The Sins of the Father Chapters 7 - 12

CHAPTER 7

Tara woke up feeling cold. She was sleeping in her clothes … why was she sleeping in her clothes? Come to think of it where was she? Panicking slightly she breathed a sigh of relief as her eyes adjusted to the darkness and she realised that she was still in the living room. Oh my god, how embarrassing, she had fallen asleep on the couch while she still had visitors. What must they think of her? She hadn’t even heard them leave. Oh well, she shrugged her shoulders a little; it wasn’t as if she would ever see them again. They would probably be moving on after tonight. Knowing that she wasn’t going to get back to sleep again she threw the cover off of her body and swung her feet onto the floor. Maybe a cup of tea would settle her down again. That was when she felt the pain in her head. Damn stitches. She should have been sleeping on her stomach.

Yawning slightly she turned towards the kitchen and almost jumped out of her skin. There was someone else in the house. Approaching with caution she calmed down when she realised that it was Mark. Mark? She stood completely still for a few minutes and just looked down at him. She couldn’t believe that he had stayed with her. That didn’t seem like him at all. Now she was beginning to get worried. She wouldn’t stroll into the kitchen and bump into Glenn and Mr Levesque would she? She grinned to herself a little. She must remember to try and call him Paul; it would only piss him off if she didn’t. (Tara, stop this! You aren’t going to see any of them again. You won’t see Mark again once he leaves.) She thought to herself surprised at the dull ache that caused in her chest. It was kind of sweet of him to stay with her instead of just leaving. It struck her as a very dad thing to do. Shaking herself out of this pointless daydream she filled the kettle and switched it on, leaning against the countertop as she waited for it to boil.

“Are you ok?”

Tara jumped about five feet in the air. “I was until you snuck up on me!” She said in a weird sounding voice. “Yes, yes, I’m fine.”

Mark walked across to her and cupped the back of her head gently. “When I woke up and you weren’t on the couch I got worried. Thought that maybe you were feeling the after affects of this head wound.”

“I’m fine.” She repeated quietly then fell silent for a few moments. “I woke up and couldn’t get back to sleep. I decided to have some tea … would you like some?”

He smiled. Not exactly scintillating father and daughter conversation but at least she wasn’t yelling at him or throwing him out on his ass. “I wouldn’t say no.” He stroked her face gently before dropping his hand back to his side.

“I’m really sorry for falling asleep on you guys last night.” She apologised as she got out another cup and teabag. “What must your friends think of me?”

Mark rolled his eyes wondering what she would think if he told her what they really thought about her. “They think that you’re a very nice young woman who works too hard and knows how to keep her cool in a crisis. According to your friend Greg you were very impressive with that gunman.”

She shrugged. “Yeah well, like I said last night you do this job long enough you pick up stuff. Then you shake it off and go back to the job at hand. It was nothing.”

“It wasn’t nothing Tara.” Mark insisted. “The guy had a gun in your face and you didn’t lose it. That is impressive. If it wasn’t for you people could have been seriously hurt … maybe even killed.”

Her stomach turned over. She knew that he was right; someone could very easily have died last night. That was the part of her job that she hated … dealing with the unpredictable. “Can we talk about something else please?” She asked weakly. “Like … why did you stay with me?”

Now it was his turn to shrug. “I thought that someone should. You have a lump on the back of your head, I was worried about you. What if you needed something in the night and no one was here to help you?” He smiled a little sheepishly. “Like I said, I worry about you it kind of comes with the territory.”

“What territory?” She asked not sure what he was talking about.

“Being a dad.” Mark asked simply, picked up his tea from the countertop and headed back into the living room.

-o0o-

Tara shook her head. “Being a dad. Being a dad!” She hurriedly followed him through. “What the hell do you know about being a dad?” She asked him angrily. “You know nothing about me, you know nothing about the way that I was raised … you weren’t interested.”

Mark arched a brow at her. “Now I know that you’re angry and you have every right to be but don’t take that tone when you talk to me young lady.”

“Excuse me!” She said disbelievingly. “This is my house mister … you are sitting in my house. I’ll take whatever tone I like. I don’t believe this. I don’t see you for years then you think that you can just swan back into my life and start laying down the law. Well you can’t. You’ve never been a dad to me so don’t think that you can start now!”

He had listened to all that he was going to. He stood up slowly; pulling himself up to his full height, which he knew, was intimidating. Or it would be usually. Tara was tall too, he would guess that she stood about six foot she must take her height from him. He tried to tamp down the swell of pride that he felt. She might be tall but he was taller. “You might not like it Tara but I am your dad.” He grasped her gently by the upper arms. “You can’t get away from that fact. I’m sorry if it upsets you to hear that I worry about you but I do. You’re my daughter, there isn’t a day that’s gone by when I haven’t thought about you … wondered what you were doing. I’m sorry that I wasn’t there for you when you were growing up … but please don’t think that I didn’t care because I did. I never stopped loving you.”

“Why do I find that hard to believe?” She asked quietly trying not to be intimidated by his height and size. “Oh yes, maybe it was because you never once called me or wrote me. I never received one birthday or Christmas card.” She pulled herself out of his grasp. “Why didn’t you ever come to see me?” She cried a little desperately as she felt tears begin to slide down her cheeks. “At first I was so worried and upset. I thought that something had happened to you, that you had got hurt in the ring. Then when I realised that hadn’t happened I thought that you had just decided that you didn’t want a little girl cramping your style anymore. Do you know how much that hurt me?” She saw him take a few steps towards her and stepped back. “You used to come to town to do shows and not once … not once did you try to get in touch with me. But don’t worry; I got over it a long time ago. I don’t cry myself to sleep over you anymore.” When she finished talking she was breathing hard.

