"You know it was never supposed to end like this…" He breathed, his breath made soft white clouds in the cold air that disappeared in seconds. He went to wipe the tear away that started to trickle down her face, but she flinched away before he made contact. Every fiber of his being screamed for him to just wrap her in a hug and act like none of this happened, just pretend they were back to being best friends. He knew though, that it could never happen.

She wiped away her own tears with the back of her black hoodie. What little make up she had one began to run down her face mixing with the tears. She looked anywhere, but directly at him. "I know, it's my fault." She replied painfully.

"No. This was all me." He put at hand on his chest. "I lead you on for far too long." He admitted his mistake.

She shook her head 'no' very gently. "I let myself get wrapped up in you and you warned me not to." She batted away him blaming himself. She took a step away from him sticking her hands into her hoodie pocket. "I'll see ya around, Lopez." She bade her farewell to him the same way she always did. Little did he know that he wouldn't be seeing her around, she didn't resign her contract.

Once she got in her car and took off, Colby kicked the ground in frustration sending little rocks flying everywhere. "Fuck!" He cursed as he put his hands on his head. Colby paced the parking lot thinking of how he let what was supposed to be a casual fling get this out of control. Feelings shouldn't have been a factor, but lonely nights and early morning conversations took hold of him. Took hold of them. She fell for him and he did too, but he knew that he didn't want to be tied down.


[4 years later]

Echo Creed heard the car door slam outside her Texas home. There are very few people who would venture out to horse ranch at this time in the morning. Automatically red flags rose in her head, nothing ever good came of early morning visits especially since she isn't a morning person. It either had to be the boy from in town looking to pick up some extra money by helping her out or the Sheriff. She prayed to God it was the first one.

Echo walked barefoot across the wood floor from her kitchen to the front screen door. Upon seeing the muscular man in the suite getting out of the black SUV she wanted to slam her door shut and act like she wasn't home. It was too late, he had spotted her and so did his short bald friend. "I rather deal with the Sheriff." She muttered to herself.

"Echo!" Shorty exclaimed with glee. She had suddenly dropped out of his life years ago, which came as a surprise to him since he thought of them as good friends. He had helped her train and get situated in the WWE. There had been many long car trips together and boring plane rides shared between the two.

"Hi, Joey." She gave him the happiest voice she could muster at 7:30 in the morning along with a tight-lipped smile as she stepped out on to her wrap around porch.

Joey gave her a good look. She is still fit like she was when she wrestled, she had collected tattoos and a lip ring since he last saw her. Her chocolate-brown hair still seemed long even though it is pulled up in a pony tail with her bangs framing her face. "It's been a while." He stated stepping up onto the porch and hugging her in his designer suit.

She hugged him back only using her one arm. No matter how much she didn't want him and the big guy there, he had still helped her through her rookie days and she owed him a good amount of respect. "Yes, it has." She agreed. " But I highly doubt you came all the way out to Texas to bull shit about life with me. Especially since you brought Mr. CEO." She motioned to the boss man.

Paul took it as his cue to come into the conversation and join the other two on the porch. "Ms. Creed." He held out his hand.

"I'm only 28, call me Echo." She insisted like she had so many times before with him. Her and the Cerebral Assassin have never gotten along; she is everything he never wanted in a diva. She didn't show her body, she wasn't interested in petty story lines, and she had a taste for being extreme.

"Echo." He gave her a smile "I'm here to make a business deal. You left the company suddenly 4 years ago and I hope it had nothing to do with management."

"No it didn't. My contract was up and I had personal things to attend to." She replied crossing her arms under her bust.

"I hope everything turned out alright." He told her with almost believable worry in his tone. Honestly he is just trying to get her to tell him her personal problem.

"Turned out great. Best thing that has ever happened." Echo didn't bother hiding her displeasure with him trying to dig into her personal life.

"Good." Hunter let her tone roll off his shoulder. He isn't going to get anywhere bickering with her. "I want to offer you a job. I want you to come back and spice up the Divas division. My wife is convinced you are what we need."

"Your wife is a smart woman." Echo leaned against her house taking in the fact that Triple H had come to her in a time of need. She wanted to bust out laughing and tell him to get the hell off her porch. He had done a serious amount of bad mouthing about two of her friends while also trying to wreck their personal lives, to say there is some bad blood there would be an understatement.

"That she is." He agreed.

"I can't accept your offer though."

"What? Why?" Joey asked.

"I have other things to take care of, not to mention you have a very big problem with high flyers and people who like to speak their minds." She glared at Hunter with stormy grey eyes.

"I swear there will be no hostile workplaces. You will solely be under my control." Joey promised. "As for the horses, I'm sure you can find someone to ta-"

"Mommy!" A little girl's voice cut off Joey. Pitter patter of little feet could be heard before a little brown-haired brown-eyed girl appeared at the door way with a teddy bear clutched in her hand. Her dark brown hair up in pony tails that had natural waves.

Joey stared wide-eyed at the child "You have a child." He looked back to Echo.

Echo opened the screen door and picked up her daughter. The child, naturally shy, snuggled into her mother. "Who is he?" The 3-year-old asked.

"This is Joey and Mr. Hunter." Echo pointed to each man as she said their names.

Joey smiled brightly at the child "What's your name?" He asked her.

"Jinx." The little girl mumbled into her mothers shoulder.

"Jinx is a very pretty name." Joey complemented.

"Thank you." The girl replied bashfully.

Echo looked to Hunter. "My life isn't simple, anymore."

Hunter took a deep breath. They really needed her, the Divas division is going belly up. None of the girls are coming off as relatable, they all have the same move set, and no one seems to have enough charisma. " Bring her with." Hunter suggested. "Sign a year-long contract, you don't like it after a year come back to Texas. You end up wanting to stay we will be happy to lengthen the contract or we can have you train upcoming superstars in NXT."

"A year?" Echo questioned.

"Yes." He nodded.

"And Jinx can come?" Echo wondered. She has wanted to get back in a ring, she missed entertaining. She missed the feeling of the crowd and Joey would be the only authority she would have to deal with. It didn't sound too bad..

"Yes." Hunter confirmed.

"Where do I sign?" She questioned.


Thanks for Reading... Review and Favorite