| His heart caught in his throat when he saw her walk in. He�d heard rumors she�d be joining the tour. He dismissed them as just that. There was no way she�d come back. She�d made a point of not being found. But there she was, smiling even. Her jet-black hair now fell almost to her waist. Her emerald green eyes glint with something he didn�t remember. He watched as she walked around the room saying hello to old friends. He watched as she raised her head, feeling his eyes on her. When she looked up, the smile left her face, as she simply nodded to him; then turned her attention back to her friends in front of her. ~*~ The show was over, and everyone was going to one of the local bars. Hunter watched as she entered, scanning the room. He rose from his stool at the bar, only to stop abruptly when Matt Hardy walked up behind her lifting her off her feet, her laughter not able to drift over the pulsing music. Hunter watched � stunned � as Matt turned her in a circle, then set her on her feet. Matt wrapped his arms around her tightly, pulling her against him. Hunter could only stare blankly as she melted into his arms. He grit his teeth when Matt slid his hand over her hips, then brush his lips lightly against hers. They both turned to Jeff when he spoke to them, then laughed as he pouted. Hunter watched as she then moved into Jeff�s arms. Hunter fumed as Jeff then repeated Matt�s actions, outdoing him by tipping her back before placing an exagerated kiss against her lips, making her laugh again. She walked between them across the bar, saying hello to a few people, most welcoming her back with open arms. All of them shocked to see her, after her sudden departure. Hunter watched her all night as she talked and greeted nearly everyone in the room. He dismissed it when she danced with Scotty or Brian, thinking nothing of it. She stayed surrounded by people most of the evening with various old friends wandering by to greet her. He tried catching her eyes a few times but to no avail. ~*~ They were in the lobby checking out, he saw her standing alone. Just for a minute, they could talk for a minute couldn�t they? �Danelle?� he asked hesitantly. She turned to him slowly. He noticed her eyes were calm. �Hunter.� She replied. �How�ve you been?� �Good. I didn�t know you were coming back.� He blurted. �Where have you been? I tried calling you . . ." �Why?� she asked simply. �Something you forgot to say. I think you made your feelings known. You made it perfectly clear what you thought of me. Why would you care where I went or what I did?� she asked. �Look I know I messed . . .� he tried. She laughed, the sound still made his heart skip a beat. �Messed up?� she asked, her voice turning hard. �Is that what you want to call it?� she asked. �We have NOTHING to say to each other Hunter. Stay away from me.� She snapped and turned to walk away. �Would you just let me explain?� He tried. She turned on her heel and was quickly within breathing space of him. In her spiked heeled boots she was able to be close to eye level with him. �Explain WHAT?� she seethed. �What explanation could you possibly give to make me forget!?� she snapped. �What magical sentence are you going to utter to make me forgive?� Danelle realized this was not the best possible time and certainly not the place, but her mind went reeling to that night. Hunter and she had been together for almost a year, that night she came back to the hotel room and he�d been sitting in the dark. She�d barely said hello, when he started yelling. �I�d always know you had a temper. Especially when it came to work.� She began. �But I never thought you�d turn it around on me.� she spat. �You took a simple conversation and blew it out of porportion. I was coming back to the room talk to you about it. I knew we needed to discuss it.� She gritted. �You didn�t even let me explain what I was doing! Yes, Vince had offered me a job . . .and I turned it down. Don�t you think I knew how you would react!� she continued matter-of-factly. �You saw me talking to Vince and Shane and without so much as letting me walk in the door that night you called me a whore!� She yelled. �You accused me of sleeping with you for a job!� She stepped back, clenching her hand into a fist, struggling to stay calm. When she spoke again her voice came down a tone, �Hunter we�d been together and I�d watched you claw your way up. Don�t you think I knew just a little bit about this biz and what it means to you?� she asked. �You are so much a part of it. It�s in you. I wanted to be part of it too. In my own way, to be able to share it with you.� She continued. �I didn�t want to follow you around doing nothing.� �Danelle. I loved you. You didn�t have to do anything.� Hunter tried. �Oh so you were looking for a dumb useless female to hang on your arm?� She asked. �NO! Dammit, let me explain.