"You shouldn't go looking for answers
in the people who left you.
There are no revelations there, no guides,
no fulfillments of any kind."
R M. D R A K E

●●●

2012

"Are you really leaving?" I questioned Nicole as she picked up her bag and hooked Brie in.

"Yeah, I don't have anyone waiting for me but I know my limits and I need to get this one home."

I smiled and nodded.

"Another one please" I raised my glass to the cute bartender who had given me a couple drinks on the house but all I did was flash a smile. With the job I had landed I doubted starting any relationship now was a good idea.

"So this is how my assistant spends her nights off." I frowned not sure if it was one of the twins imitating him or if he...

"Mr . Manganiello" I stood up quickly as the towering figure was definitely not one of the twins who was the first, along with the Bella's to give me a warm welcome and he chuckled setting a bill next to my vodka before giving it to me.

"Walk with me, Paquette" His deep voice was evident above the loud music and the last thing I needed was to get fired. Luckily I hadn't gone full Brie Mode like the name behind it.

"I'm really sorry, I was having a girls night." I began to explain knowing we had a meeting in the morning but one thing about me was that I was always professional. I might have to overload on the eye drops to get some life and add some blush to my bland skin but I was always professional.

"I might be working with your big boss but I understand you need to let loose" He smirked running a hand through his dark shoulder length locks as we settled in a rather quiet area, VIP lounge.

"Maybe you would like to get "loose" with me?" I stared up into his eyes not sure I heard correctly.

"What?"

"A date. Tomorrow night. My room." He clearly stated.

"Your room, I am not the type of girl that sleeps with a guy on the first date!" I giggled knowing he knew how much of a ball of nerves he made me over the four months I had been working for him while being on NXT.

"Im happy to hear its not get involved with a colleague" He winked, implying something?

"Well you are my boss. " I smiled.

"So I am. Tomorrow night then, don't party out too late."

And that was the beginning of a beautiful love story or so I thought...

◆◆◆◆

"You bought us a house?" My eyes widened.

"Yes, my bachelor pad is annoying so figured we could have our own home."

"Oh my Joe this is insane but I love it" I squealed and hopped onto his large figure, kissing him several times.

"Go crazy with it. I won't have time to do everything so I'm giving you the week off to get our work escape looking good." He set me down and walked over to the couch while I walked around the empty space.

He said we were flying out to some new restaurant opening of his friend's but when we showed up in a residential area I was confused.

"Where will you be?" I questioned recalling what he had said.

"Business." He briefly replied before slipping his phone back into his pocket.

"Shouldn't I be there then?" I smiled sitting on the arm of the chair of the only thing inside the house.

"Its okay, you're needed here Ren."

"You know for the past few months I have despised your nickname for me but its growing on me." I kissed his temple before jumping up and heading to see how the rooms looked upstairs.

●◐●◑

"Where the fuck is she!" I spat after recording my segment for Dean as I moved down the hallways. I was pissed, so fucking pissed. Why?

Because I had it all fucking planned out, wake up next to her and tell her. She was going to be mine, just like that but she wasn't. I hadn't seen her anywhere all week.

"You looking for NeyNey?"

I frowned at one of the twins and nodded.

He chuckled, "She's home. Had us drive her to the airport last week"

"Home?" I frowned feeling a bit stupid that I didn't recall where that was for her.

"Er..." He glanced around and I rolled my eyes not really in the mood for the delay.

"Where the fuck does she stay?"

"Vegas, its not really her..."

"Please don't tell me she stays with Nikki and Ambrose" I groaned and I knew where those annoying people stayed from when Renee had invited me to a stupid party which I guess I could have gone to. But then again she hadn't grown on me that much yet then, well I didn't know it then.

"Nah. Ask your boy Corey.. Gotta go they're calling my ass"

I frowned as he took off and felt my jaw clench because clearly something was up.

I sighed and got Corey on the line, I wasn't sure what I was going to do but I missed her over the past week and wanted to see her tonight only she wasn't here.

