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2 DAYS LATER.

Finn stares at his phone's screen with heavy contempt growing inside of his rotting personality. He flickers the screen on and off with his patience wearing thin as the minutes tick by.

It's so unlike him to wait for someone because he's never seen anyone's time more worthwhile than his own investment. It's extremely selfish, but it's also what's gotten him to the best point of his life --

right now.

The Irish man tosses his iPhone to the empty side of the couch, barely greeting Nakamura and Adam as they walk into his apartment with smiles plastered on their faces. It was only two days ago that he handed them copies to his apartment's keys if they ever needed a place to crash in and already they walk in comfortably, bold enough to even prop their feet against the coffee table that holds his prized possessions --

completed lego sets.

"So Drew's already celebrating happy hour, and we thought it'd be fun to go before we haul ass to the arena. It might be the last night we're all together, so you wanna join us?" Adam asks, inviting the miserable looking Irishman as he toys with his key chain, patiently awaiting an answer.

At the sound of his phone beeping, Finn pounces onto his phone only to deeply sigh when it's just another twitter notification and not at all who he expected to hear from.

By now, she should be on her knees apologizing to him.

The only problem is that that's the girl he used to know and not at all who she now is.

She may still be naive, but she's no youngster anymore. The years have gone by and she's moved on with them, growing into quite the stunning woman who's more than capable of defending herself — no man needed.

Who he used to know is gone.

The fiery woman he caught glimpses of during their training days in Ireland has taken over her once sweet, innocent soul that would never talk back to him.

She was so submissive, passive, and sheltered that Fergal often times wondered if she'd been just recently released to the world. As if an innocent born child, she had never experienced pain and that threw him off until they started talking.

Within just a few minutes of knowing her, he understood why she was so pure and innocent. How could one ever hurt someone so beautiful and delicate?

He wished upon all his lucky stars that despite his abrasive training and scoldings that she'd remain soft. Her demeanor once their training was completed remained unharmed, but even then he knew that she couldn't remain that way forever.

What no one saw, what no one said she'd become, she became.

Day in and day out, he swore she had more fire than anyone else he'd ever met. With history repeating itself at the moment, it's as if his own words have come back to haunt him.

Within Rebecca is his prophecy fulfilled and now her own stubborn demeanor, her own flame is burning him alive and although it makes him excruciatingly furious, it also makes him extremely proud.

It's a tough battle between wanting to march right up to her and hug her tightly, to express his pride for her in a private special moment where she can soak it all in.

A moment in which she can be pure again, innocent enough to believe that he can change.

It's a war-zone between doing just that, or searching far and wide just to yell in her face and demand for an apology.

A gentle man's spirit is near him, but so is the bratty spirit of a spoiled prince. Why should he go to her door steps when she's the one with less pride between the two of them?

"You'll choke on your pride!"

Rebecca had last said to him just 48 hours ago when his ego-maniacal demons took over after the high-adrenaline encounter against the Bullet Club.

"He's so hung up on her." Shinsuke snickers, attracting Finn's attention as he suspiciously glances at the Japanese man, wondering if he's been wearing his heart on his sleeve, or is he really just that easy to read through?

Adam Cole laughs, patting Finn's shoulder twice before digging through his luggage to throw on a dressier deep purple button down shirt.

"Man, I love a woman that's hard to get." Cole admits as he adjusts the collar of his shirt, smirking at Finn as the Irish Man just sinks deeper into the sofa, wanting nothing more than to become a part of the furniture piece.

From the corner of the room, Shinsuke uncrosses his arms and laughs. "Women that are hard to get are fun, but you wouldn't know a thing about that, would ya?" Nakamura jokes as he teases Adam in his failed two year quest to get Scarlet Bordeaux to go on a date with him.

"Hey man! Patience and persistence will get me there, you'll see." Adam confidently scoffs.

"Or a restraining order."

