Chapter 6: Knocking Down Fences

Danni knew running away wasn't the best answer. It wasn't even anywhere near it, but running meant she didn't have to face it. It meant she could be alone with just her drumming heart and aching legs, and didn't have to think about anything, but the next step. Danni was no good with feelings and heartache, but Danni was good at running away. A few days after her dad was killed, she ran from his funeral to the empty field behind a farm 6 miles out of town. The night she caught Marcus, her first love that she dated for 3 years, screwing her cousin Lily's brains out, she ran. She ran like she had to keep up with the wind that night. She ran from his house to her house across town. She'd even left her car parked in his driveway. She ran when Chris beat the shit out of her. She was only 20, and she thought Chris would be the one who she'd never run from, but she was wrong. Her life was full of running away. If it hurt or didn't go her way, Danni ran. She always thought that it would never catch up with her if she could just run farther, just push harder. She didn't know exactly why she ran from Randy and John. She just knew that something about that moment was messing things up. It made her feel vulnerable, open, and off her guard. She didn't like that feeling. She didn't like feeling like all her brick walls and electric fences were down and that she was alone against an army. She just wanted to be in her comfort zone. She didn't want to be at risk; not now, not ever again.

The crowd in the airport was no longer a blur as she neared baggage claim, and Danni was embarassed as she realized how many people were staring at her. She just wanted to find a place to sit down and catch her breath. Her legs were screaming with a dull ache. Running was a high, but sitting was like falling off the rainbow. While she waited, she tried to fix her hair that looked like a sweaty tangled mess, and straighten up her clothes. She knew Heather was going to be pissed. It was hard to get Heather pissed, but once she was...she just was. Not only Heather, but how would she face those people again? She had to work with them. There it was, everything she ran away from was thrown in right in her lap. What about Randy? How could she face him? She wouldn't. End of story!

"Danni! Danni! Where the fuck are you?", Heather screamed hopping around baggage claim with a broken heel.

"Over here. Calm Down.", Danni screamed at Heather who was practically flying toward her.

"Danni. What's wrong? What happened?"

"What's wrong! Are you seriusly asking that question?"

"Look, Don't fucking get smart with me. I'm not the one who ran off a fucking plane with not as much as a I'll catch you later. You had me running around this fucking airport, and I broke a heel."

"You left me to sit with him. You left me even though you knew how I felt about him."

"No. I didn't know. That's exactly it. You don't tell me shit anymore. You've shut me out, along with the rest of the world. You don't open yourself up for anybody anymore. You've closed yourself up. I can't take it anymore. It's like living with a rock."

"Is that how you feel about me?'

"No. That's what I know about you. You've won't let anything touch you, but you."

"I'm not like that. I just don't like to be off guard."

"Off guard! Your like a fucking super max prison. You don't let anybody close, so there's nobody close enough to hurt you."

"I can't talk about this. Not now."

"When then?"

"When I'm ready."

"You always say not now, or when I'm ready about everything, including dating."

"That's not true."

"Oh yeah. Well tell me who you've dated since Chris beat your fucking brains out? No one. Not a damn person. You want to know why? Because your scared shitless."

"Shut the fuck up!", Danni screamed doing everything she could not to cry. She just wanted to get her bags and go. She didn't know where. She just wanted to go.

"I'm sorry Danni."

"It's fine. Really. It's no big deal.", Danni said getting up so Heather couldn't see her cry.

"Yes it is. I shoudn't have talked about that. I know it's a sensitive area for you. I'm your friend and I shouldn't have acted that way. It's just..."

"It's just that you feel that way. You felt how you acted, and you meant everything you said."

"I'm sorry."

"Don't be. I'll get over it.", Danni said walking over to the conveyor belt to look for her bags. She wasn't mad at Heather for the things she said. She knew Heather just wanted to make things better, and in Heather's happy fairy tale world Danni should be dating, happy, and without a care, but it wasn't like that. Heather was right. Danni was afraid. She was afraid to take a jump, a risk. She was closed up, but didn't she have a right to be? Didn't she have a right to protect herself from being hurt? She didn't know, and didn't want to think about it just then, because her problem at the moment was a little more demanding. Where were her bags?

She had watched that belt go around and around dozens of times, but never saw her bags. She'd even seen some of the other people on the flight come up and grab their bags, but she hadn't even got a glimpse at hers.

Danni turned back toward Heather ,who was sitting there quietly like a scolded puppy, and said, "Heather, did you get your bags?"

"Ya. Sure. There right here."

