Disclaimer: I own no one but Nicole...

A/N: Again, thanks to all those who keep reviewing this story. Hope you all enjoy this one..

Chapter 19: Sometimes You Can't Make It On Your Own

Nicole lay on her beige suede couch wrapped in a blanket. She was quiet and still as she watched her soap opera. Commercial break hit and Nicole jumped up and went into the kitchen of her Manhattan apartment. She searched through the cupboards until she found what she was looking for; a box of chocolate. She grabbed a Pepsi from the fridge and walked back to the living room.

On her way back, she nearly tripped on the debris on the floor. Pizza boxes, Chinese takeout, soda cans and chocolate wrappers littered the floor and her coffee table. Obviously, she hadn't bothered to clean up. In fact, Nicole hadn't done pretty much anything since arriving home.

It had been a week since Randy had broken up with her. After John brought her to Trish and Chris, she didn't know what she would do with herself. She knew she couldn't stay on the roster for it would hurt her way too much to see Randy everyday. So, she and Chris went over to Bischoff's office, where Nicole had asked for some time off. On seeing the state Nicole was in, Bischoff complied and gave her two whole weeks off.

And so, now she was back in New York; back where she had started. She hadn't done anything since getting back home except watch television. She hadn't answered the phone and she hadn't returned any calls. She had completely disconnected herself from the rest of the world; she needed some time alone to think and get through all of this.

As the show came back from commercial, she popped open her Pepsi, and stuffed a chocolate in her mouth. She lay back down and continued watching the story of two lovers. She rolled her eyes as the male character told the woman he loved her; men never meant anything they said. They were all liars, and Nicole tried to keep telling herself that she was better off alone, but it was of no use. Everything reminded her of Randy; even the program she was currently watching.

She sighed and popped another chocolate in her mouth. After a few more commercial breaks and a half eaten box of chocolate, there was a knock on the door. Nicole looked to the door, decided not to answer, and went back to watching tv. But, whomever was at the door was persistent and the knocking didn't seem to want to end. However, Nicole continued shrugging it off, and tried to block them out.

Suddenly a booming voice came through the door, "Nicole Haze Austin, get your butt to the door right this instant. I know you're in there; I can hear the television going, so open the damn door!"

Nicole mumbled under her breath and dragged herself over to the door and opened it wide to reveal her father standing on the other side of it. She leaned against the door as he got a look at her appearance. Her hair was disheveled and was up in a messy bum. She wore a pink wife beater and black Juicy Couture sweat pants, in all she looked just as horrible as she felt.

"Good God!" he said referring to her appearance.

He pushed past her and walked into the apartment. As soon as he did, he almost wished she hadn't answered the door. The place was a mess; something very unlike Nicole who liked to keep her things tidy and neat at all times. He stooped down and began gathering all the junk that was lying on the floor and placed them in one corner of the room. Then, he went in search of a garbage bag and threw it all away.

While Steve was cleaning up for her, Nicole had sunk back down into the couch. She didn't know why her father was here, but she figured she had a very good idea what this visit might be about.

As Steve finished, he sat himself in the seat opposite Nicole and turned off the television, gaining her attention.

"I was watching that." She stood and tried to retrieve the remote control which he now had possession of.

He pulled it out of reach, "Well you're not anymore."

"The hell I'm not. This is my house; do you think you just can come in here and tell me what to do?"

"I think you forget who paid for this place," he smirked; he knew he had her.

Nicole pouted, defeated. She crossed her arms and sighed. Steve made himself comfortable and they sat in silence for a few moments.

Finally, Nicole spoke, "Would you just say it already?'

"Say what?"

"What you came all that way here to say; I'm sure you didn't come here to clean up after me, and make sure I was okay."

"No, I didn't come here to clean up after you, but I never thought that you would be such a complete mess. After all I did..." he stopped himself.

"Just say it, okay! You told me so, okay. You predicted this was going to happen; and you were right, so shouldn't you be happy" she pulled the blanket off herself and threw it to the other side of the couch.

"Why would I be happy to see you like this? Do you actually believe that this is what I wanted Nicole, because it's not!"

"Right. So you're telling me that you never wanted Randy and I to break up?" she cocked an eyebrow.

Steve pressed his thumbs to his temples; his daughter was too stubborn for her own good. "I think that it was very clear that I did not condone this relationship you had, but I never wanted you to end up in this state."

Nicole scoffed, "You can sugar coat it as much as you want, but I know that your probably ecstatic that it's over."

Steve sighed, "Contrary to popular belief, I do care about you Nicole..."

"Oh please, feed that to someone who will believe it, because you're just wasting your breath on me." She stood and walked over to the window.

He followed her, "I know we haven't always been on the same page, and that we've had a pretty rough time lately, but no matter what you'll always be my daughter...and that means that I'm always going to care about you; even when we might want to kill each other."

Nicole looked down at her feet, "Do you really mean that..." she trailed off.

Nicole had always known that her father cared about her, she just had never heard him say it out loud. She also knew that anything he did, or say to her was always out of love. So when he was warning her about Randy, in her heart she had known he was only trying to protect her, but her mind had been telling her the complete opposite. She has pushed him away, and had tried to completely cut him out of her life; something that she now wished she hadn't don't. In all, she knew she was lucky that Steve loved her enough to forgive all she had done.

"Of course I mean that."

She turned around to face him, "I know you were only trying to warn me to keep me safe, so that what happened wouldn't have. I should have just listened to you."

"It doesn't matter now; what's done is done."

