'New changes to storyline, will explain more later at the American Airlines Arena.'
Amanda was about to get up from the bed in her and Finn's hotel room when he stopped her, noticing her slightly tanned skin had lost its color a bit.
"You rest up, lass." Finn said.
"We have a show to get ready for, that's why we took the flight here last night." Amanda responded, her and Finn having gotten into Miami around 1 in the morning from Orlando and reached the hotel at 1:30 with some of the others… it was just a little after 7 now but clear to Finn that the 5 ½ hours of sleep didn't do much to help Amanda's tiredness.
"And you need more sleep… just another hour or so, you also need to eat." Finn replied.
Amanda let out a low groan at the thought of food, her stomach having been unsettled for the past few mornings.
"Yeah, I figured you'd react like that but you can't run on low energy." Finn said as he lightly rubbed Amanda's shoulders.
Amanda slept for another hour and a half before getting ready for the day after a shower, wearing a white cotton and lace bralette instead of her usual push up bras… they had felt too tight on her chest and it was hurting her. When she put on a Bulletproof Balor Club tank top and white lace shorts, Finn noticed that it was a size bigger and guessed that Amanda was choosing to be comfortable today… but even with the roomier clothes and hardly any makeup on, she still looked beautiful to him.
But he also noticed that she was trying not to look as pale as she did, which worried him… Finn walked over and carefully wrapped his arms around Amanda's waist, Amanda hissing slightly as Finn's right hand brushed against her slightly sore stomach.
"I'm keeping a close eye on you today and tonight." Finn whispered, kissing Amanda on her forehead.
"I have that segment with Kevin Owens where he accuses me of backing out of the Royal Rumble to let Sami have my spot in it…" Amanda replied.
"Well as long as it's semi-scripted. A lot of them are more like guidelines than having to nail them to the word." Finn said, noticing how she was stood with her aching stomach. "You sure you're alright? Looks almost like you ate something bad."
"I'm okay." Amanda responded as she leaned against him.
At the arena later, Amanda and Finn were waiting in the meeting room with Hunter.
"Where is everyone?" Amanda asked, sipping her lemon tea.
"No idea." Hunter responded before they saw Dean and Roman bring coffee in and Dean saw Amanda drinking her tea.
"Don't need the rush?" Dean asked, Amanda nodding before everyone from Raw, SmackDown and NXT filed into the meeting room.
"Been a bit worried about Sylvia lately…" Roman said after a few minutes of quiet as everyone still arrived and sat down. "She's spent a lot of time locked away on her own in her room lately."
"She's not adjusting well, is she?" Amanda asked after she and Finn sat down.
"Not entirely. She's recovering alright, she's not so jumpy and traumatised now. She used to jump behind the couch whenever the front door opened, even if it was someone she knew. She's alright on that score now, but… use a loud voice around her, or move quickly or even ask her to get you a glass of juice or something. She still looks at you and tenses… almost like she still feels like she'll be beaten for not doing it right." Roman explained.
"It'll take time to…" Amanda said quietly, Finn catching a frisbee that was thrown at Amanda.
"This is an outdoor toy, Little Miss Bliss, not a weapon!" Finn replied, Alexa growling.
"Give me that." Dean said, taking the frisbee and throwing it at Seth, who yelped as it hit his head and turned around.
"You with a frisbee could rival Liara's damn archery!" Seth shouted, remembering when he'd had to miss a couple of events when Liara had turned and shot him in the upper arm with an arrow as he was trying to shout at Amanda again.
"Don't look at me, he did it." Dean said, pointing to Mojo Rawley and the ex football player turning angry.
"No, she did it!" Mojo responded, pointing at Amanda.
"Dude, not cool!" Amanda replied.
"If people don't shut up then someone's gonna finish it!" Hunter called out as he stood at the front.
Amanda, Mojo, Dean and Seth closed their mouths, Hunter nodding and turning to the podium.
"So as of recently, there's been some frustration expressed about Cody's storyline character Stardust." Hunter said.
"I'd never have noticed…" Amanda muttered, Finn glancing at her and placing his hand on top of hers as he knew she was a bit stressed and rushed after the frisbee attack moments ago.
