Ashley woke up about an hour later. She realized Dave was still asleep with his head resting on hers. He was also holding her hand over his heart. The butterflies made themselves known once again as she took a deep breath to calm herself. She felt Dave lift his head off hers and then heard him yawn. She looked up and their eyes met. Dave had just realized he was holding her hand and let it go.

"Sorry".

"Its fine, sorry I woke you".

"Oh no, I needed to get up".

Ashley pulled herself up into a sitting position, and winced slightly. She could hardly believe she was stiffer than before. She took a painful stretch that helped a little, and then the captain came over the speakers to let the passengers know they would be descending shortly.

"Well, I didn't think I'd be coming home so soon".

"Yeah, Sara was really surprised when I told her".

"Surprised"?

"Apparently she had the idea you were to stubborn about work to let an injury get in your way. I wonder where she got that from".

"Oh".

The plane landed and Dave insisted they wait until everyone else was off the plane.

"Why did we have to wait"?

"Well, it made it easier for you to get off the plane right"?

"Yeah I guess so".

"Okay, lets get our luggage. I'm driving you home before my flight".

"Right".

Half and hour later they had reached Ashley's house, and as Ashley walked through the door she was greeted with a scream.

"What"?

"Oh my God".

Ashley spun around to find Sara standing in the hallway looking horror struck.

"It looks worse than it is".

"Oh my God"!

Sara was on the verge of tears now, and Dave had just run in from outside.

"I heard screaming".

Ashley pointed at Sara.

"Oh".

"Sara really, its not that bad. Please don't cry".

"When he said you were hurt I thought it was like last time when you hurt your leg".

"Last time she wasn't attacked".

"I still didn't expect…"

Sara let her sentence fall and went to hug Ashley. Ashley hugged her back tightly, but Sara was barely touching her. She knew Sara was afraid of hurting her, and when Ashley let go Sara was crying.

"Damn, am I that ugly"?

Sara gave a hint of a smile, but was still crying.

"Okay, I'm the one who should be milking it here. It doesn't hurt".

Sara was able to wipe her eyes dry, and even laughed a little at her joke.

"I made you cookies".

"Oh….. cookies"!

Sara laughed again.

"Everything okay"?

Ashley looked up the see Dave coming down the stairs. He was never good at the emotional stuff. He must have taken Ashley's luggage upstairs while she cheered Sara up, but now that she was better she had gone into 'mommy mode'.

"Yes, everything's good. Ashley, go upstairs and lie down. I'll bring up some cookies, but you need to stay in bed".

"But…"

"No buts. Now go on".

Ashley headed up the stairs, and heard Dave laughing.

"Not a word out of you".

"I didn't say anything".

"No, but I know what your thinking".

"Oh, so I'm in trouble before I do anything"?

"Yep, when does your plane leave"?

"I have to call and confirm".

"Oh, well come and hang out with me. You can call from my room".

"Lead the way".

Ashley went upstairs and plopped on her bed, but winced when she landed on her back.

"I gotta remember to stop doing that".

"That might help".

B sat on the bed and picked up the phone. After a few minutes it became clear something was wrong.

"It's canceled… okay… when's the next flight… tomorrow… fine, yes I'll take it… yeah thanks".

Dave put the phone back in its cradle.

"Something wrong"?

"My flights been postponed until tomorrow".

"Oh, sorry".

"Its not your fault".

"Your welcome to stay here".

"Thanks, but I…"

"Your staying here, get over it. The guest room is next to mine".

Ha. Thank you".

"Your welcome".

"Well, I guess I better call Hunter".

"Eh, that sounds like fun".

"Oh it will be".

Dave picked up his cell phone.

"Wow, 30 missed calls".

"Your popular".

"Looks like it. I'm going to put this on speakerphone. I want you to hear this".

"Wont that piss him off"?

"Just be quiet and he'll never know".

Ashley brought a finger to her lips as Sara came in. She nodded and closed the door when she left. Dave dialed Trip's number.

"Hello"?

"Hey Hunter, what's up"?

"Don't give me that 'hey Hunter what's up' shit! Where the hell have you been Dave"?

"I've been at the hospital".

"Why the hell were you at the hospital"?

"I was with Ashley, you remember her, right"?

"Dave, you up and disappear after our match, and your telling me you ran off to be with her".

"Yes, and I have a few questions about that".

"What"?

"I told you to let me handle it, but you apparently felt the need to start a fight with Ashley anyway! Since you were the last one to see her, it makes me wonder".

"Wonder about what"?

"It makes me wonder if it was you that attacked her".

"What? Dave that's crazy! Why would I waste my time like that? You see, I told you she'd try to tear us apart"!

