Author Note: Thanks goes to Genius892050 and Smngrfl88 for becoming followers to this story. Thanks also goes to THE Kid Hardy, calwitch, Slytherin Studios, DeeMarie426, LindaPipeBomb, Leasha Orton and tatasdias for the reviews. I'm glad you all gave your honest opinions of the newest chapter.
"Slowly fading
Burnt like fire in a pyre
Life will disappear with you
And now
All I hear is silence
Somehow
All I wish for
Faded in the dark"
'I Burn In You' by: Lacuna Coil
Chapter 31: Broken Dreams (Part 2)
Mia felt the guilt twinge in her heart when she realized that Randy was purposely avoiding her. After their conversation, she had been the one to break his heart. She hated feeling that guilt and the only hope she had was that Randy would accept it and be there for her as the friend he promised they'd be.
"How are you feeling?" Dean asked changing the subject not wanting to talk about Randy's sudden appearance.
"Better than earlier. I'm still not used to being pregnant yet."
"Me either; but let's give it time. I think eventually it will sink in."
AJ Lee smiled from around the corner. Mia's words of pregnancy gave her an idea. Without thinking about it any further, she turned to find a secluded room to make a phone call to Nick. Once she thought she was hidden enough, her fingers moved across the screen of her phone. Within several short rings, his voice greeted her warmly.
"Hello, my sweet. How are things?" He asked.
"I thought you'd like to know that Mia Chandler is pregnant."
On the other side of the phone, Nick fell silent with a twisted smile upon his lips. He never would have imagine that they would make it so easy to break down Rydia. Everything just played out perfectly as long as his new play toy did her part. "Nick...are you there?" She asked softly wondering why there was silence on the other side.
"There is something I need you to do tonight, babe." He replied.
"What's that?"
Randy stepped out into the parking garage. He glanced around searching for Seth. He found him leaning against the black SUV that the group used to travel place to place. Seth looked up from the ground he had been staring a hole into and met Randy's concerned look. "What do you want?" He asked kicking a small stone under the nearby vehicle.
"I know how you feel, you know. I still have feelings for Mia and they won't go away no matter what I do."
"I really thought my feelings for Skye would make the ones I had for Rydia go away. I love Skye, I really do; but Rydia just..."
"She completes you." Randy finished.
Seth looked up. The look on Randy's face seemed sincere and full on knowledge. Something about the conversation seemed to relax him enough to think about what it is he wanted to do. "Believe me I know how you feel. Her friendship means the world to you and without it you'd be lost; so you pretend that your feelings for her don't affect you at all."
"Looks like you know exactly how I'm feeling; so how do you deal with it."
Randy's shoulder slumped down. He didn't know how to answer that question, because he was still trying to figure that out himself. Seth noticed the hesitation in him and realized that he probably didn't have an answer for him. He knew that he needed to tell Skye what would transpire later that evening in the ring. He figured that particular moment was as good as any.
"I need to talk to Skye..."
"Sure, of course..."
Randy backed away and headed back inside the building. Talking to Seth only seemed to make his heart ache for Mia even more; but deep down he knew that she was happy with her life and he just needed to let her go. The only thing he could really do was help her get rid of Nick.
Wrestlemania 30, Diva's Championship Match
The thousands of fans screamed at the top of their lungs for excitement of the show so far. Michael Cole, JBL, and Jerry Lawler talked between themselves about the rivalry between AJ Lee and Rydia Chandler before the match begun. They replayed footage from the previous weeks, including the match between Tamina and Rydia that gave Rydia the opportunity for the title shot in the first place.
AJ's music started up first and she emerged from the black curtain behind the stage along with Tamina trailing behind. Her smile was just as devious as always; but there was something else behind the smile that alerted Seth to warn Rydia once more before going out there. AJ skipped around the ring holding the title above her head.
"Rydia!" Seth yelled as she passed him heading for the stage.
"Not now. I've got to get out there." She replied continuing on.
"You have to be careful out there with her. Something doesn't feel right."
