The three of us stand in the ring, listening to the Undertaker talk. Well I'm listening, Hunter and Steve are busy looking smug. Personally, I feel ill. Listening to what he's been through, how stressed out he's been. I've seen it all first hand, slipping into his room at nights, then reporting back to the 'Two Man Power Trip.'

Hunter interrupts Taker's more than justified outburst. I think I'm going to throw up at the look on the Dead Mans face as he listens to my husbands bragging. I want to look away, but I can't, especially when Hunter turns to me and caresses my face. "Of course.. none of this would have been possible without the behind the scenes assistance of my wonderful wife, Stephanie."

Taker's eyes snap from Hunter to me. I step backwards, the glare is like a physical blow. Anger, hate, confusion, hurt.. fear? What can he possibly be afraid of? I know this is my cue to start talking about the Ministry of Darkness but I can't speak. My eyes remain attached to his. Hunter and Austin look at each other worriedly, and when I still don't start talking, Steve takes over, talking about the Ministry of Darkness. It would've been slightly ridiculous if Hunter had done it, considering he was part of the Corporate Ministry. It seems to be something that he and Austin have forgotten about... but I haven't, not by a long shot.

But that's not the issue right now. The issue is the fact that Kane is slowly walking down the ramp to join his brother. And I have a gut feeling that there's a couple of Canadians called Chris behind the curtain, just waiting to run out. Maybe I can escape through the crowd? Although knowing my luck, I'll be halfway through the crowd and I'll literally run into Shane.

Hunter pushes me out of the way as Taker and Kane rush the ring. I back into the corner, watching the fighting in the ring, but not really seeing it. All I can see in front of me is that look in Taker's eyes...

The audience screams and I snap back to what's happening. Hunter is being attacked by Chrises Jericho and Benoit and Kane's beating up Austin. It takes me a second to realise that the Undertaker is nowhere to be seen. Oh shit.

I turn around slowly. Even though I'm on the apron, we're eye to eye. I start to speak but I'm frozen by the cold slow burning anger in his face. Suddenly a large hand closes around my neck and he throws me over his shoulder. I scream for Hunter, but he's in the Walls of Jericho at the moment and can't do a whole lot to help. I'm beating his back with fists, trying to kick him in the stomach, but all this gets me is his arm across the back of my knees. With me over his shoulder, kicking and screaming, Taker heads for the ramp. "Kane! Let's go!"

Kane looks up and I can sense a rather large smile behind the mask. Looking back down at Steve, he kicks him hard in the stomach. Watching what's happening as I get carried up the ramp, I can hear Kane and the Undertaker talking in low voices. In the back, William Regal starts to yell at them, but Taker just turns and walks away.

We get to the parking area and he slowly swings me off his shoulder, I reach out and touch his shoulder but he catches my wrist in a death grip that has my eyes filling with tears of pain. I look at him, scared. "Let go of me."

"Don't touch me." He hisses angrily, before dropping my wrist. I rub it gingerly, knowing that it won't be long before it comes up in angry bruises. "I'll be going now."

"Not likely Princess. We're going for a little ride. And you're going to tell me everything. Get on the bike."

"No." I whisper defiantly, but my hearts not in it. He sighs heavily and rolls his eyes. "Damnit Steph..."

I glance around quickly, Regal and Dad burst out of the doors, followed by a cameraman. I quickly look up at Taker, who has already seen them and moved to block me from their view. "Get on the bike."

