Chapter 97:
Dwayne Johnson sighed heavily, scrubbing a hand over his face. "I can't believe this." He said softly. "I mean I can, but I'm not ready. It came on so fast."
Dave Batista remained silent, watching the other man's reaction without comment. He merely shoved his hands into the pockets of his jacket.
"It was bad enough sharing her with Hunter, but this…shit I'm not ready for this." Dwayne continued, looking away from the Animal and out at the harbor where the two men had decided to meet.
"Dwayne, you're one of the most important people in Haley's life. Now I plan on asking her to marry me regardless of your answer, but it would be so much easier if you gave me your blessing." Dave told him. "I know she was your girl most of her life and there's a part of her that will never be mine, or Hunter's because its always going to belong to you."
"You love her so much less selfishly than Randy does." Dwayne shook his head. "I was stupid to think he was better for her."
"I love her. I wasn't prepared for her, which I suppose made it easier for her to sneak around all my guards and get into my heart. I never thought I'd feel this way about anyone ever again, after my first wife. But with Haley's its different, it's more. I want her to be happy, and incredibly I make her happy. I want to spend the rest of my life with her and I'm going to ask her to marry me." Dave walked up beside the half Samoan. "I just want your blessing because I know it would mean the world to her."
"I watched that girl grow up." Dwayne mused. "I saw the child, desperate to fit in, the teenager who wasn't afraid to be herself even though she was lonely, the young woman ready to take on the world in college, the up and coming rookie who turned her back on her mother's wishes and chased a dream and the Diva who achieved a lifelong goal and proved to the world she was a Champion."
"And you had a hand in all of it." Dave nodded. "You didn't just watch her, Dwayne, you molded her. You made her into that Champion."
"And now I have to let her go." Dwayne smiled ruefully. "Not too long ago, I was the love of her life you know? Not in the romantic sense, but outside her family, she's never loved anyone more than me. Until you, Dave. She loves you, so yes, you have my blessing."
Dave clapped a hand on his shoulder. "Thanks Man, that means a lot."
"And I am sorry, about not telling the truth." Dwayne added. "Haley's forgiven me, but I know you must still resent me somewhat."
Dave sighed. "I lost some respect for you, Dwayne." He said honestly. "But, Haley loves you. You're important to her, therefore you've become important to me. Fighting with you, being angry with you, isn't a priority. Haley is, so for her sake I'm moving forward."
"You're a good man, Dave. Even though I don't think any man will ever really be good enough for her," Dwayne chuckled. "You're pretty damn close."
"You know," Dave laughed with him. "Hunter said the exact same thing."
"Well it turns out, when it comes to that girl, Hunter and I agree on a lot of things. Never thought I'd see the day, but there you go."
"Never thought I'd see you two agree on something, so yeah it's definitely weird." Dave chuckled, agreeing with him.
"Tell me about it, I use to really hate the guy, now I like him." Dwayne grinned, shaking his head in amusement.
"Well, there's a first time for everything."
Meanwhile…
"You seem worried." Hunter commented, coming back from the counter with two steaming cups of coffee. He set one cup in front of Haley and took the seat opposite her.
She had been surprised but pleased when he had knocked on the door to the hotel room she shared with Dave that morning. He claimed they needed some quality time together and Dave would just have to find something else to do with his morning. Dave assured Hunter he could come up with something and told Haley to enjoy her morning out. Which she fully intended to do, but she had woken up this morning with heavy thoughts and wasn't quite sure how to process them.
Looking at Hunter now, who was watching her with such genuine concern, she knew she could talk to him about anything. She could confide all her fears in him, even the ones she didn't want to talk about with Dave, or even Dwayne. Hunter would listen, give his opinion and keep whatever she told him to himself.
"Do you think Randy would have hurt me last night?" Haley asked her mentor. "When he was using me as a human shield, do you think he honestly would have hurt me if I hadn't stomped on his instep?"
Triple H didn't answer her right away. He took a sip of his coffee, using the time to think how to best answer her question. "Haley, when I put together Evolution all those years ago I was very specific about who I recruited. Ric was the only obvious choice in creating the stable because he is a Legend. He represented the glory of the past, while I was the now, but picking the Superstars of the future, that was harder. I took my time and it turned out just the way I envisioned when I eventually chose Batista and Randy Orton."
Haley frowned, closing her hands over her coffee to absorb the warmth. "That doesn't answer my question."
"I'm getting to it." He smiled at her impatience. "Haley, barring myself, who are the greatest superstars in the WWE today?"
"John Cena, Chris Jericho, Jeff Hardy, Randy Orton, Edge and Batista." She answered.
"And which of those Superstars looks most likely to take after me to be the future benchmarks of the business, and be honest." He prompted.
"Well, not Jericho. He's been around a long time and still hasn't achieved what you have. While he's talented no doubt, I don't think he'll reach your level. Neither will Jeff Hardy, he doesn't have the same ruthless drive." Haley looked thoughtful. "Edge is in his own class. He's more slimy and sleazy about his success, but you have to respect his tenacity."
Hunter nodded. "Edge is the ultimate opportunist. There is nothing he wouldn't do to be in the limelight, things even I draw the line at. But you're right, he's still at the top. Go on,"
"John Cena is another who's in his own class. He takes after the Rock actually, much as both of them would dislike that comparison." Haley smiled at the thought. "So I guess to answer your question, Randy Orton and Batista most resemble you."
"Which is why I picked them all those years ago." Hunter said approvingly. "I am not perfect Haley and I'm not a 'good' guy by any means. There's darkness in me, a cruelty that up until recently was unparalleled. And while I do possess good qualities, most of them seen with you and Steph, I've done things I'm not proud of."
"I don't understand where this is going." Haley shook her head, looking confused.
"When I picked Batista and Orton it was because I saw both parts of myself in each of them. My good qualities and my power in Batista, my darkness and willingness to do anything for a title in Orton." Hunter took another sip of his coffee. "Batista was my biggest threat in Evolution and until you, my greatest trainee. He has an innate goodness that is more powerful than mine and an intensity that took him to the top. Good has to triumph over evil, or we'd be in a lot worse shape."
"Randy, however, has a darkness that goes beyond even my own. I still have my humanity, the ability to love. With the exception of what he feels for you, Randy does not. When I looked into his eyes as a rookie there was nothing there to make me think he was human, until you entered the company. He loves you, Haley, borderline obsessed with you." He continued. "But with guys like him, there is a thin line between love and hate. So yes, after you renounced him again for Dave, I think he would have hurt you."
Haley looked down at her cup and nodded. "I was afraid you'd say that."
"Haley, you knew he would. You know him better than me even. You know how evil he can be." He pointed out. "Remember the whole siccing Umaga on you thing back when you were dating Cena? He's not right in the head."
"Is it my fault though? If I'm the one who kept him remotely human, is my fault that now he's not?" Haley asked.
"NO!" Hunter shook his head adamantly. "Not at all! It's his own fault that he lost you. That and the fact that you love Dave. But that doesn't put the blame on you, this is who Orton is. We'll deal with it, don't worry so much."
"I can't help it. The way he looked at me out there. He's never looked at me like that before, so cold, so unfeeling." She shook her head. "I never truly believed he'd physically hurt me, but now…"
"Now he's not the Randy you knew." He supplied for her. "Don't trust him, Haley. Let Dave deal with him from now on okay? I don't want you in the line of fire."
"I'll do what I can to stay out of it, but when it comes to Dave I make no promises." Haley told him. "I have his back, always."
"Well, just be careful." He warned.
"I will."
A/N: Dwayne gives his blessing and yet more foreshadowing for No Boundaries. Happy Reading Guys!