Hello, my loves! I'm back with another chapter of this saga and it's a doozy! But as always, love to my girls wwechristina, Tm12Brady, GoldenGirl1920 and ClaymoreQueen61756 for their positive reviews, love and supports!
OK grab a whole box of tissues for this one! What happens when Cherry and Christine finally talk things out? And will Drew and Cherry finally unite? Now more chit chat...time to find out! Enjoy!
Angels In Scotland: Part 12 - My Angel
Eight Months Ago - Pacific Coast Highway, Los Angeles, CA
What a beautiful day for a drive…and to be in love! It was a warm, summer day in Los Angeles. Drew McIntyre was in town on behalf of WWE for a movie premiere. He loved doing interviews and public appearances on behalf of the company. He considered it an honor that the powers that be thought highly enough of him to call upon him for events such as these. But the best part about this trip was he was not alone.
Beside him in the passenger seat was the sexiest, most beautiful redhead he ever laid eyes on. His Love. His special Angel. Cherry was singing to the radio with her crimson hair blowing in the breeze from her rolled down window. She was with him on assignment for the Angels for his guest appearances on this trip in the guise of being his girlfriend. The group did not yet know that this was very much the case.
They had been carrying on their secret love affair for seven months at this point. Although Drew had never said the words out of fear and a bad past relationship, he was desperately and madly in love with her. She never ceased to amaze him. He thought for the longest time that she was a country music girl only. But here she was, singing along to his Brit Pop playlist, currently on his favorite band, Oasis:
"Maybe I just wanna fly/Wanna live I don't wanna die/Maybe I just wanna breathe/Maybe I just don't believe/Maybe you're the same as me/We see things they'll never see/You and I are gonna live forever"
He chuckled, "Ya never told me ya into Brit Pop, Love." Cherry gave him the side eye, "I believe I told you on our first date that music is my thing. Country, pop, rock, metal, jazz…you name it, I love it. Pretty sure I can royally kick your ass in a music trivia contest too." She winked at him, and he felt his insides melt.
He played it off cool and said, "Ha! We'll have ta see about that, Love. What is my prize when I win?" She smirked, "That will never happen. But by some reason you cheat and happen to win, you get me naked in the bed screaming your name as you fuck me into oblivion." He licked his lips and nearly swived off the road, saying, "I believe I'm willing ta risk getting caught cheating fer that prize."
She looked over at him and wanted nothing more than to lean over and give him one of her incredible blowjobs or to feel all of his hard, pulsing, large length inside of her at that moment. But she got distracted by a song. She shrieked, "Ah! That's one of my favorite songs of all time!" He asked, "Angels by Robbie Williams?" She nodded and he grinned watching her close her eyes, feeling the song as much as she was singing it:
"I sit and wait/Does an angel contemplate my fate/And do they know/The places where we go/When we're grey and old/'Cause I have been told/That salvation lets their wings unfold/So when I'm lying in my bed/Thoughts running through my head/And I feel the love is dead/I'm loving angels instead/And through it all she offers me protection/A lot of love and affection/Whether I'm right or wrong/And down the waterfall/Wherever it may take me/I know that life won't break me/When I come to call, she won't forsake me/I'm loving angels instead"
But then the second verse came on and his breath was nearly knocked out of him. He came to the comforting realization that Cherry was not just one of his Angels assigned to protect him. She was truly his Angel here on Earth. And he had no doubt that his guardian Angel from above, his mother Angela, had pushed, more like shoved, him in the path of Cherry. She was exactly what he wanted and needed:
"When I'm feeling weak/And my pain walks down a one-way street/I look above/And I know I'll always be blessed with love/And as the feeling grows/She breathes flesh to my bones/And when love is dead/I'm loving angels instead."