I climb on. I've never admitted this before, but motorcycles scare me a little. He gets on behind me and we get out of there, the furious shouts of my father lost in the roar of the bike.

~~~

It is nearly midnight before we stop in the middle of nowhere. Neither of us wants to take the chance of being recognized. By silent agreement, we check into a hotel where the clerk gives me a sleazy smile. Taker glares at him as he takes the key and the clerk flinches back. With a hand on my back, he guides me to the elevator. Once we're alone, I turn to speak to him but he refuses look at me. The elevator reaches our floor and he pushes me out of the lift and into a room opposite it, locking the door behind us. His cell phone rings.

"Yes? Hey Kane. Yeah... yeah... A shitty little dive in the middle of nowhere. Not yet.. maybe tomorrow.. Well I can tell you this for certain.." He looks at me then and a cold smile crosses his face. "One of us will be at Smackdown."

A cold chill runs through me as Taker laughs. "Yeah exactly. Are you - with her now? How is she? Stay with her man. Since I've got the Princess here... exactly. When I find out, I'll let you know. Catch ya later little bro."

He ends the call and looks at me. "What are you afraid of?"

"What are you going to do to me?" I ask in a voice filled with fear. He looks me over from head to toe and smiles suggestively. "What do you want me to do?"

I know he's thinking about the same thing I am. A night a little over two years ago. Things were so different then, I was just a little girl, caught up in something she didn't understand and terrified of one of the scariest men in the business. Actually, I don't think things have changed that much. I'm still caught up in something I don't completely understand and I'm still terrified of Taker.

"Well I know what I don't want you to do." I reply. He raises an eyebrow. "And what would that be?"

"Hurt me." The words are barely above a whisper. He looks at me in disbelief. "I couldn't do that. I don't think I could physically do it."

"Then what do you want from me?"

"At first I wanted answers." He runs a hand through his hair as he sits on the bed, a double I notice warily. "But I did a lot of thinking on the trip up and I reached the conclusion that despite what those two clowns think, your role was a lot smaller than made out to be. I believe that the revenge story was the reason behind your involvement, but I don't think that deep down, your still bitter about being abducted by my Ministry. I just can't buy that. Maybe it's the story you used to justify it to yourself, but it doesn't convince."

God, he knows me so well. I smile sarcastically. "You've got it all figured out haven't you?"

"I've got you figured out Stephanie." He sighs with a patient smile. "It's a tough job, but someone's gotta do it. God knows your idiot husband is too stupid to it. Now come here and give me a hug."

I climb onto the bed and lay with an arm around his waist, my head on his shoulder. He puts one arm around me, the other stroking my hair and starts talking. "I always had a feeling that Hunter and Austin were tormenting my wife. I suspected you might have been a part of it, your late night visits to my room usually coincided with something happening to Sara."

"I'm sorry."

"You don't have to be. As I said, I've had you figured out for a long time."

I don't know what to say to that. I really do care about this man, quite a lot in fact. He smiles as though reading my thoughts and kisses me gently. "Get some sleep honey. You've got a rough few weeks ahead."

I cuddle up to him as he turns the light off. Strange how the only man who has truly terrified me is now the only man I feel completely safe with. Surprising him, I prop myself up on an elbow, resting a hand on his stomach. He looks up at me in confusion. "What are you doing?"

"Seducing you." I grin down at him. He laughs heartily. "No need for that baby. I'm all yours."

He makes love to me tenderly, understanding that I need the emotional intimacy right now, that the physical aspect is just an added bonus. Afterwards, he rocks me gently in his arms, murmuring soothing words. I look up at him. "Where do we go from here?"

"Do you really want to go back to Helmsley?" He asks gently. I shake my head. "Oh god no."

"Kane and I can help you out. I told him that either you or I would be at Smackdown. I still have the mansion from the Ministry days. You can hide out there for a few days, a couple of weeks as long as you want." He offers. I blink back tears of gratitude. "Thank you."

"Hey. Don't cry honey." A large hand gently wipes away my tears. "Anything for my Regina Cupra."

I kiss him again and settle down to go to sleep. I'm nearly in Dreamland when I hear a quiet whisper. "Princess?"

"Yes Dead Man?"

"Love ya honey." I smile in the darkness, knowing how much it costs him to say those two simple words. I understand that while he's not in love with me, he does love me. I understand this because I feel exactly the same way. I sigh contentedly. "Love you too baby."

I drift off to sleep, feeling secure in Takers arms and the knowledge that whatever unpleasantness the future holds, he'll have my back.

The End

(Regina = Royalty, Cupra = Goddess of Light.. basically takers calling Steph a queen of the light or something... I probably should switch to decaf, but caffeine life so much fun.)