27

Round five is here and Viktor was plowing into Adonis, each punch harder than the last. He was dominating this fight, but Adonis kept on getting up.

"He's like a piece of iron." Alexander said in pure amazement. As the fights went on closing in to the tenth round, I see Viktor suddenly ram his fists into Adonis' side twice and my eyes widened as Adonis immediately went down. The four of us were on our feet immediately.

"What the hell was that!" Aunt Alicia yelled.

"Ref take a point!" Bianca snapped. I panted heavily from my anxiety and worry, looking at Viktor as he was instructed to his corner by the ref. That was a nasty shot and he knew it. The bell rang just as Adonis fought his way to his feet. I winced wanting to go to him. I had never sat through so many rounds of watching my brother fight and to be here now was killing me. I knew he was hurting, even if I was just looking at his back. The way he recoiled when touched. His ribs were done.

"Don't worry," Alexander said firmly making me look at him. "He's going to find out just how dangerous Donnie is. He can take the pain."

I looked at Viktor to see him tired and panting. He looked back toward Ludmilla and I could tell she was looking restless herself wondering why my brother wasn't done yet. He was trying to stay focus I knew that much. The bell rang and the two got up and headed for each other again. They got a few swipes in, before Viktor got his ribs again and Adonis managed to get a punch in before Viktor punched him right out to the ground. He was down, groaning in pain. I covered my mouth in shock. All four of our arms linked together for encouragement as I knew Aunt Alicia was shaking.

Adonis rolled on the ground some panting heavily.

"Get up, Adonis." I whispered. Adonis looked at us and we all stared at him with eyes of encouragement. I looked at Viktor to see him watching him. There was no way he could get up right? Adonis started to pound his gloves into the ring and I smiled as he shouted hard and made it to his feet. Viktor placed his gloves on his hips, shaking his head as hid now.

I raised my head happily and watched the ref go to him.

"What's your name?" he asked.

"Creed." We both said.

"What's your name?" the ref asked louder.

"CREED!" he shouted. I smiled wider at his words. Viktor came back at him dodging his blow one by one. Adonis replied by getting shots in to his face before grabbing him and landing shots into his side. When he got Viktor to the ropes, he landed a punch but the second one was what sent Viktor hurdling to the ground.

My brother let out a hard yell as he fell, and I inhaled at the burst of energy and strength that was brought back to my brother. Viktor beets the count getting back to his feet. I am relieved but also worried only because that meant Adonis was going to knock him right back down again. The two go back into swinging and hitting each other. Ludmilla is shaking her head with disappointment looking at Ivan.

Adonis gets Viktor back into the ropes throwing hard and perfect punches. After four more hard punches, Adonis takes him right back down to the floor. I winced in pain as Viktor rolls to the ground. I see the same flash of white again and I look to see Ludmilla getting and walking away toward the hall and I felt my stomach tighten in disgust at her. Once more she's leaving. I'm huffing and puffing in anger, that I quickly moved from my chair and made a straight line after them. I don't know what it was I was going to do or say, but I wasn't about to just let her leave as if this fight wasn't about her, or let her think somehow this fight inconvenienced her. As they began to enter the hall, I followed and stopped a few feet in.

"You will not walk away again!" I shouted. The two stopped and Ludmilla whipped her head at me and I just frowned at her, my body shaking. She scoffed and smirked.

"Aw if it isn't Apollo's bastard." she said. I shook my head slowly feeling tears swell in my eyes from the anger. I didn't care what she called me, but she would not have the last say in the last event she got see of her son.

"You will not walk away from him again." I said voice trembling and shaking my head. Ludmilla smirked some more.

"Walk away little girl." she said sinisterly. I frowned heavily.

"You ungrateful cun-"

"Astrid!" I look over to see Aunt Alicia approaching with strength and authority. "You don't speak that way to anyone, I raised you better than that." I winced and looked at the two across from us.

"Alicia, you should teach your… niece some manners. But from your family I am not surprised, being raised by you I can see where she gets it from." she said snobbishly. Aunt Alicia gave a stiff frown at her at her before putting her hand on my lower back.

