*Thank-you for the reviews on the last chapter they were greatly appreciated thank-you all so much*
Sitting on a trunk backstage while my dad was preparing himself for his Hell in a Cell match with Shane McMahon, I began thinking about how much older he looked to me. He was definitely aging, aging well of course but not as young as he used to be. His body had been beat up over the last 25 ½ years, he pushed himself beyond his limits, he has had countless surgeries and had a hip replacement. His body has aches and pains every day but he did it all for the business he loves. He lives for this business. He would die doing it than give it up but I know there comes a time when everyone has to make the choice even if it is a choice we don't want to make. Sometimes we have to call it quits even if we don't want to so we can save ourselves, save what is left of our bodies. The truth is my dad has been talking about giving up this life, giving up the ring and coming back in a different role so that he still has a hand in this business but every time he changes his mind and says he has room for one more match but there is never just one more match he can't give it up and in a way I understand why he can't. Walking out in front of the WWE Universe is a feeling that you can't even describe. Your body fills with adrenaline and you feel a joy, whether the crowd is for you or against you. Whatever reaction you generate from the WWE universe that feeds into your adrenaline, it is amazing. I love performing in front of a crowd. I love this business as much as my dad does and he has been at it for 25 ½ years. I haven't known him to do anything else in my entire life but he is good at what he does and he is one of the most respected men in the back. "Are you sure you want to do this, Dad?" I ask.
"Of course, Baby Girl," he says as he takes a seat next to me on the trunk.
"I'm nervous for you," I say honestly.
He wraps his arm around my shoulder and says, "Scout, I'm going out there to do what I have done a thousand times before everything is going to be all right. You don't have to be nervous."
"I know but you're not as young as you used to be. I just don't want to see you get hurt. Kaia needs you to play with her like you played with us."
"Everything will be all right. I have been training for this for a while now I know the risks and I know that I'm going to be okay. Please don't worry," he says. "I'll be all right."
"You know I'm always going to worry, Dad." I say looking up with a smile on my face.
"Just like I'm always going to worry about you, are you feeling okay? Is everything okay?"
Joe and I still haven't told my dad we are married and we haven't told anyone about the baby's diagnosis either, we're still trying to digest it and figure it out together before we tell anyone besides I don't want anyone's input on what they think we should do. Joe and I know what we're doing and we don't need anyone to try to talk us out of our decision. "I'm fine."
"Are you sure, you seem a little off lately like you're thinking about something."
"I've got a lot on my mind," I say, "you know with the baby, the wedding and all that fun stuff. I'm still trying to decide if I'm coming back or leaving. It's all a lot but I promise you that everything is fine," I say.
"If you say so, Willow but I want you to know you can talk to me about anything."
"I know, Dad," I say. "I just want you to focus on your match tonight don't worry about me. I'll be all right. Joe and I will be all right," I say with a smile.
"Willow, Joe is good for you. I'm happy that you two finally realized that. He does everything he can to make you happy and you do the same for him. The support and love you have for each other is amazing. Soon you won't need me anymore because you'll have Joe and then hopefully a little boy of your own."
"That's not true, Dad," I say honestly. "You're always going to be my number one guy in my life and you'll always be my dad. I'm always going to need you," I promise. "I love you Daddy."
"I love you too, Scout," he says with a smile before we share a hug. "How's my future grandson?" he asks.
"You don't know if it is a boy or a girl, Dad."
"I thought if I call it a he and keep thinking of it as a he that it will come out a he," he says with amusement, "what do you think? I think Gunner is lonely as the only boy," he says. "I need a grandson."
"I don't think it works that way, Dad but I am hoping for a boy too but what I really want is a healthy baby," I say.
"Of course," he says, "it doesn't matter I'm going to spoil the baby and give it back to you."
"Isn't that what grandparents are supposed to do?"
"Exactly," he says with a smile as Joe makes his way toward us.
"Hey Beautiful," says Joe as he greets me with a soft kiss on the cheek. "Dad," he says with a smile as he and my dad shake hands. "What's going on?"
"Just talking to my dad, you look happy," I say. "How did your meeting with Vince and Stephanie go?"
"It went pretty well," he says with a smile.
"You know who is winning the match tonight?"
"I know," he says, "but I am not allowed to tell anyone," he says with a knowing smile. "I'm ready to do this."
"You seem like it," I say with a smile.
"You're ready for your match against Hunter?" asks my dad.
"Yeah," says Joe. "I'm ready."
"This could be good for your career," he says. "A feud with Hunter usually boosts a character into popularity."
"We'll see," he says. "I'm not worried about the crowd anymore," he says wrapping his arm around my waist as I stand up next to him. "They pay their money they can boo me, love me whatever they want to do. Haters are gonna hate."
"Nice outlook," I say with a smile. "I wish I could be a part of this Wrestlemania, I may never get to experience Mania."
"I'm sure one day you will, Baby," he says. "Are you sitting with my parents or with your parents?"
