A/N SURPRISE!! Thank you all so much for once again being so patient, at the bottom I am going to just leave a quick question and I would love your opinion.
Today as a day that Novalee had been waiting for since she had been thrown away by the group of people that were always meant to protect and love her no matter what decisions she made or what she chose to do with her life, she knew this day was going to be tough, but she couldn't help but feel elated that the years of planning was finally going to be worth something more to her than what ifs and maybes and she could not contain her excitement. As Marc drove them both to the arena, Nova couldn't help but look at the man and smile, being with him (even if it hadn't been for very long) was making her feel the happiest she had been in a really, really long time and she didn't want to lose that feeling again..she didn't want to lose him. When Cody and the rest of the family threw Nova to the wolves, there was a part of her that needed the comfort of being with someone so she didn't feel alone, which in turn had caused her to be involved with men who were no good for her or treated her worse than her family had done, bar one man who had made her feel a fraction of what she was feeling at that moment, but unable to reminisce over that time of her life Nova had locked it away so couldn't remember much of it. However, as soon as Marc had driven her home, making sure that she got in the house safely, she felt something she hadn't felt since her father had been alive...safe, as they talked more into the night, it became like a scene Novalee had only ever seen in crappy romcoms or read about in books. Once the pair began talking about everything from their careers to the in ring history and everything in between, they talked the night away (even as they laid in Nova's bed together) and for the pair, it had been the closest thing to normal that they had felt in a long time. In Marc's eyes, regardless of what anyone's thoughts or opinions were, to him, she was perfection and in his heart, at that moment and that is why he asked her to be his before anyone else on the roster could and he was both shocked and ecstatic when she said yes.
As they got closer to Daily's Place, Marc intertwined his free hand within the purple haired hellcats and asked her, noticing how quiet she was "How are you feeling about tonight mon amour? You are very quiet" " to which Nova responded with a confidence in her voice ad a huge smile on her face (something that made the man smile) "I am feeling good mi corazón, in fact I am feeling amazing, I am so ready to make my impact even more deadly.. prove to them finally that I am more than what they think I am... a mistake and a waste of space". However, as the woman replied to his question, Marc didn't buy any of what she was saying and responded firmly yet affectionally "Tell you what, why don't you try answering that question again, I haven't known you that long I know, but even I am not buying what you are selling, I can read you like a book" "Damn it to hell" she mumbled before continuing whilst looking out of the window, unsure even where to look "okay, here is the truth. Maybe there is a VERY small part of me that keeps thinking about pops and how he would react to everything if he was still here. Suppose there is a part of me that thinks that I am letting him down", listening to the woman finally admit the truth to him, Marc gazed out of the corner of his eye and felt his heart break as she quickly wiped a stray tear from her cheek. Knowing that he needed to give her his full attention, Marc quickly pulled into a off road and parked up "what are...." "firstly, if you want to cry, cry. There is no shame in feeling emotion Nove and I am not going to judge you, secondly.. after everything you have told me about the aftermath of them throwing you away, you are bound to think about your dad...it is natural. Everything I read about your dad and the kind of man that he was, I reckon he would be prouder of you than you could ever imagine and you aren't for one second letting him down. You aren't alone anymore Nove.. I promise you". After letting the woman cry in his arms for a few minutes, the couple continued their journey in a comfortable silence, Marc keeping the small hand of his girlfriend in his tightly, laying a kiss on her knuckles every time they stopped, an act of intimacy and care that caused a feeling that Novalee had missed but at the same time was scared of feeling.. she didn't want to be hurt again.
