Tumors And Hearts

Xx-nikki-xX

I woke up to the sound of Alaric Saltzman’s voice. I opened my eyes and saw a re-run of Vampire Diaries playing on the TV in the hotel room.

“You did kill her brother.” he said.

“There is a huge asterisk next to that statement: he came back to life.” Damon Salvatore’s voice said.

I sat up, but immediately regretted it when my head started throbbing. I groaned and lied back down.

“She finally awakes!” Manda said coming out of the bathroom.

I grabbed my phone off the bedside table and checked the time. It was about 11:30am.

“What happened?” I asked.

“You’re tumor acted up last night during our match and made you and Sarah lose.” she said sitting down on the edge of my bed. “Shannon came out and carried you backstage and then you passed out in his arms. The medic said you got a concussion from the way you landed when I knocked you off the turnbuckle. So I’d imagine that that mixed with your tumor equals not good.”

“Shit.”

“Yup.”

“Did Shannon…”

“Find out about your tumor?” she finished for me. “No.”

I sighed with relief.

“Nikki, you really need to tell him.” Manda said. “You can’t keep this from him forever. What if he had found out last night?”

I looked away from Manda and focused on the TV as Elena, Damon, and Alaric arrived at Duke University. “I know.” I said at last.

It was silent for a while, the only sounds coming from the TV that was still playing Vampire Diaries.

“This is Damon Salvatore… who you just shot.” Elena said to a former student of Isobel’s.

“I’d be extra nice to me right now.” Damon said.

There was suddenly a knock on the door. Manda got up from the edge of my bed and went to answer the door. I looked over to see a slightly worried looking Shannon standing in the doorway.

“You’re Lover Boy’s here.” Manda said stepping aside for him to come in.

I smiled as he came in and headed over to my bed. He just sorta stood at the edge for a few seconds until I patted the space next to me on the bed. He smiled lightly before sitting down next to me.

“Hey,” he said. “How are you feeling?”

“I can’t sit up without getting major head pains but other than that I think I’ll live.” I said.

“The medic said you got a major concussion last night.” he said.

“Manda told me.” I said as she lay down across the foot of my bed, facing the TV.

It almost seemed like Shannon was afraid to touch me. Not wanting to sit up, I slid my head from the pillow to Shannon’s lap. He seemed to relax after a few seconds and started stroking my hair.

The episode ended and Manda stood up. “Well, I’m off to go work out with Lauren and Jamie.” she said stretching.

“I’ll go with you.” I said sitting up way to fast.

I groaned in pain and grabbed my head. I couldn’t tell if my head was hurting because of my tumor or the concussion… or both.

“No you won’t.” Manda and Shannon said at the same time.

“The medic said you have to rest.” Manda said.

I lay back down, using Shannon’s lap as a pillow, as the next episode of Vampire Diaries started.

“Fine.” I sighed in frustration as Manda grabbed her gym bag and headed out of the room.

We stayed in bed for most of the day watching the Vampire Diaries marathon. Shannon must have been really worried about me because he didn’t even complain about watching something like this.

About halfway through the episode when Caroline helps Tyler get ready for his first time turning into a werewolf Shannon got a text from Jeff and his brother Matt – who just recently joined TNA.

“Would you be mad if I left?” he asked me. “Matt and Jeff and some of the guys wanna go out to a bar.”

I grabbed my own phone and saw that it was already 7:35pm. “Go ahead.” I said.

“Are you sure?” he asked.

“Yup.”

“I could stay if you want me to…”

I turned my head up to look at him – we hadn’t really moved all day except to go to the bathroom and when Shannon left to get food for us. “Shannon. Go ahead and go. I don’t want to hog you all to myself. You should spend some time with your friends.”

He leaned down and kissed my forehead. “I love you.”

“I love you too.” I said smiling. “Come on. I’ll walk you to the door.”

“Are you sure you should be getting up?” he asked.

“I’m feeling a lot better.” I said slowly sitting up. I smiled when my head didn’t start hurting. “See. I’m fine.”

He gave me a concerned look before getting up. Once I stood up Shannon came over and placed his hands on my waist. He walked behind me to the door – probably paranoid that I might faint again or something. I opened the door and leaned against its frame. I hugged him goodbye and kissed him again.

