"Don't ever stop loving me
can you imagine the earth
without her sun"
-Gemma Troy

◇◇◇

My eyes met Randy’s and I saw him take a box from the table and open it up but I wasn’t focused on what it held but instead the blue eyes of the man I loved as I could tell he was nervous as he licked over his lips and seemed to take a deep breath. It was something he often did out in the ring when he was deciding which direction to go in a rant or how to respond when someone’s words had thrown him off.
"Nicole, I could start off this proposal with claiming how it was love at first sight but if I'm honest it wasn’t. Because I have known you for almost a decade and the first time I saw you I didn’t see you as more than a colleague. Didn’t give you a second glance because I was a married man and devoted to my wife. So, when I saw you again as one that wasn’t, a man making a new beginning without someone he had been with his entire life it was then that I saw you in a new light." He smiled a bit and glanced behind me at Alanna I'm sure, I couldn't check as my eyes wouldn't leave him.

"And when that light shone on those beautiful brown eyes of yours I was hooked, obsessed and that’s something you caught onto for a long time. I’d tell Alanna we’d be going on adventures and she always knew it was to spy on Coco and yeah it probably sounds creepy but deep down I knew that you wouldn’t want me. With my track record and with our past ventures you wouldn’t believe that I could be so hung up on you. That I craved you, needed you and truly loved you but I do. I love you so much, Stephanie Nicole Garcia. And most of the time I look at you and I must ask myself how I got so lucky because I don’t see any flaws when I look at you cause all that you are is all that I love." He shrugged.

"Your attitude, the running, the fears, the concerns because I am the same and you are the female version of me in so many ways but you’re also not. Because you’re gentle and you foolishly loved and lost but I’m happy that you did because I got to pick up the pieces and when they were glued together I got to have the woman that others were stupid to let go of. So, before my knee gives out I should probably shut up and save some sentimental crap for our vows, so Nicole Garcia will you make this predator’s dreams come true and be his prey for the rest of his life?"

It felt like time stood still and I realized he had stopped talking and the reason was the voice in my ear. "Coco, Daddy's waiting"

He remained silent and searched my eyes and it was honestly like my entire life flashed before my eyes. All the heartache and insecurities, the uncertainties and they all meshed into one thing, a path that led me to my savior and that took the form of a man that was staring at me. The man who had always seen me as enough, the prey to satisfy everything in him and had never given up on me even when he should have. The man who fought for our love just as hard as I did, he was my twisted saint and would never fail to be…

"Yes" I croaked and only realized then I was crying as I watched the ring being put onto my finger and felt Alanna’s arms around me. He chuckled and placed a kiss on my lips before wrapping his arm around both of us.

"Not the way we wanted to spend Christmas Eve, is it?" Randy smirked as I sat beside his bed, tearing my thoughts away from the high of his proposal.

I had spaced as the nurse was checking all of his vitals and prepping him and I tried to ignore her checking him out but I couldn’t. So I had settled for just blocking it out and by the smirk on his face I had probably had a huge goofy smile on mine.

I knew marriage was in my future, he hadn't failed to tell me so I told myself to be patient. But as the days went by and he continued to just be all sweet with me I wondered when it would happen. I wondered if maybe since he was married before he thought we were perfect as we were. Yes I love us, we were great together but I believed in marriage and it solidifying everything. And as always, Randy swept me off my feet and made me feel like the queen I was in his life. He had managed to do another thing I hadn’t expected, pretended to be a grumpy ass when in fact he was moments away from proposing and adding Alanna just made it all the more special. They were my family, along with my little Joseph, and I couldn’t wait to spend the rest of my life with all of them.

I stared down at my name marked on his skin and sighed, he was about half hour away from surgery and my nerves were in full force. Maybe that’s why I had my thoughts drift to what would probably be the best night of my life.

I had really hoped we wouldn't be in this situation, it seemed simple because it wasn’t career threatening like mine but it was still the man I loved going under the knife. He was hurt, my sinful savior was in pain and it therefore hurt me. I tried to be strong for Randy because I was all he had here due to it being Christmas Eve. What doctor schedules a surgery then? One who only realized days before that it wasn't going to heal over time.

"Not at all, but I'm just happy you'll be on your way to recovery soon enough." I stood up and kissed his forehead a couple times before I leaned down and kissed his lips. I felt his tongue wanting to push past my lips but I shook my head and pulled away.

