Chapter 18 - Long Way To Go

Joe cringed as the line went dead; scrubbing a hand down his face as he slipped his phone back into his pocket he turned and walked back into the den. Joe wasn't even sure if Alison wanted to see Mark. It had only been a couple of days since Mark had dropped the bomb on Alison and it hadn't been long enough for her to actually make a decision if she wanted him in her life.

Joe heard the screeching of the tires in his drive way. He cringed again as he walked over and looked out the window. "Babygirl, you've got a visitor and I couldn't stop it."

Aria lifted a perfectly shaped eyebrow before she snorted extremely un-ladylike. "Good I hope it's skunk head I'm going to spike his head like a fuckin football on your front lawn Joe." Aria pre-warned.

Joe chuckled hard as he cringed a third time when a thunderous knock beat on his front door. "It's for you Alison." Joe murmured as he walked to the front door and opened it.

Alison stood up as she turned towards the door as she heard heavy boot falls on Joe's hard wood floors that ran through his entire house. Her eyes widened as she watched Mark walk into the den and immediately yanked her into his arms. "Ummm, Mark..." Alison had to admit feeling fatherly arms around her and feeling the concern rolling off of him felt great; it felt familiar too.

Mark released Alison as he stepped back. "Sorry, I heard through the grapevine about what happened last night during the Smackdown taping and I had to come see with my own eyes that you were really okay. I didn't mean to invade your personal life."

Alison smiled softly as she shook her head negatively. "No, I'm glad you care enough to come check on me in person."

Mark nodded. "I'll always care; even if - even if nothing happens with us."

"Can we talk privately?" Alison asked.

Mark nodded. "Absolutely; let's go out on the porch." He turned to Joe. "You don't mind do you son?" He asked.

Joe shook his head. "Go for it." His eyes skipped down to Alison's. "I'll be in the basement working out if you need me for anything."

Alison nodded before she pushed up on her toes and kissed his lips softly. "Thank you." She whispered before she winked up at him. Alison turned and followed Mark through the house and out to the porch. They sat on the front steps and started to soak in the vitamin D.

"Well you requested my attention sweetheart; you got it." Mark stated.

Aria followed Joe down to the basement and was not surprised to see half the basement loaded with gym equipment and the other half with dark navy blue thick rubber wrestling mats. She could see the guys down here busting each other's heads and laughing because they probably couldn't take each other seriously in character mode.

Emerald eyes landed on the shirtless 6'4" 225lb form in the corner with the auburn-blonde curls and electric blue eyes. His t-shirt was tucked into the waist band of his jersey basketball shorts. He was holed up in the corner doing pull ups. His whole torso was covered in a fine sheen of sweat. She couldn't help but admire his entire body. Her eyes locked onto a bead of sweat as it slowly slid down his spine and disappeared into parts unknown.

Aria exhaled slowly as she attempted to gain composure.

Why did he have to be such an ass?

Why did he have to look so good when he was sexy and sweaty?

Why couldn't she hate him and be repulsed at the same time; which incidentally enough could cure her of being sexually attracted to him.

Aria shook her head as she ventured over to the treadmill. She could FEEL his eyes on her, but she couldn't see his eyes.

Jon smirked as he had seen Aria eyeballing him. He did love to work up a sweat and catching Aria ogling him was a nice ego boost. He watched as she slowly scampered over and hopped on the treadmill. He lowered his feet to the floor as he stretched out his arms and shoulders before he turned and walked over to the stair machine which naturally happened to be next to the treadmill.

Jon watched out the corner of his eyes and could see Aria as she would side eyeball him every few minutes. Jon chuckled. "See something you like hot stuff?"

Aria almost tripped over her own feet but she gained composure quickly as she socked Jon in the arm and watched him fall off the stair machine with a resounding thump. She stopped the treadmill as she started laughing at him as he sat on the floor rubbing his arm.

Joe smirked at the two of them. If ever there were two people in the world who belonged together - other than him and Alison; it would have to be Aria and Jon. He was forever trying to be smooth and she was forever calling him out on his bullshit. He shook his head as he laid down on the bench under the weight bar before he un-racked it and started doing reps.