Actually, she doesn't think it was you, but I know you better then she does".

"Dave I am not discussing this on the phone. I don't care what that skanky ass bitch thinks"!

"IF YOU EVER CALL HER THAT AGAIN I WILL BEAT THE HELL OUT OF YOU"!

"Dave! Calm down! I'm sorry, but you need to start thinking about what's important. I'll talk to you on Raw. Maybe then you'll have your head on straight".

"Whatever".

"Dave".

"Whatever"!

Dave snapped his phone shut and tossed it on the bed. As he paced the length of Ashley's room he clenched and unclenched his fists.

"If I find out he had anything to do with this…"

Ashley let him pace. She had never heard him yell like that. This continued for about 10 minutes. Ashley couldn't think of anything to say, and Dave seemed content with pacing.

"You have a gym here right"?

Dave had suddenly stopped, and had caught Ashley off guard.

"Huh"?

"Your gym"?

"Oh right. Its in the basement".

"I have to work out".

With that B walked out and headed down the stairs, and Ashley stared after him. Sara came in seconds later.

"What happened? I heard yelling".

"Triple H".

"Okay, is that supposed to mean something"?

"He was talking to Triple H, and he had it on speakerphone. Dave was asking him why he argued with me, and if he attacked me. Then Trip called me… it doesn't matter what he called me, but it made Dave so mad. I never heard him yell like that before. I…"

Sara had pulled Ashley into a hug. Ashley had just realized she was starting to sound hysterical.

"Its okay, sometimes people get crazy when it comes to love".

"Love? What"?

"Oh Ashley, come on. Even you aren't that blind. Dave loves you, its plain as day. Whether as a friend or something more, he loves you".

"But…"

"You know he does, and I know you love him, even if you don't".

Sara stood up and left the room before Ashley could say anything. Not wanting to sit in her room, Ashley went down stairs. After sneaking past Sara, who was fixing diner in the kitchen, went down to the basement. Dave was in the far corner running on the treadmill. He wasn't facing her, and he had already worked up a sweat. She stopped right out of his sight and watched him. Even now, she could tell he was angry, but at least he didn't look at furious as he did before. She coughed to let him know she was there, but he didn't turn around. She stepped forward and leaned against the wall.

"Hi".

He looked at her and nodded then went back to staring straight ahead. Ashley had hung up a picture on the wall of a desert road that led to a beautiful oasis in the sunset. It motivated her when she ran, but she couldn't imagine what Dave thought. He started slowing down and then stopped. He took a deep breath and stepped off the machine. Dave stretched his legs and then set up the bench press. All the while avoiding direct eye contact with Ashley, even when she stepped up to spot him he wouldn't look at her. It wasn't necessary to spot Dave, he could have lifted a lot more, but Ashley felt she should do something other than just stare at him. After he finished he sat up and wiped his face with a towel, and Ashley went to her little fridge and got a bottle of water.

"Are you ever going to talk again, or did you decide to go mute"?

Dave looked up as she handed him the water, and he took it with a smile.

"Sorry".

"He speaks".

"I know. I just needed to work it off".

"I understand".

"I was just so pissed. I didn't want you to see me like that. I didn't know what else to do with myself".

"I understand. I'll admit, you never yelled like that before".

"Oh, I've yelled like that several times. I just wasn't around you, and that was in no way directed to you".

"I know it wasn't, but I was still the cause of it".

Dave looked down at the floor, but Ashley kneeled down so that he had to look at her.

"Its okay".

"No its not. Ashley, I care about you. I mean I really care about you, and the thought of you being hurt… it makes me crazy. I wasn't there, I couldn't protect you".

"Who could have? It wasn't your fault".

"Maybe, but I still should have been there".

"How…"

"If I wasn't in Evolution Trip would have never given you such a hard time".

"Yes he would have. Besides, it weren't for you being in Evolution we would never have met".

Which was true, Ashley's first major job on Raw was to interview Evolution. Ashley had made a few jokes which annoyed Triple H, but Dave had laughed. From that point on they had gotten closer and closer.

"I know, but I should have left a long time ago".

"Trip still would've blamed it on me. Dave, I'm not sorry about what happened".

"What"?

"I mean, its in the past now. I can't change it, but I can control my future, and yes it hurts, but that's a reminder of what happened. And I intend to deal with it".

"Even so…"

"No even so".

"Fine. Since I couldn't be there before, I'm here now. I intend to stay here for a long time".

"That's fine with me. So can you please stop with the workout façade"?

"Okay deal, but aren't you supposed to be on bed rest"?

"Yes, I had to sneak down here".

