A/N: Did you miss me? I missed you guys too. The song is "Love Song" by
311. Well here we go...
Tears rolled down Ray's cheek as she read the familiar lyrics in John's letter. How could he do this to her, and what's worst how could she still love him after he did it?
"What's wrong sweet pea?" Shawn asked her.
"Life is so unfair." She wailed, she didn't really want to cry but she really couldn't think of anything else to do. As far as she was concerned she was living in a world that wasn't her own.
"What's going on? Talk to me."
"I just miss them so much," she said, not knowing where it came from. She thought she was upset because of John and this stupid emotional letter he left her but somehow it was Corey and Kevin that came out to Shawn.
Shawn placed his arm around his niece, he was wondering when she was going to stop with that tough, I don't know need anyone to look after me act of hers. This was the Ray he had been waiting to see since all this started.
"I know you do sweetness, but you know, the only way someone can really die is if you let them out of your heart."
She looked up at him, tears swimming in her slanted grey eyes, "Really?"
"Would I lie to you?" he looked down at the paper trembling in her hands, "What's that?"
She quickly threw it down beside her, "Nothing."
Shawn picked it up, "Sure doesn't look like nothing to me." he began to read, "Why that little son of a bitch." He muttered. He looked over at Ray who was still shaking, "You okay sweet pea?"
"Oh yeah, I'll be fine." She said shakily, "Have you seen Shane?"
"No, but I'll find him for you." Shawn said leaving the room taking the note with him. He was going to kill John for this. This was just taking it too far, playing on this poor girl's emotions like he was doing. And that is all he's doing. He knows good and hell well that he doesn't love this girl, if he did he wouldn't be parading around with that Jayda girl on his arm like some sort of hood ornament.
Shawn proceeded down the hall where he ran into Adam, "Hey Shawn, have you seen the princess?"
"Yeah I have, and she's in bad shape."
"What the hell, what's going on?"
"This." Shawn said handing Adam the note to read.
"Oh you have got to be shittin' me." Adam seethed. "This has gone on far enough."
"I know it has."
"We'll get to the bottom of this, where's Mark?"
"I don't know."
"Well we need to find him. I'm getting just a little bit sick of this."
"Ditto.
************************************************************************
Randy walked into the locker room just in time to see Ray wiping her tears from her grey eyes.
"Hey what's wrong Xena?" he had taken to calling her that ever since the accident that nearly claimed her life.
"Hey Randy. Nothing, it's just John's being an ass, as usual."
"Why do you put up with him?" Randy asked genuinely concerned, this was no longer about her title, he nearly cost her her life.
Ray shrugged, why did she put up with him? After the night that she and Shane shared, why did she deal with this asshole?
"Because I love him."
"Well love must be blind as hell, cuz trust me Xena, he does not love you."
"Yeah I know, but it's hard to let go, he was my first love."
Randy raised a skeptical eyebrow, "Do you honestly expect me to believe that John Cena was your first love?"
"Do you have reason to believe otherwise?"
"Only me and any other person who has eyes, we all know you are in love with Shane and the feeling is mutual."
"I don't know what you are talking about," Ray said feeling awful warm all of a sudden.
"Sure you don't. I knew that you two were going to be our next Paul and Stephanie, but of course no one believed me, except maybe Mark, Glenn, Adam and Shawn."
Ray smiled that award winning smile, "Really?"
Randy put his arm around her, "Yeah really. I must admit though I'm a little jealous, I liked you first."
"You did." She pushed him playfully, "You jerk, why didn't you tell me?"
"You didn't give me a chance around her winning Intercontinental Titles and whatnot."
Ray's grin grew even wider, "I did kick your ass didn't I?"
Randy jumped up with a mock boxing stance, "Don't think it will happen again Xena Warrior Princess," Randy smiled, "come on, I can take you."
Ray lunged up and took him down easy, they rolled and tussled around the floor until they were both collapsed into a fit of giggles. Ray just shook her head, Randy could be such a sweet loveable guy when he wanted to be.
Just then the door flung open and Shane stood there gripping an envelope, he looked down at them heaving heavily and shook his head.
"This looks awful friendly," he smirked.
"Man, Xena whipped my ass again," Randy laughed.
"Damn right I did, and I'll do it again too." Ray said laughing.
Shane smiled down on his girl, "Well as much as I'd hate to interrupt your much needed ass whippin' Randy, I need to talk to Ravyn."
Did he just call me Ravyn? He never calls me Ravyn, what the hell is going on that important?
Randy got off the floor, helping Ray to her feet, "Xena, until next time."
