She paid the cab driver as he pulled up in front of the Arena and quickly made her way into the building and through to the wardrobe department. Tammy was busy hanging various different outfits up around the large room and she glanced up as Amy walked in and sat down.
"Good morning!" she said cheerfully, smoothing one of the outfits down and admiring it. "How are you on this fine and sunny day?" She turned and looked at Amy for the first time and her face fell. "What's on earth's the matter?" she asked, taking in the pale face and slightly red eyes.
Amy shook her head and sighed. "Nothing. It doesn't matter. Can we...can we just get on with some work?"
Tammy stared at her for a few minutes and then shrugged. "Okay, but if you want to talk about anything, then I'm here, okay?"
"Thanks," Amy said, and followed Tammy over to a large bolt of material that she was going to use for several of the outfits. After getting some instructions on what to do, she settled down to work and used the complicated patterns to take her mind off her own worries.
She didn't realise how much time was going past until Tammy tapped her on the shoulder and told her it was time for lunch.
"Oh, I'm not really hungry, I'll just stay here. But thanks," she added quickly.
Tammy looked at her with concern. "Please tell me what the matter is. You were so happy last night, what happened?"
"I told you, it's..."
"Nothing, right, I know. It doesn't look like nothing to me. Did Mark...Amy, did Mark hurt you in some way?" she asked carefully.
"No! No, he hasn't hurt me," Amy said and her shoulders slumped. "I just...oh, I don't know. He made me mad and then I hit him...I can't believe I hit him."
"You hit him? You hit him? Oh my God," Tammy said, staring at her with big eyes. "What did he do?"
"That's just it, he didn't do anything. He just left. I thought he was going to hit me," she said softly.
"Did he look like he was going to hit you?"
"No. He was so angry, but he didn't shout or anything. So, I guess that's over before it's even begun, isn't it?" she asked sadly, trying not to cry again.
"Not necessarily, although I can imagine he wouldn't be too happy being hit like that," Tammy said, sitting next to Amy and hugging her. "You should find him and talk."
"I don't think it would do any good," she answered miserably.
"You'll never know if you don't try, but I'm not going to force you. I am going to force you to eat though. Come on, I happen to know that Glenn and Mark have a meeting about now, so they won't be in the cafeteria," she said, crossing her fingers behind her back.
"Okay," Amy said, standing up and making her way reluctantly to the cafeteria with Tammy. There were a few wrestlers dotted about when they got there, but not Mark, so Amy relaxed a tiny bit, looking at the food on display without much enthusiasm.
"Excuse me?" a deep voice said behind her and she swung around to be confronted by the gigantic man who had carried her into the ring a few nights before. Her eyes widened and she backed away from him warily.
"No, no," he said, holding his hands out placatingly. "I just wanted to say I was sorry, y'know, about what happened before? I never meant to scare you like that, it was just a mix up."
Amy was speechless for a few seconds, just staring at him. He was so enormous and yet he looked genuinely contrite. "It's okay," she said, giving a small smile. "Mark explained it to me, it just shocked me a bit."
He looked relieved. "Well, thanks for being so understanding. I'm Paul, by the way, Paul Wight," he said and stuck out one enormous hand.
Amy took it hesitantly and he shook her hand enthusiastically, nearly wrenching her shoulder from its' socket. "I'm Amy Travis, pleased to meet you," she said, relaxing and really smiling for a change.
"You too. Hey, can I join you two for lunch?" he asked, looking eagerly from one of them to another.
"It's okay by me," Tammy said, raising her eyebrows at Amy. "You?"
"Sure," Amy said, shrugging.
They all selected what they would be eating and then sat at one of the tables. Amy had decided to have a small salad, it was all she really felt like anyway, but she almost laughed at what Paul was eating. He had enough food on his tray for ten people and he was tucking in with gusto. He glanced up at her when he became aware she was staring at him. "What?" he asked.
"With most people I'd ask them where they were putting it all, but with you it's pretty obvious," she said, smiling. He smiled back at her and then gestured to her small plate of food.
"Well, at least I don't eat like a bird! That isn't enough to feed a mouse," he said, shaking his head.
"For once we agree on something," a deep voice said from behind Amy and she turned her head to look up into deep green eyes, not knowing what to say.
"Hey Mark," Paul said, oblivious to the sudden tension at the table.
"Paul," he nodded, "Tammy."