"Uh oh, somebody's going to get in trouble".

"Not if I don't get caught".

"But your health's at stake, I might…"

"If you tell on me I'll call you B bear on national television".

"No you wouldn't".

"Try me".

"That's not fair".

"Neither is you trying to rat me out when I came down here to make sure your okay".

"Fine, but now we got to sneak you back up".

"Here's the plan, you call Sara down here while I hide under the stairs. Then I'll sneak up while you distract her".

"How do I distract her"?

"I don't know. Tell her what happened on the phone… tell her anything".

"Okay, get ready".

A few minutes later Ashley was curled up in her bed, and Dave soon joined her.

"Well, it worked. I'm going to jump in the shower, but you should put on some p.j's or she'll know you haven't been up here".

"Alright, thank you B bear".

"The things I do for pride".

"I thought you did it for me".

"That too, but you know I hate the thought of people knowing you call me that".

"What… B bear"?

"Yes".

"Aww, but its cute".

"I don't mind it from you, but if Randy Orton ever uses it your dead".

"Ha. Of course, I wouldn't betray your trust like that".

"I know".

With that B threw a pillow at her and left. She could hear the water running in the hallway bathroom when her cell phone started ringing.

"Hello"?

"Hey Ash, its Lita".

"Lita! Hey, what's up"?

"Triple H is going berserk".

"What's new"?

"No, I'm serious. He's furious with Dave. He and Ric just beat the hell out of Randy".

"What"?

"Trip was talking trash about you in catering and Randy got pissed, and was defending you when Ric hit him from behind".

"Is he okay"?

"Yeah, he should be. He got off a hell of a lot easier than you did. He told me to call you".

"Where is Randy"?

"He's in with the trainer. Do you want to talk to him"?

"Yeah, if you don't mind".

"No problem, hang on".

Ashley could here Lita knock on a door, and her talking to Randy.

"Ashley"?

"Hey Randy, how are you"?

"I'm fine".

"Really? So was I delusional when Lita told me you were attacked"?

"No, I'm a little sore, but I'll be fine".

"Good, I'm sorry that happened".

"Yeah, well what can you do? At least now I have a match against Flair on Raw".

"I'm sure you'll kick his ass".

"Of course I will, remember who your talking to".

"A dork".

"Close but no. Randy Orton".

"Yeah, that's what I meant, a dork".

"Funny".

"I know".

"Well, let me get off here. I'll call you later, okay"?

"All right, bye".

"Ashley"?

"Hey Lita".

"So, how are you doing"?

"Good, stiff but okay I guess".

"You still good for Wrestle Mania"?

"Yes, I don't care I have to go in a wheelchair. Nothing is going to stop me from beating her ass".

"Good, cause she seemed really confident today".

"Really now"?

"Oh yeah, Infact, she's stopped faking injury".

"That's interesting".

"You can say that again. Oh, and guess who Trip didn't snap at".

"Trish Stratus".

"Exactly".

"Yeah, I wouldn't be surprised if had something to do with it. She did tell me to go the parking lot".

"That's just what I was thinking. Oh, I have a match with her on Raw too".

"Did you challenge her"?

"I was going to. She was talking all kinds of shit about you, but surprisingly she challenged me".

"Lita be careful".

"I know, don't worry. Kane said the same thing".

"Is he going to be at ringside"?

"Yeah, so there shouldn't be a problem".

"That's good, well let me let you go. I have to fill Dave in, okay"?

"Okay girly, cya".

"Bye".

Ashley closed her phone, and turned to Dave who had just entered the room. He was wearing sweat pants and was still wiping water off his chest with a towel, but then he saw the look on Ashley's face.

"What's wrong"?

"Triple H and Flair attacked Randy".

"What"?

"Trip was talking shit and Randy got in his face and Ric got him from behind".

"Is he okay"?

"Yeah, he said he was fine. He has a match with Ric next week".

"Well, at least he's okay".

"And now Lita has a match against Trish".

"That's not too weird".

"Trish challenged Lita".

"Oh".

"I don't have a good feeling about next week".

"You don't have to go".

"I'm not worried about me. I'm worried about Randy, Lita, and you".

"Why me"?

"Come on. Doesn't it seem weird that Randy's in a match with Ric, Lita has a match with Trish, and who knows what you'll have to do. It just makes me wonder if someone is planning another attack".

"Ashley, they probably are, but we have something they don't".

"What"?

"An animal".

Dave flexed his muscles to make Ashley laugh. It worked.

"How could I forget"?

"I don't know… umph".

Ashley pulled him down next to her and poked his pecks.

"Mine are still bigger".