Mark didn’t know what to say so he just dropped his eyes to the floor. He had experience many things over the years, been through a lot but he had never felt pain like he felt right now. He had no idea that she had been going through all of this. She might say not to worry and that she was over it but her tears told a different story. She was still his little girl and right now, even though she didn’t know it, she was reaching out to him begging for him to love her. He did, he had never stopped loving her. “You told me to go.” He mumbled eventually. “I thought that was what you wanted … I thought that would make you happy and stop you hurting so much.”

“I was eight!” She screeched. “What the hell did I know about anything? All I saw was my dad could only come and visit me on certain days and sometimes when he came he was hurt! I was frightened that I was going to lose you. How was I supposed to know that you would choose the pain and that life over me!”

“I never chose that over you!” He said instantly his eyes locking with hers even though it was painful. “You were the most important thing in my life.”

Tara let out a humourless snort of laughter. “If only I could believe that.” She wiped a hand over her wet face. “I don’t want to do this now. It’s too late. We can’t play happy families Mark, we never could. Please just go. I want my life back and I can’t do that until you leave.”

“Ok.” Mark said quietly. He crossed the room in a few short strides to stand in front of her. “But I do love you Tara. I have since I held you in my arms right after you were born.” He pulled her into a tight hug. “I love you baby.” He whispered then abruptly let her go and walked from the room.

She heard the front door open then slam closed. “I love you too daddy.” She whispered to no one then crumpled down into a crying heap on the floor.

CHAPTER 8

Since early in the morning Tara had been pottering around the house in a daze. She fought against thinking about what happened this morning with Mark but it was difficult especially when she was going through all of her mother’s belongings and paperwork. She looked at the clock on the mantle and sighed. It was only a little after twelve she still had a fair amount of time to kill before she had to be at work. Maybe she should try to sneak in a nap before she got ready to go she thought as she yawned. Hearing someone knocking at the door she levered herself up off the floor and headed out to answer it. She limped a little, she had been sitting in one position for too long … she had seized up, and she laughed at little at the thought. She pulled open the door. “Oh no!” She groaned aloud and shut the door quickly placing her head against the wooden grain. “Why won’t these sadists leave me alone?” She mumbled to herself before pulling it open again. “Yes?”

Paul stood outside the door with an amused expression on his face. “Is that standard practice around here? Slamming the door in a visitor’s face?”

“Do you have a reason for being here Mr Levesque or did you just decide to knock on my door to piss me off?” Tara asked as she stepped back a little.

“God, you really are so welcoming aren’t you?” He laughed. “And it’s Paul. Yes I do have a reason for being here.” He stepped inside and walked through to the living room. “Whoa, what happened in here? It looks like a tornado went through the place.” He picked up a few photographs from the mess on the floor. “Is this your mom? She was pretty.”

She stalked across the floor and grabbed the picture out of his hand. “Yes, she was. Now what do you want?”

“We need your help.” Paul said lifting his eyes to look into hers. “I don’t know what you and Mark talked about last night … or this morning but he’s been a pain in the ass ever since.”

She rolled her eyes and turned away not noticing Paul slip a photograph into his pocket. “I’m sorry but that’s not my problem.”

“Normally we wouldn’t bother but I’ve never seen Mark quite like this.” He tried to tell her. “He’s so angry. All of the guys are shitting themselves about having to go in the ring with him. Don’t get me wrong, Mark’s a professional and I don’t think for a minute that he’d hurt anyone intentionally but he seems to have flipped.” He was really curious now. “Just what did you two talk about this morning anyway?”

Tara sighed and tried to busy herself tidying things up from the living room floor. “I don’t really think that’s any of your business … Paul.” She said quietly.

“Hey! You did it!” He smiled. “You actually called me by my first name.” He paused for a minute. “Look, I don’t want to get in the middle of any family stuff but I wouldn’t ask for your help if we didn’t really need it.” He saw her shoulders droop and knew that he had won.

“Let me get my jacket.” She said quietly.

-o0o-

By the time that they pulled up outside the arena Tara was beginning to have serious second thoughts. “I probably shouldn’t be doing this.” She said turning to Paul a little frantically. “I’ve changed my mind … please take me home Paul.”

“Look, we’re here now. It seems a bit stupid to just turn around and go back.” Paul gave her hand a squeeze. “All I’m asking is that you go in there and talk to the man … that’s all. If it doesn’t work well at least we tried.”

They both got out of the car. “He probably won’t want to talk to me anyway so this has just been a wasted journey.” She didn’t make a move from the side of the car.

Paul eyed her strangely. If he didn’t know any better he would say that she was scared to go in there, scared to face her father. He reached out and stroked a few strands of her chestnut hair away from her face and tucked them behind her ear. “Can we just try?” He asked her quietly. “We’ll go in there, you’ll see your dad and you two will talk. If he doesn’t want to talk to you I promise you that you don’t have to stay … I’ll take you straight home.” He watched as she nodded. Then without saying another word he took her hand in his and pulled her gently inside the building. They had only been inside for a few minutes when someone almost knocked them over.

“Shit Paul, where the hell have you been?” Shane asked frantically. “Mark’s still wigging out, dad is losing it and considering suspending him and Glenn can’t even get any sense out of him.” He finally noticed the woman standing by Paul. “Hi … Shane McMahon.”

Paul smiled. “Shane meet Tara Callaway, Mark’s daughter.”

“You’re his daughter!” Shane said finally looking pleased. “Thank god, maybe you can get him to calm down.”

“I don’t think so.” Tara said awkwardly. “In fact, I think it’s probably my fault that he’s in this mood in the first place. The last time we spoke we didn’t exactly part on the best of terms.” Her mind raced. “In fact seeing me will likely make him even madder so I’ll just go.” She turned quickly and tried to leave.

Paul laughed and grabbed a handful of the back of her jacket. “Not so fast Tara. You’ve come this far so I think you can manage the rest. Where is he?” He asked Shane.

