| Part XIII |
| The couple of months later, Alex was sitting in her hotel room talking to Kane. She had reverted back to having her own room, despite 'Taker�s return. Alex had been on the phone with Travel making arrangements. It had taken some wiggling but she had arranged for flights home and returning to catch up with everyone within 2 days. Alex sat silently, deep in thought. Paul walked in very excited about something. As she glanced at Kane, he rose from the chair; �I�ve got to get going. Take care little girl.� He whispered so only she could hear. Paul nodded to him as he left. �Hey! I�ve got it all arranged. I had to make sure the place was still there before I said anything.� Alex knew what was coming. �Paul.� Alex tried to interrupt. �Did you know this place is over 100 years old?� �Paul.� she tried again. �This is going to . . .� �Babe!� she almost yelled interrupting. She hated to have to do this. She had a feeling he was putting something together. After all, that�s what couples did for Valentine�s. She now had to explain to him she couldn�t be with him. �I won�t be around on the 14th. I�ve talked to Kane and 'Taker. I told them I needed a few days and they said yes. I have to be somewhere.� Alex explained. �What do you mean, �somewhere�?� Paul asked, �Is something wrong?� �No, I just . . .have to go home for a couple of days.� Alex hoped he would leave it at that. �Well, then we can go together.� Paul replied; walking up to her, he put his arms around her waist. �I'll just make a few more phone calls.� Alex backed up out of his reach. �No, I have to go alone.� Alex knew her reason sounded weak, but she had no choice. Paul's look changed from confusion to anger; �Do you want to tell me whatever it is you�re trying NOT to say?� �No.� she whispered, shaking her head. Paul stared at her for a minute before walking out. He slammed the door so hard Alex thought it would break into a million pieces. Alex sat down on the edge of the bed. As she put her head in her hands, she noticed they were trembling. She never could handle when someone was mad at her. Alex knew that on one level she was wrong for not telling him. But what she was doing was very personal. And as close as she and Paul had become, she didn�t feel she could tell him. �I�ll figure out how to fix it when I get back.� She stood to finish packing. ~~*~~ 3 days later Alex was back from her trip. She was to meet up with Kane and 'Taker at the hotel. She was pleasantly surprised to discover Storm had re-joined them. Alex hugged her tightly; �Oh, I�m so glad to see you!� -What�s wrong? Storm asked. As she looked at Alex, she saw sadness in her eyes. *I�m okay. Alex answered. Storm looked at her sternly. Alex conceded, *Paul and I had a fight before I left. �Aha, that would explain why he looks like a bear somebody�s woken up from hibernation. He�s been stalking around here all day. Alex and Storm turned to see Paul barrel his way through the lobby. He barely glanced at Alex. The look she did get would have been cold enough to freeze hell. Before Storm could ask, Kane and 'Taker came down from their rooms. ~Welcome home. Kane said, reaching to hug her. ~Little girl, not a moment too soon. 'Taker agreed, as he kissed her forehead. ~Paul�s been hell to be around today. He and I are on the card tonight. Alex winced, *Hate to have to tell you, but I don�t think my presence will help his mood. ~Great. 'Taker replied sarcastically. ~~*~~ As Alex had predicted her presence backstage did little to improve Paul�s mood. Alex sat in Kane and 'Taker�s dressing room with Storm. She noticed Paul gave 'Taker a few stiff shots. The more she watched, the more she realized Paul was taking his anger at Alex out on 'Taker. As 'Taker finally got the choke-slam for the win, Alex got up. �Where are you going?� Storm asked, she could see Alex fuming. �To give that big idiot a piece of my mind!� Alex declared. Trying to reason with her Storm rose and took her arm, �I don�t think you two will accomplish much . . .� �He�s angry with me, he has no right to take it out on 'Taker!� Alex interrupted. She shook off Storm�s hand as she stalked out the door. �Oh hell!� Storm closed her eyes, trying to find Kane. Alex got about 10 yards from Paul as he was coming through the curtain, when she felt someone grab her around the waist. �What the . . .� she gasped. ~No, you don�t. Kane said turning her around, practically dragging her. �What are you doing? I need to have a few words with Paul.� Alex gritted. Kane didn�t let go; he led Alex back to his dressing room. As Storm opened the door, she knew Alex was furious. ~You need to calm down, little girl. Kane told her. *No! I don�t. Alex replied, *I won�t let him do that. As she said this 'Taker walked in. She saw the beginning of a bruise on his face that did little to calm her down. 