And, not to keep yall waiting, here we go…

Chapter 25- Enough

Lora

A stabbing pain over my left eye woke me from my listless slumber. And I became aware of several things. The first, I was outside. I blinked several times, trying to clear the haze, seeing the tail ends over cars surrounding me. The second thing I noticed was pain throbbing in my upper arms. I racked my brain trying to remember what had happened to end up in this situation. I groaned softly, stretching my stiff muscles out. That's when I became aware the third thing. Two arms were wrapped firmly around me, holding me tight to a torso. A hand was brushing and combing the hair about my face. And soft, whispered words met my ears. A gush a wind blew between the parked cars, carrying a scent of cologne to my nose.

"Randy?" my voice cracked, and I tried to raise my head. But it throbbed painfully, causing a groan to leave my lips. His reaction was instant. I felt his body freeze around me, and I heard his heart beat speed up. I looked around me the best as I could as my eyes adjusted to my surroundings. Randy had pulled me into his lap, his knees pulled up, bracing me from behind. I tried lifting my head again, forcing myself through the pain, to look at Randy.

Randy didn't say anything as I looked at him. The look on his face said it all. The torment and anguish on his face spoke more than he could. And all the memories flooded my mind. When I had left Randy for the restroom. Looking at myself in the restroom mirror, fixing my appearance for Randy, and leaving the room. Then coming face to face with Erik himself. I had been so terrified that I didn't even question his presence until he had led me outside, away from any witnesses. He had said he just wanted to talk, privately. After I came to my senses, it was too late. I was alone with him, and the fear and panic took control of my body. I had fought with everything that I had to get away. I remember him letting go of me and I saw his face; so angry and distorted with his own pleasure, before I was lost to the world.

That's the last thing I remembered before waking up in Randy's arms, staring at the utterly heartbreaking features on Randy's face. I felt his arm leave my body, and my eyes fluttered closed when his fingers touched the side of my face. "Lora."

I opened my eyes, and saw that Randy was staring at his hand. I followed his gaze, and saw a drop of red liquid on the tip of his index finger. Blood. He had wiped blood away from my face. I was bleeding. My thoughts were going round in circles. My head gave a particularly painful throb, and I squeezed my eyes together in a whimper. "My head hurts."

"I know, baby, I know," Randy murmured, his arms coming tight around my back. I wanted nothing more right now than a shower and some clean clothes. Never in all my life had I felt this stained and dirty. I sighed into Randy's neck, and pulled away.

"I just want to get back to the hotel."

"I know you do, but Lora, you need to talk to the police about this," Randy said, straightening my dress over my legs. I noticed that I had several scraps across the caps of my knees. I kept counting more and more battle scars. I knitted my brow in frustration staring at Randy's hand that held mine in my lap.

"There's no point, he's probably long gone by now," I complained, disappointed I couldn't take my shower. But even as I was thinking up more excuses to leave before I had to explain the story to the police, I noticed that Randy had cuts and scrapes on the back of his hand. They were fresh and blood was slowly trickling from his fresh wounds. I ran my fingers over them softly, looking back into his blue eyes. "You're hurt?"

I saw Randy's bright blue eyes darken dangerously as he looked over my shoulder. "He's not long gone." And I knew before I looked what he meant. I turned my head and my eyes landed on a heap of clothing in the middle of the parking lot. I knew by the jacket that it was Erik. And I could tell from this distance that he was still breathing, but in no shape to escape. I looked back at Randy, who was flexing his hand out. "And I'm not hurt. This is nothing."

"You did that?" I whispered incredulously, and an unbidden picture of Randy and Erik fighting came to my mind. A small part of my brain, the part that always thought things at inappropriate times, wondered if Randy performed any of his trained ring-action during the fight. I shook my head slightly, clearly those thoughts.

Randy nodded slightly. "I came looking for you when you didn't back from the restroom. A bouncer sent me out a back door and that's where I found you two. I would have just tried to get you away from him and that be it, if I hadn't had seen him… hit you," Randy paused, closing his eyes, taking a deep breath. I could almost see him reliving it in his head. And I hated that he was doing that to himself. I reached out and placed my hand on his cheek. He opened his eyes and stared at me before continuing. "I was outside myself after he did that. And I'm not going to lie and say that I'm sorry that I did what I did, because, to be honest, every time I hit him, I saw when he hit you. And I got comfort out of my fist connecting with any part of his body."

