Sheamus entered Ali's apartment sometime later. Dejected, he flipped the switch and tossed his key on the island. His blue eyes followed it, his frown deepening.

The Irishman looked around the apartment, his mind going back over that weekend and all the things they had done together there. It made his gut clench and a pain tear through his heart. His eyes slammed shut and his teeth grit. It was all he could do to keep from groaning aloud.

When his eyes opened again they were dull and filled with misery. He should pack his things and leave before she came back, he knew. Anything to avoid the scene that was sure to follow. And while he probably deserved to stand there and let her order him out of her apartment and life his heart just couldn't handle the idea of it.

He wanted to make his way towards the bedroom but it was like his feet wouldn't allow him to go in that direction. Instead he trudged over to the couch and sank onto it, elbows on his knees and his face buried in his large hands.

He had made a right hames of things. A grand one. He thought he was past all of his old insecurities and fears but just seeing her with that muppet had caused them all to come rushing back.

He should have trusted in her, in them. He should have known she would never fall for a guy like that. He should have trusted in her love for him.

And she did love him. He knew it. Was sure of it now that he had gotten some time away to stop and actually think. To realize.

Well, he thought with a sarcastic smile as he raised his head, she had loved him. Whether she still did now was another story.

His head bowed as he scratched the top of it, knocking his flat cap off in the process. He caught it easily and tossed it onto the couch with disgust before leaning back against the cushions. He scrubbed his hands over his face, wanting nothing more than to kick his own arse. It was what he deserved after all.

He once again looked around the room. So what did he do now? Run or stay?

The warrior in him sneered at the idea of tucking his tail between his legs and sneaking out like a coward. If he could face two hundred plus pound behemoths in the ring he should be able to go toe-to-toe with a five-foot-one-inch woman.

Of course facing her would hurt more.

He was just rising to his feet when he heard the key in the lock. He turned and watched as the door flew open and Ali came barreling inside. Her eyes were red from crying and her face was pale with panic.

It took everything in him not to go to her and hold her. The only thing stopping him was the thought that she wouldn't want him to touch her; wouldn't allow him to hold her.

Ali came to a dead stop and looked at him almost in disbelief. He was still there. She had sincerely believed that when she came home she would have discovered he had left. But he hadn't left.

Yet, a tiny voice in her head whispered to her.

The writer slowly closed the door before turning to face him. She didn't step away, though, unable to move from her spot just yet.

"You're still here." she said carefully.

"Yeah." Sheamus nodded, glancing away.

"Are you leaving?"

Though she had tried to be tough the words still came out small and filled with fear. At the sound of them Sheamus instantly turned back to her.

"Ahlina-" he started to reassure her that he wasn't going anywhere but she sidestepped his advance and went on.

"Just give it to me straight." she demanded as she sniffed back the tears that threatened to fall from her eyes, "Are you leaving?"

Sheamus shook his head, "No, sweetness. Ah'm not leavin' you."

"Why not?" the tears did fall then, "You left me before."

The wrestler swallowed down the lump in his throat. He didn't say anything, just walked over to her and pulled her to him in a tight embrace. Ali's small hands clutched at his shirt as she cried.

She thought she had gotten over the hurts from six months ago but the truth was they were still there. Still raw and just as painful.

"Do you have any idea how much you hurt me when you pushed me away?" she wept against his chest.

She pushed away from him, wiping at her eyes before hugging herself, "You were it for me. There was never going to be anyone else. When you pushed me away you broke my heart. I barely survived it, Sheamus."

He found he could only watch her then, seeing the pain written on her beautiful face and hearing it in her words. She meant what she had said, he knew it. And it made him feel even worse.

"Ah'm sorry, sweetness." he didn't know what else to say to her but that, "Ah thought Ah was doin' what was best. Ah thought you would be better off wit'out me. Ah'm so sorry Ah hurt you so deeply. Ah should have said it a hundred times before now. But Ah'm sayin' it now. Ah'm sorry."

He went to her, once again taking her into his arms. He raised her, pressing his lips against hers again and again as he murmured, "Ah won' ever leave you again. Is tú mo ghrá, Ahlina. Ah love you. Ah'm sorry."

She could hear the anguish in his voice and she knew just how hard it was for him to say the words; love still not coming easily to him. She didn't doubt his sincerity for a second and it caused her to return his embrace.

He continued to murmur to her in between kisses as he carried her over to the couch and sat down, her across his lap. They held onto one another tightly as they deepened the embrace.

Eventually they pulled back to feed their air starved lungs, the pair staring at one another.