"I'll be waiting for Randy." Ray smiled as he made his way out the door. She turned her attention back to Shane, "What's going on Gregory?"
Shane scrunched up his handsome features, "What's that all about?"
"You just called me Ravyn, I thought we were getting formal with one another."
"You are not slick," Shane kissed her cheek, "Look, I do have something we need to talk about, your father asked me specifically to talk to you about it."
"What's going on?" she asked seriously.
"Well there is a little problem going on about your father and brother."
"Yeah?"
"Well their insurance policies,"
"Yeah, what about them?"
"Did you know that they had them?"
"Yeah, and?"
"Did you know that you are the beneficiary?"
Ray looked but couldn't focus, "I am."
"Yes, you are."
"How—how much?"
"2 million for Kevin, a mil and a half for Corey."
Ray's slanted grey eyes grew to their full width, "Oh my fuckin' God, are you serious? They left me three and a half million dollars."
"They did. It's apparent Kevin didn't trust Lydia either, because he left it all to you, everything in his will, all of it."
Ray's knees buckled, "Oh my God."
"I know beautiful, it's a wonderful thing isn't it."
"Oh my God."
"Ray, look, there is another matter, your father and Lydia may try to come after you again."
Ray's hand shot to cover her mouth, "They might?"
"Anything is possible beautiful, but don't you worry, we are not going to let anything happen to you."
Ray nodded however she was no reassured, they had promised her safety the first time and she was raped and brutalized.
"I know you will."
************************************************************************
Shane stood at the window and watched Ray sleep. The sheet had fallen away from her body and her honey golden skin glistened under the light of the moon. He couldn't help but sing to her, sing the song she loved so much lately
Whenever I'm alone with you
You make me feel like I am home again
Whenever I'm alone with you
You make me feel like I am whole again
I know you still love John, it's written all over your pretty features, but I know you love me too, I can hear it when you scream my name when we make love.
Ray watched from squinted eyes while Shane sang from her window, he seemed so filled with sorrow, so filled with hurt. So she sang with him.
Whenever I'm alone with you
You make me feel like I am young again
Whenever I'm alone with you
You make me feel like I am fun again
She sings in her sleep, Shane mused, he watched as she rolled over and her long black hair fell over her like a quilt. She seemed so beautiful.
However far away, I will always love you
However long I stay, I will always love you
Whatever words I say, I will always love you
I will always love you
Look at him, Ray thought, he doesn't deserve what I'm putting him through. No man does. I'm sorry I'm inexperienced in the ways of love that I can't trust my feelings.
Whenever I'm alone with you
You make me feel like I am free again
Whenever I'm alone with you
You make me feel like I am clean again
But I no longer feel the taint of my father when you touch me. you cleanse me of his foul touch.
However far away, I will always love you
However long I stay, I will always love you
Whatever words I say, I will always love you
I will always love
Shane crossed the distance between them and lay on top of her, entering her gently. She moaned softly, not yet opening her eyes. He had to prove to her that he loved her, that he loved her more than life itself, that as long as she promised him her heart, he would make sure she soared to the heavens.
Ray relished in the attention that he was giving her body, in the gentleness, in the tenderness, in the love.
"I love you Shane." She whispered over and over again. "I'll always love you."
"I know you will baby, I know you will."
************************************************************************
"She inherited what?!" John yelled.
"3.5 million dollars, what are you deaf?" Randy said.
"When did you hear this?"
"Shane told her this afternoon."
"Oh shit."
"I know. You're lucky as hell that she loves you the way she does."
"Oh yeah she loves me, but she's in love with Shane, and as you know there's a big damn difference."
"Yeah well you can change that, just show your girl some attention."
"Well it's a little hard when Jayda won't leave me alone."
"I know, she knows about Ray, but Ray doesn't know about her, at least I don't think so."
John perked up at this news, "Really?"
"Really. But you didn't hear that from me."
"Oh you know me. Thanks Man."
They slapped hands, "No problem."
"Hello," Ray answered her cell phone.
"What's up ma?"
Ray looked at her clock, it was 4 in the morning. "The hell do you want this time of morning?"
"I think we need to talk,"
"Who is that beautiful?" Shane asked sleepily.
"Tell him none of his fuckin' business." John yelled angry that Shane was sleeping in her bed.
"John." Ray told Shane.
"Hang up the phone baby girl."
"John I have to go."
"Oh so it's like that."
"Bye John." Ray said as she hit the end button.
Shane hugged her knowing how difficult it must've been for her. "I'm sorry."
