Chapter 99:

The Mellon Arena in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania was oddly quiet as Haley entered the backstage area. Normally by this time, roadies, stage technicians, superstars and divas alike would be milling around, preparing for the show later tonight. Instead only a handful of her co-workers, most she didn't know very well were moving around, ignoring her as she headed down the hallway.

"Excuse me?" Haley gently touched the arm of a stage technician as he went to brush past her. "Do you know where Dave Batista's locker room is? We came separately and I forgot to ask him where we'd be for tonight."

The Tech blinked at her in surprise before a knowing look crossed his face. "Oh! Um…I don't know where the locker room is, but I did see Batista in the ring a few minutes ago. He's probably still there."

"The ring?" Haley repeated, looking confused. Dave hardly ever went out to the ring before a show, unless he absolutely had to train. She wasn't even sure what was in store for them tonight, so why would he need to train? "Oh, well thank you, guess I'll head there first then."

"I can get your bag to the right locker room for you if you'd like?" He offered. "I'm on my way to talk to Henderson who organizes who gets what locker room. He'll show me where to put it, so you don't have to carry it around with you."

"Um…" Startled by the offer, she hesitantly handed her gym bag over. "Thanks?"

"No problem. I'm a big fan, by the way." He told her.

"Well, it's always nice to meet a fan. Thank you again, um…I didn't catch your name?" She shrugged helplessly at him.

"It's Derek." He informed her. "Derek Huffman. Have a good show tonight, Ms. Mariano and congratulations!" He told her cheerfully before continuing down the hall with her bag over his shoulder.

"Congratulations?" Haley repeated, looking after him, completely baffled. "For what?"

Deciding to find Dave, Haley turned and headed down the hallway further. The deeper she ventured into the arena, the closer she got to the Gorilla position. She climbed the steel steps and brushed back the curtain, leading into the waiting area of the Gorilla. A second curtain separated her from the stage and the ramp that would lead to the ring.

She could vaguely hear voices beyond the second curtian and suddenly they were quieting as she reached a hand out to brush it back. She was further startled when Gavin DeGraw began to play, but it was not her theme song this time.

You need a friend, I'll be around

Don't let this end, before I see you again

What can I say, to convince you to change your mind

Of me

Haley stepped out onto the stage and froze in complete and utter shock. Under her feet were white, pink, red and purple rose petals, scattered down the ramp and to the ring meant as a path to lead her. White fairy lights sparkled along the sides of the ramp, making the usual metal structure look almost magical. Fairy lights also were wrapped around the ring ropes and more petals littered the canvas.

I'm gonna love you more than anyone

I'm gonna hold you closer than before

And when I kiss your soul

Your body be free

I'll be free for ya anytime

I'm gonna love you more than anyone

Surrounding the ring were her closest friends and co-workers. Candice Michelle stood at the base of the ramp, hand in hand with Dwayne. Opposite them were Triple H and Stephanie, who were also holding hands. Behind them were Kelly Kelly and CM Punk, Maria and Jeff Hardy, Michelle McCool, Matt Hardy, Evan Bourne, Rey Mysterio, Kofi Kingston, Mr. Kennedy, John Cena, Melina, Brie and Nikki Bella, and even Shawn Michaels. They were all beaming huge smiles up at her, proud of their accomplishments.

And standing in the ring, dressed sharply in a charcoal gray suit, was David Michael Bautista. He wore the biggest smile of all, and he was obviously waiting for her to join him in the ring. Her heart swelled full of emotion in her chest and she started forward, following the rose petal path they'd laid out for her.

She stopped at the base of the ramp, looking back and forth between the two men who had molded her into the woman she had become. Dwayne, her rock, her family, her entire past and Hunter, her coach, her friend and her present. They both wore bittersweet smiles on their handsome faces, but the look in their eyes was encouraging.

"I love you, Haley Baby." Dwayne told her softly. "Now go on, he's waiting for you."

"I love you too, Punkin." Hunter added, nodded his assent.

"I love you both, very much." She told them, giving them each a brief kiss on the cheek. She squeezed Candice's hand briefly before heading for the steel steps.

Dave waited patiently, his eyes never once leaving her. He stayed where he was in the center of the ring, allowing Kofi and John to pull the ropes apart to make it easier for Haley to step through into the ring with him. He stared at her a moment longer, knowing without a shred of a doubt that this was the woman he wanted to spend the rest of his life with.

"Dave." She breathed his name, not moving closer to him, but the love he felt was mirrored in her eyes.

"I wanted to do this in the environment that brought you into my life." He said quietly. "And, in front of the people who have always been there for us."

"Is this what I think this is?" She asked shakily, looking slightly overwhelmed.

"Haley Audra Mariano." He said her full name and she fell silent, gazing at him with anticipation. "I have loved you technically for a year and half. But in some ways, I think I've loved you all my life. I had been waiting for you and didn't even know it, not until that special day where you ran right into me and fell on your butt."

There was an appreciate chuckle that rippled through their crowd of onlookers. Even Haley cracked a smile tinged with humor.

"Hunter can attest to this, but two years ago, I swore to never go down this road again. I had stopped believing in love and happy endings." Dave continued.

"It's true, he swore!" Hunter called out with a smirk, only to hushed by Stephanie.

"And then you came along. You amaze me, Haley Mariano, in everything that you do. You are the strongest woman I've ever known, but you are not hard. You have a compassion in you that I've never seen in anyone. You love without abandon and treasure those closest to you, which by some lucky twist of fate includes me. I know we've been through a lot this year, and it's been hard. Our recent drama alone was enough to break any couple, but somehow we got through it."

"It was insane!" Ken interrupted, causing Michelle to cuff him lightly over the back the head. "Ow! Woman, that was uncalled for!"

Haley giggled at her friends before turning her attention right back to Dave.

"Like I said," There was a look of wry amusement in his eyes now. "It's been hard. But even if I could, I wouldn't take back all the bad stuff that's happened to us. It made us stronger, it made us love each other more, and it brought us here, to this moment."

Moisture began to gather behind Haley's eyelids and lump rose in the back of her throat. She hastily blinked back happy tears to keep her composure.

"I want to keep getting stronger, Haley. I want to continue falling more and more in love with you every single day. I want you to be the mother of my future children. I want you by my side, not just today, but forty years from now when I'm old and gray."

"You're already old!" Ken ducked to avoid another slap from Michelle.

This time Batista shot the loud mouth a death glare and he fell silent.

"Dave," Haley's voice was shaky as she tried not to completely come undone by what he was saying.

He smiled again, then lowered to one knee, pulling a blue Tiffany's box from behind his back. He undid the white ribbon and removed the top, revealed the platinum engagement ring, with a princess cut diamond in the center surrounded by a split curved diamond band. She was stunned by the beauty, elegance and uniqueness of the ring. Dave knew what suited her style better than she could have imagined.

"Keep me believing in happy endings." He said softly. "You're the only one who can. So Haley Audra Mariano, would you do me the greatest honor and make me the happiest man on earth? Will you marry me?"

"Oh!" Candice burst into tears, burying her face in Dwayne's shoulder as Dave completed his proposal. There were several other sniffles coming from Kelly, Maria and Michelle, but otherwise all eyes were on Haley, waiting to see what she would say.

A/N: Now before you all curse me blue and throw things. I had to end it here. I wanted her answer to be revealed in the last chapter and I felt the sweetness of Dave's proposal should stand alone.

Plus I couldn't resist a little humor from Hunter and Kennedy because well, does anyone actually expect Ken to keep his mouth shut during this whole thing? lol