I raised my eyebrow at him, while I wondered why I found what he said endearing. It should have freaked me out that he found comfort in pounding the daylights out of another man for me, but not this time. Not with Erik. To know that I had the kind of safeguard behind Randy's words, made the difference between freaked out and being touched. That, I knew what kind of man Randy was. I knew that this wasn't a frequent occurrence. Randy acts in a way that he feels he has too. Just like in the situation with Jake back when we weren't even together. My thoughts were disrupted by a blaring police siren, and bright flashing lights, alternating between red and blue.

"I'm assuming you already called the police?" I sighed as Randy stood up from the ground, lifting me with him. Randy smiled guiltily down at me. Black spots cropped up in my eyesight, and the ground spun beneath me. I clung tightly to Randy's shirt, shaking my head, waiting for my dizzy spell to leave me. Randy wrapped an arm around my waist and steered me towards the officer that had stepped out of the squad car. He turned towards us, and pulled a clipboard from his car, and met us halfway across the parking lot.

"You Mr. Randy Orton?" asked Officer Wells, or so said his badge clipped to his shirt. Randy nodded. "Okay, so you called in the attack on this young lady, a Miss Lora Pierce? And the attackers name is Erik? Erik what?"

Randy looked to me, and I knew that I never talked to him about Erik, and he wouldn't have known anything other than his first name and his abusive past. I hated talking about him, and just wanted to forget about this night. "His name is Erik Gilbert." Officer Wells nodded and jotted something down on his paper.

"Now, I need you to tell me everything that happened the moment he showed up," he said. This is what I dreaded. Having to relive it again. The one time was enough. But I knew I had to. So, I took a deep breath, and dove into the tale. I started with the restroom, that's where he had shown up, and told him about going outside with him to talk. And how stupid it was to do that. And when he started dragging me across the parking lot. I felt Randy's arm tighten around me at that point. I rushed through the part where he had let go of me and was glad when I reached the end of my story, where I could remember no more.

The officer nodded all throughout my story, making quick notes as he went. When I had finished, he turned to Randy, asking him the same thing. Randy edited his version of the events slightly than the one he had told me. All the facts were the same, where he saw Erik dragging me, and then hit me so hard that I went unconscious. I couldn't help but feel a little ridiculous at that. I felt like if I had done something, anything different, we wouldn't be here right now. But Randy left out his personal feelings when it came to beating on Erik. Which I thought was a smart move. I wouldn't seem smart to have told the police that.

"Okay," Officer Wells said, setting his clipboard on top of his car, "Mr. Gilbert approached you in this establishment, and asked for a word in private, and that's when the two of you went outside. But it was when you were alone, that he started to come after you, to take you away. You tried to get away; you struggled against him, screamed for help, but couldn't get away. That's where Mr. Orton enters the picture. He came looking for you, and saw Mr. Gilbert dragging you against your will. And before he could react, he witnessed your attack. In Mr. Orton's attempt to free you, he had to manually take down Mr. Gilbert. Am I leaving anything out?"

And for the first time since I woke up, I felt a rush a fear. But for Randy. What if Randy was in some kind of trouble for assaulting Erik? I felt weak all over again. "What about Randy? He's not in any trouble for how he saved me from Erik? Is he?"

I watched as the officer turned his head in the direction of the still unconscious Erik lying in a heap on the concrete. Then he looked back at me, his brown eyes shining softly in the moonlight. "I can't say what he does after he posts bail, if he posts bail, but," he moved his eyes to Randy, "I have a wife, and a daughter. And I'm not allowed to say anymore than that."

But he didn't have too. I knew exactly what he meant. I leaned more of my body into Randy, losing more my strength. Randy and I watched from a distance as Officer Wells walked over to Erik and shook him awake; only to put handcuffs on him. It served only a little sweet justice to see him, dazed and confused, not even seeing the two of us standing off to the side, as he was carted off to the squad car. But if I thought I was banging up from Erik's hand, I had thought wrong. Erik looked a lot worse for wear than I had remembered. Thanks to Randy. Both eyes had cuts above the brows, and were thickly swollen. His bottom lip was busted and was bleeding. There were tears in his shirts and he was missing a shoe. I was oddly proud, seeing Erik's appearance, as he was forced into the backseat.

Officer Wells came back over to us, and looked between Randy and me, "I think you might want to go to the hospital. Just to get looked at."

I groaned. "No. I'm fine." That was the last thing I wanted right now.

"Lora," I heard the pleading tone his Randy's voice, "please. If the officer thinks it's the best thing to do, then we should do it."