“Have fun.” I said as he started heading down the hall.

Samoa Joe and the Pope were walking down the hall too. They looked from Shannon’s back to me and started whispering. I decided to ignore it and shut the door.

Xx-shannon-xX

I waited patiently for the elevator to reach my floor. Samoa Joe and the Pope showed up. I smiled and nodded at them – I'd never really talked to them before. They smiled back and turned away from me. I could hear them whispering and wondered what they were talking about.

The elevator ding-ed and the doors slid open. I stepped on and hit the 2 button as Joe and Elijah stepped on too.

“What floor?” I asked politely.

“Lobby.” Elijah said.

I nodded again and hit the button as the doors closed.

Joe and Elijah kept whispering. It was really starting to piss me off.

“So Shannon.” Joe said. “How is it?”

“How’s what?” I asked turning to face them.

“You know…” Elijah said smiling.

“No. I don’t.”

“The sex, man.” Joe said. “How’s Nikki in bed?”

“We aren’t having sex.” I said. “Nikki’s a virgin.”

“Suuuuuurrrrrre she is.” Elijah said.

“Seriously man,” Joe said clapping me on the shoulder. “Why else would you be dating someone that young? She’s like, what, ten years younger than you?”

The doors of the elevator opened on the second floor. I rolled my eyes at them before getting off and heading to Matt and Jeff’s room.

Xx-nikki-xX

The Vampire Diaries marathon was over and I was flipping through the TV channels when Manda, Angelina, and Velvet came in. All of them looked extremely pissed.

“Well don’t you girls look all bright and bubbly?” I asked.

They looked at each other, none of them saying anything.

“What happened?” I asked in a more serious tone.

“It’s Shannon.” Jamie said.

“What about him?” I asked looking from one face to another.

“Well,” Lauren said. “We don’t know for sure… but people are going around saying he’s only with you for sex.”

“Seriously?” they all nodded. “That is such bullshit!” I all but yelled. “We aren’t even having sex! I’m still a virgin!”

“For now anyway.” Jamie said quietly.

I sat there in the silence, trying to get a grasp on what they had told me. After a few seconds I got out of bed and grabbed my black and red stripped hoodie.

“Where are you going?” Manda asked as I slipped on my shoes.

“I’m going to find Shannon.” I said heading for the door.

I walked down to the elevators and hit the down button, still trying to sort things out in my mind. I had no idea where Shannon was – or if he was even still at the hotel. The elevator ding-ed and the doors opened. I stepped on and decided to try the lobby. I hit the button harder than necessary and as the doors closed I could see Lauren, Jamie, and Manda watching from down the hall.

It seemed like luck was on my side. I found Shannon in the lobby with Jessie, Matt, Jeff, the Massies, Alex, and Chris.

“Hey Nikki.” Alex said as I walked past him.

I ignored him and went up to Shannon.

“What are you doing out of bed?” Shannon asked. “You should be resting.”

“I need to talk to you.” I said.

Vaguely aware of the others watching I grabbed his wrist and pulled him a good distance away from them.

“What’s wrong?” Shannon asked when I turned to face him.

“Why are you with me?” I asked.

“What?” he asked, a confused look on his face.

“Why are you with me?” I asked again.

“Because I love you.”

“Is that the truth?”

“Nikki, of course it is.” he said. “What’s all this about?”

“People are saying you’re only with me because you want sex from me.”

“What?!” he exclaimed looking pissed. “Who told you that?”

“Does it matter?” I said. “Why are people saying that?”

“I don’t know Nikki, honestly!” he said.

I gave him a look that clearly said I didn’t believe him. He tried to grab my hands but I pulled away.

“How could you believe that?” he said. “It’s not like I’m even pressuring you for sex!”

I turned around and started to walk away. I didn’t know if I should believe him or not. How was I supposed to know if he was really like that? I just met him when I started wrestling in TNA.

Shannon grabbed my shoulder and turned me around to face him again. “Nicolette, I swear I’m not lying.” he said. “I love you and I would never do something like that.”

“I need some time to think.” I said before walking away.