"Most days I wish I never met you
because then I could sleep at night
and I wouldn't have to walk around
with the knowledge there was someone
like you out there."
Good Will Hunting

▽▽▽

"Are you sure you're okay? We haven't really spoken since you left on Christmas Day. I hear you have even been avoiding Brianna." My mom frowned as we sat in a restaurant having brunch.

Apart of me knew I had a million places to be since it was the day of the Royal Rumble but another part of me just needed a couple hours to disconnect from WWE. Disconnect from John, disconnect from AJ and disconnect from the fact that they would be going up against eachother.

"I know I haven't been the best sister or daughter. I don't know, returning last year was life changing but not in the way I had hoped. Its like my brand has been truly put to the test. Brie isn't here and maybe her absence has made me distant to her as well. We're just at different points in our lives, I feel like I'm still a young woman finding her way in the world and look at her? Look at JJ. I just had so many ideas of where I would be right now and its all gone." I whispered and focused on the coffee before me instead of my mom.

"Nicole, you don't need to compare yourself to where JJ and Brie are. You're at different points because you want different things. Can you honestly say you wish you were walking around with a belly that's about to burst in a few months or would you rather be working towards headlining your own Wrestlemania. Something you thought would never be possible again." She smiled and she was right, a year ago I had just had my surgery and now I was a few hours away from competing at the biggest PPV on the road to Wrestlemania.

"I know but maybe I'm just too focused on my career, I haven't even made time for you guys. It just feels like I'm turning into John."

"Is something going on between you two? You seem really defeated. Is it the feud with Nattie opening old wounds?"

I sighed as maybe I shouldn't have vented because I didn't want my mom being suspicious and asking Brie either. "No I mean we hardly see each other, that's it. I got so excited when I realized we would be on the same brand but its like he is half WWE half everything else and I factor into the 50% of WWE. I don't know, I'll get over it, its just a lot going on right now"

"You know that..."

"Well isn't this interesting" I heard the familiar voice of Baron and realized he had noticed my mom and I.

I stood up and smiled and he hugged me? Of course, my mom was here so he wanted to act like a sweet wolf. The only other time I got hugs was when we were with Rochelle or I was in tears. "Mom, this is Tommy aka Baron Corbin."

"Nice to meet you. I'm Kathy aka Mama Bella" She smiled and he shook her hand.

"What are you doing here?" I questioned having not seen him since the live event on Friday.

"Well a man needs to eat and gym food sucks." He shrugged.

"You are welcome to join us. We just finished eating but we were about to order some more coffee." My mom offered and I was a bit weary since I wasn't sure what he would say bit reminded myself I could trust him.

"Sure why not." He smiled but he seemed like he was up to something, nonetheless I sat down as he did.

I was looking over the menu for something different when I heard him, "hey over here!"

I frowned and followed to where he was trying to get the attention of someone and saw AJ.

"Let me guess you were meant to meet him here?"

"Yeah I might be a lone wolf but I do like some company here and there" he smiled and I sighed as luckily he had met my mom in passing so I wouldn't have to exactly introduce them.

"Hi" he smiled glancing over everyone before settling on Baron. "I thought we were having brunch?"

"We were until Mama Bella over here invited me to sit down and I couldn't refuse."

She laughed, "you're welcome to join as well"

"Uhm sure" he nodded and took a seat briefly glancing at me.

"Where is Johnny boy at?" Baron questioned and I narrowed my eyes at him but he was too busy smirking at AJ to notice which caused me to frown between them.

"He has a few commitments before the show"

"Commitments huh" he mumbled.

"Shut up" I whispered and the thought of that being possible just made me sad as I was before they had showed up.

"So I know you're going up against John and you?" My mom questioned Baron as they were currently busy eating.

My eyes briefly fell on AJ and found his eyes on me. I wasn't sure how we had gone from joking around to kissing and then fighting but yet as I looked at him all I wanted was to kiss him and that was wrong.

"Ouch" he immediately looked away from me and I frowned as I hadn't done anything.

"As I was saying. I'm in the Royal Rumble match and hoping to win it." Baron smirked.

"I will definitely be front row for that" I heard my mom and smiled.

"I think it would be great if you won. You deserve a great push, I feel like you have so much to offer." I spoke honestly and I knew it made him uncomfortable as he simply said a thanks before eating.

I meant what I said as he could be the new Kane or Undertaker with a lone wolf twist of showing his hate for the crowd. I sipped my coffee instead as my mom continued talking to them.

