A/N: This is a special chapter written for Alex aka Matty1 but it will also play a vital role in the story. Enjoy and review!
Alex
I was ecstatic, Jamie had managed to score Jimmy and I tickets to Summerslam in Washington D.C, they weren't just any old tickets either, they were backstage tickets as in full access, we would be free to wander around where only the wrestlers and crew were permitted. However there was one slight delimma, my boss wasn't keen on letting me go and miss two days of work. Despite already having booked my flight I didn't find out until two days prior to the show that I had someone to replace me at work. The second that I found out I could go I was on the phone to my best friend, the person who'd gotten me the tickets.
While Jamie was excited that I was coming to the show I could hear the fear and pleading in her voice, she needed me and Dave must have heard it too as he asked if my son and I wanted to come stay, meaning that Jamie and I would be able to spend some time together. The second my call ended I began to pack, it didn't matter that I wasn't leaving for another couple of days, I was excited. I never expected the call I received a couple of hours later,
"I left him," my best friend muttered in tears. I'd recieved a similar phone call once before, just over 4 years ago. I'd been waiting for that call for the past 6 years but this one I dreaded.
"Why?" I asked and let my friend pour her heart out to me like we'd both done many times before. She told me how Dave had tried to kiss her and once we'd gotten off the phone had confronted her about her constant rejection. Eventually she spilled her whole past with Conner and then ran.
"I couldn't take the look on his face; it was of such shock and disgust. I was so embarrassed," I remembered when the woman had first told me about what she'd been dealing with, I had also been in shock and had to force myself to hide my look of disgust. It wasn't my friend I was disgusted with my it was the man that she was dating and how he could do that to someone else. I wondered if Dave had experienced the same troubles I had, it wasn't that he was disgusted with my friend he was disgusted with Conner.
"The worst thing is Eli over heard me telling Dave about when he was a baby, now he wont talk to me let alone look at me." My friend burst into tears once again, I couldn't begin to imagine how she or her son must be feeling, the whole situation was a real mess and I wished that I could be there for the two of them. Instead I was in Minnesota while my best friend was in a cab in the middle of Washington D.C.
"Hey the Cab's just pulled up at the hotel, I should probably go."
"Are you going to be ok?"
"Yea, Marissa's coming until tomorrow night so I'll go stay with Shane," my friend sighed, she was still clearly upset and wanted to talk but by the sound of things she was going to have trouble getting Eli to do as he was told. I wondered if her staying with Shane was a good idea, Marissa didn't like Jamie and felt threatened by the relationship the two had, but he was like her big brother and she had always found comfort with him.
"Alright, I wish I could be there"
"Trust me, I wish you could be here. I'll see you Sunday." She sighed ending the call. I felt horrible for my friend, but this was something that had to be said sometime, Dave was going to eventually discover what went on with Conner I just prayed they'd be able to work things out.
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Sunday arrived and Jimmy and I caught an early flight to Washington D.C so that we could spend as much time at the arena and with Jamie and Eli as we could. We hired a rental and headed for the arena, not quite sure what we'd find when we eventually caught up with Jamie and her son, who was still not talking to her. The kid was as stubborn as my own, at the ages of 3 and 4 when they put their mind to something they stuck to it, much to the dismay of their mothers.
"Whoa there young man, where do you think you're going?" The security guard stopped my son as he ran ahead of me at the back entrance to the arena.
"My name's Alex Garcia and this is my son Jimmy, Jamison Alister was going to give you our names so that we could visit her."
"Oh yes, do you have any identification?" The security guard asked softening slightly. I pulled out my driver's license and once the man had approved it was made to sign a waiver.
"Follow me; I'll take you to Miss Alister." The man smiled and turned to enter the arena indicating for us to follow. It didn't take long for my son to get bored and run off, with me chasing after him. He ducked around a corner and built up speed as I stumbled slightly. By the time I turned the corner Jimmy had stopped and was talking to a man,
"Hey I know you! You're Sandman, my mommy likes you! I don't know why though, you just look like my grandpa," I couldn't believe what I was hearing, my son was talking to my hero Sandman,
"I look like your grandpa?" The man asked dropped down to my son's level.
"Yea, but you know what?"
"What?"
"I like you anyway because you're real name is Jim and I'm Jimmy! Grandma tells me mommy called me Jimmy after you"
"Well that's pretty cool. You know what Jimmy?"
"What?"
"We'll always have something special because we have the same name"
"Really?"
"Yep"
"Cool, hey can I have your cane?" My son asked looking at the man's trademark cane at that point I finally caught up,
"JIMMY! I'm sorry, you know little kids," I blushed without even realising who I was talking to.
"Ah don't worry about it. Jimmy of course you can have my cane, I'll even sign it for you." The man smiled and took out a pen,
"To Jimmy, my name sake we'll always have a special bond. From Sandman Jim"
"Wow mister that is really nice!"
"Yea mister, I mean Sandman that's really nice of you." I replied finally looking up into his eyes,
"No problems… Sorry I didn't catch your name?"
