Uncommon Sense Chapter 15
By Batistafan
Rating - NC-17 for violence
Distribution: If you would like to add this story to
your site that's fine, just let me know.
Main Characters include: Batista, Triple H, Chris Jericho, Christy
Hemme, Nancy Adams (Original Character).

Disclaimer: This is a mature fanfiction intended for mature readers.
This story contains violence, coarse language, as well as mature
sexual situations (some may consider explicit), and these would not
be deemed appropriate for all readers.
I do not own nor claim to have any affiliation with the WWE, its
characters, wrestlers, staff or other affiliates. I do own any
original characters that I have created, as well as scenarios that
ensue throughout the course of this fiction. However, since both my
characters and scenarios are inexorably intertwined with those of
the WWE, my ownership of them is not autonomous.
I do not endorse nor do I discourage the use of any brand-name
products that might be referenced in the fiction and have no claim
to them as they are property of their respective companies of
license. Thank you kindly for not suing.

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"You have to walk carefully in the beginning of love; the running across fields into your lover's arms can only come later when you're sure they won't laugh if you trip."

Jonathan Carroll

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It was frustratingly impossible, she thought as she leaned her head back against the plane seat, trying desperately to think about something other than him. Nancy couldn't even shut her eyes without seeing his face, remembering his dangerous and enticing kiss in the hallway by her door or recalling the breakfast they'd shared before he'd driven home and she'd flown out to Max's family's Colorado ranch. His touch his smell his taste, he was permanently emblazoned on the landscape of her addled brain.

Her cluttered mind kept drifting back to the breakfast last week, when she'd snuck down to the hotel restaurant more than an hour early and taken the same table they'd occupied the first time they shared breakfast. Nancy was pleased that he hadn't been there waiting on her, and she'd had to instruct the waitress to charge breakfast to her own room. Little did she know, she had already been beaten to the punch, by Dave who had cleverly made previous arrangements with the wait staff the day before. Sneaky fellow. She grinned remembering how fiercely stylish he had appeared when he strolled into the dining room with a satisfied smile on his face. It always seemed to her as if he was hunting something or someone being as he appeared to some extent unapproachable until you got to know him. His eyes held a brutally intense glimmer as he swept his gaze around searching for her and then they softened, when he caught her attention.

Nancy found she had a difficult time looking him directly in the eye, wondering if he had regretted kissing her the night before. "Did you sleep well?" She asked, nervously struggling to make any conversation that made some sense.

"Not a wink." He grinned and pulled his chair out.

Nancy was afraid to ask why, and so she didn't. Likely it was the exact reason that she hadn't slept either.

He had brazenly palmed her cell phone from next to her place setting and after finding the contacts menu, he programmed his numbers into it, telling her to call him as soon as her plane landed in Denver. Then he had taken the liberty of browsing her phone until he'd found the options menu and then programmed her number into his own phone. He hadn't asked if he could do it, but she didn't mind. Something about his audacity to do so was attractive to her.

Nancy been prepared to get one up on him by paying the ticket, but the waitress swiftly bypassed her and thanked Dave for his generous tip the day before and commended him on his intelligent decision to keep his restaurant tab open. She then turned to Nancy and with genuine remorse, she apologized profusely explaining that she had been instructed not accept payment from her, and that she must have gotten mixed up.

Nancy smiled and reassured the waitress that the 'mix-up' was no problem, but when the woman walked away she arched one elegant eyebrow at Dave.

"I knew you were gonna do something like that." She let a grin drift across her lips, when he laughed. He was clearly pleased with the fact that he had beaten her again.

As the plane rumbled through the sky, Nancy could recollect his second request for her not to forget to call him when she landed, as they stood by his car giving their goodbyes. She thought about how it felt when he'd leaned over and kissed her on the forehead, telling her he was glad she didn't have a bruise, and how his hand on her shoulder had felt when he had done so. He had tilted her chin up and stroked his warm lips over hers so blissful soft, her heart nearly stuttered to a halt. Not more than a second's contact and then he'd traced where his lips had been with his thumb as if he were sealing her with it somehow.