Aria stepped down from the treadmill. "You didn't hurt yourself did you?" She asked in a condescending tone.

Jon glared at her sass. "Sure it takes more than some girl punching me in the arm to actually get me to tap." He sassed her right back.

"How about a girl kicking your ass?" Aria stated as she pointed to the wrestling mats.

"Anytime darlin." Now it was Jon's turn to be condescending.

Jon stood up as he sized up Aria with a cock of his head to the right. "I've never tapped out to a girl before...bring it on princess." Jon cracked his knuckles and neck as he walked towards the wrestling mat.

"Don't let your knuckles scrap the ground ape." Aria taunted as she kicked off her sneakers and socks.

Aria's emerald eyes were sparkling as Jon took a run at her; she quickly did a drop toe hold on him before reaching over and slapping the back of his head and scrambled to her feet to the other side of the mat.

Jon sat up rubbing his nose after it bounced off the mat. "You got jokes."

"No, I got moves." Aria stated as she walked the length of the mat before returning to the corner.

Jon got to his feet as they met in the middle of the ring as they did a wrestling lock up and Jon was slightly surprised by her strength when she pushed him all the way back to the mats that Joe had lined the walls with. Jon overpowered her and turned them both around before slamming her back into the mat covered wall. "This is fun." He smirked.

Aria chuckled wryly. "Oh yea...big fun." As she rammed her knee into his stomach; forcing Jon to break the hold and wrap his arms around his midsection while groaning. Aria smiled deviously as she walked over and kicked his leg out from under him causing him to fly backwards and land on his back. "Are you sure you're having fun Mox?"

Jon rolled over onto his stomach before he pushed up onto his hands and knees and crawled around on the mat trying to gauge her next move. He didn't have to wait long as she walked over and stomped on both his hands.

"I see were not talking shit anymore? You ready to tap Mox?" Aria taunted with a smirk of her own.

Jon popped up to his feet as he pointed at her. "I will never tap out."

Aria clicked her tongue at him. "Tsk, tsk I wouldn't say never Jonny Boy."

Jon watched as Aria focused on him and he was suddenly aware he may have bitten off more than he could chew; though the way she was running her tongue back and forth on her top teeth was really fuckin hot. She had an animal instinct about her.

"You know for someone who didn't know anything about wrestling when you were hired by the WWE; you know an awful lot of moves." Jon stated as he walked towards her and they locked up again pushing each other around on the mat.

"I'm a fast learner." Aria stated before she wrapped her hands around Jon's neck as she jumped up and put her feet in his stomach and yanked herself back bringing Jon with her before kicking her feet out and Jon's body propelled over her and he actually skipped on his ass to a stop in the corner.

Jon laid there on his back staring at the ceiling. "Son of a bitch."

And...three seconds later Aria slapped an arm bar on his left arm.

"Aaaahhhh..." Jon yelled out as he arched his back trying to relieve the pressure she was putting on his rotator cuff and arm. Back in his NXT developmental days William Regal had dislocated his arm out of the socket and it really had never felt the same since.

"How does it feel to get your ass kicked by a princess, ape boy?" Aria asked as she applied a little more pressure in the arm bar.

"You are enjoying this way too much Aria." Jon accused.

Aria scoffed. "I haven't even scratched the surface Mox. You have no idea what I could do to you." She stated in a malicious tone.

"Look I know your pissed off at me for what happened and I could tell you I was young, dumb and full of cum...and tons of drugs back in my teens and twenties, but it's not an excuse. I shouldn't have forgotten, but when you do as many drugs as I did - I don't have a lot of memories from back then. I barely remembered my name; let alone any one I worked with or had sex with. Once again it's not an excuse it's a fact." Jon ground out as he felt her apply more pressure to his arm.

"You got that right. That is definitely not an excuse, but I don't know it seems like that's what you're trying to do; just give me handfuls of bullshit."