Getting closer to their destination, all Marc wanted to do was put a smile on the vixen's face, knowing he needed to change the subject in order to achieve the desired result, he asked "I meant to ask you actually, have you and Anna sorted out the training schedule yet princesse? I know that Anna is really excited about working with you", turning to face him, Nova replied, with a slight shock to her voice "she is?... I don't know why. We are going to sit down today I think and arrange everything. Looking at her in the ring, I can see a lot of me in her, she has it in her to be more amazing than she already is.. QT is great to train with from what I have heard, but he can only teach so much when it comes to the fine art of villianessness" "Is that Nova terminology" Marc joked before adding "like I said, I know she is really grateful to not only have you in the group, but that you are willing to help her at all. When she joined, she doesn't admit it to anyone, but it was tough on her, especially with the confusion over her character progression but having you to look up to now and help her, we all can see she is going to find her missing pieces" "I hope I can help her in any way I can. If I got anything from my dad, I'd like to believe it is my teaching style" Nova smiled, thinking of her father and touching her necklace. After finally arriving and eventually finding a parking space, Marc turned to face Nova and whilst she looked at her with the sun shining behind, lighting that made her look more like a walking angel, he said with a smile "I can't wait to see what outfit this beautifully evil mind of yours has come up with to piss your family off. Looking at the roster, I don't think anyone could pull off what you wear "flatterer... and it's outfits....." the purple haired woman smiled as she leant over and kissed him teasingly, winked and then got out of the truck, leaving the man smiling as he touched his lip. As he followed the woman to the back of her truck, Marc playfully growled and replied, as he fought the urge to pull the woman into the back of her truck and taking her there and then "You are killing me Noves, do I get a sneak peak at at least one of them?", to which his reply was once again a simple wink, after pulling out everything that needed, Marc stood in front of the woman and asked her whilst moving a piece of her hair and putting it behind her ear "so, are you still up for telling everyone tonight?" "yeah, of course I am. I can't think of a better time or place to do so, plus if you think about it...it will be the cherry on the top of the very evil cake", pecking his lips. Watching the woman struggle with her bags, Marc quickly and with ease grabbed and with the evil queen's hand in his and they made their way in, the feeling of having each others backs strong and something that neither of them ever wanted to loose.
Meanwhile, unaware of not only what Nova had in mind for her promo but the impact she was going to make Laura, Dustin, QT and Brandi were discussing strategy for the tag final later that night, and as they did, they all went silent as they heard Laura ask, not really caring about the awkwardness of the situation, "what if Nova tries to get involved in our match, she is BFF's with the other two after all", looking the woman up and down, Brandi then replied, pissed off with the stupidity of her tag partner "so what if she does? We will kick her ass, just like we will kick the other twos asses. When it comes to my dear, sweet sister in law, she talks a good game, but she isn't as good as she thinks she is ... she is nothing more than an average, run of the mill rookie". As he listened to the conversation between the two women and hearing that it was quite clearly hearing that the women's heads weren't in the game, QT stated firmly "you both need to to focus on your match and getting the win. You don't know enough about Novalee or Clemmie or whatever she is calling herself these days to know how dangerous she may or may not be or...." "She is a wannabe who has linked herself to a group of men, just like she always has done to further her non-existent career...she is and will always be nothing" Brandi fumed. As Dustin sat back and listened to the woman verbally assault his baby sister, he snapped and angrily declared to everyone in that room, a firmness in his voice that shocked everyone "whatever she has or has not done and whoever it is she has aligned herself with, she is the way she is because of what we did as her family when we threw her away and Brandi, I love you, you are my brothers wife and my family, but so is Novalee, so watch your mouth" angry at her brother in laws thinking, Brandi yelled back "she isn't that sweet and innocent Novalee anymore Dustin...she chose to leave.. she turned her back on her family when she decided to walk out of the door" "we threw her away!" Dustin responded, hearing enough of the woman's attack and choosing to walk out of the door before he could say anything else, hearing the door slam, Brandi shrugged her shoulders and exclaimed "he'll get over it" "I wouldn't be too sure QT replied, shocked at the man's outburst.
As Dustin walked the corridors, trying to make sense of not only what had just gone on in the dressing room, but more importantly, 'The Natural' was trying to get his head around seeing his baby sister's new look and personality.. something that had shocked him more than her reappearance seemingly out of thin air. When Novalee was younger, out of all of their siblings, Dustin had always been the sibling that Nova had got on with the most and it had always been something he had treasured. he had even got used to his sister's 'rebel without a clue' lifestyle/way of rebelling by experimenting with her look.. he had even supported her) much to the anger of Cody) but when he looked at her in the ring, looking completely different to anything he had seen her try to pull off before, he knew in his heart that not only was his baby sister a different human being now.. he knew that what she had told him would happen just months before their father died had happened, and he had let her down........
