My three D's are still applicable.
Thank you to my reviewer.
Again, I'm completely ignoring the Vengeance results as this story was completed before Vengeance and I am simply a slow typer :)
Respect the Game (10/12)
by lirpa
Mark's ranch, several hours later...
"Sara!" Mark bellowed.
"I'm in the kitchen, no need to shout," she called back. Mark rushed towards the kitchen door.
"Did he leave anything?"
"I don't know."
"What do you mean?"
"I haven't been to your room yet."
"Oh, but nothing so far?"
"Nope."
"Nope as in no or as in yes?"
"As in no."
"Oh."
"Maybe you want to check your own room?" Sara suggested gently. It was obvious both men were hurting.
"I suppose I should," Mark admitted grudgingly.
"You know where your room is. Do you want a midnight snack?"
"No, it's okay. I should go ... to my room."
"Okay, Mark. I'll see you in the morning."
"Yes, the morning," Mark replied dazedly.
He forced himslef up the stairs and through the door to his room, a man frightened to go into his own room, afraid of what he might find.
The room was in perefct order though,a nd there was a stack of perfectly folded shirts sitting on the bed.
"Sara?" he called.
"What now?"
"Did you do laundry?"
"Not today. Why?"
"No reason," he shouted, "they must be from Hunter, " he whispered to himslef. He didn't want to share his discovery with anyone quite yet, not even Sara.
A moment latershe called up, "Mark, are you okay?"
"Yes, Sara, I'm fine," he called back, and sat down to unfold his shirts.
While he was unfolding the last one a not fell out. It was written on plain white paper, folded three times, like a letter.
Mark picked up the paper with shaking hands and flipped it over. There Hunter has written his name in flowing scrawl. It looked so perfect, but it devestated Mark, Hunter was gone.
He opened teh paper with shaking hands and read,
Dearest Mark,
I know I'm taking the coward's way out, leaving while you're away, and not even phoning you, just leaving this for you to find. I do hope you find it, I honestly do. But you don't want to hear this, you want to know why I left. I know this because I know you.
It's simple, but complex at the same time. I knwo that makes no sense, but I'll try to explain. You left me, when I told you about my first lover you said you'd never leave, and you left because the title was a stake...
A tear droppe onto the paper, Mark turned his head away and let the tears flow until he could cry no more tears before he turned his head back to the note and continued reading
... and it hurt. I won't lie Mark, it felt like someone was ripping my heart out. All your promises were just words. I suppose yu only ever actually made me two promises, that you wouldn't lwave me and that I'd suffer id I left before the month was up.
The truth is our relationship wa never normal. Even in the ring when we hated each other we were graet together.I imagine everyone saw it but you and I, or maybe only me, because you talked me into that stupid bet, didn't you? I bet you knew all along, you stubborn bastard...
Mark laughed until he cried, and then cried a few more tears before picking the note up yet again.
... But I always knew you were something special, even before I loved you. My first lover, though, he taught me something. That I doon't need to suffer because I come low ion your list of priorities. I have worth as a person, I'm that damn good. I won't allow anyone to tell me differently, I can't...
Mark's eyes clouded with anger, and he barely conatined himself, he did not want to rip the only gateway he had into Hunter's brain.
...Don't be angry, love. He taught me a lot, about love, and life, but you taught me the rest. But I promised myslef I would settle for nothing less than true love, and I didn't. I know that now. I love you , Mark, with all my heart, with all my soul, and if you can't loe me the same way it's best that I leave.
Remember the good times, love. If you can call them that. remember our one glorious day, to think that I almost missed that because I wanted to sleep in. Remember everthing about these days, love, as I will remember your laugh, and your smile, your frown, and your growl. As I will rememeber teh feelign of home and peace your house, your familr, and you, have stirred inside me.
If you truly love me, love, you know where to find me. If you do not come I will know this si for the best. If you do it will still be for the best because I will knwo youlove me. Keep these and remember, always.
Love Forever,
Hunter
Sara's heas entered his door, then she came in, "What is it?"
"A note from Hunter."
"Really?"
"Yes."
"What does it say?"
"Read it yourself."
She did so, and a moment after she set the tear-stained paper down, ols and new stains mingling together, she said, "There's only one thing to do."
"Oh?"
"Yes."
"And wht, pray tell, is that?"
"Go after him."
"Where?"
"Wherever he is."
"That's the thing, I don't knwo wher he is. He could be anywhere."
"He seemed sure you'd know."
"He overesimated my intelligence."
"Think, man, where would he go?"
"His house."
"No, you knwo why."
"Back to the fed."
"No, he's not ready."
"Michaels?"
"Doubt it."
"Why?"
"Because Hunter never said anything, but I think Michaels was his first love."
"I'll kill the bastard."
"Later. Did you and Hunter ever go anywhere?"
"No, we went from King of the Ring to the ..."
"To where, Mark?"
"the hotel."
"Could he be there?"
"I don't know."
"Think then."
"Maybe?"
"You don't sound very sure."
"I am. He's at the hotel."
"Then bring him back here."
"Why?"
"Because this is a peaceful house."
"Run by an Amazon."
"All the better."
Mark snorted.
"Go get him, Mark. Bring him back, bring him home."
"I will, don't worry."
"See that you do," Sara responded gruffly.
"Mark laughed, "Don't worry, Hunter, I'm soming for you, don't worry."
Sara sighed, " Go and get him, bring him home, with love, with true love."
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
AN: I know Shawn was in an earlier chapter and he and Hunter had a fairly good realtionship, I wanted it to come out strained and tense, I don't think I quite achieved that but I tried. Also I know it's sweet, I had to have sweet soemwhere in this gargantuan story.
