Canary and the Coal Mine

So, the day hadn’t gone as I’d expected. Del Rio – my opponent for the night – was out for an ankle injury, and the rest of the night was booked solid. No fight for me, much to my disappointment.

And with Triple H telling me I had full control of my allegiances and where I went from here, I found myself wandering around backstage, looking for something to do. Figure out my ‘direction’, so to speak.

Randy hadn’t even come in tonight since he didn’t have a match. Bryan was working with Kane on their ‘strategy’, John had disappeared right when we got to the arena, and the twins were currently picking fights in the locker room. I was bored out of my mind.

Of course, I’d spent the first half hour alone hunting for Dean, Roman, and Seth. From what I could tell, they hadn’t arrived yet. No sign of them in the locker room, and none of the crew I’d asked had seen ‘em. They were harder to find than Bryan in tall grass.

So as I wandered, I went back to debating my loyalties. Who’s side did I want to be on? Who did I want to put my devotion into? Besides Bryan and John – my obvious first choices – Randy was at the top of my list. And lucky for me, he wasn’t currently feuding with my friends, so I could back all of them.

In my brief time with NXT and WWE, I’d always been big on loyalty. Even in the indie circuit, I’d made a point of sticking with the people that backed me. It’s how Bryan and I became friends. I couldn’t stand the bullies, the backstabbers. Those that cheated to win matches, or turned on their partners to get ahead. If I was with someone, I was with them to the end. So picking my allegiances now set me up for, well, pretty much my entire time on the roster.

As I turned the corner, a grin spread over my face. Another person I wanted to team up with, and it looked like he was just getting ready for action.

“Hey, big guy,” I said, coming up to Ryback; I had to tip my head back to stare up at him. He was nearly a foot above me, but I was already used to looking up at everyone I talked to anyway. He grinned down at me and held his fist out; I bumped enthusiastically.

“Pipsqueak,” he greeted. “Up to no good?”

“I wish,” I sighed, looking around in disappointment. “I had big plans to torment Damien Sandow, but I haven’t seen him yet.” Ryback snorted in amusement. “When’s your match tonight?”

“Up next,” he said as he headed towards gorilla position. “Titus O’Neil.”

“Good. Teach him some manners. It’s not nice blowing a whistle in someone’s face,” I started, and then glanced back. “Won’t he have Darren Young out there with him, too?”

“Yeah,” Ryback growled. “He’s too afraid to come out alone.”

“What if he interferes?” I hinted, knowing that even someone as big as Ryback could get double-teamed and lose a match like that. He just shrugged, so I added, “Y’know, I’m a pretty useful valet.”

Ryback turned and looked down at me, raising a brow. Okay, admittedly, I just wanted something to do. But what better use of my time than being out at ringside, building up my alliances? Besides, I was already dressed in my ring attire, ready for action. Ryback must have seen the fire behind my gaze, because he just gave a wicked grin and nodded.

“Let’s do this thing.”

First valeting for Randy Orton, and now Ryback. I was making a hell of a name for myself, and I hadn’t even had my first match as Jamie Lawless.

As Ryback stormed out to his music, I waited for his queue. When he tipped his head back and yelled ‘WAKE UP’, he turned and pointed a finger back towards me.

“And he’s being accompanied tonight by Jamie Lawless!” Lillian announced as I came out onto the stage. The crowd went wild as we stood side-by-side, bumping fists again before stalking down to the ring. As Ryback climbed in, I circled to stand across from Darren Young. He, at least, didn’t sneer at me like others had. He actually looked a little apprehensive, having me so close.

When the bell rang, Titus quickly got the upper hand. He launched forward, driving the big guy into the ropes. As he pinned Ryback in the corner, I turned to the crowd and pumped my fist as I chanted ‘Feed me more! Feed me more!’ . They quickly joined in, charging Ryback up easily to let him burst out of the turnbuckle and give it right back to his opponent.

Titus got face planted, and instead of getting up, he rolled out of the ring to find Darren. Ryback and I shared an incredulous look, and I hopped back to give him space as he rolled out of the ring himself. No breaks in wrestling! What was Titus thinking?

Darren let out a cry and dove aside as Ryback threw Titus into the steel pole. He turned to Darren, but the smaller wrestler had rolled onto his back, kicking his feet up to keep Ryback at bay. I actually snorted, watching him; he looked like an overturned turtle.

As Ryback turned and threw Titus into the ring, Darren scrambled up; he was going to pull Ryback off the apron. I slipped between them and shoved Darren back hard enough to make him stumble into the announcers table.

He let out a screech and launched at me, actually taking me off guard as he tackled me into the apron. Though he was bigger, he wasn’t very coordinated, and I easily overpowered him. With a quick scoop power slam – Randy Orton style, of course – I’d gotten him off of me and gave myself time to recover.

Darren dove for me again; I slammed a forearm to his face and then glanced back as I heard Ryback snarl. He was about to throw Titus into the ropes. Perfect. I stepped aside and let a surprised Darren duck past me and hop up onto the apron to try and get involved. The second he did, Titus flew into his partner, and Darren went sprawling.

A heartbeat later, the bell rung. Ryback had gotten the pin. Titus groaned and rolled out of the ring as I rolled in, hopping to my feet and bumping fists. Ryback leaned down and motioned to the corner.

“Microphone!”

“On it,” I said moving and dropping to the apron, reaching out towards a camera man. He pulled a spare mic out and tossed it to me, and I tossed it to Ryback. He let out a snarl as his music faded, and he looked around the arena.

“Whether it’s CM Punk, three outsiders, or all four at once, I’m gonna stand here all damn night until I get what I want!” he snarled, chest heaving as the rage he’d built up began to spill out. I grinned at him as he turned to me. “Pipsqueak, you in, or you out?”

I came up to him and he held the mic down for me.

“Those punks need to learn their places,” I agreed, nodding. “’Course, big guy. Bring it on!”

The crowd cheered as Ryback and I shared a nod of mutual agreement, and then Ryback launched into his chants of ‘feed me more!’. The whole arena joined in as I hopped up to perch on one of the turnbuckles, getting comfortable as I added to their chants. Well, rioting with Ryback hadn’t been on the list, but what the hell? Might as well, right?

Nearly five minutes had passed, all filled with our chanting, before anything happened. Instead of Punk or Reigns, Rollins, and Ambrose, it was security. Five men came walking down the ramp, eyes locked on us. As I hopped off the turnbuckle, ready to square up with Ryback, he put a hand out and kept me back.

“Don’t fight ‘em,” he advised, not taking his eyes off them as they began to head up the steps. “Don’t need you getting suspended or somethin’. I got this, pipsqueak.”