She stood there trying to find something witty to say, but the words were gone, as he took one of her silken curls between his thumb and forefinger and then grinning rakishly, he tugged it gently and let it bounce back. The gesture didn't mean anything in particular, he'd just always wanted to see one of those curls spring back, it wasn't the only thing he wanted to do with those curls, but he wouldn't indulge his fantasy on her just yet.

"Call me." He said in a near whisper and then ducked into the car.

The loud announcement from the overhead speakers told her that they were about to land in Puerto Rico. She pulled the tiny cropped sweater that she had been using to cover her face, down into her lap and straightened up in her seat, a feeling of juvenile giddiness washing over her at the thought of seeing Dave again. They had spoken countless times since parting company the week before and usually always with Max hovering over her shoulder eavesdropping, leaving Nancy trying frantically to hide when she heard the phone ringing.

Nancy remembered how at one point she'd taken to pushing Max away and walking out of the massive ranch house onto the trail that led to a large rock formation by the river. She'd been trying to engage in conversation with Dave as she sat cross-legged on a boulder, when she felt something hit her shoulder. Turning, she saw that the object in question was a wadded up piece of paper, and when she opened it up it read – Tell him you need to see his big Greek sausage! She had whipped around with a scowl on her face to find Max hunkering behind the boulder, tossing more wadded up suggestions at her. Nancy had a measure of satisfaction when she'd bounced a nickel sized pebble off of the top of Max's head, eliciting a yelp. She'd even had to lie to Dave when he'd asked what the noise was.

"Just skipping rocks." She told him innocently. "Keeps the wildlife away."

And now the plane was touching down on the tarmac and she would be seeing him in person again. Nancy stretched and poked Max in the arm, "You wanna go get lunch?"

"You just had breakfast." Max reminded her.

"Correction…" Nancy informed slipping on her sunglasses as she shuffled out into the aisle. "I had a bagel and a glass of orange juice…the two of those do not a breakfast make."

Max nodded his head eagerly, interested in food as always. "Maybe there's a buffet, Vicki called and asked if I would consider forgetting her blunder last week." He said remembering her all of a sudden.

Nancy couldn't help feeling a bit apprehensive about Vicki. Not just because she was older than Max, but because she was also in a different social league than Max. It just seemed too good to be true, that someone like Vicki, who had dated wrestlers and sports agents would be interested in Max. Not that he was a bad choice, she reminded herself silently. "And so you said…." Nancy prompted.

"Weeell, I told her I would think about forgiving her if she could eat more than me at the buffet." He joked.

"That relationship is as good as over." Nancy jabbed. "I'm the only one that can eat more than you can."

"I said I would be happy to go out with her again, just sans the booze this time." Max sliced his hand in the air as if to say 'No'.

"Good for you, Max." Nancy encouraged as she stepped off of the plane and was swiftly swept into a swirl of fragrance. The runway and surrounding areas had been designed to be hospitable to the tourists and the pathways to the airport were lined with hundreds of exotic flowers that she had heard of and hundreds more she'd never even seen. It was a medley of tantalizing fresh perfumes and a calm placid breeze lifted her hair away from her face. This was heaven and she couldn't wait to get to the hotel cabanas. Partly because she was apt to have to fight Max for the best bed if she wasn't in the room first, but mostly because she knew Dave would already be there and she had little more than a couple of precious hours with him until he would be picking up his daughters.

As much as she wanted to meet them, she respected his wish for time alone with them. She knew how hard it might be for his daughters to accept someone in their father's life, even though she recognized this was little more than casual dating. She would back up and give him all the time he wished.

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"No I don't need to go in. I just want you to put these on the pillow for me." Dave explained to the Puerto Rican Maid as he held up flowers in one hand and money meant for a tip in the other.

