| Part XXI |
Alex stood in the middle of Jericho�s dressing room for a few moments, stunned by what he�d just told her. Well not actually stunned. �Why aren�t you stunned?� She asked herself, confused. �Why aren�t you surprised?� Then it hit her; what she�d been grasping for in her mind. The memories flooding back so strong and so fast she was forced to sit. Her and Chris. Or more precisely, Chris starting to hang around more. When she was near Chris, she could practically feel his heart beating in her own. She had been trying to keep him at arms distance. Alex had known for a while that Chris had feelings for her. She remembered before she got hurt that Chris and she had a date. Alex smacked her head. �Good grief, girl! How could you forget that!?� she scolded herself. She started to chew on her thumbnail as she remembered Chris and Paul had gotten into a fight a few days before a PPV � over her. She remembered his look of shock when he had discovered that she was spending the night with Jesse and X-Pac. She remembered she�d felt the need to explain to him. Something that wasn�t normal for her. �But why hasn�t he said anything.� She wondered. Alex slowly rose from the chair and left the room, walking down the hall back to 'Taker�s dressing room. As she walked, she bumped into LaSha and Ice as they walked Steve to the ring. �Alex, are you okay?� Ice asked. She waved her hand in front of Alex�s face. �Huh?� she asked, snapping out of her daze. Steve chuckled, �I think you two need to take care of her.� He suggested. He kissed LaShana before heading down the hall to the ring. �Alex, what�s wrong?� LaShana asked. She hesitated for a minute, �Chris just kissed me.� Alex blurted out. LaShana smiled and Ice giggled. ��Bout damn time.� LaShana mumbled. �What?!� Alex asked. �Chris has been your shadow almost everyday for the past couple of months. He was with all of us at the hospital the entire night after Tori attacked you.� LaShana informed her. �He was?!� Alex asked surprised. LaSha ignored the warning look from Ice. Kane had told the ladies that Alex�s memories had to return on their own. That them remembering or reminding her of events that she still couldn�t recall would do more harm than good. �I�m shocked he�s waited this long.� LaShana stated. �Chris and I have been friends for a long time . . .� Alex started. �Friends don�t look at each other the way Chris looks at you.� Ice informed Alex. �Chris and I had a date.� Alex began. �You did?!� Ice asked, hoping Alex's memories were returning. �Or we were supposed to.� Alex finished. �The night Tori attacked me. We were supposed to go out.� Alex stated slowly; concentrating, struggling with her mind as the memory became clearer. �That�s where I was going when I left the locker room that night. But I didn�t remember until now.� Alex explained softly. Just as she finished Storm and RIP walked up, �Hey! You guys seen Leah around? Hunter�s looking for her.� She asked. LaShana and Ice shook their heads. �What�s going on?� Storm asked seeing the look on Alex�s face as she continued to chew on her thumbnail. �Chris kissed me.� Alex blurted out again. �Oh really?� Storm asked wickedly and RIP just beamed. �Took him long enough.� She muttered. �Okay, did everyone know about this but me?� Alex asked. �Pretty much.� Ice informed her grinning and Alex groaned. �He�s just being a friend. We�ve always been close.� Alex reasoned, then wondered whom she was trying to convince. Ice looked at her, �Oh yeah. That�s it.� She stated sarcastically, rolling her eyes. �I don�t know if I can do this again.� Alex whispered shakily. Ice reached for and squeezed her hand. LaShana put her arm around her. �You�re the only one who can decide that, sweetie.� Storm stated. �The fact that Chris has been patient this long shows he�s obviously not going to rush you.� RIP stated. Jericho�s match had ended and he walked through the curtain to return to his dressing room. He saw Alex standing in the hall with the girls. He stopped to smile and wink at her. Alex couldn�t stop herself from smiling back or the familiar cartwheels she felt in her stomach. The other women looked at each other, knowing that Alex�s decision had already been made. Only her heart and her head needed to have a little chat. ~~*~~ Alex decided she was going to have to talk to Chris. She entered Jericho�s dressing room to hear him in the shower in the adjoining room. As Alex sat waiting she was decidedly nervous. She sat there staring at the floor and started twirling the ends of her hair and she didn�t hear Chris when he came back in. �You look really cute when you do that.� He stated, Alex raising her head at the sound of his voice. He stood in the doorway in sweats rubbing a towel through his damp hair. Alex dropped her hair and clasped her hands together on her lap, flustered at being caught. �I especially like when you bite your bottom lip.� He smiled wickedly. He walked over and before she could think to stop him, Chris kissed her lightly. �Drives me crazy.� He murmured against her lips before walking back across the room to his bag. �Chris . . .