A/N – I forgot to mention earlier that I do not own any WWE superstar that appears in my fan fiction. The only things I own are the characters and situations that I create.

Chapter 7: Holding You Tight

"Wow sweetheart, why the rush?" then he noticed that the young woman was crying "Oh, are you okay?"

"I'm fine, please just leave me alone." Danielle said wiping the tears from her eyes and pushing past the man not even bothering to see who the man was.

"Wait, you've obviously been crying so there must be something you are upset by and you could probably use someone to talk to."

"No thank you, really I'm…" at that moment Danielle finally looked up into the man's deep blue eyes and realized who she had run into "…fine, oh I'm sorry Mr. Orton I didn't realize who I was talking to."

"Whoa, whoa, whoa, my father was Mr. Orton my name is Randy and what might your name be?"

"I'm sorry, my name is Danielle Harrison." She said again trying to wipe the tears from her eyes as best she could.

"Well, its nice to meet you Danielle. You knew who I was so must be you watch wrestling?"

"Ya, I grew up watching it with my mom."

"Really… well I gotta ask, are you a fan?" Randy said striking his every so cute pose and smirk.

"Um, sort of…anyways I'm really sorry for running into you and I really should be going."

"Wait, you seem really upset and I always feel its better to talk when you are upset than to hold all of that anger or hurt inside." Randy didn't know why he was trying so hard with this girl he had just met but there was something about her that just made him want to help her in any way he could. "You look like you could use a friend right now."

"Do I really look that bad?"

"Oh no that's not what I meant at all… its just that… that you seem really upset."

"Really I'm fine." she said beginning to walk away from Randy but then she thought better of it and turned back to him "Wait, Mr. Orton, I mean Randy, Do you know Ric Flair?"

"Yeah, sure, Ric's a good friend of mine. Why do you ask?"

"Its nothing really, forget I mentioned it." She said turning again to leave but again thinking better of it and turning back to Randy. "You know, I would love it if we could go talk somewhere."

"Okay, well you know I don't usually go out with fans…" Randy cocks a cute smile then continues. "…but I suppose since I offered I could take you somewhere where we can talk."

"Thanks, that would be great."

The two headed towards the elevator not really saying much but small talk all throughout the elevator ride. As well as throughout the walk to a small café down the street from the hotel. When they entered the café, Randy immediately lead them to a booth in the corner of the restaurant so as not to gain too much attention. Danielle didn't mind though because at this time she didn't want her tear stained face getting too much attention either. Jeez, she thought to herself I must look awful yet here is the Randy Orton trying to talk to me and comfort me. The two ordered coffees and for the first half hour or so discussed Randy's life and how he had come to be in the WWE. Finally Randy thought it was time for Danielle to start talking.

"Well Danielle, I know you would much rather discuss me, but we came here so that you could talk about what was bothering you and what had you in tears."

"Yes, I do need to talk but not about me. What can you tell me about Ric Flair?"

"Well, Ric's a great guy. He loves wrestling and his family. In these last few months he has become like a second father to me and a mentor in the wrestling world. Why do you ask?"

"Oh no reason."

"Come on, there must be a reason why."

"I wanna know what he's like because…because…you see…" Randy could tell that what Danielle was about to say was very hard for her to tell him. "…I just found out tonight that…that…that Ric is…he's my…he's my father."

"What! He's your father, and you just found out?"

"Ya, it's a long story."

"Well it sounds like you need to get it out."

"Well, a while back my mother was his personal assistant. Ric got in a huge fight with his wife and they were going to get divorced. Anyways one thing led to another and my mom ended up sleeping with Ric. The next morning she left and found out later that she was pregnant with me. She didn't want to tell him because he and his wife were getting back together. Anyways my mom passed away but sent a letter to Ric telling him about me and then he got a hold of me to tell me."

"Wow, I'm so sorry about your mom."

"Thank you, its been hard but I'm getting through it."

"Was that why you were crying because you just barely found out that Ric was your father?"

"Yeah"

"Are you upset that Ric is your father?"

"No, I just was upset that all this time my mother had kept this huge secret from me about my father and didn't tell me herself because she wanted Ric to know first."

"Well you understand why she did what she did right?"

"Ya, I mean I understand, but I still wish she had told me about him. I mean she did send Ric a letter to give to me but I think I'm probably too upset right now to open it."

"Well she probably sent you the letter so that she could make you understand. It might help."

"Your probably right, I just can't." Danielle said this with tears welling up in her eyes.

Randy reached across the table and held onto her hand. "Would it be easier if I read it to you."

The touch of his hand to hers surprised her but she liked it. "It might be personal…but yeah that would be great if you didn't mind."

"Sure, I wouldn't offer if it wasn't okay."

"Okay here it is." She said handing Randy the letter from her mother.

"Alright, here it goes…" Randy then began to read the letter to Danielle from her mother. "Danielle, I'm sure right now your in a lot of pain and very upset with me. I'm so sorry that I am the cause of this pain for you. I know your probably the most upset because all your life I never told you about Ric. The reason being because I really loved Ric. We had grown extremely close and I knew that one night with him would never be enough for me, but he was happily married. I knew my love would be even worse if I had to see Ric again. That is why I couldn't tell him about you because of my love and my own guilt over what I had allowed to happen. If I had told him about you I would have broken up his family and I would have had to see him and I just couldn't do that. I know because of my issues you suffered and for that I am truly sorry. I didn't tell you myself because I wanted to make sure Ric wanted you before you knew. I felt that if you knew first and then tried to find him and he wanted nothing to do with you, it would have been even worse. Please don't take your anger at me out on Ric. Since he told you he obviously just wants to be a part of your life. I love you so much. Please don't hate me forever either. Love forever and always, mom" After reading the letter Randy looked up to see the tear stained face of Danielle. "Wow that was quite a letter."

Danielle's crying then turned into giant sobs as she burst into even more tears. "My mom (sniffle, sniffle)…died(sob)…believing(sniffle, sniffle)…that I would(sniffle, sniffle)…hate her (big sob)."

"Danielle, its okay." Randy said moving to the other side of the booth to wrap his arm around the crying form of Danielle.

Danielle moved into his warm embrace. "No, its not, (sniffle, sniffle)… she thought I would hate her."

"Danielle, no, I'm sure she thought you would be upset but she knew that you could never hate her."

"But Randy… (sob) at first I did hate her." Forcing Danielle to burst into another round of uncontrollable tears. Randy still had his arm around Danielle and at that moment Danielle turned to him and said "Please, will you just hold me."

Danielle

Danielle collapsed into Randy's arms bawling her eyes out. She wasn't upset anymore at her mother for not telling her and she was willing to give Ric a chance. She was upset with herself for being so angry with her mother when her mother was just trying to protect her. For the time being Danielle was content to be in Randy's arms. She didn't know where her life would take her next but she felt comforted and safe in his arms. The safest she had felt since her mother's death.

Randy

Randy didn't know how else to comfort her so he did exactly what she asked and held her. He didn't know what she was thinking but he did know that she was upset and could use the support. He just held her and let her cry her eyes out. He had known Danielle for only a few short hours but already she had taken his heart and wouldn't let go. At this moment he knew he would have done anything to make her pain go away.

A/N - Well here is another chapter finished. YAY! I was so excited to write this chapter because I have had this part in my head since I began the story and it is good to finally have it written. Jess420 thank you so much for reviewing my story. I'm glad you are enjoying it. You were right about the stranger being Randy. If there is anyone else reading this story please let me know what you think. I would really appreciate it. Thanks.