"I just want to be remembered in a way
where I can mean everything to one person,
and save them from all the insecurities
this world has created. "
RM DRAKE

◈◈◈

NO MERCY

"I bet Joe wishes he was here, actually as his brother and basically your brother-in-law I do not think its appropriate for you to be wearing that attire." Jon said firmly and I narrowed my eyes on his blue ones while he held a serious expression.

"Joe doesn't mind what I wear Jon and just because my sister is officially off the road does not mean you have to hang around me constantly." I smiled falsely as while we loved each other, as he pointed out it was a brother-sister love and I could barely stand being with JJ for more than two days and now without my sister to keep him company the lunatic clearly didn't know what to do with his free time.

"I'm trying to make you feel like nothing has changed" He shrugged not minding that it was clear I wanted him gone.

"Quite a lot has changed, you lost your title. My sister is gone, Joe isn't here with me. Everything has changed and it sucks when you're someone who hates change" I mumbled tying my laces.

"Have you spoken to Joe about how its like out here for you?"

I frowned, "What good would that do?"

"I don't know. You two have always been weird, you come to the back all depressed after a loss, you two disappear to the locker rooms and come out smiling. I swear, despite your denying I really thought he was fucking your brains out after every match." He shrugged before dragging himself up from the floor, why he had decided to set himself down there I was not sure.

"You're sick." I giggled deciding not to comment as Joe was the reason I was on here so I didn't want to make him feel bad by commenting on how I was adjusting. He had avoided me because he felt guilty and I knew why, it was like yet again I had been forced into something because of him but he had no say. In the end it all started with my lie with Colby which led them to that point and Colby's unsettled feelings. Besides, although it was a bit hard adjusting I liked the Smackdown division better.

"So you bump into Johnny boy yet?"

I tensed slightly as while I knew he would be going up against him tonight, it was just weird that he would ask about him.

"No, why?"

"Just checking. I mean he hasn't been around much, I'll be sure to kick ass in warning but I don't think its a good idea for you to hang around him." He added and I knew it was due to the impromptu dark match I had alongside him and Nick.

"We're friends." I sighed glancing at how I looked in the denim shorts wondering if Joe would approve. They had been touring and with the time difference I hadn't spoken to him but I would be seeing him later in the week.

"You're friends because you feel guilty for loving my best friend and John still loves you. So I don't think tagging with him is a good idea on any level and..."

"He doesn't love me. He is with AJ and Nick is no threat either. Jon, I don't need advice from you about my clothes or who I hang out with." And that's how Jon pushed my tolerance level for him from one point to 0 as he loved voicing my sister's thoughts in her absence.

"I'm just saying if I happen to see you together, I'll be forced to tell my best friend."

"Joe doesn't care, he trusts me." I narrowed my eyes before flipping my hair to get more volume.

"Oh I know but he doesn't trust them and frankly neither do I" he shrugged and I groaned as I left the locker room.

"And that look?" I heard Renee behind me and smiled as I pulled her into a hug. I hadn't hung out with her much besides in the ring or Talking Smack.

One was because I was in a fake relationship with her ex who hurt her which she had been so sweet about considering she believed it, but emphasize on fake. And I was travelling with Nattie when not with Jon and Brie while she was travelling with Bryan.

"Just adjusting to life without Brie, mostly the fact that I realized I'm stuck with her man in the locker room."

"Awww it must suck. You go from being with someone every single day for so many years." I nodded realizing they had been inseparable like Joe and I and even managed to be on the same side. They were truly the lucky ones, well until Jon let his tiny lunatics run free and now my sister was knocked up and on the shelf.

"It does suck, how have you been? I've been back here for like two months and I feel like we haven't hung out properly." I leaned against the wall as we were a few feet from the gorilla.

"We haven't! We should definitely make plans, I've been so busy with work you know? And I'm sure you've been busy with training as well. We're workaholics and we should be thankful we have guys who are the same." She smiled brightly rushing her words as energetic as always.