"You were right about Max." the writer admitted as her fingers stroked through his red hair, "He was interest in me."

"No kiddin'." the wrestler couldn't help but deadpan, "What tipped you off, Ahlina? The fact that he couldn' keep his hands off of you?"

Ali leaned back and adverted her eyes. She deserved that, she knew she did.

"Honestly, I didn't really think what he was doing was wrong." she hedged.

"Ah didn' like it." the Celtic Warrior told her evenly, "Ah didn' like seein' him huggin' you and touchin' yer arm."

The writer glanced up at him, bottom lip between her teeth before she murmured, "I really didn't see what the problem was. Honestly, I didn't. It. . .it was like if John hugged me."

"Yeah but he's not John, now is he?" the Irishman asked shrewdly with a smirk.

"No, he's not." the writer conceded. She played with the top button on his shirt for a moment before looking back at him, "I'm sorry, Sheamus. I apologize for allowing Max to continue to do it. For not seeing that he was trying to come on to me. And I should have taken your feelings into consideration and I didn't. I'm truly sorry."

"Ah don' blame you." the Irishman sighed, looking out over the apartment, "You weren' doin' anythin' wrong. But he should have known to keep his hands off of you. Ah blame the gobshite for that one."

"Well you might not have to worry about the gobshite anymore." Ali confessed, "After he showed his true colored I threatened to fire him and get another agent."

"And you'd be okay wit' that?"

While he was pleased by the news he also knew how successful the bastard was. He didn't want to see his girlfriend risk throwing her career away with both hands.

"If he's not going to respect my wishes what choice do I have?" she reached out and stroked his cheek, "And I especially don't want to be around him if he's going to disrespect you."

Sheamus took her hand and turned it over, pressing a kiss into her palm. She offered him a small, hopeful smile in return.

"So. . .what happens now?" she asked timidly.

Maybe the other shoe had finally dropped and they had weathered the storm. Maybe there was still more left to say. She honestly didn't know.

"Ah think what we need to do is make a pact." Sheamus stated.

"What kind of pact?" Ali asked, her smile coming more easily.

"That we vow to always talk to each other." the wrestler stated, "Ah think that's how things got so bolloxed up between us to begin wit'. If Ah just would have been honest wit' you about me fears right from the beginnin' we could have saved ourselves so much pain and misery."

"Okay, I agree." Ali grinned and extended her hand, "I vow to always communicate with you."

"Ah agree, too." he beamed as he took her hand and gave it a hearty pump.

Their smiles soon faded away as the pair continued to stare deeply into one another's eyes.

"This is never going to change." Ali murmured as she motioned between them, "We're never going to change. I'm always going to love you, Sheamus. I don't want you to doubt that for a second. I don't want you to worry that I'll leave you for another man. It's never going to happen."

"And Ah need you to know that Ah'll still have doubts every now and again." he admitted quietly, "The truth is, Ah still can' believe that you love me. There will be times when Ah'll feel that you can do better."

"As if I could." Ali gave him a loving smile even as she scoffed, "I already have the very best in front of me."

He gave her a tender kiss as 'thank you' before pulling back and going on, "But you have to know that Ah'll never leave you, sweetness. Ah can'. Ah tried it before and it nearly killed me. Ah love you, Ahlina."

"Is tú mo ghrá, mo laoch álainn." the writer murmured lovingly.

He framed her face in his big hands and pulled her towards him in a passionate kiss. Ali clutched as his shoulders as she greedily returned the embrace. Their lips soon parted as their tongues met and intertwined.

The spark rose quickly before instantly turning into a fire. The writer rose up on her knees, swinging her leg over his leg to straddle him. She could feel his growing erection pressing against her center and she couldn't help but grind against him in response.

"Ah love yer dress." he breathed against her neck, "Ah'll love it even more off."

He began to grin as he heard her giggle. Ali pulled back and beamed at him as she reached around to undo her dress. He beat her to it, taking hold of the zipper and sliding it down.

The writer smiled as she raised her arms and allowed him to pull the dress up and off of her body. He tossed it over onto the nearby chair without a backwards glance, his gaze locked on her bare breasts.

The Irishman unconsciously licked his lips before seizing her waist and raising her up towards his waiting mouth. His lips latched onto one taunt peak and he began to suckle hungrily while his other hand cupped her other breast.

Ali gasped at the feeling of his mouth on her and she arched into him, whimpering. His hot tongue blazed a trail across her feverish skin, practically leaving scorch marks in its wake.

"You taste so good." the Celtic Warrior rasped before turning to nuzzle between her cleavage. He licked at the skin there before capturing the other breast in his mouth.