“Locker room.” Shane answered still looking at Tara; she must take after her mother. The three of them headed down there. Before they even got to the door they could hear the crashing and bashing going on inside. Shane looked at the others out of the corner of his eye. “Maybe sending her in there isn’t the smartest thing we could do right now Paul.”

He didn’t want to agree but now Paul was beginning to think that Shane might be right. “No, it’s ok, she’ll be fine.” He said trying to convince himself as much as anyone else. They stopped outside and he caught Tara’s hands in his. “Just go in and talk to him, try your best that’s all that we can ask of you. We’ll be right outside if you need us.” He knocked on the door.

“Go the hell away!” Mark shouted from the inside then heard the knocking again. “Dumb bastards, don’t you understand English!” He yelled as he headed over to the door ready to give whoever was on the other side a piece of his mind. He yanked the door open and the words that he had been about to say died in his throat. “Tara?” He said quietly. “What are you doing here?”

She smiled shakily. “Good question. I’ve been asking myself that for the last five minutes.” She said. “Can I come in?”

“What? Oh yeah, of course.” Mark said still a little stunned that she was here. It had only been a little while ago that she had been screaming at him in her living room. He stepped aside and she walked into the room. “Why are you here?” He asked again.

Tara couldn’t face him; she was still upset and angry. “I’m sorry if what I said earlier hurt you. Don’t get me wrong, I still stand by everything that I said but if it’s my fault that you’re acting like this I am sorry. It wasn’t my intention to get you mad like this.” She was shaking and couldn’t seem to stop. “Also I shouldn’t have told you to leave. We needed to talk but it was just getting so …”

“Frightening?” He asked as he approached her and turned her around to face him. God, she was shaking. “Are you afraid of me Tara?” He had to ask. He wasn’t looking forward to the answer but he still had to know.

She looked up at him quickly. “No!” She said firmly. “No, I am not afraid of you. I know that you would never hurt me … well, not intentionally. What I am afraid of is letting you back into my life and you disappearing on me again – I don’t think that I could handle that.” She grinned a little despite herself. “To lose you once seems like carelessness to lose you twice, well what does that say about me?”

Mark smiled and hugged her close. “You didn’t lose me. I know that it didn’t feel like it but I was always right there with you. I could never close the door on the most important person in my life.”

“You’ve said that before but I certainly didn’t feel that.” She said looking up at his face. “It felt like you had run out on me and mom. I know that you didn’t run out on her – you two were never in a relationship but it hurt her too which made me even angrier at you.”

(God, this is so hard.) Mark thought as he walked away from her slightly. “I did love your mother Tara.” He sighed. “She was one of the best friends that I ever had. We had been friends for a long time before we …we…”

“Slept together.” She finished for him.

“Yeah.” He said with a smile. “After that we kind of realised that we made better friends than anything else. We were lucky, we were able to go straight back to what we had before, somehow we hadn’t ruined our friendship.” He sighed a little remembering all of this as if it was yesterday. “Then about two months later Lainie found out that she was pregnant with you. Getting rid of the baby was never an option for her, she was a strong woman and when she knew you existed she wanted you.”

“What about you?” Tara asked quietly. “Did you want me?”

He lifted his head and looked right at her. He had been hoping that she wouldn’t ask that question. “I didn’t know. I was only a few months away from my eighteenth birthday and was terrified, I was pretty sure that I didn’t have what it took to be a father. Lainie wasn’t fazed though. She just said ok, if you don’t want to be a part of this you know where the door is but don’t get in the way … if I have to do this on my own I will. It was her … her determination to do this and do it right. I knew that if she thought I could do it that I probably could. So even though we weren’t together as a couple we were still parents to a wonderful baby girl.”

She sat down heavily on one of the wooden benches. “Ever regret it?”

“Never.” He said immediately. “From the moment you were born and I held you for the first time I loved you.” He smiled again as he remembered his fascination with this tiny little person. “You enchanted me. You still do.” He said quietly as he sat next to her on the wooden bench and wrapped his arms around her. She started to cry and he rocked her gently.

-o0o-

“Well at least it’s quiet in there now.” Paul said as he stood in the hallway looking at the locker room door. They could only hear the odd mumble, nothing that they could really make out.

Shane eyed him. “Yeah, but is that a good thing or a bad thing?”

“It’s a good thing.” Paul said with a smile as he leaned on the wall and waited for Tara to come back out.

CHAPTER 9

Tara wiped at her eyes ineffectually with the backs of her hands. “I should have remembered to bring some tissues with me.” She laughed a little. “If this is what’s going to happen every time I see you maybe it’s a good thing that you’re out on the road so much.”

Mark grabbed his bag and fished around in it. Finally he found what he was looking for and handed the small pack of tissues over to her. “Always be prepared.” He said with a shrug of his shoulders. He tried not to think about what she had just said too much. It was sad, they had just found each other again and after tonight’s show he would be on the road again, leaving her behind again. He tried to shake off the despair that made him feel but wasn’t finding it easy. If only he knew that she was going to be ok. Maybe if he hadn’t seen where she worked and what could happen there on any given night he would feel a little more at ease. He sat there and watched as she dried her eyes. “I wish I didn’t have to go.” He sighed. “Right now I can think of nothing that I want to do more than stay here with you for a while.”

“You have to go Mark.” She said sternly. “It’s your job, it’s what you do. I didn’t understand that then but I do now. Just because we’ve found each other again it doesn’t mean that the rest of our lives can stop. We just have to keep going.” She tried to smile. “Besides, I’ll see you the next time you and you’re friends are in town.”

His eyes widened. “Do you seriously think that I’m going to wait until the fed is back here with the show? No way, the first couple of days off that I get I’ll be straight back here … and that’s a promise.”

