I relaxed on the three-cushioned couch, which rested by the wall in the living room of the hotel we found ourselves in this week. Suki was resting her head against me, the both of us watching a show on the television. Much like any other show of it's genre, the main character was a young man trying to fight impossible odds and triumph over all which lied within his path, capturing the heart of his one true love.

I shook my head, a frown forming on my face as a sigh escaped my lips. It was such a soft, quiet sigh... nothing I thought Suki would be able to hear, but that woman has amazing hearing sometimes.

She turned towards me, eyebrow raised in confusion. "Is there something wrong Dominic?" she asked me, tilting her head. She was always trying to help me when I was down... just another part of being with me I suppose, but there were times when I really wish she wouldn't worry herself over me. I just wanted her to be happy, you know? I didn't want her concerned with things I can... handle on my own?

Ugh, there I go again... why do I have to isolate myself from her? Enough, it starts today; no more secrets kept from her.

"It's just that at times I wonder why the networks even bother airing shows like this... it's just another rehashing of a plot line from one story, characters from another, dialogue from another and the list just moves on." I began, looking towards the television and encouraging myself that I was off to a good start, "It's always the same story. A young man's going up against the world to find his love while fighting monsters or wizards or dark knight's or whatever the hell they've dreamt up this week."

Suki blinked a little, surprised by my bitterness. I suppose I couldn't blame her, I've never really acted like this before... but it was time to let out what's been bottled up. I need her... I can't make this journey without her, and for the longest time I've been pushing her away.

It's time to make up for the mistakes I've made all along.

"Well... you know, people do enjoy the programing Domi. Going with what sales is the best approach sometimes." Suki spoke softly, shrugging her shoulders indifferently to the network's decisions. Of course, I knew what she said was true... but the annoyance radiating through my veins didn't cease just yet.

"I'm just sick of all the over-dramatizations of heroes on television. Why can't they have realistic ones? Like a guy who saves a little kid from drowning? Or maybe even something simpler, like a friend helping another friend get through some hard times?" I let the words flow as though it was all a pre-planned speech, like an old man lecturing his grandchild over the hardships coming on in this world.

Suki chuckled, "You sound like an old man." she smiled at me then, only proving my thought that this was turning into a grandfather-like lecture.

"Eh... I might as well be. All these heroes they show on TV nowadays are portrayed around my age or at least ten years younger and yet I act nothing like them. Then again, I suppose that can be excused..." I said, sighing.

"How so?" Suki asked, turning herself fully towards me now. I looked over to her, my eyes showing a self-annoyance and despair that she was obviously picking up on. Her gaze softened as she looked at me in worry, about to speak once more before I cut her off.

No more hiding, Dominic... let her know what you've kept her away from.

"I'm not a hero." I said after a moment, wincing at the sting of my own words, "I used to be... but now I'm just back to being me. I'm a wrestler, yeah, and maybe the fans think I'm some great guy who will one day become a wrestling legend. Hell, maybe some of them think I'm a hero too, but in the long run... I'm not. The vast majority of the fans I have I've never met, and the ones I have I've never had an impact on their life..."

Suki stared at me in something that resembled shock and confusion. I looked at her with my own confused glance, wondering why she'd seemingly find my words hard to believe. I mean sure, I'd been keeping them from her, but I'd thought she'd know how I felt about myself being a hero after all of this time...

Did she really think I'd gotten over that after the HWF crumbled away? Putting the thought aside I continued with what I was saying, lowering my head so as to not worry myself with her growing concerned expression.

"Christ... I've never impacted anyone's lives truly, come to think about it. The people who care about me, what have I really done for them in return, you know? I mean... well, like I said: I used to be a hero, but I'm no hero now. I failed, I've failed so many times I sometimes wonder why I bother trying anymore. I failed the fans, I failed my family... damn it all, I even failed Crystal whe--"

Suki's hand grasped ahold of mine tightly, surprising me and causing me to look up, seeing her eyes flaring with anger and sadness. I was instantly concerned; what was wrong?! As I was about to ask she squeezed my hand tighter, staring at me with tears brimming at her eyes. She began to speak, her voice cracking slightly as she glared at me.

"That... is enough, Dominic. I've heard enough. Don't you get it? You never failed Crystal... ever. You've done everything she'd ever have wanted you to do. You couldn't have prevented that night from happening, Dominic... you had no idea that what had happened was going to happen!"

"But had I gone inside and got what I needed to, Crystal would have never died! That wreck would have never happened!" I protested, tears coming to my own eyes out of frustration. Crystal was always a touchy subject between us... she was damn near Suki's sister and she was my fiancee, and though our memories of her are fond... there's always going to be that one night which takes heed over them all.

"If you want to look at it like that..." Suki whispered softly, her own eyes suddenly overflowing with tears as her voice began to crack worse then before, "Then I suppose it's my fault too."

I stared on in silence, my eyes softening as I realized just what I'd subjugated her to.

"I had... I had a gift for you guys, the night of that party. When you said you were going to go train together before the gym closed, I was going to give it to you guys. It's just... I thought I'd just give it to you guys the next day, when you weren't going to go elsewhere."

She looked up at me, her lips quivering as she struggled to keep her composure, tears softly running down her cheeks.

"Matching... they were matching rings, you know. Crystal knew I liked you then... it was my way of letting her know I was fine with you two being together. I... I wanted to give you guys those rings, and if I did chances are you wouldn't have left so suddenly and... and..."

