Chapter 52

Gunner had no idea Amanda and Sam had left to go back to their house to prepare for the arrival of their baby. Tahlia wasn't about to tell him either, simply standing with Taker's help and walked back to the house with him. When they got back inside, Gunner began yelling for them and Taker had to sit him down to explain what was going on. The boy was visibly upset, but tried to put on a brave face and asked if they could order pizza. Tahlia had no problem with that; she just wanted to eat something after having that workout on the basketball court. Taker ordered the pizza while Tahlia walked around the house, getting used to her surroundings. Gunner had turned on a movie in the living room, some kind of cartoon, so she left him be while grabbing her bag.

"Where am I sleeping tonight?" She asked softly, feeling Taker walk up behind her and felt his hands on her shoulders. They couldn't share a room together, not so soon and she was prepared for that.

At that, he smirked and gestured her down the hallway. "Follow me." He began showing her which rooms were which. Amanda and Sam's room, the nursery they had started setting up for when they were here with the baby. Gunner's room. "This is the main guest room." He said, pushing the door open and showing her. It was large, tasteful, not decorated by him at all. "Now, this house… had been designed before it was built…" Jodi actually, and he had stayed true to the design. "The bathroom." Taker opened the door, revealing a large, spacious bathroom and then pointed at the opposite door. "That leads to my room. Originally, Gunner used that room until he got old enough to say he was tired of being my roommate, never mind that the rooms have their own doors." He pushed open the door to his room, turning to grin down at her. "So… you'll, theoretically, be sleeping in there."

This was a slick design, especially when they would have to sneak around to get alone time together. She only snuck a peek of his room, knowing she could never be caught in there with him until they established what the ring on her right ring finger meant. If he was going to marry her or end their relationship because of Gunner's distaste. Tahlia walked back into the guest room, setting her bag down on the bed and looked around, not minding the décor. Something told her his deceased wife had designed this house from the studs all the way to what curtains to put up in the windows. The guest room, as he called it, was white with a multicolored bed set and white furniture, beige carpeting. It could be used for anyone.

"This is nice." She smiled up at him, sitting on the bed to test it out and clasped her hands in her lap. "You really do have a beautiful home, Mark." It was weird calling him that since she'd gotten used to saying Taker, but so far she hadn't slipped up. "If Gunner knows you're a professional wrestler, then does he watch you on TV or is he not interested?"

This was a bit iffy of a subject and he settled himself on the bed alongside her. The door was wide open, so anyone walking by -Gunner- would be able to see that they weren't doing anything wrong. "He's watched some of my matches," He said slowly. "But he doesn't watch… the story part. He doesn't really know about that, any of it." For a good reason too. "He knows I've got my, ah… moods." He fixed her with a stare. "I'm trying to make sure he grows up… normal, I think. At least not certified." Like him. "And… he prefers WCW." That pained him, on a lot of levels.

"Oh no."

Tahlia giggled softly, taking his hand to entwine their fingers together and looked into his deep emerald eyes. There wasn't a hint of acid anywhere – a hint of Undertaker. He was simply Mark Calaway in this house, in this moment.

"I was just curious. If I ever ask about something that you don't want to talk about, all you have to do is tell me it's off-limits. Same goes for me. I'm an open book though, you know that." She wondered what Gunner's favorite character in WCW was, not knowing any of them besides the ones that had left WWF to go to WCW.

Taker remembered the last honest chat they had. She hadn't taken it so well, so… he would tread with caution. "I'll let you know." He could give her that much. "Just… what happened, at work, that's no bueno here. I don't like bringin' work home." There was a reason nobody had met, or even heard about, Gunner. Real life tended to be dragged kicking and screaming into the ring. Look at what they had done to Shane and Vince… not to mention Sable. Yes, his son didn't need to know all that.

"I understand. I won't mention it again." Tahlia vowed, not blaming Taker for wanting to keep Gunner away from the WWF. Vince would no doubt try to use him as leverage and that could never happen.

"Dad! Come watch this with me!"

Tahlia smirked, releasing his hand and stood up to unzip her bag. "You're being summoned. Better go before he comes up here after you."

She laughed at his eyeroll, accepting another kiss on the crown of her head and heard him leave the room to go see what the boy wanted. While they spent quality time together, Tahlia unpacked her things and used the furniture provided, which didn't take long. Most of her belongings were back in New York…her home. This place didn't feel like home…not yet. She didn't know if it ever would and if she'd ever be fully welcomed here.

He had no idea what this program was besides a cartoon, but that was fine. Taker sank down onto the couch and draped his arm along the back of it, feeling Gunner nestling into him. His boy trying to act older and then wanting daddy's attention the next, he smiled. He was tired and this couch was too soft; it wasn't good for his state of awake.

"She's damn fine at basketball."

"She might be better than you." Gunner said without an inflection, eyes on the screen. "She's pretty."

"Told you so."