"I'll probably hang out in the suite with Michelle but sit with both Michelle and your family when my two favorite guys have their matches."
"I thought so. My mom said you're more than welcome to hang out in their suite if you'd like."
"That's so sweet of her, I'll make sure to thank her later but right now I think I'll just hang out with Michelle."
"All right, I'm going to go get ready for tonight, are you going to be okay."
"I'm going to be fine," I say as he gives me a look. "I promise."
"Okay," he says with a smile. "I'll see you after the match."
"Good luck tonight, Baby," I say with a smile before I kiss his lips softly. "We'll be cheering for you," I say talking about Alani, the baby and me. "I love you."
"I love you too," he says before we share one more kiss before he heads off to his locker room to get ready for his match.
"Well, Dad, I think I am going to head to my suite. Good luck tonight. I love you."
"I love you too," he says before we share a hug.
"And be careful."
"I will Scout," he says with a tone of promise in his voice.
I spend most of Wrestlemania watching the show from the suite with my step mother and the rest of our family. It's hard to watch because I wish I could be in the ring. I miss it. It is something I have been training for the last few years of my life, I finally made it to WWE and now I'm sitting on the sidelines, watching. I had always dreamed of making my Wrestlemania debut. I wonder what I would have been doing if I would be defending my women's championship; the name that the WWE has finally given the championship no more Divas Championship and it looks wonderful. I am coveting if I come back I want my shot to get the women's championship around my waist. Would I be fighting for the championship if I wasn't sitting out? I love watching my friends especially the women tearing down the house, giving it their all to make history. Women's wrestling has come a long way, I was part of the Diva's revolution for a short time and since then so much has changed. We aren't divas we're superstars, we're not discriminated against or made to look weak anymore. It has come a long way. There are so many matches that steal the show that have me on the edge of my seat and in every match you see the heart, the soul and the love for the business come out in their performance. Wrestlemania is the super bowl of the WWE; the grandest stage of them all. One day I want my chance to have a match at Mania.
We were moved to ringside just before my dad's match so we could cheer him on from ringside. It's something WWE has started with families of superstars. They buy the front row and when a superstar is ready to perform their families fill the front row this way everyone gets to see their family wrestle without being stuck in the 3rd or 4th row or watching from a suite. Shane's music cues first and he comes out with his sons doing his famous shuffle and the money starts to fall from the sky. I help Kaia pick up the money as it falls and hand it to her just before my dad makes his entrance. I have seen my dad enter an arena thousands of times before but there is nothing more bone chilling than his Wrestlemania entrances. It still gives me goosebumps. My dad takes his time making his way down the ramp and to the steel structure that has been so unforgiving to his body over the years but it is his domain. He and Mick Foley made Hell in A Cell. He walks into the steel structure and slams the door shut behind him. The match starts and it is one of hell of a match. It is definitely a show stopper and enough to steal the show. The match bounces back and forth. Sometimes my dad has the upper hand and sometimes Shane has the upper hand. It's never truly one sided. It's up in the air who is going to win. My breath gets caught in my throat as my dad is lying on the announce table and Shane is on the top of the cell. Shane makes the jump and my dad rolls out of the way before he lands causing Shane to land hard on the announce table. We gasp at the risk he took. The crowd erupts with a Holy shit chant and my dad's face is priceless as he can't believe Shane made the jump. My dad gives Shane time to recover before they make it back into the cage. Shane's in bad shape, he looks terrible. My dad tombstones him once and when I think it's over he kicks out, it takes a second tombstone before my dad finally puts him away. My dad sits in the middle of the ring, catching his breath, looking as if he just put his whole life on the line and in a way he did. He was defending his career if he had lost it would have been over.
There was a look in his eyes that I had never seen before. He checked on Shane before he rolled out of the ring and made his way over to us. He kissed Michelle on the lips softly, then gave Kaia a kiss on the top of her head before giving Gracie a kiss and a hug before making his way over to me. I wrapped my arms around his sweaty body as I felt his arms wrap around me. "I'm so proud of you, Daddy," I whispered into his ear. "I love you."
"I love you too," he said before he whispered his shocking words, "I think that was it. I can't do it anymore," he said before pulling away leaving me confused and lost. I never thought I would hear him say those words.
My family headed to the back to see my dad while Joe's family came to join me at ringside. His sisters and brother sat next to me and Alani took a seat on my lap as his nieces and nephews filled the front row. Pops sat in the row behind us to watch the match as Hunter's family took the other half of the front row. Triple H came out first with Stephanie with one of his special entrances and the crowd was into it. As Joe made his way out to the ring the fans were all over him, booing as soon as his music hit. I always feel bad for Joe when the crowd boos him no matter what they do they can't make them like him. He gives so much for this business but it's never good enough for them. The match is fast pace, bouncing back and forth our family competing with Hunter's as we cheer for them. There were so many close calls that I thought Joe was down for the count but he kept kicking out. Then finally, his moment, the moment he had wished so much for happened. He hit Hunter with a spear and it was over. Joe won 1-2-3. The crowd had a mixed reaction but all I had in my heart was pride for my husband and the father of my child. He stood up with such pride on his face and smiled as he was handed the championship. He held it up in the air with pride taking his pose on each turnbuckle before he rolled out of the ring. He made his way over to his family, hugging and kissing everyone. "Congratulations, Baby," I say with a smile before I kiss his lips softly.
