Author Note: Thanks goes to Dreams of Florence and cybertrooper for becoming followers of this story. Thanks also goes to THE Kid Hardy, LindaPipeBomb, Slytherin Studios, Leasha Orton and DeeMarie426 for the reviews. I really hope I don't turn any of my readers away with the ideas I have in mind for the upcoming chapters. I decided not to split the story up into a trilogy. It's just going to be a pretty long story.

"It's everything you wanted, it's everything you don't

It's one door swinging open and one door swinging closed

Some prayers find an answer

Some prayers never know

We're holding on and letting go"

'Holding On and Letting Go' by: Ross Copperman

Chapter 34: Holding On and Letting Go

Six Months Later

Seth made his way to the steps of Grayson and Noel Industries building in the heart of Dallas, Texas. He was bound and determined to get information about Nick that he wanted to help put him away forever. The only problem was getting someone to actually talk about him. After several phone calls and using quite a bit of his money, he finally got a meeting with Nick Grayson's father; but it took six months to achieve even that.

While he waited to get the meeting, Seth continued to research online and was heavily involved with the police's search for Nick. He had a good friend on the force and they talked over coffee weekly when Seth wasn't on the road with the WWE.

Rydia's condition never changed and it fueled his need for answers even more. Unfortunately, six months later and he had nothing to show for it. He couldn't deny that his relationship with Skye suffered tremendously since his obsession started. It was to the point where she had to walk away. Even work was beginning to become annoying; but he continued on as a singles competitor, now that the company decided to split the group up onscreen.

"May I help you sir?" The secretary asked with a sweet smile.

"Yeah, I have a meeting with Ronald Grayson at 10:30." Seth replied.

"Okay, hold on a moment and I will let him know you are here."

The young woman picked up the phone next to her and pushed a few buttons. She told the person on the other line that the boss's meeting personal was waiting in the lobby. They seemed to continue on to talk about other things other than the subject at hand. It left Seth time to think, which wasn't part of the plan.

One Month Ago

"What are you doing? Can you please stop obsessing about finding Nick." Skye said coming into the room to see Seth staring at his laptop screen.

"I'm not obsessing. He needs to be found and the police aren't going a damn thing to find the bastard." He replied.

Skye let out a sigh. She knew that he was frustrated with all the unknowns. Rydia's condition was one of those unknowns. Nobody knew what to do about it and the longer she remained in the coma the more confusing it got.

"Seth...I think we all need to come to terms with facts."

He looked up from his computer screen and the hundreds of papers scattered around it. His girlfriend's facial expression told him a story of what she was really thinking. "And what facts would those be, Skye?" He asked not really knowing if he wanted to hear her answer.

"She's not going to wake up. She's been asleep for months and nothing has changed. I think we all need to just move on with our lives." She replied.

"So you're giving up on your best friend?"

Skye lowered her head in shame. He was calling her out. Accusing her. She knew that if she told him the truth it would crush him and there wouldn't be anything left of their relationship to salvage; but after seeing him drown himself in research and spend money on trying to get a meeting with Nick's father, she realized that Seth cared more about Rydia than he did about her.

"I've just thought that if she was going to wake up, she would have done so by now. The reality is that she's going to and I've done my mourning of her."

"I'm sorry you feel that way. I can guarantee that if the roles were reversed she wouldn't give up on you."

His words stung and they hurt more than she was willing to admit; but the sad truth was, he was right. Rydia was completely selfless and would never give up on someone even if the reality was right in front of her. She walked the small distance to close the gap between them. He looked up at her just as she was sitting down next to him.

"Seth...I need to move on from all of this. I believe that she's gone and I'm sorry that you can't see that yet. Maybe it's best if we aren't together to."

"Skye..." He whispered not believing that she was once again leaving him.

"I love you...and I probably always will; but I can't be second best in your life."

