Forever In Eternity

"Taker!" Paul Bearer said for the third time and was finally successful in getting his attention. Paul frowned when he saw Taker's clouded eyes and knew exactly where the big man's thought had been.

It had been almost a year ago when Taker had met Tia at an autograph signing the day before the SummerSlam pay-per-view. He was immediately deeply drawn to her and it wasn't long before he had fallen in love with her.

They had only been together a short time when her abusive ex-boyfriend shot Tia. She held on for almost twenty-four hours before she succumbed to the resulting injuries. She was in Taker's arms when she went, finally knowing what it was like to be truly loved.

The man who had killed Tia had been taken into custody after he had also tried to end Taker's life as well. He was sentenced to life in prison with no possible chance of parole, but earlier that day he had somehow escaped from the state prison where he had been serving his sentence. Taker still had not gotten over Tia's death and had not been the same since he had heard this news earlier. It was more than he could take.

"You still miss her?" Paul asked, although he was fully aware of what the answer was. He sighed, wishing there was something he could do to ease the pain in Taker's tortured soul.

"Everyday I miss her. Every hour, every minute, every second I miss her." Taker's voice was choked with emotion as he spoke. "She was the one, Paul. I knew that the instant I saw her." He stopped having to take a deep breath before he was able to continue.

"I go over it time and time again and still I am unable to understand why she was taken from us. We didn't have nearly enough time together. How I wish it could have been me instead…." He trailed off, unable to go any further.

Paul glanced down at his watch. "In about an hour and a half." He answered, thankful that Kane would be there soon, knowing Taker was going to need his brother in the next few days.

Paul hesitated for a moment and shifted his gaze downward. Taker was not going to like what Paul was going to say next. "You have an autograph signing on Saturday in Chicago, and a…." Paul was cut off in mid-sentence.

"I can't do it, Paul. I can not do it." Taker said as he turned to his long time friend. "It was exactly one year ago on Saturday in Chicago that I met Tia." Taker put his head down, his long hair covering the sorrow that had become a permanent fixture on his handsome face.

Paul frowned again as he began to pace the confines of the small room. He had to get through to Taker somehow. "You promised her, Taker! You promised her that you would go on with your career. You haven't done nearly half the shows you have been scheduled to do and the ones you have showed up for, your performance has been half-assed at best. I don't know about you, but that is not my idea of keeping a promise!" Paul stopped, catching his breath before continuing.

"Yes, you lost someone you loved and cared a great deal for, but there is nothing you can do to change that. Its time you stop drowning in your misery and get on with your life. Its what she wanted you to do and that is what you promised her you would do."

Paul was clearly upset. Mr. McMahon had been threatening to let Taker go for months now if Taker didn't start showing up for his regularly scheduled appearances. The boss had given Paul an ultimatum the night before that if Taker missed any of his appearances, his contract would be immediately terminated. Paul didn't want to share this information with Taker, but he would if he was given no other choice.

The autograph session in Chicago had been extremely hard, but the time went fast and before either Taker or Kane knew it, there were only a few fans left in line.

Taker glanced up as the last person walked up to the table. He felt his mouth drop open in shock as he looked at the woman and saw the remarkable resemblance she shared with Tia. When she removed her sunglasses, Taker was further startled to see that her eyes were exactly the same as Tia's had been right down to the unique shape and deep blue color. Her actions were very similar from the way she stood to the way she held her head as she studied him..

Taker could do nothing but stare at her for a moment. Even her voice was the same sweet sound as Tia's had been. He blinked a couple of times, still not able to believe what he was hearing or seeing. Taker cast a quick glance over at Kane and saw the stunned look on his brother's face as well.

"It's nice to meet you, Ti…uh Trina." Taker stuttered as he scribbled his name on the picture. He took a deep breath, unable to believe that he had almost called her Tia.

"I sure will be. I even managed to snag a ringside seat. And speaking of which, I better be going. Not too long before that show does start." Trina answered as she met Taker's green-eyed gaze and then turned to leave. She hadn't even taken one step when Taker's deep voice stopped her.

"Yes, I'd like that." She answered, and then told Taker where she was staying, wondering if he wanted to come there or if she should meet him somewhere else. Taker said he would meet her at the hotel bar after the show since he was staying there also.

Immediately following the show that night, Trina rushed back to the hotel. she didn't bother to wait for the elevator and hurried up the stairs to her room. She checked her hair and make-up, making sure everything was perfect. She wanted to make sure she looked exactely like Tia had.

"You are not going to believe it. If I hadn't see her with my own eyes, I would have never believed it either." Kane said to Shayna as he dressed back in his street clothes after his match that night.

