Chapter 16

The following morning, Jaxine woke up to the sunlight streaming through the window, a soft sigh escaping her. It felt so nice being in her own bed as she slowly sat up, deciding to fix her some breakfast, not having done that in awhile. She picked her cell phone up when she was done with her homemade waffles and turned it on, checking her voicemails with a smile on her face.

The frantic voice of Shane McMahon greeted her, Vince's voice in the background. "Jaxine, where are you? Steve is getting- well he needs you. Call me." Then another. "Jaxine, we need you to stop 'Taker, you're the only person he might listen too, come to the arena as quick as you can!" Another followed. "Forget about it Jaxine, Steve was taken to the hospital for minor burns, there's nothing you can do now."

Her cell phone dropped to the kitchen floor, her eyes widened, and immediately rushed to her bedroom to get dressed, slipping on a pair of blue jeans with a black tank top, throwing her hair up in a messy bun and grabbed her car keys and purse, flying out the door, forgetting about her breakfast. She'd grabbed her phone as well as she got in her car and sped as fast as she could to the hospital, tears streaming down her cheeks. What had she done? She stopped in front of the hospital, having Valet Parking do it for her and flew inside, asking the nurse for Steve Austin's room.

"I'm his girlfriend." She lied, nodding when the nurse told her which room and ran down the hallway.

She stopped just outside his room, covering her mouth with her hand, tears instantly spilling down her cheeks. Kane and Shane was there as she slowly walked in, dropping to her knees, and buried her face in her hands. She hadn't been there to stop Undertaker for her own selfish reasons and would hate herself for it forever.

"He's going to be fine." Shane said dryly. "The burns are superficial, but he has some slight trauma to the head." He glanced at his prize wrestler, shaking his head. "I'm going to go speak to his doctor." He excused himself from the room.

"Not your fault." Kane said when Shane was gone, placing a hand on her head.

"Yes it is." She rasped out, choking on her tears as Kane lifted her up, shaking her head back and forth. "I wasn't there. I just needed one night...one night to myself..." She started crying harder and turned her head, burying it in Kane's chest, feeling his arms wrap around her. "What happened Kane?" She sniffled, knowing he hated talking, but Shane obviously had hard feelings toward her right now. "Please, take your time. Just tell me what happened." Steve was still out cold from the sedative the doctor gave him so he was the only one who could tell her.

Kane sighed heavily, ordering the words in his head before speaking. "They fought in the hallway," He began hesitantly, picking up more steam as he went. "The Undertaker was telling him lies about you, angering Steve to the point where he wasn't being careful. The next thing we all knew, Steve was...being...well, being sacrificed...and lit on fire." He shuddered, unable to help himself.

Her amber eyes were wide as saucers as she stared back at Undertaker's brother, blinking as more tears rushed down her face, and slowly looked over at Steve. "I-I can't be here..." She whispered slowly backing away out of Kane's arms, shaking her head back and forth. "I-I have to go." She couldn't believe Undertaker could be so cruel, but honestly what did she expect?

How could she be in love with a monster like him?! It didn't make any sense! She began walking out, trembling from head to toe, wanting to be back in her peaceful apartment away from all of this.

Kane shot out and grabbed her by the arm, stopping her from going anywhere, gentling his grip when he realized he was hurting her. "Sorry." He grunted. "Don't go. Stay and at least talk to him." He gestured to Steve helplessly. "He was worried for you. He believed the Undertaker had...harmed you."

"I do believe 'Taker helped that impression." Shane said, walking in with a cup of coffee in hand.

"Jesus Christ..." She whispered heartbrokenly, looking back at the man in the bed and knew she couldn't leave. "I was at HOME!" She stated, causing Kane's eyes to widen. "I live here." She said in a calmer tone of voice, taking Steve's hand very gently in her own, more tears falling. "I'm so sorry Steve." She whispered, pressing a soft kiss to his forehead and felt Kane behind her pull up a chair for her, sitting in it, refusing to leave his side. She couldn't run away from him and wanted him to wake up to see her unharmed and well.

Shane shook his head, patting her on the arm gently. "He'll be fine." He assured her, unable to stay angry with her. Honestly, what could she have done to stop what had happened? "I've got to go, I need to file a report on this for the company heads." He sighed, walking out and leaving them to it.

"I have to leave." Kane said as well, glancing at Steve then at her. "Will you be alright?"

"Yes, thank you for being here, Kane." She stood up and hugged him around the neck before nodding. "Go on, I'm not leaving." She watched them walk out and sat back down in the chair, the tears falling silently. How could she have left him high and dry like that? Her eyes narrowed as she shook her head, dropping her head, knowing who she should be with. This man was burnt just because he was worried about her. Jaxine had even left him a note, though she doubt he got it. Sighing heavily, she rested her head against his thigh, looking up at him. "Please wake up Steve." She whispered and closed her eyes, never releasing his hand.

"Hmmm...He looks like he's been to hell and back." Came 'Taker's amused voice several hours later. He wore blue jeans and a white shirt, looking mostly normal which is why he had been let in. Not to mention he could be very persuasive when he wanted too. "Jaxine...how interesting, finding you here."

"Get out of here." She hissed, standing in front of Steve's bed, her eyes narrowed to slits, the hatred boiling through those butterscotch orbs. She wiped away a tear that slid down her cheek angrily, shaking her head back at him. "You're pathetic, using me as leverage against him. Do you have any idea what you've done, 'Taker?" When his eyebrow rose, she suddenly smiled. "I see it so clearly now. I know who I belong with and it's NOT you. I choose Steve, I would be crazy not to over a monster like you. Get out." She ordered before turning back to hold Steve's hand, feeling terrible for releasing it to begin with.