Seth cupped the side of her face with his palm. Leaning in, he kissed her lips. Deep down, he knew that this was the end of their relationship for good. He couldn't expect her to be patient when she had other plans for her life. The only thing he could do was be a friend and let her go free. "You will always hold a place in my heart." He whispered against her still parted lips.

"Goodbye..."

Grayson and Noel Industries

Remembering Skye made his heart ache; but he continued to push through the pain. He had to remember that he was doing all of this for Rydia and for the hope that she'd wake up. His eyes traveled down to his phone. He opened his photos and found his favorite picture of himself and Rydia the night she debuted on Raw. Her smile could brighten anyone's day and he missed her more than words could say.

"Sir, I will escort you to the conference room now." The young woman stated interrupting his thoughts.

Seth followed the secretary down the hall and into an elevator. She pushed the number ten button indicating the meeting would take place on the tenth floor of the multimillion dollar corporation.

The ride was spent in silence. He was going over what he would say to the man over and over again, hoping that he would get some answers or some help of some kind.

"This way."

The long hallway was covered by paintings from various artists around the world and each one had information underneath the actual painting itself. After walking a little longer, they entered a large room with a long table in the center with over a dozen chairs around it. At the end of the table sat a man with graying hair, high cheek bones and bright blue eyes. He wore a gray business suit that probably cost him thousands of dollars.

"Mr. Grayson, Mr. Rollins... your 10:30 meeting."

"Thank you Patricia."

Ronald stood up and shook Seth's hand before sitting back down. Seth took a seat several chairs away from him. He didn't know how the man could live with himself knowing that his son was a killer and a psychopath that has tormented the same woman for most of the year. "So Seth, what can I do for you?"

"Does the name Rydia Chandler ring a bell?" Seth asked.

The older man's eyes instantly widened. There was no mistaking the reaction. He knew of her without actually saying a word. The only thing he could hope for was that man was nothing like his son.

"What is this really about?" Ronald asked.

"Your son put her in a coma. I want to know where he is so he can finally pay for his crimes including killing her father."

"She's in a coma..."

"Yeah, has been for six months. He shot her and has been in a coma ever since."

Ronald looked down at the papers on the table in front of him. He look troubled as if he didn't know that Rydia had been in a coma for half a year. It was his only chance to redeem on his sympathy. Seth just hoped that the sympathy was real.

"You didn't know, did you?" Seth asked.

"No...I haven't seen my son for months. He shot her?"

"Yeah right in front of her pregnant sister."

The old man shook his head in disbelief. He didn't want to believe that Nick was capable of such things; but he also knew that he didn't take the break-up well. His attitude and actions were questionable at best. It was also obvious that the man in front of him cared deeply for Rydia and he honestly didn't blame him. He also liked her. Liked her enough to wish that Nick marry her into the family.

"I honestly don't know where Nick is. He only contacts me when he's out of money."

"Convenient...Look, I didn't come here to cause issues; but I'm doing this for her. Pretty much everyone close to her has given up on the thought of her ever waking up."

Seth knew deep down that everything he was saying was pointless. There was nothing that could help him if the man didn't even know where Nick was hiding out. He ran a hand through his hair and stood up. "Thank you for your time. I need to get back on the road." He stated and turned to walk out of the room.

"You're in love with her aren't you." Ronald accused.

Seth froze mid-step at his accusation. He had been so caught up in trying to track down his enemy for so long that he didn't even think about the possibly that he really was in love with Rydia. Skye had left him because she thought she was second best in his life. "It doesn't matter. Her boyfriend spends every waking moment missing her. My best friend is completely heartbroken without her. I just wanted to give him some closure and maybe I need it to."

"She's lucky to have both of you in her life, even if she can't live it right now."

Seth's eyes burned with tears that he refused to shed in front of anyone. He was beginning to think that he'd never see Rydia smile at him again. Leaving the room was the best thing for him in that moment, because the second he walked into the elevator he broke down. The worst feeling in the world was helplessness and that exactly what he was feeling when the warm tears trickled down his cheeks.