Reluctantly, as the security lined up in front of him, I let Ryback reach out and move me aside, against the ropes to his left. One of the guards came forward and got into his face, and without warning he grabbed him and threw him over the ropes.

The crowd cheered as I laughed, watching as the other guards took cautious steps back. Before anything could escalate further, Vickie Guerrero appeared on stage.

“Ryback!” she called; the big guy’s head snapped up. “You have no right to take my show hostage, or put your hands on my security guards!”

Ryback just laughed, and I grinned along with him, catching his eye as he glanced back at me.

“Jamie,” she said, and I looked over again, surprised. “I know you want to be loyal to your friend, but you need to get out of the ring! If you stay in there with Ryback, both of you will be punished. I will have no choice but to –“

“That’s right, Vickie, no choice! I want CM Punk, and I want CM Punk at the TLC pay-per-view! And I aint’ goin’ anywhere till I get it!”

“Ryback, I understand you’re angry, and you have every right to be! So I’ll give you your match, but I’m asking the two of you right now to please leave the ring and let the show –“

“Shut up!” he yelled, and both Vickie and I looked at him, surprised. “I wasn’t finished speaking!”

Oh damn! Vickie didn’t like that. I had to really fight to keep the smirk off my face. Ryback made his demands for an actual TLC match at the TLC pay-per-view. As Vickie tried to interrupt, Ryback snarled again,

“Shut up! If you don’t give me what I want, I will tear this whole ring apart, post to post!”

I couldn’t help the amused grin this time, and the crowd cheered as the camera zoomed in on my smile. Well, hey, it was nice having Vickie put in place for once. That lady drove me crazy.

“Okay, Ryback! You have the match! But only if you get out of the ring and bring your little sidekick with you!”

Ryback shared a look at me, and I gave him a look that said, ‘up to you’. He turned to security, and lunged at the four remaining men. They scattered, and the two of us busted out laughing. He threw his arms up in victory, and then jerked his head, having me follow him. I hopped out of the ring and walked past the fans, slapping hands as we headed back up the ramp.

The moment we were backstage, Vickie was in my face. At least she was actually my height, but that just meant I had to deal with her sour breath as she shouted,

“What are you doing? A week into your career and you’re out there making a fool out of me!?”

“Hey, Vickie, I’m sorry,” I said quickly, holding my hands up in defense. Pissing off the general manager of Raw probably wasn’t my best idea, come to think of it. I was sure she hadn’t appreciated my grin. “I wasn’t trying to. I was just out with Ryback. I want my hands on those assholes as much as he does. I wasn’t trying to go against you.”

She gave me a cold sneer as she took a step back from me. She eyed me up and down, and gave a laugh.

“Don’t think you’re invincible just because you’re friends with Daniel Bryan and Randy Orton. If you cross me again, little girl, I’ll make sure you learn your place.”

“Duly noted,” I told her, hands still up, trying not to sound as cheeky as I knew I did. With a last scoff, she was gone, storming down the hallway. Ryback came up to me and gave a sheepish smile. I grinned and he sighed.

“Sorry. I didn’t know it would get that far,” he said honestly, and I shrugged.

“Hey, you got a good match and you get to get your hands on Punk. I call that a win-win.”

“Thanks for having my back again, pipsqueak. I appreciate it.”

Ryback and I bumped fists again, and we headed off in separate directions. I really did have every intention of going back to the locker room to find the twins. But of course, leave it to me to run into Alberto Del Rio. He was standing with Rosa, shouting threats at Hornswoggle, who was somehow up on top of one of the equipment boxes. I had no idea what I’d just walked in on, but I wasn’t walking away. It wasn’t my fight, but really? Picking on Hornswoggle? How pathetic could a guy get?

“If it’s revenge you’re looking for, senorita, I would be more than happy to help you,” Del Rio growled to Rosa, turning towards Hornswoggle and reaching to pull him down.

“Funny that you can pick on him, but you wimped out of a match with me,” I laughed, coming forward; I saw the cameras, and could hear the crowd outside. We must be broadcast on the titantron.

“Sweetheart, maybe you want to think about who you’re messing with before you open your mouth,” he laughed; I stepped up and got between Del Rio and the box Hornswoggle was on, and crossed my arms, looking between him and Rosa.

“Awe, you both match. Are you the new divas tag team?” I asked, eyeing him pointedly. His face screwed up. “Or the new superstar tag team?” I added, looking to Rosa. “It’s just hard to tell with you two.”

Rosa let out a screech of fury, and Del Rio slammed me back hard into the crate. Just as his arm pinned over my chest and he went to hit me, a hand grabbed his shoulder and pulled him back.

We both looked up at Khali as he glowered down at Del Rio. His eyes were dark, and his jaw was set. He was ready to rip the smaller wrestler apart. Del Rio shoved off me and backed away, knowing better than to try and start anything with Khali.

As he and Rosa disappeared around the corner and Khali helped Hornswoggle down, I grinned at them both.

“Thanks,” I said, and the big man responded with something that sounded like a compliment. Sweet! I was so in with Khali. This night was going great! When I got back to the locker room, Nikki and Brie were both waiting for me, turning to give me matching looks of bemused exasperation.

“What?” I asked in feigned innocence, vaulting over the back of the couch and landing between them. Raw was on, of course, so they’d seen the last twenty minutes of my escapades. “Okay, to be fair, I didn’t know Ryback was gonna do that –“

“You’re already picking fights with the general manager,” Brie groaned, dropping her face into her hand. “Seriously. You are a such a trouble magnet.”

“I am not –“

“Hornswoggle and Del Rio?” Nikki prompted, and I threw my hands up.

“They were just there! I couldn’t let Del Rio bully him!”

“And that’s why you’re a trouble magnet. You can’t walk away from a fight,” Nikki laughed, wrapping an arm around my shoulders. “At least you always keep it entertaining, Jellybean.”

“Picking fights with authority and getting involved where she doesn’t belong is not entertaining!” Brie argued, rolling her eyes. “Jamie, what if Vickie had suspended you –“

“Well she didn’t,” I cut in, immediately deciding to leave out our encounter backstage. “So shush and watch the show.”

We settled in and watched Khali’s match; I rooted for my new friend, glad to see he came away with the win. The twins had fallen into a debate about the best shade of orange; it was neck and neck between pumpkin and burnt sienna. I didn’t even pretend to understand anything about fashion, so before they could rope me in to be their tie-breaker, I got up to start a hunt for some food. I’d just reached the door when I heard onscreen, “Punk. Paul.”

