Chapter 18

"What do you mean she's not here?" Steve demanded when he'd been arraigned and was back to work.

"She's with Taker." Shane said calmly, as if talking to a five year old. "She's his private physician and physical therapist, Steve." He looked at his employee pointedly.

"You mean to tell me she's alone with that psycho?"

A few days later, Taker was released from the hospital with Geneva by his side. Helping him into the waiting SUV, knowing it'd be big enough for him, Geneva proceeded to slip behind the wheel since Taker couldn't drive. Shane had been the one to take care of her contractual obligations to the WWE, adding a stipulation that stated she could be a private physician to any of the wrestlers in need. Vince wasn't happy about it, but Shane was more concerned about Taker at the moment, which Geneva was very grateful for.

Shane was kind enough to have Trish Stratus retrieve her things from the hotel room and bring them up to the hospital while Geneva kept an thorough eye on Taker. She sighed when he grumbled and shook her head, knowing the drive would be long and tedious for him, especially his ribs, so she would try her best not to discomfort him. They were taking a red eye flight from Portland, Oregon to Houston, Texas, where Taker resided currently.

"I bet you're glad to be out of there." Geneva commented with a smile, turning on some classic rock, keeping it low.

"More then." Taker grunted, a pair of black sunglasses over his eyes, a wide brimmed hat on his head. He ignored the look on some kid's face as they peered through the window just as Geneva pulled out of the hospital. "I could have had one of my...friends take me home." He informed her, tilting the seat back some so he could rest more comfortably.

"You told me you wanted me to be your private at home physician, which means I'm also your physical therapist, unless you want someone else. I won't mind giving your grumpy ass up to someone else, trust me." She pulled on the highway heading toward the airport, wondering if she really was in the mood for them. "It's up to you, Mark."

Shrugging nonchalantly, Geneva was not afraid of him just like back in 1997, especially since she took very good care of him the last few days. She had to tell the nurses to leave him alone or else she'd have them fired once and that's all it took. Though she did mention to Doctor Smith that his nurses had to be put in check when it came to patient care because they severely lacked it.

Taker let out a long suffering sigh, appearing to think it over. "I suppose it's a good thing I have a guest room." He grumbled finally, eyes narrowing when his cell phone rang, having his belongings again courtesy of his follower, Mideon. "What?" He listened intently to whoever was speaking, growling. "So HANDLE it then." He snarled, hanging up.

"Okay, that's another thing," Snatching his cell phone away, Geneva paused briefly and slipped it in her bag, shaking her finger at him. "No stress. If you want to get better and start kicking ass in that ring again, you need to relax as MUCH as possible. So if I were you, all business calls can wait until after you're healed. Unless of course you want to strain your muscles, your insides, and potentially need surgery again. Be my guest."

She batted her eyelashes at him playfully, moving her eyes back to the road. It was a good thing her eyes were on the road because his narrowed dangerously, almost shooting sparks if it were possible. Taker just grunted, nodded and laid back, closing his eyes.

One red eye flight later, with more grumbling from Taker, and they were on the road again, this time heading to his ranch in Houston. Before they hit the road, however, Geneva had to stop for gas with their rental as she pulled into the nearest gas station. Taker stayed in the SUV while she walked over to the vending machine, wearing a pair of blue jean Capri's with a lavender tank top. Her hair was pulled back in a huge clip, keeping most of the curls out of her face. She purchased two waters, some chips and filled the car up with gas with a credit card. Slipping behind the wheel again, Geneva handed Taker some bugles and took off down the road.

"So, how did you come up with the wrestling name Undertaker?" She asked, trying to strike up a conversation with him, not recalling ever asking him that when they were first together.

"Vince picked it out for me." Taker answered quietly. "He called me up and asked if he was talking to the Undertaker. I took the name and made it mine." He finished the chips in no time flat, he was a big man. It'd take a hell of a lot more than that to even take the edge off his hunger. "Why? Does it bother you?"