"Randy, I just want a bed right now. But I promise, if I start acting funny, you can call the trainers to come check me out." I knew that would be hard to turn down for him. And it was. I saw then indecision in his eyes, but I knew I had won out. We thanked Officer Wells for everything and finally called a cab to get to the hotel.

oo

My head felt no better the next morning. I would bet money that the throbbing had worsened. I didn't even want to move my head at all when I opened my eyes. I was laying in pretty much the same spot that I had passed out in last night. The sun was bright as it shined into the room; I didn't know what time it was, but I gathered that it was past noon. Randy was lying next to me, propped up on his left side, brushing his right hand over my upper arm. I concentrated on his face, feeling content for the first time in the past twenty-four hours. But what I saw on his features did not mirror what I felt. I saw the pain that tortured him clearly on his face. I followed his gaze to my arm and saw that was causing his torment. There, on my flesh, were dark blue bruises, the exact shape of a hand. Where Erik had tried to take me away from Randy. He was staring at Erik's hand-printed bruise, lightly running his fingers over it, silently letting himself be tortured. I looked to my other arm and saw twin blemish in the very same place. I pressed my head back in the pillow, and sighed.

"How are you feeling?" Randy asked, noticing that I had finally decided to wake up. I opened my eyes to meet his blue ones. I saw the worry and concern staring back at me. I took inventory of my body, so I could give him the most honest answer I could.

"My head is killing me, and my arms are no better, but really, other than that, I'm fine," I said, slowly propping myself up on my pillow. I watched Randy as he slid from the bed, and went for his bag, and stopped by the mini-fridge grabbing a bottle of water, and came back to the bed. He handed me the water, and then sifted through his bag and found the bottle of Aleve that belonged to him. Randy popped the lid off, and shook two pills into his hand, holding them out for me. As I took the blue pills from him, I thought about how often I had done this for him, and how ironic he was doing the exact same thing for me.

"I'm going to be leaving for a little bit," Randy said, tossing the bottle of medication in his bag and threw the bag on the floor. I tried not to be alarmed at the thought of Randy leaving. I didn't want him to go anywhere. I wanted him to stay here with me. "I'm going to Vince, with John and Adam, to discuss what happened last night. He wants to know what's going on. But Casie and Edoin are coming to see you."

I smiled at his use of the words "coming to see me". What he really meant was "coming to make sure you stay out of any trouble". But, really, I didn't have a problem being baby-sat today. I didn't want to be left alone. Though, I would have liked Randy to be the one staying with me, I'm glad he didn't have any of his macho wrestling guys be the ones standing guard. I was lost in thought and didn't notice that Randy had left the bed and was standing by the table next to the door.

"Before I leave, I need to know," Randy said, taking a deep breath, "why? Why did you leave the club with him? Why didn't you come get me? After what he's already done to you, you had to have known that he didn't just want to talk! Not everyone wear their intentions on their sleeves Lora."

I gaped at him. Where had that come from? I don't know where it came from, but I know what it made me feel. "Don't you think I know that Randy? You certainly never let your intentions known, but that doesn't make you a bad man. But don't you think that I haven't thought about that? That maybe, if I hadn't been stupid, and just walked away, none of this would have happened? Or maybe if I had fought him just a little bit harder, and got away, and we wouldn't be having this conversation! I'm sorry I had a momentary lapse in judgment and that I'm not as strong as you and I wish that I was. But it doesn't change anything."

After I let out all my pent up aggression, it felt like all my strength had been zapped from my body. I leaned back into the pillows, and covered my head with my hands. I felt the bed dip beside and I knew Randy had moved next to me and sat down. His hands clasped around my wrists, and pulled my hands away from face.

"I'm sorry," Randy said his voice soft and a low rumble. His face held none of that previous intensity; instead it was replaced by shame and concern. "I just nearly lost my mind when I saw him lay his hands on you last night. I haven't been able to get the sight out of my head. It plays over and over in my mind." Randy raised his hand and brushed his knuckles softly over my cheek. "I swear that he will never, touch you again."

I knew that he was giving me his solemn promise. And I believed him. I had no reason not to. Not after last night, and what he had done. I would never doubt Randy Orton's word. A knock at the door brought both of us out of our stupor. Randy left me on the bed, and went to the door. Four people stood on the other side. Four very angry and upset people. My closest friends, John, Casie, Adam and Edoin all pushed past Randy in their pursuit of me. Casie and Edoin were on the bed with me instantly; looking me over as if I were going to fall apart at any moment, and John and Adam stood hovering over me next to the bed. I noticed that the guys didn't have much to say. I didn't know if John could speak at the moment, by the look on his face. I had never seen him so angry. And Adam was no better. I looked to Casie and Edoin, sitting in front of me on my bed, chatting to each other, about me, and I could tell from their expressions that they were furious too.

