Title: Hiding in his Shadow
Rating: PG-13 for some abuse
Disclaimer: I own none of the characters in this story but Megan Irvine/Carter, Gracie Irvine/Calighan, and Collin Calighan.
Summary: Megan Irvine was a happy woman. She had a wonderful daughter, a loving husband, a great brother and all in all a great and easy life. All in one night everything she had known came crashing down, when she finds out about a secret that her husband has been hiding. She takes refuge in an unlikely buisness with an unlikely family and even learning to love another man. Working to keep her daughter and herself safe from her husbands clutches, will she ever find peace? And what does a certain Hardy have to do with the mix?
Chapter 1: A marraige gone bad
Megan watched as her four year old daughter, Gracie, ran around the house playing with her toys and stuffed animals. Megan was twenty years old, getting pregnant young, but she didns't mind. She was in love and trusted Gracie's gather Collin Calighan. Megan heard a car pull up in the drive way and picked Gracie up.
"Come on toots," Megan said heading to the door and opening it for Collin. "Daddy's home."
Collin walked in through the door. He was a handsome man, twenty two years of age and responsible. Despite his spiky brown hair which was dyed blone at the tips, his peirced eyebrow and tattoo on his neck, he could provide for a family and take care of one.
"Daddy!" Gracie yelled happily greeting her father, sticking her arms up gesturing that she wanted to be lifted into the air.
"Hi there shorty!" Collin said dropping his suit case and picking his daughter up.
Gracie squealed in delight feeling as if she was flying. She laughed happily and cried, "Mommy! Mommy! Look im flying! I'm superwoman!"
Megan gave her daughter the thumbs up and smiled.
"Hey," Collin greeted his wife with not much emotion, he didn't even kiss her.
Megan felt a bit disappointed at the way her husband greeted her. She couldn't help but feel this pit in her stomach that was telling her that something was wrong with him. . . that he was keeping something from her. . . but what?
She watched as Collin put Gracie back down on the floor and went to study without gicing his wife another look. Megan felt hur welling up inside of her even more. She had been married to Collin since Gracie turned two and since she was old enough to get married. Even then he couldn't keep his hands off of her. Why was everything so different now?
She pulled Gracie up into her arms and carried her daughter to her bedroom. Gracie had picked everything that went in that bedroom. The little girl even painted it herself. Megan gazed at the cute little pictures that surrounded the walls of the bedroom and smiled. She loved her daughter very much and the paintings just reminded her of Gracie even more.
Gracie changed into her night gown which Megan's recent mother had sewn herself before she had died from cancer. Her father died after that from heartbreak. The only family member she had left was her brother Chris Irvine and her best friend, whom she considered family as well, Hoku. Hoku and Megan had sung together, put a band up together and were hoping to get signed by Columbia very soon. Hoku plaid the guitar beautifully and Megan could definitely bring a tune together on the drums.
"Are you comfy toots?" Megan asked her daughter lovingly. "Are you sure that you had enough to eat for dinner?"
"Mommy," Gracie started in her serious voice that was just so adorable to Megan. "If I have or had another bite I swear to you that I'll throw it all back up!"
"Alright baby," Megan laughed. "I get the hint."
She walked to the door of the bedroom and placed her hand on the light switch after turning Gracie's night light on. She watched her daughter snuggle into her favorite stuffed bear and looked at her mom with tired eyes.
"Night honey bunch," Megan said softly to a half asleep little girl.
"Night mommy," Gracie yawned, eyes closing.
The twenty year old mother switched the lights off and walked into the kitched to clean up dishes that had been used earlier for her and Gracie's dinner. She paused midway while washing a pot she used to cook noodles in and walked into her bedroom where Collin was getting dressed again in some work clothes after taking a bath.
"Where are you going?" Megan asked leaning on the doorway.
"I have to go back to work for some conference plans that I didn't get the chance to finish." Collin said pulling some socks on.
"Your always coming home late now a days," Megan said. "Why?"
"Easy answer," Collin muttered. "Work, it's always work, other wise how do I support my family?"
"But you didn't even come home for dinner tonight," Megan said. "Gracie was dissappointed that you didn't show up for dinner."
"Just drop it Meg," Collin said raising his voice a bit. "I just got caught up in work."
Megan left Collin and went to finish up the dishes. When she was done she started packing up the rest of toys that Gracie had left scattered on the floor.
She had just the meduim sized plastic container of toys into the closet when Collin's phone rang. When he didn't come to answer it she walked over and picked it up from the kitchen counter. She hesitated a bit before answering it. She hadn't even said hello, when a woman's voice came on.
