Hope everyone has had a nice holiday. This is me trying to get back in the swing of things. My hiatus has left me still a bit rusty and this didn't quite come out how I had planned months ago. Needless to say, I'm a bit unhappy with the results, but I tried my best for you all, so I hope this is ok.

Thanks to Idcam for the review of the last chapter.

*WARNINGS* Physical violence and intended assault.

Kevin didn't squander another second and sprinted to Heather's rescue. One would never refer to him as swift, yet somehow, he found it in himself to race off at a neck-breaking speed. He would be writhing in agony over his knees later on, but the prospect didn't even enter his thoughts at present. Either way, it would pale in comparison to the pain he was about to inflict on this asshole. The adrenaline kicked in and his only focus was making it to her aid as swiftly as possible.

He ran into the women's bathroom calling Heather's name and could hear muffled cries followed by sharp whispers. Then a male voice suddenly hollered in pain and roared, "You little bitch!" The sound of a slap bounced off the walls accompanied by an agonized cry from the tiny girl. The sounds hitting his ears ignited a fiery rage inside him as his disposition shifted from fear to fury. Passing the long string of empty stalls he arrived at the largest at the back of the room. Jerking on the door, he was met with resistance. Locked. This fucker was so dead. Raising his leg, he stomped at the door like a battering ram. After a few more stomps, the metal latch on the inside gave away and the door flew open with a resounding crash.

With the petrified young girl pinned against the wall, the assailant now turned with a look of terror etched on his face to behold the raging behemoth. Before the creep had a moment to react or attempt to explain himself, Nash lunged forward, delivered an annihilating blow to the gut, and forced the air from his lungs as he doubled over, clutching his stomach. Snatching him up by the back of his shirt and pants, Nash took the opportunity to smash the prick's skull against the tile wall, producing a sickening crack. He was only vaguely aware of the horrified creature yelping in shock at the violent display as he let the attacker slump towards the floor, with blood gushing from his obviously fractured skull. The unwise fellow, looked up at the brute of a man in a daze as the crimson mask ran down his face. Glaring down at the fiend with unadulterated wrath, Nash gave him a punt between his legs with the toe of his shoe. He didn't hold back, sending the man's genitals up into his throat. After incoherently moaning in anguish the prick slouched over, seemingly unconscious.

Heather stood in shock. She suspected that she had never paid too much mind to his impossibly brute strength. It was one thing to watch him work with another performer, throwing fake punches and working spots. It was quite another to witness him clobber another human being into an almost comatose state.

Nash clenched his fist and drew back, intending to continue with his slaughter of the creep, but a squeak from the timid girl caused him to pause. He dropped his hand when his eyes fell upon her trembling like a leaf in the Autumn wind, her cheeks slick with tears. He supposed he had inflicted enough damage upon the scumbag. The goal was to prevent the little one from further harm, not beat this asshole to an unrecognizable bloody pulp even if that's what he wanted to do. With the blood in his veins still boiling Nash retreated, hoping he had got the point across if this pervert ever thought of preying upon an unsuspecting female again.

"Come on," Kevin told her, thrusting out his hand. She stared at him hesitantly for a moment with wide eyes, then placed her tiny hand into his. She had to step over the legs of the prone man lying on the floor as he began leading her away. However, once she cleared the doorway of the stall, she freed herself from him and broke into a full-on sprint, fleeing the facility as fast as her legs could carry her.

Kevin made it to the exit just in time to see her stumble and crash to the unforgiving asphalt as she inadvertently took a nosedive in the middle of the otherwise deserted parking lot. Kevin winced as the accident unfolded before him.

Heather lifted herself off the rugged blacktop, sitting back on her heels. She had some road-rash from her trip, but she hardly paid any mind to it, ignoring the stinging of her palms and knees. Her body was wracked with sobs and the tears stung her eyes choking her as she struggled to catch her breath. Her heart battered her ribs as the terror still coursed through her veins. She rocked back and forth as her tiny fists beat the pavement as small anguished cries tore from her throat.

Seeing her in such torment ripped the heart right out of the giant's chest. He rushed to her, then slowly kneeled on the ground beside her, not paying any mind to his protesting knees as they met the black slab of concrete. Noticing his presence, she stared up at him, her eyelashes glistening with tears. He listened to the unsteady cadence of her breath.