"I'm telling you, Shay, she looks and has the exact personality as Tia." Kane stopped seeing the pain in Shayna's eyes at the mention of Tia's name. He knew she still missed Tia a great deal. Her untimely death had left a void in all of their hearts.

"She may look and act like Tia, but she's not! There will never be another Tia! I hope Taker realizes that." Shayna fairly yelled. It had been a long day with the memories that Chicago held for her and now this. She had a bad feeling about all of this.

Kane sighed, feeling her emotional turmoil. Her pulled her into his arms as he began to speak again. "We're meeting with Taker in a little bit and then going back to the hotel for a drink. Trina is going to be there also and then you'll see exactly what I'm talking about." Kane replied as he placed a soft kiss on her lips before they went out the door to get Taker.

Taker was in his dressing room that night after his match. He was thinking of the first time that he had met Tia. He thought of how purely happy she had been when he took her on his bike for a ride around Chicago. And then a few weeks later when he saw her again in St. Louis and found out about the abuse she had been enduring at the hands of her so called boyfriend. His mind wandered back to the morning when she had woken up to find him in bed beside her. He smiled softly as he recalled her reaction to him being there. She had thought it all been nothing more than a dream. The look of wonder on her face that morning would be something he would never be able to forget. The one and only time they had been able to show their love for each other, also that morning, was something he'd never forget either.

Taker sighed as he walked over to the radio and switched it on, hoping the music would help clear his mind. An anguished moan escaped his lips when he heard Ozzy Osbourne's `See You on the Otherside' playing. He sank wearily into a near chair and closed his eyes, listening to the words of the song.

It was several minutes before Taker was able to compose himself again. He ran a trembling hand through his long hair as he rose to his feet and glanced up at the clock. He took a deep breath, knowing that Kane and Shayna would be there any minute now. He had just finished putting his ring attire into his bag when there was a knock on the door. He walked over and opened it and stepped aside, allowing Kane and Shayna inside.

Taker nodded as he looked at Kane. "Yeah, I will be. Are we ready to go?" He asked as he turned and picked up his coat and bag, then headed for the door. Shayna and Kane exchanged looks of concern as they followed Taker out of the arena.

Shayna was stunned as she watched the woman that Kane had told her about walk across the bar toward their table. He hadn't been kidding when he said that the resemblance was incredible. There was something though….Shayna couldn't quite put her finger on it just yet, but Shayna saw something in the other woman's eyes for just a brief second and she didn't care for it one bit. She A shiver raced up her spine as a bad feeling sat heavy in the pit of her stomach.

Taker was again taken aback by Trina. He knew that she wasn't Tia, but still he couldn't help but hope somewhere deep inside of him. He was jarred out of his thoughts by her voice as she stepped up to him.

"Hello, Taker. You looked great during your match tonight." Trina said almost seductively to him as she placed a hand on his arm. He smiled down at her and then looked over at Shayna, who was staring a hole through Trina.

Trina took her eyes from Taker's when she saw his gaze shift to Shayna. The two women's eyes locked and they continued to glare at each other for what seemed to be an eternity, but in reality was only a few seconds. Then suddenly an evil smile slowly spread across Trina's lips as her eyes narrowed.

"What in the hell are you staring at?" Trina hissed in a harsh tone of voice. Both Taker and Kane's heads whirled around, shocked by the cold words that had just came from Trina's mouth.

Trina laughed maniacally. "Well, I damn well should remind you of that bitch! She never told you all that she had a sister, did she? That's right, an identical twin sister. And I may look like her, but I will never, ever be the stupid wench that she was. So don't be getting your hopes up that you've gotten your precious Tia back." She stated coldly, looking directly at Taker as she began to speak again.

"Your precious little Tia is six-foot under and I'm glad of it." She paused and looked at Kane, whose shock could clearly be seen in his eyes. She laughed at them again, wondering how anyone could so pathetic as this three.

"Oh, quit looking so damned surprised. Why do you think she never told you all about me. I've hated her for years and she knew it. And you know what else? She deserved everything Joey did to her. Every nasty word he said to her, every bruise and every broken bone. She had it all coming. She especially deserved to die. And don't you go thinking that was all Joey's idea either. I was the mastermind behind her death." Trina said, feeling very proud of herself. The looks of horror on the faces of Taker, Kane and Shayna were priceless. She had shocked them but good.

"I'm the one that Joey loves and he'll do anything for me. Oh, he loved her too in a way, but she drove him nuts. He knew Tia was crazy in love with you. She sealed her fate that day she brought you home with her." Trina stopped long enough to light a cigarette. Then keeping her eyes on Taker, she continued.