“I’ll look forward to it.” She answered with a smile.

He smiled back at her. She reminded him so much of her mother sometimes it was scary, even down to the way that she thought. “Will you be hanging around for a little while?”

Tara shrugged. “I hadn’t really planned on it. My immediate thought was just not to get kicked out of your locker room. But I suppose I could stay for a little while, I don’t have to be at work for a few hours.”

“Ok, it’s a done deal.” He said happily even though he cringed inside a little at the thought of her going back to that ER. “C’mon, I want to show you off a little.” He stood up and pulled her up with him.

She cringed. “Oh god, do you really have to? I am so not good at meeting new people.” She told him as she let him pull her towards the door.

“You meet dozens of new people every day at work Tara.” He pointed out.

She rolled her eyes. “I know but that’s different … that’s work.”

“I promise you that everyone here is very nice, they won’t even pull a gun on you.” He said a little pointedly as they stepped into he hallway. “C’mon, just let me show you off a little. It isn’t everyday that I can introduce people to my grown, successful doctor daughter.”

That made her laugh out loud, she had never thought of Mark as the proud parent type. “Ok, ok, just try to keep your embarrassment of me down to a minimum.”

“I think that went well.” Shane said with a grin as he and Paul watched the two Callaways walk down the hallway together. “Well done.”

Paul shrugged a little. “Hey, what can I say, I’m a genius. I knew that if anyone could talk him out of the funk that he was getting himself into it was Tara.” A look of concern crossed his face. “Did she look like she had been crying to you?”

-o0o-

Mark couldn’t really remember a time when he had felt this contented. It was strange how right it felt to have his daughter back in his life again, he said a silent prayer of thanks to Lainie for insisting that he go and pick up that motorcycle. She had been one smart lady who was taken too soon. He turned his head towards Tara and saw how happy she looked too. “Why Medicine?” He asked

“What?” Tara asked, jerked out of her own thoughts. “Why not?”

“It’s just from all of your mother’s letters you seemed to be leaning more to the artistic and creative types of career paths then all of a sudden, boom, I get a letter saying that you’ve decided to become a doctor.” He said. “Not that I’m not proud … because I am.” He added with a grin. “Dr Callaway has a hell of a nice ring to it.”

She gave him a half smile and a shrug. “I just decided that I wanted to help people.” She told him wondering how much she could safely say. It was obvious to her that her mother had never let him know what had happened and for that she was grateful. It had been hard enough for her to deal with at the time without an angry Mark wading in … and it struck her that telling him the whole story now wouldn’t soften the blow. She sighed and realised that it was best to just keep her mouth shut about the whole thing. She’d give him the standard answer. “When I was almost fourteen I spoke with this guy who was a doctor and he was pretty amazing. I wanted to do what he did, I wanted someone to look at me like that one day.”

“He must have been impressive to get that kind of reaction from you.” Mark laughed. “You’re like your mother, not easily swayed by people. Well, I’m glad that you’re doing something that you love.”

She smiled at him again uneasily. “Yeah well, it’s hard work but it’s what I do and it’s very rewarding.”

“Hey Glenn!” Mark called as he spotted his friend trying to disappear from view at the other end of the hallway. He laughed. “No need to hide now pal. I’m feeling much better.”

Glenn turned and looked at him, he looked like he was in a better mood. He began to walk towards them slowly; he never did anything in a hurry. “I take it this person has something to do with the sudden upturn in your mood?” He asked Mark while pointing at Tara. “Hey Tara, how are you honey?”

For a second Tara didn’t know what to say, had Glenn really just called her ‘honey’? Not that she had a problem with it, a lot of people just used it in everyday conversations … and she liked it, liked the way it sounded coming from him. “I-I’m fine Glenn, how are you?” She hadn’t noticed Mark’s arched eyebrow at the endearment from his friend.

“Better now that you’ve gotten this guy calmed down.” Glenn said with a lazy smile. “Who’s brilliant idea was it to call in reinforcements?”

“Paul’s.” She answered with a smile. “He just turned up on my doorstep a little while ago and said I was needed.”

“Mark!” Shane called to them. “Vince needs to see you.” He didn’t add that Vince had needed to see him for a while but had been smart enough to stay out of Mark’s way until now.

Mark grimaced. “Now this is the part that I hate.” He told them. “I’m probably going to be carpeted for my behaviour … well, I suppose I deserve it.” He shot Glenn a cold look that was fraught with meaning. “Take care of Tara while I’m gone?”

“Of course.” Glenn answered easily. “After all we’re brothers aren’t we?” He almost laughed out loud at the look that Mark shot him as he walked away.

Tara waited until Mark was out of earshot before turning back to Glenn. “You don’t have to baby-sit me you know.” She told him with a smile. “I’m perfectly capable of hanging out by myself.” Then something else occurred to her. “What was that you said about being brothers?”

“You really don’t watch wrestling do you?” Glenn asked her with a laugh as he leaned against the wall next to her. “In the show Mark and I are brothers, the Undertaker and Kane … Brothers of Destruction.”

She found herself leaning on the wall too. “See, that’s the part I don’t get. It’s always about destruction. Someone is always beating on someone else and trying to ruin them. It’s not really my thing.”

“Oh, I don’t know.” Glenn said quietly as he looked at her. “We have our fair share of love and romance too.”

Ok, maybe they weren’t flirting yet but there was definitely something going on here. “But I bet it always ends badly.” She pointed out.

Glenn grinned. “Ok, you got me.” He held out a large hand and felt her slip her much smaller one into his. “I’ll show you around … not that there’s a lot to see. These places are really kind of boring until the show starts and unfortunately you’ll be at work then”

She thought for a minute and then smiled. “Can I see the ring?” She asked like a little kid.

“How old are you?” Glenn laughed. “Yeah, come on. I’ll take you down there right now. We might even see someone working up some moves in there.”