Through a series of nods, hand gestures and smiles he was able to get the housekeeper to lay the large bouquet of Calla lilies, tied with a bright yellow silk ribbon and adorned with a rice paper card onto the pillow of the farthest bed in the room that Max and Nancy had reserved. He had chosen that bed because it had the best view of the water below, and because Nancy had informed him of her constant feud with Max for the most comfortable bed. He was a little envious that Max would be the one rewarded with her smile when she found the flowers and not he himself, but he'd get a smile of his own later on the beach. At least that was what he was hoping for.

Dave glanced at his watch again and then traipsed out of the duplex style cabana onto the rock path that led back to his own private two bedroom cabana. Nancy would be here soon and he knew once she found the flowers and his invitation, that she would meet with him. It was a treasured trifle of time that he had with her, but something was better than nothing and his hope was that once he was able to introduce his daughters to her that she might be able to share in the time they would have in the next few days. There was no harm in keeping his fingers crossed, but he preferred just to say a silent prayer as an added measure of security.

He slid the key into the door and turned the antique brass knob, swinging the ash wood door open wide. Dave loved the cabana with its open windows and comfortable beach-style furniture with dark woods and light, crisp upholstery. Flowing cream-colored, tulle curtains fluttered in the windows, casting reflections in the highly-polished, ebony wood floors as the breeze came through unobstructed. A stroll through the living area into the master bedroom revealed a large bed seated high off of the floor, draped in more of the tulle that could be drawn closed for the purpose of keeping the insects out. The bed itself was layered with yards of fluffy white and cream fabrics with splashes of sage thrown in, and what must have been at least twenty extra unnecessary pillows.

His bare feet sank into a plush, white shag area carpet that covered most of the bedroom floor. It had been placed at an angle to emphasize the expanse of the room exposing sections of the ebony floor at angles in the corners. An antique Louis XVI high-back chair with fluted legs was boldly juxtaposed with a round, leather-topped pedestal table, adorned with upholstery nails around the sides. A deep chocolate leather bench with rolled arms rested conveniently at the end of the large bed, presenting a perfect place for him to pack his picnic lunch.

Stepping through the master bedroom into the master bath, he found he felt right at home. The wood floors were honed to a rougher finish than those of the main areas, more than likely it was to prevent anyone from slipping and it lent a distinctly rustic feel to the room. Pickled walnut made up the basic cabinet design and the antique chandelier hanging above the massive claw foot tub seemed to be at odds with the giant stone shower stall. It was a harmonious, eclectic mixture that pleased his senses and made him feel as if he could throw his towels and clothes in the floor if he wanted and not be ashamed.

The tall casement windows in the spare bedroom were fully opened freely allowing the curtains to flap up along with the southern breeze. Dave knew his daughters would enjoy this room. On one wall was a highboy-styled armoire that housed a medium sized television and an x-box 360 game console. Without a doubt, this would most likely be the thing to get the most attention. The two closets adjoined, which might be a problem if Audrey really intended to bring her whole room as evidenced by her recent e-mails. He smiled thinking about how she always managed to pack everything in sight and he admired how his ex-wife had the motherly discretion to wait until Audrey slept to repack her possessions and pare them down to a respectable load.

The twin four-poster beds were draped with more of the same beautiful tulle, but the bedding in this room was a thick buttercup yellow with accents of bright white and deep sapphire blue. They had their own smaller bathroom with much less in the way of amenities, as there was only a soaker tub against one wall, another breathtaking chandelier and a blue and yellow toile de joyeau bench seat. It was immeasurably better than a five star hotel and he was glad that the company had listed this place as the one that would host the superstars for this pay-per-view and the following RAW. It was vastly unlike the museum quality suites he was used to, the one's Christy had always wanted to be in. He found his stress evaporating every time he looked around.

He hurried and finished packing the picnic lunch, and snatching up his keys and the picnic basket Dave Batista headed off to the beach.

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Nancy snickered, as Max walked ahead of her blocking the pebbled path to the cabana, determined to steal the best bed from her.