Geneva could tell he was hungry and when they arrived at his house, she would make them something to eat. "No, it doesn't bother me. It's kind of morbid sounding, but it's just a name. I was just curious how you came up with it." She finished off her own chips and downed half of her water, turning left when Taker instructed. "How are you feeling? Any pain?" She asked, glancing at his stomach, where his hand currently rested, and then up into his green eyes.

"Like my stomach was ripped open." Taker replied wryly, his upper lip quirking as if he was trying not to smile.

"You are just a colorful person." Geneva retorted with a roll of her eyes as she kept driving down the road, going between eighty and ninety miles an hour, wanting to make up time.

She was a speed demon at heart, just like Uncle Mick, and put the cruise control on. Tempted to change the station to something else, maybe classic rock or the blues, Taker refrained, sipping his water instead to occupy himself. Now that they were completely alone, without a Rattlesnake to interrupt, Taker figured now was a good a time as any to ask her a few questions.

"How did you come to work for the Fed?" He asked finally, already knowing the answer to the question, but his tone of voice suggesting otherwise, wanting her to talk.

"Well you know I was Steve's doctor." She said pointblank. "I guess I put a damn good impression on him, even though I was just doing my job. I got home after a 48 hour exhausting shift, checked my messages and Gerald Briscoe left a message on my answering machine, telling me the WWF was interested in hiring me as their new on-road doctor. I admit I had doubts about it because I love Seattle. I fell in love with that city and I miss it. I miss it like crazy." Geneva sighed wistfully, fighting back tears and cleared her throat. "This was my chance though to travel, to get out of the city and explore everything. I couldn't pass it up." And she wanted to see him again, Geneva added in thought.

"Fair enough." Taker lay back, pulling the brim of his hat down over his eyes and laced his hands behind his head. Might as well catnap before they reached his place. He was mentally smirking. "Who's Lance?" He asked suddenly, eyes still closed, remembering a conversation she'd had with someone on the cell phone. Of course he'd eavesdropped and wanted to kill the boy if they had any sexual relations. Geneva was his, bottom line. "Boyfriend?"

"No, just a very good friend I worked with for the past two years." Geneva replied simply and hoped they arrived soon because jetlag was a bitch.

Her mind drifted to Seattle and the beauty the city brought forth. Geneva wasn't lying when she said she missed it. She missed Lance and Callie, she missed feeling safe. She didn't feel safe in the WWF and most certainly not with Taker. Still, she had a job to do…and Geneva had to figure out what to do about her feelings for Taker. There was no way she could back down now.

Steve was in an uproar. He was met with suspicion in the back by a few, though most people seemed not to blame him for what he supposedly did to Taker. He grunted, pacing a hole in Shane's makeshift office. "I didn't touch the sumbitch, Shane. I wished I had, but it wasn't me!"

"Tell that to your lawyer, not me. I don't represent you." Shane replied calmly.

"Where'd he take the Doc?"

Shane shook his head. "I'm not allowed to tell you, you know that."

Houston was a nice city, a little too redneck for her liking, but Geneva would manage. Mentally mapping the way back to the city, Geneva knew she'd have to go shopping for supplies and whatnot, especially since Taker informed her he hadn't been back here in a while. Taker was hereby on bed rest for the next two weeks. He would then start his physical therapy on his ribs and hopefully he'd be back in the ring in a month's time.

About an hour later, they arrived at a beautiful two story ranch house, the land stretching for miles on end. Taker breathed a sigh of relief when they pulled through the gates surrounding his property, not sure how much longer he could stand being cooped up in this vehicle. He had acres upon acres, a barn and some animals that he paid his neighbor a few miles up the road to tend too while he was on the road.

"I have dogs." He rumbled when they came to a halt, opening the door and easing himself out, wondering where exactly his pets were. He let out an ear piercing whistle.

"Jesus..." Geneva groaned as she stuck her finger in her ear, glaring up at him, and watched as three huge mongrels came running at them.

Squealing out when the pure black one tackled her, a beautiful Rottweiler, Geneva landed on the grass with a thud and grunted a bit as she stayed perfectly still why he sniffed her. She giggled when he started licking her face and scratched him behind his ears before slowly standing up, dusting herself off. The look on Taker's face was priceless as she looked up at him, laughing.