"On your head." He cautioned, an almost friendly smile on his face. He backed away, hands raised defensively.

"Is there a problem here?" Steve's nurse asked, walking in to check vitals.

"Oh no darlin'." His voice switched completely, taking her by surprise. His green eyes twinkled down at the nurse. "No, Janice, is it?" He fingered her name tag. "I was just sayin' bye to my friends here." He gestured to Jaxine and the still out Steve. "I'll see you at work, Jax, darlin'." He winked at her before strolling out.

"Wow."

Jaxine trembled slightly as she watched Undertaker walk out, knowing her and Steve were in for one hell of a war. She sighed heavily and raked a hand through her hair as the nurse checked his vitals, not releasing his hand, and smiled when she said he could be released as soon as he woke up. That was good. She knew the perfect place to take him and smiled, brushing her lips against his and pressed her forehead lightly against his.

"I love you." She whispered, entwining her fingers with him, meaning those three little words more than anything in the world.

Steve woke up in the middle of the night with a string of curse words that sent the nurses in a panic. He would have probably pulled out his IV if he hadn't spotted Jaxine sitting beside him, calming down instantly. "Thank God, you're okay." He breathed, slumping back against the pillows, relief spreading throughout him. "Dear Lord...I ain't never been that scared in my life."

"I'm so sorry, Steve." Jaxine whispered, instantly waking up when she heard the string of cuss words, taking his face in her hands as the tears fell. "I should've been there." She pressed her forehead to his, sniffling. "I just needed one night and...And shut my cell off...I'm so sorry..." She buried her face in his chest, not able to help it, trembling from head to toe, swallowing hard. She had no right doing this, she had no right crying on him when he was the one who needed comfort at the moment. "I'm sorry, forgive me. I'm so pathetic." She wiped her tears away after lifting her head up, staring into his blue eyes. "How are you feeling?"

He stared at her totally confused by her outburst. "You were home?" He repeated, smiling in relief at something he chose not to share with her. "Amen." He murmured, pulling her onto the bed with him, holding her tightly. "I'm fine honey, now that you're here. Don't be sorry, there's nothing wrong with needing time alone." He soothed, stroking her hair gently.

"I-I left you a note in your dressing room." She sobbed softly against him, holding him tightly to her, burying her face in his neck, swallowing hard. She suddenly sat up, her eyes widened. "Your burns..." She started to get up, but was pulled right back down, shaking her head. "You are so stubborn." She murmured, feeling him wipe more of her tears away, and looked up into his soft blue eyes, running her thumb across his soft lips. "I'm sorry for worrying you. I promise it won't happen again. I just wanted one night alone to think about some things, to reflect on all that's happened." She was going to be honest with him and leaned up, brushing her lips against his, sighing when he returned it.

He hummed happily, breaking the kiss to wince. "Yeah, them burns." He grunted, looking down at his arms and legs. "Nothing too bad though honey, they only hurt when...well, they're touched." He chuckled when she looked upset with herself. "Stop it Jaxine, it's not your fault and you're more then welcome to hurt me anytime you please. I never got the note." He admitted. "I seen 'Taker smirking and just… assumed he had done somethin' to ya. Then he decided to go ahead and confirm that, the lyin' bastard."

"I know, Kane and Shane told me what happened. I should've turned the TV on, I would've known and possibly could've done something." When he shot her a look, she narrowed her eyes right back at him. "I'm going to protect you whether you like it or not, Steve." She sighed heavily when he simply folded his arms in front of his chest, running her finger down his cheek, deciding to change the subject. "Let me go and see if we can get you discharged. Then we're going to my apartment. Shane called me and said you have three days off to recover and you're doing it with me." She smirked when his blue eyes lit up, going to slide off of the bed.

Steve's hand shot out and caught her wrist, turning her palm up and planted a slow, lingering kiss on it, his mustache tickling her skin. "Lookin' forward to it, honey." He drawled, smirking when she arched an eyebrow and reluctantly released her. He got out of the bed once she was out the door. "Thank you, Kane." He muttered, spotting his bag sitting on the floor by the wall. He hated the paper gowns, the lack of covering his ass left something to be desired.

Jaxine was looking forward to it as well as she darted down to the nurse's station, smiling when they said he could be discharged, but he couldn't do anything for a few days. She informed them he would do nothing, but bed rest and smirked at the thought. After Steve signed the discharge papers, Jaxine wheeled him out, sighing when he wouldn't stop grumbling.

"Oh stop it." She kissed his cheek with a smile, laughing when Steve darted out of the wheelchair as soon as they were outside. She giggled as he took her in his arms and spun her around before planting a breathless kiss on her lips. She took his hand in hers and guided him to her car that was in the parking lot, having grabbed the keys from the valet people, and slid in the driver's side while Steve got in the passenger. She buckled up and peeled out of there, heading home to her apartment.

He was just glad to be out of the damn hospital. Even gladder at the thought of spending three days alone with Jaxine without having to rush from place to place, worry about who was trying to kill them at night. This was just heaven. He reached across the console to take her hand in his, leaning back in the seat and sighed contentedly. "I feel like I'm on vacation." He chuckled softly.

Jaxine smiled and entwined their fingers together, knowing they had to talk, but right now she just wanted to be with him and spend some quality time together.