"I'm Alex," I held at my hand as my eyes met with his,
"Jim," he smiled offering his hand,
"Cute kid, is he yours?" Jim asked after what felt like an eternity of staring into the man's eyes.
"Ah what? Oh yea he's my son"
"Did his dad come with you?" Jim asked and I could have sworn that there was a twinkle in his eyes,
"Daddy never comes to anything, he wont even come pick me up to play ball," my son replied sulking slightly, it was a tough subject for the kid.
"We're no longer together," I managed to mutter as I picked up my son.
"Oh… So umm what are you doing around here? This area is restricted to superstars and crew,"he asked quickly changing the subject.
"The security guard was taking us to the photography office, when this ratbag did a runner and I, of course, had to follow"
"We're going to see Aunt Jamie and Eli, I can show them my cane," Jimmy smiled holding out the cane that the man had given him,
"Jamie? That name sounds familiar"
"Probably, she's the newest Smackdown ring photographer"
"Oh I know her, she's always with Dave. You're her sister?" Jim asked looking me up and down, probably trying to work out how we could be related.
"No but she's my best friend and Jimmy and her son have grown up together so she's Aunt Jamie and I'm Aunt Alex," I stumbled out, blushing slightly. I couldn't believe the conversation that I was having.
"Oh ok, well you guys shouldn't really be wandering around by yourselves. If you'd like I could take you to the photography office?" Jim smiled he was being so nice,
"I wouldn't want to impose, I could just call Jamie"
"It's no problem, besides I've got nothing better to do," he sighed before heading down the hall giving us no choice but to follow him.
"Mommy I wanna walk!" Jimmy cried as I adjusted his position on my hip,
"No way! Last time I let you walk you did a runner"
"MOMMY! I wanna walk like Jim!" Jimmy cried trying to squirm out of my grasp.
"Well Jimmy it looks like your mom doesn't want you walking right now so how about I carry you instead?" Jim asked silently asking my permission, I didn't get an opportunity to object, not that I would, as my son basically leapt into the man's arms.
Jim led me towards the photography office while making small talk, asking where I was from, what I did for a living and if Jimmy was my only child. I struggled to mutter out one word answers and despite having a million questions of my own I struggled to get out even one. Luckily we were in the presence of my 4 year old chatter box of a son, and through careful listening I learnt about Jim's 2 kids, the match he had that night and how exciting working for the WWE was. I was stunned; he was nothing like the man we saw on ECW every week.
"I wanna be a wressler just like you," my son announced, he was a real wrestling fanatic.
"Maybe when you're older buddy" Jim smiled speaking from experience, his children had probably expressed their wishes to be wrestlers when they got older.
I'd been absolutely smitten for this man for as long as I could remember, I'd watched his career even after Vince bought out ECW and WCW and he lost his job. Even though I still followed him and loved watching him on TV again I just wished Vince wasn't trying to destroy the memory and legend of the original ECW. I think that if fans couldn't buy two for one tickets for ECW and Smackdown the arena's would be fairly empty for ECW shows, simply because the original ECW fans have seen how the show is being destroyed and want very little to do with it. I sometimes think WWE bought ECW back so that they could create a show of lower calibre than Smackdown. I remember Vince complaining about the first pay per view after their return, he was disappointed by Paul's work but what could the man expect he didn't allow traditional ECW?
"You know what Jimmy, I think your mom is real pretty," What? I'd been so caught up in my thoughts about ECW that I'd neglected to pay attention to the conversation with the man carrying my son.
"You do?" My boy asked,
"Yep, don't you?"
"Yea she's REAL pretty! But she's my mommy so I'm allowed to think that,"
"Am I not allowed to?"
"She's not your mommy"
"So you are only allowed to think that your mommy is pretty?" My son thought about the question for a while, I could tell that he was attempting to understand what the man was asking,
"Yea, only your mommy"
"Well am I allowed to say that she's beautiful?"
"Ummmm…" My son thought before leaning over to get closer to me, I took the boy in my arms so that he'd be able to talk to me better,
"Mommy, what's beautiful mean?" He asked still loud enough for Jim to hear, the two of us laughed the question was so adorable and predictable of my son,
"Just say yes, he is allowed to say that I'm beautiful," I whispered back, as my son hugged me before climbing back into Jim's arms.
"So?" Jim asked smirking slightly,
"Yes, you can say she's beautiful"
"What about asking her out, am I allowed to do that?"
"Like on a date?" My son asked, where did he learn that word and what it meant?
"Yep like on a date"
"Wait, Jimmy where did you learn that word?"
"Daddy always talks about his dates," bloody typical of his father, he always forgets his son is younger than he thinks he is.
"Hmmm I think I need to have a word with that man"
"Ok mommy,"
"So can I ask her Jimmy?"
"Hmm… Ok, you seem nice just don't make her cry like daddy does," don't you just love 4 year olds? They're innocently honest and pick up on much more than you realised. I'd never cried in front of my son, I'd leave the room or wait until he was asleep. What upset me was the way his father could break plans with his son and just toss him to the side, it breaks the boy's heart and I'm the one who has to pick up the pieces.
