( I hope everyone continues to read, enjoy & review)

It wasn't till after the show that night that Stephen brought up the subject of Drew's alleged marriage. Patty was sitting reading when he called over to her.
"Pat?"
"Aye Steph?"
"I talked to Drew today."
"You what?"
"I spoke to Drew see what he had to say on the matter."
"And?"
"He denies it."
"You really expect him to admit that he been with someone else these last six months!"
"Don't ye start raising ye voice to me Patricia!" She rolled her eyes.
"And what if I flat out refused."
"Ya be breaking quite a few hearts if ya do lass."
"Oh this should be good." She closes the book setting it down.

She turns on the bed to look over at her brother. "This should be good, pray tell Stephen whose heart would break if I don't marry that swine of a Scotsman?"
"Besides mine & Drew's? The beloved spirits of our parents that I know will be looking down with smiles from above."
"Oh give me a break…like ya give two shits bout me…As for Drew I doubt he cares either for I believe the story that he already has himself hitched to a girl here. Then how dare ya bring up our parents memory to make me feel guilty. I know Pa when he was alive wished the best for us both & one time spoke high of Drew's family…He changed though, but never let our parents see that. If Pa had an inkling of how much a scoundrel Drew truly is this arrangement would of dissolved before now."

She just barely had the words pass her mouth having had enough Stephen was out of his bed pinning her back on hers sneering down at her. "Ye listen here & ye listen good Lass…Pa ain't here to do nothing, Neither is Ma…ya know why…they both were killed saving your sorry excuse of a life. The fault is yours they gone…So the least your pitiful self can do is respect their last wish of a better life with Drew!"

"Ye both can go to hell…that were dirt like you both belong…"
"Dirt are we?" His hands gripping her shoulders he tossed her from the bed to the ground. "Well Patty by blood if I am dirt so are ye…so get on the floor where dirt belongs." She tired to push herself up till he kicked her in the stomach "Guess I got some dirt to kick off me shoes it seems." He kicked her each time she tried to move. She grunted but never gave him the pleasure of a scream. After bout the forth time she stopped & just stayed on the floor almost curled up. She could hear as he walked away leaving the room. She was wondering how long till it would be safe to move. After a while she wonder why fight & she reached for the bed pulling a pillow & blanket down staying on the floor to sleep.

11/22/09

After the pay per view most of the wrestlers went out to celebrate a good show. Different guys moved between different groups. Taker of course getting his share of offered drinks & congratulations of staying champion. His eyes kept returning to Patty that was left to herself her eyes down at her glass. He saw Adam a few times try to talk to her, maybe even suggesting she get up to dance with him & some of the others.

It had been almost a month since they got her out & Taker hated the fact that it did seem more & more of the fire within the girl was flickering out. He finally had enough time himself to make his way over to her.
"May I join you?" She didn't even look at him a small motion to the chair by her. He nodded sitting. "What's wrong?"
"Where can I eve begin?"
"Still trouble with your brother?"
"Always…"
"But you are out of your agreement with Drew…"
"No…the wedding is still on…" She sips her soda.
"How is that possible?"
"Drew told me bruther that the rumor twas just that, rumor."
"It would be unlawful…"
"Well unless I can get solid proof in a month."
"A month?"

"Aye, I am a Christmas Baby…I am to be wed to Drew the day after I turn 21...so December 26 I am to be married." Taker shook his head trying not to give a growl wishing he could beat some sense into Stephen & rip Drew apart on principal. Taker being one of the if not the top man in the company he knew just about everything on everyone. Plus he just look at someone a certain way it was hard for them to keep their lips tight around him. He knew good & well about Drew & Tiffany. His hands were tied though until Patty gained the strength to ask for help. They talked a bit more before Taker got up stepping outside to get some fresh air.

His back against the wall his head tilted back & eyes closed one booted foot propped on the wall bending his knee. He just took long slow breaths hating what he was seeing & hating more knowing he was powerless to stop it without those three require words.

"What's up Deadman?" came Adam's voice near him. "Why you out here getting ready to freeze yourself?" Mark lifted his head opening his eyes looking at the younger man.
"You haven't opened your mouth to Patty yet have you Adam?"
"Well no…you know why…I am like 15 years older then her…wouldn't it be odd if not almost perverted in some eyes."
"What about your eyes though?"
"Why you care?" Adam fixed his coat looking at him "Why you care beside being my friend if I do or do not make a move on a girl…damn a girl…that the thing she practically still is one. For all I know a girl with her looks I am sure she already has someone back in Ireland or somewhere."
"She does, but she I far from happy."
"She told you this?"
"Yes…and I can't believe the who."
"Wait someone in the company?"
"McIntyre."
"But he's married to Tiffany isn't he?"
"That is what I thought. I even told her…"

"So if you told her & she don't like the guy anyways, why she with him?"
"She is bound by the old ways…She has been promised to him on her 21'st birthday. By law the eldest male member is the only one that can break it. Now she already told me Stephen must be the one to break it, so something must of happened to their father."
"Bound by old ways…you must be joking Mark." He looks at his face. "OK I know your not, but what can I do about it then?"
"Go talk to her, let her know no matter what she will have you as a friend…that you support her even if you don't fully understand." Mark lowered his head giving a big sigh.

"Mark what are you not telling me?"
"I can't say for sure."
"Speculate…even if in your cryptic way."
"The path she is on…I have seen it for months. Even at home watching her perform. When she got here she had such a fire to her, within that fire I saw a mask hiding pain, a pain she won't let anyone see….but that pain is slowly putting out her inner fire. She doesn't let someone in soon it will be extinguished."
"Extinguished? What like loose the passion for the business?"
"More…the passion for everything in life…maybe even life itself."
"Whoa! Hold on…you mean unless she opens up what ever is happening to her may kill her?" He knows when Mark talks the way he is it is more the mystical Undertaker then it is the man Mark. "Taker we can't let that happen!"
"I know, but I am bound myself from helping her unless she asked for it…I tried to give her the tools to hopefully help herself…they fell short though…I do wish I knew how to breath life back into that flame." Mark pushed himself off the wall heading back inside not even looking at Adam as he went by.

Adam couldn't help but growl in frustration. He knew he couldn't beat the crap out of Drew that would only lead to him being hit with a fine if not a suspension. One of the drawback of the man you know hated being married to a company officer. He would just need to find a way to talk to Patty alone & hope he could get her to open up about what is going on with her. He did not like Mark's words at all…someone like Patty loosing their spark to even live. No, no that just would not do.