A.n.: WOW, the final chapter. Well, I'd like to thank all that have read
and reviewed this fic. I really really appreciate the time you took to do
that. I am really happy that you've all enjoyed this fic and I hope you
guys like the ending. Happy Holidays and thanks for reading. With out
further ado, read on!
The sounds of booming thunder and crashing lightning accompanied by pounding rain did not set off the mood of the company inside the Madison Square Garden Arena. The show had already started but five performers weren't set to go out. Lita sat with Stephanie and Hayley along with Shane in what would have been Stephanie's office had she still been in the company. With Chris Jericho, Matt, and Jeff guarding the door she felt safe. She'd been a bit wary of Lita finally telling the brothers what was going on but when they offered their help she grasped them each in a hug and smiled. So they didn't hate her. And if the Hardyz didn't hate her than she still had a chance.
"Stephanie calm down!" Lita ordered her friend who was frantically pacing around the large locker room. It was actually Shane's office. She watched Shane and Hayley fight over video games and a faint smile crossed her lips. There was a loud smack of thunder and she was sure that lightning was flashing outside. She and Hayley were lucky to get inside when they did. It was raining very hard outside. Her thoughts were interrupted when Marshal's face appeared in her mind. Her smile turned into a frown.
"Can I help it that I'm worried?" Stephanie asked.
"Look we've got Chris, Matt, and Jeff who are all guarding the friggin' door Stephanie!" Lita said exasperated. "You and Hayley are safe."
"I know that!" Stephanie all but yelled. Another clap of thunder sounded causing her to jump. "I'm worried about Marshal he hasn't arrived yet."
"And what you think there was a drive by and he was shot?" Lita asked sarcastically and Stephanie swiveled dangerously to look at her. "Ok it wasn't nice to say but come on Stephanie. Marshal's a big boy he can handle himself I'm sure."
"I just have a bad feeling." Stephanie muttered. She looked up to find that Lita wasn't really paying attention to her at the moment. Her eyes had fell upon Shane. Stephanie smiled and watched Lita smile at him too.
"Lita if it were how about...Matt or maybe Jeff you would be feeling the same way and don't deny it!" Stephanie accused.
"Fine, I get it alright!" Lita tossed her hands in the air and sat down beside her friend.
"Stephanie stop looking at the clock." Lita said some odd hours later. Stephanie couldn't help it. She could hear the guys snickering outside the door. She wondered just what in the hell was so damned funny. Then a hard knock, mixed with the loud storm, came at the door making the two women jump. Hayley too wrapped up in the video game didn't notice. Lita caught Shane's glance as she rose and walked to the door. There was the snickering again succeeding in making her confused.
"Matt? Jeff? Chris?" She called.
"Hey, Li this Marshal guy does he really look like Eminem?" Jeff questioned holding back a laugh.
"Jeff you dooshbag!" Lita flung open the door. Marshal grinned warily at her. He was nearly all dry except for the few places when he was obviously running in to the arena.
"Nice guards if they don't kick the shit of out of the unlucky bastard who would come and darken this door step they'd make him laugh to death first." He said. Stephanie could tell his joking manner was just a cover up. He stepped into the room and called to Hayley who had her eyes glued to the screen. Raising his eyebrows he looked at Stephanie and Shane who shrugged.
"Hayley!" He called again and this time answered.
"DADDY!" She leapt from her position on the floor and raced to him. Throwing herself into his arms she hugged him tight. He kissed the top of her forehead.
"Sweetie Daddy has one other errand to run tonight do you think you can be good for Shane and Stephanie and Lita while I'm gone?" He asked steadily leaving no room for smart remarks about her not being a baby and not needing a sitter. He kissed her forehead and she nodded.
"Yes daddy." She said understandably. He smiled and rose to his feet and turned. His eyes fell upon Stephanie.
"Hey, don't worry alright." He said and wrapped his arms around her. Holding her close to him she finally wrapped her arms around him holding him for dear life. She couldn't ignore the emotions that were bursting through her at the moment. She knew she didn't know how but she knew. Everything would be all right and there was nothing to fear. They were meant to be and they would be.
"I'll try." She answered resting her cheek on his shoulder.
"I'll be fine. Everything will be over soon enough." Marshal whispered. Her arms lowered and circled his waist. Her fingers then strayed across his pockets. Stephanie sucked in a sharp breath unknowing to Marshal. Her eyes snapped open and an icy chill trickled down her spine down to her toes seeping into her bones and causing her to shiver.
"What are you going to do?" She whispered her eyes on her friends who decided to return to the game with Hayley. The sight of Hayley beating Shane and Lita by miles would have been funny had her new revelation not come to her.