At that moment, Drew pulled into a lookout spot along the ocean. Cherry, wondering what was going on, asked, "Drew, are you OK? Did I do something wrong?" He unbuckled his seatbelt and wordlessly leaned over and kissed her with all the emotion he held in his heart. It was a perfect, sweet lover's kiss. He came up for air long enough to say, with his face pressed to hers, "This is our song. Bacause yer my special Angel, my Love." With another deep, soul stirring kiss, he showed her, without telling her, how much he loved her and that she was indeed his special Angel.
Present Day - Ayr, Scotland
As Cherry was coming to and crying for him, Drew was driving to the hospital. He wanted to break a land speed record to get to her, but he knew he had to not draw attention to himself. He was, at least as far as he knew at this moment, a wanted man. His mind was in a dangerous place still. He beheaded a man. His best friend beat a man to death.
All those feelings from years ago surfaced. As he was in traffic, he recalled the panicked call from his brother John. Telling him to come home. He had just finished wrestling in a match ironically against Sheamus. The two best friends raced to the airport, flying the red eye to Glasgow, arriving at the hospital as Drew's mom was slowly withering away from cancer.
"The worst 48 hours of my life.", he mumbled. Drew's brain cracked with the same pain, guilt, and fear as he had ten years before. The helpless and hopeless feeling came back. Paired with the fact he had a nasty divorce from Taryn, he spiraled out of control. He drank and partied way too much. It affected his in-ring performance and he was released from WWE, the job he had dreamed of since childhood was gone.
But that was then. Drew made the much-needed changes in his life and surrounded himself with positive energy and positive people. He remade himself and rebuilt his career on the indies. He became champion in almost every company he stepped foot in. Then WWE called him back home, initially to NXT then eventually the main roster on the Raw brand. He said he'd become the first British and Scottish born WWE Champion and he did just that. He had found success. But more importantly, he also found love. Something he swore off much like Christine did.
As he pulled into a parking space by the emergency room, those darker thoughts surrounding his brain like a mist. He put his head against the steering wheel. He needed to be with Cherry, but what if she didn't want him anymore? Their argument and his leaving had been heated and intense. If she did feel that way, he could never blame her, but it would kill him if her lost her or their babies. Christine had told Jester that the babies would be OK, but what if there were complications after she woke up?
He looked up, and in a sad, tired voice, said, "Mom, I hope yer listening. I need ya. I need yer strength. Cherry needs yer strength. Our babies need it too. I finally understand the sacrifices ya made fer me and John. They may not be born yet, but they are my heart. She is my everything, mom. I need them, mom. Please give me a sign that ya can hear me!"
At his most desperate cry, the song on Jester's van radio switched over from Harry Styles to…that song. Their song. "Angels" by Robbie Williams. Drew sighed and gave a half laugh as the tears flowed from his beautiful blue eyes. She was listening. She had his back. She did while she was here on Earth. She still did in the heavens. His guardian Angel.
Andy was outside the ER, getting some air and had escorted his wife back to her car before leaving for Jester's place. His wife, Jane, had come by to drop off a change of clothes by for Cherry. They were all hoping that she would wake up and get out of the hospital soon. When Jane came inside, that is when Cherry had woken up. It broke their hearts to hear her screaming Drew's name.
Jane wept, "That poor lass! Has she been told about everything that happened?" Denise shook her head, "We didn't get a chance. They made us leave before we could tell her." Lady said, "Andy, I know you must be going crazy with worry about him, but Kevin will do everything in his power to get both Drew and Sheamus out of this."
However, with that sentence, she got a text from Kevin: "This is gonna be tougher than I thought. They're not really listening to my pleas. We need more proof of self-defense." Lady sighed sadly and showed this to the group away from Andy and Jane, who had just walked out of the hospital. Christine was now more despondent than before when Cherry woke up. Randy's nostrils flared and he gritted his teeth. He kissed Denise and said, "I need to go somewhere. Stay with the group. There's something I need to do to help Drew. She protested, but he sprinted out of the ER not hearing her objections.