"It's okay, let's just go back to sleep."
Tears rolled down Ray's cheek as she read the familiar lyrics in John's letter. How could he do this to her, and what's worst how could she still love him after he did it?
"What's wrong sweet pea?" Shawn asked her.
"Life is so unfair." She wailed, she didn't really want to cry but she really couldn't think of anything else to do. As far as she was concerned she was living in a world that wasn't her own.
"What's going on? Talk to me."
"I just miss them so much," she said, not knowing where it came from. She thought she was upset because of John and this stupid emotional letter he left her but somehow it was Corey and Kevin that came out to Shawn.
Shawn placed his arm around his niece, he was wondering when she was going to stop with that tough, I don't know need anyone to look after me act of hers. This was the Ray he had been waiting to see since all this started.
"I know you do sweetness, but you know, the only way someone can really die is if you let them out of your heart."
She looked up at him, tears swimming in her slanted grey eyes, "Really?"
"Would I lie to you?" he looked down at the paper trembling in her hands, "What's that?"
She quickly threw it down beside her, "Nothing."
Shawn picked it up, "Sure doesn't look like nothing to me." he began to read, "Why that little son of a bitch." He muttered. He looked over at Ray who was still shaking, "You okay sweet pea?"
"Oh yeah, I'll be fine." She said shakily, "Have you seen Shane?"
"No, but I'll find him for you." Shawn said leaving the room taking the note with him. He was going to kill John for this. This was just taking it too far, playing on this poor girl's emotions like he was doing. And that is all he's doing. He knows good and hell well that he doesn't love this girl, if he did he wouldn't be parading around with that Jayda girl on his arm like some sort of hood ornament.
Shawn proceeded down the hall where he ran into Adam, "Hey Shawn, have you seen the princess?"
"Yeah I have, and she's in bad shape."
"What the hell, what's going on?"
"This." Shawn said handing Adam the note to read.
"Oh you have got to be shittin' me." Adam seethed. "This has gone on far enough."
"I know it has."
"We'll get to the bottom of this, where's Mark?"
"I don't know."
"Well we need to find him. I'm getting just a little bit sick of this."
"Ditto.
************************************************************************
Randy walked into the locker room just in time to see Ray wiping her tears from her grey eyes.
"Hey what's wrong Xena?" he had taken to calling her that ever since the accident that nearly claimed her life.
"Hey Randy. Nothing, it's just John's being an ass, as usual."
"Why do you put up with him?" Randy asked genuinely concerned, this was no longer about her title, he nearly cost her her life.
Ray shrugged, why did she put up with him? After the night that she and Shane shared, why did she deal with this asshole?
"Because I love him."
"Well love must be blind as hell, cuz trust me Xena, he does not love you."
"Yeah I know, but it's hard to let go, he was my first love."
Randy raised a skeptical eyebrow, "Do you honestly expect me to believe that John Cena was your first love?"
"Do you have reason to believe otherwise?"
"Only me and any other person who has eyes, we all know you are in love with Shane and the feeling is mutual."
"I don't know what you are talking about," Ray said feeling awful warm all of a sudden.
"Sure you don't. I knew that you two were going to be our next Paul and Stephanie, but of course no one believed me, except maybe Mark, Glenn, Adam and Shawn."
Ray smiled that award winning smile, "Really?"
Randy put his arm around her, "Yeah really. I must admit though I'm a little jealous, I liked you first."
"You did." She pushed him playfully, "You jerk, why didn't you tell me?"
"You didn't give me a chance around her winning Intercontinental Titles and whatnot."
Ray's grin grew even wider, "I did kick your ass didn't I?"
Randy jumped up with a mock boxing stance, "Don't think it will happen again Xena Warrior Princess," Randy smiled, "come on, I can take you."
Ray lunged up and took him down easy, they rolled and tussled around the floor until they were both collapsed into a fit of giggles. Ray just shook her head, Randy could be such a sweet loveable guy when he wanted to be.
Just then the door flung open and Shane stood there gripping an envelope, he looked down at them heaving heavily and shook his head.
"This looks awful friendly," he smirked.
"Man, Xena whipped my ass again," Randy laughed.
"Damn right I did, and I'll do it again too." Ray said laughing.
Shane smiled down on his girl, "Well as much as I'd hate to interrupt your much needed ass whippin' Randy, I need to talk to Ravyn."
Did he just call me Ravyn? He never calls me Ravyn, what the hell is going on that important?
Randy got off the floor, helping Ray to her feet, "Xena, until next time."
