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"So man, you excited about visiting your old stomping grounds?" Kevin asked Finn as they were getting seated next to one another on the plane.
Finn plopped down in the seat, "Yeah. Mostly just ready to have a break." He sighed.
"I feel ya. So, any plans for your visit back to your hometown?" Kevin asked casually.
Finn looked out the window, "Not really. I have to settle my uncle's estate. Then honestly I just plan on relaxing. Maybe rent a boat, go out on the water..." He shrugged. "I really don't know."
Sami leaned over from the next aisle. "Anybody special you're looking to see?"
Finn smirked, "Nah." He shook his head, and then stared out the window. The thought of a black haired girl with sad crying eyes invaded his thoughts and made his stomach churn. He hoped his trip wouldn't hold any unwanted surprises.
Like Darcy McBride.
He already made up his mind that if he saw her he was going to turn and run the opposite direction. Call him a coward he didn't care. He refused to see her again.
His mind flashed back to 15 years ago, on that seaside cliff path. He winced as the memories overtook his thoughts...
Strolling hand in hand. Her long hair was blowing in the crisp cool wind. Her head leaned over on his shoulder. He was only four inches taller than her, and it always felt so good when she would lean on him.
Her cheeks were flushed and pink from the cool air. Their relationship had been strained since he started contacting wrestling promoters. She didn't want him to leave. And he knew it.
It has been the elephant in the room for months. She was planning their wedding, and he was planning to leave.
"Darcy..." He said her name and it felt like it disappeared into the wind.
"Please don't say what you're going to say. Please tell me you're not..." Darcy was a lot of things, but stupid wasn't one of them.
"Listen, this is my shot." He tried to make her see.
"This is OUR shot!" She said spitefully.
She jerked her hand free of his, and turned her back. She bit her lip so hard she tasted blood. Finn clenched his fists.
"Why do you make everything so complicated?!" He fumed.
She rounded on him, "Me? Me! You're the one who got down on your fricken knee and gave me this ring!" She held up her left hand. "That was all you. Then, you just decide you want more out of your life or whatever."
She took a step towards him, and her voice softened a little, "We never talked about leaving...that wasn't in our plan."
He groaned, "Darcy, you don't always have to have a plan for every little thing you do. You don't have to be so up tight!"
She smacked him, her hand leaving a warm impression on his cold cheek.
"Shut up!" She spat out. "I don't care how off you are, you're not going to talk to me like I'm some piece of trash bar hound!"
The silence stretched between them. They both knew this was going to hurt. There was no fixing. No trying again. No more effort to be had...it was done.
"I'm leaving, Darcy. And I'm leaving at the end of the week. We want different things now." He bit his lip and looked around nervously. "I don't know what to tell you. I just...don't think I love you anymore."
She scoffed. "You're an awful liar, Fergal. I know you love me. You're just too selfish."
"Fine, yeah, I'm selfish and I don't care." He said quickly. He just wanted to get this over with. She made his blood boil. And the longer he stayed in this conversation, the angrier he became.
He tried walking away, but Darcy grabbed the hood of his black jacket and pulled him back.
"Fergal, please don't do this!"
He remembered pushing her down. Being so afraid he had hurt her, but also being too drunk and exhausted to care really.
He realized his hand was gripping the arm rest tightly, and he quickly loosened his grip. Bad memories.
Get a grip. Its ancient history.
He spent the week doing press and media. It went by so fast, and before he knew it Monday was upon him.
He was in a tag team match with Sami against Kevin and Seth. He was alone, in a dark corner mentally preparing himself. His paint was already applied. He didn't always wear it, but he wanted to treat the London fans to the Demon.
He checked himself in the mirror, taking in the details of the intricate artwork on his body. Not a line out of place. He breathed in deep, exhaling every distraction.
Time to impress. Time to shine. Time to be the best. Time to do what he loved. Time to do what he is paid to do.
Darcy fell over onto her big, soft bed. The silky feeling of her duvet cover felt cool against her skin. Long day. It was well after midnight when she reached home. A busy night at the pub.
She stayed to put away the glasses so Ben, her bartender, could go home. It was his anniversary. Darcy sighed. The only anniversary she had was with her cat. And that was okay with her.
"We don't need anybody else, do we Goliath?" She asked him as the cat purred beside her on the bed. Darcy sighed and closed her eyes. Suddenly, she thought of the anniversary she could have had...what might have been.
Fergal stormed off, and she stood frozen...trying to compose herself.
"He's not worth it!" She whispered. But she didn't have a choice except to let the tears fall. She hated herself.
She made her feet move. She knew he wouldn't turn around. She knew Fergal all too well. Once her feet started walking, she ran. She ran all the way back to the home they shared.
She unlocked the door and left it open. Sobbing as she threw some things into an overnight bag. Her chest hurt. She felt as if she couldn't breath. She knew her heart must really be breaking.
She took one last look around their bedroom. Framed pictures of their four years together decorated the walls. She bit her lip to keep from cursing his name as loud as she could.
She remembered staying at the inn until he left town. Then, a couple months later she sold the house, and everything besides her he decided he didn't want anymore.
Her eyes flashed open as she shook off the forbidden memories. She smiled, how much better her life was once she forgot all about old What's His Name