"Did you see mine? I've seen tons of people from the flight get their bags, but I haven't seen mine. Heather! They can't have lost my bags!"

"Calm down. I'm sure they didn't lose your bags. Maybe, they...just temporarily misplaced them."

"Temporarily misplaced them! I think god has got it out for me, or somethin. This just ain't MY DAY, MY WEEK, MY YEAR! What did I do to deserve this?", Heather said flinging her hands up in the air as if to ask god. She didn't even realize someone was behind her until she felt her elbow connect with their face.

"I'm sorr- Nevermind!", Danni said realizing it was Randy who was now rubbing his chin.

Randy stared at her for a moment. He was completely lost. He just couldn't read this girl. He didn't know what to think. All he knew was that she was taking what just happened quite seriously. He even thought that she might be crying. Not that she'd admit to it.

"What's wrong? What did God do to you?", Randy said grabbing his bags from the conveyor belt.

If Danni was listening to Randy, she completely ignored the comment. She just continued to search helplessly for her bags.

"Hello? Are you listening Mississippi?"

"If you keep calling her that, she's going to kill you.", Heather said walking over to Randy.

"What's wrong with her? Is it me?"

"Somewhat. Plus, she lost her bags."

"She what? That sucks, but I don't think I'll mind if she just walks around naked."

"HaHa. That's the reason she doesn't fucking talk to you. I don't think you know what your dealing with when it comes to her."

"Please. Inform me. What exactly am I dealing with?"

"Your dealing with a beaten dog. Does that make sense to you? There's a beaten dog, and you want to adopt it, but it has had it up to here with humans and would rather bite your arm off than have you come near it. It takes a lot of time, coaxing, and a little bait to get the dog out of it's cage, and beginning to trust you. The dog doesn't think you look so bad. In fact, I think the dog thinks you look real good, so your off to a good start. It's up to you to make the next move. You can get your arm bitten off or you can have a nice little dog to cuddle with and sleep with."

"Was that some kind of advice?"

"I don't know you. You tell me.", Heather said walking over to the belt to watch for Danni's bags. What the hell did she mean by that? Did Danni have something against guys? Had she been hurt? Was that why she wouldn't even look in his direction?

"What's up dawg? What you sitting around here for? Isn't there a limo here for us?", John said strolling up from behind Randy.

"Ya. I think they sent a few limos."

"So what the hell you doing around here?"

" I happen to be being nice. I'm helping out a friend.", Randy said pointing to Danni who was now bent over examining a bag.

"I see. And what kind of help does this friend need?", John said smirking at Randy who had yet to stop staring at bent over Danni.

"She lost her bags, and she needs stuff to wear."

"Your hoping she wants to wear you. "

"Maybe. But she's a beaten dog according to Heather."

"A beaten dog? What the fuck? Who's Heather?"

"You know Heather. She's that little girl your always joking with when you come to Smackdown.

"Oh! Her name is Heather. I guess I just never asked. She's sexy, but she just seems so scary. Like I'm some kinda monsta, or some shit like that. Anyways, back to this beaten dog shit."

"I don't know the details. All I know is that she's rejecting me, and that deserves my extra special attention."

"Extra special?"

"Extra special."

Danni waited anxiously by the conveyor belt. She had to find her bags. She didn't know what she'd do without them for the rest of this whole fucked up day. That's exactly what the day was too. She could barely imagine the rest of the day to come as she sat down on a bench and waited for Heather to get back from reporting her missing bags. It couldn't get any worse...hopefully.

"Danni."

Danni looked up at Randy who still had a little red mark on his chin. He was standing in front of her with his hands in his pockets. Danni found herself melting as Randy slightly bit his lower lip. She was praying that her last shred of self control would keep her ass on that bench and not let her jump his bones right then and there. Why did he have to do that? Why did he have to stare at her biting his lip and just waiting for a reply? Oh God! He probably had no idea how sexy he looked when he bit his lip like that. It was probably just completely, naturally sexy. Why god? Couldn't he just look stupid biting his lip like everyone else? Danni could feel a warm wave pulse through her body, and she knew she wanted him. She was almost tempted to let him know. God! What was he doing to her? If he even looked in her direction, she felt her body jump. When he smiled, the fences that she spent years building around herself fell down.

"Yes Randy? Can I help you?", Danni said sarcastically trying to maintain her composure.

