“Taker…wait!”

            He steps back and pulls his arms away entirely, looking surprised.

            I purse my lips together, but I can still feel his mouth on mine.  A nice sensation, mind you, but sudden, nonetheless.  I raise a hand in front of me.  “Hold it!”

            Taker breathes out.  “I heard you the first time, Angle.”  He glares at me, waiting.

            So I begin.  “Taker, we can’t do this.  Mainly because I don’t even know what we’re doing.  You just…I mean…I don’t-”

            I don’t know what he was doing, but I was just trying to be comforting.  Patting his chest, saying his name-just trying to loosen him up to tell me what was wrong.  He seemed so…well…I’d never seen him like that before.  He was touching me and caressing me and murmuring things I had never heard anyone say to me before.  “You’re like sweet misery to me.”  Sweet misery?  Sounded like a country song!  Good golly; I’m the one who got knocked out, and I’m trying to comfort Taker!

            I sigh at my stuttering and start over.  “Taker, what is up with you?  You’ve been acting strange ever since yesterday.  Is it-is it my fault?  Because of the beer thing?  If so, I’m sorry.  I’ll buy you another one, if-”

            “It has nothing to do with the beer, Kurt.”  Taker walks away.  “It has nothing to do with anything.”

            “Oh, no you don’t!  You’re not gonna get all angsty and quiet on my this time!  I demand that you tell me why you kissed me again-and don’t tell me it was just for some ‘temporary release’.”

            He glances over his shoulder, and my blood boils to its maximum point when I see him smirking faintly.  “Would you buy that I was setting you up for a good lay?”

            My muscles spasm in my rage.  “Taker, I am not just gonna sit docile and let you use me!”  I yell the words as loud as possible, shoving the nearby chair so that it cracks against the table and topples against the sliding balcony door.  Out of the corner of my eye, I see Taker turn completely to face me and back up a couple steps.  When I whip around and glare at him head-on, he frowns hard.  I can tell he’s stunned at my being upset.

            And why shouldn’t I be?  I have a right to!  For all I know, Taker set up Edge to attack me so he could…could…ravish me.  And…and…and, God dammit, I refuse to be a part of some part of a filthy plan like that, no matter who it is.

            Even if it is the Undertaker…

            I breathe out.  The thought is clear in my head, and I’m too sore and upset to fight it.  Yes; even if it is the Undertaker.  I know it’s more than slightly swaying hips and a desire for him to pay attention to me.  It’s…well, it’s a desire for him.  He’s a lot of things I’ve never seen in anyone else, in any kind of combination.  One would expect a man with a thousand tattoos, leather pants, and dozens of Harley-Davidsons to be consciously loud and obnoxious and always causing problems…but not the Undertaker.  From what I’ve heard, he’s always managed to go around backstage without saying a word, and everyone automatically assumes that he is to be respected, and that he is to be admired, and that he is to be a force to be reckoned with.  Well, of course; that’s how I treated him.  It was only about six months ago-when I “defected” to the Alliance-that I had begun to talk with him.  And he’d responded in his own way-with a word or not at all.

            I’ve never met anyone like him.  He’s gothic, but modern; fantastic, but real; absolutely, utterly weird…but he’s kinda…well…he’s…

            I shake my head sharply and lift my arms to clench my fists.  “Taker, I’m willing to give you a chance to tell me what in the he-what in the world you’re doing.  Now, I know you wouldn’t do this without a reason-you never do.”

            Taker squints at me and shifts forward.  “What makes you think you know me, boy?”  But his voice is somber.

            I lower my arms, but I still don’t let down my guard.  “Because!  Everything you do is for a reason!  Go all the way back to when you kidnapped and harassed Stephanie!  And yes, I researched that!  It was all for a reason.  Now, as much as I don’t appreciate you bothering Steph, I must admit, your methods all worked out!  You got Stone Cold in the weakened state he needed to be to get exactly what you wanted!”  I fling my arms out; personally, I think that explains everything.

            But, Taker doesn’t see it.  He sighs and relaxes his body onto the corner of the bed.  “First of all,” he begins, “that was several years ago, and I’m personally horrified that you had to go back so far to think up something I devised.”  I’m sure I see a smile flutter over his lips.  “Secondly, you’re right.  I do everything for a reason, and this moment was no different.  I kissed you for a good reason.”

            My heart leaps.  Good gracious-is he…is actually going to be straightforward?  I never thought I’d see the day!  I step forward, watching his face.  When he doesn’t speak immediately, I raise my eyebrows.  “Well?  Aren’t you going to tell me?”

            He grins viciously, and a deep chuckle leaves him.  I blink; it actually sounds genuine.  He looks up at me for several more seconds, then opens his mouth.

            “No.”

            “…What?”  I can’t believe it.  I really truly, cannot believe it.  It goes beyond belief; it even goes beyond disbelief.  It is into the zone of wild, unadulterated un-believing.  “Oh, mother-fucking hell no!  What in God’s name is the matter with you, you horrible son of a bitch?!  Didn’t your mother ever goddamn tell you not to play with people’s emotions?!  Is that all you know how to do, you-you-”

            I freeze and clamp my hands over my mouth.  Way to hide your growing feelings, Angle!  And what would Mother think if she heard your mouth?  She’s probably turning over in her grave-and she’s not even dead yet!  I chance a glance at Taker; of course, he’s staring at me, and his soft-yes, soft-lips are parted, his jade eyes wide.  For a moment, he looks younger than I think he is-but it goes away as he sighs and slumps over.

            “I guess you’ll want to run out now.  My bad language is rubbing off on you.”  He’s not looking at me anymore, and his voice has lowered even more than any of the other times.  In fact, if I didn’t know better, it even sounds a little disappointed.

            Disappointed?  I stare at him.  If he thinks I’m leaving, he’s got another thing coming!  I march over to the table and grab another chair, yanking it out and plopping myself into it.  “Oh, hell no!  I’m not going anywhere!  I’m staying right here until you can figure out how you’re gonna tell me why you keep kissing me!”

As the words leave my mouth, the answer shoots me in the head.  I have to look away for a second from the shock of it.  Suddenly, it’s all so freaking obvious now; I can’t believe I couldn’t see it before!  It all makes perfect, crystal clear sense!  I mean, sure, it is the Undertaker…but, he is human-I think-and any human can be attracted to any human…therefore…

            Taker raises an eyebrow.  “So, you’re staying here, then?”  His tone is visibly hopeful, and it warms my heart and calms me down immensely to hear it.

            I nod, eyeing his legs as he shifts them, and my mind wanders to him reclining in the locker room, tenderly nursing the beer.  “Yep.  Not going anywhere.”

            He nods, as well.  “Fine, then.  In that case, I’m going to the bathroom, and when I come out,” he states as he stands up, “then you and I-we’re gonna finish this up.”

            I fold my arms as I watch him shut the door.  He’s darn right we’ll finish this.  Strange thoughts are rolling through my head, and I indulge them momentarily.  We’ll finish this, one way or another…