My head whipped back to the TV and a wave of irritation wash over me. Punk and Paul Heyman had cornered Vickie in her office, and they weren’t happy. Of course, he had to bitch about being put in a title match with Ryback. But then the little asshole went on to add,

“And that little brat, Jamie Lawless, you’re just gonna let her get away with what she did? She interrupted my ceremony! She just went against you in the ring! And you’re just gonna sit back and take it?! You should punish her, show her who’s boss!”

“Hey!” I said indignantly, scowling at Punk on screen.

“I think Jamie had every right to interrupt you last week and stand up for herself. Why don’t you leave management to me, and get ready for your match tonight?” She sneered; okay, so she could be decent every now and then. Granted, defending me was just to dig at Punk and Heyman, whom she hated as much as I did, but still. I’d take it.

As Punk and Heyman left the office, I let out a growl and made to leave again; this time, the twins took notice.

“Where’re you going, Jellybean?” Nikki asked, both turning to look over at me.

“Food,” I said, and they both gave me disbelieving frowns. “Oh come on. I promise I won’t go jump CM Punk or anything. I just want some tater tots.”

Against their better judgment, neither tried to argue anymore as I slipped out of the locker room. Sheesh. As if I was really that much trouble.

On my way to the buffet, I heard Michael on screen say, “Dean, Seth, Roman.”

My head snapped up, and I saw the interview they’d been advertising all night finally being aired. Dean, Seth, and Roman were lined up, sitting beside Cole looking a little irritated to be there. I paused in the hall, staring up at the TV as Ambrose denied working for CM Punk.

And as I listened to Seth talking about how rigged the WWE was, how it was just a popularity contest, I found myself agreeing. I’d hated that some wrestlers got promoted just because they were a fan favorite. I was surprised when Ambrose continued to make a good point. Saying they were about right and wrong; wasn’t that what I did? Keeping Darren from interfering with Ryback’s match, and Del Rio from jumping Randy. Keeping it fair. Isn’t that what those three were doing too?

Of course, Ryback hadn’t been the right target the last few nights, but maybe their aim was just a little off.

“Now, Dean, you three have also made an impression by attacking the newest member of the roster, Jamie Lawless. Is there any reason –“

“Don’t spin this into somethin’ it ain’t, Michael,” Dean chastised, shrugging his shoulders and leaning forward. “She ain’t who we're after. She’s just been a casualty. A soldier on the wrong side, y’know?” His face twisted into a scowl like he’d had before. “I don’t know why she came out at Survivor Series, but she wasn’t our target. She was just out fightin’ for her friend like we fight for justice.”

“And if the canary wants to fly into the coal mine, who are we to stop her?” Seth added, shrugging and sharing a look with Dean. Michael leaned forward and asked,

“Roman? Anything to add about the attack on Jamie Lawless? I’d love to hear your thoughts.”

Roman turned slowly to face Cole, his face hard and impassive.

“When I got somethin’ to say, I’ll say it,” he growled, and I chuckled at Cole’s reaction. A smirk spread across Dean’s face as he shared a nod with his friend and turned back to Michael.

“The thing is, Michael, what it comes down to… that little finch needs to learn when to fly away. Now look, we’re not mercenaries. We ain’t punks. We’re just a shield from injustice.” After a pause and a shared look from Roman and Seth, Dean looked back once more to Michael. “We are the Shield.”

“Okay, so –“ Michael began; Roman stood up.

“I got somethin’ to say,” he growled. “This interview is over.”

The smirk that took over my expression couldn’t be helped; the look on Cole’s face was priceless. I doubted many of his interviews were ended so abruptly like that. The screen faded out to JBL and Cole live, and I went back to my pursuit of food.

I sensed their presence before I saw them. Their eyes burned into my back, daring me to turn around. This is why you get into trouble, I heard Nikki saying as I glanced over my shoulder. Dean, Roman, and Seth stood at the end of the hall, all watching me intently. Arms crossed tight over their chests, looking impressively intimidating. Dean, in front, caught my gaze, and a smirk tugged up the corner of his lip.

Slowly, I turned around to face them, never breaking eye contact. As I did so, the three men began to move as one. Predators, stalking their prey. There was plenty of time for me to run, if I had wanted to. But we all knew this is exactly what I’d been wanting.

I held my ground, only moving to tilt my head back and stare up at Dean as he loomed over me. Roman moved to my left, and Seth moved to my right, effectively blocking me in. If I wanted to back out, I still could. There was still a space, directly behind me, that they’d left clear; probably because they knew I wouldn’t be running.

I matched Dean’s smirk with one of my own and crossed my arms. Dean’s tongue flicked out over his lips, and he let it hang out for a moment as he studied me. His sharp blue eyes flickered over me briefly, but not in the same way Ziggler had done the other day. He wasn’t demeaning me; he was sizing me up.

“Pretty small to be a wrestler,” he noted; the other two behind me chuckled. They were close enough I could feel their chests rumbling. I shrugged and gave Dean my own studious glance – ignore those gorgeous arms, Jamie – then flicked my eyes back to his in a challenge.

“Big enough to level your ass last week.”

Seth and Roman ooh’d as Dean tipped his head back, chuckling quietly. When he looked back down at me, the amusement in his eyes was gone, replaced with an intensity that made my skin crawl. He took a step towards me and I took one back, bumping into the burly men that had now moved to stand completely behind me. Okay, so maybe they would stop me. Maybe Nikki had a point…

“Little Finch,” Dean murmured as his chest bumped up against mine; his breath was surprisingly sweet, a mix of mint and spice. “Anyone ever talk to you about self-preservation?”

“It’s come up. And I’m still here, aren’t I?”

“You keep flyin’ into the storm, you won’t be for much longer,” he said lowly, lips twitching as he enunciated the last few words. To his surprise, I let out a laugh and raised a brow as I stared up at him.

“That a threat, Ambrose?”

“It’s a promise,” Roman growled from behind me; I risked a quick glance back at him. I could swear he was a lot bigger than he was just a few days ago. Much scarier when he was scowling two inches from my face. He and Seth crowded closer and I shrunk down on instinct. Okay, these guys needed to learn about personal space.

“We don’t want to hurt you,” Seth added, his hands coming up to rest on my shoulders. He gave a quick squeeze before I jerked away – bumping into Dean again. He leaned over me, pressing against me and effectively pinning me between himself and his boys behind me. My hands came up and pressed on his chest, keeping him back just enough so I could still meet his eyes. His hands came up and wrapped over my own, holding them tight as he carefully pulled them off his vest.

