Cassie entered the gym at 4pm the next afternoon, only to be confronted by Dave.

"Good, you can listen properly now. Tonight we are going to have dinner and then after I will have you writhing beneath me moaning my name!"

"No!"

Cassie tried to walk around him but Dave grabbed her arm and dug his fingers in a little.

"Cassie I wasn't asking."

He backed her up a little and got right in her face as he spoke. She had no idea if it was fear or anger that made her react, however without a second thought Cassie punched him in the face. He howled drawing everyone's attention and she walked away.

Mark had his back to the room so had no idea what was happening until Batista moaned loudly, getting everybody's attention. He turned around to see Dave holding his eye and Cassie heading, well almost storming across to the punching bag. Dave must have really gotten to her if she was breaking her routine, she didn't seem the type to just react without reason. He watched Cassie trying to destroy the bag and decided to stop pretending he didn't care. As he stood and began to make his way over all eyes were watching him, before he got too close he spoke to her so she didn't freak out again.

"Cassie?"

She turned her head and looked into his eyes, Mark could see the regret and sadness in her eyes.

"You ok Darlin'?"

Cassie nodded but didn't stop punching. She felt horrible for hitting him, he shouldn't of stood over her like that though. And of everyone, it had to happen in front of Mark.

"Thank you for leaving me a note last night."

For the first time Mark had no idea what to say to her, he didn't know what was going through her head.

"Tell your friend I'm sorry, but I need to go now."

Mark watched as she walked straight across the room and out the door. Dave came over to him.

"You're a fuckin idiot. Why can't you just leave women alone."

"She punched me!" Dave exclaimed loudly.

"What did you say to deserve it?"

"I just told her that I wanted her."

Mark ignored him and texted Jess to try and help Cassie.

'Call Cass she needs you.'

Mark turned to Dave and growled.

"I suggest you ignore her next time or you'll get another black eye."

Mark moved away, he knew it wasn't his place but he really needed to know she was alright. She meant a lot to him and he didn't even know her really.

Jess had just received her dad's text when Cassie slammed into the apartment and straight into her bedroom, slamming the door loudly behind her. She got up and entered Cassie's bedroom quietly, Jess had decided that if her dad was worried than there must be something really wrong.

"Poison?" Jess saw her curled up on the bed crying and went over to curl around her. Jess just held her until the tears stopped coming.

"Umm Poison my dad didn't upset you did he?"

"No Hun your dad's awesome. His friend Dave just pushed me way too far."

"What happened?" Jess thought she knew but Cass always felt better after talking about it.

"Dave tried asking me out like three times and I've ignored him each time, but today he was very graphic. He said that he wanted me moaning his name and I would be after dinner tonight. I said 'no' and he pegged me in and got really in my face and told me that I had no choice. He started describing it and I hit him. I didn't mean to he just brought back memories and I reacted."

"Memories of Scott and Vince?" Jess asked softly.

"Yeah. And now I'm embarrassed because the gym was full and I gave him a black eye and made him angry."

"Cassie I think you should be proud of yourself. Not only did you stop yourself from being hurt again but you gave the World Heavyweight Champion a black eye, which from all accounts he deserved."

Cassie cracked a small smile and rolled onto her back.

"Can you apologise to your dad?"

"No I won't Cass, he was really worried about you. he texted me and said you needed me."

Something in her heart fluttered at Mark being worried about her.

"Jess umm I have something I think I should tell you…"

Jess cut her off quickly already knowing what Cassie was going to tell her.

"you think you like my dad but your not sure and you don't know how I'll react and now your embarrassed."

Jess grinned at her best friend and saw the blush that covered Cassie's entire face.

"Poison I love you and I want you to be happy, the same as I want my dad to be happy. And if my dad makes you happy then I support you, but just remember me if anything happens."

The two girls hugged and Cass instinctively knew there was more to it, her best friend was clearly keeping something from her.

"Jess spill."

"Well there is this guy that I've met and I really like him, but I am not sure how my dad will react to it though."

"Jess Hunny if you like him then go for it and see how it goes you can deal with your dad later on."

"Good idea. Do you want to go out to dinner with me tonight?" the two girls hugged briefly again and smiled at each other.

"Yep can we get pizza?"

"For sure!" Jess grinned and knew exactly where to taker her best friend. They were both very lucky to have each other around.

"I'm gonna shower and then we can get going." Cassie took off into the bathroom while Jess lay waiting patiently. She decided that it would probably be a good idea to text Mark and let him know that Cassie was ok.

'Cass is ok. We having dinner. B home about 10'

Mark was currently sat on his back patio with Shawn, Glenn, Paul and John drinking beer and talking about women and sex and being on the road. As soon as his phone went off he ignored their conversation and checked it. He had been waiting all night for a text from Jess to let him know that Cassie was alright and he wouldn't have to beat the hell out of Dave.

"Jess?" Glenn asked, Glenn was Jess's godfather.

"Yeah she'll be here at about 10."