“Will you let me stand in the middle of it Uncle Kane?” Tara asked in a high-pitched voice.

He just shook his head. “Not if you keep calling me that.” He pulled her closer and put his mouth close to her ear. “In fact, if you’re not a good girl I might have to put you over my knee.” Then he walked off a little ahead of her.

She gulped audibly and fanned herself with her hand, suddenly she was burning up. “Promises, promises.” Then she hurried to catch up with him.

CHAPTER 10

Tara followed Glenn meekly down this huge ramp and smiled when she saw the ring at the end of it. Looking around her she took in all of the empty seats in the arena, she hadn’t fully appreciated how big this place was until now. “So how many people are you hoping to draw in with this ‘gig’?” She asked cheekily not able to resist it.

Glenn just looked at her with good humour and sighed. “I think we have a sell-out on our hands tonight.”

That shocked her to a standstill and she looked around at all of those empty seats again trying to imagine what this place would look like when filled with tens of thousands of screaming, cheering wrestling fans. “Wow.” She finally managed to breath out hearing Glenn laugh.

“Yeah, it is a little overwhelming when you look at it like that.” He answered; he knew exactly what she was thinking. “It’s a good thing that I don’t look at it like that anymore.”

“How can you not?” She asked amazed, as she started moving again following him down the ramp. “All of these people cheering and shouting … oh my god, that is just the scariest thing that I can think of.”

Glenn climbed up on the ring apron then turned to look at her in amazement. “Tara, you faced down a totally insane guy with a gun last night … a gun that was being pushed in your face. I have a feeling that situation is just a bit scarier.”

She thought of what had happened and had to suppress a shudder when she remembered the feeling of the cold steel against her face, she was glad that none of them knew that ‘Dave’ had actually pressed the gun to her forehead. “No, I’d rather face a few hundred Daves than do what you do for a living.” She smiled up at him as if she was unaffected by it all.

“Then you are a complete madwoman.” He told her. “Listen to what I’m saying. Look at who you have for a father, of course you’re going to be a madwoman. There’s something to be said for genetics after all.”

She pouted and put her hands on her hips. “Hey! Don’t make me kick your ass Mr Jacobs.”

“Oh, I’d love to see you try.” He laughed. He wasn’t kidding. He had a feeling that she would be a sight to behold when she was mad at something or someone. “So are you ever going to join me?” He asked with a smile and tilted his head.

Tara stuck her tongue out at him and made her way to the steps at the corner of the ring. “You are pushing it Jacobs.” She said without rancour as she made her way along the ring apron to join him.

Glenn laughed out loud. “Hey, what happened here? I went from Glenn to Mr Jacobs and now its just Jacobs? What did I do to get demoted?”

She shrugged. “If you don’t know then I’m not going to tell you … but if you’re real nice to me I might just be persuaded to start calling you Glenn again.” She finished with a cheeky smile.

“Really?” He asked with a raised brow. “Hmm, I might have to start being nice to you then.” He smiled back at her. He was really enjoying this; it seemed like forever since he had this kind of verbal sparring with anyone let alone a woman. He placed his foot on the bottom rope and pulled it down for her. “Ladies first.”

“Not necessary thank you.” Tara answered as she looked at the ropes. She was tall and had been cursed with a disproportionate body shape. Her legs were longer than her body … quite a bit longer and she had a feeling that to get through the bottom rope she would have to pretzel her body up quite a bit. Lifting her leg she slipped it over the second rope and climbed easily into the ring fairly gracefully considering it was the first time that she had ever done it. For a few seconds she had had a visual of herself getting completely tangled up and falling face first to the mat. She turned back to face him and blinked. “So are you ever going to join me?”

(Ok, why did I just find that incredibly sexy?) Glenn thought to himself. Stacey Keibler entered the ring by climbing over the second rope every night and that hadn’t ever gotten to him … of course then she followed it up with that ridiculous flaunting of her ass. He had never been able to understand why some guys thought that was sexy. It was so obvious and forced that it had become instantly asexual to him. But that, what Tara had just done, was definitely sexy. Maybe it was because she had never climbed into a ring before so she didn’t have some rehearsed way to do it … it had just seemed to flow. Vaguely his mind registered that she was talking to him … she was waiting for him to join her in the ring. He did his usual no nonsense climbing over the top rope.

“Over the top rope.” She said with a grin. “I’m impressed.” Then she turned away from him and began to look out over the empty seats again. “What are you thinking about when you’re working in here? I have a feeling that you can’t let your mind wander too much.”

He walked over to join her in the centre of the ring and tried to see it the way that she obviously did. “Nope, can’t let your mind wander for a second. I’m usually too busy trying to avoid having my head busted open.”

“Can I say again what a truly wonderful job you have.” She told him sarcastically then had a thought. “But I suppose its guys like you that make doctors like me rich.”

“Nice to know that we’re good for something.” He grumbled practically right into her ear. God, that perfume she was wearing was amazing.

-o0o-

“Who is that in the ring with Glenn?” Jason asked Jeff with a slight yawn. He was so tired that he felt like he could sleep for a week.

Jeff looked at him and laughed. “How can you be tired Jay, you just got back from three days off.”

“Trying to fit in all of those visits to friends instead of sleeping.” Jay answered quickly. “You still haven’t answered my question. Is she a new wrestler or something? Someone that they’re planning on teaming up with Kane?” He hated to feel like he was missing anything though he hated anyone even hinting that he was nosy.

“I have no idea man.” Jeff said as he lounged over several of the arena seats trying to snatch some peace and quiet before they had to get to work. He saw someone approaching out of the corner of his eye. “Ask Adam, he might know more than me.”

Adam threw himself down in the row in front of them. “I might know more than you about what?” He asked with a smile.

