Chris clutched the phone in his hand and resisted the urge to throw it against the wall shattering it into a million pieces. Instead he banged his fist into his chest much like he did in the ring. He wanted the pain to stop. But he knew it wouldn't, not until he was able to reach out and physically touch Mel. He needed her and now he realized just how much.

He turned around everyone's eyes were on him and he couldn't help but think about how much he appreciated them being there yet giving him his space. While they were all worried sick they knew to let him speak on his own terms. That's why they were there, that and the fact they were Mel's family therefore like his own.

"What did he say?" Molly asked in almost a whisper.

"He wants his money in installments." He paused, a fresh supply of tears welled up. "I talked to Mel. She said she was ok, and then he hung up."

A sigh of relief was given by all. Not that any one of them ever gave into the thought that Melony may be dead but it was there, in the backs of their minds.

"Do you still think its Brock?" Autumn asked.

Chris shook his head. "I'm not sure what to think anymore."

--- --- ---

Chris sat down in a chair and scribbled something down on a notepad and dialed the phone. Even though he was a WWE superstar he handled all his own money. He didn't have an accountant or agent or anyone else to deal with. His money was in a bank in Atlanta. And right now he needed to find out exactly how much he could get his hands on. And although the bank was closed he had managed to become close friends with the president of the bank. The president of which he was currently trying to contact. After a few minutes on the phone Chris was scribbling away on the notepad and thanking the man on the other end. He hung up and returned to where the group was anxiously waiting for an update.

"What's the deal bro?" Autumn asked as she handed his a cup of coffee which he readily took.

"Well, the money isn't really a problem. I just have to go down there in the morning and move some things around. I'll have to sell off a lot of our assets, cash in some stocks and all that. But I think transferring all that money is going to raise some flags. But I'm hoping Mr. Harriman can help with that."

"Mr. Harriman?" Shannon asked in confusion.

Chris shook his head. "Yeah he's the president of my bank. An older man, reminds me of my own father."

"You know Mel is going to kill you if you do all that." Molly couldn't help but smile. She knew for a fact that those stocks were Mel's babies. She spent grueling hours going over her portfolio, watching the stock ticker religiously and even subscribed to all those stock newspapers. Molly also knew that Mel spent months putting together the perfect stocks for Chris and she'd done so well for him that other co-workers would ask her about investments and the like.

Shannon and Autumn chuckled.

"You're right. She'll kill me, but that's a chance I have to take."

"No you don't. Let us help out. I'm sure we can all come up with enough without anyone having to sell off anything." Autumn looked around, Molly and Shannon both nodding in agreement.

Chris shook his head. "No. I can handle this."

"We're not saying you can't. All we're saying is we want to help, so let us." Molly weighed in.

"Here man." Shannon handed Chris a glass of whiskey. "What it comes down to is we are all family here and families have each other's backs."

"Just think about it ok?" Autumn said as she stood to excuse herself from the room.

"I'll think about it. But that doesn't mean I'll accept." He polished off the glass of Jack Daniels and Shannon poured him another. "I'm going to go upstairs for a while. Let me know when Dave gets back."

"Sure thing man."

They took what they could get from Chris, considering he wasn't one to accept help from anyone. But they knew this was different. They knew that he would do anything for Melony or any one of them because that was just the type of guy he was. He loved his family more than anything else in the world and Mel was all that mattered to him. One without the other was like the Earth without the Sun.

--- --- ---

Molly, Shannon and Autumn busied themselves by cleaning up the house and outside. They would consider doing anything to take their minds off the past few hours. But the silence between them spoke volumes. No one knew exactly what to say and they were anticipating Dave getting back to the house. But on top of that Autumn had other concerns. She had yet to get in touch with Doug. He wasn't answering his cell phone or home phone and when he had left in her car he said he would only be gone twenty minutes. Not that she really needed her car but she could use his support after all isn't that what good boyfriends did?

Shannon noticed her standing off to the side and walked over placing his hand on her shoulder. "Hey, you know we're gonna get her back right? Mel is one tough girl. I bet whoever took her is already rethinking things."

"I know Shan, thanks. I'm just wondering where Doug is."

"He never came back?"

"No. He missed the entire party." She tried to hide her disappointment and Shannon saw right through her. He couldn't understand how someone like Doug could do her that way. Autumn was the most wonderful girl he'd ever met and any man should be lucky that they had her.

"You want me to call someone or go look for him?"

Autumn smiled. "That's really sweet and I appreciate but its Atlanta, where would you look?"

Shannon shrugged. "I'm not sure but ..."

She interrupted him, shaking her head back and forth. "No. No, it doesn't even matter where you would look. As long as I get my car back I don't care. I've had it. My sister is missing, the last words I said to her were in anger and where is Doug? Exactly!"

Shannon wrapped an arm around her and pulled her close. "It's ok. Mel knows you didn't mean it. I'm sure that's the last thing on her mind."

Autumn pulled free of his hold. "No it's not ok! He's supposed to love me and my family! He's supposed to be here for me! I can't handle all this on my own!" At the last word she couldn't hold it together any more the tears started to flow and wouldn't stop.

Shannon pulled her into him and wrapped both arms protectively around her. The sobs came even harder and Autumn didn't resist. "Hey now. Shh. You're not alone, you got me."

--- --- ---