Outside, as he walked to his car, Andy spotted Jack's van. He went over to the driver's side and said, "Jester, what in the world are ya doing here? Andrew?" Drew got out of the van, a determined look in his eyes. He sighed, "Dad." Papa Andy swallowed the lump in his throat, "Son." Drew hung his head, "Dad, I know I shouldn't be here. But I can't stay away. Not from Cherry. I love her. I need her, Dad. I need her ta help me be the man I need ta be."
Andy shook his head, "Son, yer fine." Drew ran his hands through his hair, "Nah, I'm not. I'm just...I'm nothing without her. Cherry gave me something I never had before. God's, I remember after Mum passed. How lonely ya were. Then ya met Jane. I remember ya telling me, Mum wanted ya to have someone. She wouldn't want ya alone."
Andy put his hand on his son's shoulder, "Yer mom wouldn't want ya alone either. Yer brother found his missus and had a child. Now it's yer turn. Angela would have loved this. She would've loved all of them. This entire Angels group. But especially Cherry and yer wee ones. You know it." Drew blinked his tears and smiled, "She'd wanna be heading the missions. Out there fighting next ta Lady and Phoenix. I miss her, Dad."
Papa Andy now grabbed his eldest son, the two men hugged tightly, "We all miss her, son. But I know she's always around. She's watching over us all. Now let's get ya inside ta yer Love. Cherry just got up. Christine is in with her. Denise, Lady and Randy are here too." Drew shrugged, "Randal."
Andy reminded him, "Son. There's always time fer acceptance and apologies. He helped save Cherry from Taryn's attack. Kept her from kicking her in the stomach." Drew was speechless, "He saved her…and my babies." Andy nodded and looked around, "Yes, son. But we need ta get ya in that hospital without anyone seeing ya. Let me text the lass."
As they arrived at the utility door in the back, Drew came face to face with his former adversary: Randy. Drew nodded at Randy, then looked him in the eye. It was tense for a moment, given their history. Randy fully expected hostility, but Drew surprised him by saying, "I'm sorry I misjudged yer motives fer coming here. And ya saved Cherry and my babies from that bitch. I can never repay that. Thank ya." Randy was taken aback and simply said, "No payment needed. I told you all I wanted was to make things right with you. You're welcome.", giving a slight smile.
As Randy walked away towards a waiting Uber, they waited by the door. Andy wasn't stupid. He knew that there would be press or police and Lord knows what else around pertaining to Drew and the altercation from earlier. At the back entrance of the hospital, he silently stood with his as they waited for that return text. When the heavy steel door opened, Drew smiled.
Christine asked, her hazel eyes going from Papa Andy to Drew, "Were you fellas waiting long?" Drew grumbled, "Bloody long enough. I need ta see her, Phoen." Christine nodded, "Good thing I know a lot about hospitals, being that mom worked at one..." Her strong voice trailed off. She only stopped walking when she felt Drew's hand on her right shoulder.
She turned to face him, both of them silent. Then, as if they both knew, they embraced. Drew held Christine tightly as he heard her cry. Drew sighed heavily, "It's over, Sis. Ya hear me? Over!" She looked up at him, "You're right, bro. I damn near killed that bitch when she pushed Cherry. I broke her fall." Drew only nodded as Christine talked. He knew she took the vows of the Angels seriously.
But that changed when she found out Cherry and Lady were both pregnant. He sighed wearily, "Again, I owe ya, Sis. I owe ya a heavy debt." She shook her head, "There's no debt. Not between us. Never. You allowed me to call your dad Papa. I've not said that word since I was 20." Drew sighed as Christine hugged him again, "We have shared grief and pain, Sis. But together we're stronger. Bonds of family can't be broken."
Christine pulled from Drew's hug, biting her lip when the usually joking Scotsman had tears down his face now. She quickly told him, "Drew, don't. Cherry's OK. Your babies are safe. And they'll always be safe. As long as I got air in these lungs and blood in this heart. I promised myself I'll kill to protect those babies. I just hope Cher can forgive me for my stupid words." Drew said, "She will. It's me I hope she can fergive, Phoen."