I reached out to touch her but she gently took my hand in hers and placed it on the cushion, shaking her head and sniffling softly. She lifted her head and a look of complete pain washed over her features, as she finally choked out the words which broke through my heart and crippled me with pain.

"I blamed myself too, Dominic! I... I fucking blamed myself!"

She pulled her hand away as she began sobbing harder, and I lowered my head. Not only had I been hiding things from her... but I'd forced her into hiding something from me. I... I never knew she blamed herself, not until now.

And I felt horrible because of it, because I had let the one I loved the most go on hurting without ever knowing why.

"I hate it when you get like this..." she interrupted my thoughts with a sob, a cough, and a brush-away of her tears, "It hurts to see you blame yourself like that. To practically call yourself a nobody, to say you're not a hero... it's too much, Dominic! You're hurting yourself too much!"

I really didn't know what to say, but I knew I should say something... and, of course, I focused on the last words she'd said.

"Suki.." I spoke softly, reaching out and brushing away her tears, "I'm sorry, but... I'm really not a hero. I've never changed anyone's life... I've never saved anyone's day and I've never given anyone something to believe in. Don't you see? I really am just myself... I'm not calling myself a nobody, but I might as well be in the grand scheme of things. What I do in this life isn't impacting people... it's just entertaining them. It's giving them something to watch. What I do out in the ring, that isn't something people can find a hero in... "

Suki looked at me, her face contorted in despair as she shook her head in silence, lifting her hand and clasping it over mine once more. She gently pulled it down, holding my hand and looking me in the eyes, her own glassy with tears. How did all of this develop so suddenly? We were just fine no less then 10 minutes ago, watching one of those cheesy shows you'd expect to see on cable. Now we both had tears falling down our cheeks and some annoying commercial about tampons was blaring on the television.

Seriously, who wants to hear a commercial about tampons?

My thoughts however were cut short as Suki reached up to touch my cheek, causing me to jump slightly in surprise. She leaned in and gave my lips a tender kiss, before pressing herself more into the kiss. I was confused but nonetheless kissed her back, but in a second she'd broken the kiss to look at me with a stern expression, those tears still dripping down her face.

Taking a deep breath she spoke, her voice quivering with the sobs which escaped her lips.

"You're... you're my hero, Dominic..."

I blinked in surprise, ceasing any and all movement I had been making before. My body remained motionless as I stared at her, having not expected to hear anything remotely close to the words that had escaped her lips. She struggled back a fresh onslaught of tears threatening to fall from her eyes as she continued, lowering her hand.

"You say you haven't impacted anyone's life... but you have, Dominic. You've changed mine so much for the better that I find myself thinking about how lucky I am to have a guy like you in my life... I can't tell you how many times I've been able to look to you for support to guide me along the way. I never show it, but I have my own fair share of rough times too, Dominic, and you're always there to make me feel better, even when you're not standing right next to me. You've saved my day before Dominic, and you've changed me for the better. Whether or not you choose to see that... I really don't know, but it's the truth, Dominic, you really are my hero."

I found myself unable to say anything. Here was Suki, not only my fiancee but the best friend I've ever had, telling me that I was her hero and telling me how much I've helped her throughout our lives since we were kids. I wanted to speak but the burning lump in my throat was preventing any sounds from escaping. I was finding it hard to even breathe.

Suki stood slowly, looking down at me with a soft smile... and though her eyes still showed sadness there was something else there. Hope, maybe. Her voice was soft and sweet this time as she whispered just loud enough for me to hear, her own voice probably straining too.

"You're my hero, Dominic. And... you can't define a hero by the things they do, only by the impact they leave on someone's life. I... I can't tell you how much of an impact you've had on mine, Dominic, I really can't. All I can say... is thank you. I-- I don't know what else there is to say really... " Suki lowered her head, nibbling softly on her lower lip. "E-excuse me... I'm, going to go lie down. I need to rest my head... " she sighed, slowly walking away.

I watched as she left, struggling to say something... anything. I wanted to tell her to come back, I wanted to tell her I was sorry, I wanted to tell her that I loved her and I believed what she'd said... but no words could escape. I instead found myself giving in to the burning lump in my throat by lying down on the coach, sighing and turning over onto my side. I wiped the tears from my face, unable to believe that Suki actually saw me as her hero.

The television blared something about great car deals down at Sam's Auto Lot, as the announcer's voice boomed like he was telling the story of the end of the world. The enthusiasm and pitch of voice was quite a thing to hear, it almost made you want to cringe. At least it wasn't a radio commercial, they talk a mile a second by the end of those things, it's enough to make your head spin.

Funny how quickly my mind jumps to another topic to ease the stress on itself.

I reached for the remote and switched off the TV, lying in the silence of the living room as I stared at the blank screen, allowing another sigh to escape my lips.

"You can't define a hero by the things they do... only by the impact they leave on someone's life..."

She had a point... maybe I really was going about this whole hero business the wrong way. Maybe... maybe I really was a hero.

Come to think of it... why did I even have to try to be a hero? I'm still the same person I've always been... the fans love me for who I am, just as my family and friends. Just like Suki too, right? That means... I...

"I might not be able to be everyone's hero... but that doesn't mean I can't be one in the end." I whispered softly to myself.

Thank God for Suki Minamoto... without her, I doubt I'd be half the wrestler-- much less half the man-- that I am today. My father, my family, my friends... everyone has led me here, and my father's been a hero for me...

But Suki Minamoto... she's more then just an angel, without her I'd lose a massive part of who I really am.

"You're my hero, Dominic... "

And... I'm her hero.

I'm... a hero.

For the first time in a long time, I really believe those words to be true.