“But if you keep puttin’ yourself where you don’t belong, Finch…” he trailed off for a moment; his eyes swept over me again. His hands, still holding mine, squeezed just a bit as his thumbs brushed over my wrists. “We’ll do what we have to.”

With that, Dean took a step back and let my hands slide out of his. He glanced over my head and he gave an almost unnoticeable nod to the other two behind me. Roman and Seth stepped out of my way, and this time I did back away. I could barely breathe, so caught up in being so close to Dean. He clearly noticed the affect he had on me, and he threw another wink as I continued to back away.

The three of them watched me go until I disappeared around the corner. Getting to the break room was a blur; I wasted no time in piling some food on my plate. I had to get back to the locker room and sit down and get ahold of myself, this was just ridiculous.

I got back just in time to see Rey Mysterio land a 619 on Bryan; Brie groaned and dropped her face into her hands as Nikki continued to yell at the screen.

“Roll out of the way! Come on, what are you? Dead!? Move it!”

I settled back into my spot between them and shook my head at the scene of Bryan rolling in agony and frustration. At least now I had something to take my mind off Dean and his disgustingly attractive smirk.

The match was too close to call. Between Nikki’s refereeing and Brie’s squeaks of alarm, it was a pretty intense fight to watch. The three of us let out simultaneous groans as Mysterio landed his splash and got the pin.

“Well, at least it wasn’t Big Show. That would’ve hurt,” I mused; Brie picked her head up out of her hands and narrowed her eyes at me.

“Speaking of Big Show –“ she started, and I widened my stare at her. That little goat had actually told her what I’d said! “What exactly did Bryan mean –“

“Why did you get half a hot dog and seven buns?” Nikki asked, taking the plate from my hands; grateful for the distraction, I looked over at her and raised my brows.

“What?”

“And like an entire block of cheese. What the hell, Jay?”

Oh, yeah. I hadn’t even paid attention to what I grabbed; I was too busy replaying my run-in with the ‘Shield’. I quickly played it off with a shrug and snagged one of the buns.

“Brodus was ahead of me. This is all that was left. Be lucky I brought you anything, you ungrateful ignoramus.”

Nikki rolled her eyes but snagged the half of a hot dog and went back to refereeing the matches. Brie grabbed one for herself and gave me a look.

“There seriously weren’t any more hot dogs? I don’t want just a bun.”

“I’m sure Big Show has a hot dog for you,” I offered with a cheeky smile as she gasped and threw the bun at me.

“You’re disgusting!”

“You know you love me!”

“I’m not so sure –“

“Step off, bitch, he’s not yours!” Nikki hollered, making both Brie and I jump and look at the screen. Ah, great. John’s match with Ziggler – which had been an embarrassingly quick loss for the Showoff – had just wrapped up, and now AJ was back in the ring, congratulating him. John hopped off the turnbuckle and turned to give AJ an uneasy smile. She clasped her hands in front of her and gave him a flirtatious smile; Nikki emitted another inhumane shriek.

“Oh, I see Cena’s on,” Bryan noted as he limped into the locker room, a bemused smile on his face. He came around the couch and Brie stood up to let him sit, settling onto his lap and leaning back against him.

“Hey,” I said nudging him. “You got a hot dog for Brie’s bun?” Bryan let out a snort of laughter as Brie’s face lit up; she gaped at me in disbelief, so I added, “she already finished off Big Show’s, and I guess she’s still hungry.”

“Feed… me… more!” Bryan cackled as Brie groaned and buried her face in her hands.

“I’m in love with a child,” she groaned; I leaned over onto her and Bryan and wrapped my arms around her waist.

“Awe, Breezy, I love you too!”

“Not you!” she growled, but the laugh was leaking through her menacing voice. “Get off me you bitch!”

“Awe come on, give JayJay a hug,” Bryan began just as Nikki launched off the couch. AJ had her arms wrapped around John’s neck, kissing even more passionately than before. John was politely trying to detangle himself from her, to no avail.

“Oh shit! Nikki!” I shouted, scrambling over Brie and Bryan as Nikki took off, murder written in her furious expression. If she went out now and confronted AJ, she’d get in trouble for breaking the medical suspension she was under (just until her knee was cleared), and I had a feeling John wasn’t ready to announce their relationship like that.

She was already halfway down the hall by the time I shot out of the locker room. Even in heels, she was impressively fast. The string of threats and curses coming out of her mouth only grew stronger the closer we got to gorilla position.

“If that fucking bitch thinks she can crawl all over my man –“ she screeched as she pulled the curtain aside; I barely got my arm around her waist in time. She let out a shout of indignation as I dragged her back, holding her to my chest.

“You can’t go out –“ Nikki’s elbow caught my stomach and I doubled over, nearly letting go. She surged forward, so I reached up with my other hand and locked my hold around her middle, stumbling back with her in tow. We hit the wall, and she let out another shout. She continued to writhe, and it was becoming clear her rage-induced strength was winning out over my desperation. She was a few inches over me and more muscular as well, with about twenty pounds on me. And when she was mad…

“She wants to kiss John? She thinks that’s fucking okay!? I’ll give everyone something to talk about –“

“Nicole,” I wheezed, still winded from her hit and struggling to hold her. Thank God John and AJ came backstage when they did. AJ spotted her first, and let out a scream as Nikki ripped from my hold like a bat out of hell. I slumped against the wall as AJ dove behind John, narrowly avoiding Nikki’s swing.

John just barely caught her in time before she dove around him to tackle AJ to the ground. He wrapped his arms around her and walked backwards, holding Nikki much easier than I had. He pinned her to his chest, looking down at her.

“I’m sorry, I’m sorry,” he said quickly, trying to soothe her and end the scene that had unfolded. “I didn’t know she’d kiss me. Nicole, look at me –“

“It’s not you I’m mad at!” she spat, trying to lunge around him as AJ came closer. She knew she was safe; it was clear John was a lot stronger than I was, and she wouldn’t be getting past him.

“It’s a shame you’re still too weak to be out in the ring,” AJ laughed. “Maybe then you could valet with your man. Good thing a real woman is out there to take care of him.”

“AJ,” John warned as Nikki launched into another bout of angry shouting. I pushed off the wall and came to stand beside them, glaring at AJ. She actually took a step back from me, even though technically I couldn’t hit her. She was a diva, and even though I was a woman, I was a superstar. And Hunter made it clear superstars weren’t allowed to rough up the divas.

“Watch your mouth,” I spat at her, turning to Nikki and John. “We should probably take this –“ by this, I meant the red-faced diva foaming at the mouth, “- somewhere else. Cameras are closing in.”