**Flashback**
As Dustin looked at his phone as once again he sat in catering, he sighed to himself out loud as he saw the caller ID of the person ringing him "Nov...Moondust? What's happened? Why are you crying? Please talk to me". After a minute or so of complete silence, he heard a sniff as after begging once again, Dustin smiled with a sigh as he heard his baby's sister's voice whisper "Cody....why does he hate me bubby? what is it I have done to him?" "what happened this time?" Dustin asked "mom told him about an issue at school with one of my classes and my teacher and he told her that it was probably all my fault because of the way that I act.. that if I acted normal and concentrated more that maybe I wouldn't have any problems....it isn't my fault though Bubby, I just struggle with the lessons sometimes...". After finding out just how much the pressure Cody had put her under to do well in school, Dustin knew everything about some of the struggles she had been having/ the anxiety she had been feeling and knew that, like him she excelled in the lessons she could be herself and creative so he knew how much Cody words would've hurt her, needing to know that his little rebel was safe and knowing that the only way she was going to calm down as by speaking to him face to face, he persuaded her to facetime him.
As the call connected, Dustin sighed as he saw the blotchy face of his monkey behind her favourite pair of oversized glasses in her car "Oh monkey...I wish I could just give you a hug...are you at home yet?" "No....I'm in some random car park near my gym trying to calm down.. I don't want to go home and stress out pop, especially with everything else going on with him health wise. I shouldn't have rung you and put you in the middle really" "you rang me because you needed your big brother Nova and now that I can see your face properly, I want you to look at me Novalee as I tell you this....". Watching his sister fight the urge to cry and eventually look at him, Dustin firmly exclaimed "whatever Cody has said, you and I both know it's a lie. Even if you drive us all insane, we wouldn't have you any other way than what and WHO you are and want to be, you are the rainbow of he family , look I don't know what Cody's issue is and I don't know when it is going to change unfortunately but you will always ALWAYS have me in your corner moondust. No matter what! now do me a favour and explain this choice of hair colour" Dustin grinned.
**Flashback Ended**
Walking towards production and the tunnels, the older man smiled as he ran into his daughter, giving her a hug as tightly as he physically could, a part of him wishing that it was Novalee instead of his daughter so that he could tell her not only how sorry he was, but also how much he had hated himself since that day and it's fallout. As Dakota hugged her father, she noticed the tightness of his hug and asked him after managing to wiggle her head free "Dad? what's wrong?" "why must there be something wrong? I just wanted a hug from my daughter" "You were squeezing me so tight , I thought that I was going to pass out", realising his mistake, he quickly let his daughter go. Watching her father sit down, Dakota sat next to her father and exclaimed, instantly realising the problem with her father "seeing Auntie Star has brought everything back hasn't it?", looking at his daughter in shock with a small smile on his face, Dustin wasn't surprised she had seen through him so quickly but it wasn't like he was surprised, growing up, with both Dakota and Nova being so close in age, they had been pretty much joint at the hip, but on the other hand, after Nova's disappearance, Dustin had seen how it had affected Dakota and it had just been something else he blamed himself for. Looking up towards her father as he stayed silent, Dakota sighed and continued "if you want to make it up to Auntie Star, she isn't as heartless as the family is making her out to be, if you wanted to talk to her, I am sure she would listen. Underneath this new persona she has, she is still my Auntie Star and the little girl you told ne all about", making eye contact with his daughter, still dumbfounded but with a smile on his face, he replied "all that time you spent with your Auntie has really put a wise head on your shoulders hasn't it. As much as I want to talk to her, it all just feels like it will be a complete mess and cause more harm than good, after everything that happened that day, I can't see her sitting down with me, after all, I was one of the people that didn't stand up for her when she was thrown away".
