Chapter 9

Paul sat in a window seat on the next available flight to Atlanta; the site of the next night's RAW.  As soon as he had packed, he had called a cab to pick him up from the cabin (it was simple enough, once he told them Triple H wanted a ride), and then called Titan and had them arrange a flight out for him.  It was the only way he could insure that he got out of Ontario as soon as possible.
       With a sigh, he leaned back and thought about the events of the last several hours.  His system was still in a state of shock.  The things Trish had told him seemed unfathomable, he couldn't believe that Dwayne was that sick, that twisted.  But Paul knew that it had to be true.  It was the only explanation.  The way Gabrielle had seemed to lose her mind, how she wouldn't let him touch her, the way she had been terrified to be alone.  And that last look she had given him when he had walked in on her and Dwayne.  It all made sense.  Paul had played right into their hands, and now he and Gab were both paying for it.
       All during the cab ride to the airport and the wait for the flight to board, Paul had been trying to call Gabrielle on his cell phone.  He had tried her cell, her apartment, and his house, which was where she usually stayed lately.  There was no answer at any of them.  Knowing her, she had probably disconnected the line wherever she was and had turned off her cellular.  If it wasn't for this damn show tomorrow night, he thought, I'd go right to the house and find her.  But as it is, I barely have time to get to Atlanta, check into a hotel, sleep, and get to the arena tomorrow.  God, she's probably sitting at home right now thinking that I don't care about her at all.
       A soft giggle roused him from his contemplation.  He looked across the aisle and saw a man and woman, obviously lovers, kissing each other gently on the other side of the plane.  They were laughing quietly, trying not to draw attention to themselves.  The man was whispering sweet nothings to the woman, punctuating his words periodically with a loving kiss.  She was giggling, not because she thought he was funny, but because she was purely happy.  Paul felt the ache in his heart intensify as he watched them.  That should be Gab and me, he thought as his mind drifted off to a happier time, just a few short months ago...

       ~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~
       Gabrielle's eyes sparkled as she laughed at him.  She had turned in her seat so she was facing him, her back to the window of the plane.  "You're not serious, Paul!  We could get caught!" she said with a delight in her voice that showed that she really didn't care.
       "I mean it," he replied.  The glint in his eyes was definitely mischievous.  "All we have to do is sneak into the bathroom down there.  Don't you want to join the Mile High Club?"  The last sentence was said teasingly as he pulled up the armrest that jutted between them and inched closer to her, trailing a hand softly up her thigh from her knee.
       "Honestly, is sex all you think about anymore?"  She arched an eyebrow as she asked, a playful smile spreading across her lips.
       Paul's demeanor went from teasing to serious.  He took his hand from her leg and gently stroked her face while staring deeply into her eyes as he answered her.  "No.  You're all I think about anymore."  His eyes watched hers for a second more before he leaned in and captured her lips in an adoring kiss that could have lasted hours for all they knew, but was really only seconds.
       When they broke apart, Gabrielle stared up at him with love shining through her eyes.  She lifted a hand to caress his cheek lightly as well and he nuzzled into it.  "God, I love you, Gabrielle," he said quietly into her hand as he kissed her palm, "You're the best thing that's ever happened to me."
       "I love you, too, Paul; more than I thought possible.  I don't know what I would ever do without you," she whispered in return.  Her eyes intently tracked his every move as he took her hand from his face and placed it neatly in her lap.
       He gathered her up in his arms and hugged her tightly.  "You'll never have to find out, honey.  I promise," he said and sealed it with a kiss on her forehead.  Gabrielle grinned as he looked down into her eyes and smiled.  Her grin turned impish as she said,
       "Now where's that bathroom?"
       ~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

       Paul chuckled to himself as the memory washed over him.  They sure didn't make airplane bathrooms to accommodate a pro-wrestler and his girlfriend; they'd almost gotten stuck.  It was definitely worth it, though, he mused.
       As he thought over the memory, though, he kept coming back to one thing: his promise.  God help me, I meant that with all my heart, he thought, and now this had to happen.  She was in pain, and I left her, at the very moment she needed me most.  He sighed and found himself holding back tears.
       Hearing another chuckle, he looked over at the happy couple again.  And in that moment, Paul Levesque knew that he would do anything he had to if it meant having his beloved Gabrielle back safe in his arms once more.

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