"Thanks, Beautiful," he says with a smile. "I love you."
"I love you too," I say with a smile before he directs his attention to Alani. He picks her up over the barricade and hugs her tightly, kissing the top of her head and whispering something in her ear. I know the feeling of pride Alani feels for her father. I have been there too with my own dad. Joe took Alani up the ramp with him in celebration. He was having a beautiful father daughter moment that wasn't going to be ruined by the ignorance of the fans. Alani stood close to Joe as they snapped a picture before they made their way to the back.
Later that night after we celebrated with our friends and family at the Wrestlemania after party, Joe, Charlotte and I were on Vince's private jet to fly us out to New York so Joe could be on the Today Show. It wasn't how I wanted to spend the night but as long as I was with Joe it didn't matter how we spent the night. "How does it feel?" I ask looking at his belt in my hands.
"Amazing," he says with a smile. "Three time champion," he says proudly.
"I'm glad you finally got your moment. It was the most precious moment in Mania history," I say.
"Alani was scared to death. She made me promise not to do that to her ever again."
"Of course there were thousands of people in that crowd, cheering and booing. That's a lot to take in for us imagine being 8."
"I know but I wanted this moment with her, I wanted to celebrate with her. I do everything for her. Just like I do everything for our baby, I'm happy about it," he says as he sits next to me. "What do you think Mrs. Anoa'i?" He took my hand into his and kissed my wedding ring. "But this means more to me than any championship."
"I think I'm very proud of you and happy for you. It was a beautiful moment. You deserve every moment of this and I hope that you get a long championship reign."
"Me too," he says. "I can't wait to see what's next for me."
"A European tour," I groan.
"I know we have a lot going on in our lives right now but I need to make this tour and I'm going to be busier."
"I understand," I say as I lift my legs to rest on his. "You're my superstar."
"Only yours," he says with a smile as he takes my shoes off to massage my feet from the heels I was wearing. Pregnancy and heels do not go together. "Speaking of how is your dad doing?"
"He's hurting," I say. "He put it all on the line tonight," I say. "I think he's done. At least that's what he said to me."
"If that's the case it was one hell of a career he had. He has been talking about giving it up right? Before plans changed this was supposed to be his last Mania right?"
"Yeah," I say as he massages my feet making them feel better. "It just seemed different there was a look in his eye I never saw before."
"He isn't getting any younger," he says. "I think it's time we told him that we're married."
"Do we have to?" I ask.
"We agreed after Mania we would tell him. We can't hide it forever, he's going to start wondering why you aren't planning a wedding."
"I know," I say. "On a scale from 1-10 how do you think it's going to go, 1 being the lowest."
"Honestly, negative 25," he says with amusement in his voice but also some seriousness. "He got used to the idea of us dating so hopefully he will get used to the idea of us being married."
"I don't think it's the being married part that's going to bother him but the fact he wasn't there to walk me down the aisle. That's what's going to hurt him. I don't like keeping all these secrets from him."
"Neither do I, we need to talk to him about our marriage then we need to talk to our families about the baby and its diagnosis. I know it's not set in stone but there is a major possibility our baby will have Downs."
"I know," I say. "You're the most amazing husband ever."
"I haven't done anything spectacular," he says with a small chuckle.
"You're just a great dad, a great husband and I love you. I saw you with Alani tonight," I say with tears in my eyes, "and I knew there was no way I could love you more than I do right now. You're a great dad and I know you're going to be great to our baby boy or baby girl. And that's what we need. I love you so much."
"Don't cry," he says pulling me onto his lap and holding me in his arms.
"I can't help it," I say as I am nearly bawling for no reason, "I just love you so much it hurts and no one has ever loved me the way you do," I say as I break down into tears.
"And I will spend the rest of my life loving you," he says, "hormones?" he asks.
"I think so," I say through my tears and he let me cry on his shoulder until I cried myself to sleep in his arms.
*A/N: What do you think of the moment Willow spent with her dad before his match? Do you think he realizes something is going on with Willow? What do you think about them worrying about each other? What did you think of what Mark told Willow after his match? Did that surprise anyone? And what about Joe getting his moment? What do you think about his moment with Alani? Do you think that made it more special for him? What are your thoughts on getting inside Willow's head as she watched Mania? Can you tell she loves the business as much as her dad? Do you think she will come back? What do you think of Willow breaking down on the plane? Why do you think she's so emotional about how much she loves Joe? How do you think telling Mark that they are married is going to go? Please review and thank-you for reading.