Chapter Twenty: Dave and Ric

Kali followed close behind Dave as they walked into the Evolution locker room. Hunter and Ric were inside, and had stopped mid-conversation when they saw them. "Hey guys," Hunter said, looking nervously at Ric. He looked like he was expecting the older man to do or say something.

"Hunter," Dave greeted and then turned to Ric, "Ric, I think we need to talk. Alone."

Ric nodded, but didn't say anything. "Come on, Kali, let's go grab some food," Hunter suggested, taking her by the arm and leading her out with him. "What the hell is going on?" he asked once they were free and clear of the locker room.

"Dave is talking to my uncle, I thought that was pretty cut and dry based on what was said when we walked in," Kali replied.

"Okay, sarcasm, not good right now," Hunter said, giving her a nasty look. "You do know you're uncle wants to kill him, right?"

"That's what I told Dave, but he didn't care. He wanted to try and talk to Uncle Ric, and I couldn't stop him," she said.

"This is gonna be bad," Hunter said, "for Evolution especially. I should have known you'd break us up."

"Excuse me?" she demanded, stopping walking and glaring at him.

"Kali, I'm kinding," he said, "but seriously, this is going to be bad. What are you doing here, by the way, I thought you weren't coming to the arena tonight?"

"What?" Kali asked, "No, my contract signing is tonight, of course I was going to be here."

"I'm sorry, I'm not really thinking clearly right now," he said, they started to walk again. "You're still signing with RAW, right?"

"Of course I'm signing with RAW," she replied, "You knew that. I told you that this morning."

"Still not thinking straight, still worried my two friends, and teammates are going to kill each other," he replied, increasing his speed as they neared catering. Kali rolled her eyes, practically having to jog to keep up.

xxxxx

"Is there any point to me trying to talk to you, man?" Dave asked, looking at Ric's back. The Nature Boy had yet to actually look at him.

"Not really, but you could try," was Ric's harsh reply. Dave sighed and shook his.

"I'm sorry you had to find out about Kali and I the way you did-" Dave began, but Ric cut him off.

"I'm sorry I had to hear about it at all. She's my niece, Dave!" he cried, finally looking at him. "I don't want or need to be hearing about the people she's sleeping with, especially not from some punk kid like Orton!"

"I know, and that's my fault for telling him," Dave admitted with a shrug.

"Damn right it's your fault. None of any of it should have happened in the first place," Ric snapped, "I never should have introduced the two of you."

"Hey, man, I care about Kali, a lot," Dave protested.

"So you got drunk and slept with her?" Ric said, "That really shows how much you care."

"Do you think I meant for that happen? Do you think I wanted any of it to happen the way it did?" Dave demanded, "because I didn't."

"If you had any respect for me and our friendship, you wouldn't have let it happen, but you did," Ric replied hotly.

"It takes two to tango, Ric. You don't seem to be blaming any of this on Kali, she was just as much involved as I was," Dave pointed out.

"I know that, but Kali's my little girl, my youngest niece-" Ric said, but Dave cut him off.

"She's also a grown woman," Dave said, and Ric just looked at him, completely silent. "I'm sorry if you don't like what happened, Ric, I really am. But it did happen, and you'll just have to deal with it," he continued after a moment, "I care about your niece, and as far as I know, she feels the same about me. What happened between us is mine and her business, and I'm gonna kick Randy's ass for everything he's been saying, but none of it has anything to do with you and our friendship."

After a moment Ric nodded. "You're right Big Man, you're right," he conceded, "you can' t blame me for being upset. Finding out they way I did made it all worse, but you are absolutely right."

xxxxx

Kali nudged Hunter as she watched her uncle and Dave walk into catering together. Hunter looked up from his untouched plate of food and a relieved smile crossed his face. "Oh, thank God," he said happily.

"You didn't kill each other," Kali pointed out when they joined them at their table. Dave smiled as he sat down next to her, putting his arm around the back of her chair.

"No, not quite," Ric said.

"Told you I'd make him understand," Dave said quietly to Kali. She smiled at her happily.

"I'm glad."

A/N: I hope you enjoyed this chapter, and please let me pause for a moment to freak out... 89 reviews!

Holy $#! I'm really amazed right now. This is awesome. I'm so happy. Thank you guys for reading. Now (Shameless plug) you should check out my new story called "Even The Best Fall Down Sometimes..." another Batista fic, but not a romance. If you do, I hope you like it. Thanks again!

Tanfalath