"I can't answer that." Marshal replied stoically. Shoving him back as if he were on fire Stephanie stalked out of the room her hand over her mouth. She was horror-struck and she couldn't handle it. She could hear Marshal racing behind her and she ran too. Her feet carried her outside into the storming thunder, lightning, and rain. At the sight of a limo waiting for Marshall she inwardly screamed.
Marshal watched his girlfriend from the exit of the building. She had been drenched within the 5 minutes that she'd been outside. Her red hair was plastered to her neck and face while she paced violently across the concrete. It was dangerous he supposed for her to be outside where fans of the WWE could see her. Shaking his head he walked out into the harsh rain and winced slightly as lightning flashed brilliantly across the sky. Now standing across from his girlfriend he looked her over quietly assessing the anger on her face. Reaching out he touched her shoulder. Viciously she smacked it away.
"What the hell is wrong with you?" He asked frowning. She seemed fine but pissed as hell.
"What the hell is wrong with me?" Stephanie laughed and turned her back on him.
"Yeah, what the hell is wrong with you?" He repeated softly taking a step towards her.
"What are you going to do with it Marshall?" Stephanie asked crossing her arms but not looking at him.
"With what?" He asked confused. Touching her shoulder he sighed when she didn't respond. "What is it Stephanie?"
Whipping around she reached into his belt and pulled out a handgun. She couldn't tell what kind with the rain pouring down upon her. It wasn't as if she could tell in the first place. She glared up at him holding the gun in the palm of her hand. His blue eyes met hers and she couldn't tell the emotion in them. He laughed and them smiled in the darkness.
"Give me the gun Stephanie." He said calmly.
She cocked her head to the side. "Not until you answer me." She took a breath and raised her firm chin. "What are you going to do with it?"
"C'mon Steph, give me gun." He repeated his face and voice filled with malice.
"Maybe you didn't hear me Marshal. I'm not giving it up until you tell me." Stephanie answered him.
"Give me the GOD DAMNED GUN!" He yelled at her and she resisted the urge to scream in frustration.
"NO! ANSWER ME!" She said forcefully. She took ginger steps forward and he opened his mouth and then shut it. He too was soaked through and through but he didn't seem to care.
"I told you before that I can't answer that!" He said as she closed the gap between them.
"Yes you can." She replied. "Don't be like this."
"Don't be like what?" He asked and leaned in close. She could feel his warm breath on her face. It wasn't comforting, as it should have been. It was causing a rumble of fear to crash over her.
"This isn't you." She whispered trying to hold her ground.
"Really? You would be the expert huh? Tell me Stephanie.what is me?" He stood there his body radiating with anger and hurt. When she didn't answer he laughed again.
"You don't know shit about me Stephanie." He growled deeply.
"I know that you're kind and loving that you can be gentle and fierce. I know that when you say you love someone it has to be for real. I know that when you look at Hayley you don't want any less for her. I know." He cut her off.
"You want to know so bad? Right now I want to take that gun and shoot them all put so many bullets in their body that they'll never get back up. I want to make them pay and make them hurt and scream. And when I'm done I want to bury them in the cemetery and leave their graves unmarked. Because I don't
"What you know is the sugar-coated me." He said and for some reason he fought to believe it too.
"I don't think so." She said back to him.
"Give me the gun." He said his voice icy.
"No. " Stephanie took steps backwards.
"Don't make me come and get it." He growled at her. She turned and began a run. She wasn't fast enough in her high-heeled shoes and slipped on the wet ground the left side of her face scraping the pavement slightly. He rushed to her and pinned her to the ground. With the gun in a vise grip he grabbed her wrist and bent it backwards until she released it.
"Stephanie, this is me and if you can't handle the heat then don't stand near the fire." He said narrowing his wild eyes at her.
"You're not a killer Marshall." She said through her tears. He blanched suddenly and hovered over top of her.
"We're over." He said and got up tucking the gun back into his belt. Turning on his heel he walked away. His neck burned with the need to look back. He shook his head. He'd send Dre to pick up Hayley. He got in his waiting limo and told the driver where to go. Stephanie watched from her place on the ground until the taillights could be seen no more.
After a quick call to Dre about Hayley Marshall was 10 minutes away from his "business". He watched out of his window as the light poured in from the streetlights. He shook when he thought of what he'd done and what he was going to do. He started to grit his teeth and then forced himself to concentrate on the street plates. The address he knew was almost near and he found that he couldn't breath. He looked out the window again and blinked at the sight of a woman and a child. Oddly enough it was a red head and a tiny blonde holding hands with a large red umbrella to cover them. He turned away with the intense emotion that made his throat burn and lungs collapse without air. Sitting back in his seat a line of sweat broke out in a thin line.