She turned to look at him. The fear behind his dark eyes made her really consider that there was something really wrong. Her hand reached out to take hold of his, giving it a gentle squeeze. "Stop worrying about me. I'll be fine." She replied and turned away from him.
"Rydia..." He whispered watching her walk out onto the stage at the sound her music.
The crowd screamed and cheered for her the second they saw her. Her long brown hair was tinted with red highlights that sparkled against all the lighting in the arena. She wore a pair of black vinyl shorts and matching halter-top. AJ stared at her opponent in the eyes as she made her way to the ring. Once all music had died, Justin Roberts lifted the microphone to his lips to introduce the two women.
"The following divas contest is scheduled for one fall and it is for the Diva's Championship. Introducing first, the challenger...Rydia Chandler."
The sound of her name rolling of his tongue signaled the crowd to be as loud as they possibly could be. When Justin introduced the champion, they weren't nearly as loud and it annoyed AJ. When Rydia was gone, she just knew that the people would start respecting her more. The thought of her being gone brought a smile to her face.
The bell rung to start the match, leaving the two women to circle each other for a moment before locking up in the center. Rydia took control by turning AJ's arm around her back, yanking hard on the joint. She slapped her shoulder to keep feeling her arm. Tamina paced back and forth waiting for a moment that she could interfere.
AJ flipped Rydia over her back to land on her butt. Swiftly, she got back to her feet to meet an awkward stare. Rydia slapped AJ across the face, instigating a more physical battle. This was more personal than business and that slap was more real than not. The stunned woman a few inches away only smiled when she realized that Rydia was making it personal.
AJ went for a clothesline; but Rydia ducked under and returned with a standing dropkick to the face, knocking her down for only a brief moment. She attempted to use the ropes as leverage to gain speed for a knockdown; but Tamina held onto her leg. Rydia pulled her leg free and kicked Tamina away; but the distraction was enough for AJ to use the 'Shining Wizard' maneuver for knock her down.
The count was broken at two when Rydia raised her shoulder off the canvas. AJ screamed in frustration, thinking that would have put her adversary away. She wrapped her arm around Rydia's neck for the sleeping hold. "Give it up, Rydia." She screamed playing her part well for the crowd.
"No!" Rydia screamed back trying to fight back to her feet with the support of the people behind her.
Getting to a knee, she reached back and held onto AJ's head. She dropped down delivering a neck-breaker to gain some space between them. Mia watched from the backstage camera nearest to the locker-room The Shield used. A smile crept to her lips when her sister countered the submission. Her smile quickly faded when a hand wrapped around her face, covering her mouth and silenced her scream.
"Quiet down, Mia. You wouldn't want to miss the ending of the match now would you?" Nick's sly voice whispered in her ear.
The feeling of a sharp point directly aimed at her abdomen made it very clear to stay quiet. She mentally prayed for someone to rescue her. The instinct to protect the life growing within her womb was overwhelming and the only way she could do that presently was to do everything he told her to do.
Rydia connected with a forearm to AJ's face that knocked her back several steps. Her shrill scream echoed throughout the entire arena, wrapping her body around Rydia's in a painful submission that pulled at her arm. "We both know how this match is supposed to end; but I want you to throw this match. You don't deserve the spotlight." AJ whispered.
"You're fucking crazy. I'll do no such thing. This is my dream."
"You will throw this match or your sister and the life she's carrying will be history, understand."
Rydia heart stopped for a moment, realizing the threat was very real. She had told no one of Mia's pregnancy; but somehow AJ knew which meant Nick knew as well. "And if I do, then what?" Rydia asked trying to stay in character for the sake of the show.
"Mia is free to go; but you must leave the company. Just come to the parking garage that's where she'll be."
Both her dream and her sister's life hung in the balance. Rydia's eyes burned with tears as she became torn with the decision. Her wrist reached over across her forearm and tapped her fingers against her skin, alerting the referee to the submission. AJ let go of her rival and frantically reached for the title, holding the title up in victory. A victory that was false.