� He pleaded. �You have me confused with someone who cares.� She remarked and turned to walk away again. Hunter grabbed her arm, she jerked back quickly. �It�s too late, Hunter!� �You can�t just walk away from me. I know you turned it down. Vince ripped my head off when you left.� Hunter explained. �You just vanished. You didn�t even tell anyone where you were going.� he rambled. �And you�d ripped out my heart.� He added quietly. �Baby, I�m sorry. I was pissed off. I wasn�t thinking.� Hunter pleaded. �Hunter.� Danelle began softly, �You hurt me. What did you expect me to do?� �So, you just walked out. Disappeared. I was going crazy without you.�Hunter informed her. �WHAT THE HELL DID YOU EXPECT ME TO DO!?� she yelled. �Wait around for you to calm down? You weren�t listening to ANYTHING I was saying. YOU walked out of the room that night!� she reminded him. �You told me not to be there when you came back!� �I�m sorry, okay. I didn�t mean any of it!� Hunter pleaded. �I needed you so bad after you left. You�d helped me to the top. I was almost there, and I needed you there with me.� �Why is that? I�m just some gold-digging bitch looking for a free ride, remember.� She reminded him. �Hunter you accused me of sleeping my way into this business and using you as the final step.� �So you didn�t come back to straighten this out?� he asked. �Still arrogant and self-centered, I see.� She commented. Hunter grew frustrated, �So what are you doing back here?� he snapped. �You obviously didn�t look to hard for me because Vince was able to track me down quite easily. He offered me a job again.� She answered. �I had no reason to say no this time.� Danelle watched as Hunter shifted from one foot to the other. �But I didn�t want to come back. Too many questions. Too many memories.� She continued. �But you came back. For what?� he snapped. �Matt.� She replied simply, then watched as Hunter�s eyes smoldered. �You�re with Matt?!� he yelled. �Danelle, you can�t tell me you love that immature punk?� Hunter growled. �Fine. I won�t tell you.� She replied smiling brightly. �He convinced me that people were going to think whatever they wanted.� She began. �And frankly the position is far to good to let the past be the deciding factor.� She concluded. �You have to give me a another chance.� Hunter snapped. �Not in this lifetime.� She answered. �I made a mistake!� Hunter protested. �You have to let me fix it. Everyone makes mistakes!� �I made mistakes too Hunter.� Danelle admitted. �I made the mistake of falling in love with someone who couldn�t trust me. Who didn�t want to trust me.� Danelle saw Matt walk off the elevator with Jeff and their bags. She saw his eyes darken in anger. She caught his eye and smiled at him. �I�m around to stay this time. With a man who loves AND trusts me.� she announced. �Get used to it.� Hunter watched as she walked across the foyer and into Matt�s waiting arms. Her face lit from within, �She used to look at me like that.� he remembered. �No . . .she didn�t�. He admitted. �She never looked at me like that. Like a woman who knew she was loved - unconditionally.� Hunter watched sadly as they walked out of the hotel and into a waiting car. Danelle didn�t even glance in his direction as they drove away laughing amongst themselves. Hunter sank into a chair heavily. There�d been a hole in his heart when she�d left. Vince had been pissed Hunter could be so stupid. Seeing her only made that hole hurt; knowing she wasn�t coming back to him made it bigger. �But I�m on top dammit.� He grumbled. �It only cost me the woman I love.� |
| Against All Odds How can I just let you walk away, just let you leave without a trace When I stand here taking every breath with you, ooh You're the only one who really knew me at all How can you just walk away from me, when all I can do is watch you leave Cos we've shared the laughter and the pain and even shared the tears You're the only one who really knew me at all So take a look at me now, oh there's just an empty space And there's nothing left here to remind me, just the memory of your face Ooh take a look at me now, well there's just an empty space And you coming back to me is against all odds and that's what I've got to face I wish I could just make you turn around, turn around and see me cry There's so much I need to say to you, so many reasons why You're the only one who really knew me at all So take a look at me now, well there's just an empty space And there's nothing left here to remind me, just the memory of your face Now take a look at me now, cos there's just an empty space But to wait for you, is all I can do and that's what I've got to face Take a good look at me now, cos I'll still be standing here And you coming back to me is against all odds It's the chance I've gotta take Take a look at me now |
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