"Sheamus." Ali breathed as she buried her fingers in his red locks to hold him to her.

"Ah'm here." he smiled against her skin as his lips traveled up her chest to her neck, "Ah'm right here, sweetness."

She could feel that, she mused with a grin as she felt his erection press against her.

He nuzzled her jaw before giving her a chin a nip. From there he pressed a warm kiss against her lips.

"Tá tú álainn sin." he muttered as he peppered kisses against her cheek.

"Ba mhaith liom tú an oiread sin." his lips trailed along her closed eyelids to her other cheek.

He pressed a kiss against her mouth before rumbling, "Tá tú mianach."
While the words didn't speak to Ali's ears, they did speak to her heart. And she understood them perfectly.

She pulled back, fiery blue-green eyes meeting heated blue. Never breaking contact with her, he yanked his tie over his head and tossed it across the room. He started to go for the buttons on his vest when she stopped him. They shared teasing smiles as she began to undo the garment. Soon it, too, was sailing across the room.

The writer eased back a bit while Sheamus undid the first few buttons of his shirt before pulling it from the waistband of his trousers. He yanked it over his head and balled it up, tossing it away before once again reaching for her.

"You're going to need to iron that." Ali giggled as his tongue tickled the skin behind her ear.

"Ah don' care." his warm breath caressed her ear before his lips once again captured hers.

While their tongues battled and dueled the Irishman's hand trailed from her hip to the front of her panty-covered mound. The writer shivered as his finger slipped beneath the elastic to slide along her folds, which were growing more wet by the moment.

He barely skimmed the sensitive nub at her apex again and again, teasing her with his touch. Ali found herself practically groaning against his mouth as she bucked against his hand.

"Please." she whimpered when he again circled her clit but still didn't touch it, "Sheamus, please."

He pulled back to look at her, his gaze intense. Finally taking mercy on her his finger rubbed against the tiny bundle of nerves as he stole another kiss from her lips.

Another finger joined the first as he stroked her, first on the outside and then in. He continued to ravage her lips as his fingers pumped in and out of her.

Ali's breathing grew deep and labored as she felt the sensations building up inside of her. Soon her hips were moving in perfect rhythm with his fingers, the tempo increasing with each stroke.

"Tar," he commanded, "Tar dom. Tar. Tar, Ahlina."

The combination of his rough voice and sure strokes were too much for Ali. Soon she found herself falling over the edge. White lights exploded behind her eyes as shudders racked her body.

Sheamus eventually removed his fingers and held her tightly to him as she came down from her high. He felt her trembling against him and another wave of love hit him hard.

"Yer so responsive." he murmured against her temple.

He felt her smile against his chest before she placed a kiss over his heart.

When she pulled back he found her eyes to be bright, her smile bold. It caused his own smile to come to light. They shared another kiss before she pushed for him to lay back against the cushions.

"My turn." the writer beamed as she laid atop him.

She placed warm kisses over his chest, her breath ghosting over his skin. She came to one of his pecks and paused. Sending him a sultry look she leaned over and lapped at his nipple. He sucked in a breath at the piercing sensation and she did it again for good measure.

His hands clenched on her hips as she nipped at his nipple. He brought them down to his sides to fist the couch cushions when she turned and gave the other nipple the same treatment.

"Ahlina. . ." he warned.

She smiled brazenly at him in return and shook her head, "Un-uh. Not yet."

She sat up, straddling his thighs. Her eyes burned as they stared down at his trouser covered erection. Without hesitation she began to undo the buckle of his belt.

Sheamus watched her through heavily lids, his own breathing growing heavier. He couldn't help but jump slightly when she finally had the belt undone, the zipper scaled down and she reached in to feel him.

He hissed and his eyes slammed shut. He couldn't help but buck into her small, warm hand. Her touch felt so good.

She slowly released his length and he instantly fixed his gaze on her. Standing, she reached for the waistband of his trousers. Sheamus lifted his hips and together they removed them, Ali dropping them on the floor at her feet.

She climbed back up, repositioning herself on his thighs. He started to reach for her again but she took hold of his hands and held him off.

"Let me." she murmured, her eyes flashing to his hard member before meeting his once more.

Sheamus, seeing the nervousness in her gaze, swallowed and asked in a rough voice, "You sure?"

"I want to." came her whispered reply.

"Far be it from me to stop you." he chuckled as he raised his hands above his head, fingers clasping the armrest.

Ali again glanced down at his erection. More than anything she wanted to please him. To give him the same pleasure he had given her over and over again.