Jay pointed to the ring. “We were just wondering who that was with Glenn in the ring. I hadn’t heard anything about a new wrestler – the company’s drowning in talent as it is – let alone a wrestler that they were teaming up with Kane.”

Adam turned his head and looked down at the ring then got a glint of mischief in his eyes. “I have no idea who she is but why don’t we go down there and hassle them anyway?”

Jeff and Jason looked at each other. “Sounds like a plan.” Jeff said finally and the three of them headed for the front row.

-o0o-

“So.” Tara said as she turned around to face Glenn. “Are you going to show me some of your moves?” She asked as innocently as she could and tilted her head to the side a little.

He almost groaned out loud at that innocently worded question. “I don’t think so. I have to save something for show time.” Besides he didn’t think that she would appreciate it if he choke slammed her … not on a first date anyway. Now where the hell had that thought come from? They were not on a date and they never would be, he liked all of his limbs where they were thank you very much. If Mark even thought for a moment that he was having these kind of thoughts about Tara he knew that he would be pummelled.

She pouted again. “Aww come on. You mean you aren’t even going to show me on tiny little thing?” Her mouth quirked up a little at one corner.

“Ok, if you insist.” He said quietly with a shrug.

Then before she even had a chance to register what was happening she felt him grab her. She almost died when she realised that he was lifting her and began to fervently wish that she had gone on that diet that she had been babbling on about for months. “Oh my god! Glenn, what the hell are you doing?” She almost screamed when he just kept lifting her and she ended up held flat out high above his head. “Put me down right now!”

“Ok, if you’re sure.” He laughed and acted like he was going to throw her over his back, his laughter getting louder when he heard her slightly panicked shriek. “Like I would really drop you Tara!”

She wasn’t a girly girl by a long shot but she had an insane desire to wriggle around like a typical girly. Part of her liked this, she felt deliciously feminine being held up here like she weighed almost nothing but another part of her was panicking at being out of control. She hadn’t given this much control over to another person in a long time. “Seriously Glenn, put me down! I’m too heavy for you.”

“Are you serious?” He asked incredulously. “Oh yeah, that’s right you don’t watch wrestling. If you did you would see the size of some of the guys that I regularly heft around the ring.”

“Hey Glenn. What’cha doing?”

“Who said that?” Tara asked trying to turn her head to see the newcomer to the conversation but she couldn’t turn her head all the way round … that particular talent still belonged to Linda Blair in the Exorcist.

Glenn looked at the three openly curious faces staring at them from the front row and sighed. “It looks like the children have arrived.” He said in a quiet not all together pleased voice. Reluctantly he lowered Tara back to the mat, sliding her body all the way down his and making sure that she was completely steady before he let her go.

Tara turned away from Glenn her body still tingling from the contact with his and found herself facing three frankly cheeky grins which she couldn’t help returning.

“So Glenn.” Adam grinned. “Who’s your friend?”

CHAPTER 11

Tara looked at the three attractive young men and found herself wondering why she didn’t watch wrestling – these guys were gorgeous. Oh yeah, she didn’t watch wrestling because she had always felt that her father chose it over her … how pitiful was she to be jealous of a sport. She turned her head slightly to look at Glenn wondering if he was going to introduce her to them. He had a strange look on his face and she shrugged to herself, what was wrong with him all of a sudden? She thought that they had been having fun.

(Ok, this is interesting.) Adam thought with a grin. Unless he was very much mistaken they were already getting to Glenn just by being here. He looked at the woman again and shot her his patented smile just to test a theory. Yep, he definitely saw Glenn clench his fists out of the corner of his eye. There may be more fun to be had here than he had originally thought. “Well, since it looks like the cat’s got Glenn’s tongue allow me to handle the introductions.” He said easily. “This is Jason.” He indicated his friend who nodded to her. “This is Jeff … and I’m Adam.”

Tara smiled at them all. “Well hello Jason, Jeff and Adam. I’m Tara.” She had been about to add her surname but something stopped her. “Nice to meet you … I guess.” She added as she realised that Glenn hadn’t said anything at all.

“So Tara, are you going to join our merry band of travelling entertainers?” Adam asked remembering that Jay had wanted to know if she was a new wrestler. “If you are, believe me it will be my pleasure to show you the ropes.”

She rolled her eyes. God, what was it with these guys? Were they permanently in heat or something, didn’t they have any actual attractive women to go and hit on? “Nope, I’m just visiting … speaking of which.” She grabbed Glenn’s arm and looked at his watch. “Oh my god, I’m going to be late again and I still have to track down Paul to get him to drive me home.” She hurried to the ropes. “Nice to meet you.” She called out to the three men in the front row. She had put one leg over the rope then brought it back in. (Why the hell not?) She asked herself as she hurried back over to Glenn. “Thanks for keeping an eye on me.” She told him with a smile before standing on tiptoe and pressing a quick kiss to his cheek. Then before he could do or say anything she dashed out of the ring and headed back up the ramp in search of Paul.

-o0o-

“Where have you been?” Paul asked with an indulgent smile. “I’ve been looking for you.” He caught her hand in his.

“Sorry.” She said with an apologetic shrug. “I wanted to see the ring and Glenn was kind enough to take me out there.”

He laughed. “I just bet he was. So what can I show you next?” He looked around the backstage area. “The glamorous ladies room, the rack of clothes that serves as our wardrobe department?”

She laughed along with him. “How about you show me your car?” She noticed his confused look. “If I don’t get home now and get ready for work I’m going to be late. I wish I could stay Paul I really do but unfortunately duty calls.”

“Hey that’s ok.” Paul answered not in the least offended. “You’re a doctor. It’s not as if you’re blowing me off to go out partying.”

“I wish.” She muttered under her breath. “I should probably go and say goodbye to Mark first. Do you know where he is? The last time I saw him he had been summoned by the boss.”