� she started, trying to forget the fact that her lips were on fire. �Would you mind explaining what you meant earlier?� She asked. �Which part?� he asked nonchalantly as he pulled on his shirt. �Where do I start? � She thought. Thrown off her semi-confident rhythm, she continued. �What exactly did you mean you �know� I feel something for you?� she asked. Deciding to be honest, �I don�t know how I feel about you.� She stated. �Actually I wasn�t completely sure . . .� He answered sitting in a chair across the room grinning at her; �now I am.� She rolled her tongue inside her mouth, trying to decide if she was angry. She was. �You tricked me.� She gritted. She stood and stomped toward the door, deciding she didn�t want to talk about this after all. Chris didn�t move to stop her but spoke in a tone that made her stop dead in her tracks; it was soft and on the verge of pleading. �Alex, I�ve waited a long time. I had to know where I stood before I made a fool out of myself.� Chris started. �It hasn�t been the easiest thing to get close to you.� He informed her. �I didn�t realize I was such a difficult person to be around.� She snapped, whirling around to face him and crossing her arms. �Don�t be like that! You know that�s not what I meant.� He snapped back. �Exactly what did that statement mean then?� she challenged. Wondering in the back of her mind where this had turned into an argument. �Well I don�t know Alex.� Chris snapped back. �Let�s see. Could it be that you�re coming out of a very bad relationship. Could it be that I don�t want to be the re-bound guy? Or maybe it�s because you�ve been sick and I don�t want you mistaking this for sympathy.� He continued, as he stood up. �Or could it possibly be . . .� he began, walking toward her. Alex watched him, confusion on her face, as he continued past her toward the door. Chris opened the door wide and turned back to face her. Just outside the door stood 'Taker and Kane obviously eavesdropping. They stood there sheepishly, only vaguely ashamed at being caught. Alex turned back to Chris when he started to speak again. �Or could it possibly be that THESE two would come down on me like the wrath of GOD if I so much as look at you wrong.� He stated, walking back into the center of the room Alex wasn�t sure whether to laugh at 'Taker and Kane at being caught or at Chris for his observation. She walked toward the open door and looked at 'Taker and Kane. With one hand on the door and one on her hip, she raised her eyebrow at them. ~It�s not what you think little girl. 'Taker started. *Later. She interrupted waving them away as she closed the door. �Kane and 'Taker don�t dismember people unless I ask them to.� She stated casually, turning back to Chris, she leaned against the door crossing her arms. �Which still doesn�t answer my earlier question.� She reminded him. �You and I have been friends for a long time, why would you assume I think romantically about you?� she asked. Chris smiled wickedly, �That little smile is really starting to get to me.� She thought to herself. Chris walked toward her and Alex felt her heart pound as he got closer but made herself stand still. �You�re right. You�re friends with all the guys. But I�ve noticed you with them and I�ve noticed you with me.� Chris explained. �I don�t understand.� She stated confused. Chris leaned toward her, placing his hand on the door just above her shoulder. Alex looked up and did her best to meet his gaze. Chris stepped even closer and ran his finger lightly along her forearm to her wrist. Alex jerked away from him when she felt her heart thump in her chest. �Don�t do that.� She requested, trying to sound like she meant it, walking out of his reach. �That�s how I know.� Chris announced softly. Alex laughed as she turned around to face him. �You know I care about you because I don�t let you touch me?� she asked sarcastically. �Yeah.� Chris smiled, turning around to look at her. �When you play around with the guys and they flirt, you flirt back. When you�re attracted to someone you pull back.� Chris explained. �It took me a while to figure it out. But we�ve known each other a long time.� He stated smug smile on his face; �You�ve been pulling back from me.� Alex stood there shocked down to her toes. NO ONE had ever read her so accurately, aside from Kane and 'Taker. It wasn�t so much he�d figured her out but dammit he was right. She had been pulling back from him. First she had been trying to sort out her feelings. Since the attack and then the collapse, she was trying to remember her feelings. Right now the way Chris looked at her simply scared her to death. �I can�t do this.� She whispered. She hurried to the door, but before she could walk out Chris took her arm gently and spoke softly. �I�ve waited a long time for you. And I�ll wait until you can sort it all out.� He stopped and waited for her to look up and meet his eyes; his beautiful deep blue eyes almost looking through her. �But I won�t lose you again.