And I was overcome by a wave of extreme gratitude. For all my friends coming together, for me. Albeit, for a horrid situation. But, to know that I could count of my friends was something I held high. I watched as John and Adam slowly made their way back towards the door and Randy walked over to me, leaning down to my ear.

"Are you sure you're going to be okay?" he whispered, brushing the hair away from my ear. I nodded softly, not trusting my voice with the words. I really wanted him to stay, but I didn't want him to know that. I didn't want him to feel guilty for leaving me. "I have my phone, so you know how to reach me." And he pressed his lips softly to my cheek and I watched him leave the room. Then I settled down for an afternoon in my room with my friends.

oo

Casie and Edoin did a terrific job at taking my mind off of the problems with Erik and Randy not being there. There wasn't a silent moment between the three of us. And I liked that. Silence is when I did my thinking. Between the two of them, they kept my mind busy with stories, jokes, little games, and finally TV. When the boys finally returned, it was nine in the evening, and I was exhausted, though I had done nothing all day. I didn't get out of bed except to use the bathroom. I didn't look in the mirror anymore, because the cut and bruise on my face and the ones my arms had gotten worse, and it just made me think too much about that night. Randy told me as I lay next to him that night in bed, that we had a meeting with Vince and a lawyer the next day before we left for the Friday's Raw event in New York the day after.

I woke up the next morning, my head finally making some progress in healing. It still hurt, but it was nothing like it was yesterday. I rolled over and saw that Randy was missing from bed. I heard the water shut off in the bathroom, and stopped wondering where he had gone too. I slipped from the bed and gathered some fresh clothes from my suitcase as Randy came from the bathroom followed by a wall of steam, wearing just a towel. I smirked at him, and took his place in the bathroom.

After an hour, and some hair gel, minimal make-up, a dress-skirt and a silk top later, Randy and I left the hotel room. I let Randy lead me to the elevator and he pressed the correct button for the lobby.

"Are we meeting Vince at the lawyer's office?" I asked, wringing my hands together. Randy noticed my actions, and took my hand in his own, lacing my fingers with his.

"No, he's picking us up here." That didn't really make me feel better. I had never seen Vince McMahon outside a wrestling arena setting. Much less, seen him for something caused by me. My stomach churned nervously. The elevator chimed and the doors slid opened. The lobby was pretty empty; it was still early in the morning. I held Randy's hand as we walked through the lobby and I nearly stopped in my tracks as we got to the front door. A black stretch limousine was parked in front of the double doors. I closed my eyes and took a deep breath. Leave it to Vince, I thought. Randy pulled on my hand, and I followed him and the chauffeur opened the limo door for us. Randy motioned me in first, and I slid into the seat. I saw Vince sitting on the seat adjacent of me as I sat down. Randy sat next to me, and I heard the door closed behind him.

"There's been a slight change of plans, and I hope you don't mind," Vince said, and it was at this moment that I noticed the other person in the vehicle. He was an older man, with a very nice three-piece suit in black. "But first, Lora, are you doing alright?"

I looked to Vince, touched at his concern. I nodded, "I'm doing much better today. Thank you."

"What's the change?" Randy asked from my right side.

"I need to get back to Stamford today for a meeting tonight, so there was no time to go to the lawyer's office. We'll just have to do it here. If that's okay with everyone?" Vince looked around the car for any objections. Even if I had wanted to, I don't think I would ever have the guts to object to Vince McMahon. "Good, now, Mr. Chapman here has the police statement you gave the other night. It was faxed to him yesterday. He has looked over it, and believes that you have a very good chase for assault and battery and attempted kidnapping. That is, if you want to press on those charges?"

I was in slight awe at how fast Vince could get the ball rolling on things. It hadn't even been three days, and there were already charges brought up and lawyers involved. But there was one thing that I knew that I wanted. Closure. This was the last time this was going to happen. I looked to Vince, and then to the lawyer, Mr. Chapman.

"Do everything you can to keep him away from me."

A/N

Kindof a resolution, right? Well, it gets better a little bit from here.. I have to say, pissed-off-enraged Randy is uber sexy..

Eisac Namhort, Duchan Mandic, Christina89, JoolR, Dreamin'BIG, AshleyBabe86, SuperStar89, Viper-Desi, KimmieCena, Xandman216, Thiala, Barnsley Gal 09, roknpstergrl, miamitravel, and southern. dreamz, southerncharm21, Cecilyyy, undermyumbrella, babyxbxgurl, hardycenagrl, Krista Hardy, xLou26, littleone999, rkolover2, and rauts for the love! You guys are the bees knees! lol