He stared down at Amy with a stern expression on his face, taking in all of the emotions in her eyes that she couldn't hide. He had been feeling some of them himself and he hadn't liked it one bit. He felt like a heel for the way he had acted and he was still angry that she had slapped him, even though he figured he deserved it. He rolled his shoulders and then his neck, rotating his sore muscles from his practice with Glenn that morning, then he sighed. It wasn't something he was used to, feeling guilty, but that's exactly how he felt at that moment. That, and an acute sense of loss. At least he could do something about that, he thought, and grabbed hold of Amy, pulling her right out of her chair and up against him, her feet dangling in mid-air.
"What..." she managed to get out, before his mouth came down on hers and he kissed her in front of the entire cafeteria, not caring who was watching. He kissed her for so long that he eventually heard small laughs and comments being thrown around and he broke it off, still holding her up off the floor.
"I'm sorry," he said quietly, rubbing his nose against hers.
"Me too, I didn't mean to hit you," she whispered back and buried her head in his neck, her arms clinging to him. She felt him give a slight shudder and squeeze her a bit tighter, his breath deep and uneven.
"Come on, let's get out of here," he said, putting her down but keeping hold of her hand. She noticed that he had a stain of colour high up on his cheekbones and he looked uncomfortable with everyone staring at them.
He didn't say anything to anyone else before he dragged her out of the room and down the corridors towards his dressing room, making her run to keep up with him as he was walking so fast. "Out," he ordered Glenn as they walked in the room, earning himself a look of surprise from the other man.
"Well, excuse the hell out of me," Glenn said amiably, winking at Amy and grinning as he left them alone.
As soon as the door closed behind him, Mark picked her up and wrapped her in a hug again, nuzzling her neck, not saying a word. Amy laid her head on his shoulder and closed her eyes, linking her arms behind his neck and simply enjoying the closeness. After a few minutes he sat down with her on his lap, still cuddling her.
"You didn't hit me," she whispered.
"Ah, hell, of course I didn't hit you. I don't have to hit a woman to prove what a big man I am, only a coward does that," he said, drawing back enough to look in her eyes. "I very nearly put you over my knee though, if you want the truth."
Amy stared at him aghast. "Over your knee?"
"Oh yeah, you very nearly got a damn good whupping. Good job I'm so even tempered ain't it?" he said, grinning.
"You were going to spank me?" she asked, still surprised. "That's...you can't do things like that!"
He raised an eyebrow. "No? But you can just go around slapping me?"
She smiled guiltily. "No, I'm sorry about that. I didn't even know I was going to do it, but you made me so mad!"
"I noticed. Well, you get this one for free honey, but you hit me again and I will paddle that cute little backside, so don't say I didn't warn you!"
Amy sat looking at him seriously, wondering whether to be angry at his high handed attitude or not. She decided that she quite liked the fact that he was so dominant and she leaned forward and rested her head on his shoulder again, relaxing. "Okay, I won't do it again," she said obligingly.
"Mmm-hmm. Not even if I make you really mad?" he asked her, a smile tilting his firm lips up.
"Well...I guess not," she mumbled, wondering if she'd actually be able to refrain from hitting him again. After all, he had only irritated her a little bit today, and she was sure he could be a whole lot worse.
"I guess we're gonna have to wait and see what happens in the future then aren't we? I think you could be a proper little hellion, given the chance," he said, shaking his head and wondering what he was letting himself in for. "What are you doing this afternoon?"
"Working," she said, almost falling asleep against his shoulder.
"Well, yeah, I know that. Can you get an hour off?"
"Probably. Why?"
"Me and Glenn have to do some more practice for tonight's match, I thought you might like to come and watch?"
Amy sat up and stared at him with excited eyes. "I can come and watch? There won't be any people there?"
He smiled slowly. "No, just me and Glenn, maybe a few technicians walking around doing their stuff. How about it?"
"I'd love to! What time?"
"I'm not sure just yet. How about I come and get you when we're ready?" he asked, watching as she nodded. "Good. Now, I saw what you ordered for your lunch and you didn't even get to eat it, so let's get back to the cafeteria so I can feed you."
He stood up and lifted her with him, standing her on her feet and dropping a kiss on her lips before taking her hand. She was surprised when he walked all the way to the cafeteria still holding her small hand in his, and her face showed her feelings quite clearly. She stood quietly as he filled two plates for them and then carried the tray to the table, shoving her gently along in front of him. People were giving them covert glances, she noticed, and she felt herself blush, sitting down with relief and ducking her head.
"Hey," Mark said softly, hooking a finger underneath her chin and lifting it up so she had to look at him. "What's the matter?"
"Everyone's staring," she said in a whisper, her eyes big.
Mark laughed and then looked around at the other occupants of the large room, noticing how they quickly averted their gazes. "Not any more they're not. Besides, why shouldn't they look? You're beautiful."
