There Was Not Enough Time

By: El Chacal

Author's notes: This is my tribute to the late lamented Eddie Guerrero. My prayers go out to Hector, Mando and Chavo Guerrero, as well as Vickie and her daughters.

The tall man strode over the ground as he made his way to the grave. He did not know Eddie all that well having kept to the shadows most of the time. Nevertheless, he saw in Eddie a good soul who had braved his worst storms and came out better for it. That spirit was easily noticeable in his wife, Vickie, and their children.

When he did hear the news, he was struck hard with shock and disbelief. It had to be a ruse. Then he read it in the obituaries. It was not a ruse. It was then that he called up every single funeral home and told them that should Vickie Guerrero or any one who calls for a headstone for Eduardo Gory Guerrero Llanes, they should be informed that a 'consortium' is personally handling the crafting of the headstone.

Now he stood in the workshop that he thought he had abandoned years ago when he first debuted in the World Wrestling Federation. Before him was a polished gravestone made of black marble with white marbled frame. Inscribed on the top read,

Rest in Peace

Eduardo Gory Guerrero Llanes

October 9, 1967 – November 13, 2005

He Was Loved

What was welded, in a manner of speaking, into the tombstone was something that he thought was a real tribute to Eddie. A custom made championship belt with a spinner in the middle, similar to Cena's championship belt, only it had Eddie's initials as the spinning letters. The words 'A Champion Always' was written in decipherable script beneath the spinner. The belt was embedded into the stone so well that no one could take it out. It was a tribute, symbolic of the fact that no one could ever take that from Eddie.

He was only supposed to stay in hiding until the 27th but due to the dark turn of fate, he was pulled out of hiding to pay his respects to the fallen son of Gory Guerrero.

"Eduardo," he began. "I never knew you. Despite this, I know that your life was laden with trials and tribulations. A lot of the guys and gals, myself included, could relate in some ways to the crossroads you came across in your life. Your devotion to Vickie and your children is why I'm here. My wife, Sara, gave me two daughters. I love them so much."

Mark bowed his head, his dark shades covering his emerald eyes. "Yeah, I bet you're up there in heaven looking down on me thinking if that is the same Undertaker you fought alongside with and against. I only hope I can stay with them as long as I can." He spoke gravely as a few tears dropped from beneath the dark sunglasses.

"I made this in your memory. I guess the skills that came with my persona have their advantages, but that did not make the job any easier. I never thought I would have to carve a stone for you, not yet anyways. I thought you'd be old and gray before it was all over. There just was not enough time. I, along with the others, will look out for Vickie, Shaul, Sherylin and Kaylie. Thank you Eddie; for the memories, the smiles, the tears….for everything; I never knew you well and I miss you already."

With that, Mark Caloway a.k.a. the Undertaker placed the tombstone in its place before the gravesite that would be Eddie's resting place. Just then, he heard something behind him.

Footsteps.

He turned to see a girl, no older than about 14 years old staring at him. She was a bit frightened to see the near 7 foot tall man wearing a full length leather trench coat and cowboy hat standing over her father's grave as though he were the Grim Reaper. When she saw him face to face, she gasped as the man took his shades off to reveal the eyes of…

"Undertaker?" she asked in wonder. Upon the man's nod, she realized why he was there in front of her. "You were that consortium?"

"Yes. I thought it was only fit. Shaul, please don't tell your mother I was here. I'm not supposed to be seen by anyone until Survivor Series." Kneeling down to look her eye to eye, the Phenom spoke evenly to her. "There was not enough time for me to know your father well, but I knew enough from what I saw. He always had you, your sisters and mother on his mind and always in his heart. That was common knowledge to anyone who talked with him."

Shaul then stepped forward and wrapped her arms around Mark's neck and let him sob softly on her shoulder.

"Shaul!"

Vickie's voice broke the moment, causing the Undertaker to stand up from his embrace with Shaul. "You better get back to your mother before she gets worried. Shaul, promise me that you will not tell anyone you saw me. Can you promise me that?"

She answered him with a kiss on the cheek. "I promise, Undertaker." She knew that he was a good man and if he needed to stay in hiding until Survivor Series, she would keep her vow of silence for him. When she turned and went on her way, Undertaker took one last look at the stone before vanishing into thin air. The last words he spoke before he drifted from sight were the words he spoke for 15 years.

"Rest in peace, Eddie."