"You and Bryan are really serious huh?" I tried not to sound too surprised but in all honesty I figured Bryan was a sort of parachute after Colby but now they seemed to be going quite strong. By the look on her face she could tell what I was thinking but she didn't mind.

"We are, I know what you are thinking. I mean I went from Colby to Bryan, Colby was the first guy I really loved after a long time. Like I said we're workaholics and I swore I would not mix business with pleasure especially with him. But I was a sucker for that dog and he hooked me in, we were good together but sometimes people don't change no matter how much you want them to. I thought I could look past it and we could rekindle what we had but as time passed my love was lost for him. I know he still cares about me I can tell when he speaks to me but its more for the fact that he was the reason you know? He has this guilt that his holding onto and seeing it as longing love. "

She sighed briefly before continuing, " Bryan makes me laugh so hard and we're different but in a way that makes me happy. He has such a kind soul, he would never hurt me and I do love him. I mean you should know, you have this guy in front of you and believe you'll have the world but then you realize your world has always been there but hidden."

I smiled realizing she was comparing John and Joe, "Yeah I guess I can relate, I'm happy that you are happy and I'm sure Colby is as well."

I liked to believe even though I had been used by him that everything about Renee was true. So he had hope, but I could only hope that he was more realistic about things now that we were back on the road.

"He has been avoiding me a lot lately. Especially after everything got out but he should know I wouldn't care. I do miss him as a friend." She mumbled and I knew even after the hurt he caused it was hard for her not having him in her life after she had arrived here around the time they made their way onto the main roster.

I heard my name being called and said my goodbyes knowing we needed more than a couple of minutes.

I made my way to the gorilla shooting a smile to Carmella before I headed out, hopefully gaining my first victory in my first official singles match...

●●●●

I watched as Winston ran to the door and I followed knowing exactly what it meant only as I opened the door with a huge smile I was met with Colby and Cesaro?

"I know, not the guys you were expecting" he raised his hands as confusion filled my face while Colby slipped on his shirt.

"Your beloved boyfriend was called in to grant some wishes before the show tonight so he sent us to help do the hard labour" Antonio smirked and I gestured my hand for them to enter, trying to be friendly instead of showing how saddened I was.

"He could have told me and I would have just left it for another time. Or wait is he hiding from me after what happened on Raw?"

He chuckled as my boyfriend had ended up teaming alongside the women I had believed to be his girlfriend for half a year.

"Did you know?" Antonio questioned as he immediately began setting up some folded boxes while Colby made himself at home and took a bottle of water from the fridge.

"Of course she knew, do you really think he would tag with someone and not let her know about it?" He mused and I rolled my eyes knowing he too was hinting to my tagging with John and Nick.

It was a dark match and things happened, I had to be professional and I hadn't really spoken to Joe about it after it happened so them messing with me about it was not helping my nerves.

"Yes he did tell me, and they worked quite well together." I sighed handing Antonio some bubble wrap before setting myself on the floor to continue sorting my things out.

"So did you two, you were better than Jon and Brie. Yeah they were cool on their own but I think they took the lunatic bits too far so they weren't as in sync." Antonio shrugged as he carefully packed my things, making me smile.

"Yes be sure to repeat that in their presence as well! I miss fighting with him by my side or being able to slap the smile off that one's face." I narrowed my eyes at Colby who shook his head and got to work.

"What if they make it into a constant thing?" He said after a bit.

"What?"

"Joe and Mercy teaming up?" He cautiously questioned.

"Colby, Mercedes is with Jimmy. We're okay, you don't have to feel guilty about that shit anymore. I'm over it so don't worry. Your little white lies won't lead to my mind going into overdrive." I smiled and he nodded.

I will admit that I had been jealous watching them in action, watching them reminded me of all the times I had watched her believing that she had Joe. Watching how much more skilled she was in the ring, how more loved she was and how badly they wanted her to become champion.