Her colour got deeper and she looked down. "They're looking at you, not me," she said.
"No. They're looking at both of us, but mostly you. They want to know who the woman is who's got me wrapped around her little finger," he said wryly, smiling. "Now they know."
"But I haven't..." she began, then stopped at his mock glare.
"Yes, you have," he said, putting her plate in front of her and handing her a fork. "But don't think you can use it to your advantage, because you can't. I'm not gonna be treated like someone's pet," he said, not looking particularly annoyed. He loaded her fork up with food and lifted it to her mouth. "Now come on, eat."
Amy obediently opened her mouth and he carefully put the food inside, his eyes watching her mouth intently. She gave a playful smile when she had swallowed the food. "I wouldn't mind taking you for walks, although I doubt I could find a collar big enough to fit your thick neck," she said, grinning.
Mark's eyebrows shot up towards his hairline. "You think that's funny?"
She nodded, grabbing the fork from him and continuing to eat, suddenly realising how hungry she was. "I could just picture you on a leash," she murmured, glancing up at him and noting he had started eating his own food, although he didn't say another word.
By the time they had finished their meal she was wondering whether she had really insulted him, he seemed very quiet. "Finished?" he asked pleasantly.
"Yes, and it was lovely, thank you," she said, equally politely, her eyes holding a worried look as she studied him.
He sat back in his chair and stared back at her, his eyes narrowing and the corners of his mouth tilting upwards. "You know I'm adding these little insults up don't you?"
"Adding them up? I didn't know pets were that intelligent...although they do say that dogs...oh!" she gasped when he pulled her up out of her seat. She hadn't even seen him get up he had been so quick.
"And there's another one to add to my list. Oh, you are gonna pay for this, you know," he said, taking her hand and marching back down the corridor.
"Pay for it?" she asked breathlessly, rushing to keep up with him.
"Mmm-hmm, and I know just how to make you pay, too." He continued down the maze of corridors until they were standing outside the wardrobe department door.
"How?"
"Hmm? Oh, how am I gonna make you pay? Well, that's for me to know, and you to find out. And you're gonna find out real soon!" he said, bending to give her a quick kiss before smiling wickedly and stalking away. "I'll come for you later," he called.
Amy let herself into the workroom and found Glenn standing with his back to her and two very feminine arms wrapped around his neck. They didn't seem to have heard her come in the room and she cleared her throat loudly, watching as they broke apart and turned to look at her, both of them looking dazed.
Glenn smiled a bit sheepishly and then shrugged, putting Tammy down and dropping another soft kiss on her lips before he turned and left the room, promising he'd come and get Tammy later.
"What's he coming to get you for?" Amy asked her.
"He asked me to come watch him practice. I can't wait! I've seen him before, of course, but I usually stayed hidden so he wouldn't catch me ogling him. Now I can do it openly!"
"Mark asked me to come and watch too, he said he'd come and get me later," Amy said, smiling, happy that the other girl would be there.
"Well, then, we'd better get some work done hadn't we? I'll go and ask Vince if it'll be okay us taking a break later," Tammy said, starting to organise some work they had to get done.
"I can go and ask him, it's okay," Amy said. "I'll go now, then we can get on with some of this."
Tammy nodded and Amy left the room, making her way carefully to Vince's office, wondering if she'd ever get used to the layout of the place. Not that it mattered, she mused, because as soon as she did they'd be going somewhere else. She knocked on Vince's door, hearing voices in the room beyond, and waited until he called out to come in before she opened the door.
Vince was sitting behind his desk as usual and a big dark-haired wrestler was sitting across from him, his back to Amy. She smiled at the older man as he held his hand out to her.
"Hi Peaches, what you been doing?"
"Just working and stuff," she turned and glanced quickly at the other man in the room, her eyes widening when she saw it was the man who had caught her when Paul Wight had thrown her in the ring. He looked at her curiously, smiling in a friendly way and not looking remotely intimidating like he had before.
Vince watched to see what her reaction would be to seeing Dwayne again, and was pleased that she looked only a little nervous, not downright scared as she would have been only a few days before. Being here with them was doing her good, he thought. "You remember Dwayne don't you, Amy? The big lug who threatened you the other night?"
Amy nodded and Dwayne gave a grin, standing up to tower over her, extending his hand. "Pleased to meet you, I'm Dwayne Johnson, aka The Rock, nice to meet you properly at last. I've heard a damn lot about you."
She let him take her hand and he shook it gently. When she didn't speak he cocked one eyebrow. "And you are?" he prompted.
"Oh! Oh sorry, I'm Amy Travis," she said hesitantly.
