Chapter 15
One black eyebrow arched slowly, a slow smirk crossing his face as he chuckled darkly. "Given that we are siblings, Grace, I don't think it's appropriate for you to look at me that way." He said suggestively, snorting when his Ministry began laughing under their breaths. "Any word on Paul?"
"Still hospitalized, he'll be out in a week." Farooq spoke up instantly, cracking his knuckles ominously. "Want us to make it even longer?"
"I'll consider it."
'You're his sister, remember that. You HAVE to lie!' Her mind screamed at her as Grace was in a trance, finally blinking and cleared her throat, running a hand through her hair. "Sorry. What did you want to talk about, Undertaker?" She asked softly, not really interested in hearing about her father.
That lying sack of trash, she was going to maim him when he finally did come back on the road. Anger flashed in her amber eyes at the thought of him lying to her all these years, telling her Glen and Mark had been dead all this time. When they were here, they were alive and well, for the most part. Grace felt the tears slide down her cheeks as the emotions crashed over her, causing her to bury her face in her hands, her shoulders shaking and sniffled. She couldn't help it, this was intense, the pain and heartache slowly diminishing, though it lingered because he had no idea who she was.
"Aww the wittle baby is crying." Viscera hissed from his corner, busy pulling on his wrestling boots.
"Viscera, you just lost Mideon as a tag team partner, enjoy your handicap match and pray you win or suffer my displeasure."
That made everyone shut the hell up, just in case.
Grace slowly looked up at Mark, refusing to think of him as anything else except that name, blinking. Did he just...defend her? She blinked and wiped her tears away, the chill no longer in the room. She remembered when they were in school and Mark used to beat up any guy who would touch her, giggling softly at the memory. He would walk her to the school bus and they would ride home together, talking about anything out of the ordinary. They weren't regular kids, Mark and Grace were the top students in their classes, being ten and eleven years old. She was in another trance as that memory swept her away, closing her eyes, and slowly opened them when she felt a hand on her back, turning to stare up at him.
"Sorry." She apologized again, sighing heavily. "What's up bro?" She decided to try that, see if she got her answer.
"What the hell?" 'Taker blurted out, green eyes narrowing when Bradshaw covered his laugh by turning it into a cough. "Do not address me as 'bro', do I look like a 'bro' to you, woman?" He demanded, regretting ever standing up for her. Look what happened, she was already taking liberties! "I want you to travel with my Ministry."
"What?" Grace wasn't comfortable anymore and stood up, her eyes widened, shaking her head. "I'm sorry I can't do that..." She trailed off, about to call him Mark, but caught herself. "Undertaker. I called you 'bro' because I don't talk in that prim and proper way that you're used too." She never remembered Mark talking like that, remembering his southern accent and missed that deeply. His drawl. "You do know I'm dating Steve Austin right?" When the Ministry hissed, she got her answer. "The answer is no. Thank you, but no brother." She had a right damn it and if he tried forcing her, she would hurt him again like last time, her eyes narrowing slightly.
'Taker didn't miss that narrowing of the eyes and stood up, a smirk on his face. "Calm down." He said, reaching out suddenly and pinching a cord in her neck, catching her before she slumped, her eyes darting to him. Her mind was alert, her body however had just been temporarily paralyzed. "That's your only warning, SISTER, I can incapacitate you as well as you can me. So don't even think about it."
Grace closed her eyes as she leaned against him, not able to do much for the moment. She felt him lift her up in his arms and set her in the chair, trying to get her blood pumping again. She was definitely lying to him now, there was no way he could find out she was Gracie, EVER. "I told you no, I'm not traveling with your Ministry." She stated in an even voice, refusing to show weakness even though she couldn't move. Her entire body from the neck up had been temporarily paralyzed. Hell if he wanted too, he could take her and she wouldn't be able to fight him off. It would last a good ten-fifteen minutes since he only pinched her cord.
"Why not? Don't you want to spend some time with your big brother?" He asked innocently, smirking when Mideon snorted, patting his 'dog' on the head. "Play nicely, Mideon. Why don't you go see if you can't find Grace a pillow? I'm sure she's most uncomfortable." He chuckled darkly, studying her before turning serious. "That was just a demonstration Grace. If you try that ever again with me, I'll break your legs."
"You deserved it after what you pulled." She shot back heatedly, her side throbbing with pain, but she couldn't move for the moment, glaring daggers back at her 'brother'. Glen had been right. Mark, the Mark she knew, was gone and that just broke her heart as she closed her eyes. "And, big brother or not, I don't want to spend anymore time with you than necessary." She was lifted up and placed on the pillow, mumbling a thank you before leaning her head against the back of the chair, "Though I might start traveling with..." She had to trail off again and got her wits about her. "Kane." She finished with a smile. "But then again Steve wouldn't like that too much since I'm already traveling with him." That was the truth, Steve had started sharing a hotel room with her. "And I know how much you loathe each other so no Undertaker, that's my final decision."
"Fine. Someone get her out of here."
Bradshaw and Farooq stepped forward, each taking one end of Grace's paralyzed body and carted her out the door, carrying her to Larry. Without answering any of his frantic questions, they laid her on a table and walked back out.
"Grace? Grace, you okay?" Larry demanded, staring down at her anxiously.