"Joey was furious. And you dared to put your hands on him. Big mistake, Taker. He came home threatening to kill Tia, and with a little urging, that was exactly what he did. What sweet news it was when mother called and said that Tia was dead. Did I ever celebrate that night." A smile of pure evil lit Trina's eyes as she recalled the night she had just spoken about.

"Oh, and Dead Man?" She added after a few seconds. "You better be watching your back. Joey still owes you a bullet. You were lucky the first time. You won't be so lucky this time around."

Taker had heard enough. He violently shoved his chair back, tipping it and the drinks on the table as he stood. His whole body trembled with so many different emotions, and his heart broke over the cruel things Trina had said.

Shayna continued to stare at Trina. It was taking all of the strength she possessed o not wrap her hands around the woman's neck and choke the life from her body.

"How could you. Tia was a wonderful person. She didn't deserve any of the shit that you and Joey brought down on her." Shayna demanded to know how Trina could be so uncaring towards her very own sister.

"Kane?" Shayna asked as he walked further into the room until he was in her sight. "Is taker all right. I've been so worried about him. He looked horrible when he left." She was visibly upset.

"I don't know. He wouldn't say anything. I think that woman just killed what little life Taker had left in him. He couldn't have known though. He misses Tia so much…" Kane answered as he ran his fingers through his hair. He felt so bad for his brother, and for the hate and abuse that Tia had endured.

"I don't know where he is. I went to get Paul since he seems to have a calming affect on Taker, and when we got back down to the lobby only minutes later, he was gone. His car is gone too. Paul thinks that maybe Taker just needs some time alone, but I'm not so sure he should be alone right now. I'm worried about him, Shay." Kane joined her out on the patio, pulling her into his comforting embrace.

Her body began to tremble slightly as tears threatened to fall. The things that Trina had said had been like a dagger in her own heart as well. Tia had been like a sister to her. Shayna's heart broke for Taker also. She knew how deeply he loved Tia and he had been left completely devastated by her death. The only thing that eased Shayna's mind at all was the fact that with Taker, Tia had finally found true happiness and love in the short time they had been together.

Just as they stepped back into the room, there was a knock on the door. Kane walked over and pulled it open then stepped back to allow Paul to pass through into the room.

"I just got a call from the security down at the arena. They said that Taker stopped by the production trucks and got his bike. Normally they wouldn't think anything of that because he used to do that all the time. But the look in his eyes had them worried so they called. It sounds like that woman did quite a number on him." Paul said as he paced back and forth in the small room. He was more concerned for Taker than he cared to admit.

Taker was well on his way out of Chicago. He wasn't sure where he was going, but he had a pretty good idea where he might end up at the same time. Several times he looked back over his shoulder, swearing he could feel arms wrapped tightly around his body, a head resting lightly on his shoulder, and a soft voice whispering "I love you" in his ear. Although he couldn't see her, there was no doubt in Taker's mind that Tia was with him in some way.

He stopped at the first hotel he came to and checked into a room. Once there, he first went to the bathroom to have a shower. Under the steady stream of hot water he moaned softly as he felt the tension lifting from his muscles, leaving him weak and completely exhausted. After quickly drying himself off, he went to the bed and fell upon. Seconds later, with thoughts of Tia running through his mind, he was deep asleep.

"Come on, Trina!" Joey said impatiently as they waited in their car outside of the hotel that Taker had stopped at. "He could be in there for hours. Why don't I just fix the brakes on his ride? Then by time he crashes to his death, we'll be long gone…." He was cut off before he was able to finish.

"No way in Hell, Joey! I'm the one that busted your stupid ass out of jail so we are doing this my way." Trina snapped back at him. After lighting a cigarette, she continued.

" I've done my homework, Joey and I know exactly where he's heading. Mother buried that little bitch back home in a one-stop light town in Missouri. I know that's where he's going. It's where he feels closest to Tia. And if he want to be with his precious little Tia so bad, well, he's going to get his wish. He's going to die right on her damn grave and you're going to be the one to kill him." Trina coldly told her plan.

"And just remember, Joey." Trina added her threat to him. "If you don't go along with me, I'll have your ass back in jail so fast you won't even know what hit you."

"Taker…" A soft voice whispered in his ear, causing him to stir in his sleep. He rolled over on his back and slowly opened his eyes, looking around the darkened room as he sat up. When he saw nothing, he thought the voice he heard was only in his imagination and laid back down again. He was just drifting back to sleep when he heard it again.