"Th-that m-man he…h-he…" she squeaked before a fresh wave of sobs began.

Not giving a second thought, his muscular arms enveloped her slender frame and he pulled her tight against him. "He tried to do much worse," Kevin commented bleakly, the thought churning in the pit of his stomach. "I'm so proud of you calling for help. And it looked like you got a dig in on him too," he praised her as he recalled a series of scratches marring one of the man's eyes. He hadn't realized it in the thick of his rage, but to her credit, she must have tried to fight back. Part of him beamed with pride and astonishment, but the grim reality was she never should have been subjected to such treachery.

He lifted her chin towards him, peering through the dark to examine her face. It was difficult to decipher due to the dim light and how red and puffy her eyes and face were from crying, but fortunately, it did not appear that she would have any significant bruising. Kevin frowned, infuriated at the fact that not only had that mother fucker tried to take advantage of her but that he also had the balls to strike her for attempting to defend herself. "I'm so sorry, Little One. I should have waited for you outside. I had no idea that bastard was going to follow you in there," the big man lamented. He shook his head. " But I'm here now. I would never let anyone hurt you." A high tide of emotions washed over him. As his own words sunk in deep, his embrace tightened around her.

Heather had not the slightest inkling on how to react. She had no recollection of the last instance where anyone had defended her, or been so gracious to her either. She was still being rocked by overwhelming emotions so she simply pressed into his protective embrace and continued weeping while her tears stained the front of his shirt.

Kevin comforted her as best he could, ignoring the fact that his knees currently felt like they had been blown off by a cannon. He had been in pain before and he would surely continue to suffer it as long as he had a wrestling career and after, but this girl had just suffered a frightening and traumatic experience at the hands of that asshole. His Little One. No, he couldn't think like that. No matter how she felt in his arms, pressed against him. He did what any person with an ounce of compassion, who wasn't just a useless heap of flesh would have done.

When her sobs had subsided somewhat, he pulled away a fraction. Looking down at her, he asked gently, "Are you ready to go back to the van?" She nodded in silence and he helped her up as they made their way back to the vehicle.

They were surprised to discover Scott and Reves waking up as they climbed in. Reves stretched and peered through the darkness, trying to let her eyes adjust. "Where are we?" she questioned, still groggy.

"We've stopped at a rest area," Kevin replied.

"Great! I need to go," she said reaching for the door. She didn't notice that her sister sat in the front seat, silently crying, and got out of the van.

As Scott was scooting across the seat to exit, Kevin stopped him and told him not to let Reves into the lady's room and to not let her out of his sight. In a hushed tone, he briefly informed his friend of what had happened to Heather and told him not to breathe of a word of it to Reves as she would surely flip shit. Scott stared at him for a moment in lethargic disbelief and nodded his understanding before hurrying on to catch up with Reves.

After the two were left alone, (save an incapacitated Kid) Heather sat with her head bent, hugging herself, arms folded over her chest. She continued to release sniffles and whimpers that were gradually becoming more infrequent. Kevin sat in silence for some time; his eyes patiently trained on her. Heather could sense his gaze fixed upon her. She lifted her head, yet instead of looking at him, she stared out the windshield into the black night sky. Kevin hadn't perceived that she had ceased her snuffling until she spoke, "Oh, you can see Leo the lion," she said in her unusual tranquil voice.

Kevin was bewildered for a moment, then realized she was gazing up at the stars.

"Do you see it there? I was not aware it was so prominent at this time of year," she commented, an excited tone almost rang in her voice.

Kevin shifted his eyes towards the sky. "Oh yeah. Uh-huh," he responded. Truth be told, he couldn't see shit, but a bunch of glowing dots smattered over a black background.

Heather slanted her eyes at him. "You don't see it, do you?"

She had called his bluff and he was thrown back for a moment. "Of course I do. See there's the head and the tail and all four of his paws." He knew she was well aware that he was bullshitting her, but he hoped she would gain some amusement from it, never the less. She shook her head at him as if he had failed some test.

The next instant she suddenly slid beside him without warning. Sitting up on her knees she pressed her tiny frame against him, causing his entire body to go on edge. She rested a forearm on his shoulder and position her head beside his, gazing up at the expansive canvas. Fuck. What was she doing? Kevin clenched his jaw and his body became rigid as he sucked in a sharp breath. She didn't seem to notice any of it. Rather she pointed with her index finger through the glass to a spot in the sky. "It's there, you see? His head is those four arching stars and the other five, form his body, with the tail at the point."