"Move, Max, that's not fair." She pressed one flat hand against his back, trying to offset his steps, but to no avail, and then finally gained the upper hand by purposely stepping on the heel of his shoe, causing it to slip off as he walked and then slithered past him, despite his protests and curses.

She inserted her key into the lock and pushed the door open, widening her eyes in surprise. It wasn't as posh as many of the other cabanas but the room was beautiful. Dark wooden floors, thick, fluffy light green bedding and large picture windows that had been left open to the breeze, causing the leaves of the ficus trees in the corner to ripple and sway. Looking at the netting covered beds Nancy spied a floral arrangement on one bed but not the other. She was sure she knew why.

"Oh thank God!" Max shouted, having finally made it in behind her. He shoved Nancy out of the way, body-checking her into the door frame as he ran and launched himself like an overweight human missile onto the bed where the flowers lay peacefully. In the process, he lodged himself in the creamy netting causing the contraption that secured it to snap loose from the ceiling, trapping him like a salmon in a fish net. He landed on the bed like a 300 pound, spent shell casing, causing the bedframe to creak and belch a groan of objection, and then seized the bouquet of Calla Lilies, ignoring Nancy's look of utter horror.

"Sonuva…" She began, gaping open-mouthed at the devastation Max had left in his wake. Nancy began to laugh with relief when she realized that they would be able to reattach the netting, but still she was amazed by his ability to wreck a whole room in seconds and she shook her head in amusement as she placed her suitcases on the floor.

Pulling the card from behind the yellow ribbon that tied the fresh grouping of flowers together, Max pretended to read it, detailing his own perverted version of what it might have said.

'Oh Nancy,' he began to read, trying to deepen his voice to match that of Batista's. 'I haven't been able to stop thinking about you since that night we almost 'did It', and I feel quite sorry that I didn't have the balls to slip you a hot beef injection, and let you see how it feels to have a Greek salami in your…', he turned away from her as he spoke in order to fend off her greedy hands. "Yeeeoowch!" Max howled when Nancy took hold of a finger's full of flesh in the area on the back of his arm, just above his elbow, pinching the dickens out of him. And then taking advantage of his momentary lapse in guard, she reached around and clutched the bouquet and card, whisking them both away in one fell swoop.

She rapped him on the head once, hard, with the card and frowned turning to walk away.

"Damn that hurt!" Max rolled over on the bed, reaching out his free hand, he thumped her in the back of the leg just below where the line of her shorts ended.

She turned around and whacked him on the head with the card again. "Leave me alone!" Nancy glared at him trying to appear tough. "And get off my bed!"

"Your bed?" He frowned. "I got here first!"

"Nooo, you didn't get here first." She said dragging out the 'no', a shit eating grin on her face. "Dave did." She held up the card and Lilies.

"That's not how the rules work!" Max argued, referencing the stipulations that had been a part of their game since the day they had chosen to start rooming together. He ticked the regulations of the game off on his fingers, listing them in turn, and then modifying them to suit his own needs.

"It was never a part of the rules because neither of us have ever had anyone else in our rooms." She stressed. "Besides, he must have known I would like this bed better than the other one and he claimed it on my behalf, and so thereby, you are shit out of luck." Nancy stuck her tongue out at him.

"Ooh, you suck." Max gritted his teeth and pressed her own sweater against her face pretending to smother her. He settled down long enough to survey the damage that his mid-air acrobatic maneuver had inflicted and then he asked. "So does that little card, mean you won't be treating me to a buffet lunch today?"

"Yep…" Nancy smiled as she read the card.

'Meet me at the beach on the south side of the cabanas, 11:00. – Dave.'

Nancy slid the card back into its envelope fighting off Max's hands as he reached greedily for it again.

"What's it say?" Max whined.

"A whole lot less than what you tried to make it say." Nancy shoved it into the side pouch of her suitcase. "No peeking while I'm gone either."

"I just hate you." Max said feigning fierceness and as a joking measure of revenge, he forcefully kicked her suitcase over flat on its side as he walked past to check out the bathroom.