The three walked up the utility stairs to the fourth floor, coming to the small waiting room where Lady and Denise sat waiting for Christine's return to visit Cherry. Denise said, "Christine, we haven't gone in yet since we were waiting on you, but she's….Oh my god! Drew!", she gasped she caught sight of him coming around the corner. Lady rushed to hug Drew, but then admonished him, "Drew, I'm so glad you're OK. But are you crazy? They'll catch you! Kevin said not to leave Jack's place!" Drew smirked, "Since when have I ever listened to Kevin? I have to see her, Lady." She said, "The doctors just came out of her room but didn't tell us anything." Andy said with a grin, "Andrew, before someone sees ya, go see yer bride."
As they made their way towards Cherry's room, Drew looked at the doorway and took a deep breath. Christine stopped short of the entrance and said, "Let me check on her first. There are some things we have to say to each other first." Drew impatiently nodded, then pulled the letter he snatched from Sheamus out of his pocket.
He handed it to Christine and said, "Ya need ta read this when ya come out of her room. I think ya know who it's from." She glanced at the handwriting and sighed with a sad smile. Then, she hugged Drew's neck tight and told him, "Thank you! You got this bro. Gimme a couple of minutes." Drew smirked, "Ya got one and a half."
Cherry had laid her head back, closing her eyes trying to keep from crying. She had received good news from the doctor, but all of the memories from that night before she was knocked out had come flooding back. Seeing Phil Rumsfeld's nasty and vengeful face again, the hurtful fight with Christine, her harsh words to Drew and him walking out on her. Even though they were all united against Phil and his idiot crew during the fight, she didn't know where she really stood with either of them. She didn't know if it was her hormones or the whole situation, but she had a sad sinking feeling that her sisterhood with Christine was over, and that she wouldn't be getting her fairytale ending with Drew.
She heard a familiar pair of boots walking lightly into her room. She didn't even have to open her eyes when she said, "Chris, I know it's you. I'm awake so you don't have to tiptoe." She sat up and looked at her best friend. Christine had a world of trepidation written on her face as she approached Cherry's side, "What did the doctor say?" Cherry said, "I'm fine. Sounds like I can leave the hospital today. Believe it or not, I don't even have a concussion. The pain is only from the bruising. I guess I really am hard headed after all."
Christine couldn't help but giggle as she sat next to her, "I could've told them that. And the babies are OK." Cherry bit her lip and said, "They are, thanks to you." Christine said, looking back at the door, "Listen, Sis. I know you're beyond tired, everything is confusing, and you got those babies..." Cherry swallowed the lump in her throat. "I'm worried about Drew. He's not here with me and the doctor wouldn't tell me where he is or what happened. And then…there's you and me…"
Neither of them knew what to say. In the years they had known each other, that had never happened. Christine slid her hand to Cherry's left hand, looking at the angel engagement ring Drew gave her. Cherry finally broke the silence, "Christine, you are too damn quiet. We need to have this conversation. Just say it."
Christine, still looking at the ring, said, "I feel as if this whole thing is my fault. All of it. I was the idiot that had to go and get the crest alone. That was stupid." Cherry shook her head, "None of that was your fault. You didn't steal the crest to begin with. You didn't put it up for sale. Drew's family wouldn't have that back now if it wasn't for you. And going after it alone wasn't stupid. You had the opportunity and you took it. Remember when I went off to save Drew?"
Christine protested, "Yeah but…" Cherry interrupted, "No buts. Now, you got something to say. Say it. We're both adults." Cherry squeezed her hand back. Christine's eyes started welling up, "I am so sorry for my stupid careless mouth! There was never EVER anything between me and Drew. Nothing more than a sibling bond. I never even thought about that kiss after it happened. Please, I don't know how to show you how I feel." Cherry nodded, "When I said that you should be having the babies instead of me, I never even thought about your condition. I was upset and just spewed the first stupid thing that came out of my mouth. I'm so sorry I hurt you."