"Don't look outdoorsy though."

"She likes… parks." Central Park, at night, the insane woman.

"Wait, what's going on?"

Gunner looked anxious and scared, his eyes wide. "Mandy's having the baby! Right now!"

Tahlia had been outside near the pool in a black bikini, soaking up some vitamin D, when Taker rushed outside alongside Gunner, both wired. "Okay calm down, take a deep breath." She stood up from the lounge chair, pushing the sunglasses on top of her head and placed a hand on Taker's arm. "Do you want to go to the hospital?"

Gunner hopped from foot to foot, looking up at his Dad waiting for his answer.

"Well, yes…" He had to be there, he was the godfather. "Gunner, go get cleaned up." When Gunner took off, he looked down at Tahlia. "I know you don't know her, so I won't ask you to come, darlin'." Not unless she wanted to, but… Taker also figured that she might not be keen on being around newborns on that floor due to having given hers up. "Apparently she was having contractions here, she just didn't want to say anythin' on account of first times usually taking so long, but the contractions are coming faster, closer, now." He could remember Jodi's birth and immediately shook his head to clear that away. No, she had died in childbirth and he was not going to dwell on that.

Not today, not with Amanda.

"If you want me to go, I'll go." He looked pale white and Tahlia frowned, knowing he wasn't in the right frame of mind to drive to the hospital. "I'm going." There was no way she'd allow him to drive in this condition, especially with Gunner. "Let me go change really fast and we'll go. And don't argue with me. I'm driving, by the way." Snatching the keys from his hand, Tahlia took off into the house and upstairs to her room to change out of her bikini. 5 minutes later, they were on their way to the hospital and Tahlia had to keep reminding Mark to breathe.

"You know Dad," Gunner said from the backseat, staring at his Dad in the mirror. "It's not your baby."

"No kiddin'?"

"I mean, you tease Sam about it, but… why are you so worried? Mandy says women have babies all the time. Some, did you know this? Some even have them in fields, like in other countries."

If that was true, those were some badass crazy bitches. "I'm worried because Mandy is my friend, Gunner."

"Mandy was my Mom's best friend." Gunner informed Tahlia when she glanced at him. "They all grew up. Together. Here."

"That's really nice, sweetie." She hoped he didn't mind her calling him that. It was the first term of endearment that popped into her mind. "And your Dad is worried because Amanda is like family to him. And Sam. I'm sure everything will be fine." She winked over at Taker, trying to ease his mind a little and stopped at a red light, blinking when he bellowed at her to go through it. "Have you lost your mind?! There's no way I'm doing that! Sit back and cool your damn jets!" He was yelling at her in front of his son and Tahlia was 2 seconds away from socking him in the mouth.

"Okay, so…" Gunner had seen her jaw twitch and he had also seen that vein in his Dad's forehead throb. "You both are wrestlers? Who'd win? For real? Not that fake stuff either, cause… you look like you could be mean, Tahlia."

He snorted, shaking his head. Gunner had no idea. "Come on, darlin', hurry up, please?" He added with a strained smile. "Can't miss the birth, promised her I wouldn't." Taker had taken time off around her pregnancy, just for this, as promised. He had to be there.

"Only when I have to be, sweetie." Until some Neanderthal yelled at her for not driving through a damn red light! "As far as me and him facing off in the ring…I'd have to go with your Dad, but I'd give him a run for his money."

She winked at him through the rearview mirror, smiling and kept her eyes on the road. Traffic was horrendous in Houston and she was going as fast as she could. If this was Amanda's first baby, chances were she wasn't popping it out anytime soon. Taker wouldn't listen to anything she said though, so Tahlia kept her mouth shut and followed the signs to the hospital emergency room.

"Go, I'll park the truck with Gunner and we'll meet you inside." Taker nodded, taking off and Tahlia did as she said, finding a relatively close parking spot. "Alright kiddo, let's get in there."

Considering Mandy had been in labor since the day before… he wasn't betting money on time frame and just knew she'd pop when she popped and he wasn't missing it.

"Don't call me kiddo. It's Gunner." His Dad wasn't around to smack him upside the head and Gunner wasn't overly fond of being referred to as kiddo, sonny, bub, or honey bear. "Do you know where you're going? You're from New York, right? Do you see a lot of dead people there? Dad says New York is a cesspool." He had no idea what a cesspool was.

"Fair enough." Tahlia rolled her eyes, not remembering Taker calling New York that word and had to fight back a scowl. "You are too young to know what a cesspool is. And no, I've never seen a dead person before."

What kind of people were raising Taker's kid? Why were these the questions popping out of an 8 or 9-year-old's mouth? Tahlia couldn't question any of it either because Gunner wasn't her child. This was a big mistake coming here and trying to live in Taker's world. Tahlia was coming to that conclusion rather fast and glanced down at her ring, feeling helpless because she did love Taker. His son, on the other hand, got on her nerves a bit, if she was being brutally honest.