"So what are you going to do about your luggage?", Randy said sitting next to Danni. His thigh brushed lightly against hers, and she knew he noticed. What an asshole? Was he trying to get her to straddle his lap? If that was what he wanted, he was pretty damn close to getting his way. Get a grip! It's just physical. Calm Down. Danni told herself. She could handle this.

"Who told you about that?"

"Heather."

"Is Heather your spy now?"

"No. I just asked her what was wrong."

"So now you know what's wrong. I lost my bags."

"Ya. I know. So do you have to go out and buy clothes and stuff, or are you gonna borrow some from Heather?"

"Me borrow from Heather. If you hadn't noticed, we're a little different shape wise."

"I noticed. Your body is a little more...filled out.", Randy said smirking at Danni. He slightly licked his lower lip.

"Well, Captain Obvious I "obviously" can't fit in Heather's clothes,and I don't have any cash on hand to buy more. So, I don't know what I'm gonna do."

"Why don't you just borrow from a diva?"

"Ya right!"

"Why not? I'm sure they have some spare clothes."

"Look Randy. I hardly know any of those divas. I'm not asking to borrow their clothes."

"I'll ask."

"No. You won't ask."

"Why not? What do you have to lose?"

Why did he have to do that? Why did he always have to make sense? Danni scooted away from Randy a little, and regretted it as she felt the warmth of his body fade from her skin. While he was close to her, there was no chance of holding herself together.

"Nothing. I guess."

"Let me take care of everything."

God! Those words sounded so good coming out of his mouth. Say it again. Say that to me again. Danni thought knowing that at that moment she was completely vulnerable toward him, and if he even attempted anything, Danni would let him go as far as he wanted. She stared in his eyes as he spoke. They were so god damn pretty! They were warm and playful, and she wanted to trust everything that was written in his eyes, but she couldn't. Trust seemed to always get her into trouble.

"Alright, but I want to be with you when you ask them. I don't want them to think I'm your little doll that you have to run around and find clothes for to dress her up pretty."

"You can do whatever you want.", Randy said smiling at Danni again. Danni felt her knees go weak in the middle of standing up. Couldn't he have smiled while she was sitting down?

"Trust me Orton. I want nothing more than what I just told you. O.K.?"

"Are you sure Mississippi?"

"I'm fucking positive you confident prick.", Danni said smiling at Randy for the first time since they'd met. Randy's raised an eyebrow, and stared at Danni. Was that a smile? What was that for? Whatever it was for, he was glad she was smiling. It was pretty fucking sexy. Not just sexy, but beautiful. She had dimples like a little kid when she smiled, and her eyes lit up like stars.

"Hey. Why do they call you Mississippi?", Randy said realizing that he had called her this several times, and had no idea why she was even called that.

"It's stupid. You don't want to know.", Danni said laughing. Randy felt his head spin. Her laugh warmed him from his head to his toes. It was a rich, warm laugh that was natural and fun, and he would do anything to make Danni laugh like that again.

"I do."

"No you don't. I got to go. There's Heather.", Danni said walking away from Randy to Heather thankful for the distraction that she had caused. She was dropping her guard, and needed to be careful. Her heart couldn't take all these fucking ups and downs.

Randy hated to see Danni go, but loved to watch her leave. That girl was like a fucking roller coaster. When he was around her he was up and down and up and down. He was hoping he could just to hold on tight and pray it slowed down soon.

"Any sign of my bags?", Danni asked tagging along behind Heather as they walked toward the airport exit.

"They're still in Texas. Sorry Danni, but I think I have enough cash to buy you some of the essentials."

"Don't worry about it. Randy is taking care of it."

Heather stopped dead in her tracks, and turned sharply to face Danni.

"Who? Randy Orton? Did I miss something?"

"No. He just had a good idea. O.K.?"

"O.K. Whatever you say Mississippi. Whatever you say.", Heather said walking up to an airport shuttle bus.

"Where is this gonna take us Heather?"

"To our rental car."

"Oh! Sorry. It's my first plane trip."

"I know. It's my most unforgettable one."

Danni jumped as she felt a hand touch her arm.

"What the fuck?", Danni said turning around and accidentally elbowing Randy in the chest.

"Oww! You plan on beating the fuck out of me before I make it to the show. Don't you?"

"No. What do you want?"

"Don't be mean. I'm not trying to aggravate you. I just want to know if you and your friend want to ride in the limo with me and John, instead of having to go pick up a stupid rental car."

"I don't know. I don't thinn..."

"Yes. We'd love to. Thank you.", Heather said cutting off Danni before she could say no.

What? God! With a friend like Heather, Danni didn't need any enemies.