A/N: having issues with editing stuff so I've had to resort to shorter chapters to maintain the flow. Worry not, I'll still update. It'll just be…er…well shorter… lol. Thanks for the reviews as always! It so keeps me motivated!

"Oh thank God Kane." Torrie blurted on her way out of the bar and hurried over to the big man and Robin as they pushed through the revolving door.

"Torrie?" Kane asked confused. "You were looking for me?" Never once in all the years they'd worked together had she condescended to speak to him.

"Well, it's your brother actually he…"

"What about Mark?" Kane cut her off, anxiety knotting his stomach as visions of horrific accidents and worse ran through his head. He'd had enough of hospitals for one year.

"He's over in the bar and he's really drunk." Torrie looked worried but her words immediately released his tension.

"He's fine." Kane laughed and draped an arm around Robin's shoulders.

"I don't know…" The blonde said dubiously but Kane waved her off.

"Taker is fine right where he is. The best thing for you to do is leave him the hell alone."

"But…" Kane shook his head.

"Thanks for the info but I promise you he's fine."

"If you say so." She muttered and with a perfunctory nod to Robin turned for the elevators. Kane chuckled and shook his head as she left.

"What was that about?" Robin asked, the same confusion in her voice that Kane felt.

"My guess is with Sara gone she was trying to occupy some space." Kane snorted. "He doesn't notice it but most of the women here have had their sights on him for years."

"Mark?" Robin gasped. "Well, I guess it's not too big a stretch, he's not a bad looking man." Kane tilted his head and stared at her. "What? He's not! Not my type but he's a good looking guy."

"Right…" He laughed and ruffled her hair. Robin wrinkled her nose at him but started off in the direction Torrie had gone. Kane didn't move.

"What's the matter?" She asked when she realized she'd traversed half the lobby alone.

"Maybe I should go check on Mark."

"I thought you said he was fine." She asked making her way back to him.

"I only said that to keep Torrie's hands to herself." Kane said and glanced nervously toward the bar. "It's not like him to just get hammered anymore. Yeah he drinks but…"

"I'll go." Robin offered and ran a hand down Kane's exposed jaw. He was exhausted but she knew he'd never admit it. He'd nearly fallen asleep in the truck on the way here. "You take Spike upstairs and I'll go check on your brother."

"No, I'd better go deal with him." Kane sighed and rubbed at his eyes through his mask. Robin shook her head. If Mark was really as out of it as Torrie said, he didn't need his brother poking at him. Kane had told her stories about their dealings with each other and their problems and nearly all of them had ended in at least some bruises. No, Kane was already tired and cranky. Besides, sometimes a woman's touch was necessary.

Robin had the gift of gab from an early age. If anyone could get Mark to open up, it was her.

"Go. Get Spike settled and get some sleep. I'll retrieve the big bad Undertaker and be up shortly." Kane glanced down at her, then to the bar, and finally toward the elevators. Robin could see how tired he was. She just hoped he'd listen to reason and avoid any more bloodshed.

"Alright." Kane finally sighed. "Don't take too long. If you get him going you'll be there all night."

"Don't worry." She smiled and lifted his mask enough to kiss him. "We'll be right up."

Kane shook his head and, with Spike's carrier in tow, made his way toward the elevator.

"You alright there Taker?" Robin tried to sound lighthearted as she said it but the look in his eyes as he glanced up to her took all the playfulness out of her.

"I thought I told you to call me Mark?" He muttered and went back to watching the crowd.

"Okay, we'll try this again. You alright there Mark?" She teased and sat down beside him. "I heard you were in here. I thought I'd come say hi."

"Hi." He grumbled and tipped back a glass. Robin took a quick inventory and saw there were six more empties in front of him. "Shouldn't you and my brother be playing kissy face somewhere?"

"I sent Kane upstairs, he's exhausted." She said and tried to figure a way to get to the bottom of this problem. In as long as she'd known him (granted, that hadn't been terribly long), she'd never seen Mark this out of control. He was the rock around the locker room. He was always the one to give advice and mediate problems but now, he looked like hell.