� He assured her firmly. Chris� hand trailed down her arm, lifting her hand, he kissed the inside of her wrist lightly before letting go and she walked out the door. ~~*~~ Alex hurried down the hall to 'Taker and Kane�s dressing room. As she walked in she could see Ice and LaSha were standing before Kane and 'Taker, Ice poking her finger in 'Taker�s chest. RIP and Storm stood behind them arms crossed, obviously waiting their turn. Alex assumed they were probably reading them the riot act. Alex grinned inwardly when she noticed that Steve, Jeff and Jim were off to one side of the lockerroom, out of the line of fire. They all turned to her, �Before you start yelling.� 'Taker started, walking toward Alex and away from Ice and LaSha. �It�s not what you think. We were walking by and heard yelling.� ~We heard your voice raised; we thought maybe Paul had cornered you. We weren�t spying, little girl. Kane assured her. Alex looked at them both, sat down in the closest chair, put her chin in her hand and sighed, �Okay.� She answered. Everyone looked around at each other, surprised at Alex�s lack of reaction. �Alex, are you all right?� Storm asked. She nodded, �I talked to Chris.� She whispered. LaShana came to sit next to her. �What did he say? Did he do something wrong?� she asked. Alex felt 'Taker and Kane�s anger rise. �Calm down!� she snapped at them. Alex closed her eyes and groaned, �Sorry . . .I�m sorry.� She apologized softly, �I didn�t mean to snap.� Then shook her head, �No. He didn�t do anything wrong.� Alex assured them. �I did.� She said quietly, putting her head in her hands. �I�ve been pushing him away and I didn�t even realize it.� She mumbled raising her head. �And I did it again!� ~~*~~ Alex refused to talk about it anymore. After much debate and useless prodding, she quietly told her sisters that this was her mistake and that she needed to fix it herself. Alex rode back to the hotel with 'Taker in the back seat with her and rested against his shoulder. �Are you sure you�re all right?� he asked when they got to their room. Alex sat on the bed and looked at him. �I�ve known for a while he cared about me.� she admitted softly. �But with the incident with Tori, being in the hospital, being sick, then the collapse and having to learn how to be empathic again; I think I just pushed it out of my head. It was a memory I couldn�t grasp and I didn�t know why. It was making me crazy.� She explained. �But tonight when he kissed me . . .� she whispered, eyes bright as she remembered. �Little girl, do I need to hear this?� 'Taker asked squeamishly, sitting across from her on the other bed. Alex giggled at the look on his face. Surprised that she could find some humor at the moment. �I�ll spare you the gory details.� She assured him, leaning over and squeezing his hand. �I just meant that I remembered what I was trying to sort out before everything happened.� She continued. �I do care about him. I�ve cared for a while.� She admitted softly. Sighing heavily she continued, �I�m just trying to make sure it�s for the right reasons. Not to mention I�m just so scared.� She whispered. �Little girl, you cannot do this to yourself. You can�t shut yourself off. That�s how you got sick in the first place.� 'Taker reminded her. �Do you remember the reason you were chosen?� he asked and Alex nodded. �Kane said it was because I had a lot of love to give but . . .� she answered. �To not love someone again,� 'Taker interrupted; �because of one bad relationship would be to deny yourself happiness.� He explained. �I suppose you could do worse than Jericho.� He added, noncommittal. Alex smiled wryly, knowing his �big brother� mode was kicking in. She sat quietly for a few minutes, then she sat up straight and looked at 'Taker. �I do care about Chris.� She announced softly as she grinned, �A lot.� Sighing as she continued, �I don�t know if I�m ready to use that word again, but I do know I�m ready to find out.� Alex stood and kissed 'Taker on his cheek. �What was that for?� he asked. �Just being you.� She smiled, �You make me crazy sometimes, but I always feel better after talking to you.� 'Taker reached up and pulled her to him and hugged her, his head resting against her stomach. They both looked up when they heard the door open. Alex grinned madly when she saw Kanike walk through the door. Kanike dropped her bags and looked at them. �So . . .you trying to steal my man?� she asked casually, one hand on her hip. Alex snorted and walked over to her, �As if I stood a chance.� She stated. Alex hugged her sister tightly, and looked down at her bags. �You back? She asked excitedly. �Yeah, tied up some lose ends and I�m here for a while.� �That�s great!� Alex exclaimed. �Maybe now he�ll stop moping and whining about how much he misses you.� 'Taker growled, �I do NOT whine.� Alex continued smiling, pretending she hadn�t heard him. �If nothing else, you�ll get him out of my hair.� She jerked a thumb over her shoulder at 'Taker. Both laughing at the indignant look on 'Taker�s face. Kanike grinned wickedly, �Gladly.� Kanike walked over to 'Taker and lowered her head to kiss him, both soon forgetting that Alex was in the room. �Uh . . .okay, don�t mind me. Just send my stuff downstairs, I�ll get the manager to get me another room.� She stated loudly, hoping they heard her before walking out. Alex closed the door and walked slowly toward the elevator. |