"D.D." He couldn't get the words out. He swallowed a hard lump in his throat. "D-Driver. Change of plans."
The sounds of booming thunder and crashing lightning accompanied by pounding rain did not set off the mood of the company inside the Madison Square Garden Arena. The show had already started but five performers weren't set to go out. Lita sat with Stephanie and Hayley along with Shane in what would have been Stephanie's office had she still been in the company. With Chris Jericho, Matt, and Jeff guarding the door she felt safe. She'd been a bit wary of Lita finally telling the brothers what was going on but when they offered their help she grasped them each in a hug and smiled. So they didn't hate her. And if the Hardyz didn't hate her than she still had a chance.
"Stephanie calm down!" Lita ordered her friend who was frantically pacing around the large locker room. It was actually Shane's office. She watched Shane and Hayley fight over video games and a faint smile crossed her lips. There was a loud smack of thunder and she was sure that lightning was flashing outside. She and Hayley were lucky to get inside when they did. It was raining very hard outside. Her thoughts were interrupted when Marshal's face appeared in her mind. Her smile turned into a frown.
"Can I help it that I'm worried?" Stephanie asked.
"Look we've got Chris, Matt, and Jeff who are all guarding the friggin' door Stephanie!" Lita said exasperated. "You and Hayley are safe."
"I know that!" Stephanie all but yelled. Another clap of thunder sounded causing her to jump. "I'm worried about Marshal he hasn't arrived yet."
"And what you think there was a drive by and he was shot?" Lita asked sarcastically and Stephanie swiveled dangerously to look at her. "Ok it wasn't nice to say but come on Stephanie. Marshal's a big boy he can handle himself I'm sure."
"I just have a bad feeling." Stephanie muttered. She looked up to find that Lita wasn't really paying attention to her at the moment. Her eyes had fell upon Shane. Stephanie smiled and watched Lita smile at him too.
"Lita if it were how about...Matt or maybe Jeff you would be feeling the same way and don't deny it!" Stephanie accused.
"Fine, I get it alright!" Lita tossed her hands in the air and sat down beside her friend.
"Stephanie stop looking at the clock." Lita said some odd hours later. Stephanie couldn't help it. She could hear the guys snickering outside the door. She wondered just what in the hell was so damned funny. Then a hard knock, mixed with the loud storm, came at the door making the two women jump. Hayley too wrapped up in the video game didn't notice. Lita caught Shane's glance as she rose and walked to the door. There was the snickering again succeeding in making her confused.
"Matt? Jeff? Chris?" She called.
"Hey, Li this Marshal guy does he really look like Eminem?" Jeff questioned holding back a laugh.
"Jeff you dooshbag!" Lita flung open the door. Marshal grinned warily at her. He was nearly all dry except for the few places when he was obviously running in to the arena.
"Nice guards if they don't kick the shit of out of the unlucky bastard who would come and darken this door step they'd make him laugh to death first." He said. Stephanie could tell his joking manner was just a cover up. He stepped into the room and called to Hayley who had her eyes glued to the screen. Raising his eyebrows he looked at Stephanie and Shane who shrugged.
"Hayley!" He called again and this time answered.
"DADDY!" She leapt from her position on the floor and raced to him. Throwing herself into his arms she hugged him tight. He kissed the top of her forehead.
"Sweetie Daddy has one other errand to run tonight do you think you can be good for Shane and Stephanie and Lita while I'm gone?" He asked steadily leaving no room for smart remarks about her not being a baby and not needing a sitter. He kissed her forehead and she nodded.
"Yes daddy." She said understandably. He smiled and rose to his feet and turned. His eyes fell upon Stephanie.
"Hey, don't worry alright." He said and wrapped his arms around her. Holding her close to him she finally wrapped her arms around him holding him for dear life. She couldn't ignore the emotions that were bursting through her at the moment. She knew she didn't know how but she knew. Everything would be all right and there was nothing to fear. They were meant to be and they would be.
"I'll try." She answered resting her cheek on his shoulder.
"I'll be fine. Everything will be over soon enough." Marshal whispered. Her arms lowered and circled his waist. Her fingers then strayed across his pockets. Stephanie sucked in a sharp breath unknowing to Marshal. Her eyes snapped open and an icy chill trickled down her spine down to her toes seeping into her bones and causing her to shiver.
"What are you going to do?" She whispered her eyes on her friends who decided to return to the game with Hayley. The sight of Hayley beating Shane and Lita by miles would have been funny had her new revelation not come to her.
