Hello everyone :)

After a very long hiatus I have decided to start writing some fanfiction again. If my writing's a little bit rusty, please forgive me, I'll do my best to get back into my old writing-mode again, which will mean that the chapters will also get a whole lot longer!
I hope y'all enjoy this, please review and let me know what you think, feedback = love! :)

xoxox Krissy

Disclaimer: I own nothing and no-one in this story except for my OC Jessica and eventual other OCs popping up throughout the story. The plot is purely fictional and made for amusement purposes only. Quotes and lyrics used throughout the fic belong to their respectful owners. And if I was to own any of the companies mentioned the world of pro-wrestling would not excist as we know it ;)

"The moral life of man forms part of the subject-matter of the artist, but the morality of art consists in the perfect use of an imperfect medium." – Oscar Wilde

Prologue

Love. It is such a curious thing. For some people it is the greatest treasure in the world, people who love each other unconditionally, with all their flaws and faults. For others it is a never ending yearning for someone or something they know they can never have. It hurts, it aches, and it never really satisfies. And still these people keep holding on to a tiny thread of hope, that the other person might feel the same. They get their hopes up, just to come crashing down harder each time. It makes bystanders wonder why they keep wishing, keep hoping, keep torturing themselves. Why are they slaves for love? Why are they so submissive to even the slightest chance of feeling something? Maybe they don't know better, maybe that kind of love is all they've ever seen. Maybe the hurt is better than feeling nothing at all. And maybe, just maybe, they yearn for another broken and bruised soul to match their own…

Monday August 26th, 2013
Phoenix, Arizona
US Airways Center

Walking around the backstage of the US Airways Center in Phoenix was exciting. The entire arena was buzzing with the adrenaline of the live Raw show, and the corridors where crowded with Superstars, Divas and behind the scenes personnel. And between the tumultuous hustle and bustle a relatively new face was walking towards Gorilla. Once she arrived she found herself a quiet corner to do some last minute stretches and get into the zone.

"You ready for this, chick?" The question came from the pint-sized Diva's champion AJ Lee. The dirty-blonde-haired newest addition to the roster looked up and smiled. "I was born ready, AJ."

"Good. I'm gonna head out there, see ya in a few!" She answered as she spun around and skipped her way to the curtains and peeking out of them, waiting for her cue. The other girl smiled and bent down in order to stretch her back.

"Looking good over there, Dutchy!" A familiar male voice shouted at her, followed by some wolf-whistles from surrounding co-workers. The blonde looked behind her between her legs, smirking as she saw the Chicago native make his way over to her.

"Thanks, you don't look too bad yourself, Punk," she answered as she turned to face him.

"This new gear really fits you, it's about time they got you something normal instead of those perky lil' nothings they had you wearing," Punk told her with a lopsided grin as he checked her outfit out. She was wearing a black tank top that was cut off just below her chest, showing off her abs. The rest of her outfit consisted of leather short shorts, black kneepads with the logo of her stable on it, black leather fingerless gloves, and her mat black wrestling boots. Her long dirty-blond and blue hair was falling down her shoulders in lose waves. The new Diva chuckled at how he didn't even try to hide the fact that he was checking her out.

"Only you, Punk, only you." She smiled. He shot her a smirk before his expression turned more serious. "You ready for tonight?" His olive-green eyes bore into hers, questioning her. "Yeah, I'm gonna be okay, you know," she said, slightly uncomfortable with how he looked at her, but returning his gaze with determination. "I'm gonna be the best I can possibly be out there, and nothing is gonna stop me from doing that. Not even…" she hesitated, taking a deep breath before continuing, "… him. I'm a professional, I can do this." She ended with a reassuring hand on the Chicagoan's arm.

"Okay, that's what I'd like to hear. Now, get out there, and kill it. I'll meet you after, Dutchy." CM Punk smiled at her, a real warm smile for once, instead of his trademark smirk, and pulled her in for a quick hug before pushing her towards the curtains. She smiled and peeked through the curtains, hearing AJ ending her promo, then dropping the microphone. She turned back to look at Punk, sending him a playful wink as a stagehand told her it was her time to go. She threw the curtains open and ran out onto the stage…

Monday Night Raw, On air

"I gave my life to this, and you were just handed 15 minutes of fame." The Diva's Champion AJ Lee sneered in her microphone, glaring from the stage to the ring, where the cast of the 'Total Divas' reality show were all furiously shouting at her.

