The Way to Eden

Eden woke with a splitting headache of her own. She slowly opened her eyes to unfamiliar and moving surroundings. Trying to sit up she realized one of her arms and her legs were bound. The remaining limb was securely wrapped in a tight cloth and wouldn't move anyway. A piercing pain confirmed her suspicions: Rio had broken her arm, in possibly more than one place. She groaned softly attempting to stifle a cry of pain. That was another skill Samuel had taught her. It would never do to show one's enemy the effects of any injuries. And, like all of his lessons, Eden had learned it the hard way.

Once the pain had sufficiently subsided, she tried to ascertain her location. She appeared to be in the back of a van. There were no windows, so Eden couldn't see her location, though judging by the nonstop jarring motions of the vehicle she surmised that it was moving along a highway of some sort. Her mask had been removed and now lay a few feet from her. There were no signs of Rio as of yet and Eden knew she'd be in no condition to put up a fight. She'd just have to wait to see what the silver fighter had in store for her.

At least Jeff was still alive, she thought. She really hadn't wanted to hurt him but would have cut him anyway. Rio's appearance gave Jeff the opportunity to survive and a part of Eden was happy for it. But Samuel would doubtlessly turn up at some point to find out what happened. Henry would come, too. Now that she had a taste of Rio, Eden knew the woman could handle Henry without breaking a sweat. The man was demented if he thought even Jeff's death would weaken her enough for him to kill her. Eden found a renewed and intensified respect for the fighter Rio was and would always be.

But that didn't mean she liked her any more than she did before. She'd ruined Eden's chance to prove to Samuel that her training was successful and she was probably turning Jeff against her as well. Not that Jeff had any reason to trust Eden at this point. She'd gone and proven his brother and all of his friends right with her actions. She thought of his confused expression just before she hit him. He'd seen the knife, she was sure of it. She'd kissed him goodbye then readied to kill him. What had she become? She was still trying to figure it out. Life was so much simpler before Henry contracted her to eliminate someone, and before Jeff had made her the offer of her own salvation. Even if she did miraculously find her way out of Rio's clutches, where would she go from here? She sighed and closed her eyes again against her thoughts. She should have listened to Jeff.

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Jeff contentedly snuggled into the warm body next to him. The sun was streaming through the windows and the birds were singing outside. It took him a second, but memories of the previous night slowly trickled back to his conscious mind. He tightened his grip and sighed, burying his face into the mass of crimson hair on the pillow next to him.

"You're going to have to wake up sometime, Jeff," Tara's amused voice broke his serenity.

"Do not," he whined.

"Do too," she countered pulling herself up to a sitting position.

"Aw, what'dja do that fo', Ri?"

"We have a lot to do before Todd gets here."

"I KNEW 'e was followin' me!"

"Somebody had to," she made a face as she got up and made her way to the bathroom.

Jeff turned onto his back and stared at the ceiling as he waited for her to return. He'd given up wondering why she was with him last night and just lived the moment snuggling with her in their sleep. He figured she needed to feel him or she wouldn't have gotten into the bed to begin with him. But he also knew she was feeling more sisterly towards him than anything else and that she had no inclination to change their relationship. Strangely enough, that realization came as a relief, as Jeff found his own feelings for another fighter growing with an alarming intensity. He sure as hell couldn't understand it, but then he never took much time to dissect his feelings before, so why should now be any different?

Tara emerged from the bathroom a few minutes later and stood against the wall studying him carefully. Uh oh, he thought. He knew in that instant that she was aware of his feelings.

"She's with my fathers," she said without preamble. "I don't know why you're worried about her, though. She wasn't particularly concerned about you."

"Ya soundin' like Matt when I first metcha," he said with a quirked brow.

She flushed and looked away silently.

"I don' meanta make ya feel bad, Ri," he sighed sitting up and feeling the pain rush to his jaw. Sin packed quite a punch. "But she's a lot mo' like ya than eitha o' ya are willin' ta admit."

"She tried to KILL you," Tara growled, her eyes returning to his with a ferocious intensity. "Never, in all of my wildest fighting days, did I EVER contemplate taking a life."

"She didn' wanna do it."

"Really? I couldn't tell, you know. Her glittering knife held my attention."

"I saw 'er eyes, Ri," Jeff said as he shook his head. "She didn' wanna do it ta me. This traina o' 'ers 'as 'er so twist'd, she don' kno' right fro' wrong. We gotta 'elp 'er."

Tara sighed and looked away again. Jeff thought she would put her foot down, much like Matt, Shane and Shannon would. But when she looked back over at him, he saw nothing but understanding. She told she knew she'd have died without his help. And, apparently, she knew Sin would, too.

"I think we should let Sven take a crack at her first," Tara said. "He's had experience with troubled women."

"I bet," Jeff smiled.

"If she does anything else threatening to you, I refuse to be responsible for my actions," she added warningly.

"Point taken."

"Now then, we have to call Mr. McMahon and arrange for you to take a few days off."

"Why? I'm fine."

