Chapter 18

He was LIVID. His Ministry was now restraining him backstage, stopping him from going back out there. 'Taker was definitely not used too them all converging on him and he couldn't match the combined strength, bellowing with rage as they literally dragged him away. Security forming a line to block them as Vince -who had gone out to get Stephanie- returned, cradling his baby girl next to him.

"Calm down, 'Taker!" Paul ordered, groaning when he got a boot to the face when he got too close.

"Paul!" Alexis cried, rushing to his side, and slowly helped him up. She'd never seen 'Taker THIS angry, not even when she squirted aloe in his eyes.

She swallowed hard and checked to make sure Paul was alright, sighing as his lip was bleeding. They hadn't been expecting Austin to interfere and she knew 'Taker was going to rip that bald bastard apart. Though she couldn't stop being relieved that Stephanie was back with her family, though she hid that well as she wrapped an arm around Paul's shoulders.

"I'm fine, I'm fine." Paul assured her, holding a handkerchief to his bleeding lip, watching as more and more security came. This was not good. "Get him out of here!"

"YOU wanna try holding him down?" Bradshaw grunted.

"Well hold him still long enough for me to sedate him at least. Alexis, stand back."

"No! Paul, you can't do that!" She shouted, her violet eyes widened, and immediately walked over to where the Acolytes were holding onto 'Taker. She cupped his face in her hands, seeing how much rage was in his eyes. "Calm down, calm down 'Taker please." Tears filled her eyes, not wanting to see him physically sedated. "Let him go." She ordered the Acolytes, seeing the rage was slowly starting to fade from his green eyes, nodding. "That's it, calm down. You'll get you revenge on Austin, just calm down for now, 'Taker."

They set him down, but didn't let go. Bradshaw and Farooq had seen 'Taker's anger before, but this rage was off the chart, it was inhuman. If by some chance he was calming down enough just to get free. Well, they weren't taking that chance. The minute his feet were on the ground, he bent forward, flipping them both over his head and onto their backs. Slowly, he straightened up, cracking his neck, staring down at Alexis.

Her eyes were wide, swallowing hard, and actually held her hands up when he came toward her. Panic overtook her as Alexis took off down the hallway away from him, covering her mouth with her hand, tears flying behind her. She knew she was hurting him, but the amount of rage and fire in his eyes had literally scared her to death. She ran all the way from the arena to the hotel, glad she wore flats, and went up to her room, slamming the door shut. She was breathing heavily and wiped her tears away, her heart thundering in her chest rapidly like a beating drum.

'What have I done?' She thought heartbrokenly, dropping to her knees before burying her face in her hands, shoulders shaking.

Paul could only load the syringe he kept handy in his little black medical bag, watching the play of emotions go across the Undertaker's face. Shock, hurt, betrayal, anger, then back to that all consuming rage. Before the man could blink, Paul had sedated him. He watched as the Acolytes caught the big man as he swayed on his feet.

"Get him back to the hotel. Mideon, find Alexis and make sure the silly girl hasn't run off or made another stupid move." Paul ordered gravely.

An hour later, Alexis's head whipped up when she heard a knock on her door, sniffling as she stood up and opened it, staring back at Mideon. "I didn't run." She whispered, lowering her head in shame, knowing she betrayed 'Taker. "I'm not going too either. Please tell 'Taker that." When he nodded and walked away silently, she just shut the door and slid down it, covering her mouth with her hand. "'Taker I'm so sorry..." She whispered and began rocking back and forth, the sobs tearing through her body, trembling before curling up in a tight ball on the carpeted floor.

~!~

"Jeez Paul, how much did you give him?" Bradshaw grunted as they laid Taker down on his hotel bed.

"Enough to keep him out for the rest of the night and part of tomorrow until we can move him again. The quicker he's out of here, the easier it'll be to keep him calm."

Mideon walked into the room, looking directly at Paul. "She's in her hotel room. You might want to go see her."

~!~

Alexis slowly stood up when she heard another knock on the door, knowing it was probably Paul and wasn't disappointed, the silent tears cascading down her pale cheeks. She just wrapped her arms around his neck, having to bent down since she was a little taller than him, and pulled back as he ushered her back inside. "Is he okay?" She whispered, seeing him nod and sat on the bed, lowering her head in shame. "I'm sorry Paul. God, I betrayed him, I didn't mean to run away..." She sobbed out, wrapping her arms around her stomach tightly, knowing 'Taker probably hated her now.

Paul sighed and gently guided Alexis back into the room, closing the door behind him. "Why on earth did you run?" He asked softly, leading her to the bed and sat down on the edge, tugging her down as well. "He wouldn't harm you Alexis, don't you know that by now?" His tone was gentle, trying to understand what had been going through her mind. Then again...'Taker's unusual rage had been alarming even for him to see, she had probably pissed herself.

"I was scared." She admitted quietly, refusing to look at him as her bottom lip trembled before burying her face in her hands. "The alarm bells were ringing in my head, telling me to run and I listened..." She slowly looked up at him with heartbroken violet eyes as more tears fell. "He had so much rage in those eyes, Paul..." She trembled physically, her hands shaking as she tried to calm herself down. "I just...I did what my instincts told me and ran for it...and I betrayed him in the process." Alexis knew 'Taker was never going to forgive her for this and felt her heart shatter even more. "Damn it..."