"Hey there Collin. . . Sweetie I wanted to know if you wanted to go for another round at UCS D1? You know just like a while ago. I just couldn't get enough of you! I want you," her french accented voice spoke seductively.
"Hello?" Megan said deisbelievingly, voice caught in her throat. "Why did you call my husband?"
"Oh I'm sorry I must've dialed the wrong number," the woman stuttered quickly, apologizing but Megan wasn't fooled. She distinctly heard this woman say 'Collin' and 'UCS D1.' She recognized the initials, United Construction Society Department One: Events and Publicity. That was where Collin worked. 'Caught up in work my ass!"
"NO! You dialed the right number," Megan whispered in an angry and barely audbible voice. "What's your name?"
"Im am sorree, I must go back to ze office, I have some work i must complete," the woman stuttered back.
"No!" She said again. "You made the mistake of saying my husbands name and company. I know you lying. Tell me your name," Megan demanded yet again quietly. "Don't be a coward!"
"Bridgitte," the woman answered and hung up.
Megan brought her hands up to her face, dropping the phone back onto the kitchen counter. SHe slid down the wall into a sitting position with her knees drawn up, crying into her palms.
'How could he do this?' she thought to therslef. 'He said he loved me.'
Collin walked out of the bedroom and saw his wife in the corner of the kitched crying.
"What happened?" he asked without much emotion. "What's with the water works?"
Megan stood angrily, picked up his cell phone and waved it in his face.
"Bridgitte called!" Megan yelled.
"What?" Collin asked.
"That skank at your office called asking if you wanted another round! I thought you said you were working late!" Megan cried. "Why did you cheat on me?"
"Hey, a man has his needs," Collin said care free. "Needs that you can't meet anymore. And Bridgitte, well, she's willing to tend to those needs. Let's face it baby, your getting a bit boring, I need more."
"You cannot do this to me!" Megan yelled getting in her husbands face. "I am you wife! I am your wife! And you cannot do this to me! You cannot do this. . ." Megan drew in a sharp breath and let out a gasp cluthing her cheek.
He hit her, Megan could feel the sting on her cheek from where Collin had slapped her.
"Sorry Meg, but you were getting to worked up," Collin shrugged.
"You said you loved me! You said I was safe with you!" Megan said trying to convince herself that the love and passion that was once there, had not disappeared.
"And i do," Collin said hugging his wife. "Im sorry baby, this is the last time it won't happen again."
Megan burried her face into Collin's chest as took in his smell. She couldn't help but give in to him. He was just so persuasive.
~ @ ~ @ ~ @ ~ @ ~ @ ~ @ ~ @ ~ @ ~ @ ~ @ ~ @ ~
It was a month later and Megan had found herself in the exact same position once again. This time she wouldn't fall for it. She pushed him away and shook her head as if to clear it of all her delusions.
"No! You are not going to pull that same thing again! You've done three times before!" Megan said bustling around the kitchen.
Collin caught her arm and held it tightly causing Megan to squirm which only made Collin tighten his grip.
"Let go of me!"
"I told you before and I'll tell you again," Collin said. "I have needs that you can't full fill and Bridgitte and Carla are doing that for me so leave it alone and get on with your life!"
"I am your wife! And you cannot do this to me!"
Collin didn't slap her this time, he punched her. He puched her with full force on the side of the face. He had a ring on which caused a wound in Megan's cheek. She clutched her face and stared back at him in disbelief.
"What I can't hit you?" Collin asked.
"No you can't!"
Collin punched her again. Megan reeled back clutching at her stomach this time.
"Im going back to see Bridgitte," Collin said cooly. "And don't even think about calling the cops or anyone else."
He walked up to Megan and stroked her cheek making Megan flinch.
"You see, if i can't have you, no one will. It's a scary thing, love. I refuse to live without you here. No one will take you away from me, and that's all there is to say about it."
Collin walked out the door as he pulled his coat on. As soon as he exited Megan picked up the phone and dialed Hoku's number. She had just placed the phone to her ears when someone knocked on the door violently. Megan looked fearfully out at the man through the glass door. Collin walked back into the kitchen.
"Who are you calling?" he asked.
"I'm calling your mom to cancel because I told her that I was going to bring Gracie to her house tomorrow." Megan answered casually.
"You better be," Collin said walking back out of the door.
Megan hung the phone up deciding that she would talk to Hoku tomorrow about everything right after she dropped Gracie off at day care.
End of Prolouge 1: A marraige gone wrong
A/N: How did you guys like it? Too long? Too short? Please i would really appreciate all the reviews, I live for them. I promise that the WWE superstars will come in pretty soon. Chris Irvine's going to be in the next one but all will be in soon after the proulouges third chappie. Thanks to those that are reading!
