Lexi couldn't deny Rami for his hot behavior as of late. Bad booking after bad booking, it didn't seem like the man could catch a break. Since being moved to Smackdown LIVE, he believed the land of opportunity would treat him kindly. However, every time opportunity came around, it always seemed to allude him by a hair. His career of being nothing more than a B+ player seemed to follow him since his days of NXT; his move to the main roster just made it feel like history was constantly repeating itself. The fact that his friends, Kevin, Fergal, and Lexi herself found so much success in such little time at the top didn't help his spirits much either. It was not the first time the idea of giving up ran through his mind.

One night, Lexi decided to pay the Canadian a visit. She noticed he had been quieter than usual, and that was saying a lot. The usual rambling man seemed distant, and it wasn't just Lexi that was noticing it. Fergal, Kevin, Pamela, and even Paul Levesque became nervous over the change in his behavior. Surely they all wanted to see him succeed, but the path that he was forced down was whittling away his confidence with every loss he took.

Reaching his door, Lexi knocked softly. Nothing sounded from the other side of the door, which scared her.

"Ram? It's me, Lexi. Are you there?"

Soft creaking of the bed sounded inside, filling her with hope. The patting of feet on the carpet came closer to her until the door handle started to turn slowly. As the door opened, Lexi's heart dropped as she took in the sight of him. Like a constant grey cloud above him, Rami was battered, depressed, and desperate.  His sunshine like demeanor had since faded, bringing out a man she had never seen before.

"Hey." Her voice was soft, hoping to lift his spirits.

However, he meekly looked up at her, his eyes hooded and full of sadness. He did open the door more to allow her inside, which she appreciated.

As she entered the room, a cold chill chased down her spine. Not only was his room a mess with clothes scattered across the bed and chairs, but he didn't look to be in much better shape. Unshaven, his beard was becoming untidy and wild; his physique was starting to go, as if he was not giving as much care into his training. This was not the man she knew.

"Rami, what happened to you?" Her question was almost a whisper, but it still caused his ears to perk up.

"What?" His voice was hoarse, dark, and deep, causing Lexi to jump in fear.

Sure she was known for being bitter and demanding in the ring, but she was a completely different person outside the bright lights. Lexi was calm, thoughtful, and funny. Her usual aggressive outbursts were uncommon when she was outside the squared circle. However, Rami was in dire need of a rude awakening. She swallowed the lump in her throat and decided to dawn a veil of confidence. Perhaps she would be able to reach him then.

"You heard me. What happened to you? This - this is not the man I know, the Rami Sebei I know. The Rami I know would never let his room or his appearance get this bad. The Rami I know would bounce back from hardship like he's done all his life. The Rami I know would always find a reason to smile and get back on track. The Rami I know would not let a little bump in the path get in the way of his goals. You are not the Rami I know."

Swiftly and suddenly, Lexi felt a rough push from the man, causing her to land harshly on the floor below. Her heart started to beat faster in her ears as fear washed over her. Looking up at the man, his bare chest rose and fell heavily, his teeth gritted, his hand meshed into his hair and holding it tightly, as if to keep him from lashing out more. He paced in front of her slightly, searching for brain for the words he so badly wanted to say.

"Shut the fuck up. You have no right to talk about me like that. You have no idea what going through bad booking like I'm in is like. You were destined to be champion since your move to the main roster. The fans adore your evil side, causing you to become a favorite. You've been up here, what, less than a year? And you already have two fucking title wins under your belt. I've been here over a year and I haven't been given shit. It's like they're dangling a piece of meat in front of me like I'm a dog, and every time I think I have it, they yank it away. But it's okay because I'll alway's bounce back, because that's who Sami Zayn is. He's the literal form of sunshine, too precious for this world, rambling, dancing fool that is expected to get his ass kicked to put people over. And I am sick of it! I'm sick of being the babyface! I'm sick of being the underdog! And I'm especially sick of this company!"

Everything was quiet for a moment, only the sound of him trying to catch his breath filled the room. Lexi was wide eyed as she looked him over. The fall hurt a lot, yes, but it was nothing compared to the verbal attack she was presented with. Rami never lashed out at anyone, no matter how upset he got. This was a first.

One thing she did notice, though, was his change in body language. His deep breathing calmed, his eyes were lighter, and overall he was relaxing. He let out a deep breath before taking a step closer to her.

"Better?" She asked, a hopeful smile coming over her.

He nodded and offered her a hand. She cautious took it, unsure if he was truly good. However, her worries subsided when he pulled her into a soft hug. She let out a batted breath as his chest felt warm against her cheek. Her arms looped themselves around his torso as his did the same.

"I'm sorry for pushing you. I didn't mean to."

"It's okay. Pain changes people, and I can see how much pain you are in. But pain makes you stronger," She rested her chin against his chest to look up at him. He gave a small smile, causing her heart to flutter, "I know you'll get a chance someday. It's just a matter of staying strong and showing them that you still want it, even after all the bad they put you through."

He nodded and tightened his grip on her, which she reciprocated. His chest shook slightly and she felt a couple wet droplets fall into her hair; she just continued to hug him and rub tiny circles on his back as he let his emotions go.

I hope you enjoyed. I found it a lot of fun to write this part, so I hope you liked reading it. How did I do? Let me know in the comments. Thanks for reading. And until next time, heart you. <3