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Disclaimer: It is with great regret I inform you that I don't own WWE. If I did though... *hehehe*

Chapter 17: The Real Me

Writer's POV

Punk went into the bathroom to find Taylor sitting on the floor with her head on her knees and her arms hugging her legs. She was bawling her eyes out. "Taylor, is there something you want to tell me?" Punk asked kneeling before her in the small bathroom. He was uncomfortable but that wasn't his concern at the moment. "No, there's nothing I wanna tell you." Taylor managed to say. "Then why are you crying?"

"No reason." She said drying her eyes with her sleeves only to have new tears replace the old ones. "Even the weather man lies better than that." She looked into his olive eyes and saw nothing but concern and love. She turned her head away. "I can't tell you." Taylor chocked. "Why not?" Punk asked. "Because you're gonna break up with me."

"Nothing would make me wanna break up with you." She wiped her eyes again. "I seriously doubt that." Punk stared at her imagining the worst. "Wait, did you cheat on me?" Taylor shook her head and Punk let out a sigh of relief. "Then nothing's gonna make me wanna break up with you."

"I've been lying to you for practically our whole relationship." Her tears had stopped; leaving wet stains on her cheek and her eyes were puffy and red. "What?!" Punk asked a little too loudly and she jumped. "Not about my feelings for you. Those... those are very real. I just lied about who I am." Punk looked her in disbelief. "I don't understand..." Taylor shrugged, "I didn't expect you to." Punk shook his head. "That's not what I meant. Tell me about the real you." Taylor shook her head. "Please, why don't you just tell me about the real you?"

"Because you'll just hate me."

"No I won't. Taylor, just tell me." She looked into his eyes and leaned forward; pressing her lips against his. Punk reacted immediately to the kiss; putting his hand behind her head to deepen it. When she pulled away Punk was grinning. "What was that for?"

"Nothing, I just wanted one last kiss from you." Punk sighed loudly. He was getting nowhere with this. "Like I said Tay, I'm not gonna break up with you. Now for God's sake would you just tell me?"

"Fine. For starters my name is really Taylor Erin Cooper but I'm not 22."

"How old are you then?!" Punk asked praying that she wasn't younger. "Your sister is a year older than me." His jaw dropped. "You're 24?! But why did you lie?"

"Because I was attracted to you and that's also part of the reason you never saw me when you visited before. I mean, let's face it; you're 'CM Punk' for crying out loud, who wouldn't want to have a go at that?"

"Um..."

"Then your sister told me that you liked me so I lied about my age. I thought you'd think I was too young and you'd lose interest but we all saw how that turned out."

"Is that all?"

"Not even close. Everything I told you last night was true, it just wasn't all..." Punk starred at her. "What's the rest?" She was fighting back tears. "After my dad picked my brother up he used to sneak out to see me and give me money from his allowance and stuff like that. On my tenth birthday he took me out and spent the entire day together. Well, almost, my dad tracked my brother down and he made a big deal about the whole situation. He practically embarrassed me in front of everyone. He told my brother he didn't know why I was wasting his time on a useless piece of trash like me and he'd rather his money be burnt than spent on me. My brother stopped coming after that and two months later I found out that he had moved my brother to another state just so he couldn't see me. I was so angry and hurt and I felt so alone and useless that I, I uhh..." She was having a hard time getting her words out because she was crying. "What did you do Taylor?"

"I, uh, I found a blade and cut myself. It took a while but the people at the orphanage found me and took me to the hospital. Even though I begged them to let me die, they didn't. They saved me and put me in an institute for suicidal kids. I had a great mentor. His name was Jack and the first four years were good. Then one day I was in a session with Jack and he was telling me how proud he was of the progress I was making. He said I was turning into a pretty remarkable young lady. Then he touched my leg but I took it for nothing. Then he started rubbing my thighs and when I told him to stop he wouldn't." The tears were flowing down her face uncontrollably. "Did he rape you?" She nodded; still unable to find words. "Three times that day." Punk had a look of concern mixed with anger on his face. "So what did you do?" Taylor shrugged. "I cut myself and for the next two years, every time he raped me; I'd cut myself. Then one time, when I was sixteen it was really bad and I hit a vein and ended up in the hospital for ten days. When I got out they locked me in my room and never let me out. One night Jack came and told me that the next time I did that he'd rape me and save me the trouble of having to cut myself cause he would kill me. Then he raped me over and over and over again. But this time it was different cause be beat me up pretty bad too. That's when I had enough and I ran away. I lived on the streets till I met your sister and got reunited with my brother and I went to college. Then I met Andrew, fell in love with him and when I wouldn't sleep with him he kinda forced me then told he it wasn't worth his time. When I met you I just wanted things to be different; I just wanted to feel loved. I wanted someone to call me their own and I found all that with you. I guess I didn't want it to end and I knew it would as soon as you found out how much baggage I came with. But thank you for the best six months of my life, even though you made me cut myself. The only other persons that made me do that was my dad, Jack and my ex. I still wanna thank you for loving me."