Mia and Dean's Home, Pensacola Florida

Mia's hand rested against the swell of her belly. She could feel the baby moving around within her womb and it made her smile. The only things that were keeping her sane inside her harsh reality were Dean and the baby. Rydia had been her rock. The go-to person for all her problems and now that she was still in a coma, she closed herself off from the outside world.

"Mia, your nurse it here!" Dean shouted from the downstairs entryway.

"I'll be down in a minute." She shouted back rolling off their bed onto her feet.

Dean had hired a personal nurse/midwife for Mia while they traveled. Mia wanted to be close to Dean the entire time and he figured that was the best way to keep her happy. Taking the stairs slowly, she finally came into eye view of her boyfriend and a fairly tall brunette. Her hair was short, razored at the edges to give flare. She had intense blue eyes that lit up the rest of her flawless features.

"Emilee, it's great to see you again." Mia greeted coming down the rest of the stairs.

"How are you doing?" Emilee asked quietly not really knowing what kind of answer she'd get in return.

Mia let out a sigh, lowering her head slightly; but lifted it back up straight and smiled. Over the last six months, she had to stay strong for everyone around her as the hope of Rydia waking up started to fade away even more. She had come to terms that it just maybe wasn't in the cards for her to wake up at all. "I'm doing better. I'm not going to lie, I miss my sister."

"Come on, let's sit down and listen to the baby's heartbeat."

Dean smiled as he leaned against the entryway frame. It was amazing to think about how far they have come as a couple. Mia was his everything, she ran through his veins and now they would welcome a baby into the world in early January. He wished that Roman would at least try and move on with his life; but he still refused to give up on the slim chance of Rydia waking up from the coma.

"Listen! It's a strong heartbeat." Emilee stated holding a small doppler against Mia's bare rounded belly.

Every time he heard his child's heartbeat, his own heart swelled with joy. They had decided not to find out what they were having. The surprise was welcomed, so they stuck with neutral colors when decorating the nursery. "Looks like it's around 155 today, very active little one." Emilee commented with a smile as she pulled away the device and handed Mia a cloth to wipe the gel off her skin.

"Of course he or she is. My genes are in there." Dean replied with a sincere smile that lit up Mia's eyes.

"Don't get carried away mister. My genes are in there to." Mia interrupted blowing him a kiss from the couch.

Emilee couldn't help but smile at the happy couple. It reminded her of her own past and there was no coincidence as to why Dean hired her to be his fiance's nurse. He had his own plans for his best friend, Roman Reigns and they involved her. Considering the past she had with Roman to begin with, Dean had to be literately insane to think that she could help in any way. Their relationship was years ago and it ended mutually. She honestly didn't know what she could do to help Roman move on.

"So have you guys thought of any names yet?" She asked trying not to think about Roman and the pain he must be feeling.

"We've talked a little about them. Dean's pretty picky about them, unfortunately."

"Oh come on, you are picky to!"

Mia opened her mouth to return with a witty response until they heard the doorbell ring. Emilee giggled at the humor of it all. Dean turned to answer the door only to see Roman standing there. His bags were at his feet and he looked like he hadn't slept in days. "Roman, christ man get in here. You look like hell."

"Do you mind if I stay here and get some sleep?" Roman asked.

"Of course not, get your ass in here."

Roman stepped into the house, carrying his bags with him. He turned to look into the main room to see Mia on the couch with a familiar face he hadn't seen in years. "Emilee..." He whispered. She stood up and took several steps closer to him before he turned his head away. His eyes were completely bloodshot and there were heavy bags under his head from lack of sleep.

"I'm sorry, Roman..." She said with sympathy in her voice.

"She's not dead, Emilee and I wish people would stop treating her like she is." He replied walking up the stairs and out of eyesight of his best friend and ex-girlfriend.