'Taker felt her anger, ~Little girl, I�m fine. *No you�re not. You took the anger, which should have been directed at me. Pointing to herself. She went to the table, put ice in a towel, and walked over to him. Handing him the icepack, *I�m sorry, she apologize to him. ~Little girl, he must really love you. *What!? She asked shocked. ~I�ve never seen him so mad. If he didn�t care, he wouldn�t be so mad. *I really don�t care right now. If he wants to be mad at me, he needs to be mad AT me! As they were talking LaShana walked in. �Is she okay? I saw Kane grab her. -We need to get her back to the hotel, before she tries to �talk� to Paul again. Storm suggested. About this time IceWolf walked in, -Hey! Is she okay? -She�s fine, we�re taking her back to the hotel now. ~Sounds like a good idea. Kane agreed. *She want�s you to stop talking about her like she�s can�t hear you! ~~*~~ When they got back to the hotel, Alex went to her room. Alex had reluctantly promised, at 'Taker and Kane�s insistence, that she would not seek out Paul until she had calmed down. Alex tried to forget about Paul for a while as she pulled a picture out of her organizer. She whipped around when she heard the door open, then slam shut. �Where have you been for the last 2 days?� Paul demanded. �Hello, honey. I missed you too.� Alex replied sarcastically, hand on her hip. �I asked you where you were?� He demanded. Alex placed the picture down on the table. �I told you. I was going home.� Alex answered. �You weren�t at your apartment.� Paul stated. Alex eyes flared, and narrowed to slits, �You had me followed?!� she questioned angrily. �I wanted us to spend Valentine�s together. Imagine my surprise when I arrived at your apartment, to not find you there.� Paul announced. �How dare you!? I told you I would be back. What I was doing was private.� Alex practically screamed. Paul stared at her for moment then, �Are you seeing someone else?� �What?� Alex looked at him confused. �Are you?� �No.� �I�m supposed to believe you?� �Then why bother to ask me?� she countered. They stood there staring at each other, neither willing to budge. Paul finally let the anger drain from his face. Alex saw the hurt in his eyes before he quickly turned around and left. He didn�t slam the door this time, which somehow upset Alex more. She sat down on the bed; after a minute, Kane walked in. He sat down next to her and put his arms around her. She put her face in his chest. ~Are you doing to tell him where you were? He asked. *I�m too angry to even think about that right now. ~Who are you mad at? Him or yourself? *What are you talking about? She asked looking up at him. ~Do you realize by not telling him, you shut him out of your life. You guys are supposed to be in a relationship. You can�t pick and choose the details to your life to reveal. *If you came in here to scold me, you can leave. Alex replied, standing up. ~No, little girl. I came to make you realize you�re hurting someone who loves you very much. Alex stood in front of the patio; arms crossed, and looked out. After a minute, she turned around to look at him. *Isn�t it even slightly annoying to always be right? Kane smiled at her. *I knew when I did it, I was wrong. I should have at least explained. ~You still can. *I�m still mad that he came looking for me, and that he took out his anger on 'Taker. ~You need to talk to him. Sitting around being mad isn�t going to accomplish anything. *I know. I was never any good at apologizing. ~~*~~ A few hours later, after Alex had conned the maid into letting her into Paul�s room, she sat on his bed in the dark. As she heard the key to open the door, she took a nervous breath; other than Kane, she was about to open up about something very personal. Paul walked in; as he reached for the light, �Leave it off. Please.� Alex requested. Paul looked at her warily. �How did you get in?� �Is it important?� she paused, �I needed to talk to you.� Paul sat down near the table; he turned the chair out to face her. �First I don�t appreciate you taking out your anger on 'Taker. If you want to be angry with me, fine, but those shots at 'Taker were wrong.� ��Taker and I will work our match out later. I was angry when I got back. I had no idea where you were and you had lied to me.� �I didn�t lie. I did go home.� �You weren�t at your apartment. I went there. Who were you with?� Paul asked. �Stop asking me that!� Alex gritted. �I consider this,� gesturing between them, �a relationship, and I would NOT cheat on you.� �But you can lie to me?� �I didn�t lie!� �Lie, by omission.� Paul stated quietly. Alex sighed frustrated, �Fine.� She said defeatedly. �I didn�t think I could tell you where I was going.