Freedom Chapter 2

(Author's Note: The story is predominately told from Batista's first person POV, but from time to time it will slip into third person)

Thank you to Amanda. My wonderful beta who keeps me honest….

Chris falls back, "I can't…. I can't push anymore."

I'm about to speak when a cry rends the air. We both look around to see Healer Piper's and John's smiling faces.

"It's a girl."

"A girl." I reach for the baby that is gently lain in my arms.

"A girl." I breathe, "We have a girl." I say again, grinning stupidly down at Chris.

He nods,, too tired to reply as I lean down and gently kiss him. Our communion is broken by John saying,

"I need to clean her up and get her vitals."

It is my turn to nod as Chris runs a shaky finger across her cheek.

As I hand her to John, he asks,

"Have you thought of a name?"

I smile and look at Chris. We both say together,

"Freedom."

I am returning to the healer's sanctuary. Despite my protests, Chris and the healer put me out to get what I knew to be some much needed rest. But, who can blame me for not wanting to leave my mate or my new daughter? I love Chris with all my heart and now, he gave me a daughter on whom to dote. Just as I turn the corner I hear,

"So, you finally decided to drop that calf?"

I grin. There is only one person, or rather two people, who Chris and me allow such liberties.

"Hey old man," I say as gruffly as I can, "just because you and your mate breed like rabbits doesn't mean the rest of us have to follow suit."

With a growl of, "You crazy bastard," I found myself engulfed in 7' of gray-haired Gladiator.

"Nash, it's good to see you, man." And it was. Kevin Nash and his mate Scott Hall were two of the oldest and dearest friends that Chris and I have. Kevin was just ending his career in the stadium as I was beginning mine, but he is a god. His battles are the stuff that legends and myths are made of and his fighting techniques are still studied to this day. Not to mention his battles in his personal life. Kevin was one of the gladiators who refused to take a wife, instead choosing his pleasure slave as his mate, a mating that has lasted 20 years. While the other gladiators feared that this move would cause either Nash or his pleasure slave to be put on the blocks, the governing senate let the two of them be. There were probably two reasons for this. First, Kevin had the wisdom and grace to keep his private life low key. His refusal to flaunt his preference gave the council no reason to take overt action against either man. Second, Kevin was one of the most skilled and admired gladiators in the game. It is rumored that royalty both on earth and in other parts of the galaxy wished to own him, somewhere willing to give him "free man" status, if he would consent to breed champions for him. Naturally the McMahons refused all offers, but this put Kevin in a better position to bargain for certain privileges. But, it didn't make him totally immune. For, like it or not, he was and is a slave, and the owners always found a way to make sure that we were aware of that fact.

As soon as Nash released me, I was enveloped in another hug, this one from an almost as tall and very pregnant, again, Scott Hall. He had tears in his eyes and he was grinning from ear to ear.

"She is so beautiful!" He breathed.

"Yeah," Nash interjected, "thank the gods she looks like Chris."

Scott glared at him, "Don't pay him any attention. Now you see where our kids got their brains and their looks."

"Must be from the milkman." Nash muttered and that earned him a slap on the back of his head from his much put upon mate.

As I went to kiss Chris and softly cradle our little one, I smiled because I've never met any couple more in love than those two. Well except for Chris and I. Nash laughed, pulled his mate into a deep kiss, and when he broke it said,

"No one has given me more handsome sons or more beautiful daughters than you have. And now, even with the risks involved, you are blessing me with another one." Scott's breath hitched and he buried his head into his mate's neck, "What's wrong?" Nash asked.

"Nothing…just these damned hormones." Scott said, pulling him closer.

I felt Chris' eyes on me and when I looked back, they were twinkling as he whispered, "Kevin just knows the right thing to say." I nodded.

"So," said Scott, breaking into our moment, "what's her name?"

"Freedom." Chris said proudly as our daughter became to squirm. Suddenly, she started to squawk and I heard him say, "Damn".

"What?" I asked.

Scott grinned, "That is one oath known to birthers throughout the universe…"

"What?" I asked again, more impatiently this time.

"Damn." Scott said.

"Okay, can I say that I am very confused?"

"Gladiators." Scott sighed. "His nipples are leaking… time to feed."

He was right, for when I looked back at Chris, he had already lowered one of the shoulders of his tunic and the babe was latching onto a large pink nipple. We stood watching Freedom nurse and Nash leaned into me and whispering, in my ear, said,

"You always did have more balls than brains."

I took him by his elbow and led him away from Chris, the baby, and his mate.

I think this is just my day for being dense. "What?"

"Freedom?" He said to me, the steel in his voice was unmistakable.

'Nash…" I said softly, but the warning was very clear; "Chris doesn't need this."

"The two of you need something…"He whispered back just as fiercely, "'Freedom', for the god's sake? Why don't you just go and ask 'The Powers That Be' to come and take her away from you?

"They wouldn't do that…" I started to say but Nash gripped my arm and pulled me even further away from the other two men,

"Why? Could it be that you have such powerful friends that they can protect you? Or maybe you thing that you're such a valuable asset to the federation that they wouldn't dare touch you?" Before I could
answer, he plowed straight ahead, "Well, get those notions out of your head. You're a gladiator…a slave... your only purpose is to breed future gladiators and to make your masters look good. If you were to ever forget that, they will only be more than happy to put you back in your place…and they don't care who they use to do that."This last comment was made with a look of infinite sadness in Scott's direction, who looked up just in time to catch his eye.

"Kevin?" He asked, "Is there something wrong?"

With one last glance at me, he went to stay beside his mate and gazed down at Chris.

"No, nothing's wrong."

But the universe, or the fates, or the gods, take your pick, were conspiring to make him a liar. For at that moment there were loud voices heard in the front room and then John hurried into our small suite.