Finn chimes in, rejoicing in a burst of laughter with Shinsuke as Cole only dramatically roles his eyes, mumbling that he will get Scarlet to go on a date with him, "tonight." Adam boldly assures.

"Yeah right."
Finn chuckles,
silenced down when Cole steps in front of him with words that sting his burning pride.

"If I fail, at least I'd of tried.
You on the other hand—
you'll just sit here on your ass
and sulk like a little pretentious bitch
when you could be going after her."

Adam spits, smoothing his shirt once before stepping out with the Japanese man who throws his jacket on, looking over his shoulder at the Irish Man with a raised brow.

"If you don't make a move, someone else will."

Shinsuke warns before closing the door and leaving Finn in total silence, a white room where his demons rage on that she'll never be good enough for him.

In a moment of breaking through the dark voices inside his mind, the Irishman questions if it's the other way around— what if he'll never be good enough for her?

With a desperate gulp at the first bottle that reaches his hand from the small liquor dispenser in his Florida apartment, Finn drowns himself in a sea of Irish Whiskey in which he finds the push he needs to leave his house and track her down.

✖

"I'm nervous but excited."

Becky responds to Tom Phillips's question of how she feels about the night's draft. With a smile, Tom nods at Rebecca and moves over to the next Superstar, freeing the Irish Lass of her media responsibilities as she stays in the parking lot for a few seconds longer than everyone heading inside,

calming her emotions down.

With the brand split, Rebecca leans on hope, believing that her odds are better off if she's sent to the underdog branch— Smack Down.

The idea of rebuilding a place up like she once did in NXT excites her just as much as it terrifies her. The crippling thoughts come in waves when she wonders if she'll be alone.

By alone she means, will he be there or will they be split apart? In her short run with Bulletproof, Becky learned that clashing against Finn was inevitable.

The adrenaline she received from partaking in the Bullet Club's beating was unlike anything she ever felt before. It was so brutal and the crowd's reaction was so organic that she felt like a madwomen that had just escaped an asylum.

The need to continue the brutality was like a drug she never knew she needed until she took one hit from it and became addicted.

Devastatingly hooked on the high.

Damage in form of justice came to the ring that night, and although her hands were shaking from the copious amounts of adrenaline, her heart would beat even faster when his body came into contact with her backstage where he pulled her in for an unexpected warm hug.

With him by her side, she felt different. Although he was a painful reminder of the best and worst things in her life, he also helped bring aboard a new kind of monster that was growing inside of her like cancer.

Rapidly spreading and taking over -- unable to stay quiet whenever she didn't agree with his opposing viewpoint.

The moment they shared backstage was sweet, but short. "Where would you be without me?" He had asked a little too arrogantly, ruining the moment when her mind processed that he was implying, ordering to have her gratitude.

When a simple, "thank you" didn't cut it, Rebecca understood that he wanted her to get on her knees and worship him.

Perhaps a few years back she'd of done so, but that was then.

Who she was & who she knew is now covered in armor to defend herself from his prying hands that could once get her to do whatever he so pleased.

Rage pent up inside of her, but even with his damaging ego could she not entirely hate him. She could easily ignore him for another 48 hours, but she could also just talk to him and make amends.

Becky breathes out, crossing her arms with a subtle frown growing on her face as she recalls the doubt Seth Rollins instilled into her mind last night.

The Lass Kicker encountered the toned ex-champ at 2am the previous night, running laps around the same park she was getting a sweat on- either soul unable to rest.

"What's eating you alive Rebecca Quinn?"

Seth had asked in between breaths, jogging along side her as the orange haired diva tried her hardest to shake him off, drown his voice out.

With the walls of her mind breaking down, the finish line on the track course became blurry. Without her even conscious about it, she had ran through it over and over again, leaving Rollins in the dust.

It wasn't until she crashed onto the damp grass, breathing out hard that he loomed over her in awe before dropping down besides her.