Tentatively she reached out and clasped him. Steel wrapped in velvet. She trailed her hands up and down his long length, her eyes flashing to his face when she heard him groan.

Sheamus' face was tense with need, his eyes burning with lust. They locked gazes for a moment before Ali's returned to his erection. She leaned over and slowly licked the tip.

Shite, he thought savagely. Just that little touch had felt like heaven.

Ali peeked up at him, noting the tension in his face and the fire in his eyes. Finding encouragement in his expression she did it again.

She continued to lick the full length before returning to the tip. Slowly, carefully, she slipped it into her mouth.

"Shite!" he couldn't help but growl, his eyes slamming shut as she began to suck on him.

She was a natural. Jaysus, was she a natural. . .

It wasn't long before he could feel the pressure beginning to build. She seemed to sense it, too, because her ministrations grew stronger and she stroked the part of him that wasn't in her sweet mouth.

The Irishman grit his teeth, his fingers digging into the plush fabric of the armrest. If she kept that up he was going to erupt. And while the idea of doing it in her warm, sweet mouth held appeal he wanted more.

His eyes opened and he reached out, hand clasping her silky curls. He groaned and momentarily forgot that he wanted to pull her off of him. He finally regained some of his fragile control and lifted her head.

She released him instantly, looking up at him in surprise.

"Sheamus. . .?" her voice was small and she cursed her inexperience.

"Yer amazing." he assured her, his tone rough with pent up passion, "But Ah want to come inside you."

She gave him a shy smile which began to fade as he sat up and gripped her hair, pulling her to him in a ravaging kiss. It wasn't long before she felt her panties being ripped from her body.

"Ah'll buy you another pair." he assured her in between kisses.

Never breaking contact he laid her back against the couch cushions, coming to rest above her. Her legs instantly wound around his hips, her hands gripping at his biceps.

He entered her effortlessly, both of them gasping at the sweet contact. They remained motionless for a few moments, reveling in the feeling of being joined once more.

Even though they had been together countless times in those two short days it was like Friday night all over again. Baring their souls and opening up completely to one another made this coupling somehow new and even more extraordinary. It was profound and deep.

Sheamus looked down at her, hand trembling slightly as he reached out and stroked her cheek. She closed her eyes and leaned into his touch, nuzzling into his palm.

The Celtic Warrior could no longer remain still. He began to pump into her, his actions frenzied. Ali clung to him, surprisingly keeping pace.

They moved together, rising higher and higher. Sheamus could sense that it wasn't long now but he wanted Ali to go first. Reaching down, his hand found her center and he began to stoke her.

That was all that was needed as moments later the writer let out a gasp, her head falling back. Fireworks went off behind her closed eyes as an brilliant smile came to her lips.

Feeling her body tremble against his and having her inner muscles milk him was enough for the Irishman. He pumped into her three more times before joining in his own climax.

As he came back down he wrapped his arms around her and held her tightly to him, his face buried in her neck. He could feel her stroking his back, their heavy pants filling the otherwise silent room.

Slowly he raised himself up on his elbows, grinning boyishly as he stroked a hand through her hair. She met his gaze, her eyes bright and face flushed. She had never looked more beautiful to him.

"I feel like I should be honest with you." she told him, unable to keep the smile from her lips, "That was incredible."

He chuckled and pressed a hearty kiss to her lips. He had to agree. That had been amazing. Of course every time with her was.

"What time is it?" she asked suddenly, looking towards her DVD player which contained a digital clock.

The wrestler followed her gaze, murmuring, "After midnight. Why, sweetness?"

She turned back to him and grinned, "I think we need to get some sleep if we want to get on the road early."

He stared down at her, unable to keep the surprise from his face, "You still want to go out on the road wit' me?"

"Of course." she whispered lovingly to him, "I want to go anywhere with you."

It was at that moment that Sheamus realized he had nothing more to fear. The woman he loved-the only woman he had ever really loved if he were to be honest with himself-loved him and wanted to be with him. Life couldn't get any better than that.

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I really wanted to do this story because I thought there were a few things that went unresolved in Beauty and the Beast. Things that I chose not to bring up in the last chapter because I thought it would affect the flow of the story.

I really wanted to touch on how much Sheamus had hurt Ali and give Ali a chance to tell him so. Also, I thought he needed to tell her he was sorry for what he had done, however misguided his intentions were. So this was my chance to have them lay it all out on the table, as it were. :)

I hope everyone who read this story enjoyed it. I'm going to be taking another hiatus from writing fanfiction, though. I don't know when I'll be back. I'm sorry and I just want to thank you all for reading my work. :)