Cherry saw the tears forming in her friend's hazel eyes. Christine continued, "You are the last person I ever meant to hurt. You literally saved my life. But I got mad and said spiteful words. I broke a promise. That evil inside of me just… I get stupid when I get angry and I'm immature. That's why I got Stephen. He's my anchor. He deserves a normal woman to love. He deserves someone not stuck in the past hopefully thinking that her parents are going to magically come back. Stephen deserves someone who can deal with reality and not wear armor to hide in."
As Christine was bearing her soul to Cherry, Drew stood behind a divider in the hallway and watched. He felt Christine's guilt. His head hurt from her sadness. But when she confessed that she wasn't good enough for Sheamus, he broke down. And looking at his beloved, even exhausted and hurt, made him ache to hold her. Just laying eyes on her made his heart stop.
Cherry sat up to face her, "Christine, no! He loves you. You and Sheamy are a perfect fit. It's too perfect. It's kinda pukey at times." Christine laughed, "Hey now!" Cherry relented, "OK. I'm serious. I hope you can forgive me. Because I forgive you. You saved my babies. I owe you everything." Christine wiped her eyes, "The only thing you owe me is to have two healthy babies that Auntie Phoenix can spoil." The two sisters, bound by a job and by blood, hugged tightly. Christine said, "You and Drew are perfect for each other. Besides, you're giving my little bro something I can never give Stephen."
Christine looked at her hand on Cherry's belly. Again, she felt those two little energies, "Children." Cherry smiled, "Damn, girl! That is a ridiculously hot outfit!" Christine looked at herself as she stood up." "Yeah. It's my "kicked Taryn's nasty, slutty, diseased infested whore ass so bad she's gonna need surgery" outfit."
It was when Christine walked to the door that her eyes locked on Drew in the hallway, both having tears on their cheeks. Cherry asked, "What is it, Chris?" Christine simply said, "Someone is here to see you." Christine was silent leaving the room. Cherry put her head back on the pillow. She expected Lady or Denise to come in fussing over her. But then Cherry heard a different familiar pair of boots walk into the room. She let out a deep exhale because she knew it was his boots.
She sat up like a shot as Drew walked in. Their eyes locked on each other and time stood still. Just like it always did when they looked into each other's eyes. Drew was quiet, serious and hesitant to even approach her. She said as he sat next to her, "Drew. Baby, where have you been?" He shook his head, the tears welling up again in his eyes, "Kevin told me ta stay away from ya. But I've never been able ta do that."
She asked louder, "Drew?! What's going on? You're scaring me." She was preparing for the worst thing possible that he could say: he didn't want her anymore. That would break her heart beyond repair, but she wished he would just say it and get it over with. He looked away, opening his mouth to speak but the silence stifled him. She started to get more emotional as she managed to stammer out through her tears, "Andrew, please talk to me."
He finally managed to get out, "Cher… Leslie. I'm sorry I'm using yer real name. But this is serious." He looked down at his hands, "Ever since the day we met, I've never stopped thinking about ya. Sure, at first it was about sex and fooling around. I wanted nothing more than ta fuck ya and claim ya. But I got past all that. I looked at ya and didn't just see someone that I wanted. I saw yer beauty. Yer passion. How ya sacrificed so much of yerself, especially fer Phoen."
Cherry rubbed his hand as he continued, "This is so hard. I never showed a lot of emotions because my mom when she..." He squeezed his eyes shut hoping to stop the tears like he usually did. It only made it worse. She said, "Drew, you don't have to put yourself through this." He took her left hand, "Please just hear me out, Love. I thought I had a great marriage. She used me and abused me. When I needed her, she abandoned me. I felt the same when mom died. I felt alone and like no one would ever understoodme. Then I met ya, and there's this light about ya. This beautiful, happy, warm light. You. Yer love. Damn it, Cherry, I need ya in my life. Fer the rest of my life. I'm nothing. I'm a shell of the man ya see here, a boy."