"It's always me, he wants me to go to him."

Becky breathed out, caught in a moment of weakness as the blanket of stars above them reminded her of all the days she'd look up at the sky with him, talking about their wildest dreams.

Just nineteen and a complete sucker she was, foolishly dreaming romantic scenarios about their future. She was willing to travel the world with him, prepared to be by his side for everything.

She hoped he'd do the same, but looking back at it she realizes just what an idiot she once was.

Looking back at it now only brings resentment and tears. How could she once be so naive? It was always all about him and never enough about her.

He was the one with the big dreams, and she was always making herself small because his visions were so large that if hers dared arise, there wouldn't be enough space for their friendship.

Rollins had remained quiet, needing no further explanation as he just understood.

"Maybe it's time you stop being used,
and learn how to abuse."

He spoke in such a confident, decisive tone that Becky Lynch couldn't help but to be lured in instead of shunning the idea of her ever abusing anyone or anything.

"It's not who I am." She had said, speaking her thoughts that he had a quick response for.

"It's not about who you are,
it's about what you have to do."
He winked.

"What you do you become."
She refuted.

"True."
He acknowledged,
deeming her correct before completely messing with her mind.
"But I think you're special."

"Shut up."
Becky had muttered, wanting to hear none of it. What she thought was his initiation into flirting was only Seth's larger than life visions about the unleashed potential he could see inside the feisty superstar.

He was being calculated, a helping mastermind at her service.

"You could bull the trigger in front of his face,
wear his blood on your hands,
and still,
no one would believe him because
Becky Lynch is such a good,
good girl."
He whispered, leaning into her ear before pulling back with loud cackling.

"The day you figure out that he's got more to lose without you,
I'm gonna tell you I told you so."

"I don't doubt it."
Becky wisely responded as she got up only to be taken aback by his sturdy, shirtless chest towering over her.

"I'm also willing to cut you a deal."
He whispered.

"Everything has a price with you, doesn't it?"
She scoffed, disgusted by his tactics.

"It doesn't have to, not for you."
He had admitted,
brushing his hand against her right cheek so tenderly she couldn't believe it was Seth Rollins and not him.

Scared, Becky had left the back-stabbing resident of the WWE, never turning back as she ran for her life and escaped into the darkness of the 2am Florida streets.

Rebecca takes a step towards the building, wondering what Rollins's deal was and why exactly he found her special enough to spare her the price, the repercussions of his plans.

"Rebecca! You're supposed to be backstage in less than 10 minutes!" Laurie, a long-time audio-teach staff member of the WWE hisses as the Irish Lass widens her eyes, obediently nodding.

With his car screeching into the compound of the parking lot premises, Rebecca squints her eyes at the vehicle and sighs.

Maybe she should bury the hatchet, even if it's not right for her to always be the one seeking him to fix his errors.

"I'll be there."

Becky assures, dismissing Laurie as the woman heads back inside, alone and annoyed. When he swerves and misses not one, but a whole row of empty parking spots, Rebecca gasps as he stops his car only a hair away from striking her body.

"Fergal, what on earth is wrong with you!" Rebecca shouts as he opens his car door, the Irish Lass already able to list a hundred things wrong with the man until he spills out of his seat, shoulder first.

"I'm so sorry."

Fergal breathes out, sitting up by reaching his arms out to Becky's shoulder for support, a sly smile on his face as the Irish Lass stays still, almost paralyzed on her knees in front of him.

"You're sorry about what?" Rebecca asks, cutting the man no slack as she demands to hear a proper apology. For once he's making the attempt, but even then, she expects him to go all the way or else she won't have any of it.

Too proud to admit to his wrong doings, Fergal shakes his head and moves his hands upright to cup her face and bring her closer to him.

"God, you're so damn beautiful." He slurs, Becky deeply sighing with disappointment as she catches a whiff of liquor, his eyes blood shot and needy.