"Well here we are," Jim said as we reached an open door labelled 'Photography'.
"So what do you say? Will you go out with me after the show?"
"I'd love to… But Jamie really needs me at the moment," I sighed, I couldn't believe I was turning down a date with the Sandman, I'd dreamt about this moment since I was a kid.
"Oh okay, I understand"
"Whoa! Ignore my friend Jim she'll be there," the familiar Australian accent belonging to my friend responded.
"Jamie I can't leave you alone, not at the moment"
"It's fine, I'll look after the boys and you can go out with Jim. Who knows if you'll ever get another shot like this. Jim pick her up at the Mc Mahon's hotel an hour and a half after the show"
"Alright then, see you later," Jim smirked; he was more than happy to listen to Jamie's directions and he left before I had the chance to object.
I looked around trying to find Eli, knowing that after what had happened there was no way that he'd be with Dave,
"Where's Eli?" I asked and his mother sighed and pointed to the corner where Eli was sitting coloring.
"Why are you sitting there?" I went over and asked him,
"She said I had to until you and Jimmy arrived! I wanted to go play with Davie but SHE wouldn't let me!" He pouted, the young boy was not happy.
"Well why don't you and Jimmy play for a bit," I smiled at the boy as he excitedly ran to play with my son.
"Got time for a coffee?" I asked the boy's mom.
"Yea I guess but what about the boys?"
"Boys, we're going for ice cream do you want to come?"
"YES" they screamed and started rushing out the door. At the cafeteria we sat the boys down a table away from us so that we'd have a little bit of privacy, we told them that once they'd finished they could play for a bit but weren't allowed to leave the room and if they did they'd be in big trouble.
"Spill" I smiled at my friend and waited for her to talk, she'd already told me what had happened but she told me again including the events of the last couple of days. Truthfully there wasn't a lot that I could do, except be there for my friend,
"I hate to say this girl but Dave's not the one in the wrong," I flinched slightly, bracing myself against my friend's response,
"WHAT?"
"You didn't give him a chance to respond; you told him your story and bolted"
"He made me tell him!"
"No he didn't, he asked you to. He could tell that there was something wrong and it was hurting him to see you hurting. You didn't even give him a chance"
"He would have made me leave anyway; I just beat him to it."
"You said he didn't want you to leave, Jamie you need to talk to him, give him a chance." Jamie was close to tears, I think she knew that what I was saying was the truth.
"I just can't go back; I can't look him in the face knowing that he knows. Knowing that whenever he looks at me he won't see me anymore, he'll just see someone who was raped. I can't bear the thought of talking to him; it'd be so awkward, him doing the obligatory apologies even though it had nothing to do with him. Then knowing that there will come a time when he can't handle what I've gone through, you didn't see the look on his face, he was so, so disgusted at me."
"You've got to give him a shot, come on I'll take you to his locker room and you guys can talk, I'll look after the boys."
"I can't"
"You've got to, it's the only way"
"No I can't, I've got to get back to work." The woman sighed trying not to laugh; I'd totally forgotten that she was at work. We grabbed the boys or more accurately I grabbed the boys, as Eli wasn't willing to go with his mother, he was another matter I'd have to deal with.
Back at the photography office we said goodbye to Jamie and headed for a 'walk', in reality I was going to take Eli to see Dave.
"Do you know where Dave's locker room is?" I asked smiling slightly,
"Really?"
"Yep"
"Follow me," Eli took off down the hall with Jimmy close to his side, I laughed and raced after them glad to see Eli full of life and wondered if this problem with his mom could be sorted out by getting Dave and her back on talking terms. I caught up with them a few doors down from Dave's locker room,
"In there" Eli pointed excitedly,
"Well go on, knock," watching the union between the two males was awesome. Eventually Eli remembered to introduce Jimmy and myself and I had a chance to talk to Dave. He told me that his look of disgust wasn't at Jamie and he'd tried to hold it off, he also said that there was no way he would have made Jamie leave. The man mentioned that he had something to show my friend if only she'd give him a chance to respond to her story. We spoke for a while and planned a way to get the woman to at least be in the same area as Dave. That evening I took the boys out to our seats to watch the show and afterwards dropped them off with Mark and found Jamie.
"Where are the boys?"
"With Mark, you and I are going out"
"You have a date with Sandman"
"I'll make that date, trust me," I smirked pulling out of the parking lot and driving towards the address I'd been given earlier. 20 minutes later I pulled up to Dave's house,
"No way! I am not going in there!"
"You don't have to, but I'm not going to pick you up until AFTER my date and since its with Sandman who knows when it'll end." I smiled pushing her out the door before driving off. Only to receive a call 2 seconds later with my friend screaming how she hates me.
A/N: Long I know and it might not seem like there was any point to it but there is trust me! Please review! I love all the reviews I get they make me feel so special!