic?" " Christine we'll find her. Let me go talk to one of the nurses and find out where she is." He kissed her on her lips before walking. She felt sorrow and pain begin to seep into her soul. She couldn't feel her babies' presence anymore. Taker came back with his face stricken. " She's gone isn't she?" " Yes. They called the police they're on their way over now. We'll find her I promise you we will." Taker sat by the bed holding Christine's hand. Losing Aine had drained the life out of her. Her eyes had become a dull grey her features were drawn. She had lost all her strength, and hope. Christine was a shadow of what she had been. Kane walked into the bedroom. She had closed herself of from all of them. " Taker can I speak with you?" " Whatever it is you have to say just come out and say it." " I found out who took Aine." He watched his brother's head slowly turn. " Who?" " The Galyons. The doctor that you two first went to is an old friend of Tom's." " You know where they are?" " Not exactly, but I can sense her. She's calling for her mother." " When you find out where she is come and get me. The only thing that will help Christine is her daughter. Taker stood outside the small building listening to the cries of a child. He would get to see his daughter for the first time in two years. His power had grown strong again. Both Taker and Kane teleported the small child stopped crying when she saw them. " Daddy!" Tom came rushing out to see the two brothers " Where's your son?" Aine ran away from Tom and hid behind her father. " Not here." " Aine cover your eyes I don't want you to see this." The small child did as she was told. Taker nodded to Kane who formed a ball of fire while Taker form one of lightening. When they were released the two balls combined and struck their target straight on. Tom screamed and then fell to the floor with smoke rising off of his blackened corpse. Aine let out a scream and began tugging on her fathers pant leg. " Momma's in trouble! The other mean man is with her." Taker scooped up his daughter and teleported back to Christine's side. He was met with a gruesome sight. Mike was standing over her, knife in hand covered with her blood. He turned back and gave Taker a sick smile. A ball of fire struck Mike in the chest causing him to fall to the floor screaming. Taker walked over carrying their daughter. Christine's eyes opened to see her small daughter again. She smiled and caressed her cheek. Kane walked over and took the small child from her father. " How could he get in?" " Take care of her for me." " No, we'll take you to a hospital. They'll fix you up, you'll be fine." Christine felt the cold coming again and her vision clouding. He lifted her up and teleported to the nearest hospital. She was rushed into an operating room. Kane came in with a change of clothes and Aine. A half an hour later one of the doctors came out with a very grim expression on his face. Part Twenty-One " I'm terribly sorry sir but we couldn't save her. We did everything we could for her." Aine had her arms wrapped around her father's neck trying to comfort him. Kane had made it look like Mike had turned the knife on himself. Taker held a small funeral for Christine. He had her buried with her parents. Mike and Tom's deaths were ruled suicides. For years Taker wondered how Mike got into his home. He never did find out how. He watched his daughter grow into a beautiful young woman. He never let Aine forget her mother. Taker retired from the wrestling industry without much of a fuss. After he had left the ring he had become a trainer but his heart just wasn't in it anymore. For years after that Aine tried desperately to lighten her fathers mood, but she knew there was only one person that could do that and she was gone. Her father never married, never showed any interest in meeting another woman. The only time he ever seemed happy was when they would go visit her mother. He would sit for hours and talk to her headstone. She had come home for college to surprise him for his birthday and found the house empty. She drove down to the cemetery and found him sitting on a bench deep in thought. For the first time her father was the intimidating figure that she remembered him to be. His long red hair was now streaked with silver, and his beard was handsome silver grey. His dull jade eyes seemed to sparkle. Because of all the years of abuse in the ring he now had to walk with a cane. She walked up and sat down next to him. " Happy Birthday daddy." He let out a long breath and turned to look at her. " Thank you sweetheart." " What made you wander down here? I thought you hated going outside." He laughed. " I hate going out into public. To damn noisy, I like the peace and quiet here." " I spoke to Uncle Kane he's going to come over later a celebrate." Her father just nodded. " Daddy what's wrong?" " I'm dying." " You are not." She gave him a nervous laugh and stopped when he didn't laugh with her. " I have cancer sweetheart. I've had in for about five years now. That's why I had the surgery done." " But you would have done chemotherapy." " I had a wig made of my own hair. After the treatments were done I had them put my hair back into my head. Then it grew back out again." " Why didn't you tell me?" " I didn't want to scare you. If it make's you feel any better the only person I have told was your mom." She had started to cry. He wiped away her tears with the pad of his thumb. " Did they say how much time you've got left?" " A couple of months tops." Aine cried as she gave her fathers eulogy. He had lived long enough to see her graduate from college. Something he had never done himself. That night Aine saw her parents one last time. Her father looked younger and happier. Her anger faded when she realized that for the first time her father was finally happy and at peace. She gave them both a warm smile before they faded from sight for forever.
The End