"Batista, Pleasure Slave Jericho, you have a guest."

The way he said this last word made a shiver run down my spine. But, before I could say anything, John continued in a hushed whisper,

"Healer Piper tried to keep them out. He told them that you were not well enough to entertain anyone as of this time but…."

"Ah Gladiator Batista! Pleasure Slave Jericho!" A voice full of false good will boomed and instantly Freedom released the tit on which she had been nursing and began to bawl. I quickly stepped in front of my mate to hide his exposed breast from the owner of that voice and Nash pulled his mate slightly behind him.

I looked up to see a somewhat large man followed closely by Healer Piper.

"My, she does have a good set of lungs on her. Maybe she'll sing in the Senate."

I froze. Senate singers were no more than high standing prostitutes. But, I forced myself to smile pleasantly at him,

"I hope to have higher aspirations for my daughter."

The dark eyes became even darker, "Naturally. And the federation will be sure that she has that opportunity." Vince McMahon Jr. replied.

Vince McMahon Jr. took over as the owner of the GGF (Galactic Gladiator Federation) when his father died five years previously. A mostly ruthless man who bought and sold slaves like so much cattle, he was nevertheless an excellent business man and took the idea of universal peace that his father put forth and took it to heights that no one could have imagined.

He was about 5'11" and nicely built. Rumor has it that he was a big steroid freak before it became illegal to use them, and he is secretly behind the push for the reintroduction of performance enhancing supplements. His salt and pepper hair is always neatly combed and he is rarely seen out of his three piece pinstriped suits. His wife, short and slender, carries herself like a queen and she is the mother of his two legitimate children, Sean and Stephanie. His other children were birthed by his pleasure slaves.

"What is her name?"

Nash threw me a warning look, but Chris said without guile,

"Her name is Freedom."

The temperature in the room dropped 20 degrees.

I thought it to be impossible, but the smile turned darker. My body unconsciously tensed as I looked at Chris. His eyes had widened with fear and he tried to fold himself over our child as Scott pulled him into an embrace. I was ready to protect my mate, even to kill if necessary as I waited for the horns and pitchfork that I was sure to appear about the man at any moment. Instead, his smile became warm, causing me to almost crouch as I saw Nash out the corner of my eye move beside me into a matching defensive stance.

"Freedom…" he said mildly, "such a big name for a little lady." No one said anything, but I saw Healer Piper move to push Cena behind him. "I hope my best slave is not getting any ideas." No one missed the use of the term. "It would be terrible to lose such a beautiful child." Behind me I heard Chris' whimper and Scott's sharp inhale.

"Senator McMahon, it is just a name. There really is no need to distress a slave who's recently given birth."

"Healer Piper, don't presume too much because of your station. Healers are not indispensible." I saw Piper's jaw flex and Cena laid a hand on his shoulder. "But you are correct; a new birther needs his rest." He turned his smile up a notch. "The name shall be entered into the log books as 'Freedom' and you will allow me to give her a gift?"

"Yes Senator." I said between clenched teeth.

"Good." He turned back to Chris and appeared to notice Scott for the first time.

"Pleasure Slave Hall, you are once again with child." He sounded quite delighted. "How many does this make?"

"Twelve, Senator." Nash replied, the venom in his voice evident for all to hear. McMahon continued as if he heard nothing, "Twelve? I thought it was 14, wasn't there a set of twins?"

Behind me I heard Scott stifle a sob while Nash's eyes burned with hatred.

"The first two are no longer with us."

"Oh, yes… they were sold, weren't they?" The warning was back in his voice as he took in me and Chris. "Well, if I had been head of the council at that time, I would have done all in my power to stop it."

Kevin was livid. The air was thick with his hatred; I stuck my arm in front of him… as if that would hold him back.

"We are aware of that, Senator, and we thank you for that." But we all knew that the bastard was the reason that Nash's children had been sold.

For, even though he wasn't in charge of the senate at that time, he was the apple of his father's eye and when Kevin defied his father by taking Nash as his mate, a move the elder senator was perfectly ready to overlook, the son was not. But McMahon Jr. wouldn't dare attempt to injure the gladiator; he was too valuable of a commodity, instead found the perfect solution when Scott gave birth to the couple's first children. They were a beautiful set of male twins, but under Senate law, they being slaves, were a property of the state. With pressure from the council and his son about the value of breeding such valuable slaves, and to prove that he had control over his property, the elder senator allowed himself be bullied into selling the twins to a private bidder.

Scott had been inconsolable. He and Nash went through some extremely rough times as Scotty tried, on several occasions, to kill himself. However, Nash's and their friends' support helped him to accept the loss of his children. Although, Nash has confided in me that Scott still has nightmares about losing his children; therefore, they are both very protective of their family.

"Well…" he continued in good spirits, "get the child registered and you get rested because you have a fight in a few days and I know that you want to represent me well in the stadium."

"Yes, Senator." I said, slightly numb.

With a nod and one last glance at us all, he was gone.

"I'm sorry…"Piper started to say, when I heard Chris yell, "Scotty!" Kevin just barely had enough time to turn and catch his crumpling mate.

"Get him into the other suite!" Piper barked as Cena hurriedly led them away.

"Bastard!" Piper growled, He looked at Chris concern radiating from him, "are you okay?"

Chris nodded, but his eyes begged me to hold him. I gladly obliged, pulling him and Freedom close.

"I'll be back. Try and get some rest." With that, the healer was gone.

Chris began to cry. Helpless, I rocked him and Freedom as I promised myself and them,

"I will see you free; I will see both of you grow up in freedom. I swear this or I will die trying."

More to come. Also, the history of pleasure slaves and more about Chris and Batista's relationship.