a/n: I ALMOST RUINED IT AT THE END WITH AN 'I LOVE YOU' BUT THAT WOULD HAVE BEEN WRONG. I am the author; you would think this is something I would know not to do. Okay, terribly sorry. But at least it's here.

Following The Main Event;

By AliceJericho

Chapter 15: Missing You

"Life's challenges are not supposed to paralyse you; they're supposed to help you discover who you are." – Bernice Johnson Reagon

Wednesday, March 9

Word had, in little over 24 hours, gotten back to me that Laura Hart had disappeared. She showed up at the arena before the show started but told Nattie she was leaving soon after and no one has heard from her since. Personally, I think it has something to do with Matt.

"What did Shawn want?" Rebecca asked, sitting down opposite me at the kitchen table.

"He was just asking if knew where Laura Hart was. Apparently she's gone MIA," I put my phone on the table and shrugged. "Not sure why they think I'd know."

"Must be desperate," she offered and I nodded.

"It's only been twenty four hours, I'm sure she'll show up somewhere."

"How do you think we'd be if you disappeared?" she asked, obviously sensing how little I cared.

"Wouldn't be the first time Dad's dealt with it," I told her honestly and she sighed.

"And how did he feel about that?"

"I was ten. I missed him. Hated my step-dad. So I left." Rebecca knew the story well; I didn't need to tell her. I just didn't want to remember how bad I felt when I realised how scared dad was. I wasn't too fussed about what mum thought – considering I was getting away from her – but to know I had upset Shawn… That sucked.

"Just because Laura's an adult, it doesn't make it any less stressful on Bret." I sucked in a breath and picked up my glass of water.

"Give it another day or two and I'll start to worry." I paused, thinking of a way to change the topic. "We're still going dress shopping today, right?"

"When I've dropped the kids at school, of course."

"Have you spoken to Cody at all?" Rebecca asked, cutting through the silence of the store.

"He's ignoring my calls and texts," I answered numbly, feeling the material of a blue dress.

"He'll come around, Sun. You just have to give him time." I would love to have believed her, but she didn't know the full story. She still didn't know that I had slept with Cody's best friend.

"Dad hasn't said anything to you, has he? I haven't heard from him other than this morning." Rebecca looked at me sadly and motioned for me to sit down on a seat in the store. She sat down beside me gently, taking my free hand in both of hers.

"I know what you're getting at," she said slowly. Well, she knew about the pictures. "He doesn't know what to say. You're his daughter. He has a hard enough time not worrying when you do a shoot in your bikini."

"I didn't-" I started to say, ready to tell her that they were never supposed to see the light of day.

"We know you didn't mean it. We know that they were meant for Cody." I was grateful that she wasn't judging me – at least visibly. She was being very good about the whole thing.

"They aren't even really that bad. No worse than Playboy," I tried to reason but Rebecca chose not to respond to me. I knew how she felt about those magazines. I knew how I felt about those magazines.

"Let's find these dresses, shall we?" she patted my hand gently and helped me up off the chair.

"What colour should I wear?" the question was a deliberate attempt to shift the conversation. I wasn't in the mood to talk about me. I wasn't even in the mood to think about me anymore.

We didn't have any success that day shopping for dresses. I knew what I wanted and was yet to find it. I definitely wanted a departure from DX's green. There is only so many times a person can wear fluorescent green before they get sick of it.

"Sunny?"

"Chey?" my bedroom door was pushed open to reveal my half-sister. I patted the bed and she hurried towards me. "Shouldn't you be in bed?"

"It's a Friday!" she said excitedly. That meant an extra half an hour before she needed to go to bed. "Can you braid my hair?" she asked, turning her back to me.

"Not with this on, I can't. Sorry," I apologised as she faced me again, a sad look on her face.

"I hope you get better soon," she took my arm, kissing the cast. "All better!"

"I wish it worked like that," I sighed sadly. Cheyenne manoeuvred her way under the covers and pushed her way under my arm, snuggling into my side.

"You'll get better and then go back to wrestling and become champion!" she hugged me tightly. I squeezed her back, grateful for her optimism.

"I like the sound of that!" I grinned, "I'll take it from Michelle McCool and-"

"She's so mean! She shouldn't be champion!"

"I know! But she's so strong! She's a bit better than I am so I need to be healthy then train twice as hard!"

"Cody can help! He's good!" she exclaimed, very proud of her idea.

"Yeah," I agreed half-heartedly, "He can help."

Thursday, March 10

I was woken up at two in the morning by my phone. I had put it on vibrate before I fell asleep but had forgotten to move it to the bedside table, thus causing me to be woken by a vibrating bed.

"Hello?" I asked cautiously, keeping my eyes closed.

"Sunday!" I flinched at the high pitch squeal that followed.

"Who is this?"

"It's Barbie! I miss you, babe!" I turned onto my back, pulling the covers up to my neck.

"I miss you," I said back. "Do you know what time it is?"

"It's only early! The night hasn't even started yet!"

"My night ended about 3 hours ago," I told her grumpily. "I was sleeping."

"Oh! I'm sorry! I've had some drinks and I wanted you to be here!"

"I wish I was th-"

"Oh shit!" Barbie swore and I heard a lot of giggling around her. She was clearly sitting outside, away from the music because I could hear her clearly. A male voice joined the fray but I couldn't make out who it was or what he was saying. "I just wanted to speak to Sunday!" Barbie explained but it wasn't to me.

"Give me the phone," my heart dropped when I realised who the male was. "Sunday?"

"Cody." I pulled the phone away from my ear to check the caller ID and sure enough, it did not say Barbie Blank but Cody Runnels.

"Sorry," he apologised, the noise behind him getting quieter and quieter. "I went to the bathroom and she had my phone."

"Are you two…?" I trailed off, squeezing my eyes shut tight and clutching the covers tightly.

"No, we're not." His answer was such a relief. "I've gotta go."

"Sure," I sighed sadly. "I miss you."

"Bye, Sun." I bit my lip as he hung up. Of course he didn't miss me.

I put the phone onto the bedside table and cocooned myself, trying to hide away from the world.