Friends maybe more...

Authors note: Thanks for the Reviews. Glad everyone is liking the story.

Disclaimer: I own nothing. Vince owns all the WWE stuff, and Kenny Rogers owns the song lyrics I used. They are from his song "I can't Unlove you."

Chapter 7

Two hours later, Maria awoke in her car with a splitting headache. Opening her eyes and looking at her clock, she realized it was 3:00 a.m. She had missed her flight. As everything from the night caught up with her, she let out a long over due sob. Sitting and hugging her knees to her chest, she allowed herself to cry.

She only stopped her sobs when she heard her phone ring. Looking down at it, she picked it up and saw that it was John. She couldn't talk to him right now. She needed to decide what she was going to do. She couldn't let him die because of her, but she didn't want to lose him either.

A few minutes later her phone rang again, and she couldn't help but cry again. She knew he must be worried about her, but she just couldn't face him right now. Shutting her phone off, she started her car, and drove to the airport, hoping to catch a flight to Miami sometime tonight.

------------------------------------------------------------

Meanwhile in Massachusetts, John was going crazy. He'd tried calling Maria all night long, and he still wasn't getting an answer. He'd seen what had happened with Chris Masters on tv tonight, and he was pissed. When he got his hands on Masters, he'd regret ever touching her. But blocking that out, he focused in on what really mattered at the moment, and that was finding Maria.

He had already called everyone he could think of, and none of them had seen her since after the match. She left for the airport, shortly after the night was over. She was going to catch an early flight back to Miami to avoid staying in a hotel by herself.

He'd even called the airport and police department, but they wouldn't give out any information on whether she had been on her plane or not. And the police had told him they couldn't file a missing persons report until she had been missing for at least 24 hours.

Packing up his bags, he decided to head back to Miami, maybe she had gotten a different flight or something. That had to be it. Throwing his stuff in the car, he drove to the airport, hell bent on getting to Miami and Maria.

----------------------------------------------------------------------------

Maria sat in the airport for what seemed like hours. The next scheduled flight from Omaha to Chicago was 6:00 a.m. In Chicago, she would have an hour lay over, then would head from Chicago to Miami. She couldn't wait to get to the comfort of home.

She still didn't know what to say to John, and didn't want to have to say anything to him. He was the only thing in her life that brought her joy, and it tore her apart to think that she couldn't be with him anymore. They had only been together for a month, and it had been the happiest time of her life.

She remembered all of the fun that they have had. Going to the beach, playing games, making love. Tears began to fall down her cheeks again. She felt so helpless. She knew she had to give up John to save him, but still it hurt.

She cried harder as she listened to the song coming from overhead.

I cant unthink about you
I cant unfeel your touch
I cant unhear all the words
Unsay all the things that used to mean so much
I wish i could unremember everything
My hearts been through
Im finding out its impossible to do
Oh, its no use
I cant unlove you

"Oh God, how am I supposed to just forget about him?" She cried to herself. "I love him so much, and I wanna be with him, but I can't. I can't just walk away from what we have. But if I don't, he'll die, and I could never do that to him. I'd rather him be alive and not with me, than be with him for a short while and him be dead.

Hearing her flight being called, she grabbed her bag and headed into the entry way. Sitting down in her seat, she waited for the remaining passengers to board, and the plane to take off.

------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Forty-five minutes later, she was sitting in Chicago waiting for her connecting flight. She was still too lost in her thoughts to notice the person walking up behind her. She nearly jumped out of her skin when she felt a hand on her shoulder. Turning to face the person, she could've cried.

Standing before her was Shane McMahon smiling down at her. It's not that she didn't like Shane, it's just that they had dated briefly when she had first started the WWE, and it hadn't worked out. He had liked her, but she hadn't felt the same, so she didn't think it was wise to just keep leading him on. He had been devastated by their breakup, and had tried to get her back for months, eventually giving up. They were just now getting back to being on speaking terms.

"Hi Shane." She said softly, giving him a half smile. "Fancy seeing you here. Where are you headed to?"

"Good to see you sweetheart. It's been awhile. I've missed you. And as for where I'm headed, I'm on my way to interview a new prospective wrestler interested in joining the WWE in New York. It should be interesting." He said, sitting down next to her.

"Well, how long of a layover do you have?"

"I'm here for about another half an hour. How about you?"

"Oh, I've got an hour. I'm kinda anxious to get home. I just want to be able to kick my feet up and relax I guess."

"Well that sounds good. Maybe I should skip New York and come relax with you." He winked at her.

"No thank you. I just kinda wanna be alone right now."

"Come baby, it could be fun."

"Shane. We aren't together anymore. You know that. I don't like you like that. Now, I thought you had gotten over that already, but I guess not. Now, can you please leave me alone? You're really starting to upset me."

"Fine. Be that way you little bitch. I see how it is. Now that you've got steroid boy, you don't need a real man anymore." With that, he got up and walked briskly away, not looking back.

"Oh my God. The nerve of him."

A half an hour later, her plane was called. Getting up, she got on the plane and headed home. Trying to forget her encounter with Shane.

-----------------------------------------------------------------------------

John had just arrived in Miami. It had taken him a total of 6 hours, that was with flight time, and layovers and stuff. He walked into Maria's apartment and found it empty. He wasn't surprised, but was disappointed. He didn't know where else to look for her. Plopping down on her couch, he put his head in his hands and sighed. His head shot up when he heard somebody opening the door. Standing up, he was overjoyed when Maria walked in the door.

Maria walked in the door and threw her bags down, only to be enveloped into a tight hug by John. She hadn't even known he would be here. She shed a few stray tears when she realized that this was going to be harder to do in person. She let John wrap her in his arms and kiss her for what would probably be the last time.

Regaining his composure, he let go of her and led her over to the couch. Sitting in silence for a moment, he finally broke it. "Baby, where have you been? I've tried getting a hold of you ever since last night. I was worried when you didn't answer your phone. Baby, why do you look so upset? Did something happen?" His face was full of nothing but concern as he went to put his arm around her.

Shrugging his arm off, she burst into tears. Trying to formulate the words she didn't want to say but had to, she finally got them out. "John, I came to the realization last night that we can't be together. This has been a great month. And I've loved spending it with you. I have never been so happy...But, things have come up, and I can no longer see you. I'm sorry. But I need you to go now."

"Ria, why are you saying this stuff? I thought I made you happy. I thought we were good together."

"You do make me happy, and we are good together. But fate is telling me that I can't be with you, and instead of dragging this thing out so one of us ends up hurt beyond repair, we have to end it. I do love you. Please know that. If you wanna hate me that's ok. I'll understand. But there is no future for us. So please leave. I can't deal with this anymore." Maria got up and ran to her room, locking the door behind her. Throwing herself onto her bed, she sat and bawled her eyes out until she could cry no more.

John stared at her retreating form in shock. She had just broken up with him, and he knew it had ripped her apart to do so. Something must be up, because she would never have done that on her own. He thought to himself. He hated to leave her like this, but he decided he needed to respect her wishes and go for her sake.

Picking up his bag, he made his way to the door, determined to find out what had really happened to bring on this sudden change in his baby girl.