Bleeding Red (CM Punk WWE)

Thirty-Seven- Ascent

Sorry for the wait! Here's a super long one!

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"Salamander..." Ruby sighed, letting her head rest against his shoulder as the autobus they were traveling in wrapped around the mountain endlessly on their way down.

"Yeah?" He asked softly, they were the only two left as they drove into the main city to finally reach the airport.

"I feel the need to tell you...thanks for not being an asshole." She muttered sleepily. They'd been traveling since 3 am in hopes of getting to their 11am flight on time. Sal had wanted them to use his connection to get a helicopter to pick them up in Progresso but she had declined. He put a hand to his chest as if touched by the comment,

"My life's ambition." He chuckled.

"You know what I mean." She yawned slightly, "I'm really thankful that you were...are here for me...even when I have nothing to offer."

"Preciosa, your friendship is more than enough for me."

"And I want to thank you for that night...for helping me forget my pain. For giving me the morphine I needed to ease it and for just taking care of me when most others would've pushed their luck."

"You're welcome, cariño. But there's no need to thank me...I'm no savior..I'm no saint." He muttered as he softly let the back of his hand brush against her cheek, she frowned slightly, they were still bruised and blood stained. "It's not like you needed one anyone."

"Sal..." She sighed, he hated to think it wasn't his name she was sighing. "Can I...can I know about you? Like where you're from...your story." She asked softly, her finger tracing his chiseled stubbly jaw "Please. You know everything about me." He sighed, looking down at those dark amber eyes, she pouted slightly.

"There's not much to tell." He muttered. "Plus you don't want to hear my sob story."

"Please Sally." She pleaded, "you can tell me anything, remember?"

"What if I scare you away?" He asked softly,

"I told you plenty of times at my abuelos house, I'm not going anywhere. I promise." She whispered,

"Fine." He groaned, "uh let's see...I was born in Cojimar,a small fishing village in Havana, Cuba. My father was a uh...very important man there. He moved around easily. It wasn't long before he moved out here...first Miami, then LA." He shrugged, "My siblings and I practically grew up here."

"Siblings?" She asked softly,

"Not as many as you." He teased, she nodded, "at least I think." He frowned,

"And your mother?" She asked softly, he grimaced.

"She's still in Cuba..."

"Oh."

"My father only brought his wife over-"

"His wife?" She asked softly, his grimaced deepened and he nodded.

"My mother...she wasn't even my age when she had me." He sighed, "she was his wife's...my aunts younger sister. My aunt...Condesa, Connie, she married my father for his money. She was never interested in having a relationship with him. They were orphans, her and my mother...my father took them in, marrying my aunt...but she didn't want to fulfill her duties as his wife, so he took the easy prey...she was only 13." Ruby gasped slightly, "She had me a few months later..." He sighed, Ruby studied his face, he looked no older than 25, his mother couldn't be a day over 38.