WE'LL ALWAYS HAVE MEXICO

Nessa's head was pounding by the time they made it out of the Bell Center - thankfully the crowds and the paparazzi were already gone. The last thing she needed was more clamouring of voices and camera flashes to blind her already aching eyes. Michel knew her well enough to know that there was something wrong. She'd been unusually quiet and subdued the entire night but every time she'd tried to slip away, he'd followed her. He'd asked her multiple times to tell him what was wrong, and she'd pushed him off. Now that they were alone in the back seat of the limousine, she shook two painkillers from the bottle in her purse, swallowing them dry before leaning back against the plush upholstery. Her eyes closed but she could still feel Michel watching her. She could also feel her head throbbing, inching towards a migraine if she wasn't careful.

"Nessa," his voice came out soft, tentative as he leaned forward and rested his hand on her knee. "My love, what-"

"Michel, please." She sounded as exhausted as she looked, "we need to have a serious talk," she couldn't help feeling a tinge of sadness because she knew how bad those words sounded no matter what tone was used. "Maybe you already knew this was coming. I didn't come here tonight just to watch Brie's return. Honestly, I told her it was a bad idea. It's too soon. Even after what happened, I still think she needs to take more time off." She paused, letting her gaze go to the window. "I came here because I needed to see you. I needed to...."

"Yes," he interjected, "just say it, Ness. Just say it. If it's one thing I want from you always, it's the truth. Because we both know something just isn't right," Michel paused and sighed. His sister was victorious as he knew she would be, but he agreed with Nessa that she'd returned too soon. All of Brie's blustering ego, she had pushed Maki to her breaking point. There was no turning back for her but now something was left unsaid and undone and Michel wanted to pry further.

The silence stretched out and he pondered what it might be. Was it that smarmy worm Matt that once again had weaseled his way back to Nessa's 'friendzone'? His sister had warned him about Matt and what a parasite he truly was. It hadn't taken much to see how hurtful he was to Nessa – of course she'd never be able to see it. Some women just love bastards, Michel thought, watching Nessa for a clue while he awaited her reply. He loved her with every fibre of his being. He was truly the LAST of the incurable romantics of the Great White North. The tension was mounting, and the friction was sucking the air out of the enclosed space, even though they weren't crowded at all.

She sighed. "I've been putting this off for a while. And while you were doing all that relief work for Puerto Rico, it was easier to let it slide, I guess. You were so busy. And I had Empire to focus on..." she paused, taking a breath and then letting it out slowly. "Michel, you've been so good to me. More than any other man ever has. And that's why this is so hard for me to say..." she looked down at her hand, at the ring on her finger before taking it off. She held out her hand to him, that little circle of platinum and diamonds glittering in the headlights of passing cars. "I need to give this back to you."

Michel's eyes glistened in that lost puppy dog kind of way as his mouth twitched. He fought back a tear inside of him and just nodded sadly. Why? Was it that cat I gave her? Was it me not spending enough time with her? Was it me making some silly, errant mistake? Why?! Why?!

"Michel, honey... say something. Please?"

He murmured something unintelligible. He eventually took the ring from Nessa, swallowing whatever he had of his pride before closing his eyes for what seemed like eternity. Finally, his lips parted again, "I... I... I... understand," he stammered. "This ring – it's too expensive, for one thing. I can take it back no problem. And all this? Yeah, I may have rushed you too much before you were ready. I understand. I was married once. You don't want to feel like you have no options and feel like maybe this isn't what you want? You know, Ness, I get that. I know that feeling because the last thing you want, or need is another hard fall to reality and you know? Maybe you're right. Maybe I am not perfect. But... but... I still love you, Nessa. I still love you."

His words trailed as he fought hard not to cry. The ring cost him more than he could afford. He had to get his brother-in-law to loan him the money in exchange for flight lessons. While Michel admired him, the man was an obnoxious, pompous douche. Andrew was not unlike Matt in that regard.

"I can't give you the world. I can only give you what I have. The one thing you only need: my undying love. My promise that I will never break your heart." He pondered Ryan Gosling's line in La La Land, 'where are we?' He didn't utter it but his eyes spoke it loudly. He didn't want his emotions to be played with. He couldn't stand losing what may have been his final chance at love. Her blue eyes were shining, still locked on him. God how he loved her eyes. Was all hope lost?

"I..." she looked away, reaching up to twist her fingers around a lock of her hair. "Michel, honey... it's not the ring. Or the cat you tried to give me when I'm insanely allergic. It's not a million silly trivial things you think you might have done to push me away." It was almost like she could read his mind, seeing all the racing thoughts parading across his face with his emotions. "It's not that you're busy because I understand that. I am too. It's me. I'm not ready to even think about planning another wedding. I thought I was. I really did. But..."

Her blue eyes met his again, swimming with tears. "We're both rushing. We are Mia and Sebastian, trying to hold something that may not last... as much as I want to rant and rage and rail against that notion, it's true, sweetie. And it's been good - don't get me wrong. These months with you have been fantastic but I think we need to stop lying to ourselves and trying to make something work that's been doomed from the start."