She smiled ever so faintly and Kevin found it to be a glorious thing. "Can you spy those three to the left, the ones that form a right angle? That is Coma Berenices or 'Bernice's Hair'. The myth goes that Queen Berenice offered her long tresses as a votive sacrifice to the goddess Aphrodite in exchange for her husband's safe return from the Third Syrian War." She leaned forward slightly and her own hair fell over her shoulder, brushing Kevin's forearm as he gripped the steering wheel. "When the king finally did return home, he was outraged by her actions. However, the court astronomer exalted her by claiming that the gods were so pleased with her offering that they commemorated it by exhibiting it in the sky." She continued by saying, "History tends to get muddled of course, as Berenice was the queen of Egypt. I do not trust that Greek deities were quite so revered."

She paused a moment, embarrassed that she had let her mouth run away with itself. Tentatively, she turned to face him and their eyes locked, level with one another's. A glowing blush illuminated through the darkness of the cab as she studied the expression in his eyes. It was genial and serene, a stark contrast to the rage-induced outburst he displayed earlier. Yet he had saved her. She was uncertain as to whether she would ever be capable of articulating her gratitude.

"Hmmm. You know, I doubt that chick had hair anywhere damn near as lovely as this," the giant purred softly to her as a massive hand came up and deliberately stroked her sleek tendrils.

Due to her recent incident, she initially tensed upon feeling his touch, but bizarrely found herself at ease with this contact. The color in her cheeks intensified and she broke eye contact momentarily. She must be daft for responding in such a manner. His caress was so inviting, however, and she could do little aside from fall into it. Despite all of the turmoil, she discovered herself longing to experience that sensation that was robbed from her inside his hotel room.

A fire began to course inside Kevin's body while his conscience reprimanded him for being such a depraved slimeball. The girl had narrowly escaped a horrific assault and here he was lusting after her like some sicko. He was no better than that bastard who was lying in a bloody heap in the bathroom. He knew he should have better control of his emotions and physical responses, but her tender petite body was pressed up against his just enough to instigate the driving desire he felt.

His hand was buried inside her ebony strands and their faces were already mere inches apart. Their eyes locked for a moment before he began cautiously guiding her lips towards his. For a brief instant, he wondered if he had sensed her leaning in on her own accord. He then noticed one of her tiny hands clutching his broad. Seconds felt more like minutes as they were on the verge of closing the gap. Their lips grazed one another's, on the precipice of converging...

"Ahhhh, fuck. My head!" a voice rang through the dark.

Like a frightened rabbit, Heather gasped and vaulted nearly a foot in the air as she tore herself from his wanting embrace. She swiftly scrambled to the other side, placing as much distance between them as possible. Her heart thumped rapidly.

It took Kevin a moment to process the loss of the precious creature from his grasp. He looked across the seating and she was practically huddled against the window. A grimace twisted his face as frustration welled inside him.

"Are we there yet?" Sean asked as Kevin turned around to see him sitting up. He rubbed the back of his skull.

"We're still hours away, Kid," Nash replied through gritted teeth, attempting in vain to not let his irritation become evident. His left hand gripped the steering wheel so forcefully that he worried he might snap it. Way to fucking go, Kid. Of all the times your ass could have woken up from being blackout, piss drunk, you pick right now! Thanks so fucking much. Nash mentally berated his friend inside his head. He recalled how close they had come. That delicate mouth virtually surrendered to his own as they brushed tenderly.

"Kev, I've gotta piss," Kid stated, still groggy.

"Well good. We're at a rest stop. Go on and go, but for Christ's sake, be quick about it, will ya?" Kevin snapped before feeling guilty for being so snarky with his friend.

Kid seemed oblivious to his buddy's anger as he stumbled out of the van, making his way to the restroom.

Kevin couldn't hide his exasperated growl and looked over at the girl. She sat with her body hugging the passenger's side door and her arms across her chest. He shook his head in defeat. He had lost her. Just as last time, the interruption had caused her to implode inside herself and the obvious stress of the evening had ushered in a fresh wave of tears as she succumbed to every overwhelming emotion.

