A/N: Thank you for the review again! OMG I'm updating. Passes out from shock

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Chapter 11 – Out of the frying pan…

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I showered as quickly as I could considering the fatigue and pain I was experiencing. I dried off then returned to the main room. Dave was lying on his bed watching TV when I came in.

"You feeling any better?"

"Yeah, a little. Can you help me," I asked as I held out the wraps I had received from the trainer earlier. He nodded and took them from my hands. I was grateful. I didn't really think I could put them on right by myself. After my ribs were wrapped up I got my cell out of my bag.

"Hello," her voice answered drowsily.

"Hey, honey. How are you?"

"Punker. I am fine. I saw your match. It vas brutal."

"I know," I really didn't want to tell her I was hurt and I was hoping she wouldn't ask, but as usual things weren't going to work in my favor.

"Vere you hurt?"

"Yeah," I didn't want to tell her, but I still couldn't stand the thought of lying to her.

"How bad?'

"Um,.. broke two fingers and some ribs, but I'm ok," I said as I heard her sobs. "Honey, I'll be fine in a couple of weeks," I said trying to calm her.

"Vy would he do that too you?"

"All I know is it's about Tra... Trish."

"She ist nasty."

"I agree completely," I trailed off. A fairly long pause began.

"Punker..."

"Yes, baby?"

"I vant to see you. I vant to know you are ok."

"Um... I'll see if I can get there tomorrow ok?"

"Ja," she said sounding satisfied. There was another long pause. Then she mumbled something I could not understand.

"Huh?" I was guessing she was speaking German.

"It vas... It's nothing," she stammered.

"Are you sure?"

"Ja...Are you staying alone tonight?" The question blew my mind. I wondered why she asked.

"No... I'm staying with Dave tonight. Why," I asked completely and totally dumbfounded.

"I don't vant you to be alone ven you are hurt," she said quietly. Her voice was shaking. I knew she was still crying.

"I won't be alone but, it's really not a bad injury Freya. I've had worse much worse," I fell silent. I listened to her sobs for a moment. I knew she was trying to keep her composer. The attempt had failed.

"Be careful," she said after she calmed herself down a little.

"I will I promise," I said, hoping the young girl would chill out some.

"I... I love you, Punker."

"I love you too. Now you need to calm down and get some rest. I'll come and see you as soon as I can."

"Gute Nacht," she said quietly her tears returning.

"Freya, don't make yourself sick. You don't have to worry. I'll be fine," I said trying again to calm the girl down.

"I'm vorried about you," she said through her sobs.

"Freya, I'm not hurt that bad. If I was I would take a few weeks off. I promise I'll be fine and there is no need for you to worry."

"If you say so..."

"Promise me you won't stay up all night crying. You really need to get some sleep."

"I'll try..."

"Promise me..."

"Alright, I promise," she said in defeat.

"Good. I love you and I'll talk to you tomorrow, ok?"

"Ok... I love you too."

"Night, baby."

"Night," she said. I heard the phone click against the receiver before I hung up. Dave stared at me silently. Concern filled the dark brown eyes.

"I'm ok," I said, it was odd for me to have so many people worried about such insignificant injuries. He nodded.

"What happened before we got there?"

"Well he was cussing about someone... he kept referring to a little bitch. I went on to the showers trying to avoid conflict as I was unsure of whom he was referring to. I started getting my stuff out and I turned and there he was. He was yelling about you attacking him and he thinks that we're an item and..." I couldn't finish talking about it at that moment. I felt like I was going to cry. I suddenly knew how Freya felt all the times she had been hurt. I heard the door open. I thought it was the perfect opportunity to avoid finishing the story. It was Randy though. I know I would have to continue. As I watched the young man enter the room I felt the bed I was seated on move. Dave had moved beside me. I felt a blood rush come over me. Randy took a set on the other side of me.

"Go on," Dave said as settled on the bed. I felt smothered and totally embarrassed by this time.

"I tried to tell that there was nothing between us and that you have a wife and I have a girlfri..." Dave and Randy looked at each other. I quickly stood up and walked to the window.

"You can explain the girlfriend thing in a few minutes... we really want to know what else went down in there," Randy said as he moved toward me... I didn't see him move it was more like I felt it. I felt his hand gently rub over my shoulder blade before he rested his body against the wall beside me. It seemed odd to me that they were so concerned but I never questioned them about it. I took a deep breath before continuing.

"After I told him he was mistaken he called me a few other names and then started wailing on me. I tried to stop him I really did but I couldn't," I finally lost the battle with my emotions. I felt the warm liquid run down my cheeks. I wiped it away as quickly as I could.

"Punker, it's nothing to be ashamed of. You've had a long day. You're in pain..." I cut Randy off in the middle of his spill.

"RK, you don't get it. You and Dave would have still been standing. I was too weak to stop him. "How the hell am I supposed to protect Freya if I can't even protect myself," I had just blurted out my single biggest concern.

"Punker, you are half his size. If I had been caught off guard I doubt I'd be standing. Dave is way bigger than Tomko... He would obviously have the upper hand, but you can't blame yourself for getting beat up when you weren't expecting a fight and you're way smaller than the guy." He had never been so sensitive around me before.

"What were you talking about... protect Freya," Dave asked as soon as I calmed down. It took a few minutes but I realized Randy was right.

"Freya is the winner of the contest and now my girlfriend. She's been hurt and I want to be able to protect her from that. It just seems like I can't protect her if I can't protect myself," I said. I was defeated. In those moments they were seeing the weak side of me. The side I've tried desperately to disguise.

"The contest winner is your girlfriend," Dave looked at me in surprise. I nodded. He shook his head. "You gotta be careful. It's hard to tell a person's true intentions so soon." I looked back out the window. I decided it was best not to respond. I braced myself for the lecture I felt sure the big man would give. He was wise but, with that wisdom there was often a lack of visible understanding. He wasn't one to show his feelings openly. I had closed my eyes waiting for a raspy voice... well the raspier of the two that I was in the presence of. After a moment I looked over at Randy who seemed to be just as surprised as I was. We both stood there a minute and looked at each other. Randy shrugged and moved to sit down in one of the chairs at the table.

"I dunno about you two but I'm starved," Randy said as he leaned back in the seat. I couldn't help but notice I was the only one in pants and the only who wasn't ripped. I quickly reached for a shirt as I was quite cold and not exactly thrilled about being shirtless in a room with those two.

"You're always hungry Randy," Dave said in an annoyed voice.

"Well, yeah... but we didn't eat on the way back to the hotel," he said defensively.

"You have a point," Dave said after realizing he was hungry too.

"You hungry," Randy asked me after a moment.

"Kinda..."

"That settles it then. We're off to Waffle House," Randy said in a comic book super hero voice. Dave and I looked at each other. I cracked up.

"I hope you aren't going in that," I said. Randy looked down and realized he was in his briefs. Dave laughed too until Randy pointed out that he was in his boxers. I laughed at the two of them was we changed in to our street clothes. We quickly headed out the door after grabbing the hotel keys.

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