"Taylor, I can't be-"

"Look, you don't need to say it. Just tell the driver to pull over and I'll get out of your life and you'd never have to see me again."

"I don't want you to go."

"You don't?"

"I want you to stay Taylor."

"Look, I appreciate you trying not to hurt my feelings but I'd understand perfectly if you want me to leave."

"But I don't want you to leave. I love you Taylor." She shook her head. "No, you don't?"

"Yes, I do."

"No, you do not." Punk was trying desperately to make her believe him. "Yes, Taylor, I do."

"How could you? I've been beaten, I've been raped, and I'm an emotional mess with self esteem issues. Hell! I cut myself so I don't have to deal with emotional pain. How could you still love me with the past I had?"

"Taylor, I love you in spite of the past you had. Your past made you, YOU and I love you. More than you'll ever know." Taylor starred into his eyes. "But why?"

"Beats the hell outa me. But I do know you make my life worth living I know it's only been six months but you challenge me to be the best. I thought I had everything but I was wrong. Now that you've come into my life, I know what it's like to have it all and be happy. And I don't wanna lose that." Punk used his thumb to wipe the tears off Taylor's face. "And don't you ever forget that right?" She nodded, "Okay." He stood up and stretched down his hand. "Let me at least clan those cuts." She placed her hand in his and he pulled her up. Punk effortlessly lifted her and placed her on the counter by the sink. He held her wrists and just starred at them. "It's not that bad Punk. If I wanted to die, trust me, I wouldn't have called your sister because she'd just talk me outa it." Punk turned on the tap and wet a cloth. "No, it's just that I can't believe I drove you to this. Now I'm in a category with your dad and two guys who raped you; who, for that fact I don't mind killing." Taylor laughed. "If you hadn't noticed; these guys really meant a lot to me and I loved them. That's why it hurt when they did what they did." Punk placed the cloth down and looked at Taylor. "Are you gonna be okay?"

"Yeah, I have awesome skin, so in a few days it'll be like they were never here." Punk smiled and shook his head, "No, I meant are you gonna be okay?" Taylor stared at her wrists and shrugged. "That's not an answer I'm gonna accept Taylor. Are you gonna be okay?" Taylor nodded. "Are you sure?"

"Yeah, I've got the best people in my life looking out for me." Punk raised an eyebrow. "People?" Taylor smiled. "Right, I've got the best person looking out for me." He smirked his famous smirk at her. "Person?" Taylor sighed. "Fine, I've got the best, self absorbed boyfriend looking out for me."

"Much better. I wanna have your strength. You were man—or should I say woman enough to share your past with me and here I am being a scared little girl about mine and it wasn't half as bad as yours." She pulled him close and wrapped her hands around her neck. "I love you."

"Yeah?"

"Yeah, I've loved you for years. Well I've loved CM Punk for years. But Phil Brooks stole my heart."

"Damn right he did." Punk said as he leaned in and kissed her. Taylor pulled him close and deepened the kiss. They were both getting into the kiss; oblivious to their surroundings. "Jeez Punk! You'd think you got a personal bedroom on this bus you'd actually use it in moments like these." Taylor pulled away from Punk and he scowled at Kofi. "What are you doing here?" Kofi pretended to look confused as his eyes scanned his surroundings. "I don't know if you know this but this is a bathroom. You take showers and pee in it."

"Night Kofi, sorry about that. I'll see you in the morning." Taylor slid off the counter and walked out the bathroom. Kofi turned towards the toilet. He suddenly span around and looked at Punk. "I'm sorry; do you wanna watch me pee?"

"Drop dead Kofi."

AN: So that's Chapter 17 for ya! And Finals finished! So I'll update more often.

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:)