"Henry's expecting you to be dead," Tara grimaced walking over to sit on the edge of the bed. "That's when he'll reveal himself to me."

"Ya think?"

"Unfortunately, I know."

"Ya think 'e's watchin' th' 'ouse?"

"No, he's likely watching Shannon and his cousin, mistaking her for me."

"Yaw devious ta th' point o' scary."

"I know," she grinned. "Then we have to call Matt."

"Do we hafta?"

"YES!" she yelled pinching his arm. He yelped and she smiled again. "He's been going through hell, Jeff."

Jeff immediately felt contrite, knowing Matt has had more than his fair share of sleepless nights courtesy of his reckless little brother.

"I kno' 'e 'as."

"Stop looking guilty," she sighed. "He'll get passed it . . . again."

"I meant what I said las' night, Ri," he said, noting her confused expression. "Don' tell Shan 'bout this." He gestured to the bed. "'E won' unnerstan'. I KNO' I wouldn'."

"I try not to keep secrets from him," she smiled. "And he would understand. But I won't tell him unless he asks."

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Nora couldn't figure out what Todd's deal was. He followed her everywhere and didn't even have the grace to look regretful about it. When she finally separated herself from her character, Molly, she thought she'd never be able to mend all of the broken friendships around her. She was still working on a lot of them, but of all, Amy's was the one she worked hardest on. She'd missed hanging out with the fiery redhead and was so relieved when Amy didn't reject her apologies.

Unfortunately, with Amy came Todd. They were almost a package deal. Nora knew Amy and Matt were still very much together and that Todd wasn't trying to steal the redhead away from his now-good friend. But she couldn't understand why he was always there. Amy only laughed it off when Nora asked her about it, saying that Todd had his own agenda and not to worry about it.

Now she found herself in the passenger seat of Todd's rental on her way to Jeff's house wondering how he managed to talk her into it. Well, okay, Amy talked her into it. She couldn't get out of some announcer meetings and she didn't want Todd going out there alone. Whatever that meant. Nora agreed, not wanting to test her newly re-found friendship. So here she was, pulling up Jeff's driveway, alongside another fiery redhead.

"Todd!" Jeff said as he stepped out the door to greet them. "Hey, Nor! Didn' kno' you two were travelin' t'getha."

"It's a new thing," Todd laughed as he bounded up the porch steps.

"Real new," Nora grunted following the two into the house.

Jeff's house was cluttered and full of gadgets and toys. Nora looked around curiously on her way to the kitchen. It seemed Jeff was as complicated as his wrestling character. In the kitchen, Tara stood facing the coffee pot. She was pouring the dark, fragrant brew into four mugs and setting them on the table. Nora noted the deep crimson locks with interest. Looking up, Tara locked eyes with her for the first time in . . . well, ever, actually. The last time they'd faced off, Tara was in her Rio finery, complete with mirrored shades. Nora, while sorry for what had transpired, refused to show any lingering fear now.

"I liked you better as a blonde," she told the smaller woman when she was handed a mug.

"Back at you," Tara smirked.

Jeff and Todd laughed lightly in the background but the women didn't acknowledge them. They were still sizing each other up.

"Still kicking up trouble?" Nora asked.

"Here and there," Tara shrugged stirring some sugar into her dark coffee.

"This any different?"

"Yeah," Tara replied sipping her drink and nodding toward Jeff. "He started it this time."

"Figures," Nora nodded taking a sip from her own mug.

"Hanging out with my brother these days?"

Both women shared a smile when they heard a small gulp behind them.

"He asked me to take the ride with him," Nora finally said. "Amy said she'd appreciate it, too."

"So, it's just a favor?"

Nora furrowed her brow in confusion. What else could it be? She just nodded at Tara and turned away, completely missing the amused look Tara exchanged with her brother.

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The van stopped suddenly and Eden didn't have time to anchor herself before her body lurched the side. She grunted in pain, but again refrained from crying out. A few seconds later, the side panel was yanked open to reveal a tall, blonde man. He regarded her for a moment, then scooped her up and carried her into a small, two-level house.

"Who the hell are you?" she demanded, struggling with her bonds.

He just smiled and carried her easily to a door off from the kitchen. Balancing her with one arm, he opened the door and made his way down a narrow stairway. Eden knew she was being taken to the basement. When they reached the bottom of the stairs, he carried her into a small room with heavy metal walls and a sturdy metal door. There he loosened her bonds and laid her on a bed.

"Who ARE you?" she asked again.

"I am Sven," he said smiling again. "One of Rio's fathers."

A shot coldness ran down her back. Rio had a father? Wait. He said fathers. Oh, shit. This couldn't be good at all. Whimpering, she tried to pull away from him.

"Do not try to struggle," he said in a calm, kind tone. "I need to set your arm before it heals wrong."

"You're going to help me?" she asked in astonishment. He nodded. "Why?"

"Rio has asked me to treat your injuries."

"Why would she?"

"You will have to ask her when she gets here," he said, extending his hand and waiting patiently for her arm.

This made no sense but Eden knew she was in no position to argue. She reluctantly held her arm out to him and hoped for the best.