Chapter Eight: The History
Disclaimer: I own everyone not recognizable
After the meeting, Carli said she was going back to the hotel. John questioned this and tried to talk her into waiting for him. It took some persuading but she eventually gave up. She would wait in catering for him and they'd go back together. She watched the show on the monitors and knew when John would be finished. 15 minutes after his match he came into catering and found her working on her laptop and three of her assistants were still there. They all stood when he entered and went into the hall.
"Keeping them a little late aren't you? Are you a slave driver?" He smiled at her.
'Honey, those three know nothing about law or personnel issues. They're always with me." Carli responded and John shook his head acknowledging he understood. He got a drink as Carli finished and they walked out. He had never noticed them before; they must be very good at their jobs. He said as much to Carli.
"They're not secret service; you're not supposed to notice them. If I'm with a group I know I'll be okay so I usually send them on their way, but if I don't feel the group could assist, they come with me. Now that you know who they are you'll notice more." Carli said.
"That must be really expensive." John said not expecting a response.
"Very, but Vince only wants the best and he knows he can trust this particular security firm. That and I know what they did before becoming rent-a-cops." Carli basically admitted Vince was paying for it without actually using the words. She gathered her things and he carried their bags to the car. They went to a restaurant with the group; John failed to mention this until they arrived. He noticed her security team behind them and laughed at how obvious they are when you know their there. During dinner nothing was said about Carli's outburst; everybody acted as if nothing happened and she liked it that way. When they got back to the hotel John was dying to know her past but would wait for her to come to him. She changed out of her work clothes and into her jammies. She sat on the couch next to John and clutched a pillow.
"Are you sure you're ready for this? She asked him.
"I'm ready for as much as you're willing to share." He looked at her and kissed her. She took a deep breath and closed her eyes.
"I dated a guy in college who seemed very nice and loving. What I thought was simply overprotectiveness, turned into slow mental and emotional abuse. He was very good at it because I didn't know it was happening. It started as him getting upset if I even talked to another guy. If a guy said hi to me and not him I must be cheating. If a guy said hi to me first and then him I must be cheating. If I tried to defend the guy and myself he would grab my arm and get in my face calling me a liar. I had to stay right next to him at all times if we were out in public. I could only dance if it was with him, not even with girlfriends. This happened over a period of 18 months. One night he had called me so many names I'd finally had enough and I hit him across the face. He retaliated by wrapping his hands around my neck and lifted me off the ground while he choked me. When passers-by saw this he threw me down and kicked me. I tried getting away from him but he would follow me. He would call and taunt me reciting what I'd had for lunch or dinner, where I'd been that day and who I'd been with; I was so scared I didn't know what to do. This went on for a few years. You know how the cops are; they have to actually catch him physically hurting me before they'll do anything. One night I had been at the library doing some research and I got out later than usual; it was already dark. I walked back to my condo which wasn't that far and when I got outside the building I saw all the lights were out. I thought I had forgotten to set the timer for the lights. I went inside and none of the lights were working, I was thinking it was the electric. I looked around for candles and a flashlight when I heard his voice behind me. He started yelling at me and calling me names. It was a full moon that night so it wasn't completely dark, I could see a little. I was standing in front of the knife drawer so I grabbed one as quietly as I could and turned to face him. As soon as I turned he hit me with a baseball bat in the knee. When I fell to the floor, he kicked me a few times and picked me up by my neck. He punched me repeatedly in my face. He had my baseball bat and smashed my ankle and broke some ribs. I was barely conscious from the pain and the choking. I looked up and saw him swing the bat at my head; then I passed out. Next thing I knew I was in the hospital. They told me what had happened and all the damage he'd done. They said I'd also been in a car accident; the assailant had taken me out of my apartment and put me into a car. He crashed the car into a building on campus. I had flown out the front window and they found me at the other end of the store. The brick wall stopped the car but my body skidded to the other end. I was found the following morning. The police, being the gentle people they are told me he was probably going to throw me out somewhere and leave me for dead." Her eyes were distant as she told him what happened and she spoke as if it happened to someone else. She had been looking at the floor to avoid John's face, but she raised her head and looked at him. "I can still see him in my dreams." Carli's voice started to shake and she started breathing heavy. He took her in his arms slowly and held her tight. She let her guard down and let her emotions flow free. John let his tears fall as she screamed and sobbed, her body shaking. "I'm sorry."