"Seriously? I could have some complications and you're not going to give me my last kiss, Garcia?"

"Don't even joke like that, Randy" I glared at him.

"I'm sorry" He stared at me apologetically and I knew I should have probably been giving him a kiss he wouldn’t forget but just like he could feel my love I didn’t want him to feel my nerves.

"I'm sorry that Alanna won't be here tomorrow." I slowly traced my thumb over the creases on his forehead while my fingers were buried in his hair. Since we hadn’t been on TV in months he had let his hair grow in and I liked it and he liked it especially when I would tug on it while being on top of him.

"Its alright. I'm sorry it won't be much of a Christmas since we'll be in hospital. You know you can fly out to your family and still make it for your Christmas dinner" He offered when deep down we both knew that wasn’t the best option at all. Yes it would be the first time I would be missing the Christmas dinner at my mom’s place but they all understood. I also didn’t feel comfortable flying out on my own, it made sense for us to just be fixed where we were since I would be having my own surgery next month.

"Yeah you’ll probably be an old man and be sleeping the day away"

"How could I ever when I have you to look at. I'm sure they would have loved to see you though, more importantly see the rock on your hand."

I giggled as my eyes fell on the diamond that draped my finger and recalled the morning when I had made the three important calls to my mom, Brie and Colby. They had all been over the moon and Colby had even said he would fly out but of course that didn’t happen as I made him swear not to. I knew he was staying with Hunter and it would raise suspicion and I didn’t want anyone else knowing just yet. I just wanted to be in our own bubble, even if that bubble was located inside a hospital.

"It is a rock hey. Did you pick it out yourself cause I know that Brie had no idea?" I gently traced over it before focusing on my one and only fiance.

"Your sister isn’t the best person to tell secrets to, we both know that, and I couldn’t tell John because he cant keep anything from her. Your mom knew, she just didn’t know when, I wanted my future wife to have the ability to surprise everyone and rub it in their faces" He smirked and I loved that he knew me so well but then again after spending so many years close to me I guess it would have been odd if he didn't.

I smiled, "you didn’t just propose because you found out I told Nick we were engaged"

He shook his head, "No, but I will admit that it was an eye opener."

"An eye opener?" I frowned as I thought his eyes were wide open to the fact that he loved and wanted only me for the rest of his life.

"You say you want it all, its no secret and you say you want it with me but I don't know, apart of me was still waiting for you to change your mind, maybe thought you were settling"

"Settling? Randy Orton is the one I'm settling for? Mmm I think you're loopy on some meds" I pouted slightly as he had mentioned the idea of being a consolation prize before and I had made sure he knew he was anything but.

He chuckled, "I might just be. I love you a lot, Garcia and I say it an annoying amount. Loving you comes easy to me and I was always afraid that would be our downfall. You love the challenge and in no insult to you but I was always sure that's why you kept going back to Nick and Hunter. You wanted to be their one that they would risk it all for and it was frustrating not to be."

I smiled slightly, "your love came easy, but us? It wasn't easy, it was a struggle because our personalities are so alike at times but look where we are"

"In a hospital with me probably not making it out with my fiance refusing to give me a good make out session"

"Funny. Its a shoulder surgery, Randal. You'll be fine and I will be here waiting when you eventually wake up" I shook my head at him trying to seduce me.

"Come on, just one good kiss. Wanna grab that ass of yours" He mused and I stared into his blue eyes knowing he wanted to lighten the mood as the time approached. Even if he didn't kiss me he knew I was scared and nervous, because he was too. But neither of us would admit it because vulnerability wasn't our favourite thing of course.

"You are still obsessed with me, Viper" I stood up and set my hand on his chest before grazing my lips over his. I gently kissed him but felt his tongue push past my lips as he refused gentle and I immediately returned it.

I felt his good arm wrap around me and tugged on his hair as I broke the kiss and rest my forehead against his.

He smirked, "Always will be"

▲▲▲▲

I woke up to the sound of a Christmas carol and almost forgot I was in hospital. I stared over at the seat that had been occupied by my fiancé hours before but it was empty.

Yes the Viper had a fiance.