"He'll understand...when he comes too, eventually." Paul said slowly, wondering if maybe he and Alexis should both make a run for it. After all, sedating the Undertaker wasn't something a person could do and just walk away from. "You did what you had to do, if anyone can understand that, it should be him. When he wakes up tomorrow, go talk to him." He suggested, patting her hand.

"Alright." She whispered and hugged him again, sniffling before standing up and guiding him to the door. "Go get some rest, Paul and thank you for everything." She kissed his forehead before gently closing the door, hoping 'Taker was merciful. Alexis didn't bother changing as she collapsed on her bed, turning the light off and proceeded to cry herself to sleep, curled up in a tight ball. "'Taker..." She whispered before the darkness and exhaustion overtook her body.

~!~

He woke up feeling groggy, completely disoriented. It took several seconds to get his eyes to focus, finding Paul leaning over him. His hand instantly shot out and tried grabbing him around the throat, his fingers grasping air. "Damn it..."

"It'll wear off and you'll be able to choke me then." Paul picked up 'Taker's wrist, looking at his watch, checking his pulse. "You scared Alexis."

"Where is she?"

"In her room."

A low groan came from her lips when Alexis heard a loud knock sound through her hotel room, slowly prying her eyes open, wincing as hot tears flowed down her cheeks. Crying herself to sleep hadn't been the brightest idea and she found sleeping in a corset dress wasn't all that comfortable either. She slowly slid from the bed, stumbling a little, her vision still blurry as she blinked several times, opening the door to see who it was, her vision becoming clear, though her eyes were red and swollen.

It was Paul, looking tired though calm, obviously not having ran like he had intended too. "He's awake and he wants to see you." He said, looking her over. "I'd wash up first though. He tried coming here himself, but he'll have to wait a while longer, the sedative is still wearing off." He half smiled at the image of 'Taker trying to stand up only to weave and fall on his ass.

She knew she couldn't deny 'Taker and nodded. "I'll be there shortly." She whispered before shutting the door, deciding a shower was in order.

A half an hour later, Alexis walked out wearing blue jeans with a ginger colored top that had a V shape neckline and hugged her curves. She brushed her black hair and teeth, slipping her steel toed boots on before walking out of her room, heading toward 'Taker's. She arrived outside his door a minute later and took a deep shaky breath before knocking on it, nodding when Paul answered. Her eyes were red and swollen anymore thanks to the warm shower she took so it looked like she hadn't cried herself to sleep the previous night.

He was sitting in his bed nursing a cup of coffee, reading the newspaper with a calm expression on his face, snorting as it gave a review of RAW, tossing it aside. "Come here, Alexis." He ordered, holding out his hand to her. He nodded to Paul, watching the man reluctantly leave the room. "Strawberry?" The corner of his mouth popped into a smirk, knowing that would get a reaction from her.

"That's not funny." She replied softly, walking over to him, and crossed her arms in front of her chest. "You had it right the first time." She slid her hand into his, swallowing hard and stared into his green eyes, tears instantly sliding down her cheeks as she dropped her head in shame. "I'm sorry..." She whispered solemnly, feeling him pull her against him as her arms instantly wrapped around his neck, burying her face in his neck, trembling from head to toe due to the sobs. "I'm sorry 'Taker..." She could only whisper, not trusting her real voice at the moment.

"Don't cry." 'Taker gruffly ordered, holding her close, not in the mood for tears. His head was killing him thanks to whatever Paul had decided to knock his ass out with. "It's not your fault, you did what any normal, sane person would do." Paul had already informed him of Alexis's current issue so he was pretty prepared on what to say at the moment. "I'm not mad, Alexis, not at you."

She didn't stop crying, but the sobs did, swallowing hard before slowly pulling back, knowing he was probably still groggy from the sedative Paul gave him after she ran. "I shouldn't have done that though." She whispered, sniffling a little and wiped her tears away, sighing heavily. "You were so angry, that's the angriest I've ever seen you, even when I squirted aloe in your eyes." She bit her bottom lip when his eyes narrowed slightly. "It looked like you were seeing completely red and I didn't want to be in the crossfire. It doesn't matter though, I should've stayed by your side regardless and I didn't. I'm sorry 'Taker." She lowered her gaze from his, not able to look at him right now.

"I'll consider forgiving you." He said in a haughty voice, chuckling softly when she shot him a surprised look. "Joke, Lex. I do those on occasion. Now how bout we lay down and get some real sleep because my head is still not feeling like it's attached and you look like you haven't slept at all." It was hard to mistake the fact that she had been crying recently, before just now.

She nodded and kicked her boots off before crawling in the bed, seeing him set the coffee on the nightstand, and shimmied out of her jeans before snuggling up against him. Jeans were never comfortable to sleep in. She smiled as he pulled the comforter over both of them, with her help and kissed his lips softly before turning around, his arm wrapping around her waist, pressing their bodies together. "I love you 'Taker." She murmured before her eyes closed, the darkness overtaking her as her breathing became even.

"Yeah, I know." 'Taker murmured, staring down at her, his head resting beside hers. She loved him enough to come back after genuinely being afraid for her life and then of his anger. She loved him enough to trust that fact with him, knowing all too well how very likely he was to destroy her with it. "I love you too." He whispered, drifting off as well.