He rose again to a sitting position, knowing there was no denying that sweet voice. His heart began to pound savagely and his breath caught in his throat when Tia suddenly stepped put from the shadowed corner of the room and walked towards him.

Taker ran a shaky hand through his hair and blinked a couple of times, not able to believe what he was seeing. He closed his eyes as she reached out a hand and gently touched his face. A shiver raced up and down his spine when he opened his eyes again and met hers.

He smiled softly as he ran a trembling finger down her cheek, tracing her lips. A tear slipped from his eyes and rolled down his cheek as he framed her faced in his hands and leaned forward until his lips touched against hers.

"It's okay, Taker. You don't have to talk. Your eyes tell better than any words could." She told him as she stared into his green eyes that were glowing with so many different emotions.

A soft groan escaped him as he pulled her into his arms, holding her as tight to him as possible. Again he brought his head to hers, the kiss much more demanding as he lowered her to her back on the bed. As he slowly undressed her, he placed light kisses as each inch of skin became exposed.

Her eyes were dark with the depths of her desire as she pulled his shirt off over his head and felt his skin against hers.. She arched her body to his, needing to get closer to him as she raked her long fingernails down his back. The sudden pain made his breath catch and then inflamed him even more. He pulled back and stepped off to the floor where he quickly removed the remaining clothes.

"It seemed so real…" He thought to himself as he ran a hand through his long hair. He could still taste her on his lips. The sweet scent of her skin still lingered in the air. He could still hear her soft voice whispering to him, telling of her love for him.

"No, it was only a dream." He said out loud this time as he tried to convince himself of this. But the more he thought about it though, the more he was unable to convince himself. He was suddenly jarred out of his thoughts when his cell phone rang. He picked it up from the night stand and answered on the fourth ring.

"Taker, where in the hell are you?" Paul Bearer demanded to know before Taker even had a chance to get a `hello' out. "You had better get your ass back to Chicago right now. You have a pay-per-view that you must be at tonight." He yelled at Taker, but only because he was so worried about his long-time friend.

"Paul, I know you are worried, but you needn't be. I just need a day or two to run down to Missouri." Taker didn't need to say more, knowing Paul understood that he had always been able to feel Tia's presence there stronger than anywhere else.

"Taker, if you're not here for the event tonight, Vince is going to fire you." Paul told him, hoping that if he knew his career was on the line, he would come back to his senses.

"Then so be it. This is something I just have to do Paul. I know you don't understand, but maybe someday you will." Taker said and then after saying `good-bye' he ended the call.

Paul hung up the phone and turned around facing Shayna and Kane, who were both visibly distressed from the whole situation. "He's going to Missouri." Paul stated. "We have to…" He trailed off when Kane made a move towards the door. He had a feeling all hell was about to break loose and he only hoped they got there soon enough.

Taker hung up the phone after talking with Paul Bearer and then quickly dressed to go down and check on his bike before grabbing a bite to eat and heading back on the road again. He only had a little over a hundred miles to go and he figured he would be there well before noon.

Joey sat straight up when he saw the big man leave from the side hotel entrance and walk towards his ride. He reached for the gun that he had tucked in the waistband of his jeans, smiling slightly when he felt the cool metal against his skin.

Trina had gone to the café across the street for coffee and hadn't returned yet. "Well, we're doing this my way then." Joey said out loud as he looked all around him, seeing Trina no where in sight.

Taker had just knelt down beside his Harley to check the tread on the tires when Joey fired three shots into his back. The big man fell to the ground, not knowing what hit him.

Kane suddenly jerked awake out of the restless sleep he had fallen into. He looked over at Paul behind the wheel of the Lincoln they rode in. "Something is wrong." He stated, running a shaky hand through his long hair.

Trina had just stepped out of the café when she heard the gunshots. She cussed loudly, immediately knowing that Joey had gone against her plans. She looked across the street in time to see Taker falling to the ground. She dropped the two cups of coffee to the ground and took off running across the street towards Joey's car. She threw the door open just as he began to drive off. He stopped for one brief instant, allowing Trina to be able to get into the car.

Trina turned and looked back at Taker's motionless body as Joey drove like a madman out of the parking lot. People were beginning to come out of the hotel to help the fallen man.

Trina turned back to Joey, her eyes burning with anger. "You have done some stupid things, Joey. But that is about the stupidest thing you have ever done! What the fuck were you thinking? Do you realize the people that are coming out of that hotel will most likely think it's a little suspicious that we are driving away liked a bat out of hell from the scene? Those people are going to be able to get a good look at the car and the plates. Damn it, Joey! We are screwed now!" She yelled at him, and became even angrier when he completely ignored her.

