A/N: I am more than aware when WrestleMania is, but as this is fan fiction, I messed with the date and as of right now, Mania is at the end of summer! HAHAHA! Anyways... yeah...
CHAPTER FOURTEEN
The days passed peacefully, made even more relaxing when no more reports of Shawn came in. river would now talk to Steve herself, telling him things she remembered, laughing when he would always go 'thank the Lord', taking his teasing with a grain of salt when it came to not yet remembering their childhood. She knew this couldn't last forever though. Summer was ending and Hope needed normalcy. Hope needed school and friends. Not to mention River needed a break from her opinionated, obnoxious, arrogant daughter. She was Mark's child through and through.
Wrestlemania was in a few short days and Mark was pumped for it. He was training like a madman down in the basement. His fists were his ticket to a clean win. Mark snorted at that. There would be nothing CLEAN about it. It would be bloodshed and it was going to be brutal.
River heard a truck crunching on the gravel and grinned. "Steve's here!" She said eagerly, watching as Mark just nodded from his place near the pool he was erecting. Laughing, she darted around the house, giggling when Mark whistled at her.
Hope followed, laughing only to wind up screaming." DAD!" She bolted back around the house, screaming again when she heard a door slam shut followed by squealing as the truck pulled away. "DADDY!"
Mark seen the fear in his daughter's eyes, chasing her back out front and dropped to his knees when he seen a truck peeling out of the drive. "No…" He whispered, catching Hope when she flew into his arms. "No…"
***
River sat as far away from her husband as she could, flinching as a memory assaulted her.
"Go away, Michaels. I'm not in the mood for your shit tonight." She said in a bored tone, sitting on a table as she watched a match on the nearby monitor, groaning when he sat down beside her. "I'm serious."
"You had best watch it tonight, Riv." He said conversationally, reaching out to take a lock of her hair between his fingers, smirk firmly in place. "Cause tonight is going to be one you'll never forget." He began laughing at some private joke. "Or maybe you will."
Disgusted, she hopped off the table and hurried away.
***
Mark was now on the phone with Stephanie, Steve sitting beside him along with Hope. He had the phone on speaker, hearing Paul in the background. "So you have no fucking clue where he'd take her, Levesque?"
"No." Paul said flatly. "Mark, I have no idea. I haven't spoke with him since I spilled everything I knew."
"Goddamn it…"
"Mark, I'm going to three-way call Shawn's phone. You need to keep QUIET. It you so much as BREATHE, I'll hang up, understand?" Stephanie said, sighing when he just grunted and punched in the number. She almost blinked when she got a bright and chipper 'hello?'. "Hey Shawn, it's Steph." She said brightly. "I've been giving some thought to this WrestleMania match and I really don't think it'll be enough. I think we need to up the stakes. The board has already decided you'll be the one to end 'Taker's streak but we need to give you something to really fight for, you know what I'm saying?"
"Interesting Steph. What did you have in mind?" Shawn sounded amused.
"I was thinking your family." She said at once. "Picture it, Shawn. We can air a video of you and River," Her voice took on it's usual dreamy tone when she was brainstorming, actually going to do this. "A voice over with 'Their love was forever until…' You get my drift. We'll incorporate what really happened into it. Taker kidnapping your family and how you're fighting to get them back. We'll make this a type of 'love her or leave her' match. You win, you get them back. He wins, you let them go. What do you think?"
Mark was going to kill Stephanie, ignoring the warning look Steve shot him.
"A love her or leave her match…" Shawn drawled, breathing into the phone for a moment, then silent for a second. "Why should I? She's my wife, she'll be with me regardless."
"You owe her this, Shawn." Paul growled. "You remember that favor you owe me? I'm calling it in now."
"Sure, alright fine." Shawn chuckled. "If I win, which I will because Taker is a moron, then River and Hope stay with me and nothing more is said about this entire fiasco. Got it?"
Steve just shook his head, watching as Mark left the room.
***
Hope lay curled up on Mark's bed, sniffling. She had long cried all her tears, there was nothing left but dry sobs. "Daddy, he's not going to hurt her, is he?" She asked quietly, a tremor in her voice. She could remember seeing her mom's face, the panic in her blue eyes as she was dragged back into the truck.
His heart broke, hearing the fear in her tone. "Little darlin', I'm not going to lie to you because I honestly don't know." He whispered. "I'll get her back, Hope. I promise, then everything will be alright."