"I can't answer that." Marshal replied stoically. Shoving him back as if he were on fire Stephanie stalked out of the room her hand over her mouth. She was horror-struck and she couldn't handle it. She could hear Marshal racing behind her and she ran too. Her feet carried her outside into the storming thunder, lightning, and rain. At the sight of a limo waiting for Marshall she inwardly screamed.
Marshal watched his girlfriend from the exit of the building. She had been drenched within the 5 minutes that she'd been outside. Her red hair was plastered to her neck and face while she paced violently across the concrete. It was dangerous he supposed for her to be outside where fans of the WWE could see her. Shaking his head he walked out into the harsh rain and winced slightly as lightning flashed brilliantly across the sky. Now standing across from his girlfriend he looked her over quietly assessing the anger on her face. Reaching out he touched her shoulder. Viciously she smacked it away.
"What the hell is wrong with you?" He asked frowning. She seemed fine but pissed as hell.
"What the hell is wrong with me?" Stephanie laughed and turned her back on him.
"Yeah, what the hell is wrong with you?" He repeated softly taking a step towards her.
"What are you going to do with it Marshall?" Stephanie asked crossing her arms but not looking at him.
"With what?" He asked confused. Touching her shoulder he sighed when she didn't respond. "What is it Stephanie?"
Whipping around she reached into his belt and pulled out a handgun. She couldn't tell what kind with the rain pouring down upon her. It wasn't as if she could tell in the first place. She glared up at him holding the gun in the palm of her hand. His blue eyes met hers and she couldn't tell the emotion in them. He laughed and them smiled in the darkness.
"Give me the gun Stephanie." He said calmly.
She cocked her head to the side. "Not until you answer me." She took a breath and raised her firm chin. "What are you going to do with it?"
"C'mon Steph, give me gun." He repeated his face and voice filled with malice.
"Maybe you didn't hear me Marshal. I'm not giving it up until you tell me." Stephanie answered him.
"Give me the GOD DAMNED GUN!" He yelled at her and she resisted the urge to scream in frustration.
"NO! ANSWER ME!" She said forcefully. She took ginger steps forward and he opened his mouth and then shut it. He too was soaked through and through but he didn't seem to care.
"I told you before that I can't answer that!" He said as she closed the gap between them.
"Yes you can." She replied. "Don't be like this."
"Don't be like what?" He asked and leaned in close. She could feel his warm breath on her face. It wasn't comforting, as it should have been. It was causing a rumble of fear to crash over her.
"This isn't you." She whispered trying to hold her ground.
"Really? You would be the expert huh? Tell me Stephanie.what is me?" He stood there his body radiating with anger and hurt. When she didn't answer he laughed again.
"You don't know shit about me Stephanie." He growled deeply.
"I know that you're kind and loving that you can be gentle and fierce. I know that when you say you love someone it has to be for real. I know that when you look at Hayley you don't want any less for her. I know." He cut her off.
"You want to know so bad? Right now I want to take that gun and shoot them all put so many bullets in their body that they'll never get back up. I want to make them pay and make them hurt and scream. And when I'm done I want to bury them in the cemetery and leave their graves unmarked. Because I don't
"What you know is the sugar-coated me." He said and for some reason he fought to believe it too.
"I don't think so." She said back to him.
"Give me the gun." He said his voice icy.
"No. " Stephanie took steps backwards.
"Don't make me come and get it." He growled at her. She turned and began a run. She wasn't fast enough in her high-heeled shoes and slipped on the wet ground the left side of her face scraping the pavement slightly. He rushed to her and pinned her to the ground. With the gun in a vise grip he grabbed her wrist and bent it backwards until she released it.
"Stephanie, this is me and if you can't handle the heat then don't stand near the fire." He said narrowing his wild eyes at her.
"You're not a killer Marshall." She said through her tears. He blanched suddenly and hovered over top of her.
"We're over." He said and got up tucking the gun back into his belt. Turning on his heel he walked away. His neck burned with the need to look back. He shook his head. He'd send Dre to pick up Hayley. He got in his waiting limo and told the driver where to go. Stephanie watched from her place on the ground until the taillights could be seen no more.
After a quick call to Dre about Hayley Marshall was 10 minutes away from his "business". He watched out of his window as the light poured in from the streetlights. He shook when he thought of what he'd done and what he was going to do. He started to grit his teeth and then forced himself to concentrate on the street plates. The address he knew was almost near and he found that he couldn't breath. He looked out the window again and blinked at the sight of a woman and a child. Oddly enough it was a red head and a tiny blonde holding hands with a large red umbrella to cover them. He turned away with the intense emotion that made his throat burn and lungs collapse without air. Sitting back in his seat a line of sweat broke out in a thin line.
"D.D." He couldn't get the words out. He swallowed a hard lump in his throat. "D-Driver. Change of plans."