Paul hoped like hell that Kane's premonition concerning Taker's well being wasn't true, but at the same time, he knew deep in his heart that it was. "Maybe there's something on the radio." Paul said as he switched it on. They had to know something.

"World Wrestling Federation Superstar, the Undertaker was shot early this morning. He's been taken to a hospital and is listed in critical condition. There are two suspects seen leaving the scene, but there is no further information at this time."

Kane came back to the car, nearly ripping the door from its hinges when he pulled it open with amazing force. His eyes were glowing with so many different emotions that both Paul and Shayna were having a hard time reading him.

"They won't tell me anything." He growled, answering the question before it was asked. He leaned his head back against the headrest as he took several deep breaths, trying to keep himself calm. He didn't know if Taker was alive or dead and that was tearing him up inside, just as it was Shayna and Paul.

They had been able to find out the town and the name of the hotel that Taker had been when he had been shot. Paul wasted no time in turning the Lincoln in that direction. With each mile that went by, he stepped down harder on the gas, his fear and worry growing steadily..

When they finally made it to the hotel, it was close to three hours after they had first heard the news on the radio. The parking lot was swarming with police, detectives and the media. Reporters had mobbed Kane several times while he talked to the police officers, trying to find out anything on Taker. They wouldn't even tell Kane if his friend was still alive or not.

"And those damn reporters. They don't give a shit about anything but getting their damn story. I think there is something much more important than that." Kane yelled, venting his frustrations as he slammed his fist into the dashboard.

Paul placed a comforting hand on Kane's shoulder, feeling the big man's body shaking with the force of his anger and anguish. He opened his mouth to say something, but closed it again when he saw a woman rapidly approaching the car. Paul didn't think she looked like a reporter or anything so as she came closer, he rolled down his window.

"Look, I know who you all are." She said in a rush as she looked around her like she was afraid of being caught talking to him. "I work at the hotel and I saw him get shot…three times….in the back." Her voice quivered slightly and she had to take a deep breath before she was able to continue.

"It was a man and a woman that did it, I believe. Right after it happened, they were seen leaving out of the parking lot like they had hell chasing them. They haven't been caught yet, but I got a good look at both of them and their car. With this information, the police will get them. Anyway, what I really wanted to tell you is that he's been taken to University Hospital. I know you have been trying to find out. And I really hope he's going to be okay." She finished and then as quickly as she had appeared, she turned around and was gone.

The people at the hospital were much more understanding that the police had been and within minutes, Kane, Shayna and Paul had talked to the doctor in charge and were then taken to Taker's room.

"You can see him for a few minutes and then if you have any further questions or need anything, you can have the nurse page me." The doctor told them and then hurried away to finish his rounds.

Kane swayed, feeling like he had been punched hard in the stomach as he walked into the room and saw Taker for the first time. It scared him to see his friend this way. He held Shayna's hand in a vice-like grip as they stepped to one side of the bed and Paul stood on the other side. At first all they could do was stare down at Taker, who lay on the bed completely motionless, while tears filled their eyes. The doctor had been totally honest with them and had told them that he did not think that Taker would make it through the night.

The three of them jumped slightly, startled when Taker suddenly opened his eyes. He looked around the room once his vision had focused. His gaze touched first on Kane and Shayna, and then on Paul, and then finally settled on the empty space beside Paul. He smiles softly.

Kane and Paul exchanged looks of confusion and then he moved closer to Taker and bent down until he was nearly level with him. Kane was sure that it was the drugs that were making Taker disoriented, yet at the same time he still had to ask.

Taker slowly turned his head and looked Kane in the eye. "Tia is here. She has been here all along. She told me that what happened this morning wasn't a dream at all." He answered and then looked back to the empty space beside Paul.

Shayna stepped forward, taking Taker's big hand in hers. "Taker, did you just say that "Tia is here? There's no way she could be. She's…." She stopped abruptly when she felt a gentle breeze swirl through her hair as a feeling of peace and warmth engulfed her senses. She gasped in shock and then tears fell freely down her cheeks as the sensation of Tia's presence in the room became so strong that she was not able to deny it. Kane and Paul could not either.

"She also said that there is a better place waiting for me and when the time is right, she and I will be together there. And that is really what I want most of all. To be with her forever…Forever in Eternity." He finished with a weak smile as he closed his eyes and drifted back to sleep.

Paul, Shayna, and Kane left a short time later and went to a nearby hotel. It wasn't quite an hour later when Kane received the call from the hospital. After hanging up the phone, he turned to Paul and Shayna.