9

My world was spinning. Where was I? Who were all these people? I didn't know. I needed a drink. Not alcohol, but water. I was at long rectangular table that had different drinks and bowls of fruit. It took up an entire wall. Down the hall closest to me, I could see Aunt Alicia and Alexander talking. He looked stressed and was doing his best to hold himself back. He wanted to yell, and Aunt Alicia raised her pointer finger at him. Maybe she was telling him to keep it together. He knows. I KNOW he knows. Ivan Drago is his father.

I couldn't find Adonis anywhere. I told myself he went off to call Bianca and see how she was doing.

This was punishment for never asking his last name. But it was my fault. I fought tooth and nail to make sure I knew nothing of the boxing world that was my brother's playground. He had the rings and I had the canvases and the museums. We had our own world and here he comes moving through both our worlds. I just happen to fuck him first before my brother fights him. I turned from the table after downing the water. It was cold going down my throat and I loved that. I caught Viktor across the square lobby surrounded by beautiful women. He looked so uncomfortable, so out of touch. He saw me and I immediately turned and just walked down another hall that was cleared out of people.

I needed silence, I needed to think. God, so this was what total loss felt like. I could only imagine how Alexander was feeling. His father, killed his uncle. Now his cousin who he sees like a brother is going to fight… his brother. What was Aunt Alicia thinking? I heard heels on vinyl floors and glanced over my shoulder to see it was my aunt. I just turned away, my back to her.

"What were you thinking?" I asked lowly, flatly.

"I was thinking that I was in love." she answered. There was no guilt in her tone which upset me more. I turned and faced her with anger, but she looked at me with firms eyes herself like she wanted me to say something smart to her. And I didn't have the strength to do it.

"Titles…You said you both were from different worlds… this is what you meant." I concluded. She just stared at me with tired eyes and nodded.

"He was a soldier who came here and fight your father." she answered and slowly I nodded.

"And he did something terrible." I said very softly taking us back to when we were together in her car. She nodded once more. I shook my head.

"How could you do that to him, to our father?" I asked, eyes swelling with tears.

"I was young!" she snapped but inhaled, composing herself.

"Your father called me from Colorado and told me to fly in for a friendly fight. I didn't know who he was fighting. I had a one-night stand that turned into something else completely. I was in love-"

"Was? You still are. I see the way you look at him and how he looks at you" I said and she nodded slowly, a tear streaming down her face.

"Yes." she said lightly and I shook my head turning away as she approached me.

"I won't lie to you and say being with him was a mistake, because I have no regrets for giving birth to my son, your cousin." she said strongly, and I just sniffled some keeping it together. What was I to say?

"Is that why you adopted us? To somehow ease any guilt you may have?" I asked looking back at her offended face.

"No! I found you because Mary Anne, your father's wife told me you exited. I wanted to come find you immediately and I did. But when I saw you both with your mother, you were happy and healthy. I didn't plan anything until I got news your mother had passed. I had no reason to come into your lives just because. You had lives of your own. But I wouldn't let you bounce around from place to place." she said. I stared at her, the hurt still in my eyes, but then I thought, what did I have to be hurt about other than the fact she slept with the man who killed our father? I didn't know Apollo Creed and I didn't know Ivan Drago. All I knew was the love I always had.

"Does Adonis know?" I asked and she sighed.

"No. But Alexander does and so I am sure I will have him to deal with as well." she explained and I just kept sniffling some. I sighed heavily running my fingers through my hair. This drama was good for taking my mind off of what happened between Viktor and I. But then again was I not the spitting image of my aunt? She slept with a man she most likely connected with in the worst way possible. She didn't know Ivan would kill her brother. It was the after that turned everything upside down. And now both fighters' sons are going in the ring together and that scared me more than anything. Just looking at the two when we were all together showed the difference in height and muscle. It really all came down to who wanted to win more. My brother was already a champion, and Viktor wants to dethrone that champion.

"This night was supposed to beautiful." I replied walking around her. She immediately took my hand.

"And it still can be. Astrid, my past is mine to bear. Not yours." she said. "We do crazy things when we're in love, we…" Her eyes moved off to the side as if she was about to go on rant about love, but she let out a quick huff. She blinked rapidly and started to huff more. I looked her over.

"Auntie?" I said reaching for her as she covered her heart with one hand and raised her other hand to me waving me off.

"Fine… I'm fine dear." she said faintly. I took her hand anyways. She was panting now and immediately I was concerned.

"Do you need some water?" I asked quickly trying to move her back to the end of the hall where other people were. She took a one step. Two step. And I immediately felt her weight in my arms as she fell onto me. I screamed out as we fell to the ground together.