I had nothing to say as things between AJ and I were just messy. I had hoped the video would amuse him but instead it had just sparked something in him that led to a surprising outburst. It felt odd to have his kind blue eyes filled with anger, anger towards me. It hurt too that he believed he was simply a replacement for John, I guess my actions had reflected that but they really weren't in the same category.

"Er.. Nicole can I speak to you real quick?" I heard him and nodded as my mom and Baron seemed to be talking anyway.

We moved outside the restaurant and I offered a small smile to him as he stared at me.

"Look, I'm really sorry for the way I handled things on Tuesday. I had no right to go off on you that way, you don't need to tell me anything. And I get that you trust Tommy and things between us are complicated due to things done and said."

"You really don't have to apologize because I think I admitted that I was avoiding you."

"We both have though. I mean we both admitted more than that while we were fighting, whether it be this past week or a month back." He stared at me and his words confessing that he liked me suddenly felt more meaningful and it seemed he meant to imply it.

"Allen.." I began.

"I watched the full video you made. And it was pretty funny." He smiled and even though things were as I said messy I smiled as well. I realized he had brought it up to break the ice or try to move on from where we were now. And I guess that's all I wanted, just to have what we had before. There were too many things hurting me and I didn't want AJ being added to that when I knew it was never his intentions to do so. 

"Would it be weird if I found you attractive in that?" He chuckled and I breath in deeply.

"Why would it be weird?"

"Because its my gear, means I have an ego on me don't it?" He shrugged as we moved back into the restaurant.

"No, just that I pull it off pretty good" I giggled seeing the playfulness fill his blue eyes and I missed it. I missed our coffees and careless joking and flirting, I missed just not overthinking our situation so much.

"What made you do the video?" He questioned as we entered and made our way to join my mom and Baron yet again.

"Just for fun. A tribute to you I suppose, you're so Phenomenal" I shrugged and he nodded as we took our seats and while things were certainly not back to normal. I guess I could take it as a sign of us working on our friendship we had before we crossed lines...

●●●

"Good match out there tonight" I heard Baron and saw him walking with Corey. Corey had played a small part in the video I had made about AJ. He had helped me come up with what to say so you could say we had a good hang out.

"Is that a compliment from Baron Corbin?" I teased as I hugged Corey and he shrugged.

"How come you're not watching the match?" I knew he was referring to John's match with AJ that was currently on.

"I was. I was just on my way to the gorilla. According to the schedule it should be ending any minute now"

"And who will be winning?"

"You know I don't know that."

"I'm sure you are secretly hoping that its John so that he can be on the road with us more" Corey smiled while Baron remained quiet, probably holding back a snarky remark that would hint to the infidelity.

"Yes that would be convenient. But AJ has had a good reign too, so either way I'm good and..."

I heard John's music playing signalling that he had been victorious, "Looks like Johnny boy will be around more."

"Guess he will" I nodded and moved away from them to get to the gorilla as they moved towards the cafeteria. I saw John celebrating in the ring and smiled as he looked really happy.

I was happy for him, of course I was, as he had just made history. A few people congratulated me once they noticed I was there and I smiled brightly. John soon made his way through the curtain and of course was ambushed by a whole lot of people and I realized AJ was in a corner drinking water.

"Hey. It was an insane match"

"It was " he nodded briefly glancing at John who was sharing words with Ric Flair as he was currently tied with him in the history books.

And just like that all the happiness for John was filled with sadness for Allen as he seemed pretty defeated. I knew all too well what it felt like to lose a champion, especially when it was your only treasure. This business was all that mattered to him while John loved it too but he had other obligations as well.

I moved closer towards him which caused his eyes to meet mine, so much emotion in them.

"Nikki" I heard and immediately moved back as I had forgotten where exactly I was and turned to the official. "John's calling for you"

I nodded and made my way over to him, "congratulations,love"

I smiled and hugged him and he surprised me by pulling me into a kiss which earned a few cheers especially due to the light shining on us courtesy of it being filmed. I returned the kiss before breaking it and giving him a quick peck.

"I'm so proud of you" I whispered and he kissed my forehead and held my hand as he was interviewed.

My eyes met Allen's and I realized he had seen it all, he sent me a small smile before vacating the gorilla.

I wasn't sure what confused me more, the fact that I had wanted to kiss his sadness away more than giving John a celebratory kiss or that I wanted to pull away from John and go after him...