"There is, what's the deal with a grown man painted up like that?!" Brandi questioned, Cody lightly rubbing his wife's left arm and Amanda narrowing her eyes as she felt like it was a cheap shot towards Finn as well.
"That was my idea, little sister in law… uh Hunter? What exactly are the changes?" Dustin replied.
"I'll put it simply. Stardust two." Hunter answered, everyone glancing at each other. "There was someone who showed interest in having at least a small role in a few shows, and with the recent frustrations, we saw no better opportunity for them to get involved."
"Quick question. Who exactly is it?" Finn responded, Cody glancing at him. "What, can't be curious?" He asked, Cody noticing that Finn seemed even more protective of Amanda.
"It's being kept secret, at least until it's closer to the event in which they'll feature. But I can say now that it's someone the majority of us know already." Hunter answered.
"Can I go off topic for a minute? Why the hell is he treating her like a glass doll?" Cody asked.
"Because he's not treating her like a table, like you seem to be!" Dianne called out.
"A… table?" Enzo questioned, sat beside her.
"Used when convenient, otherwise left to sit in the background." Dianne answered.
"Any more questions?" Hunter asked before Kevin stood up. "Is this about Mandy being pulled from the match last night? That'll have to wait til later." He said, Kevin undeterred.
"No, there won't be another gathering after this so I want an answer!" Kevin responded.
"Scale of 0 to riot, how pissed do you think he is?" Amanda whispered, Kevin walking towards her and Amanda and Finn standing up.
"Back off!" Finn said in a low angry tone, putting Amanda behind him.
"Oh, you want a riot, do ya?!" Kevin shouted, about to grab the nearest chair in the next row in front… but he didn't notice that it was Dianne's, and as soon as he put his hand on its back, Enzo kicked forward, sliding his chair back and trapping Kevin's legs between his chair and the row behind.
"Alright, everyone out!" Hunter shouted, everyone doing what he said and Finn holding Amanda close to him as Sami ran to them.
"Get your old friend to back off and stop treating her like this." Finn said quietly, Sami lightly rubbing Amanda's back before they saw Dianne slap Kevin.
"Keep up that act towards her and you'll get a pacifier shoved in your mouth, because you obviously either weren't taught or didn't listen to being taught about manners as a child!" Dianne shouted.
Kevin stormed off and re-read the script, which was the final edit for tonight.
When the show started, Amanda was about to explain what had happened last night when Kevin walked out there, seemingly calmer.
"The reason I was out… Sami needed it more than I did. And you need to man up and accept that he ain't gonna take being backstabbed lying down much like I didn't after The Shield disintegrated! I don't take anything lying down!" Amanda said, Kevin with his microphone in hand and a smug grin appearing.
"I'll bet you take Balor lying down though, don't ya? Or do you take him from behind on your hands and knees?" Kevin responded.
Amanda was about to respond when the lights flickered black and red and then off… and Kevin turning angry.
But before he could respond, the lights were back on and Kevin was sent flying out of the ring by Finn.
"Lesson learnt, don't go insulting a woman!" Jerry responded as he saw Finn and Amanda hug.
In the backstage area, Amanda's first response was to lie down on her left side and Finn crouched down, lightly rubbing his hand up and down her back.
"That was too far, what he said out there. I expected a little in the way of bad words, but that took the cake and then some." Finn said as he shifted to be sat on the floor, in front of the couch and beside Amanda as he still lightly massaged her back.
"Any chance of him being yanked off the air?" Amanda asked.
"I think they get the idea, it's on the commentary stand right now and if he's talking, they've muted his microphone." Finn replied as he looked up at the TV on the wall across the room.
Amanda turned towards him after sitting up and arched her back before attempting to stand up… only when she did, her legs started to shake and Finn caught her and got her to sit back down.
"Just rest yourself, okay?" Finn said, lightly rubbing her shoulders for a second before he headed across the room to the small sink mounted to the other wall, getting a glass of the cold water which the tap dispensed. "I have a feeling you were after this, at least partially." He said as he carried the ½ pint glass back over to her.
Amanda drank it… she had no idea what was going on.
But she needed to find out.