Nancy chuckled as she searched for a vase in the kitchenette to place the calla lilies in. "If that was meant to hurt my feelings, then you're gonna have to try harder than that." She referred to him kicking her suitcase.

"You should see this bathroom!" Max announced eagerly. "I have an amazing view of Enrique and Anna from my window! Seriously they're making out right on the beach, where's your camera!"

"Where?" Nancy flew into the bathroom, digi-cam in hand, ready to sell her photo to the highest bidder.

"Ah! Ha…" He teased. "I was just kidding, but the tub's huge!"

"You're so mean." Nancy remarked and gathered up her swimsuit and sarong, shooing him out of the bathroom so she could change.

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Moments later he observed her as she was strolling barefoot through the shimmering white sand, a water-bottle dangling from one hand and her flip-flops in the other. The soft, warm wind had taken to teasing up the curls that had escaped from her attempt to restrain them in a clip secured at the back of her head. He admired the refined slant of her neck, as she raised her hand to shield her eyes from the sun and began to search the beach front for him. She wore a two piece bathing suit, and covered up the bottom half of her body with a silken sarong, but even that couldn't hide the elegant curve of her hips, and because it hung so low, it gave him a delectable view of her flat tummy. She seemed to prefer carrying her shoes to actually wearing them and he smiled wondering how she'd made it this far in life without having injured her feet.

Dave knew why she was having difficulty finding him, and a low laugh rumbled from his throat as he watched her walk, sand flittering off of her feet with each step. At 5'3" she walked tall, her back pridefully straight, even if she tended to put her head down when she felt embarrassed. But she didn't seem to be embarrassed right now and the silent confidence she exuded made her very attractive. And she wasn't aware of how many male eyes were trained her, despite the fact she was the only moderately covered woman in a sea of scantily, clad ladies drenched in oil…but he was.

He thoroughly enjoyed watching her without her knowledge because it gave him a perspective of what she might have been experiencing when he'd caught her in the rafters watching him. It was innocent voyeurism he told himself, as she moved ever closer, glancing around into the crowd for any sign of him.

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Nancy knew that he wouldn't have stood her up, but she didn't see how she could have possibly missed him. He didn't seem to be anywhere on the beach. Another glance at her watch told her that she wasn't early and since it was barely 5 minutes after 11:00, she couldn't think of any reason that he shouldn't already be here. She wasn't frustrated, just worried. Had he changed his mind? Stepping through the sand, she sighed and turned her head again, shielding her eyes from the sun, hoping to spot him in the crowd.

From behind her she heard the familiar rumble of his voice, as he spoke.

"I hope I chose the right bed." The low tone and the sensuous innuendo caused her to turn, smiling…a warm fluidic sensation in her belly.

Nancy's expression changed quickly however. She was suddenly slack-jawed as she took in his appearance, noting that he lay back negligently on a large blanket. His chest was covered in a huge garish Hawaiian-print shirt, which explained why she couldn't find him, as she was looking for muscles and tattoos. The thing that caught her completely off guard was the fact that perched on the top of his head was the most impossibly large, wide-brimmed, tattered straw hat she'd ever laid eyes on. So large in fact, that it could only be likened it to an oversized sombrero.

An almost hysterical burst of laughter bubbled up and out of her mouth before she could stop it.

"You have got to be kidding me." She said her jaws still open wide and disbelieving laughter escaping again, as he stood to his feet.

"What?" He asked innocently, his mouth curving into a smile. The arrogant tilt of his head made the hat look even sillier.

"You…uh…" Nancy stuttered through her laughter, scratching her head as people began to look at him. "You remind me of something straight out of a Jimmy Buffet song."

"Well you know they're always saying you should protect yourself from the sun." He reasoned, moving closer to her.

"Anyone within a half mile of you will be protected as long as you're wearing that thing." A barely repressible smile tickled her lips as he stopped inches in front of her. "You're incorrigible." She admitted in a near whisper as he swept the hat off and wrapped his arms around her shoulders.

