CONGRATS TO BRANIEL ON THEIR LITTLE DIVA ON THE WAY 😊😊😊

"...In the middle of nowhere
you will make a life changing decision
In the middle of nowhere
you will stay up all night
and think about what just happened
In the middle of nowhere
there is a somewhere.."

✘✘✘

"No, stop annoying me" I rolled my eyes as I glanced out of the window as we were driving to where exactly I wasn't sure.

"So I should hang up right now?" He chuckled and I could just picture his face with his eyes barely visible as his dimples were on for display.

"No" I smiled even though he couldn't see it.

"Did you have breakfast?" He asked after clearing his throat.

"Yes"

"I'm not talking about doughnuts"

I could tell he was amused as doughnuts were part of my daily diet these days or well I wished they were. Brock tried to curb my addiction..

"Brianna! did I have a proper breakfast?"

"YES!" She called back while I hoped she wouldn't question why Brock was trying to control what I ate.

"I'm just messing with ya. Paul's giving me the eye" he sighed.

"Fuck Paul" I rolled my eyes earning a glance from JJ but I ignored it and focused outside.

"That's something I would rather not do Barbie. You two need to start getting along" he laughed a bit while Paul had been quite supportive in his own way when Brock and I were fighting.

I honestly couldn't see past all the things he had done to hurt me as well. I loved Brock so I guess that was my excuse for giving into him so easily.

Well not easily, nothing with Brock and I were exactly easy when getting to the point we were at now.

"Need to. Not now.. I have to go we're here.." I sighed not wanting to hang up but I knew Brie would get annoyed and I didn't really feel like being stuck with a headache.

"Okay I love you" I bit my lip to stop myself from smiling. I always loved when he said it first..

"I love you too"

I ignored the glances I got from both JJ and Brie as I ended the call and stepped out.

We were currently in Seattle because Braniel decided they wanted to build a summer home.

I wasn't sure why they would be looking at places now when they had yet to start a family and when they were too busy to even oversee any construction. But I was just going to follow and try not to be a bitch...

Try...

"You know looking at you now. The cowgirl has disappeared." Brie gave a small smile as we walked along the pathway.

"Why?" I frowned and she glanced down at my boots.

"I didn't pack any other shoes. I didn't exactly know we were heading into the woods..." I shrugged.

"So the first time you're out of Brock's grasps the heels come on!" JJ laughed.

"Don't say it like that, yes I missed wearing my heels so what? I'd toss my heels aside to kick it back with him any day" I sighed ignoring my irritation coming on.

There was a reason I had dragged my future husband along all these times despite knowing that he hates spending time with them.

He formed a sort of shield because I knew they wouldn't exactly question our life in front of him. Where as now I was stuck with all of them and I knew once the remarks were starting I would have to prepare myself for more. With our bundle of joy my patience for their input was quite thin.

I sighed as I glanced around the property while they discussed what they were looking to do. I honestly wished I could have been with Brock but he had flown out for business before we even flew out here. I hadn't wanted to spend the past few days on my own on our property. I had tried tolerating it just with the hope of seeing Brock the weekend but I hated being alone altogether and in the middle of nowhere freaked me out even more.

"I didn't know that your summer home would be out in the middle of nowhere" I sighed as I folded my arms.

"Don't say it like that and its not our summer home. We're looking at property to build our dream house"

Dream house?

"What?"

"Yeah once we start a family we're thinking of settling out here.."
She smiled over at Bryan.

"Its quite far don't you think?"

"Says the person who is living in the middle of nowhere herself"

I sighed as I followed them to get a further tour of the property. If Brie and Bryan were planning on living out here I might as well move to Canada once the baby was born as it would be the same amount of time as having to fly all the way to Seattle.

***

"Why are you so quiet? I asked you what you thought?" I heard Brie as we pulled into the driveway of the house we would be staying at.

"I'm thinking do you really want to live there. I don't even know how to get there..."

"Its not about you Nicole. Its about what we want, you don't see us questioning you on thinking you can live on a farm for the rest of your life" I knew she was annoyed but I was just caught off guard by it all.

"What's wrong with that?" I questioned.

"Look at what you are wearing!"

"I didn't fucking know we were going to be here. Now you're fucking telling me I won't survive on a fucking farm that I have been living on for most of the fucking year." I rolled my eyes as I hopped out and walked up to the house.

"Honestly, I thought it was because you were sick that you were being extra snappy. But its clear you're a bitch when you're not with Brock"

I heard Bryan sigh as he took our luggage in.

"Ew Brie. Just because I take offense to you underestimating me I'm a bitch?" I glared at her as I stood on the porch.

"Guys, can we get into the house before you guys start pulling each other's hair out" JJ called out.

"She can barely walk in those shoes on the grass let alone wrestle me" Brie smiled.

"You're so fucking annoying!" I called back as I got into the house wishing Brock had taken me along on his trip.

"How the fuck do you even put these things on?" JJ groaned as he tried pulling off my boots.

I didn't respond as I figured my feet were probably swollen. I couldn't remember the last time I had even worn shoes with heels.

"Fu..." He groaned before falling back.