Cherry only nodded as he poured his heart out to her. She spoke in a quivering voice, "Drew, you leaving me hurt. You not trusting that I will always be on your side hurt. Finding out about the kiss you shared with Chris hurt. We're going to be parents. We're supposed to get married. Do you even still want me to be your wife?"
Drew turned to her, wide eyed and sighing, "Yes! Bloody hell, yes! Yer all I need, my Love. Like Sheamo says ta Phoenix, yer the air I breathe and the blood in my heart. It's always been you. Yer gonna have my babies. Our babies. Our love is right here inside of you. Help me be a better man." He leaned down, Cherry smiled when she felt his lips kiss her stomach with his hand rubbing it.
She cried, "Drew, I love you!" He raised up and kissed her tenderly. He cupped her face as their tongues met in that epic, beautiful dance. They were breathless with their faces pressed together. He said, "I'm marrying ya as soon as it can be arranged. We're not waiting another second." She shook her head, "Drew, you know I love you. But we have to take things slow for now. There's a lot of shit asses out there against us."
Drew raised his head, now his face morphed into a slightly sinister smirk, "Nah there's not. That fucking piece of shit won't be able ta come after ya no more. I took care of it." She said, "Yeah, but if they arrest Adam, Phil will just bail him out again." Drew's look took a dark turn, "I seriously doubt that's happening. Unless those two assholes made a deal with the devil. Which in that case, Sheamo and I will be here ta fight them. Send them right back ta hell where they're burning now."
Cherry was confused, "Wait, I don't understand. What is going on? What happened after I blacked out." He swallowed hard as he said, "I killed Phil." Dumbfounded, she thought he was joking, "You what? OK, this is not funny. Don't joke around." But she looked at Drew's solemn face and new his words were true, "I did it. I beheaded him after he said he was taking you and killing our wee ones. Sheamo beat Adam ta death. That's why I wasn't here fer ye before. I've been hiding out at Jack's place. That bastard will never bother ya again. And Phoenix damn near killed Taryn. She's...it was ugly..."
His words trailed off when he saw Cherry's horrified face. He panicked for a moment. Maybe she didn't want Phil dead or for him to have that son of a bitch's blood on his hands. She finally gasped out, "So…it's over? He's dead? I'm free?" Drew cupped her cheek, "Ya are free, my Love. Ya never have ta look behind ya again. That monster from yer nightmares is gone. And I would behead a million men if it meant keeping ya and our babies safe!"
She cried, happy tears as she didn't say another word before she kissed him, their love surrounding them and wrapping them up. As they kissed, the group ran into the room as Lady said, "I'm so sorry to disturb you guys, but Kevin called. It's not going well with the cops and a witness called in saying that they saw Drew go into the hospital. They're on their way! You need to get out of here and go back to Jester's place now!"
Drew refused, "I'm not leaving here without Cherry and my babies, damn it!" Cherry said, "No! Baby, you need to leave now. I don't want you to be without you, but you have to. We have to give Kevin the chance to help you and Sheamus. Please just go before it's too late! Go!" He cried as he stood up. But before leaving the room the room and leaving his Love behind for an uncertain fate, he kissed her deeply again and cradled her lower tummy in his hand.
Overcome by love, he breathed in her ear, "Mo ghaol, my bheatha, mo chridhe, mo anail, mo Aingeal. Daonnan agus gu bràth." She put her hand to his beautiful, bearded face and asked, "What does that mean?" He replied, wiping a tear from her cheek, "My love, my life, my heart, my breath, my Angel. Always and forever." Cherry sobbed watching the love of her life walk out of her hospital room and into an uncertain future for the entire Angels family.