The Sibirian Express - COMPLETE

Chapter 25

Finally it was over! The fight was over and Rocky actually won, but Ivan seemed to handle the loss quite well, which surprised me the most to be honest. I've seen what losing does to the best of fighters and Ivan had the most pressure than anyone I know. 

We walk back hand in hand to the changing room while the fans and reporters look at us suspiciously. Some even shout not-so-nice words at Ivan, but that doesn't seem to bother him at all. He stood up to Nikolai, the regiment and everyone else in front of  his entire nation, when he listened to me and not to his "wife."

Ivan went against everything, when he said that he was only fighting for himself. 

I was just usure what that would mean for his future. Certainly nothing good and I can only hope that he hasn't throwns his whole career away. 

"Rocky! He stands alone in the corridor. Well it's now or never Alexa tell him the truth!

"Rocky, congratulations! I'm so sorry. Everything I said and that I ever doubted you." I hug him so tightly because I'm afraid it might be the last hug.

No, Lex. I'm sorry. You were right all along, even about Apollo. I should listen to you more often, especially because I have the feeling you adivsed him to take the short jabs." Rocky looks at Ivan, who is standing right behind me. 

After the handshake in the ring, at least I don't have to worry about there being an extension here in the hallway. 

I let my eyes wander downswards to the floor as Rocky says thing, unsure of what to replay.

"Lex?" I slowly look back up at Rocky, who just looks at me softly. "You know that I know about you and Drago, right?"

For a few moments I just starre at him dumbfounded and confused.

He knows? 

HOW?

Did Pauli tell him or was it Mary Ann?

"Adrian told me", he explains. But how could she have possibly known?

After Vegas, Ivan apparently came to us to ask where he could find you after you'd been avoiding us all. Adrian told him to look for you at the cemetery or at Mickey's Gym."

Completley shocken I slowly turn to Ivan, who has a slightly embarressed look on his face. He went to Rocky just to see me again?

"Lex, why were you so afraid to tell me?"

"Well Mary Ann was understandably furious when she found out and Pauli ... well you know how Pauli is. I guess I was just afraid that if you knew about Ivan, you might never wanted to see me again. Especially after what had happened to Apollo and I was scared to look the only family that I ever had."

"Hey. Hey." He puts an arm around me. "I don't care who you're with as long as you're happy and he treats you well, I'm happy too." He glances at Ivan for a brief moment before turning back to me. "Mickey would have said the same thing and besides, I don't know if I ever told you this, but when I started dating Adrian, Pauli came at us with a baseball bat."

An uncontrollable laugh escapes me because I can imagine it all too well.

 "So, does that mean that we have your blessing?"

"Of course you have my blessing. Oh, and one more thing..." He turns sideways away from me and pulls something out of his sports bag.

"After all, it's still Christmas and Mickey told me back then that I would know when it was the right time to give it to you." He hold a necklace with boxing glove in front of me and I can hardly believe my eyes. 

"Is that what I think it is? But I thought ... Mickey always said that he had lost the second one." I can still remeber the day that Rocky had gotten his necklace. 

I turn around so that Rocky can put the chain around my neck. 

"Thank you Rocky. I love you." I look at Ivan who suddenly looks slightly worried and when I turn back to Rocky I know why. His eyes are all glassy and he's just rocking on his feet. 

"Rock? Are you okay?" But as soon as the words leave my mouth, he slumps to the ground. 

"Rocky!" 

"Rocky, please!" I kneel down next to him and place his head onto my lap. Ivan is immediately at my side. "Ivan, please get a doctor! Hurry!" Without a second of hesitation he gets up and hurries to find a doctor, while I'm left alonei in the corridor with an unconscious Rocky.