Rating: PG-13 for some abuse
Disclaimer: I own none of the characters in this story but Megan Irvine/Carter, Gracie Irvine/Calighan, and Collin Calighan.
Summary: Megan Irvine was a happy woman. She had a wonderful daughter, a loving husband, a great brother and all in all a great and easy life. All in one night everything she had known came crashing down, when she finds out about a secret that her husband has been hiding. She takes refuge in an unlikely buisness with an unlikely family and even learning to love another man. Working to keep her daughter and herself safe from her husbands clutches, will she ever find peace? And what does a certain Hardy have to do with the mix?
Chapter 1: A marraige gone bad
Megan watched as her four year old daughter, Gracie, ran around the house playing with her toys and stuffed animals. Megan was twenty years old, getting pregnant young, but she didns't mind. She was in love and trusted Gracie's gather Collin Calighan. Megan heard a car pull up in the drive way and picked Gracie up.
"Come on toots," Megan said heading to the door and opening it for Collin. "Daddy's home."
Collin walked in through the door. He was a handsome man, twenty two years of age and responsible. Despite his spiky brown hair which was dyed blone at the tips, his peirced eyebrow and tattoo on his neck, he could provide for a family and take care of one.
"Daddy!" Gracie yelled happily greeting her father, sticking her arms up gesturing that she wanted to be lifted into the air.
"Hi there shorty!" Collin said dropping his suit case and picking his daughter up.
Gracie squealed in delight feeling as if she was flying. She laughed happily and cried, "Mommy! Mommy! Look im flying! I'm superwoman!"
Megan gave her daughter the thumbs up and smiled.
"Hey," Collin greeted his wife with not much emotion, he didn't even kiss her.
Megan felt a bit disappointed at the way her husband greeted her. She couldn't help but feel this pit in her stomach that was telling her that something was wrong with him. . . that he was keeping something from her. . . but what?
She watched as Collin put Gracie back down on the floor and went to study without gicing his wife another look. Megan felt hur welling up inside of her even more. She had been married to Collin since Gracie turned two and since she was old enough to get married. Even then he couldn't keep his hands off of her. Why was everything so different now?
She pulled Gracie up into her arms and carried her daughter to her bedroom. Gracie had picked everything that went in that bedroom. The little girl even painted it herself. Megan gazed at the cute little pictures that surrounded the walls of the bedroom and smiled. She loved her daughter very much and the paintings just reminded her of Gracie even more.
Gracie changed into her night gown which Megan's recent mother had sewn herself before she had died from cancer. Her father died after that from heartbreak. The only family member she had left was her brother Chris Irvine and her best friend, whom she considered family as well, Hoku. Hoku and Megan had sung together, put a band up together and were hoping to get signed by Columbia very soon. Hoku plaid the guitar beautifully and Megan could definitely bring a tune together on the drums.
"Are you comfy toots?" Megan asked her daughter lovingly. "Are you sure that you had enough to eat for dinner?"
"Mommy," Gracie started in her serious voice that was just so adorable to Megan. "If I have or had another bite I swear to you that I'll throw it all back up!"
"Alright baby," Megan laughed. "I get the hint."
She walked to the door of the bedroom and placed her hand on the light switch after turning Gracie's night light on. She watched her daughter snuggle into her favorite stuffed bear and looked at her mom with tired eyes.
"Night honey bunch," Megan said softly to a half asleep little girl.
"Night mommy," Gracie yawned, eyes closing.
The twenty year old mother switched the lights off and walked into the kitched to clean up dishes that had been used earlier for her and Gracie's dinner. She paused midway while washing a pot she used to cook noodles in and walked into her bedroom where Collin was getting dressed again in some work clothes after taking a bath.
"Where are you going?" Megan asked leaning on the doorway.
"I have to go back to work for some conference plans that I didn't get the chance to finish." Collin said pulling some socks on.
"Your always coming home late now a days," Megan said. "Why?"
"Easy answer," Collin muttered. "Work, it's always work, other wise how do I support my family?"
"But you didn't even come home for dinner tonight," Megan said. "Gracie was dissappointed that you didn't show up for dinner."
"Just drop it Meg," Collin said raising his voice a bit. "I just got caught up in work."
Megan left Collin and went to finish up the dishes. When she was done she started packing up the rest of toys that Gracie had left scattered on the floor.
She had just the meduim sized plastic container of toys into the closet when Collin's phone rang. When he didn't come to answer it she walked over and picked it up from the kitchen counter. She hesitated a bit before answering it. She hadn't even said hello, when a woman's voice came on.