All the guys nodded and he knew that they wouldn't leave until they had seen Jess. They went back to their conversations and more beer. A few hours later Mark's mind drifted back Cassie; he couldn't stop worrying about her still she had seemed so scared earlier. Unfortunately for Mark the guys had noticed that he had space out yet again.

"Alright Deadman explain yourself." Shawn stated with a huge grin.

"You keep zoning out on us, must be something or someone special." Paul said levelly loving the look on Marks' face.

"Its nothing." He tried to shrug it off but just then the front door opened alerting them that Jess was home. Mark heard her tell someone to go upstairs and she'd get their drinks. All of them went inside to see her and caught her getting a beer and soda; Mark knew it was Cassie upstairs.

"Hey guys."

"Thought you didn't like beer!" Glen said.

"I don't, it ain't for me." John edged closer to her and Glen put his hand on his shoulder to stop him getting any closer. "Do you have any idea who keeps driving your dad to distraction? He keeps zoning out."

Jess watched her dad leave the room and wandered if his thoughts were along the same lines as Cassie's for him. She turned back to the group and knew they hadn't noticed that her dad had gone to bed.

"Guys I think its time you go home."

"But we're drinking with your dad." Paul said suggesting she was dumb for considering it.

"Hate to burst your bubble but he's gone to bed!"

They all turned and witnessed that Mark was no longer anywhere to be seen.

"Sneaky old bastard." Glen muttered.

"Anyway you all need to leave so I can go back upstairs to my friend who is probably crying her ass off again, and the whole problem would not have occurred to begin with if you assholes didn't encourage each other all the damn time."

As Jess was speaking she was herding the group down the hall to the door. Shutting the door behind them she snubbed the lock and rushed upstairs, in her room Cassie was dead to the world so Jess put her beer down on the desk and went to find Mark. Everything was quiet in his room so she knocked and heard him yell 'com in'. It had been at least five years since she'd been in his room and even in the pitch black she could tell that it was a shell of what it used to be. Mark had been through a lot in his life and although his room was enormous it was empty. There was no love or happiness, nothing personal could be seen, one photo frame stood on his bedside table and a piece of paper was on his dresser.

Jess found him sat on his balcony staring out at the night; she curled up in the other chair and opened her soda.

"Are you okay Daddy?"

"Not really sweetheart but I'll get there." He sounded a lot less than positive.

"I know you still think I'm a little girl who needs protecting but I'm not. Daddy I've grown up, I can handle anything that you want to talk about."

"I'm gonna retire after Mania, my hip can't take much more. If I stop I won't need it replaced." Mark looked over at his daughter and saw her shocked expression.

"Why didn't you tell me!" Hearing her dad talk Jess could hear the depression and loneliness in his voice.

"Because you've always thought and implied that I'm invincible but I'm not. Jess I'm old and washed up, I'm sorry. I didn't want to let you down."

"Daddy you have never let me down. I love you so much for everything you've given me and done for me. So your not twenty anymore, who cares!"

Mark looked across at Jess and saw the tears running down her face.

"You have your own company and bike store, and you have five properties, four kids, your animals which adore you. Isn't it more important to be healthy and happy, to have something special to share with someone. Being Forty-six does not mean your life is over!"

"When did you become so perceptive?" Mark grinned.
"When it started breaking my heart to see you miserable and lonely. I'd like to hog-tie Michelle and drag her behind Poison's car."

"Poison?"

"Cass is the poisonous princess, I call her poison for short." Jess grinned back at her dad glad that he was smiling.

"Where did that come from?"

"You'll have to ask her. It is alright that she stays here tonight yeah?"

Mark just nodded in response so Jess continued with what she was staying.

"Daddy she is alright, Dave just brought back some memories that she thought was dead and buried. She kept telling me to apologise to you because she ignored you in the gym." Jess saw a hint of a grin on Marks face but he turned away from her so she wasn't sure.

"It's Dave that should be apologizing. She looked almost terrified after she hit him."

"That's because she was, Cassie has been assaulted by men twice…" Marks head snapped up in Jess's direction and she could see the anger that passed across his face. "Both of them were much taller and bigger than her and what Dave did must have brought that all back to her."

"When?" He sounded really angry.

"Before she moved to Houston, once in her hometown and once in Los Angeles. She is a lot better now than when I first met her daddy."

"Dammit why can't Dave just be normal and not such an arrogant prick!" Mark growled into the dark.

Jess just let the silence stretch before she stood and went to kiss his cheek goodnight. Just as she was going back into the house Jess said loudly.

"Liking Cassie ain't something to be ashamed of Dad, she's an amazing woman."

Mark watched her go and didn't say a word. He had no idea how Jess knew but he hoped that Cassie didn't know. After hearing what his daughter had to say he knew that there was no chance for him. It sounded dumb but he wanted to be the one that she told her problems to. But there was fat chance of that.

It was three a.m. when Cassie decided that trying to sleep anymore was useless. Every time she closed her eyes she saw either Scott or Vince. So pulling her jumper on she headed downstairs to watch a little television. As she got to the bottom of the stairs she heard the hockey, stopping in the doorway she saw Mark sat staring at the screen. He appeared to be in his own little world so she knocked lightly to get his attention.