Yes I suppose we couldn't be compared when she was a face and I was a heel back then, but she had everyone behind her. She had an amazing Wrestlemania match in front of a record setting crowd the same night Joe became champion again, I had selfishly left having seen her seated at the gorilla with Jimmy. Should have paid closer attention I suppose, but what woman wouldn't be jealous seeing another woman closer to her man? And I might as well have been Poison Ivy with how green with envy I had felt at the thought of her getting everything I wanted with him. So that match had brought up some unwanted emotions even though I knew nothing had happened or would be happening.

I saw Winston take off again and knew, well hoped this time it was my beloved boyfriend ignoring the chuckles from Colby and Antonio as I took off for the door.

His eyes widened slightly as I opened the door before he could but I immediately wrapped my arms around him.

"Hey! I was afraid you weren't coming" I mumbled into his chest and he chuckled before placing a kiss on my forehead.

"Why wouldn't I?" He searched my eyes and then sighed as he took my hand and led me out to the balcony while I hoped my things were safe in their hands.

"Is there a reason you would believe I would be mad at you?" He smirked as he pulled me onto his lap.

I giggled realizing maybe Colby and Jon had been right, he wasn't happy about the dark match. "Well there's a short list. Me teaming up with my exes, my revealing shorts which is no longer allowed on television even though they're the same like my wrestling shorts. "

"Nicole, one that shorts was hot so I hope you still have it.." His voice lowered as he pulled my legs over his lap and slowly traced over my thighs as Winston set himself beside his dad.

"Why? Do you want me to send you pictures with only that on?" I giggled into his shoulder and he laughed out simply shaking his head but then trailed his eyes over my body.

"Maybe.. Two, yeah it might have caused some anger to fill me when I saw it, okay a lot of anger. But I believe two weeks is enough time for me to calm down..." He shrugged and I pulled his face to mine so I could search his brown eyes and he smirked knowing I was but they revealed no hidden feelings which made me both relieved and happy.

"It was just random and I went along, I don't care about them. I don't see them backstage and its Sasha, maybe before I would have been angry but I know she's with Jimmy. Watching it just made me want to crawl into a hole and hide for thinking you two were together." I groaned into his neck before sighing.

"Yeah nothing against her but I love my cougar too much." I bit into his neck and hit his chest which led to him laughing out and I did the same even though he knew it annoyed me when he pointed out I was older.

"You know I'm kidding, baby. But you're my Superwoman, who else can lay down a punch or spear like you do in honour of me..." He nudged his nose over mine and I closed my eyes.

"I just.. We were always together and now I'm alone on a roster with my exes, I don't want you to ever fear that I would do something either." Even if there was no concern in his eyes sometimes he didn't even know how he felt until I pointed it out so I wanted to put any thoughts that could arise to rest for him. Because none of them filled me with the abundance of love and happiness that Joe did simply by sitting with me.

He chuckled, "you're in love with me and that's all I need to know, babe. I'm not going to stop you from talking to men you once loved, we are hard at simply shutting people out of our lives. Well I guess maybe that's where we are different because I did it for so long with him."

He nodded towards the back door. "But you care deeply and even if there are no more feelings there. He is our colleague, I don't want you to feel conflicted. I know you anyway, they'd come up to you before you went to them. It doesn't matter to me though. I trust you..."

I leaned forward and kissed him slowly and he was right I would never go approaching them, "you're such a good man, Joe."

"If they try anything, I can't guarantee I will be." He did his gesture that he usually did before delivering the famous punch.

"Is that what you do when you miss me?" I blurted out and squeezed his inner thigh.

"Not in front of the kid, Nicole" He narrowed his eyes which led me to pout before briefly kissing him and wrapping my arms around his shoulders, but smiled at his heated cheeks.

"I can handle myself if they do try anything" I giggled.

"I know, doesn't mean I can control the need to protect the woman who owns my heart." He winked, standing up and spinning me around before lifting Winston under his arm.

"Let's get those boxes packed and you moved in to where you belong" He said in a commanding tone as he slapped my behind before following me in as we joined the two. This time next week I would be shacked up with the love of my life....

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