"You're at risk being in my life. It's a lot to ask. Some of the inner circle didn't know me until after I came back, but they'd heard all about it. They made the decisions to be my friends and protectors, it took me a long time to accept it, but they know the risks." Carli said barely audible.
"I'm not afraid of a guy who beats a girl." John said with a little force behind it.
"He's not one guy. He's got connections and 'friends', a whole network of people. He calls at least once a month and never from the same place. He knows what I've been doing and who I've been with, what I had for lunch, what CD is in my car stereo. This is my life, John. I've learned to deal with it and I won't let him break me again. I live my life to the fullest because I never know when it will end." Carli said bluntly.
"As long as you let me, I'm not going anywhere." He held her face in his hands and looked at her deeply proving with his eyes he'd be there for her. "And from what I understand it's one hell of a ride!" Carli laughed at this and kissed him firmly. After a few reassuring kisses and hugs, they went to the hotel restaurant for a bite to eat. Since it was a Monday, nobody had gone out but they were at the hotel bar and grill. The group could tell John and Carli had talked, there seemed to be a deeper connection and a new look in their eyes. They had a late dinner and drinks with everyone. Carli's phone rang and she stepped to the side to answer it.
"Hey, beautiful. You look amazing tonight. Did you enjoy your dinner?" The caller said. Carli's body immediately began to shake violently. "I love the way you're wearing your hair." She anxiously looked around the restaurant not knowing if she'd see him or not. She slowly walked to the lobby and looked around. She couldn't see him but she knew he had to be close. She seemed as if she was in a trance and she walked through the lobby towards the main doors.
"Where's Carli?" John looked around the restaurant. "Carli?" He began to panic. "Carli, where are you?" They all started a frenzied search. He spotted her as she approached the main doors. "Oh shit, hang up the phone!" John ran after her. "Carli hang up the phone!" Everyone ran after John towards Carli. She seemed to be in a trance and kept walking right out the entrance doors. "Carli, no!" John screamed. Carli stood outside in the rain staring across the street.
"Is that your new boyfriend? He's a wrestler right? John Cena." The caller laughed maniacally and Carli stood there watching the figure across the street. "Come to me, Carli. I know you see me." The caller taunted her to step into the busy street. "Good girl. Come to me and we'll be together forever." John and the gang finally caught Carli as she was about to step off the curb.
He said softly, "Carli, baby, give me the phone." He slowly took the phone from her and listened.
"Hello, John. Next time you won't be able to come to her rescue. And there's nothing you or anyone else can do to stop me." The caller laughed and hung up. John looked around and wasn't sure if the caller was on the street or in a building. Carli's head turned to her right and she seemed to be watching something intently.
"Mother fucker!" John yelled and grabbed Carli's hand pulling her back inside. "Carli…Carli!" John got right in her face to try and snap her out of it.
"I saw him." She said, still distant. "Did you see him?" Carli's eyes rolled back in her head and she passed out. Mark was already on the phone with the police handling Carli's case and was describing what happened. He went to the front desk and told them the police were coming and to contact him when they got here. John carried Carli upstairs to their suite and put cold washcloths on her face. She started coming around and everyone sighed in relief. "What happened?" She whispered. John just held her tight and choked back tears.
"Everything's fine. He'll never get that close again." John replied to her. The police came and talked to everyone and John and Carli. "Give them his name, baby girl." Carli shook her head as her eyes grew wide. "Please. If we know his name we can stop him." She started breathing heavy again. She looked around the room as if saying his name would make him appear. She got up and went to her purse taking out a pen and paper. She wrote down his name and gave it to John. He hugged her again and handed the note to the police. Mark looked over their shoulder to see the name, he knew but now it was confirmed. He looked at Show, Matt and Shawn and shook his head. The four men went into the hall with the police to answer more questions.
"Thank you, baby." John said quietly. He held her and stroked her hair. "Thank you."