"Hey there Collin. . . Sweetie I wanted to know if you wanted to go for another round at UCS D1? You know just like a while ago. I just couldn't get enough of you! I want you," her french accented voice spoke seductively.
"Hello?" Megan said deisbelievingly, voice caught in her throat. "Why did you call my husband?"
"Oh I'm sorry I must've dialed the wrong number," the woman stuttered quickly, apologizing but Megan wasn't fooled. She distinctly heard this woman say 'Collin' and 'UCS D1.' She recognized the initials, United Construction Society Department One: Events and Publicity. That was where Collin worked. 'Caught up in work my ass!"
"NO! You dialed the right number," Megan whispered in an angry and barely audbible voice. "What's your name?"
"Im am sorree, I must go back to ze office, I have some work i must complete," the woman stuttered back.
"No!" She said again. "You made the mistake of saying my husbands name and company. I know you lying. Tell me your name," Megan demanded yet again quietly. "Don't be a coward!"
"Bridgitte," the woman answered and hung up.
Megan brought her hands up to her face, dropping the phone back onto the kitchen counter. SHe slid down the wall into a sitting position with her knees drawn up, crying into her palms.
'How could he do this?' she thought to therslef. 'He said he loved me.'
Collin walked out of the bedroom and saw his wife in the corner of the kitched crying.
"What happened?" he asked without much emotion. "What's with the water works?"
Megan stood angrily, picked up his cell phone and waved it in his face.
"Bridgitte called!" Megan yelled.
"What?" Collin asked.
"That skank at your office called asking if you wanted another round! I thought you said you were working late!" Megan cried. "Why did you cheat on me?"
"Hey, a man has his needs," Collin said care free. "Needs that you can't meet anymore. And Bridgitte, well, she's willing to tend to those needs. Let's face it baby, your getting a bit boring, I need more."
"You cannot do this to me!" Megan yelled getting in her husbands face. "I am you wife! I am your wife! And you cannot do this to me! You cannot do this. . ." Megan drew in a sharp breath and let out a gasp cluthing her cheek.
He hit her, Megan could feel the sting on her cheek from where Collin had slapped her.
"Sorry Meg, but you were getting to worked up," Collin shrugged.
"You said you loved me! You said I was safe with you!" Megan said trying to convince herself that the love and passion that was once there, had not disappeared.
"And i do," Collin said hugging his wife. "Im sorry baby, this is the last time it won't happen again."
Megan burried her face into Collin's chest as took in his smell. She couldn't help but give in to him. He was just so persuasive.
~ @ ~ @ ~ @ ~ @ ~ @ ~ @ ~ @ ~ @ ~ @ ~ @ ~ @ ~
It was a month later and Megan had found herself in the exact same position once again. This time she wouldn't fall for it. She pushed him away and shook her head as if to clear it of all her delusions.
"No! You are not going to pull that same thing again! You've done three times before!" Megan said bustling around the kitchen.
Collin caught her arm and held it tightly causing Megan to squirm which only made Collin tighten his grip.
"Let go of me!"
"I told you before and I'll tell you again," Collin said. "I have needs that you can't full fill and Bridgitte and Carla are doing that for me so leave it alone and get on with your life!"
"I am your wife! And you cannot do this to me!"
Collin didn't slap her this time, he punched her. He puched her with full force on the side of the face. He had a ring on which caused a wound in Megan's cheek. She clutched her face and stared back at him in disbelief.
"What I can't hit you?" Collin asked.
"No you can't!"
Collin punched her again. Megan reeled back clutching at her stomach this time.
"Im going back to see Bridgitte," Collin said cooly. "And don't even think about calling the cops or anyone else."
He walked up to Megan and stroked her cheek making Megan flinch.
"You see, if i can't have you, no one will. It's a scary thing, love. I refuse to live without you here. No one will take you away from me, and that's all there is to say about it."
Collin walked out the door as he pulled his coat on. As soon as he exited Megan picked up the phone and dialed Hoku's number. She had just placed the phone to her ears when someone knocked on the door violently. Megan looked fearfully out at the man through the glass door. Collin walked back into the kitchen.
"Who are you calling?" he asked.
"I'm calling your mom to cancel because I told her that I was going to bring Gracie to her house tomorrow." Megan answered casually.
"You better be," Collin said walking back out of the door.
Megan hung the phone up deciding that she would talk to Hoku tomorrow about everything right after she dropped Gracie off at day care.
End of Prolouge 1: A marraige gone wrong
A/N: How did you guys like it? Too long? Too short? Please i would really appreciate all the reviews, I live for them. I promise that the WWE superstars will come in pretty soon. Chris Irvine's going to be in the next one but all will be in soon after the proulouges third chappie. Thanks to those that are reading!