A minute later, Scott and Reves returned. Reves climbed in the van, plopping down in a furious huff. "Can you tell me why you decided that it wasn't important to mention that some sleazeball attacked my sister?" Reves demanded of Kevin, dripping venom.

"See? This is why I told you not to let her know," Kevin groaned in agitation as he directed his words towards his best friend.

"Well, what the hell was I supposed to say when she couldn't go into the women's bathroom?" Scott retorted.

"Even if he didn't, do you think she could keep something like this from me?" Reves challenged. "Can you even fathom how our dad would react wh-"

"Mark is not to know shit!" Kevin interrupted her. "I think we can all agree on that." He was angry at how hypocritical she was being. She was the one that thought it would be great to have this spontaneous joyride and low and behold when things went south - like he knew they would, she wanted to get pissy and start pointing fingers.

"How could you let-"

"Stop it, Reves," Everyone was surprised when they heard the timid girl, cut her off. "Th-that man h-had followed me in there. I-if Kevin hadn't come, who know w-what could have happened…." The girl's voice broke as a new onslaught of tears made their way down her cheeks.

Everyone sat in silence as they were confronted with a grim truth. Reves fell back against the seat as if shoved by the sheer force of the realization. Something very horrendous almost happened and there would have been no way to explain that to their father.

Sean arrived back at the van and since he was quite out of it, he didn't notice the somber atmosphere of the van. "Oh my God. I just pissed like, ten gallons. No joke!" he said in disbelief.

"Jesus, Kid," Scott replied mirthlessly.

"Let's get out of here," Kevin sighed with exhaustion as he cranked the engine and switched into gear. He glimpsed the clock. What was to be a five or ten-minute pit stop had set them back nearly an hour. Wonderful. Never any rest for the wicked, he supposed.

He drove on while everyone sat in a subdued state. Everyone, this is but Sean, who chatted gleefully about one silly thing or another. Kevin periodically glanced at the girl, checking on how she was faring. She sat staring vacantly into the dark, her face almost void of expression and he wondered what she was thinking.

After what seemed like eons, they finally arrived in St. Louis. Unbeknownst to them, there was apparently some gigantic affair going on in the city (aside from the scheduled Raw) that drew a great number of visitors. They were turned away with no vacancies from two different establishments before finding a lower end motel that could house them. Once Kevin had secured two rooms – one for himself and the boys and one for the girls – they drove around to behind the lobby to park.

Reves scowled at the building, scrunching up her face in disgust. "I bet even the fleas have fleas in this joint," she griped as they started to file out.

"Hey Chica, back in the day when we were getting paid peanuts, this was five star. Ain't that right fellas?" Scott said.

She snorted and rolled her eyes. That was then and this is now. It was no secret that she and Heather were a little spoiled when it came to travel accommodations. Definitely not the location she would have chosen.

Reves notice that Heather never even scolded her for her outward ungratefulness and snobbery. She was busy pulling her luggage up the stairs even though Nash said he would get it for her in just a moment once he had gotten everything out of the van.

The blonde girl hung back while Scott and Sean were also taking bags up to the second floor. She approached Nash who was preoccupied at the back of the van. She stood there drumming up the bravado to address him humbly. "Thank you. For helping her," Reves said as if she were choking on glass.

Her statement made Kevin pause and he wondered what was harder for her to swallow. Giving him credit for something or the fact that her sister may have been severely harmed if not for him. He shut the van doors with a clunk and regarded her for a few seconds. He shot a swift glance past her to the girl on the stairs before returning his eyes back to her. "Why would I not?" he asked matter of fact before meandering past her.

Reves stood there for a few moments, flummoxed by his words. She didn't know quite what to think of him at that moment. He never wanted anything to do with them. To him, they were infuriating little vermin. Either way, no one with any bit of humanity would allow something so horrible to happen, would they? She tucked the thoughts away for later and followed the rest of them up the stairs to their rooms.

She had slept in the van, but the ride was still exhausting. She had been eager to climb into bed and get a decent night's sleep, but the very look of the room made her skin crawl. This was definitely an over the covers type of place. She placed her bag on top of the dresser as she was contemplating taking back any respectable thoughts she may have had about Nash.

Sorry this one is a bit shorter than usual, but it seemed better to end it where I did leading into the next one.