Thank you to everyone who stuck with me through this story! I know I hit a dry spell there for a while, but thanks for the continued support. I hope you enjoyed reading it as much as I did writing it!

This story was inspired by The song Unconditionally by Katy Perry.

Enjoy!

~Maxine

Chapter 20 - Unconditionally

Sometimes…

Sometimes you've got to stand up for yourself.

Sometimes you have to say when enough is enough.

MacKenzie had been in a medically induced coma; the injuries she suffered from Jeff's dirty knife were playing havoc on her body. She had two deep stab wounds on her right side, one at her hip and one slightly higher and deeper; it went between her two bottom ribs and punctured her right lung.

She'd been taken into surgery immediately after arriving at the hospital. The doctor forced her into a medically induced coma to get her body to heal without her waking up and thrashing or moving before her lung had a chance to heal properly.

Oh no did I get too close?
Oh did I almost see?
What's really on the inside
All your insecurities, all the dirty laundry
Never made me blink one time

Unconditional, unconditionally
I will love you unconditionally
There is no fear now
Let go and just be free
I will love you unconditionally

3 hours into the surgery, Dean, Jenaya, Charisma, Jimmy, Jey and Ella walked into Stamford Memorial and found Roman sitting in the waiting room with dried blood on his hands, t-shirt and jeans.

"Jesus Christ Roman…Go clean yourself up." Charisma stated as she handed him a bag with an extra change of clothes. "Go on big man, when she comes out of surgery she won't need to see you a hot mess."

Roman looked up at his cousin in law before he rolled his lips and nodded. He stood and took the bag from her; he leaned down and kissed her temple before he walked away to the bathroom.

"One of you guys go with him. He doesn't need to be alone right now." Charisma all but ordered. She watched as Jimmy, Jey and Dean all three stood and followed the same path as the big man.

So come just as you are to me
Don't need apologies
Know that you are all worthy
I'll take your bad days with your good
Walk through the storm I would
I do it all because I love you
I love you

Unconditional, unconditionally
I will love you unconditionally
There is no fear now
Let go and just be free
I will love you unconditionally

Five Days Later…

Sneakers padded back and forth down the long hallway and back.

"You know you're going to make yourself crazy if you keep pacing like that." A gravelly voice stated.

Jenaya gave Dean the stink eye as she continued to pace. "I just want the damn doctor to tell us something constructive. You know something along the lines of she'll wake up, she will be allowed to go home in a couple of days you know…something other than no change." She snapped.

Dean's blue eyes watched as Jenaya spun and walked back towards him following her pacing pattern; he reached out and snagged her by the hip and pulled her to sit on his lap. "I know what you want, but you have to remember it's the same thing that every one of us wants. We all want her to be okay too baby." He murmured in her ear as he brushed his lips against her temple.

Jenaya just nodded as she snuggled further into Dean's arms resting her head on his shoulder.

Dean didn't mind keeping her against him. He knew all this stuff going on with MacKenzie was either going to end very good or very bad.

Jimmy stood behind Charisma as she stood in the hallway staring through the window into the private room that MacKenzie had been moved. Jimmy was rubbing Char's shoulders as he was trying to ease the tension out of his wife's body.

"She didn't deserve this Jimmy. She didn't deserve any of this." Charisma stated softly before she kicked the wall softly. "Why did she go see that idiot by herself? Why did she go at all?"

Jimmy wrapped his arms around her shoulders. "Charisma calm down. Getting excited and upset isn't good for the baby." He stated as he dropped one arm down around her waist and palmed her small bump.

She hadn't known it at the time of the wedding but she had already been three months pregnant. She put her hand over his. "I know…I'm just scared. What if…what if something happens to her? How will our son or daughter know how wonderful their God mother was?" Her voice cracked as she turned in her husband's arms and buried her face in his t-shirt covered chest.

Jimmy wrapped his left arm around her waist pulling her into his entire being as his right hand cradled the back of her head gently. He dipped his head down and softly kissed the shell of her ear. "We've got pictures and videos and stories and the same friends and family. Our child will know their God Mother was a strong woman with a heart of Gold and a beautiful soul."

Jimmy exhaled heavily. "And when she makes it through all of this our child will get to learn all of those things on their own; just the way the rest of us did."

Jimmy was hopeful and supportive, because if anything happened to MacKenzie he wasn't sure what would happen to his wife or how she would take it.

So open up your heart and just let it begin
Open up your heart and just let it begin
Open up your heart and just let it begin
Open up your heart
Acceptance is the key to be
To be truly free
Will you do the same for me?

Dark grey eyes stared at the lifeless body in the hospital bed; thick dark bruise like half circles under his eyes showed his exhaustion. It had been five days since he'd heard her voice utter the three words he had yet to say to her.

Why had it taken him so long to tell her he loved her; why when he knew he loved her the minute he'd met her.