"You know, Ludmilla you were trash thirty years ago and you are trash now." she said icily and this time, the woman's smirk fell into a deep frown and in Aunt Alicia just turned me away from them and we moved back out toward the arena. I wiped my face shaking my head while my aunt comforted me. As we entered the arena, I saw another horrifying sight. Viktor was in the corner, Adonis throwing punches into him nonstop. He would try and throw a punch but there was no feeling to it. He had given up. My eyes widened in horror as I watched my brother take shot after shot into my fiancé.

He knew his mother had left. And I hoped he didn't think I abandoned him too as I chased after the woman who will never call herself a mom. I moved to the ring, but was held back by the security guard. But he won't give up. He's still trying to throw punches, but none of them land. Tears streamed down my face as I watched knowing there was nothing I could do. I looked at Ivan to see the pain on his face, the hurt in his eyes at seeing his son being torn down. He then turns and moves over to his bag and I watch as he pulls a white towel from his bag and climbs atop of the ring and waves it to get the refs attention. My eyes widened as he throws it in the ring and the bell sounds again. I cry out in utter happiness that it was over. Adonis is pushed back a bit so he was aware, and he fell to the ground in pain and happiness. I closed my eyes relief before moving with my aunt to our spots.

"Did you see that! Did you see that!" Alexander roared in shock and happiness. We embraced each other immediately. My brother has defended his title and the world was cheering for him. But now that did not matter to me. I moved over toward the ring and when Rocky saw me he looked at me with sincere eyes knowing I had to go to fiancé. He helped me get inside the ring. Bianca was hugging Adonis and I smiled at them for a moment before slowly walking over to the other side. Viktor panted against the ropes as Ivan tried to console him. He tried to touch his shoulders, but Viktor just hit him away groaning and shaking his head at the ground. I waited and watched as Ivan consoled him as he should have done for so many years.

"It's okay." Ivan said before giving him a light hug. Viktor finally letting his head fall against his father's arm as he cried his feelings out. I was glad they were able to have this moment. Ivan looked back at me and I was just standing there, my hands together watching. Ivan whispered something into Viktor's ear and he finally looked up at me. His left eye was swollen, as well as some of his face. Ivan moved out of the way and I gently approached him. His arm came up and rested on my shoulder, but I could feel him pulling me in. I smiled and caressed his sweaty face as our foreheads finally touched, the smell of sweat and blood wafted over me.

"I thought you left." he panted heavily and I shook my head swiftly.

"Forever and always, I am here with you." I said strongly and he panted more nodding before he leaned in gently letting his lips press against mine. I responded not caring about the blood and sweat that now stained my lips. We didn't care about the cameras that snapped pictures of us, we didn't care about what anyone thoughts of us here in this moment.

After thirty or forty minutes, I waited outside Viktor's locker room. He needed some time with his father. I just pressed my body to the wall happy it was all over, happy that both my family were still here. I noticed Adonis walking into the locker room and I was tensed for a moment hoping he wasn't looking for another fight. I moved over to the doorway and peaked in and watched him limp over to Viktor and sit down beside him. I pulled away and kept my body to the wall listening in.

"I know how it feels. It may not seem like it now… but you gotta know you're more than just one fight." I heard my brother say and I covered my mouth. Finally speaking as two people, not just two fighters. "We both are." I found myself smiling in the darkness happy they had this talk. Once my brother left, he finally saw me and now we just stood there before each other. I smiled warmly up at him and he gave a warmer smile.

"I'll be waiting for that invitation." he said and I smiled leaning in to peck his cheek. As we hugged, Rocky had passed as well, giving a nod to Ivan who nodded back. It was done and over with. The thirty-year feud that was between the Creeds and the Dragos was done. I finally entered the locker room as Ivan was finishing tending to Viktor's wounds. Viktor looked at and smiled as I approached him sitting down beside him. He reached over and took my hand.

"Let's go home." he said. I nodded in agreement.