"There's your Dad."

Gunner ran toward him and Tahlia took a seat, trying not to let the questions and what Gunner said bother her. New York was her home – it's where she was born and bred – and people often got the wrong impression from it because of all the negativity it had. Honestly, to her, New York was beautiful and she enjoyed city life.

"She's uh… yeah." They were counting down apparently, the contractions were getting pretty close, but he was not going in that room again until his godchild was here, unless he absolutely had to. He ruffled Gunner's hair, then eyed Tahlia. She looked… something was wrong. Taker moved to sit by her, reaching out to take her hand. "What's on your mind, darlin?" He asked softly.

"Nothing you need to worry about. You've got enough going on right now." Tahlia spoke quietly while Gunner played with his Gameboy across the room, looking up into his worried emerald orbs. "You have to calm down, Mark. You look ready to either pass out or throw up or both." She'd never seen him like this before and didn't know how to handle it. "Amanda is going to be fine. Just take a few deep breaths."

Reaching up, she massaged the back of his neck, knowing it would relieve some of his tension and stress. If she ever became pregnant…and that thought went right out the window when she overheard a woman screaming down the hallway, her door temporarily open and then closed to muffle them. No, she would never have kids and focused on trying to calm Taker down.

"Sorry, darlin'," He knew she was probably freaking out at the sight of him like this and managed a small smile, reaching out to take her hand to squeeze. "I just…" Taker shook his head, exhaling. "Shit's come a long way since Gunner was born, but being here just reminds me of that night all over again." He had this fear… of losing Amanda, the same way he had lost Jodi, and then… in his head, it wasn't Amanda, but Tahlia and his grip on her hand tightened a second. "Brings back bad memories is all."

The way he trembled against her did scare Tahlia, but she didn't show it and continued comforting him the best way she knew how. "I will tell you from personal experience it really sucks pushing something the size of a watermelon out of the size of a lemon." She saw a slight smile twitch his lips and didn't stop massaging his neck and shoulders. "But Amanda is strong. I don't know exactly what happened with your wife and I know this terrifies you, but she's going to be fine. She HAS to be fine. That's what you have to keep telling yourself…" Tahlia gasped when he plucked her out of her seat and set her right on his lap sideways, holding her against him. If this is what he needed to calm down, she didn't mind being on his lap and continued talking in her soothing haunted voice. "I love you and you will make it through this just like Amanda and Sam will."

Taker wouldn't wish the pain of losing a loved one on anyone, not like that. He couldn't even begin to bring himself to consider the wreck Sam would have been if something did happen to Amanda, or their baby. Sighing, he rested his head against her shoulder, feeling her fingers moving through his hair.

"Tryin' to spoil me, Tahlia?"

Gunner was watching all of this quietly, trying to wrap his eight-year-old mind around what was happening. He clenched the seat rests when another scream, that the door didn't muffle so well, reached them.

"Always." Tahlia retorted softly, breathing him in and looked back at Gunner, who also looked pale. She immediately hopped off Taker's lap and walked over to the little boy, deciding to get his mind off the screaming. "How about you and I go outside for a bit and throw the ball around? Your Dad will stay here in case there's an update and come get us when the baby comes." He didn't need to be in here with all the screaming women. She extended her hand with a soft smile, waiting to see if he would reject her offer to play outside or not.

Gunner was staring at her like she had lost her mind. "It's a hospital, Tahlia." He shook his head. "You can't play ball here." Didn't she know? All people did was get poked or sit and wait on others.

"Why don't we go down to the vending machine? Get something to drink?" Taker suggested, needing to stretch and maybe remove himself from the damn screaming.

"Do they have places to play here?" Now he was curious.

Tahlia blanched, not believing the audacity of this kid. "You can toss a ball outside of the hospital, Gunner. It's not inside and it won't harm anything."

Arguing with a little boy was pointless and it was clear he didn't want to go outside with her. Gunner didn't like her at all, hadn't warmed up to her even after playing basketball with him. She was done trying to win him over, feeling hopeless and rejected.

"I'm gonna go get some fresh air then." Smiling sadly at Taker, she took off down the hallway and went outside around the side of the building, trying to get the screams from the maternity floor out of her head.

"Gunner…" He wasn't a total idiot and aware there was a problem between his woman and his son. Taker was leaning towards his son being the instigator. "You got to give her a break, she's new at this."

"What'd I do?"

"You knew you could go outside, you've done it before." He wasn't buying the angelic look. His son had that look down and he had gotten it from his daddy. Taker could make himself appear friendly and sweet and Gunner was a chip off the block. "Give her a chance, please?"

"You really like her, don't you?"

More than that, he'd like to marry her, but he wasn't about to make either her or Gunner miserable if they couldn't tolerate each other. "Yeah, son, I do."

Gunner heaved a heavy sigh. "Fine."