While I had been planning a whole New Year's Eve proposal with her surrounded by her family, I couldn't resist catching her completely offguard. It helped that I got my little Alanna in on it too, she was real excited about it. The look on Nicole's face was priceless and I loved it, apart of me hadn't expected her to be that surprised considering I was not shy at all about wanting to give her all she ever wanted. But that look in her eyes as she said yes to being my wife just made it more real even for a snake set on it from the beginning...

I glanced around the room and briefly wondered if she was even still in the hospital. I had told her she didn’t have to keep me company and to fly out to join her family but I will admit not seeing her made me feel sad and fucking lonely. Did she really leave me after making sure the surgery was successful?

I looked for the button so that I could alert someone I was awake instead of waiting around for someone to stumble in to observe me. Before I could find it I heard the door open wide and saw a huge Christmas tree in the doorway. I frowned but soon heard a ‘shit’ from my beloved Nicole Garcia as she struggled getting it in.

I smiled as she set it in the corner of the room before she turned to me and her eyes widened.

"Did I wake you? I tried to be quiet" She sighed, briefly glancing at me before making sure the tree was stable and plugging it in so the lights filled the room.

I chuckled as I was still confused maybe I was hallucinating,  "No, I woke up a few minutes ago, I actually thought you left."

She frowned and moved towards me, "I know I have a track record of running away from you, Orton but I promise I wont be leaving you again. You’re my family, you know?"

"So you got me a Christmas tree to prove that you’re happy spending the holidays in hospital with me?" I smiled as when I had heard the surgery would be done on Christmas Eve gone was the vision I had of us and Alanna sitting around the Christmas tree in PJs opening gifts. It was a simple vision but something I had lacked for a long time around this time of year.

"Well…"

"What did you do, Garcia?" I narrowed my eyes at her not sure where she had managed to get the tree from.

"No one really goes down that hallway, the tree was going unappreciated so I thought it would look perfect here" She shrugged and sat down beside me on my bed.

"So you stole a Christmas tree?"

"It was for a good cause, wouldn’t you agree?" She smirked and I smiled and saw her reach onto my bedside table and place a Santa hat onto my head.

"Now if this isn't a good Christmas I don't know what is" I smiled and hoped no one would come long for it.

"I know its not what either of us would consider as ideal but just think, next Christmas we'll hopefully have Alanna with us" She smiled and I was about to respond when I heard her phone going off.

"Its Colby. I'll be right back" I nodded as she exited the room and I held back the annoyance at him not being able to go one day without speaking to her.

I was trying my best to just set aside my personal feelings for the guy. I mean I had taken his advice for her birthday and even stood by as they stood side by side as winners on the night of the proposal. He was the main loyal man in her life for a very long time so I knew there would be times I would just have to accept that he would get her attention. I didn't say it would be easy but I was never one to say no to a challenge.

"Isn't April with him?" I questioned as Nicole returned and set her phone down before she sat beside me again.

"No, he is celebrating with Hunter them remember? But just wanted to catch up for a bit, why do you sound so annoyed?" She giggled and ran her fingers through my hair.

I cleared my throat, "I promised myself I wouldn't ask this question but do you know that he is in love with you?"

"What?" She laughed out like I knew she would because she was indeed oblivious when even his girlfriend knew. Not that she blatantly said it but I was good at reading between the lines. "Colby? Randy..."

"Hunter thinks so too..." I added before thinking it through.

"So you and Hunter are comparing notes now?" She narrowed her eyes and attempted standing up but I pulled on her hand.

"No. I just..."

She sighed before shaking her head, "Randy, do you realize how crazy you are sounding? Colby and I are close yes and yes we love each other in a purely innocent way. But he is in love with April.."

"I know he is. I guess you're right, I am crazy" I chuckled as I could see the mere idea of it didn't seem plausible to her. "What can I say? I just find it hard to believe that a man can be so close to you and not be in love"

A small smile crept onto her beautiful face, "Mmm I'll just blame it on the never ending rivalry between you two. But you're going to have to believe it, Orton."

"Maybe a good makeout session will help me believe it" I mused and she did just that as she leaned down and her lips met mine.

As usual I was way too greedy for her but this time she didn't mind as she returned the kiss eagerly.

The fact that Hunter and Colby were in love with her would never change that she was in love with me and as long as I knew that I didn't care if she was oblivious.