"Yes ma'am, I am." He drawled…His voice, seductively dark, as he spoke low in her ear, using the gargantuan hat as a shield for their faces. He ducked his head and his lips glided over hers, teasingly slow, and achingly soft, hinting at something else much darker and fiercer. The kiss was over much sooner than she wanted it to be and finally she let him lead her away to the blanket and the lunch he had pulled together as a surprise.

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Dave watched intently as the throng of people deplaned. He was looking for his little girls. He had barely been able to contain his excitement the entire afternoon and had chattered Nancy's ear off about his daughters. Pulling his hand out of his pocket to check the time, he lifted his gaze and caught a glimpse of Vanessa's dark, shiny hair behind a group of college aged boys, and when the boys veered off to the left, he spotted 5-year old Audrey, holding Vanessa's hand. She was wearing her Mickey Mouse ears and a pair of oversized blue plastic sunglasses and with childlike innocence she appeared to be completely comfortable in the get-up. He was instantly reminded of how much he adored her.

Vanessa was the first to spot her father, and she smiled brightly, waving and then leaned down to tell Audrey. "There's Daddy." Audrey's head snapped up like it was on springs and she hollered out to her father. Breaking free of Vanessa's hand, she ran at breakneck speed, the ears and glasses bouncing hopelessly down her face and head.

He caught Audrey in mid jump and held on to her tightly. "It's been too long between hugs." He said through clenched teeth, as he closed his eyes and cuddled his daughter. He hadn't known it was possible to miss someone so much.

"Daddy, I missed you, and we got to switch planes, and I asked if I could see the captain but they didn't let me, but there were these guys on the plane that kept saying Vanessa was hot, but I told them 'no she wasn't, cuz there's air conditioning', but they just laughed and laughed and I was real mad at them so I had to do something and they won't be laughing for very long. Can we eat now?" Audrey prattled through a breathless stream of announcements, at the speed of light, all while holding her father's face between her tiny hands in order to make sure he was looking directly at her the entire time she spoke.

Dave laughed squeezing her tighter, and then he crinkled his nose. "I missed you." He told her, his voice thick with emotion and then he put her down so he could give his attentions to Vanessa, who was looking nervously in the boy's direction.

She leaned into her father's side for a hug patting him on the back.

"Hug me like you mean it." Dave said, as she wrapped her arms around him grinning.

When she leaned back, she glanced again hesitantly at the group of boys. "Daddy?" She said getting his attention. "Audrey put something in that boy's back pocket and I didn't see exactly what it was." Vanessa swallowed and pursed her lips together. "I almost didn't notice it, and it's not like I was going to reach into his pocket and get it out."

Audrey had realigned her mouse ears and glasses and they covered her eyes so completely, that the only part of her expression exposed to Dave was the tiny chin that quivered at the knowledge she might be in trouble and the little red lips that had formed into a crooked pout. Dave took a deep breath and leaned down to speak to his tiny daughter. "Audrey, did you put something in that boy's pocket?" He asked his voice stern but soft.

She nodded, her chin beginning the familiar quiver that stabbed at his grown up heart. Audrey might be a mischief maker, but at least she admitted it. He ducked his head, trying not to crumble. "What did you put in his pocket?"

There was no time for Audrey to answer. The boys, who had been laughing and with one another, had approached the counter of the small coffee cart, all of them choosing to take a seat in the barstools at the nearby bistro table.

A suspicious and barely audible popping noise occurred after the tallest of the boys sat in his chair.

"What the?..." The boy stood up and reached behind him, his hand sliding through a long streak of red paste on the back of his pants and shirt, which bore an uncanny resemblance to ketchup. He grimaced and pulled his hand forth, glaring at the red mess. "How the hell did this happen?"

Dave's eyes widened and his mouth formed an 'o' of surprise. He whirled around to look at Audrey, whose face was void of any sadness, a huge, white-toothed grin splitting her face from ear to ear.