◆◆◆◆

I sighed and stared at all the boxes. Boxes containing everything that I wanted to remain trapped. The life I wanted to remain trapped, I went to the corner containing all his things and it seemed more like a memorial for a failed relationship than anything else.

He hadn't bothered coming to fetch them, why would he when he disappeared from my life so quickly as if I meant nothing to him. All the times, the I love you's, the romantic dates, gifts, this house. It all meant nothing to him and I wasn't sure how I had been so gullible into seeing something that was never there.

I avoided coming home mostly because it was like facing a great reality, that I didn't actually have a home and that I had lived in some lie.

I wasn't sure why I even came back here, I needed an escape from work and Baron's mind games but this was so much worse. At least Baron didn't say things he didn't mean, when he said he missed me I believed it, when he said only I could deal with him I believed it. The only times he confused me was when he confused himself so I couldn't be that mad at him when it was clear he was trying to make sense of whatever things roamed around in his head.

I still wasn't sure if I was the blonde, he could never give me a straight answer or an actual answer. He simply hinted towards something and my head hurt too much as I slowly sobered up so I opted for just falling asleep in his arms...

"Ren." I heard his voice as I had dialled a number I hadn't used in so long, mostly thanks to my friends who deleted the number and provided distractions. The few that knew of course, I guess everyone knew but over time conveniently forgot..

"Hey Joe.." I mumbled staring at an old picture of us before setting it into a box.

"What is it Renee?" The annoyance in his voice should have hurt but I felt numb when it came to him so I didn't mind it.

"I just missed you I guess.." I shrugged not feeling much emotion in the moods because in all honesty I didn't, maybe last year this time after he sent a collage of our fun times would evoke an emotion more than anger but this year someone else was evoking emotions in me I would rather not feel or wanted to feel but the fact that he didn't left me at a loss.

He sighed deeply and there was silence.

"You never told me why.." I didn't continue as he knew which why I was referring to.

"Because I was lonely, my job required me to be on the road 24/7 and you were there." He stated with a small sigh.

"Okay. I'm sorry I told her but you're happy now so I... just stop torturing me. I just, just leave me alone. I'm finally at a point in my life where what happened with you isn't weighing in the air and you send reminders.." I croaked mostly because I didn't want to go back to judging looks and feeling like you had no one.

Being called out on live TV just sparked all those old memories and as I made my way to the back with many people questioning me and some just seeming confused. I knew Baron wasn't exactly liked but they seem disappointed? And of course Nikki was off for the night and I didn't really feel like facing anyone so when Bryan said I had to do talking smack. I was annoyed but I put on a brave face and simply vaguely went about it but that caused me to land up at a club with my favourite people and bad influences Usos and Trin.

I might have lied to them and told them my room was located on Baron's floor but I missed him and just wanted to see how he felt. And what I got was an angry wolf, well until my tipsy brain made him forget. I didn't know Baron that well, but unlike Joe I didn't see him lying to me or making me believe things. He was afraid, so he chose not to say anything and even though it hurt because I did have feelings for him I preferred it over him telling me something he wasn't sure he meant.

"I haven't contacted you in months"

I heard the confusion evident in his voice but considering after almost two years together it turned out I didn't know him so well.

"The roses?" I pointed out remembering the bunch of roses that Nicole had held with no card but a clear indication for me.

"What roses? Look if you're heading down a path you shouldn't be I can have a talk with Vince about.."

"I'm not fucking drunk Joe, you sent me.." I heard the door and sighed not planning on answering since it was probably some random idiot. "Nevermind just don't contact me ever again!"

I wiped my stupid tears as I set my phone down before throwing every reminder of him in a box. Making sure every last possession went in when I noticed a figure in the doorway eyeing me curiously.

"Baron." I cleared my throat and focused more clearly on him.

"Why are you here?" I frowned.

He sighed with a small shrug. "I woke up to an empty bed last week, then you missed Smackdown last night..."

"And?" I mumbled still not quite sure why he would be here, how he knew to be here.

"And well I missed you..."