Watching as her father put his head in his hands, Dakota knew that she needed to show her father just how much his baby sister truly missed him and loved him (even if she didn't want to admit it herself), pulling out her phone from her back pocket, she typed into YouTube and found the video she needed, passing her phone to her father, Dakota stated "you think that she doesn't think about you dad? you think that she hates you?, I know for a fact that she doesn't hate you AND BEFORE YOU ASK HOW I KNOW THAT.. watch this video and you will see how much she doesn't hate you" "how did you find this video?" her father asked in shock "I got my detective skills from Auntie Star.. get used to it". After making sure that he wasn't going to be disturbed by anyone after his daughter left him in peace, Dustin pressed play on the video and instantly felt his eyes begin to water as he watched more and more of the match and proudness fill his soul, making himself more comfortable, he audibly gasped as he witnessed something that he didn't think he would ever see again... his little sister, his spider monkey doing his finisher to absolute perfection. Watching back at the move once again, Dustin couldn't help but think about the day he taught her the move in secret....
**Flashback**
"come on Nova, you have this!" Dustin exclaimed as the woman set up one of her best friends and training partner Trixie to take the move "you have said that the last ten attempts have tried and they have all been as worse as the previous" "keep steppin' Moondust!" he exclaimed firmly. Watching as his baby sister once again failed at fully hitting the move she had begged him to teach her, Dustin sighed as he watched her not only go into himself, but beat herself up "Trix, take 5" Dustin smiled "you got it coach. See you in a bit Moondust", pulling himself into the ring as Trixie jumped out and went to take a break. After waiting and making sure that they were alone, Dustin sat down next to his baby sister and pulled her into a hug, letting her cry her frustrations out safely, without any kind of judgement, as she calmed down a few minutes later, her big brother wiped her tear stained cheeks with the pad of his thumbs and whispered "are you ready to talk about it yet? whatever it is that is bothering you...the truth though Nova, I can read you like a book as well you know" "All of my life, all I have ever wanted to do was be like you and pop and god help me, even Cody for my sins, but there is a part of me that is starting to wonder if Cody is right, that maybe I don't actually belong in the business". As he sighed inwardly to the explanation of what was really going on inside Nova's head, Dustin wished he could just hit their heads together "why have you never said anything to me Monkey? or to Cody? I am sure if he knew what...." "bubby, I love you and you know that but come on, like Cody would truly care about how I was feeling! he has made his feelings about me becoming a wrestler pretty well known!" Nova exclaimed with a anger mixed with exhaustion emotion.
Watching the woman go back into herself once again after blowing up at her brother, Dustin sighed before exclaiming, knowing everything his sister has just said was true "I am not going to make up some BS story about how what you are feeling or what you are thinking isn't true or unjustified but \i want you to listen to me and lister good Novalee Matilde Runnels...you are a Runnels and more importantly you are a natural in this ring.. no matter what you OR ANYONE ELSE WANTS TO THINK AND BELIEVE. You will get this move and ace it, you just need to have a little more faith and put your entire trust in me! you trust me right?, looking at her brother and nodding, Dustin continued with a laugh "you know I need words right Noves" "yes I trust you" "than trust me when I tell you that weather it takes one session or one hundred, you will get and perfect this move. I believe in you".
**Flashback Ended**
However much all of the family had wanted to deny it, they all missed Nova and wanted the missing piece of their puzzle to come home, where she belonged but now that she had come back into their lives once more, Dustin hoped that there was still a small part of the old Novalee in her that he could re find. After everything happened on the fateful day there family broke, every time he looked at his daughter, all he could see was Novalee and the huge space of nothingness her leaving had left in all aspects of life, from her sense of humour at family gatherings to her feisty, rebellious personality when it came to being her own person and living life the way she wanted. Throughout the years, Dustin often found himself wondering about how their dad would react if he was still alive at not only his 'moondust' making it in the business she loved, but the new Nova she had become thanks to being ostracised by the rest of the Runnels. Unable to watch anymore videos, Dustin put the phone down next to him with shaky hands and made a promise to himself, that even if it meant the family left throwing him and potentially Dakota away too, he needed the forgiveness of his baby sister and the presence of her spirit back in his life.
He had had enough of missing her.
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mon amour- my love (French)
mi corazón- my heart (Spanish)
princesse- princess (French)
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A/N- so my question and need for suggestions is because of the following:- I have written a lot in edits I have done for what should've been 3 parts of ' Never disrespect the queen'
Would you prefer that I make the chapters longer to hopefully keep it in 3 parts OR keep the writing around the 3500-4000 approx. mark and make more chapters with them (currently looking at 5 so far (could change)
please let me know and leave a comment under this chapter