"I'll be waiting for Randy." Ray smiled as he made his way out the door. She turned her attention back to Shane, "What's going on Gregory?"
Shane scrunched up his handsome features, "What's that all about?"
"You just called me Ravyn, I thought we were getting formal with one another."
"You are not slick," Shane kissed her cheek, "Look, I do have something we need to talk about, your father asked me specifically to talk to you about it."
"What's going on?" she asked seriously.
"Well there is a little problem going on about your father and brother."
"Yeah?"
"Well their insurance policies,"
"Yeah, what about them?"
"Did you know that they had them?"
"Yeah, and?"
"Did you know that you are the beneficiary?"
Ray looked but couldn't focus, "I am."
"Yes, you are."
"How—how much?"
"2 million for Kevin, a mil and a half for Corey."
Ray's slanted grey eyes grew to their full width, "Oh my fuckin' God, are you serious? They left me three and a half million dollars."
"They did. It's apparent Kevin didn't trust Lydia either, because he left it all to you, everything in his will, all of it."
Ray's knees buckled, "Oh my God."
"I know beautiful, it's a wonderful thing isn't it."
"Oh my God."
"Ray, look, there is another matter, your father and Lydia may try to come after you again."
Ray's hand shot to cover her mouth, "They might?"
"Anything is possible beautiful, but don't you worry, we are not going to let anything happen to you."
Ray nodded however she was no reassured, they had promised her safety the first time and she was raped and brutalized.
"I know you will."
************************************************************************
Shane stood at the window and watched Ray sleep. The sheet had fallen away from her body and her honey golden skin glistened under the light of the moon. He couldn't help but sing to her, sing the song she loved so much lately
Whenever I'm alone with you
You make me feel like I am home again
Whenever I'm alone with you
You make me feel like I am whole again
I know you still love John, it's written all over your pretty features, but I know you love me too, I can hear it when you scream my name when we make love.
Ray watched from squinted eyes while Shane sang from her window, he seemed so filled with sorrow, so filled with hurt. So she sang with him.
Whenever I'm alone with you
You make me feel like I am young again
Whenever I'm alone with you
You make me feel like I am fun again
She sings in her sleep, Shane mused, he watched as she rolled over and her long black hair fell over her like a quilt. She seemed so beautiful.
However far away, I will always love you
However long I stay, I will always love you
Whatever words I say, I will always love you
I will always love you
Look at him, Ray thought, he doesn't deserve what I'm putting him through. No man does. I'm sorry I'm inexperienced in the ways of love that I can't trust my feelings.
Whenever I'm alone with you
You make me feel like I am free again
Whenever I'm alone with you
You make me feel like I am clean again
But I no longer feel the taint of my father when you touch me. you cleanse me of his foul touch.
However far away, I will always love you
However long I stay, I will always love you
Whatever words I say, I will always love you
I will always love
Shane crossed the distance between them and lay on top of her, entering her gently. She moaned softly, not yet opening her eyes. He had to prove to her that he loved her, that he loved her more than life itself, that as long as she promised him her heart, he would make sure she soared to the heavens.
Ray relished in the attention that he was giving her body, in the gentleness, in the tenderness, in the love.
"I love you Shane." She whispered over and over again. "I'll always love you."
"I know you will baby, I know you will."
************************************************************************
"She inherited what?!" John yelled.
"3.5 million dollars, what are you deaf?" Randy said.
"When did you hear this?"
"Shane told her this afternoon."
"Oh shit."
"I know. You're lucky as hell that she loves you the way she does."
"Oh yeah she loves me, but she's in love with Shane, and as you know there's a big damn difference."
"Yeah well you can change that, just show your girl some attention."
"Well it's a little hard when Jayda won't leave me alone."
"I know, she knows about Ray, but Ray doesn't know about her, at least I don't think so."
John perked up at this news, "Really?"
"Really. But you didn't hear that from me."
"Oh you know me. Thanks Man."
They slapped hands, "No problem."
"Hello," Ray answered her cell phone.
"What's up ma?"
Ray looked at her clock, it was 4 in the morning. "The hell do you want this time of morning?"
"I think we need to talk,"
"Who is that beautiful?" Shane asked sleepily.
"Tell him none of his fuckin' business." John yelled angry that Shane was sleeping in her bed.
"John." Ray told Shane.
"Hang up the phone baby girl."
"John I have to go."
"Oh so it's like that."
"Bye John." Ray said as she hit the end button.
Shane hugged her knowing how difficult it must've been for her. "I'm sorry."
"It's okay, let's just go back to sleep."