John gave a quick nod and locked his hold onto Nikki as he followed me down the hall back to the locker room. Bryan and Brie were watching us with mixed looks of amusement and annoyance as I kicked the door shut and slumped against it.

“So I uh, take it AJ isn’t coming to dinner?” Bryan began, only to get an unamused scowl from both Brie and John. I swallowed the giggle and cleared my throat, looking back at my best friend. John still had his arms wrapped around her, but she was struggling to get free.

“Get off me!” she hissed, giving up on trying to pry his hands apart and moving to push at his chest. “Seriously! Let me go!”

“Not if you’re gonna go back after AJ –“

“Why? You don’t want me taking her down because you don’t want your girl getting hurt?” she spat, and now I could see the tears coming to her eyes. I knew her anger was just to mask the pain of seeing AJ kiss John, and her front was slowly breaking down. John noticed too; his face softened a bit and he said sincerely,

“No, because I don’t want my girl getting in trouble for breaking her medical suspension.”

Nikki paused her angry shoving, taken aback by his words. Brie, Bryan, and I caught each other’s looks, and the two of them got up off the couch.

“We’ll see you guys later,” I said, giving John an encouraging smile as we headed out. I risked one last look at my best friend to ensure she was okay. She was blushing wildly, smiling shyly up at John.

Yeah, she’d be just fine.

---

“You’re really not going ringside for Kane?” I asked Bryan from our spot on the floor. We’d gone and gotten food again – Brie pointedly not getting any hot dogs, much to the disappointment of Bryan and I – and we were sprawling along the hallway in front of a monitor.

“Nah,” he said with a shrug. “It’s Punk. Besides, Kane would probably try to say I distracted him or something. I’m not about to start a fight again.”

“I still don’t understand why you’re teaming with him,” Brie pointed out, making a face. “Like, I’m so afraid he’s gonna snap and like, set you on fire or something.”

“Valid point,” I admitted, earning a smack from Brie. “What?! You said it. I’m just being supportive.”

She rolled her eyes and we turned our attention back to the match. It was looking good. Kane had just thrown Punk down into a chokeslam that made him bounce across the mat. All three of us ooh’d and winced at the impact. Kane laughed and signaled for Punk’s end.

Just as he lifted Punk up onto his shoulder, a figure in all black came hurrying down the steps in the background.

Seth.

Roman came down the other steps, and Dean pretty much just materialized at Seth’s side a moment later.

“Oh you’re kidding me,” I breathed, watching in disbelief. Bryan sat forward, focused on the screen. As much as he and Kane fought, he held the same belief as me – you don’t abandon your tag-team partner.

Though they didn’t move past the barricade, the distraction was enough to allow Punk to slither off Kane’s shoulders and maneuver him into the GTS. Kane hit the mat, and Punk picked up the win. Now Punk and Kane were both lying in the ring, and as expected, Dean led the group in crossing the barricade towards the ring.

Bryan was on his feet. He stood rigid, watching with barely-controlled anger; he wanted to get his hands on them. Brie and I stood up with him; she took his arm, tugging him to her. She knew he’d run out if it was Kane they were after. Right now, though, it was hard to tell, so he stood in rigid anticipation.

They climbed onto the apron slowly, dangerously. Their eyes were locked on Punk as they slid through the ropes; my heart was in my throat, watching the attack unfold. Punk got up, backed into the corner, and balled his fists. All three men dove onto Kane, and pummeled him into the ropes.

Bryan took off.

Brie screamed after him to stop, but he was around the corner a heartbeat later. I stared in shock as Dean, Seth, and Roman continued to beat down Kane as Punk just watched. The coward. He stood by as the crowd surged in support as Bryan came sprinting down the ramp. Seth peeled off to intercept him, and they clashed hard.

Of course, Seth couldn’t just fight him fair. Dean pulled back and turned to help his friend as Roman continued to beat Kane.

“Oh god, Bryan!” Brie cried, covering her mouth in horror. Now all three men were on him; Kane wasn’t going to be able to help. I turned and pushed Brie towards the locker rooms.

“Go stay with John! I’ve got him!” I promised, taking off down the hall. This. This is what I’d been craving. The ruthless fight from the Shield, the chance to go one-on-one with Dean again and draw out the Mox I’d seen last time we fought.

Brie shouted for me to come back, but I didn’t listen. As I rounded the corner, I nearly ran into Ryback; his face was masked with fury. We shared a nod; together. Ryback’s music blasted as we came running out. Punk dove behind the barrier to save himself as Ryback and I slid into the ring.

The boys were waiting for us, now that both Kane and Bryan were lying motionless outside the ring. Roman and Seth intercepted Ryback as Dean wrapped his arms around my middle and hit me with a powerslam of his own. The breath was knocked out of me, but I wasn’t going down that easily.

A heartbeat later I flipped myself back onto my feet, shaking off the hit. Seth and Roman were piling on top of Ryback. Dean went to join the fray, and I slipped between them. He surged forward to knock me out of the way, and I slammed my hands onto his chest, jarring him to a halt. He let out an agitated snarl and moved to tower over me instead.

“Outta the way, Finch!”

“Outta the ring, Ambrose,” I shot back, balling my fists. Dean let out a short laugh, and then ducked to drive himself into my stomach. Only, I was smaller than most opponents he’d come across, and he didn’t go low enough. His shoulder jammed into my chest, and it knocked him off balance.

I kicked up hard and caught him in the stomach, making him double over further, and then I dropped and knocked him down with a hard leg sweep. Dean hit the mat face-first and the rolled onto his back, momentarily stunned, and I jumped to my feet to help Ryback.

Except he’d just clotheslined Roman onto the mat, and Seth was still down from an earlier hit; all three boys were on their backs. Ryback let out a victorious roar and I turned, ready to go check on Bryan and Kane, make sure they weren’t hurt too badly. The crowd erupted in shouts of warning, but I didn’t have time to react.

Punk’s hands slammed into my back and I went face-first into the ropes. One of them caught my throat, one hit across my ribs, and the last slammed into my thighs. They were so unforgiving and I was so small that I didn’t even bounce off of them; I just slid to my knees, clutching my throat and groaning in pain.

Ryback was between us instantly, keeping Punk from me as I struggled to take a breath, trying desperately to get to my feet. But the numbers game took control pretty quickly. Seth and Roman went to help Punk as Dean focused on me. Clearly, he wasn’t thrilled about the faceplant I’d given.

But to my surprise, instead of beating me into the mat, he hung off the top rope and shoved me out of the ring with his feet; I landed hard, rolling onto my back to stare up at him in a daze. There was an unreadable expression on his face.