"What are you sorry about?" Rebecca hisses once again, her patience towards him for the first time ever wearing short.

She's so used to having him waste her time, but not this time around.

"You know what I'm sorry about." He pouts, bringing her face closer to his as he places an arm at the back of her neck, gently massaging it with a delicate hand.

"Then say it."
Rebecca urges, as he puts pressure on the back of her neck, bringing her face so close to his that their noses touch.

As Laurie's voice calls out for Rebecca again, the Irish Lass breathes him in and sighs. She stares him straight in the eye, for once not lost in the sea his baby blue's are, but dominant as she commands the ocean.

"Goddammit Fergal! Say it to me right and say it to me now or you'll lose me." Becky lowly growls, her lower lip quivering as he shifts his gaze to her lips, teasing her by parting his own lips.

"You'd never walk away from me." He responds with a faint frown. "Why? Because that's your thing?" Becky counters, unafraid as he growls with her reminder of what he did all those years ago.

She'll never let it go.

She'll never stop reminding him that it hurt her badly, his sudden departure. He left without saying a word, without a single trace left behind and so now that the hands of fate have put her in a position where she could back-stab him with the same dagger,

Rebecca holds her head up high as a tear travels down her cheek and into his lips.

"Save me." He whispers, displaying more vulnerability than he's ever shown to her in the life-time that they've been friends. Torn with the opportunity presented to her and conflicted about the timing of his down pour,

Becky opts to make an investment for her own good.

"Rebecca, if you're not here in five minutes, you're in a world of trouble!" Laurie shouts. Becky wants nothing more than to snap back and Laurie, plaster her face into the concrete and let her know about the recent news of her mind set.

"Don't you know I'm already in a world of trouble?"She wants to snap.

"Help me up."
Finn pleads, stroking her cheek with the same convincing delicacy Rollins had.

Becky breathes in and out, nodding before shifting her eyes back to him. "You're gonna have to save yourself." Becky coldly responds, not even stroking his cheek once before she fights his grip and slips out of his control, at last --

free.

✖

Even though the Boss + Lass Kicker haven't been in the best of speaking terms lately, Sasha can't help but to glance at Becky with concern.

As they stand in a line to wait for their names to be called on, Becky maintains her eyes on the ground, emotionally drained.

Void of her usual peppy energy, Sasha takes notice and the curiosity is too much. To throw their friendship away would be a crime, and Banks isn't looking forward to time in a jail cell anytime soon.

"What's the matter?" Sasha asks a bit too coldly as she leaves her spot and forces herself in between Becky and Sheamus.

Despite Banks's harsh tone, Becky flickers her eyes onto Sasha's and see's the little trinket of forgiveness inside her dark eyes. With rekindled hope, Becky buries their hatchet without an exchange of apologies needed.

"I'm free."

Becky shrugs, enough for the magenta haired superstar to understand as the Lass Kicker's eyes portray eerie somberness at the revelation of her escaped incarceration that her tied binds with a fellow blue eyed demon could be.

She should be happy, but instead she feels dirtier than ever.

By disabling him to use her, it's as if she's abused herself more than he ever could in the long run. At the feeling of eyes burning into her face, Becky's eyes dart up and immediately coincide with his dark, mischievous pools of brown.

"Scumbag."

Becky hisses, directly glaring at him as Sasha raises a questionable brow.

"Right on." Ambrose, from Becky's left side enthusiastically nods, praising the Irish Lass for her choice of words directed as his once brother. Dean holds his fist out for her to bump, an eager beam of sunshine.

"Any enemy of Seth Rollins is a friend of mine." Dean grins, so cheery Becky blinks in response. "A-a-are you feeling okay?" Becky stutters as Dean cracks his neck left and right, a literal ball of happy energy.

"I'm all the way up." Dean assures, smiling at the Irish Lass before he treads away towards Renee Young. "I think he likes you." Sasha teases.