"You should be too girl." He began after a long silence. "You had a hell of a night tonight yourself."

"Nah, I feel great." She smiled and punched him in the shoulder. "I never knew electricity could bring such happiness." Mark chuckled and nodded to her before finishing his drink and setting the empty with the others.

"Can I get you guys anything else?" A waitress asked as she came over.

"Yeah, get me whatever he's drinking." Robin told her and glanced to Mark. He nodded and waggled one of the glasses at her.

"Comin right up."

"You're gonna drink with me?" Mark asked and raised an eyebrow at her.

"Sure. You really don't look like you need to be alone." Robin said honestly. Mark could respect that. Kane had done well for himself this time. He was right, there was no pretense to this woman. If she had something to say, she said it. If something needed doing, she had it done. It was refreshing. It reminded him of Sara.

"No…" He slurred. "I probably don't." AH! That was nearly a breakthrough!

"What's on your mind Mark? You look like you're sinking."

"Drowning is more like it." He chuckled and took his fresh drink from the waitress. Robin took hers and reached for her wallet. Mark swatted forlornly at her hand and passed the waitress another twenty.

"Pickling yourself tonight would be appropriate." Robin commented dryly and took a swig of her drink. She nearly gagged. She and Jack Daniels had never had a friendly relationship. Mark burst out laughing.

"It's an acquired taste."

"You could've warned me." Robin grumbled and swatted him back.

"You could've asked." He was still laughing. That was good.

"Kane tells me you don't do this to yourself very often. He's worried." Mark rolled his eyes. Damn it. She should've gone for subtle but Robin had a sneaking suspicion the man beside her would appreciate directness.

"Of course he's worried. He's seen me worse though."

"Oh good, at least you admit this is bad." She giggled and tried her drink again. It was still awful but she managed to get some down.

"It helps me think."

"Helps you think? If I had as many of these as you have I wouldn't be able to remember my own name let alone whatever it was I was trying to think about." Robin squeaked and waved her hand over his empties. "Shouldn't they clean these up or something?" Mark shook his head.

"If I can see what I've had I'll be less apt to over do it." Mark muttered and clinked his glass with hers. Robin couldn't help but laugh. This wasn't overdoing it? Good lord!

"Mark, what's going on?" Robin asked out of nowhere. Mark actually flinched. "This isn't like you."

"Don't worry about me darlin, I'm just an old man tryin to figure out what to about my insecurities." Robin was taken aback. How terribly honest of him.

"Is this about Sara going home?" She asked. Mark flinched again as if she'd hit him but didn't respond. Oh yeah, the Undertaker was having an attack of homesickness.

"Doesn't matter. I've got a job to do." He muttered and tossed back his drink, emptying it in one gulp.

"Your wife loves you Mark." She offered. The pain in his eyes was so very raw. "She just had to get away for a bit."

"I just can't help feelin that if I can't be with her that someone else'll step in. She's a beautiful woman and I'm damn lucky she looked twice at me at all."

"She has eyes for no one but you." Robin grinned at the memory of them together. The first day she'd met them the emotion between them was tangible.

"She's been…weird…lately." He frowned. "We had a fight and she left before we could resolve it."

"You, my large friend, worry too much." Robin chuckled. Whew… the alcohol was worming its way into her nicely.

"Maybe so." He conceded and smiled toward her but it didn't reach all the way to his eyes.

"No, it's true. Your wife is your world and of course you're going to miss her but I honestly don't think you've got anything to worry about." Finally, the sparkle was back in his green eyes. It was such a relief.

"I know you're right but…"

"But nothing." Robin stopped him. "You've had enough. Let's go upstairs." Mark shot her an odd look. Robin choked on the last of her Jack and Coke. "No! Nothing like that you sick old bastard!" Taker burst out laughing.

"Gotcha." He grinned and stood up, dropping another twenty on the table. "Lets go get some sleep. It's gonna be a long trip tomorrow."