A/N
I do not own ANYONE you recognize, Just Imara, she is all mine. Also, the question has been asked so I will answer, Hunter is not with Steph within the timeline of this story. It is not really set in any specific time line, just kind of there...PLEASE review. I have almost the ENTIRE story complete so...if reviews mean the chapters get posted faster...PLEASE review! Please and thank you!
They arrived at the
hotel and parked in the dark back corner of the lot. They were trying
hard to remain anonymous and unseen. They, Shane, Paul, and Shawn,
formed a sort of barrier around Imara as they snuck her into the
hotel via the back entrance and up the back stairs to their adjoining
rooms. They were right, they did indeed have an extra bed, two to be
precise. They had two full size beds in each room, both with a desk,
a full bathroom, a mini fridge, stocked with expensive treats, a TV
worth more than a small house and a view of the city anyone would
kill for. This was what Imara imagined heaven to be like.
"Hunter
and I will sleep in here, Shane and you can have this room. Try and
get some rest." Shawn smiled politely as he shut the door to their
rooms, separating them.
"So, what do you
think? Do you think you can handle this? Are you ready to start
fighting back?" Shane asked pulling back the covers on her bed for
her.
"Shane I don't know. I mean, yes I am ready to get out
of there for good but this can't have a happy ending for me. Dad is
going to find out and when he does, that's their careers, and yours
too, and who knows what he will do to me. I am happy to try because I
have nothing left, but my expectations are low. Thank you for tonight
though." She slid into bed, leaving on her day clothes afraid to
change into anything that might allow her brother to see her battle
wounds. She sank into the inviting mattress and almost the instant
her eyes closed as her head met the pillow she was asleep. The safety
of this room allowed for a quick fall into sleep.
Shane watched
her for a few minutes as she drifted off. He knew that there was no
other option, this had to work. He stood and watched over her. She
turned in her sleep and her shirt began to rise up creating a rift
between the bottom hem and the waist of her jeans. Peaking out from
the cotton was a deep purple contusion that looked to be the size of
a softball, judging from what was visible. Shane cringed. He had been
in his fair share of street fights, some even with his own father,
but they had all been carefully orchestrated and monitored and rarely
did anything serious happen to any party involved. Here his sister
lay, looking like she got into a few street fights on her own without
the safety of the ring, referees or medics. Her fights weren't
choreographed or practiced. She just got beat up. He couldn't stare
anymore. He had to turn away. He stripped down to his boxers and
climbed into the bed across from his sleeping sister. He eventually
drifted off to sleep but no matter what he did he couldn't get her
out of his mind.
---------------
(in the next room)
He tossed and turned for a few hours before he gave in to the insomnia. He heard the sounds of sleep from the bed next to him. Not wanting to disturb his roommate he went out into the bright hotel hallway. Quietly shutting the door behind him he sank into the wall next to him. He sat, rubbing his face, stressed from the events of the night. He was honored Shane asked for his help, and understood why. Vince didn't like DX, ever, and so it was the last place he would look for something that belonged to him, and they were the last people he would physically confront. He knew so little of the situation though. He knew it was bad stuff, Shane wouldn't do all of this for something trivial. He had to know how bad it was. He saw the mark left on her face when she climbed into the car earlier, but tried to ignore it placing the blame on her biting her lip or something. He knew he shouldn't, but he had to know. He snuck back into his own room, ever so quietly and then let him self in to the adjoining room. His stealth-ness would have made the SEAL's proud. He saw Shane asleep on the bed across from her, sleeping like a baby. He turned to her and saw her small, vulnerable frame laying there. She had kicked the covers off of her from the heat of the city. As his eyes adjusted more and more to the darkness he began to see the same thing Shane had seen, only he had a better view. He could tell the bruise was dark. It was pretty big for such a tiny girl. Seeing that imprint, that pain, made him hurt inside. He couldn't imagine the anger it would take for someone to do that to someone else, outside of the ring anyway. Even there they rarely walked away with memories like that. His heart ached for her. She was far too beautiful to survive what it looked like she had been fighting with her whole life. He wanted to scoop her up and take her away from here. He wanted to run away with her to some place safe where he couldn't touch her again. Without realizing what he was doing he began to close in on her, slowly, and caught himself just before he began to touch her wound. He shook himself out of it and made his way back to his own room. He climbed back into bed and laid there awake the rest of the night. He would make McMahon pay for every mark on her, visible or not. He played the tough guy on TV and to everyone around him, but he felt just as much as everyone else did. He was a big softy deep down.
She wasn't as asleep as he thought she was. Imara heard him leave his room into the hall way. She was awake when she heard him sink to the floor. As she was about to drift she heard the adjoining door creak open. She was used to sleeping lightly, she had to know when/if her dad was coming back for round two or three so she could mentally prepare. She was almost an expert at telling where someone was in the room simply through the sound of their steps on the floor. She felt him stare at her through the darkness. She wasn't sure which one of them it was but she would sneak a peek when he left. She could feel the covers off of her, and the holes exposing her bruises from her clothing which was tangled in knots all over her. She wanted to act as if she was shifting in her sleep to hide, but she didn't want to alarm him so she lay there, perfectly still, careful to maintain the slow deep breaths of someone asleep. She felt him inch closer and she was almost certain he was going to stroke her when suddenly he backed away and left the room. Just as the door closed her eyes popped open. She got a glimpse, and that was all she needed. She only had two options and both men were significantly different in volume, she knew who her midnight guest had been. She listened to him creep back into his bed, and she allowed her self to glide back into sleep, certain he was there to stay.