"Oh my god! Are you okay?" I laughed as I quickly slipped on my jacket before checking up on him.

"Yeah!" He laughed before sitting on the bed.

"I don't want to go down there. They're fucking annoying I'm just going to sit here and call Brock" I sighed as surprisingly JJ had been the least annoying out of the three.

"That's only going to give him doubts Nicole" He shrugged which caused me to frown.

"What?"

"If you mention it to him he is going to start thinking you can't survive out there" He smirked.

"Well I can. " I snapped.

He rolled his eyes as he sat up.

"So what do you think about this fight Brock is in?"

"What fight?" I sighed as I laid down not having the energy to do anything.

"What do you mean what fight? The one he was talking about on our flight over here.." Unless Brock had been with us and I somehow hadn't noticed. I wasn't sure what he was referring to.

"What do you mean he spoke abou..."

He handed me his phone and I frowned as I saw Brock and Paul on the screen.

"... This is a return to UFC during their biggest main event . UFC200 December 3."

I tried not to let anything show on my face as confusion filled me. This was my fiance Brock sitting there as Paul announced he would be stepping back into the octagon again.

"I'm sure the big question on everyone's mind is why?"

"Why?.. I'm sure a lot of people will be questioning my reasons. But its because I want to that's why. When I left the UFC I didn't get to leave on my terms..."

"Didn't you know about this?" I heard JJ as Brock went on about how he felt in his last fight while my head was spinning.

"Shhhh!" I snapped and he rolled his eyes.

"I'll be downstairs..."

"The last memories of me as an ultimate fighter is just the pain and the discomfort. And I felt like I needed to be in the octagon again to beat this disease..."

He shrugged, "Gosh I just want it, I just want it Paul"

"He fucking wants it. But hasn't even fucking told me" I mumbled as Paul questioned him again.

"Alls I know is, life is all about timing and the timing is right. I feel great.. And I'm just ready to do this. I've been ready for awhile and I'm just happy for the opportunity. I've got lots of help, lots of people who are excited about this. None of them more than me.."

I sighed as I laid back trying not to let my emotions get the better of me as I felt excluded.

"How do you approach a fight differently at 39 as you would have in your early 30s?"

"I don't feel any older. I don't sit here and take myself back. I go with how I feel right now and I feel really good. I've got lots of support from my family so I feel good.. It wasn't a hard decision"

***

"I don't know why you are surprised" I sighed as I finished setting up the tent.

JJ and I had come back from heading out to town to get away from the house because for once he wasn't being annoying even after realizing I had been oblivious to what Brock was doing .

"Well its you"

I rolled my eyes deciding not to share that the only reason I knew was because of Brock showing me how.

"I hope this proves to you that I am not high maintenance but I'm not sleeping in there though" I shrugged as Brock would die if he found out I slept in a tent at this stage.

"Should have known" he shook his head before sitting down on the grass and I joined him.

"I never said you couldn't survive or that you weren't happy living the simple life. We see how much you enjoy it. Brianna is just concerned" he sighed.

"About?" I questioned.

"That you're not being independent enough. You're living in Brock's home.." he shrugged.

"Its our home" I corrected him as Brock had done to me so many times when I had still been getting used to the idea.

"Do you pay for anything?" He smirked.

"Well.."

"Have you spent any money while with him" He cut me off.

"I'm at home all day why would I need to spend money on things. All my money went to an expensive lifestyle that I don't really have anymore" I shrugged as I didn't get what exactly he was trying to say.

"So the dress you wore when you announced the engagement you didn't buy?" I sighed as I rolled my eyes.

"Brock bought it for me one day when we were in town.. You need to stop being Brie's messenger." I shook my head as he knew I was annoyed by her and he was trying to fix things but picking apart my life I didn't appreciate.

"You're getting upset because you are seeing what she is seeing, that you're in love with him and dependent on him. You don't have to lose yourself in a relationship"

I stood up as I didn't feel like everyone having there own input on my life yet again.

That was with John, not Brock..

"I'm not. This is who I am, I am finally happy with how I live and with who I am with. Why is everybody having such a fucking problem with that?" I groaned but walked inside as I honestly didn't need more things added right now considering the fact that Brock was fighting with a guy in a few weeks and I hadn't known anything.

I ignored everyone as I walked into the house.

"We're heading out for dinner are you coming?"

"No!" I sighed as I heard the door close.

I hated that Bryan caused me to over think things. I didn't want to make the same mistakes I had with John by doing things I hadn't even realized I was doing with Brock.

I heard the floor creak as I was preparing my version of a dinner for one.

"I said I don't feel like..."

"If you wanted to stay in you could have called me sooner " I frowned but turned and smiled a bit as I saw Brock.

I wasn't expecting to see him until tomorrow night when I would have a flight to process my thoughts. So for the first time in awhile I had mixed feelings about seeing the man I was in love with.

"Hey what are you doing here?" I whispered not being able to be fully excited.

"You haven't returned any of my calls just wanted to check if you were still okay" He smirked as he wrapped his arms around me and bit gently into my neck before kissing it.

"You just missed me" I smiled deciding it would be best not to bring it up while we were sharing a house with my siblings.