"I don't care if you kick my ass a thousand times but could you please try to not fuck up my wrestling career by dislocating my arm." Jon stated. "I can only tell you what possibly happened. Who the fuck knows - I could've gotten a concussion the next time I was in the ring and it could've fucked up my short term memory; which has been known to happen to people. The only true reason I can really think of it the drug use; along with the gallons of alcohol we consumed doing body shots." Jon shook his head as he exhaled. "I'm sorry I forgot. That's all I can say."

Aria ran out of pissed off steam as she rolled her eyes and let Jon's arm go, before she stood up and left the make shift gym.

Jon got to his feet as he rolled his left shoulder and rubbed it. He would definitely need some Icy/Hot on it tonight after a warm shower.

Roman stepped up next to Jon before he patted him on the back. "Well at least you apologized finally." Roman stated.

Alison looked out across Joe's front lawn. "So how close are you to Joe and his family?" She asked curiously before her eyes went back

Mark chuckled. "Hell Sweetheart, I remember helping his momma change his diapers. Sika Anoa'i has been a long time friend of mine and when Joe decided he wanted to get into wrestling he came to me, his father and his uncle. We gave him the advice we had learned over the years of working for the WWE. He knows we can't make his decisions regarding his career; only he can do that. We can just try to point him in the right direction."

Alison smiled. "Thank you for helping him."

"He means a lot to you - doesn't he?" Mark asked inquisitively.

Alison nodded. "Yea he really does. I met Joe almost a year and a half after mom and dad died. I bounced from one college to a different one every semester. I wanted different experiences and see how other people taught in different colleges and classes. It was only one semester, but I have never loved anyone the same since. I dated here and there but the last nine years I never dated anyone or met anyone who makes me feel the way he does."

Mark could tell he'd be hearing about an engagement between the two of them REAL soon; he wasn't ashamed to admit that he could get behind that immediately. "The first night I met you; I saw the way you two interacted. There was definitely something there."

A comfortable silence fell between them as they both looked out across the green grass. Mark had already decided he would be calling Paul later to find out just what exactly he'd done to that skunk headed little puke that physically assaulted his daughter and he would be giving him his two cents on the entire situation; maybe the threat of a lawyer calling WWE headquarters.

"What are my brother and sister's names?" Alison asked.

Mark smiled at the thought of them all getting to know Alison and her getting to know them. "Well Gunner I had with my first wife Jodi in 93 and he's 21. Chasey and Gracie I had with my second wife Sara in 2002 and 2005. Chasey is 12 and Gracie is 9. And finally with my current wife Michelle we have Kaia in 2012 and she'll be 2 at the end of August. Tats the whole Calaway clan in a nut shell. I love every single one of them just like the next. I love both of my ex-wives as much as I should because they gave me beautiful children. Your mom was the only woman from my past that I never got to full know. She was intriguing and beautiful and she smelled like...God I can't even place the fragrance." Mark tried to remember.

"Chanel No. 5." Alison answered before she smiled. "It was her favorite and dad made sure she never ran out of it. Every Birthday, Christmas, Anniversary, Mother's Day; he never forgot. There were at least a 100 bottles in the house when they left for their European vacation and never returned."

Mark nodded. "I wish I could've been there for you. I don't know what kind of help I would've been. Did you have anyone around to help you?"

Alison nodded. "Yea my Uncle Tim, my dad's brother. I don't even know what to call him or you or my dad. Am I still supposed to call him my dad?"

Mark shook his head. "I'm not sure sweetheart. They don't exactly sell instruction manuals for this type of thing. I'm kind of winging it right now. You can call me whatever you feel comfortable with."

"I don't want to call you something that might offend you or tarnish the memory of my dad." She pointed out honestly.

"Hell you can call me a dirty son of a bitch if that's what makes you happy." Mark chuckled out. I think we just have a long way to go before either of us are going to get used to this whole idea."

Alison chuckled. "Yea - yea you are definitely right about that."

Silence ensued again.

Alison cleared her throat. "Hey Mark..."

"Yea sweetheart?"

"I think I'd like to meet the rest of my siblings." Alison stated softly.

"That's good because I know they want to meet you as well." Mark stated with a smile on his face.

Definitely a long way to go.