Seth couldn't believe what he was seeing and without a second thought he ran down the ring to help Rydia. The crowd cheered for his presence as he helped her to her feet. The tears were barely behind the dam of lashes. Blinking once, the river started. He couldn't understand what happened and why she would suddenly throw a match she was supposed to win. His lips crashed down upon hers within seconds, pleasing the crowd greatly; but the feeling of betraying Skye and Roman was starting to set guilt into his conscious for enjoying the kiss her was sharing with her.
Nick laughed; but refused to let go of Mia. He began to drag her with him towards the parking garage. Opening the backseat door, he gave her a gentle shove into the back and closed the door behind him. She pounded her fists against the glass over and over again, yelling at him to let her go; but he ignored every single plea.
"There's my winner." He greeted when AJ emerged with her title safely over her shoulder.
"That was easy. It was like taking candy from a baby so to speak."
"Well Rydia never was a tough person when backed into a corner."
Rydia ran down the hall heading to rescue Mia from her captor. Her desperation made her clumsy and the tears that were pouring from her eyes made her vision blurry at best. "Rydia, wait! What the hell happened out there?" Seth asked catching up to her.
"I don't have time for this! Nick has Mia!"
"Is that why you threw the match?"
Rydia nodded her head. The knowledge set in and he completely froze, realizing why she was so scared. Rydia perked when she heard footsteps coming closer to their location. Roman and Dean emerged from around the corner with concerned looks upon their faces. Roman was the last person she wanted to see in that moment. She felt like she had disappointed him in more ways than one.
"What happened out there? You were supposed to win tonight..." Roman asked softly trying not to look at Seth. He figured he'd deal with him at a later time.
"Nick has Mia. AJ told me to throw the match or else Mia would be next to die. I didn't have a choice..."
Dean's rage was building when he heard the situation all of them were placed in. Rydia couldn't stand the look of despair written on his face. It broke her to pieces knowing that it was her fault that someone else was suffering. She was going to stand up to Nick herself and this time, without any backup at all.
"Let me go alone... he may still kill her if any of you come with me."
"That's just crazy. There is no way I'm letting you go alone." Roman pleaded pulling her into his arms.
She smiled against his chest. His love for her warmed her completely to the core. Her eyes flinched when she heard Dean smash his fist into a piece of temporary drywall next to the room. Rydia moved out of Roman's arms and touched Dean's shoulder gentle. "I will bring her back to you, I promise." She stated with a smile that was laced with sorrow filled tears.
"Rydia, please don't go alone. Let one of us go with you for backup." He replied.
"No, I won't risk her life or the life she going to be bringing into the world."
She turned her back to them and stood face to face with Seth. Without even knowing it, he had been the rock she needed to stay sane in the hell they were a part of. Her arms wrapped around his torso quickly and held on for a few moments before letting go of him completely. "Please stay away. Let me do this alone. Mia is safer this way. I love you all..." She told them and then started her short walk to the garage.
Nick leaned against his vehicle with his arms crossed over his chest. AJ paced back and forth along the concrete. She was beginning to get impatient with waiting to see the defeated look upon her face. She wanted to see the shattered dreams in her eyes. Nick lifted his head the second he heard to door open.
"It's about damn time you showed up." AJ stated.
"Why don't you shut the hell up. This is between me and Nick; but I'm going to tell you this since I am a nice person."
"Tell me what?"
"He's using you. Once he get's what he wants he will throw you to the curb like a bag of trash. He has no feelings and won't care about yours."
AJ only smiled. She tossed aside the words meaninglessly. Rydia realized that she wasn't taking her seriously and there was nothing she could do about it. She hoped that she wasn't too far gone; but by the looks of things, she was.
"Release Mia, Nick. You got what you wanted, now let her go."
"You really are no fun at all, you know that."
"It's not supposed to be fun. Just let her go, she's got nothing to do with any of this."
Nick opened the car door and pulled Mia out by the arm. The sisters shared a look of relief to know the other was okay; but he continued to hold onto her arm. Rydia sniffled back a sob and tried to smile. "You did what AJ told you to do?" Nick asked.