"Yeah, he temporarily paralyzed me." She stated through gritted teeth, finally feeling her arms slowly come back to life, seeing the fear in his eyes. "Relax. He said it was a warning." She rolled her eyes, slowly reaching her hand up and had him pull her up into a sitting position. "He wanted me to travel with him. I told him no. He didn't like that so he had his morons drop me off here." She seen Glen FLY into the room and immediately held her hand up, beginning to gain feeling in her legs. "I'm fine Glen." She ignored Larry's shocked expression. "He didn't do anything...much."
Recovering from his shock at Grace addressing Kane by his Christian name, Larry turned to the other man. "He paralyzed her." He said bluntly, wincing when Kane's volatile exploded, shielding Grace's still not fully functioning body when a table went flying. "KANE!"
Breathing heavily, Kane shot one look at her before storming out of the room.
"Larry, you have to stop him! He's going to destroy Mark!" She gasped, covering her mouth and shook her head frantically back at him. "I didn't say that. You did NOT hear me say that, do you understand me, Larry?" When he nodded mutely and looked like he had questions circling his head, Grace finally felt the strength return to her body and flew out the door after Glen. She caught him before he arrived at the Ministry locker room. "No, you can't do this!" She had her hands pressed against his chest. "Glen please..." She pleaded quietly, her eyes mirroring what she was saying. "Please, just let it go."
"No." Glen growled, staring down at her, breathing heavily. "He has to stop."
"Stop what? Hello, Grace, good to see you back on your feet." 'Taker said, opening the door with a smirk. He caught Kane's fist before it could reach him, twisting his brother's arm behind his back and shoved him across the hallway face first into a wall. "Play nice or else." He hissed, keeping an eye on Grace just in case she decided to play hero.
"G-Kane, please!" She couldn't believe this and cupped his face with her hands, shaking her head slowly back and forth. "Please. For me. Don't do this." She turned around to face Mark, still standing in front of Glen, wondering where her Mark was. He was nowhere to be found and it was shattering her slowly. "Brother, please stop it." She felt Glen's hands on her shoulders and nodded, leaning back against him. "He's not worth it..." She had to trail off again, biting back the name Glen. "Kane." This was going to be harder than she thought as she grabbed his hand. "Come on, he's done the damage, there's no fixing it and violence won't solve ANYTHING."
"No, but it'll make me feel better." 'Taker snarled, not believing she was interfering like this. "Grace, move." He ordered angrily, ready to show his baby brother the meaning of pain.
"Get over it." Kane growled, smirking when 'Taker actually froze in shock. "Come on Grace."
"This is just like-" She felt Glen nudge her and nodded, grabbing his hand and stared back at Mark, refusing to move out the way. "If you want him, then you have to go through me and this time I'll see your attack coming, BROTHER." She spat angrily, feeling Glen pull her back, amber eyes spitting fire back at him. She wanted to tell him everything, just to see the look on his face, but refrained because she knew Glen was right. Mark would pull what he did previously if he knew they weren't really siblings. She had to play the part.
"If we weren't related I would gladly go through you."
Glen was appalled, how sick was his brother? Apparently twisted beyond belief. He growled again, stepping in front of Grace. If she thought 'Taker would be easy to take down again she was mistaken. He knew all too well how fast 'Taker could move when he wanted too. Grace would wind up with broken fingers if she tried that again.
"Stop it both of you!" Grace shouted, pulling Glen away from Mark, shaking her head. He was still the instigator, that hadn't changed about him one damn bit. "Still the same." She muttered, feeling how tense Glen was. "Please Kane, don't do this. I know he's your brother, but don't fall for it. He'll have his Ministry out here in a heartbeat pummeling you because he's a coward who doesn't know how to fight his own battles." She seen the fire flash in Mark's eyes and didn't care, it was the truth. "That's why he has all of those men following him, to do his bidding because he can't do it himself. Come on, it's not worth stooping to his level."
Kane caught the Undertaker before the other man reached Grace, surprised at how fast he had lunged, genuinely scared when he seen the deadly rage in those green eyes. "Run, Grace!" He ordered, digging his boots into the floor, pushing 'Taker back. He managed to shove the slightly smaller man back, crouching down to catch him again if he charged.
'Taker didn't get the chance because Steve had appeared on the scene, jumping on 'Taker's back before he could attack again, applying a sleeper hold. Holding on for dear life as he was repeatedly slammed into the wall, not letting go.
"STEVE!" Grace cried out, wincing every time his back and head collided with the wall, knowing he was going to have a hell of a concussion.
She blinked when Glen shoved her down the hallway and took off running, worried to death for Steve. She decided to go to his dressing room and locked the door behind her, flipping the lock on it. Her chest was heaving from how hard and fast her heart was pounding, tears sliding down her cheeks, and frantically wiped them away. She knew she crossed a line with what she said, but it was the truth! Grace didn't sugarcoat anything, not when she was being provoked.
With Kane now helping, 'Taker eventually caved to the sleeper hold, stumbling to his knees, then finally passing out. Steve let go with a groan, letting Kane help him to his feet. "Where'd she- Never mind, I already know." Holding the back of his head, he walked towards his dressing room, aware Kane was following. He almost jumped when Kane supported him. "Thanks." He mumbled, feeling like he was going to pass out.