“I think he’s still in with Vince.” He said. “I’ll take you along there.”

“What? No, I can’t interrupt him when he’s in with his boss!” She said surprised that he would even suggest such a thing.

“Ok.” He told her with a shrug. “What would you rather do, leave without saying goodbye? Not a very nice thing to do … especially with what happened earlier.”

“What’s that supposed to mean?” Tara asked sharply pulling her hand from his.

He quickly held his hands up in front of him and smiled. “Hey, hey calm down. I just thought it looked like you had been crying earlier when you came out of your dad’s locker room.”

“Yeah well.” She grumbled to herself a little. “It was kind of intense. We did some talking. It’s something that we should have done a long time ago. Ok, I get your point. Let’s go and find him.”

-o0o-

Paul knocked on the door of the room that Vince was using as a makeshift office while they were in the arena. He opened the door a little and stuck his head around it. “Sorry to interrupt you guys but I need to borrow Mark for a few moments.”

Mark sighed. What the hell did Levesque want now? “What can I do for you Paul?”

“Well Tara has to leave now if she wants to get to work on time and she wanted to see you before she goes.” Paul said simply but he didn’t miss the way that his friend’s face fell when he had said that his daughter was leaving. “She’s right out here … she wouldn’t come in, she didn’t want to interrupt your meeting with your boss.” He laughed.

Mark looked across at Vince and smiled. “Excuse me for a few minutes Vince.” He watched the older man smile and nod. He knew that it would be no problem. He headed out into the hallway and saw her leaning against the wall waiting for him. Damn, but it felt good that his daughter was waiting to see him. Before today she probably would have crossed a road to avoid him.

Paul looked from Tara to Mark and back again. Looked like he was definitely not needed here. “I’ll be outside waiting in the car for you Tara. Don’t hurry though, take as long as you need.” Then he took off.

She smiled at Mark a little sadly. They had just connected again and now they were already being separated by circumstances. “So, I guess this is it then?”

“Guess so.” Mark answered and sighed to himself, he was going to miss her. Crossing the short distance between them he enfolded her in his arms. “You know that I’m just a phone call away if you want to talk. I know that I’m going to be calling you every chance I get … and I should be getting a few days off in the not too distant future. I’ll come back and visit then.”

She punched him in the arm lightly. “You better.” She said in distinctly choked sounding voice. “I have a feeling that I’m going to miss you and your lunatic friends. I haven’t decided yet if that’s good or bad.”

Mark laughed. “It’s good baby …it’s very good.”

“While we’re on the subject, you have to think of something else to call me.” Tara said with a grin. “You cannot calling me baby.”

“But you are my baby.” He pointed out to her.

She rolled her eyes. “At twenty-five Mark I’m too old to be anyone’s baby.” She tightened her hold on him reflexively. She was finding it difficult to let him go and she laid her head on his massive chest. “Take care … don’t do anything stupid out there ok.” Finally she pulled herself out of his embrace. “Say goodbye to Glenn for me. I’ll call you.” She said as she walked backwards along the hallway until it became too painful to look at him knowing that in just a few short hours he wouldn’t be in town anymore. Then she turned and ran towards the parking lot.

Mark leaned one shoulder against the wall and watched her go trying to ignore the pain that he was feeling right now. “Bye baby.” He whispered then headed back into Vince’s office knowing that he wouldn’t be able to concentrate on anything that was said.

-o0o-

As soon as Tara ran out into the cool air her lungs burning with the effort of holding in her tears the car pulled up alongside her smoothly. She quickly opened the door and leapt into the passenger seat. It was only then that she noticed who was driving and she smiled. “What are you doing here and where’s Paul?”

Glenn shrugged. “I persuaded him to let me take you home.” He lied smoothly. He had to use a wide and varied catalogue of veiled threats to get Paul to relinquish the responsibility of driving Tara home. He looked into her sad eyes. “Are you ok?”

“I’m better now.” She said honestly then felt like kicking herself. (What the hell did you say that for Tara? Why don’t you just climb onto his lap?) That thought instantly took her to a happy visual place and she turned her head feigning great interest in the passing scenery.

Glenn looked at her out of the corner of his eye and caught her smile just before she turned away. He wondered what had caused it then smiled himself as he turned his full attention back to the road. “I’ll have you home in no time.”

CHAPTER 12

Tara dashed into the house leaving the door open for Glenn to follow her. “Just make yourself at home.” She called behind her as she dashed in to the hallway pulling off her jacket. “There’s coffee in the kitchen … help yourself.” She turned around and ran straight into him. “Whoops sorry.” She said with a laugh

Glenn steadied her placing his hands on her shoulders. “Whoa, didn’t anyone ever tell you more haste less speed?” He asked looking down at her with a smile.

“A few people but I still end up rushing everywhere.” She told him with a shrug suddenly very reluctant to move from this exact spot. She kind of liked it right here.

He didn’t move, he liked where he was right now. Without realising that he was doing it he slid his hands down her arms. “I just realised that you don’t have your car. You left it at the hospital last night … we brought you home. Do you want me to hang around and give you a lift to work?”

“That would be great.” She answered quickly … maybe too quickly. She blushed. “I mean, thank you. As long as I’m not taking you away from anything important.”

He arched a brow. “You just came from the arena Tara, you know that you aren’t taking me away from anything important.” He took a step closer to her unaware that he was even doing it.

“What can I say?” She said, her voice suddenly having taken on a husky quality. “My mother brought me up to be polite.” (Oh my god, is he going to kiss me? Oh, I hope he’s going to kiss me.) She moved a step closer and looked up at him. Then she waited … and waited. “She didn’t bring me up to be that polite.” She murmured and pulled him down towards her.