The minute she walked into that board room his entire life change; his world tilted and spun off his axis. All her secrets and insecurities came along with her. He enjoyed watching her get her confidence back; it was even cute and a turn on when she would stand up to him.

His eyes looked down and her hand in his looked pale in comparison to his naturally tanned skin. He brought her hand up to his mouth and kissed the back of her knuckles softly.

"C'mon babygirl, sit up and argue with me, laugh at me, do something to let me know you can hear my voice. MacKenzie, please wake up. I need you to wake up because I want you to marry me and have a dozen of Samoan babies with our blood running through them, with our good looks and our brains…" He trailed off as he ran his hand through his hair.

The five days she'd been in a coma he went back on the road to do Raw and Smackdown; he didn't even attend any of the house shows and was back to her side immediately. Stephanie and Paul were extremely understanding about the entire situation. His mom and dad had flown up and were currently at the hotel getting some rest they would come back during the night when it was quieter and it was just Roman.

It had been him by her bed. It was him who never left. It was him who stayed all day, all night and never went any place. If there was anyone in the world who could get her to wake up…it was him.

He just wanted her to wake up.

Sometime around 2 A.M. Roman slowly woke to the feeling of fingers sliding through his hair. His eyes fluttered open as he moved around a bit; having remembered he'd laid his head on MacKenzie's bed. He slowly moved to sit up and blinked a few more times as MacKenzie softly stared back at him with a hint of a smile across her face.

Roman watched as her had reached out and cupped his jaw as her thumb softly brushed against his bottom lip. His hand came up and covered hers; keeping her hand in place against his skin. "How do you feel babygirl?" His voice rumbled softly.

MacKenzie shook her head negatively. "It doesn't matter. I need to tell you something. From the first day I walked into your life in that board room; something was pulling me towards you. You didn't scare me, you made me feel safe no matter what was going on in my life at the time. From there you've been nothing more than my security blanket and my protector. You helped get my self-confidence back and gave me more than I could possibly understand in my life. You did more for me in the few short months we've been together than anyone has in my entire life."

MacKenzie moved the blankets from her body as she stepped down from the hospital bed and moved slightly and sat in Roman's lap. "Kenzie you shouldn't be out of bed." His arms gently wrapping around her; he didn't want to hurt her but he didn't want her to fall off his lap either.

MacKenzie shook her head once more. "It doesn't matter. I would do anything to make you happy Roman. I love you so much; I didn't realize how much until I was face to face with Jeff and realized that I felt nothing for him. I did all that stupid stuff to keep you safe and protected. It was my turn to protect you from the bad things. I know it was a stupid decision and I'm sure I've got a week long lecture coming from you, but for right now I just want you to hold me."

Roman wrapped his arms around her pulling her closer to his body. "I love you too MacKenzie. And as soon as you feeling better were getting married. I don't want any arguments or lip about it either. We're going to get rid of that damn apartment and you're moving in with me in Pensacola and that is going to be the end of it." He kissed the top of her head.

MacKenzie looked up at Roman. "I will love you unconditionally forever, but we can't get married Roman. We'll never be able to get married."

"What?" Roman's eyes widened as he stared in her blue eyes. "What do you mean? Why can't we get married? I want you with me forever!"

"I'll be with you forever, but I need you to wake up Roman." Taking his face in her hands MacKenzie placed feather kisses all over his face.

"Wake up and say goodbye."

Roman's grey eyes snapped open as he focused his eyes on the monitor next to the bed as it was bussing a flat line across it. He jumped up and slammed his hand down on the emergency button for the nurses' station. "I NEED A DOCTOR IN HERE NOW!" He snarled.

White coat covered men and colorful scrub dressed women filled the private hospital room; surrounding MacKenzie's hospital bed as they attempted to bring her back.

Roman stumbled out of the room trying to get his bearings. It was all a dream. It was impossible it felt so real. He felt her in his arms and he felt her lips against his skin. He heard the words she had spoken to him. Roman's hand shot out and slid along the wall as he was scrambling for purchase. He just needed something to grab onto. He could still hear the buzz of the flat line from her room and every time one of the nurses shouted 'clear' the lights jumped slightly in the hallway as he could hear the pop of the defibrillators as they attempted to shock MacKenzie back to life.

Roman finally dropped down into a chair with his elbows digging into the stops of his thighs and his head buried in his hands he could feel the tears finally starting to slip from his eyes.

Roman's head popped up as a hand gripped his shoulder. The doctor that had been working on MacKenzie slowly took a seat next to him.

"I'm very sorry Mr. Reigns we couldn't revive her."

"The severe case of sepsis took over her body and organs and caused her already punctured lung to collapse."

"Once that happened she couldn't get proper oxygen to her heart or brain and her heart gave out on her."

Roman stopped listening after that.

5 More Days Later…

Grey aggrieved eyes watched as the rain came down around the small tented off area.

Figures…

It would rain like the devil the day they were burying MacKenzie.