She was silent for a moment then sat up, her pale face streaked with dried tears. "That's the second or third time ya made a promise." She said solemnly. "And you ain't kept a single one, dad."
"I know." The pain of that realization was clear as day on his face. "I know I haven't." He reached for her again, pulling her into a tight hug. "When all of this is done, you'll have your momma back. Your REAL mom."
Hope frowned at that, looking thoughtful. "Dad… won't she be a mixture of both? Her old self and how she is now? Ain't like she's gonna forget all the new memories she has." She said slowly, chewing on her thumbnail before looking up at him. "I LIKE the mom I have now, I don't want her being someone else."
"You're right, she'll be a mix. You'll see a whole new side of your momma, Hope, the one Shawn took away from her." How the hell was he supposed to explain this to a ten year old girl? She wasn't understanding and he honestly had no clue how to make it register with her. "Look, Shawn did something really bad to her. He made her who she is… but she's slowly getting her memories back, her REAL memories. Do you understand little darlin'?'
"So what you're trying to say is that my mom doesn't exist, she's not real; just something Shawn made and this woman you know is the real one?" Hope summarized, understanding better then he gave her credit for.
Mark didn't know what to say when she put it like that.
***
River stared up at the arena, her blue eyes filled with a mixture of anger and hope. She looked down at her hand, which was being all but crushed in Shawn's. "You're going to break them." She said flatly.
Shawn loosened his grip, his face grim as they walked inside. He wasn't surprised to find Mark and Steve waiting for them, Hope firmly tucked between the pair. "Good evening, boys." He greeted, pulling River in front of him; wrapping his arm around her throat. "Now unless you want her to get hurt, step aside. She's mine until this match is decided, which means she'll STILL be mine." He glanced at Hope, seeing the tears in her eyes. "Aw sweetheart, you can come with us to my dressing room."
Mark watched Steve pick Hope up, shaking his head. "Tonight, Michaels, you will die."
"Ah ah, is that smart? I do have her by the throat." Shawn said, cutting off River's oxygen.
"Hopie, turn your head, honey." Steve ordered, forcing her to look away, his heart breaking when he heard her muffled sobs. "You're sick, Michaels."
"Not as sick as some people." Shawn replied, not bothered in the least, his eyes flickering to Mark. "If you come near me, I'll pop her head right off."
"Your ass is mine, Michaels. River, hang in there darlin', I love you."
"River don't love you, she loves me."
"You could only wish."
Shawn only loosened his grip on her when Mark and Steve had walked away, taking Hope with them.
***
"Mark, screw the match." Steve said when they were in a room, setting Hope down. "Let Stephanie know he's here and there's enough of us to stop him before he actually kills her." He cracked his knuckles. "Else wise she might not make it to the match. There ain't no telling what he'll do to her between now and then." He glanced back at Hope, sighing when he seen she hadn't removed the IPod he had put on her, at full volume.
"No." Mark shook his head, cracking his knuckles. "We have a stipulation and we have a plan. I want to kill him, Steve. I want to break every damn bone in his body. He won't kill her, he's obsessed with her."
"No, but that don't mean he won't do something else." Steve grunted. Match be damned. Shawn didn't play the rules, he had made that clear when he had kidnapped River all those years ago, no rules but his own anyway.
***
River sat in the corner of Shawn's dressing room, knees drawn to her chin; staring straight ahead. Shawn was busy talking with Glenn, who had came in a few minutes after they had arrived, unable to hear what they were saying, not sure she wanted to know.
Glenn smirked wickedly, listening to Shawn and nodded his head. "I know exactly what you want and trust me, it'll be my pleasure." His eyes strayed to River, shaking his head when she looked up, her ice blue eyes narrowing. "That's not very Christian of you, Mrs. Michaels." He said when she flipped him off.
"Oh, that will all change as soon as we get this little nuisance with Mark out of the way." Shawn chuckled, patting him on the back. "Thanks a lot for this, big man." He passed Glenn a check. "Pleasure doing business with ya."
While Shawn was busy showing Glenn to the door, River got to her feet and made her way to the bathroom. She shut the door and locked it, hearing him curse. "Let me piss in private, Shawn!" She yelled through the door, rolling her eyes. "There ain't no damn way out of here so chill out."
When she emerged ten minutes later, having used the toilet and then just leaned against the wall, taking deep; calming breaths. Inhaling deeply, she opened the door and almost fell on her ass when she found him waiting right THERE. The look on his face instantly reminded he of her dream and the night he had almost lost it. "Calm down, honey." She said instinctively.