Glenn laughed softly just before his lips touched hers and he wrapped his arms around her. He had wanted to kiss her but didn’t want to move too fast, he was glad that she had taken the decision out of his hands. They kissed gently for a few minutes before he flicked his tongue out and swept it over her lips hearing her make an incoherent noise. He felt her lips open slightly under his and he didn’t waste anymore time, he slipped his tongue inside.

(Oh, he is so tall.) Tara thought as she slipped her arms up to encircle his neck. (And such a good kisser … though personally I wouldn’t really remember what it’s like to be kissed good or otherwise.) She almost laughed but then felt his tongue slip into her mouth and stroke at hers. She tightened her hold on him a moan escaping her.

He felt her moan reverberate through him and wanted nothing more than to start ripping her clothes off. He was pretty sure though that would make her very late for work. Reluctantly he broke the kiss and pressed his lips to her temple. “Um, not that I’m not enjoying this but didn’t you come back here for a reason?”

“I did?” Tara asked feeling completely dazed and breathing heavily. “I did! Oh my god, if I don’t move it I will be so late.” She hurried over to the stairs and began to run up them … then turned and ran back towards him and placed a quick kiss on his lips. She smiled at him. “Just need a little something to tide me over.” Then she hurried towards the bathroom.

-o0o-

Glenn sat in the living room trying to tune out the sounds of the running shower coming from upstairs and trying to control his body’s reaction to her. He rolled his eyes amazed at how easily she was able to tie him up in knots; there was something special about her. (I am so dead.) He thought to himself. If Mark had any idea what he was thinking when he looked at that girl he would no doubt find himself on the end of a fist. He sighed; he didn’t want to think of this situation as a mess, he didn’t want to think of anything involving Tara as a mess. He looked around at the papers and photographs liberally covering every surface. She was obviously still going through her mother’s things. He picked up a few pictures and began to look at them, smiling at the different images of her from child to woman. She looked happy in them and then he came across a few that made him frown.

He couldn’t really judge how old Tara was in these pictures; at best he would say early teens. They seemed to leap out at him because they were so different from the others. In fact she looked like a different girl. There were no smiles shining out from these. Her hair hung limply down her back and although the sun seemed to be shining brightly in them she was covered from head to foot in clothes that would have been better suited to winter weather. He shrugged slightly. What did he know about how it felt to be a girl at that age? Maybe she had just been overwhelmed by how quickly everything in her life was changing. Still looking at them made him uncomfortable because he could almost feel the unhappiness radiating from her … especially when they were all mixed in with such happy, friendly shots. Hearing the shower stop running jolted him back to the present and made certain parts of him leap back to attention. Just knowing that she was running about upstairs naked had that effect on him. He leaned his head back on the chair and groaned to himself a little … he was not going to go up there. He was pretty sure that he could lie convincingly to his friend about kissing his daughter but when it came to seeing her au naturale he wasn’t so sure.

-o0o-

Tara dashed from the bathroom to her bedroom wrapped in a towel. She cast a quick glance at the clock on her bedside table and rolled her eyes. Why was she always running at the last minute? She began to pull the towel from her body and rub herself dry as she did so she couldn’t stop her mind from wandering to the man who was currently sitting downstairs in her living room. A smile curved her lips. She wanted him so badly and it had been a long time since she had felt this kind of pull towards a man. She wondered what it would be like to be with him … make love to him and she almost moaned out loud at the jolt of desire that sent through her body straight between her legs. As she dragged and rubbed the soft towel over her skin she could almost imagine that it was him … that he was touching her. Sliding it across her breasts she couldn’t stop the moan that escaped her lips, her nipples already so erect that the slightest touch made her feel weak. More than anything she wanted him to walk into this room right now. Her eyes went to the door as if all of her thoughts could have conjured him up. He didn’t walk through the door and she sighed and shook her head. God, she really was becoming a pathetic creature. Shaking herself out of her reverie she continued to get herself ready for work.

-o0o-

Glenn heard her coming bounding back down the stairs and hurriedly shoved the pictures that he was looking at back onto the table. He couldn’t stop the smile that curved his lips as she appeared in the doorway. God, she was pretty. He found himself silently thanking the fact that she appeared to take after her mother. “That was quick. You’ve got that down to a fine art.” He said.

Tara shrugged. “It comes with the territory. If you’re going to do this job you have to be able to get yourself ready in the minimum amount of time.” (And not spend any time touching yourself.) She added silently then smiled to herself.

“What’s so funny?” Glenn asked as he watched her cross the room towards him.

Her smile got wider. (If you only knew Mr Jacobs, I have a feeling that you would be very surprised.) “Nothing.” She said happily then her smile faltered as she saw the photos lying on the coffee table. Oh my god, she couldn’t believe that she had just left those lying out where anyone could see them. Trying to make the movement as casual as she swept them up in a pile of papers that was also lying on the table. She moved them into the kitchen and then returned to the living room. She knew that it was time to go but she couldn’t resist sitting down on the couch next to him with a slight sigh, he just looked so at home there.

Reaching out with his arm he pulled her against him economically. They had very little time left together and he wanted to be as close to her as possible. “I’m not stepping over the line am I?” He asked her quietly, watching as she looked up at him with unfocused eyes and shook her head no. “I didn’t think so.” He grinned as he lowered his lips to hers and watched her eyes flutter closed. He kissed her thoroughly only pulling back when he realised that time was definitely not on their side. He pressed his forehead to hers. “We better go.” He breathed out. “I have a feeling that if we don’t make a move now that we’ll never get out of this house.”

“Yeah.” She agreed. “I’ve been getting that feeling too.” She watched as he stood and pulled her up with him. She grabbed her bag and jacket and they headed towards the front door.

Suddenly, just before they stepped outside Glenn stopped her. “I have two days off in a little more than a week. Can I come and see you?”

Her eyes lit up. He wanted to see her again. “Yes … yes please. I’d like that.”