"But I was so horrible to you. The things I said...If I would have just listened to you, I wouldn't even be here now..."

"Don't think of it that way. Think of it as a learning experience; something that you can always look back to later on in life."

Nicole smiled, "You're right." She paused wondering what to do next, and then, much to her father's surprise, she wrapped her arms around him in a hug.

Steve held her close as she began to cry. He rubbed her back soothingly, and when her sobs had ceased, he let go. "He's not worth any of your tears sweetie, so don't give him that satisfaction. Now why don't you go and get cleaned up, and put something nice on; I'm going to take you out to dinner."

Nicole hugged her father once more, and kissed him on the cheek. She then ran up to her room to take a nice hot shower.

Meanwhile, Randy Orton buttoned up his black shirt and looked at himself in the mirror of his hotel room. He made sure his hair was just perfect and then applied some cologne before smirking at his reflection. However, just as quickly as it had appeared, his smirk disappeared from his lips.

Since he had broken up with Nicole, she had been constantly on his mind. Everything reminded him of her, and the picture of the two of them that he carried with him every where was not helping. The photograph even smelled like her; making it even harder for Randy to forget her. And, in truth, that was all that he wanted to do.

Randy had broken up with Nicole in an attempt to help her, but, in effect, he had hurt her even more. He knew what he was getting into when he had agreed with Trish, and now he had to pay the consequences. Everyone seemed to think that Randy had proved himself to be the jerk everyone thought he was. He knew he deserved everything that was coming to him, he just wished that things could have been different.

Everyday, he thought to himself what would have happened if he hadn't accepted Trish's proposition. Randy shook his head as the thought once again appeared in his mind. He couldn't think of these things now; he and Nicole were over, and he was never going to have another chance with her, there was no use thinking of the 'what ifs'.

And so, it was for that very reason that Randy had decided that tonight was the night for his to move on, or at least try. He was going to try to forget about Nicole for one whole night, and try to get back to the person Randy was before he had ever met Nicole.

He took one last look at himself, "Alright Orton, you can do this." He made sure he had his key card and wallet, and walked out the door.

Within 10 minutes Randy had arrived at the club of his choice, "Velvet Paradise." He walked in, and headed towards the VIP section. As soon as he entered, he immediately noticed the scantily clam women throwing themselves at men. He sat himself down at the bar, and ordered a drink. It was at that moment, that Randy noticed the petite blonde woman walking over to him.

She sat down next to him and smiled, "Hi, I'm Lauren."

"Randy. It's a pleasure to meet you Lauren," he bit his bottom lip.

"So Randy, what is it that you do?" She leaned in towards him, making sure he was able to get a good look at her ample chest.

"I'm a wrestler for the WWE. And let me guess...you're a model aren't you" he smirked.

Lauren gave a small giggle, "Actually, I'm an aspiring actress. Do you really think I can be a model?"

Randy grinned, "Of course, just take a look at yourself honey."

She giggled again, and Randy half wished he had stayed home. He didn't know what had come over him, but it was as if the old Randy was back in action. He pushed the thoughts out of his head, and went back to the task at hand.

"So Lauren, what do you say we get on the dance floor?"

"Sure, I'd love to."

Randy took her by the hand and guided her over to the hand floor where they began to dance.

Dave Batista walked into Velvet Paradise with one mission on mind; to find Chris Jericho. He knew that as soon as he found Jericho, Trish Stratus would not be far behind. Dave knew they were most probably the only two people Nicole had kept in contact with since she has left to go home.

Dave had tried calling Nicole dozens of times, and never once did she answer his calls. He left her messages on her answering machine, and not once did she call him back. It was natural that she might not want to talk to him, after all he was Randy's best friend, but all he wanted to know was how she was holding up. He had heard that the break up had taken its toll on her, and he just wanted to make sure she was okay, and that she knew he was there for her. But as much as he tried to get through to her, he didn't know if it was working, so he decided it was best to talk to the people that knew her best: Chris and Trish.

Ever since the breakup, they both had been by Nicole's side. He knew they were very good friends before, but he now came to see how close they really were. Even though they hadn't been talking to one another, as soon as Nicole needed them, they were right there for her. And thank God for that, for Dave didn't know what Nicole would have don't if not for them.

As he searched the crowded club for the two Canadian blondes, something of greater interest caught his eye. There, in the middle of the dance floor, was Randy Orton dancing with some petite blonde. The pair were all over one another, and Dave could hardly believe his eyes. He knew Randy had taken the break up very lightly, and the things he had said were all too much, but now this. This was just the icing on the cake.

Sidetracking himself from his original task, Dave briskly walked over to Randy and tapped him on the shoulder. Randy turned and looked back at him. Upon seeing Dave, he turned back and continued dancing with Lauren.

Dave, slightly losing his temper, turned Randy around by the shoulder, "What the hell are you doing?"

"Well, I was having a good time before you decided to come and crash the party."

"Good time. You call groping a woman you barely know a good time Randy?"

"Well, seems like someone hasn't been getting any lately."

"What the hell is wrong with you Orton!" Dave exploded, "First you break up with your girlfriend, then you go on to act like it was nothing; that you didn't even care about her, and now you're letting some girl throw herself at you."

"God Dave, calm down man. Look, if you're worried about me, you shouldn't be. I'm perfectly fine. I'm 25 years old, and I just want to have some fun." he turned to Lauren, "How about we get out of here?"

She nodded and Randy led her out of the club into his awaiting limo.