"You are mine." Shawn said slowly, his hazel eyes filled with emotion. "We belong together, River. You, me and Hope; we're a family." He now had her backed against the wall, a hand on either side of her head. "Do you understand?" He grabbed her hand, bringing her wedding ring to eye level. "You are my wife, like I said, no act of nature or even God's own hand will ever take you away from me."
River could only nod, wrapping her arms around his neck; feeling his entire body stiffen against hers but clung to him anyway. "I'm sorry, Shawn." She whispered, burying her face in his chest, her hot tears soaking through his shirt in no time. "I'm sorry, I love you." She raised her tear stained face to him; kissing him almost desperately. "I love you Shawn, I'm sorry." She murmured against his lips, tears clinging to her eyelashes.
Those sweet words did what they always did. Relaxed him. "I love you too, River." He whispered, running a finger down her cheek, catching a tear. "God, I'm so sorry." He pulled her against him, their lips colliding in a passionate, heated kiss. "I'm sorry…" He truly meant it, pressing her back into the wall, his hands moving down her sides to cup her ass. He lifted her up, feeling her legs wrapping around his waist and pressed his forehead to hers. "After I win the match, we'll go home and forget this ever happened." He promised huskily.
Nodding, she wiped tears from her eyes and managed a small smile. "I love you." She whispered again, smiling even more, seeing the usual effect those words had on him; understanding more then ever just why they did. "Shawn, when we do get home, don't take my memories from me again." She pleaded softly, cupping his face in her hands. "I don't want to forget you, I don't want to forget any of our happiness."
"I won't, I promise." He murmured against her lips, glad she had seen the light. Mark wasn't right for her, he never had been. It was him and River, together forever. "I love you, River."
River smiled once more, her fingers caressing the nape of his neck. Her eyes darkened when he buried his face into the crook of her neck, feeling his lips attacking the sensitive skin.
"I need you." He whispered huskily, freeing one hand to cup her jean covered sex. "Do you want me, Riv?"
"Yes…" She hissed, staring into his eyes; arching herself against him when he rubbed the heel of his hand against her, whimpering softly. "Shawn, please… I want you, honey." Her hands were already moving to unbutton his shirt, skimming the flesh she revealed with her fingertips.
***
"Shawn, I want to go out there with you." River said as they dressed, kissing his shoulder blade before he could pull on his shirt; laughing when he growled. "Listen to me," She caught his face, forcing him to look at her. "I want to be there when you beat him. I want him to see that he could never tear us apart."
Shawn stared intently down at his wife, searching her eyes for some sign of deception. All he could see in those vivid blue eyes was her love for him shining back at him. "Alright." He said with a smile, kissing her hand then her lips. "Just… be careful out there, honey."
Laughing, she quickly pulled on one of his HBK shirts, knotting it over her abdomen then brushed her hair with his brush. A giggle escaped her swollen lips when he got down on his knees to kiss her bare belly. "Hopefully out little boy is in there." She said softly, smiling when he looked up at her.
"Hopefully." He kissed her stomach again, resting his forehead against her.
***
"You ready?" Steve asked, watching as Mark pulled his gloves on, one by one. He almost shuddered at the expression of grim determination on his friend's face, glad he wasn't in Shawn's place; not that he would ever admit it.
Mark just nodded; sparing his daughter a glance.
Hope just gaped at him.
"I'll bring her back." He promised, crouching down on one knee to catch her when she flew into his arms. "I promise, Hope." He looked up at Steve, shaking his head. "Don't let her watch."
"I won't." Steve said softly.
***
River waited patiently besides Shawn, fighting back the butterflies of going out there in front of all those people. She smiled nervously when his music started up, letting him guide her out onto the stage. Then she had to fight back the urge to bury her face in her hands when he danced around her, giggling in spite of herself.
Then she really blushed when he kissed her for all to see, threading her fingers with his as they headed to the ring, her eyes fastened on the cage that was already in place. "I'll be over there." She whispered, kissing him again before he slid through the door.
The bells tolled as Mark walked out. He wasn't even in his ring gear. Nothing but black jeans, steel toed boots and gloves. He wasn't going to ruin his wrestling tights by letting Shawn's rancid blood soak into them. He didn't even look at River as he stepped through the ropes, hearing the ominous sound of the steel door closing behind him, followed by the padlock being snapped shut.
Shawn for the first time since this had started, actually looked scared.