The boys began to look around, for the culprit. Taking this as his cue to leave, Dave cleared his throat and spoke. "Uh…girls, lets go get your luggage." Lifting Audrey into his arms, and grasping Vanessa's hand he whisked them away from the deplaning area and as he walked swiftly in the other direction from the bewildered boys, all he could do was fight like hell to keep from laughing his ass off.

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Dave tucked the suitcases into the trunk of the rental car, and slid into the driver's seat, glancing back to make sure Audrey had buckled up. He pulled out of the airport parking lot and Vanessa turned to him.

"Can we go shopping?" Vanessa asked smiling, flashing the perfect row of white teeth that had thankfully never needed braces. She pulled her long straight hair back into a ponytail and shifted so she could face her father, despite the constriction of the seatbelt.

"As if you don't have enough clothes." Dave concluded. "I felt how heavy those suitcases were."

He listened to her laugh and he realized with a twinge of pain in his heart, that he was missing his daughter's lives. Vanessa was so mature and had lost the childlike edge to her features, beginning to look more and more like Dave's own sister Lydia. Vanessa, he thought ruefully was becoming a woman, and she was beautiful. Man, were the boys in for it. She was tall like her father and athletic, but very dependable and organized like her mother.

Audrey on the other hand was a walking bag of practical jokes, a natural disaster waiting to happen, not unlike Nancy in some ways only Nancy's jokes were unequivocally verbal rather than physical. Audrey was a surprisingly petite handful and had to be watched closely at all times. She was bright and sharp-witted, bearing an uncanny physical resemblance to her mother and yet was a near carbon copy of her father in terms of temperament

"The only thing I'm buying when we go shopping is a weapon!" Audrey's voice took on a devious quality that instantly evoked the ire of her older sister.

"Just stop it, Audrey!" Vanessa whirled her head around and wagged a finger at her sister. "What you did back there was really horrible." Her voice indicated disappointment rather than malice.

"You don't even get to speak to me! Cuz why I'm still mad at you for telling Daddy on me!" The grossly large sunglasses hid her eyes, but Dave could see the fierce scowl forming on her mouth as he observed her through the rearview mirror.

"Audrey, I knew when you saved that ketchup packet from lunch you were up to no good…what would have happened if he got in his mom or dad's car and it busted in there? That would have been even worse and this was bad enough!"

"Girls." Dave calmly interjected, but was cut off.

"I know it woulda been worser! I'm not stupid!" Audrey's words took on a hard edge, despite the five year old tone of her voice.

"Daddy can't take you anywhere!" Vanessa piped up. "Because of how you behave..."

"He can so take me anywhere he wants to!" Audrey yelled, missing the meaning in Vanessa's comment. "I'll let him! And I can be better anyways!"

"Oh yeah!" Vanessa huffed. "Like you were better when you put dirt in the gas tank of Mr. Anthony's lawn mower, or when you taped Saki's back feet to his butt with duct tape and we had to get the Vet to shave him? Maybe you were being 'better' when you poured ranch dressing in my backpack?"

"I was tryin' to show how dogs can too walk with only two legs, and so what about ranch dressing, I didn't mean to pour it I was putting the bottle in and the lid fell off! You should know if you're gonna take the rabbit to show and tell and you bring him lettuce, you need Ranch dressing!" Audrey was screaming at this point, and the mouse ears had fallen off. Her sunglasses still remained, but with a disheveled slant, that revealed one eye and left the other covered.

"You two Stop!" Dave hollered over the boisterous girls, his deep voice cutting into the tension like a sharp blade.

Both girls fell instantly silent, Audrey began to put her ears back on and reposition her sunglasses, while Vanessa stared at her feet and crossed her arms over her chest, clearly an attribute acquired from watching her father.