"That too.." He squeezed my behind before letting me go as I continued making myself dinner and well us now I guess.

"Imma shower real quick" He called out from the hallway.

I didn't understand why he would keep it from me. I figured we were at a place where we wouldn't keep things from each other. Especially him as he always spoke to me about us being open with each other.

"Why didn't you head out with them? " He asked as I let my hair down and shrugged.

"Guess I have gotten used to being on my own. Just needed to be myself. " I whispered as for once it was what I needed.

"What? So you could give it a go with your purple toy for old times sake?" He chuckled and I grabbed a pillow and threw it at him.

I laughed, "shut up! You threw it away anyway.. "

"You know I'm the only one who finishes you off" he narrowed his blue orbs at me. I leaned forward and gave him a quick kiss.

"What a wonderful dinner conversation " I shook my head as I finished off my food.

"Have to get my dessert ready" He winked.

"Clearly these last few days have been hard for you without me "

"Always is"

He shrugged before hearing his phone go off but he didn't answer it. I glanced at it and sighed as I had seen it was Paul.

"So how did your trip go?"

"The usual..." He glanced around the room before he reached for my hand but I pulled it away and he frowned.

"What's wrong now?" He questioned as my smile was gone.

I had wanted to ignore it but I hated the fact that he was lying to me and not showing any hint of guilt. It was so easy for him. He was the one who had said I shouldn't keep things bottled up, yet he was withholding important news from me.

"What's wrong, is that you clearly think I'm stupid" I shrugged as I picked up my dish and headed for the kitchen.

"What?" He laughed a bit.

"Who was that on the phone?" I questioned as he moved into the kitchen with me.

"Paul"

"For what?"

"The business we are handling, you know that." He frowned as he searched my eyes.

"You mean your big UFC fight that the whole fucking world has been talking about while I'm sitting at home like a fucking idiot radio silence waiting for you to get home when you're out training for that" I glared as while I hadn't shown it when JJ showed me the video I was definitely annoyed, hurt and angry..

"Where did you.."

"It doesn't fucking matter"

"I was going to speak to you " He whispered as he ran his hand over his face before focusing on me again.

"When? Did you think I wouldn't see your interview with fucking Paul that was all over the internet while I was out here? Is that why you sent me here, figured it would get me out of the house so you could do it there?" I wavered and I saw his jaw clenching. I knew he was trying not to go off on me but he had no reason to when he was hiding shit from me.

"I was going to speak to you before I knew about the baby. I was going to sit you down and discuss it and..."

"Then what happened? You discussed it with Rena while discussing everything else?" I blurted out.

"Nicole..."

"Why are so fucking calm when I am so mad at you right now. I can tell that you actually did fucking speak to her instead of me. What? Did you sit her down with YOUR boys and explain to them how daddy is going to fight? Because that's the only people you consider your family right? The only support that you need?" I hadn't brought up him discussing our life with Rena when we worked through things the last time but judging by his face. He had done it again..

"Don't make it seem like that. I just don't want you to get so worked up Nicole." I would have been happy having the Beast screaming back at me instead of him making me feel like what I was saying was insane.

"Then you shouldn't have left me out of the loop. You might be in love with me but its obvious I'm not the one you turn to when you seek comfort. So why don't you just fucking leave me alone and then go have a sit down with your best fucking friend Rena about how to deal with crawling your ass back to me? How does that sound Brocky?"

I smiled and pushed past him as I made my way down the hallway to my room. I closed the door behind me but it was soon pushed open by him.

"I am going to fight in a few weeks. I know I didn't tell you and for that I am sorry but I don't understand why you are this upset. The only thing I have done is training that's all, I was going to tell you before the match. I didn't want you thinking about it too much" I folded my arms and sat down on the bed as I stared out into the night sky.

"Its obvious that you don't understand why I am so fucking pissed at you right now. I'm so fucking over this, I'm just heading out of here as soon as I can get a flight out . I'm not going to stay for the stupid fucking Slammy's I am just fucking done!"

"Why does it sound to me like that ain't Minnesota you're planning on going to? "

"That's because it isn't Brock! That isn't my home, I don't pay for anything so why would it be my home. I'm just fucking dependent on the Beast like a love sick idiot when he won't even consider speaking to me. He won't even think of considering me when making important decisions when I am going to be his wife! Its fucking clear to me that I meant more to you when I wasn't carrying your fucking child or when I wasn't your fiance."

I knew I hurt him by what I said and I hadn't meant to let it slip. But I was mad and my head was spinning with everything that I had been told over the last few days..

"You are really taking this way out of hand. I am trying to be fucking calm but you know that's your home, why are speaking this shit to me now? To hurt me because you're fucking mad at me for not telling me about a stupid match?"

"Oh my god, just fucking go Brock please!" I screamed out as he didn't understand even though I had told him I had wanted to be involved in the decision.

"Its clear you are not going to listen to me" he grumbled and moved out of the room, slamming his fist into the door making me jump as the door collapsed.

"How can I listen to you when you aren't even listening to me?"

I sighed as I fell back on the bed hearing the front door slam as it all felt like deja fucking vu...