� �Where did you go?� He asked. �Cemetery.� She whispered. �What?!� he questioned. �Let me start at the beginning.� Alex asked. �Valentine�s day was never a big holiday for me. Never had much reason to get excited about it. Two years ago, I had even less. I spent it at my grandmother�s beside in a hospital. It was the longest conversation I had ever had with someone. She made it through the night, but died the next morning, with me at her side.� Alex stopped for a second. She stood and handed Paul a picture. �This was taken about six months before. It is always with me. I made a promise that night, to her and to myself. That I would always be with her on the 15th.� Alex sat back down on the bed. �I wasn�t at my apartment, because I don�t consider that home. Only two places have that distinction. One is traveling around with this �circus� and being with the people that I consider my family. The other is where my heart is - with her. I spent the day at her grave.� Paul didn�t know what to say, he felt like a complete jerk. When he started to speak Alex held up her hand. �I spent the day telling her about you. About how much I care about you. I told her that I had made a mistake with you. That I didn�t know if I was going to be able to fix it and that I was scared.� Alex voice trembled. �Why scared?� �That I might lose you over this.� Paul got up from his chair and placed the picture on the table. He crossed the distance to stand in front of her, and then got down on both knees to look her in the eyes. He took her face in his hands and kissed her. �I wish you had just told me.� �I should have, but her death was VERY hard on me. She was the most important person in my life.� Alex whispered, tears streaming. �I had to tell her that she was going to have to share.� Alex looked Paul in his eyes; �I care about you.� She whispered. �It scares me that I care so much. I�ve never been in love before.� �Not to minimized your fear, but we had an argument,� wiping her tears, �nothing that can�t be fixed. You mean the world to me.� He stated emphatically. Paul stood; he reached down and picked up Alex in his arms. He sat down on the bed with Alex in his lap. �When you weren�t at your apartment, I was mad with worry. Then I started to think the worst. That you were with someone else.� He lifted her chin to look at her face. �That made me nuts. 'Taker was just the first person I came across. I�ll talk to him tomorrow. I don�t like that you were by yourself. Next time, talk to me.� He emphasized. �My grandmother would like you.� �You think? Why is that?� He asked. �Because you make me happy.� She smiled. �I�m sorry.� she apologized. Paul wrapped his hand around her back, pulling her close. He lowered his head and brought his lips to hers, wrapping his other arm around her waist to rest low on her hip. �Amor de mi vida.� he whispered. �What!?� she asked shocked, looking at him. �Did I say it wrong?� he asked shyly, �Amor . .� �No, you said it right.� She whispered, near speechless. �It means . . .� �You are the love of my life.� She finished, �Where did you learn that?� She asked him. �I wanted to learn some Spanish, for you.� he replied. �Ay querido,� she said softly, �I�m afraid beyond a few simple phrases, I don�t know that much Spanish.� �Oh. Well I haven�t learned that much anyway.� Paul answered shrugging. �What else did you learn?� She asked, very touched that he would make the effort for her. �Yo te amo.� He whispered, kissing her long and hard. �I love you, too.� she breathed. (Querido: Spanish term of affection, like babe or honey.) ~~*~~ �Who knew having an argument could be a good thing?!� Alex exclaimed to Storm and IceWolf as they waited in the lobby for the guys to come downstairs. Storm smiled, as she was trying to think of a way to ask Alex a question. �You weren�t in your room this morning?� she finally decided. Looking at IceWolf, �Did that sound like a statement or a question?� Alex asked her smiling. �I don�t care which, �cause if she�s not asking. I am.� IceWolf informed her wickedly. �Well . . .it�s sort of both.� Storm replied, �I�m being nosey, cut me break will you.� Alex laughed, �I stayed in Paul�s room last night.� She answered. �Oh really!?� IceWolf asked wickedly. �You mean?� Storm asked, raising an eyebrow. �No.� Alex blushed, �We slept together. He said he didn�t want me out of his sight any more than necessary. So he asks me to stay.� Alex thought back to waking up that morning. �It felt really good to wake up in his arms.� She stated softly. �We just laid there staring at each other for a while.� Alex came out of her daydream to realize she had said that out loud. She looked at them. �I�m rambling.� She said embarrassed. �No, sweetie.� Storm replied, hugging her, �You�re happy.� |