"We have less than a week together. Let's not spoil it by fighting." He said trying to be stern, when what he really wanted to do was inquire how his youngest daughter had conceived of all of the pranks she had played lately. It wasn't as if he approved of her mischief, but he had to admit that for a five year old, Audrey had more cunning than most adults. He had to admire Vanessa for her ability to put up with it. He'd often believed that Vanessa had the patience of Job and even with her atypical outburst, he knew that she was fiercely protective of her baby sister.

"Sorry Vanessa. "Audrey said from the back seat, her swinging foot making a constant, 'thump', 'thump', 'thump' against the back of her sisters seat. "It's only those mean ole' boys made me mad when they laughed at me and they said about how you were hot, when I knew you were not hot, cuz there's air conditioning on that plane." Her explanation made a slightly miffed Vanessa smile.

"That's okay, Audrey." Vanessa responded softly, forgiving her sister. "What they meant was…" She stopped when she saw her father's subtle headshake, indicating this explanation was something better left to a pro, like her mother. "Thanks for sticking up for me." Vanessa finally said to her sister.

The trio pulled into the mall parking lot and took a space near the door. Dave hadn't been shopping with his daughters in many months and he was silently praying that Vanessa wouldn't buy any clothing. She was so much like her mother in the respect that everything had to fit perfectly, lie just right way against her figure, be just the perfect length and so on. Audrey would be content to run around all day in a Halloween costume or with her ballet leotard and a sheet tied around her shoulders for a cape.

Dave accompanied Vanessa into several stores, but she appeared unusually bored with the thought of buying clothing. She was much more interested in going to a book store. Audrey however had been hanging on her father's arm, tugging and begging to visit the toy store.

"In a minute, your mom said you need swim suits." Dave reminded Audrey as Vanessa picked through the racks.

"Okay." Audrey seemed content for the moment, but shortly thereafter she was tugging on his big arm again, reminding him of how close they were to the toy store.

Vanessa agreed that since they couldn't find any clothing of interest and no swimsuits that her father would allow her to wear, that they should indulge Audrey's desire to see the toy store.

Entering the vast store was a little intimidating, even for Dave. The walls were cluttered with every possible gadget that a child could want. Lights, sounds, movement, and kids, lots of kids…running around through the aisles and between the racks, but not Audrey. She was spellbound, with her mouse ears and sunglasses still on, and her mouth open wide, she drank in all of the hullabaloo around her without making a peep. When she finally found her sense of being, she took a few steps in the direction of the plastic play gear and toy guns.

Vanessa hung on to her father's hand as they followed along behind the tiny spitfire. Even as a teenager, Vanessa was still very much attached to her father and had never been embarrassed to be seen with him. They watched as Audrey, seemingly led by an inner instinct, browsed the aisle until a plastic combo pack, complete with a bronze breast plate, helmet and plastic sword caught her eye.

"Oh, man! That's awesome Daddy!" She tugged her sunglasses off and passed them backward to Vanessa who held on to them as Audrey stood in wide-eyed awe of the invaluable combo pack. "That's just the kinda weapon I need!"

A twitch of a smile wrenched at Dave Batista's lips and he leaned down so that he was on his daughter's level. "You're not planning on using that weapon on anyone, are you?"

"Only bad guys if they come around." Audrey admitted, shifting her gaze back up to the prized combo pack. "I could just love that, Daddy." She knew she couldn't make her Daddy understand how important it was for her to have something she could jab at the next boy who laughed at her or teased her. "This would have helped if I'd had it when Bobby Miller was breaking my crayons in class…if I woulda had that, I coulda…" She caught the frown that crossed her father's face and she stopped in mid confession. "I won't use it on anybody, Daddy. I promise."

"That's my girl." Dave winked, kissed the tip of her nose, straightened her mouse ears and stood up, pulling the combo pack off of the shelf. His daughters could have had anything they wanted, he knew he would have caved, and so he was doubly glad that they never had the shrewdness to take advantage of him. All told, they left the mall with Vanessa, the new owner of a handful of books and a pair of basketball shoes and Audrey with her combo pack and a red Slurpee stain down the front of her pale yellow shirt.