"Well, like I said, nice to meet you Amy Travis. So are the rumours I hear true?" he asked her, giving her a devilish smile.
"What rumours?" Vince cut in, frowning.
"Oh, you know, standard stuff. Like how Mark is completely besotted with this tiny little red-haired beauty," he said, widening his eyes dramatically at her.
"Oh those rumours," Vince said, nodding. "Yeah, they're pretty much true."
Amy stared at the two men with her mouth hanging open. "He isn't besotted with me," she said.
"No, of course he isn't. He always threatens to take my head off when I grab someone he isn't besotted with. I had to do some fast talking to get out of that one," Dwayne said, grinning. "I'm sorry about that, by the way. I felt real bad having scared you like that, but Mark wouldn't allow me near enough to apologise before now. Well, I guess he probably doesn't know we're face to face right now, either, otherwise he'd be trying to kick my ass all over the room!"
Vince looked at Amy, smiling when he saw how stunned she looked. "What did you want to talk to me about?" he asked her, distracting her attention away from Dwayne.
"Oh, yeah, well, Tammy and I wanted to know if it would be okay to have an hour off later on?"
Vince raised an eyebrow and then narrowed his eyes. "What for?"
"Just...er..." she risked a quick glance at the other man and found he was staring at her, obviously interested in what she was going to say. "Well, we were going to go down and watch some wrestling practice," she said quietly, not wanting to admit that she was going to see Mark, not with the way they were teasing her about him.
"Practice huh? Now, let me see, who's practising this afternoon?" Vince rubbed his chin thoughtfully and then looked at Dwayne. "You got any idea who's going to be down there?"
"Oh, yeah, I've got a good idea who'll be there," Dwayne said, his grin getting wider by the second.
Amy found herself getting slightly irritated and wondered where all this temper was coming from all of a sudden. "Can we?" she prompted, looking only at Vince.
"Well, of course you can honey. Just as soon as you tell me who it is you're going to be watching," he said, leaning back in his chair and looking smug.
"You know who I'll be watching!" she said, getting even more irritated.
"And who might that be? Not some huge wrestler who just happens to be covered in tattoos, by any chance?"
"It might be," she mumbled, feeling her cheeks burning as the two men smiled.
"What, the one who isn't besotted with you?" Dwayne asked. "Did he ask you to come and watch him?"
"Yes," she answered tightly.
"That's pretty unusual," Dwayne said to Vince.
"It sure is. Mark doesn't normally like anyone watching him practice. But then, there could be any number of reasons why he asked you to go see him," Vince said, raising his eyebrows. "But obviously not because he's besotted with you," he added, giving her a knowing look and then laughing at her embarrassment.
"He isn't!" she protested, not wanting to be in the room anymore.
"No? Next you'll be telling me you're not besotted with him either," Vince said. "I heard about the incident in the cafeteria earlier, by the way. Seems you two put on a pretty good show."
Amy closed her eyes briefly and wondered how to get out of the room without anyone noticing. If only she had the power to just disappear. Vince watched her expressions carefully and relented. She would get used to being teased in time, just now she was still partially stuck in her childhood memories, but he could see that Mark was good for her.
"Honey, you can have the entire afternoon if you like. I keep up with things, you know, and I happen to know that Tammy has most of the costumes finished and the ones she's working on now aren't needed 'til we get to Connecticut. So tell her to take some time, and enjoy yourselves okay?"
Amy tried not to show how relieved she was. "Thanks Vince," she said softly, giving a small smile to Dwayne and hurriedly leaving the room.
"She's sweet," Dwayne said to the older man when she had gone. "A little bit shy though, huh?"
"Yeah, well she has good reason to be. You really think Mark's fallen for her?"
"Head over heels!" Dwayne confirmed. "He used to be bad enough when he was defending Sara's 'good' name, but with this girl Amy, he almost tore my head off for what me and Paul did. I'm sure after I've said sorry to him another hundred times he'll let up!"
"He's really been that bad?"
"Hell, yeah, if anything he's been worse!" Dwayne shook his head. "But I can see why. She's sweet and she wouldn't be able to cope with us lot on her own, she needs a protector. I'd feel the same if my wife was here."
"Yeah, but Mark and Amy aren't married," Vince pointed out.
"True. But I wouldn't mind placing a bet that they will be," Dwayne said with a grin and Vince laughed, nodding his head ruefully.
***Thanks for all the reviews!! Just one point, if you're from America you may think my spelling is crap, but that's how we spell things over in England don't ya know! Like practice....I think you spell it practise? So, I'm not being thick, honest!!!!!!***