“Fly away, little Finch,” he warned, turning and jumping onto a defenseless Ryback. As I struggled to sit up, I hazarded a look to my left. Bryan was on the ground, in pain and trying to get his bearings, but he was okay. Kane was being helped by the ringside medics, so he wasn’t in immediate danger.

To Ryback’s aide it was, then. I struggled to my knees, pulling myself up onto the apron slowly, still a little jarred from the hits. Dean was straddling Ryback, pummeling his fists into his face and chest. I gripped Dean’s leg and ankle, and threw myself back.

He slid off Ryback and got slammed into the ropes, letting Ryback roll onto his stomach to protect himself better. Dean’s eyes widened in furious surprise as he stared down at me; I just grinned and flicked my brows up, inviting him into another challenge.

“Wrong move, kid,” Seth snarled from behind me, making me spin around; where they hell had he come from?! I had no time to brace, no time to react. Seth’s arms wrapped around me and he held me to his chest like I weighed nothing as he climbed onto the apron.

For just a fleeting moment, I locked eyes with Dean. He gave me another unreadable look, almost as if he regretted what was about to happen. A moment later he turned away, back to finish the job. He and Roman were pulling Ryback to his feet; we’d lost.

Our chances hadn’t been good, but it was still a sickening realization that we hadn’t been able to stop their attack.

Seth tightening his hold around my waist was the only warning I had before he lifted me up and flung me over his head in the hardest German Suplex I’d ever been hit with.
---

Someone had flipped me onto my back. I let out a low groan, and the person above me let out a relieved breath.

“She’s conscious! She’s good!” It was John; I slowly opened my eyes and looked up to see him kneeling over me.

“’Good’ is a very relative term,” I mumbled, blinking rapidly to get my vision to stop swimming as I immediately began to scan the area. The details of the past few moments were a little fuzzy, but the splintered table below me and the bodies around me in varying degrees of pain were bringing it back.

Bryan was on his knees, held steady by Brie, and Nikki was talking with the refs about something that she clearly needed a lot of foul language for. We must’ve been off air; sure enough, as I scanned the stands, most all the seats were empty. How long had I been out?

As I struggled to sit up, John slid his arm behind my back and helped me get somewhat vertical. I looked down at the broken announce table I was sitting on and grimaced.

“They’re not as soft as they look,” I pointed out weakly, and John chuckled.

“No, not really. At least the monitors helped break your fall.”

“True. That makes all the difference,” I chuckled, and then winced at the pain in my back. “How long was I…?”

“I’m not too sure. You were still in the ring when Brie got to us, but by the time I was out here…”

It was coming back to me now; Seth lifting me like a sack of potatoes and flinging me back. Slamming into poor Bryan, who’d finally managed to get to his feet, the both of us crashing mercilessly through the announcers table. Just the memory of my body hitting the unforgiving wood made me wince.

John gave me a sympathetic smile and shifted onto the balls of his feet.

“Can you stand?” he asked, and just to check, I pulled my legs under me and got to my knees. Everything seemed to work all right. When I nodded, John reached down and wrapped his arm around my back, getting me up and standing slowly.

Everything hurt: my back, my head, my ribs, my arms… It didn’t look like Bryan was much better, practically being held upright by Brie, but at least we were both on our feet. Ryback was sitting on the apron, hands in his lap, glaring up into the stands where I assumed Dean, Seth, and Roman had disappeared to.

“Hey, big guy,” I said, peeling away from John as he headed to go silence some of Nikki’s profanities. I hopped up onto the apron as well, grimacing at the pain that flared up, and settled next to him. “You good?”

“I’ll live,” he said, and after a moment he added, “Got power-bombed again.”

I winced. Roman was a powerhouse; that move had to hurt. “At least they used the table on me this time.”

Ryback didn’t laugh. He just glowered straight ahead, clenching and unclenching his jaw. Bryan came up to us a few moments later. He had a busted lip and the beginnings of a black eye.

“Kane’s alright. Nothing too serious.”

“Good,” I sighed; better not be anything serious after I came out and got my ass kicked for him. Bryan shook his head, feeling just as shitty as the rest of us.

“I’m already sick of those punks. Someone needs to teach them a lesson."

"Working on it," I mumbled, rubbing the back of my head as a wicked headache began to flare up. The three of us sat in agitated silence for several more moments before Ryback stood slowly, grimacing as he did so. We'd all be feeling this for the next few days, that was for sure.

He paused in front of Bryan and I for a moment and looked down. A small, almost indecipherable smile came onto his face as he held out his fist. I bumped first, and then Bryan bumped as well. Ryback left without a word, disappearing backstage.

"Well I'm about ready to sleep for the next hundred years," Bryan said finally, breaking the silence as he slid off the apron. Brie, who'd stopped to talk with Nikki briefly, joined us again; she wrapped an arm tenderly around Bryan and helped support him. A pang of jealousy hit me as I looked around, and I did my best to push it aside.

It was rare to feel left out, especially with the twins as my best friends. Nikki was almost constantly with me and Brie was there when her sister wasn't. Since I'd met them, I was hardly ever alone. But now, as I looked around, I saw Nikki wrapped up in John, and saw Bryan limping off with Brie, and my heart sank just a bit.

With nothing else to do, I just sat on the apron until John and Nikki finished up with the refs. When they finally came over to me, I had my best friend back for a heartbeat. Nikki immediately wrapped her arms around my shoulders and I leaned into her hold, burying my face in her shoulder. I'm sure she assumed I was upset about the attack, and I'd let her think that for now.

"How're you feeling, Jellybean?" she asked worriedly, pulling back to study me. One hand came and gently tipped my head up to study my face. I could feel a black eye starting up and something ached when Nikki pressed her thumb to my jaw; I was sure I looked as terrible as I felt.

“’M okay,” I lied, sliding off the apron. Nikki immediately wrapped her arm around my waist as I swayed, and she hugged me to her side.

“Let’s get you to the medic.”

She and John helped me backstage; I’d been expecting to see either Ryback or Bryan – possibly both – but the room was empty. Doc glanced up and gave a small smile, patting the table.

“You know, we don’t give out frequent flyer miles,” he teased as I climbed gingerly onto the exam table.

“I’m really just here for the beautiful décor,” I corrected, looking pointedly around at the bare walls. John leaned down to Nikki and kissed her cheek, murmuring,

“I’ll go grab your stuff.”

Nikki smiled and nodded, adding, “I’ll see you outside.”

Only once John leave did I glance up at my best friend. Her face was lit up with a blush. She sat on the table next to mine and leaned forward.