"He's with Renee." Becky mutters.

"For you, I'd so sin and cheat on my significant other." Sasha jokes.

"You're trash." Becky chuckles.

"I'm your trash." Sasha shrugs as Becky just sighs, subtly nodding and comforted to have Sasha's friendship and companionship back.

Everyone's eyes dart towards Rollins as the first pick is called, his cocky smile bursting into his face as he brushes past Becky with a devious wink just for her.

"What's going on between you two?" Sasha questions as Becky just clenches her fists tight shut. "You want me to deck him?" Sheamus so kindly offers as the Boss raises a brow, always a keen shipper of the two Irish born Superstars.

"Not today, but I'll take your offer up someday." Becky responds as Sheamus smiles. "It'll be up for whenever you need it."

He assures as Sasha pokes Becky's toned abdomen with her elbow, raising her brows with an implying thought. "Whenever you need it, ya got that?" Sasha teases. Becky only breathes out, shaking her head at the silly thought Sasha's insisted on for months --

Despite what Sasha believes she heard, Sheamus does NOT have a thing for the Irish cutie.

The minutes slip by and when she least expects it, her name is called.

"Holy potatoes."

Becky breathes out as Sasha squeals for her friend, gladly giving her a push along with Sheamus as the Irish Lass keeps her hand plastered over her mouth until she makes it past the curtains and into the view of a smiling Daniel Bryan and Shane McMahon.

Two of the men she highly idolizes and respect step closer to her, briefly hugging the stunned Lass Kicker before cementing her spot in the Smack Down roster by handing her a blue shirt.

With the crowd reaction along with Daniel and Shane, Becky feels like she's just received a little piece of heaven as she throws the blue shirt over her gear, immensely proud.

"T-thank you." Becky whispers, overjoyed as Daniel laughs at her shaken reaction. With the look of a distressed puppy, Shane hugs Lynch once more, instilling confidence within the young superstar as he admits that to her that she was his #1 Women's Draft Pick for his brand.

"I'll make you proud." Becky whispers, feeling like a child of the kinder, softer McMahon as he laughs. "You already do." He warmly responds.

If looks could make your knees go wobbly, Shane's endearing and fatherly eyes would have everyone on their knees, a sobbing mess at the encouraging force he is.

The excitement is real and the happiness surges back into her bones until his name echoes backstage and the reality hits her like a train. His eyes like two bullets pierce through her skin and as he brushes past her, he stops and turns around to meet her eye to eye.

"Blue looks good on you."

Finn whispers as he scans her from head to toe. As if forgetting how to breathe, Becky coughs for air, amazed at the vision before her. Earlier on he was a mess, and now he stands before her without a trace of alcohol in his system.

His blood shot eyes are gone and all that remains is wrath.

With not a single kind bone left inside of him, Rebecca pulls back and swears to never fall for his traps again. "Red's your color." Becky responds as the Irishman flinches, surprised by her calm demeanor of his induction into the raw roster.

They're divided and she refuses to show any signs of weakness. "It's also your true color, Miss Straight Fire." Fergal mocks before heading out to the ramp without ever looking back.

Even if with the good angels trying to rip through his rib cage to combat the demons that tell him to keep going to prove to Becky that he doesn't need her, Finn keeps going because with every step he takes away from her,

the hate fulled suckers win. He needs her more than he cares to admit, but just like she spat in his face earlier --

he's going to have to save himself.

AUTHOR'S NOTES

holy shit! so i started writing and i couldn't stop and here we are now, a nearly 4k words chapter. i have no shame, i have no control, but i cannot be stopped!

i'm kinda sticking to raw's storyline with bex + fergal shipped into separate brands, but i promise you -- these two will continue to encounter each other.

- seth's character has been introduced to this story + keep an eye out for him because he'll be pretty important to this story.

thanks so much for all the support, i love you all oodles and oodles!

x o , v i o l e t .