Authors note:: Here is a nice long chapter for you guys, told you I read your reviews! ;) xoxo

Chapter twenty.

Without so much as a second thought, I run like hell to the parking garage. I hold my ripped up shirt in place and use my sleeve to wipe the blood from my head.

The adrenaline is fueling me, and I can't even stop to think about the pain- or the fact that I merely escaped a very serious situation. As I approach my rental car, I dig in my jean pocket for the key. Very rarely did I bring a purse in to the arena, too much theft. It was always locked in my car, and I carried only the key and my cell phone on me. And to think the worst of my fears was having my purse stolen.

Pulling the key out I quickly jump in my car, locking the doors immediately as a wave of dizziness absorbs me. Silently I place my head on the steering wheel as I'm hit with every emotion possible at once. I look down at the blood on my ripped up shirt, blood on my jeans, and a headache painful enough to take down a horse.

Sitting up slowly, I pull the mirror down to look at myself. My makeup was all down my face, streaked with tears and mixed with red blood. There was a huge gash on my forehead from where Brock struck me, and my hair was a tangled mess.

Closing my eyes I let new tears stream down my cheeks. Slamming the mirror back up I scream to myself in frustration, hitting the steering wheel in the process. This was the worst job ever! I wasn't going to put up with this anymore!

It is my dream job, yes, but it isn't worth all of this, not any more! In the middle of my temper tantrum I hear a knock on my window, which causes me to jump out of my seat. Peaking up I look out to see one of the wrestlers, triple H, staring at me with blazing concern.

Slowly I roll my window down and he peers in, "Are you alright? What the hell happened?" Saying nothing I just sit in silence. What do I say? If I come clean will Brock tell everyone of Mark and I's affair? How did he even find out? I found it quite sad that I even gave a damn about upholding his reputation at this point, look at where that has gotten me! It's been nothing but bad news since Mark Calaway stepped in to my life!

"Hey... Tell me what happened to you, Alaina. I'm calling the cops if you don't get talking," Hunter says, interrupting my thoughts. As I open my mouth to speak, I can feel myself fading out. Sounds become muffled and the world around me is getting darker... "Alaina, Alaina!"

... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ...

Opening my eyes, I grunt in pain. My head was throbbing, and I have no idea where I am. Focusing my vision, I can see I'm hooked up to machines beeping all around me, IVs in my arm, and I'm in a hospital gown. Okay, in a hospital. How'd I get here?

The memories of earlier hit me like a truck and I quickly sit up in panic, until I'm gently pushed back down by soft hands. "Alaina, you're awake! Thank god! Lay back down and rest, you're safe now." Focusing again I see Kate standing over me, tears puffing up in her tired eyes.

"Kate, how'd I get here?" I ask confused. The last thing I remember is running, running and running. Signing heavily I can see her choking back a sob, "You... You were attacked, sweetie. Don't you remember? You've been in the hospital for five days, Hunter found you passed out in your car."

With wide eyes I sit up slightly, "What? Five days?" Questions flooded my brain and intensified my already head splitting migraine. Gently Kate puts her hand on my shoulder, "You suffered a pretty nasty concussion. Had a little bit of brain swelling so they induced a coma for a few days to help you recover. They said you had blunt force trauma to your head, they are shocked you even got up and made it to your car... You must have been running on adrenaline alone. You had an initial blow to your head and needed six stitches, then another big blow and a few little ones that just made it worse from there on out... They are still investigating what happened. Sweetie, do you remember who did this to you?"

Biting my lip I look away. Yes, it's all slowly coming back to me. I remember Hunter finding me in my car, I remember running, and I remember exactly who I was running from. His threat is in the forefront of my mind also, and I feared for Mark. Who knows what Brock is capable of, granted Mark can fend for himself, but what if he went after the likes of Michelle? What about Kate, the interns? I couldn't keep putting people in danger for my sake, I won't.

Right as I'm about to speak I see a large figure in the doorway, and the beeping from my heart rate monitor starts skyrocketing. "Kate, do you mind if I talk to Alaina alone for a moment?" askapt he deep familiar voice.

Looking back, Kate nods and squeezes my hand before she makes her exit. Mark then takes her place, sitting on the chair beside my hospital bed. "What are you doing here?" I ask with a shaky voice. Glaring at me with intense eyes, a small smile traces his lips, "I haven't left. You gave us quite the scare, I'm glad you're awake."

I can feel my dry eyes filling up with tears. He stayed, the whole time? "What about Michelle?" I ask blandly. Laughing lightly he reaches into his pocket, pulling out a large diamond ring- the same ring that resided on McCool's finger for well over a year. "It's over. That part of my life is a thing of that past, I'm a single man... Hopefully not for long."

Gazing at him in shock, I don't have any words. "How... Why... I-I can't believe you broke it off so soon. I guess I'm just surprised." Grinning he nods, "I guess I am too. I never thought I'd have someone come into my life like this, and change everything around. Seeing you laying here like that... Really opened my eyes, Alaina. It scared me. I thought about how I would have felt had it been worse. What if I never would have known what the future could have held for me, for us? Kept living a lie? Never took a chance? I'm not going to let that happen again... Now that I have you here, and you're alright, I can't let myself wonder what could have been."

I can feel a tear stream down my cheek, and he quickly reaches out to wipe it away, "None of that," he whispers gently. Standing up from his chair, he sits on the hospital bed beside me- and I curl up into his welcoming arms, gladly accepting the comfort they offer. Resting my head on his chest I listen to the sound of his heartbeat, and the rhythm of his breathing. It is the most relaxed, and safe, I've felt in months.

As he rubs my back, I can hear him clear is throat, "Alright, kitten... Now that that's out of the way, you're going to tell me who did this to you... I'm pretty sure I have an idea who it is, and he better pray to his god that I'm wrong..."