“He wants me to stay the night with him,” she gushed, and though I was thrilled that their relationship was finally progressing, my heart sank even further. “He told me after all this shit with AJ that he just wants time alone with me.”

“I’m glad,” I said honestly, wincing as Doc pressed his fingers into a deep bruise on my shoulder. “I think you two could use some time together.”

“I know, right? We’ve like, officially been dating for four days, and he hasn’t even seen me naked.”

“You saint,” I said dryly, to which Nikki nodded eagerly; I rolled my eyes.

“That’s what I’m saying. Ohmygosh, did I tell you? Brie totally caught Eva Marie like, completely crushing on Bryan.”

“What? Really?” I laughed, just imagining Brie’s reaction. Nikki’s jealous rage was nothing compared to her sister’s. That side of her didn’t come out often, but when it surfaced…

“Totally!” she squealed, leaning in. “So, we were waiting for you to get back, right? And Eva Marie is just standing outside, running her mouth…”

Nikki caught me up to the latest transgressions of the divas as Doc patched me up. It was almost my therapy, in a way. After a long day, I could always count on Nikki to talk up a storm and let me relax and listen. When I was finally cleared to go, Doc slipped a bottle of pills into my hand. I raised a brow.

“It’ll help with the pain. You’ve got some pretty bad bruising on your shoulder blades and lower back that you’ll be feeling in the morning. Be careful with these, though. They’ll knock you out. And I know it won’t be a problem, with you still underage and all –“ he gave me a smirk, “– but don’t take these with alcohol.”

“Sir, yes, sir,” I teased, sliding off the table and grimacing. Tomorrow? I was feeling these suckers today. Nikki again wrapped her arm around my waist, and we slowly limped to the locker room. I threw my stuff into my duffle and heaved it onto my shoulder.

“You sure you don’t mind me staying with John?” Nikki asked for the thousandth time as we crossed the parking lot. Of course I did. But she was so excited to be spending time with her new man that I felt guilty just thinking about asking her to stay.

“Nicole, if you ask me one more time, I’m calling John and having him come carry you away. I’ll be fine.”

“But with the medicine –“

“I’m not a toddler,” I reminded her gently, urging her in the direction of John’s bus. “I’ll take it before bed and get a good night’s sleep. Really, I’ll be okay.”

Nikki sighed heavily, giving me a skeptical look. I crossed my arms.

“Fine. But if anything comes up –“

“If I need help hiding the body, you’re first on my list, don’t worry,” I teased lightly. “Now go. I have medicine to take.”

As I watched Nikki blow me a kiss and head for John’s bus, I wrapped my arms around myself and tried not to let the loneliness engulf me. This was the first time in over a year I wouldn’t be sleeping under the same roof as her.

During my injury, there was a brief time where the twins and I all lived together. Then Brie moved in with Bryan, and it was just the two of us. On the road, we shared hotel rooms and slept in cars, and even when the twins went back home to Arizona, I’d come with to visit with their family.

Now, I climbed into the rental alone. I missed having someone next to me to chat with. As annoying as her stories about her latest feud with the other divas could get, it had become our routine. I turned on the radio to fill the silence, but it just wasn’t the same.

When I got to the hotel, the room was too empty. Too quiet. This time we’d had two beds, and now the empty one just mocked me. I showered quickly and curled up under the covers, popping the pill and trying to settle in.

Half an hour passed, and I was still tossing and turning. Even with medication, I wasn’t getting to sleep anytime soon. I knew Brie and Bryan were enjoying their time together, and there was no way I’d interrupt Nikki’s night just because I was homesick. Bellasick.

As stupid as it was, being alone put me back to when I’d been homeless, sleeping on park benches and huddling under bridges every night. That had been the worst two years of my life. I’d been given back by my third foster family – I just hadn’t been a good fit, apparently – and the group home I’d been put into didn’t seem to care I’d gone missing at just sixteen.

I stumbled upon the Insanity Pro Wrestling group by accident. One of their up and coming stars, Drake Younger, had found me sleeping in an alley one night behind the building, and he’d taken me under his wing. I told Drake and the other guys I was eighteen; though I’m sure no one believed me, they still let me wrestle and earn enough money to get me on my feet.

I met Bryan through Ring of Honor, just a few weeks before he got himself signed to the WWE. We’d been a pretty great tag team for a couple of matches, and when he left the indies, he brought me out with him. Since meeting Drake, I’d never really been left alone. I always had my indie guys, or Bryan, or eventually Brie and Nikki with me.

Until tonight. And the loneliness was killing me. I’d been sitting in the middle of the bed, lights on, staring at the dark TV for nearly half an hour before I finally caved.

“Hey,” I said, having called the only other person that might want to hang out with me. “Sorry, did I wake you up?”

“Nah, you’re fine, Jay,” Randy promised; I could hear his smile over the phone. “What’s up?”

“I uh, I wanted to see if maybe I could come over? Just talk for a bit?”

“Of course,” he said, and my heart slowly lifted out of the pit it had fallen into. “I’m in 705. I’ll leave the door propped for you.”

I was in the elevator a few moments later. I’d only taken time to brush out my untamed hair before I left, figuring my pajamas wouldn’t be the worst thing he’s seen me in. I mean, come on. The guy had seen me red-faced sweating like a sprinkler in oversized sweats and a ratty tee. My cotton shorts and old tank top probably looked a hundred times better.

Sure enough, Randy’s door was propped open. I knocked gently as I stepped inside, letting it swing shut. Randy poked his head around the corner and gave me a grin.

“Hey, Jay,” he said as I came up to him; he’d been pouring himself a drink, but he pushed the glass away and used his now-free hands to pull me to him. His arms settled around my waist, so I looped my own around his neck, having to stand on tip-toe even when he knelt down.

He tightened his grip on my waist and to my surprise, righted himself. I let out a surprised squeak, finding myself up in the air, hanging onto him. Luckily his hold didn’t press onto any of my sore body parts; my aching shoulders were immensely grateful. He laughed at my reaction and spun me once gently, then sat me back on the ground.

“What was that for?” I giggled, trying to play off how badly I’d needed that hug. Randy smirked and shrugged, turning back to his drink.

“Haven’t seen you in a couple days, figured I needed to make up for it.”

“Consider it made up,” I teased, turning to survey the room. His was much nicer than mine and Nikki’s. He had a separate lounge area with a TV, and then a kingsized bed tucked into the back.

I’d only been observing for a moment before I felt gentle fingers tugging my pajama strap aside to brush fully over my bare shoulder blade. When I looked over my shoulder, Randy was studying my back with a dark expression.