"Aunt Alicia! Aunt Alicia!" I cried out as her eyes fluttered closed. I shook her shoulders quickly and got no response. She's dead! She dead! I screamed hard in distress causing massive shock to the crowd before us. "ADONIS! ALEXANDER!"

I was crying heavily now in a state of utter panic and devastation as people muttered around her. Is she alright? Can someone get in here!

"GIVE HER SOME ROOM!" I shouted violently at everyone. But they're nosy and want to be in the middle of the drama. Immediately, I see a flash of black fabric and white skin. It's him. Ivan Drago cuts through like hot iron in the crowd and leans down to her. He's placing his hands under her body and I'm hitting his shoulder hard.

"Get away from us! Don't touch her!" I screamed as he lifts her up in the air. Her hair cascades below her as she's lifted, arms sprawled out. Even when unconscious she is beautiful. I squabble to my feet trying to go after them, before I am caught by my brother. He had no right to touch her. She was my aunt, my family. The world around me goes mute as I am screaming in sheer terror.

"Somebody call an ambulance!"

My reflection never looked so dull in a dirty hospital mirror. Everything that happened earlier was so miniscule now. Already forgotten. Nobody cared. Alexander is talking to a doctor and my brother is down the hall on the phone with Rocky then Bianca. I see Alexander's reflection beside me and I turn to him and immediately break down again in his arms. He embraces me hard trying to quiet me.

"Ssshh it's okay. She just had a bad panic attack." he says in my ear. But to me that's the same as a heart attack or something worse. "She just needs rest. Lots of rest. The doctors say she will be just fine." I hugged him tight, my eyes burning from tears and mascara. I peek them open to see a watery form of Viktor standing at the end of the hallway. I say nothing as I continue to cry on my cousin's shoulder. The ride from the hospital to my place was a blur. Peeling my clothes away and showering was a blur.

I stayed with her for as long as I could until I was told visiting hours were over. I didn't want to leave her but security was there to walk me out. I guess they did not want me to make a scene. I was in a snow pink blouse and bottom. Adonis had to fly back to the US to finish his training and Alexander had to return to his post. He was only allowed leave for the gallery. My phone vibrated softly and I looked at it to see it was Viktor who was messaging. I opened it.

Please come out?

I closed my eyes for a moment and then grabbed my jacket and slid on my socks and house shoes. I opened the back doors and was greeted by the chilly air. I looked down to see him standing there in a black hoodie and black jogging pants and tennis shoes. Had he been running?

"You shouldn't be here." I said coldly. He nodded.

"I couldn't stay away." he said with a shrug. "Will you come down?" I looked up thinking of what I should do before slowly turning and going back inside. I closed the door and moved towards my front door and left out it. Maybe he would be gone by the time I got out there, but he didn't. He was standing in the middle of the snow-covered road and I just walked up to him. Our breath could be seen it the air.

"You're a Creed." he said as if just delivering bad news to me.

"And you're a Drago." I replied. Did he know about Alexander? Should I even bring it up? No. It wasn't my responsibility to bring up history that had nothing to do with me. That was between he and his father. He shook his head and looked all around me.

"How is… aunt? Is she okay?" he asked sounding genuinely concerned. I bounced on my toes a bit trying to stay warm.

"A panic attack. The doctors say she will be alright." I replied. He nodded, his eyes showing relief.

"I know why she upset." he said. I looked at him intently wondering what he would say. "She see the man who kill her brother. She's sad." I wouldn't say sad. But I just nodded. Why not let that be it.

"I won't kill your brother." he said suddenly and I looked back at him, my eyes hardening a bit at his words.

"Good to know." I said and he let his had fall some and he shook his head.

"I don't care who you are. Your name… is just name." he said, and I immediately shook my head.

"No. Not in our worlds. Names are everything." I said. He shook his head taking a step closer to me.

"Not in my world. To everyone I am nothing. To my mother… I am nothing. It made me sick having to stand in that suit and smile for my father's associates. He feels he needs my mom back to bring back titles of his youth." he said. "Seeing you tonight was the best thing that happened to me all day. No amount of training could beat that."

"You don't know me." I said swiftly trying to smoke screen anything he was trying to do.

"You don't know me. But that night we were together, we weren't Drago and Creed. We are Viktor and Astrid." he said. If I denied him tonight, I wouldn't see him again until the day he is supposed to fight my brother. There would be nothing but worry and anxiety that day. I wouldn't feel his touch or see his attention on me. And even now after knowing what I know, I still want his attention and he still has mine. I walk up him and he just looks down at me as I draw closer. I gently stand on my tip toes before him so I am closer.

"Prove to me we are not just names." I said softly against his lips before he leans down and captures my own.