"Who said it was doomed from the start?" Michel seemed outraged. To him this was pure bullshit. "I have bent over backwards for you!" Michel realized that she was the denier of her own happiness and unless SHE changed, nothing would work. "My family accommodated you the best it could." His mother would be devastated, he knew. She'd grown fond of Nessa, telling her son how perfect she was for him. Part of him wanted to be adamant and tell her how he felt: if she walked out of his life, it would be her loss and if she fell hard again he would no longer be there to catch her. He was DONE playing the victim. He would be DONE trying to save the damsel in distress as he thought he could do. He remembered what his sister had warned him of all those years ago. That Nessa, despite being her hero, was emotionally damaged. This had been well before she'd ever been with Matt Stone and Michel had watched that relationship crumble even as Nessa continued to cling to the fragments. Matt was a worm and unless he were dead, Nessa would never be free of him.

Nessa was also aware of his father's connections in the Hell's Angels of Montreal. His father's close ties with Maurice Boucher, the infamous former president of the Hell's Angel's. It was one of the reasons for Sabrina's so-called 'power' she held throughout Montreal, all in part due to her father's dealings with this psychopath. He pondered darkly in mind what it would take to make that call as he awaited Nessa's response.

"I didn't..." she stammered, shaking her head. "I wasn't trying to accuse you. Shawn was right. I'm broken. I've always been, and I always will be." She studied him in silence for a few seconds before sighing. "Michel, this isn't about you. It's 100% me."

Michel paused as he took in every word, feeling as though each was a hammer blow to his skull. He felt crushed but still had some slim shred of hope. It wasn't all me, he thought. He gazed at the ring and then pocketed it, meeting Nessa's eyes which had a soft pleading to them.

"I understand, Nessa." Michel nodded, "they say if you truly love someone, let them go. Do you want me to let you go? Because I can. Because I love you, Nessa. I'll will always love you." Michel fought back a tear and added, "I can't fix you. I wish I could. But I love you. After all you ruined me for loving any other woman." Michel half-heartedly chuckled with an attempt at lightening the mood in the limousine.

She managed a half-hearted chuckle. "Don't say that... even if you're joking. That's the last thing I want to do here is ruin - you, your life - anything. I know I can't put a Band-Aid over the hurt with a few sorries but I'm just..." she blinked away tears, sniffling. "This sucks, I know. And you must understand that you'll always have a place in my heart, Michel. Even if it never works out. Even if we're not meant to find each other again when the time is right..."

Michel took her hand gently, "don't say that. Don't even think it." He ran his hand down her leg. "I am confident you'll return to me. I am not a psychic. I just feel it. Maybe the timing is not right now but maybe later. After all, we'll always have Mexico." He smiled broadly again.

His memories raced back to the moment he went from friendzoned to the man in her life in April when he would be backstage waiting for her at perhaps her lowest moment before surprising her with the sweetest most sensuous massage she'd ever experienced. Nessa's gasps and moans rang in his ears.

"What we have doesn't have to be so serious now, but I can always be around. After all you may need me backstage at Empire to give you that refreshing, body-relaxing massage that I know you crave. A true Queen of the ring deserves to be pampered," Michel murmured, seeing the hint of a smile curve her lips. He was determined to be in her life in some way. That good friend, confidant, listener she needed when she felt lost and scrambled. He was not about to give up on Nessa, after all. To him she was the ultimate woman, that ultimate prize – the impossible dream.

She nodded, realizing how little he wanted to let go. Truth be told, she didn't want to cut him out completely either and it wasn't just because she couldn't stomach the thought of being alone. She cared for him far more than she wanted to admit, even though she knew marriage was out of the question for the time being. In the back of her mind she knew she was being selfish, she was being unfair. He deserved a clean break. "I..." she swallowed hard, turning her gaze back to the window and the view of the approaching hotel. "I'd like that."

She blinked away tears, biting her lip for a moment. There was no way she could stay here tonight, not in this city knowing how much it meant to him and his family, knowing that she'd just broken his heart. "I need to get back as soon as I can. I've got a title defense to prepare for. Do you think... if it's not too much trouble for you... do you think you could fly me back to Ottawa tonight?"

He turned, that boyish grin of his returning to his face. He gazed into those sultry blue eyes that held so much pain, sadness but such hope and beauty. "Yes! Of course, yes... I can. The airport shouldn't be too far from where we are." And he turned, rapping on the glass before directing the driver in French, "amenez-nous vers le Lac Agile, s'il vous plait."

"Thank you," Nessa whispered, closing her eyes and resting her head on his shoulder for a moment. She knew it was wrong to give him hope with that simple gesture, but she was just so tired, so drained from trying to keep it together all night. She hoped Sabrina would understand and that it didn't cause any unnecessary drama with his family. They'd probably end up hating her. She knew she deserved it.

Michel smiled as he ran a soothing hand through her silky blonde hair. He knew troubled waters lay ahead. Nothing was resolved between them and he knew she was trying to make him feel like all was fine but Michel saw through this ruse. He'd vowed to never give up on her, to fight as hard as he could, give it his all – he still wanted to stand by that declaration. It would be Nessa or nobody. He smiled, letting her snuggle against him before whispering in her ear, "I'll never give up on you. Je vais te faire mienne. Cela prendra juste du temps."

She understood what he'd said, wondering how much time he truly intended to invest in a lost cause. She kept her eyes closed, letting out a soft sigh. Part of her wanted to shoot him down, to make him hurt so that he'd hate her, so that he'd stop wishing and hoping for something she'd probably never be able to give him. The selfish part of her kept silent, biting her lip against the prickle of tears. He deserved someone better. Someone who would be able to love him just as deeply and unreservedly as he deserved to be. As much as she cared for him, she knew it wasn't the same. That was the part of her that was hopelessly beyond repair. "I know," she finally whispered back. At least one thing in her life was bound to remain consistent. [/color]