“Who did this?” he asked, his voice almost having a protective tone to it. I raised my brows, surprised.

“You didn’t see Raw?”

Randy shook his head. “I was in meetings all day. I just got home about half an hour ago.” He nodded to the TV and couch. “Care to watch with me?”

We ended up sprawled on the loveseat. Randy sat on one end, legs stretched out in front of him, arm up and outstretched on the back. I sat against the other, body turned sideways so I was leaning against the arm; the couch was so short that sitting like this, I had to drape my legs over Randy’s.

“Get comfortable,” he laughed, watching me try to gingerly maneuver myself so I wasn’t bothering him. When I didn’t shift, he rolled his eyes and hooked both legs with one arm. He draped them over one leg, assuring me that was fine as he rested his arms across the top.

“Are you sure? I don’t wanna bother – Randy!” I squeaked as he pressed the cold glass of scotch to my bare thigh. He laughed, pinning my legs down as I tried to pull away. “You ass!”

“Consider that payment for putting your legs on me,” he countered, letting up on the hold but keeping one hand resting on my thigh. Anyone else, it would have been awkward. But this was Randy, practically one of my best friends at this point.

We watched Raw mostly in silence; as I sat there, relaxed with him and not as upset as I’d been earlier, I began to feel the effects of the medicine. Twice my eyes fell shut, and I had to struggle to peel them back open. Randy skipped the between segments – stopping to watch Punk’s bitching and Shield’s interview – and then all but skipped to the end.

Watching myself get suplexed off the apron sent an ache through my sore body, and I grimaced as Bryan and I collapsed, unconscious. Randy’s hand on my thigh tightened just a bit as his jaw clenched.

This time I got to see Ryback being power-bombed, and I winced when his body actually bounced from the impact. Randy switched off the recording and changed to something else as both of us sat in silence.

“I’m gonna kill those sons of bitches,” he said after a moment, nodding to himself, then looking over at me when I hadn’t responded. My eyes were half shut, and I was all but slumped over on the arm of the couch. His expression softened from one of rage to one of concern. “Are you alright, Jay?”

“Yeah, think the medicine is kicking in,” I mumbled, pressing a hand to my forehead. The room was spinning just a bit, and my body felt like lead. “Think my pride is hurt more than my body.”

“Hey, you had one hell of a fight,” he said, gently lifting my legs as he got up. I studied him as he did so; it was rare to see Randy Orton in pants, and I sniggered at my thought. He raised a brow.

“It’s just, you in pants, it’s weird,” I said, waiving my hand at him as I giggled again. My tongue felt heavy, and I was struggling to keep my lids open. I slumped onto my side against the back of the couch as he laughed.

“I can take them off, if you want,” he said, but I missed his expression as my eyes finally fell shut.

“Can you take me… my room?” I asked softly. Hands slid around my back and under my knees. He lifted me effortlessly, tucking me against his chest. Guilt hit me when I felt him slide me under the covers of his bed, and this time I forced my eyes open just a bit. He pulled the covers up around me, tucking me in like a little kid.

“Randy –“ I murmured, shaking my head. “Don’t wanna take your bed –“

“Don’t worry about it, Jay,” he assured, snapping off the bedside light. “Get some rest. I’ll see you in the morning, okay?”

My eyes fell shut a moment later; I wanted to argue, but I couldn’t form the words. I was already drifting under as I felt his lips press gently to my forehead, and then my world went black.

--

There’s a pair of eyes looking at me from the wreckage. Bright, chestnut eyes. Glazed with death, flecked with drying blood that drips down from the arm twisted unnaturally above his head. Hands are pulling me back, pulling me away. I’m desperate to reach him. If I could just talk to him, just get to him, he’ll sit up and laugh away my fear.

A sheet is thrown over my dad’s body and more hands pull me back.

I’m sitting alone, in the very center of our now-empty living room. It’s so quiet I hear the echoes of my breathing. I try to stand and I can’t. I’m stuck here, alone and scared, waiting for my dad to come get me.

Slowly, the lights in the room begin to fade, and shadows creep in from the corners of the house. Strange voices and glinting eyes begin to close in on me. Cold laughter cuts hard through me, straight to the bone, drawing out the raw fear of being here alone.

“Dad,” I try to shout, but it only comes out as a hoarse whisper; barely audible above the other voices, the laughter. The shadows slide along the floor, licking over my hands and feet. I can’t pull away; I can’t move. I’m crying now, shouting silently for my dad. My voice isn’t heard over the rest of them.

The shadows engulf me and drag me down into the darkness.

I shot awake so fast I nearly threw myself off the bed. My heart was beating a thousand miles a minute as the panic from my dream ran rampant. The sunlight glowing behind the curtains told me I’d been out all night, but it felt like just a second ago I’d shut my eyes.

Waking so suddenly had thrown my dream out, and now I couldn’t get it back. My heart was still racing, and there were tears in my eyes, but I couldn’t figure out what had scared me so bad. I wasn’t one to get nightmares, and I’d never woken up like this before.

I still felt incredibly groggy, and it hit me – this medicine had really taken its toll. Whatever I’d dreamt up must have come from this crazy medication. No more pills for Jamie, that was for sure.

With a muffled groan, I swung my legs out of the bed, and guilt hit me again. I’d kicked Randy out of his own bed. As quickly as I could, I shuffled around the corner, and saw him passed out on the couch, snoring softly. He looked comfortable, but I still felt bad. While he slept, I ordered us room service, and sent the bill to my own room.

He woke up just as the food arrived, rubbing his eyes as he slowly came to. I glanced over and gave him a smile as I pushed the cart to the couch. He sat up and made room for me to drop down next to him. The medicine was just wearing off, and I knew in a few hours the full pain of my injuries would hit me, but there was no way in hell I was taking another pill.

“What’s this?” he murmured as I pulled the top off the plates. His face lit up as I handed him a fork.

“A ‘thank you’ for putting up with me last night. And for me stealing your bed.”

“Jay, I told you, it’s no big deal.”

“Yeah, I know, but –“

“No ‘buts’, okay?” he murmured, reaching over and tipping my chin up, giving me a small smile. “I mean it. Now finish your breakfast. Bruises or not, you and I have a date in the ring.”

As Randy and I finished our, the fear in my chest slowly evaporated. By the time we were heading downstairs, the only thing on my mind was kicking Randy’s ass and preparing myself to mercilessly tease Nikki about her night with John.

Again, I was left thinking about how much Randy had impacted my life. I mean, without him I still would have been stuck in my room, alone and miserable. And here he’d taken me in with no complaints and washed away all the sadness and fear.

Really, where would I be without Randy?