Nikki ran across the hotel room to me, joyously throwing her arms around my waist, refusing to let me get away from her ever again. I winced in pain, and her grip loosened.

"I was so worried..." she whispered.

"I'm fine," I replied, weakly smiling. "I told the whores I hired to drive really carefully." She let out a half-laugh, half-sob, and her grip tightened once again.

"Well, I'm just glad they got my man back to me in one piece," she decided. She finally released me, and I took her face in my hands. Her skin was so beautiful, almost glowing in the dim light from the ceiling fan overhead.

"I'm just glad they didn't rob me," I added. "There were a lot of them. They could have overpowered me."

She chuckled again, then: "Are you okay now, though?" I adopted the serious tonal shift, too, hesitating.

"I... I was at the cliffs."

"...Why?"

"I was looking for myself."

She wasn't thrown by my words; in fact, she immediately accepted them. "And did you succeed?" I paused again, thinking.

"No. But I found something better: the truth."

"What truth?" She appeared a lot more worried now, another tear rolling down her cheek.

"Azrael showed me some of it, and I was determined to find the rest. And I did. I learned that I need to keep pushing, to keep fighting, to keep moving forward. If I don't, I'll wither away."

She looked at me, though it was more like she was looking into me. "There's more, isn't there?"

This time I didn't hesitate. "Yes. I love you. And I need your help." She looked puzzled.

"What could I possibly do?"

"Be there for me. Always."

She almost laughed. "That's silly. I already do that."

"But I've never really appreciated it like I should. Never again. Your love will drive me, will keep me alive. Keep me sane." She put her arms around my neck, her face inches from mine.

"You're not crazy. You just needed direction."

"And I've found it." I paused again, frowning. "Do I deserve to face Azrael?"

"Absolutely! Why? Do you doubt yourself?" I looked down, but she took my chin in her hand and lifted my gaze back to her eyes. The seriousness in them was almost intimidating.

She said clearly, "You are not making a mistake. You will wrestle him, and win or lose, you will make the fans happy. When they leave, they will remember you, and they will all believe you belong there in front of them. I can guarantee that." I smiled in spite of myself. She didn't mince words.

"Thank you," I said, nodding. "Thank you for always loving me."

"That will never change." I smiled again, but a thought that came to me drained it away. She noticed. "What's wrong, Jaymz?"

"There's one more loose end to tie up." I turned to cross the room, but she would not let go. I looked back to her. The grin on her face, biting the corner of her lower lip, her eyes looking up at me.

She didn't speak. She didn't have to.

We leaned in toward each other, our eyes closed...

She loves me too much.