"What? Did I do something wrong?" She asked amusedly, still petting the dog's head.

"I'm trying to get past the sight of the dignified doctor squealing." He said in what could be considered a teasing tone of voice. "Hades, get the hell off of her." Taker grabbed the dog by the collar, pulling him away and grunted, a hand moving to his stomach. "Damn, that doesn't feel so good. Go on, inside." He ordered the dogs, mouth pressing into a grim line. "Not one of my better ideas."

"Come on." Geneva's worried tone rang through the air as she immediately went to his side, wrapping an arm around his waist, and guided him inside.

It had a very rustic southern charm to it, Geneva thought, glancing around while guiding Taker toward the stairs down the hallway. They headed up the stairs, one step at a time, to his bedroom. When he tried stopping her, Geneva rolled her eyes, tempted to poke him in the stomach just to get his mind focused on something else.

"Oh stop being such a damn baby! God, it's a BEDROOM."

Geneva opened the door and got him in bed, taking his shoes off since he couldn't bend down to do it. After that, she checked his incision and nodded approvingly, giving him a pain killer, knowing this was going to be a long month. At least she was getting paid for it. Taker had to stop himself from going for her slender throat when she'd entered his room. It was his space, his privacy. Not to mention, if she took a really good look around, she was very likely to take off.

"Thank you, I'm fine, now mind getting out?" Taker growled, sighing and running a hand down his face. "Sorry Neva, I'm tired and not used to company."

Geneva didn't take his attitude to heart, knowing he was in a very precarious position right now. "I understand, but since you are on bed rest for the next two weeks, that means I have to come in here to take care of you. Otherwise what's the point in me even being here?" Her voice was low and soothing as she patted his hand gently before gathering her things. "Just relax Mark, and try to rest as much as you can. If you need anything, page me." Geneva had given him her pager number, noticing the phone on the nightstand and could tell this place was huge, so she wouldn't be able to hear him yell for her if she was outside. "I'll try to find something edible around here, now sleep." She then walked out, closing the door behind her and headed downstairs.

Taker waited until he could hear her disappearing down the hallway before tossing back his covers, looking down at the incision on his stomach and shook his head. Who was stupid enough to try to take him out? He was tempted to get up and stretch, but didn't. Instead, another thought came to him. Beginning to laugh under his breath, Taker laid down, arms stretched over his head. A few hours of sleep and he'd be calling Neva back in here.

As soon as Geneva arrived outside, her cell phone went off and it was no surprise who was on the other end. "Hey Uncle Mick." She greeted, fanning herself since the Texan heat was stifling.

"Geneva, are you alright?" Mick breathed a huge sigh of relief, scrubbing a hand down his tired face. "Where are you, sweetheart?"

"I'm with Mark and I'm fine. Shane didn't tell you?" Geneva frowned, hearing the worry in her Uncle's voice and sighed. "Mark asked me to be in his private in home physician and my contract got changed with that stipulation. I…couldn't leave him, Uncle Mick…"

Mick had a stormy look cross his face, pursing his lips tightly together. "Geneva, I want to know what's going on." He had suspicions back in 1997 when Geneva came on the road and started hanging out with Taker, wondering if they were more. "I want the truth about you two."

Geneva's eyes widened, her heart picking up a notch and could feel tears forming. "Uncle Mick, please…"

"No Geneva, you need to tell me what the hell is going on. This is more than just a job to you, I know it." His voice changed, lowering. "As your Uncle and someone who loves you deeply, I deserve the truth. Please don't lie to me anymore."

"I…" Looking out at the plantation, Geneva couldn't help letting countless tears fall from her eyes as she buried her face in her hands, crying. "I screwed up so badly, Uncle Mick…" She sobbed, her whole body trembling from head to toe. "I-I'm sorry…" Clicking her cell phone shut without another word, Geneva set it beside her and proceeded to stay outside, crying her heart out so Taker wouldn't hear her.