________The beach is so cold in winter here...

fourth month of reign ;

Distance frequently is perceived as extremely complicated to handle because it's what keeps you apart from so many things you hold dear to your heart.

Some are a thousand miles away from the only person on Earth able to build and give their lives a meaning, a purpose to pursue no matter how tough the road could get.

They'd rely on pleasant memories and meaningful conversations exchanged with the individual setting a bright and agreeable fire within their souls : love.

Others are kept apart from the silhouette they used to recognize while looking in the mirror, the character they used to be and decided to erase in order to keep moving forward, to evolve and reach their true pinnacle.

Very few are actually preventing themselves from turning the distance between them and a special, previously cherished place into a distant memory - stopping themselves from crumbling under the sea of emotions its sole sight could unleash.

For a very long time Sasha Banks has been one of those people, running away from their past in hopes to make a better future for themselves, ultimately losing themselves in the fog of their present.

She tried her best to avoid returning to her very first WWE's home, its yellow brand reminding her that she used to be so scared of exploring the whole new universe put in front of her, always needing a little extra push to get herself under the spotlight.

Its recollection only recalled her of times she wishes she could have let go months prior while she was stepping foot in her first RAW's match. Her appearance ignited a mindblowing reaction from the crowd and she figured than maybe, just maybe forgetting NXT would be easier than she expected it to be.

Eventually she comprehended that she never succeeded in this task, constantly rejecting the enthusiastic feelings her former family brought up to her but never entirely erased from her disturbed mind.

You know this feeling when you've felt nothing but anger and emptiness and your black heart is finally hit by such a sweet warmth ?

Because for the first time in forever something good happens to you and you didn't even ask for it ?

It was nothing she felt in this moment.

As the Boston native is now standing in front of the establishment that meant so much to her years earlier, she catches herself thinking that many things have changed since then.

She got signed a couple of weeks before Bayley and pretty much at the same time as Becky while all three met a very friendly and beaming Charlotte, welcoming them with open arms.

A month after their training officially started they made a simple and silly bet : which one would be able to string together the more reps of push-ups ?

This random interaction soon became a daily thing for the 4Hoursewomen, each coming up with new exciting challenges that not only brought each other so much closer but also forged their character.

It allowed them to grow both as women and as wrestlers, the healthy competition forcing them to be at the top of their game : who could nail that risky move the fastest ?

They shared sleepless nights' sessions and obsessive mindset regarding where they envisioned the women's division to be in the near future : who will make the biggest impact up there ?

Unfortunately the healthy competition got poisoned by Banks' venemous and unstoppable will to get to the top of the company, shamelessly forgetting her former adored friends to focus on herself only : to what extent are you ready to go to assure yourself a spot ?

Sasha's drastic change of attitude ashtonished everyone in the Performance Center, from the coaches to her fellow wrestlers from the medics to Hunter himself. She lost handful of acolytes when she decided to cut ties with anything connected to NXT before she vanished in the blue.

Each time the topic would come up, she'd turn it down and escape from the situation as quick as she could, uncapable of dealing with the very vocal criticisms of her sudden transformation.

Corey Graves had been one of the first, his well-documented pride preventing him from showing any kind of sadness or regrets, instead letting know to the entire world how much he despised what she had become throughout the years.

He'd fix his glacial eyes upon her, grimacing from disgust and deception as she'd have absolutely no idea of what kind of misery she actually put him through.

Sure they had talked things out since then but still, she would always attempt to avoid him backstage and outside of the company since no matter how peaceful became their current friendship, he would always remind her of the naive and fragile little girl she nearly succeeded to erase.

As the thought hits her brain, she immediately pictures the face of the one responsible for all she's turned into since NXT, blaming it all on his devious self and mentally burning down both the building and Rollins' meeting.

"I don't want to see this place ever again." Sasha coldly voices, surprising in doing so Kevin who barely had the time to get out of the vehicle.

A worried Aussie attempts in vain to catch her pace but the redheaded is already far away, once again corwardly hiding from her painful reality.

She runs, runs and runs again while the world around her keeps spinning endlessly, faking that a possible exit could be found, until the touch of the sand in her shoes and the exhaustion in her breath remind her she can't run any further.

The calm sea luckily puts an end to the thunder inside her head, the quiet and almost inexistent waves pausing her disturbed mind for a minute.

"You remember when Hunter pulled me aside and told me I had officially been medically disqualified ?" A deep and monotone voice reaches her tired brain while she's letting herself fall on the beach, giving up her never ending fight.

Corey soon sits besides her, not even bothering making eye contact with Sasha nor very much caring about her little drama scene of earlier.

If she knew anything about him, it's that he's far from being any bit of emotional, ever. As a matter of fact, her frequent crying irritated him more times than once in the past and still occasionally strikes a chord within his heart of stone - his damaged path thoughen it up.

"I completely lost it that day. Everything I've worked and sacrified for just vanished away in the blink of an eye." Graves admits, opening up to a confused yet grateful Sasha, still trying to regain a semblance of composure at that point.

She easily plays time back to picture a falling apart man, surrounded by broken furnitures and sharp pieces of glass, his sorrow resonating through the entire building in a desperate plea for help.

"But after one light faded away, another one ignited my way out of the shadows." The tattooed man calmly explains, sparking her interest as she's now holding on into every word coming out of his dry lips.

In some sort of way, he's been one of her inspirations as years went by and fate kept cursing upon his existence. Although he lost his lifetime dream, suffered countless concussions and ultimately been put to the shelf for the rest of his days, he managed to pick himself back up and kept going through hell.

Fortunately at the end of it was a two year announcer's contract offered by Hunter himself, guaranteeing him a second chance and a lasting way to provide for his beautiful family.

"You just need to find your own exit." Finally escapes from his mouth as he casually gets back on his own two feet, throwing a brief glance toward Sasha before taking away, subtly implying that she's the only one able to save herself.

His silhouette merges into the thin line separating the tranquility of the sea and the agitation of the town, mimicking both her heart and mind's states.

______

E L E N A ;

Guys, my love for Graves is extending each and every single time I see his face pops up on my screen because his journey is insanely inspiring to me.

Besides he truly is one heck of a commentator and, as I'm writing this, I've just discovered he's been drafted to RAW ... Do I seriously need to add how excited + proud of the dude I am ?

Thanks a whole lot for each read, vote and comment guys, lots of love xxx