He didn't even listen to the priest as he spoke highly of MacKenzie; Charisma, Jimmy, Jenaya and even Dean all stood up to speak about her at the grave site. But he couldn't do it. He knew if he even attempted to speak he would get sad and pissed off all at the same time. He would cuss his soul to hell and back and end up showing his ass. His sadness over losing MacKenzie just pushed him to be pissed off. His mom and dad had already gotten on his case about his anger and attitude the last five days. He knew it wasn't healthy, but he couldn't help it.

While everyone left to get in their cars and leave…Roman stayed. He stood and watched as they lowered her casket into the ground. He was glad the tombstone engravers had put a rush job on her headstone.

You taught all that knew you what courage meant
And have shown us an example in death as youdid in life

God give us strength in our lives without you unconditionally

Once the dirt was finished covering her casket Roman stepped forward and laid a red rose on the top. He turned and walked over to the SUV but not before he stopped and looked back at the last place he'd ever see her.

Oh he would be back…frequently.

Unconditional, unconditionally
I will love you unconditionally
And there is no fear now
Let go and just be free
Cause I will love you
Unconditionally, oh yeah
I will love you (unconditionally)
I will love you
I will love you unconditionally

One Year & 2 Months Later…

Roman sat in his locker room staring down at the coveted WWE World Heavyweight Championship that he'd won from Brock Lesnar the night before at WrestleMania 31. The first person he'd thought of when the bell rang and his hand was raised with the title in it was her.

He couldn't believe it had really already been a year and a couple of months since she'd left this Earth without him. Dean, Jimmy and Jey had all taken him out the night before to celebrate, but all the alcohol did was fuel his emotions. When he returned back to his hotel room he sat on the floor against the wall and cried like a baby because she had missed his biggest life's achievement. She was supposed to be here for it.

A beep from his phone brought him out of all his thoughts of the night before. Tonight was Monday Night Raw and he was walking into the roster meeting as the NEW WWE World Heavyweight Champion; even if he wasn't taking his belt with him. He chuckled to himself as he put the belt back in its carrying case before he left the dressing room.

Roman stopped in catering and grabbed a bottle of water before heading to the meeting room. He walked around the corner when a small body ran into his chest. "Whoa sweetheart." Roman stated as he grabbed her upper arms to steady her. "Are you okay honey?" He asked curiously as he looked down and locked eyes with a blue eyed girl.

Her big blue eyes blinked a couple of times as she looked up at him. "Yes sir. Y-your Roman Reigns! Hey congratulations on the win last night. I loved how you took out Brock. It seems a fitting end for someone who doesn't seem to give a crap about the company."

Roman chuckled. "Thank you…And you are?" Roman inquired as he held his hand out. She was probably around 5'7 and about 130 lbs.; she was thick around the hips and rear with an hourglass shape. Her deep blue eyes had a familiar feeling behind them and her long raven corkscrew curls also had a familiar look to them as well.

"Margaret Williams, Stephanie and Paul's new assistant. Everyone calls me Maggie or Margie." She accepted his hand and shook it solidly. "I better get going or I'm going to be late for the meeting. See you in there." She smiled softly before she turned on her heels and bounced down the hall and out of sight.

Roman watched as she disappeared down the hall. Of course he knew who Maggie reminded him of…her. The woman who left a deep ache in his heart and soul.

He jerked his head down when he felt his water bottle leave his hand. Furrowing his brow he squatted down and grabbed it when he suddenly felt a hand comb through his hair which he'd left down after his shower at the hotel after his work out. It was still wet. The hand combed through his hair once more; Roman was frozen solid in his squatting position as his great eyes searched and couldn't see anyone.

Where the hell was everyone; normally the hallways were bustling with tons of people.

'Roman, it's time to move on. Let your heart heal and continue your life. I'm so proud of you. I will love you unconditionally.'

Roman stood up as his head snapped in every direction. He felt the fingers gliding through his hair. He felt the warm breath on his ear. He heard her familiar voice and quickly realized she was right.

"Hey bro, you doing okay?" Dean asked as he stepped up to the side of Roman and patted him on the back.

"Yea man, I'm doing great…unconditionally." Roman stated with a smile as he walked with Dean into the roster meeting; his smile carried across the table towards Maggie.

"See something you like cousin in law?" Charisma smiled knowingly; it was time for him to move on and apparently the time was now.

"I do but it can wait…How is my God Daughter doing? How's Kenia?" Roman asked.

Charisma chuckled. "At the hotel with the sitter and growing like a weed; she'd every bit the handful that her father is." She giggled when Jimmy growled.

Roman chuckled. "Hey watch it you two; that's who you got the first one." Roman looked across the table as Maggie joined in their laughter and playful banter. He finally felt like his life was flipped around where he wouldn't feel guilty for smiling and laughing anymore.

Roman knew it was time to move on…he would always love MacKenzie.

Unconditionally…

The End