"Yes, I will quit the company and you'll never see me compete again..."
"What! No, Rydia you can't. It's been your dream to be champion since you started here." Mia pleaded.
"No dream is worth more than your life, little sister."
Mia's tears rolled down her cheeks realized what her sister gave up just to protect her for one more day. She very much doubted that Nick would give up on harming her now that he knew that she was pregnant. Nick smiled and let go of Mia's arm, allowing her to return to her family. She ran towards her sister and wrapped her arms around her tightly, not wanting to let go. She was making herself believe everything was real.
"You can't trust them to keep their end up. They know now and I doubt this will be the last time they will come after me." Mia whispered.
"It's alright, just go back to the others. They are inside waiting for me to bring you back. You have a very distraught boyfriend inside."
The thought of Dean accelerated her heart and brought a smile to her face. Rydia knew that her sister was meant for great things and protecting her had been the greatest job tasked to her throughout her entire life. She loved being the older sister and nothing would ever change that. "Mia go inside please." She stated keeping her eyes directly on Nick the whole time.
"Absolutely not. There is no way I'm leaving you with them."
"Please, Mia. I need to do this alone."
"Rydia..."
Rydia nodded her head and gave her sister a gentle push towards the door. Mia began to walk away fearing the worst, hesitating in letting her do anything alone. When she turned back to look at her sister one more time, Nick was holding a gun out in front of him with his finger on the trigger. The sound of shot was deafening. Everything seems to flow in slow motion and flashes of Rydia's life appeared right before her eyes.
The bullet caught Rydia directly in the chest just above her heart. Mia's eyes filled with tears automatically, watching as her sister fell to the ground, blood pooling around her body rapidly. A scream escaped her throat as she ran to her side. AJ knelt down next to the fallen woman with tears of her own.
"You never said anything about killing her! You said it was just going to be a scare!" She yelled just as Nick jumped into his vehicle and drove off with a screech of tires.
"Rydia! Come on girl stay with me! Please..." Mia pleaded pulling her shirt over her head to apply the fabric to the open wound to hold back the bleeding as best as she could.
Rydia's eyes remained opened, staring into Mia's. She was scared and the pain was immense. Words wouldn't form in her mouth and her body wouldn't obey her wishes. AJ's dark hair caught her attention. The sorrow expression on her face made her believe that she had no idea that Nick was planning to do whatever it was he did.
"Go get the medics!" Mia yelled at AJ.
She did what she was told, scrambling from the floor with blood on her hands. The door flew open, slamming against the wall behind it. The paramedics were inside the building in the room next to the exit. Roman, Dean, and Seth were still waiting patiently for Rydia's return with Mia. AJ froze upon seeing them; but didn't hesitate in getting the paramedics.
AJ knew Rydia's life was hanging on by just a thread. There was just too much blood for it not to be. The second the medics were through the door, Roman looked over to catch sight of AJ trembling with blood on her hands. "What happened?" He yelled alerting her to their presence.
"He shot her...I...I only wanted to scare her..." AJ babbled.
"Rydia..." Roman whispered and turned heel to run out into the parking garage.
The others followed behind seconds later; but instantly stopped when the saw the sight before them. The medics were lifting Rydia onto a stretcher with blood still rolling down her arm. Roman was horrified by the scene. He was scared for the first time since childhood. There was a real possibility that he could loose her forever.
"Rydia!" He yelled running up to the stretcher.
"Keep your distance, sir. We need to hurry." One of the medics stated.
"Will she be okay?"
"Depends on how fast we can get to the hospital."
Roman backed off, allowing them to place her into the waiting ambulance. Mia jumped into the back before the doors closed. "I'll text you where we are." She stated. Within seconds they pulled away leaving the others alone with the horrifying thoughts of never seeing her again.
End Note: How many of you would like to see this turned into a trilogy or a series? I've been having a lot of ideas as of late and I don't know if I should split this story into parts.