"I didn't get here because I was cute, or because I came from some famous wrestling family, or because I sucked up to the right people," she smirked as she continued with conviction. "I got here because I am good. I earned this Championship, and no matter – no matter how many red carpets you guys wanna walk in your 4000 dollar ridiculous heels, you'll never be able to lace up my Chuck Taylors." At this point the Divas in and around the ring where positively fuming.

"You're all worthless excuses for women, and you will never be able to touch me. And that, is reality!" AJ finished her earth-shattering promo with a smirk, dropping the microphone on the ground. As her music started up, she skipped around the stage, mocking the Divas who were still in the ring, shouting at her in frustration.

"Wow, if you think that women aren't explosive," Jerry Lawler said on commentary, but his comment was interrupted by commotion on the stage. Where just a few seconds ago the Diva's Champion had been skipping around to her theme song, holding her precious belt, now was a mess of flying limps and black and dirty-blond hair.

"Wait, what is happening there?! Who is that?" Three completely astonished commentators looked towards the stage where the unknown Diva had quickly taken control of AJ Lee. She grabbed her by the hair and smashed her into the Titantron face first. Even the Divas in the ring were stunned into silence. The girl on the stage straightened up, a wicked grin on her lips as she shook her hair back.

"Isn't that one of the NXT Divas? What's her name again, Cole?" JBL directed his question at the play-by-play commentator.

"That's Skylar Baine! That's the same girl that has been attacking the NXT Divas! And now she's attacking our Diva's Champion AJ Lee!" Michael Cole answered his colleague after taking a good look at the Diva gloating on the stage. Just as he made his statement AJ Lee tried to get up, but Skylar viciously kicked her in the ribs, smirking as the Diva's Champion curled up in pain.

As this was happening on the stage, the Divas surrounding the ring slowly but surely started forming a united front, temporarily forgetting about the petty problems they had with each other. But before they could even set more than two steps in the direction of the ramp, very familiar static noises started filling the arena.

"Sierra. Hotel. India. Echo. Lima. Delta. SHIELD."

And sure enough, at the top of the stairs three familiar silhouettes appeared. Seth Rollins. Roman Reigns. Dean Ambrose. The Hounds of Justice. The Shield.

To say this scared the stars of "Total Divas" was an understatement. Most of them were visibly cowering away towards the farthest corner from the three men, and even the strongest among them, veteran Natalya and the Bella Twins looked taken aback and scared.

But, to everyone's surprise, Skylar Baine, the Diva on the stage, just smirked wider as her eyes went up to meet with the stares of the three men. They looked at each other for what seemed like minutes, but were only seconds, before the blonde turned around and tangled her fingers in AJ's hair in a vice-like grip. She yanked the small Diva's Champion up to her feet, grabbing her chin and making her look up at the fans all over the arena. She muttered some vicious words to her, grinning while she did so, before locking the head of the pint-sized Champ under her left arm. She stalled for a moment and looked up to the top of the stairs again, meeting three, still expressionless, pairs of eyes. Then Skylar swung her left leg back, and quickly forth, delivering a thunderous DDT to the Diva's Champ on the stage.

The audience gasped audibly, but besides them the only sound heard was coming from the announce table. "Oh my GOD!" Jerry 'The King' Lawler cried out on commentary, as his two broadcasting colleagues seemed to be stunned into silence. "I can't believe Skylar just did that! She is out of control! AJ is not even moving anymore! Somebody get some help out there!"

Even the other Divas seemed to be stunned, some clutching their hands over their mouths, others just gaping at what had just happened. And as everyone just looked on, Skylar gracefully stood up, mockingly blowing the crumbled heap that was left of the Diva's Champion a kiss. Then she turned around and strode down the ramp, sending a wicked grin and sarcastic wave towards the Divas standing close to the announce table, before lightly hopping over the guard rail and making her way up the stairs. As she reached the top she stood in front of the still expressionless men in cargo-pants and combat boots. She shook her dirty-blond hair out of her face, a few blue strands shining through, and she cocked her head to the side, almost as if she was questioning the men. And then, slowly, a vindictive smirk formed on Dean Ambrose's lips, quickly followed by Rollins and Reigns, and they collectively raised their fists towards Skylar. Her face broke out in a proud grin, and she bumped her fist with theirs, turning around to show the entire arena and the fans watching at home, that she was where she belonged. A part of the Shield. As this happened the static theme music of the stable started to play, and the four wrestlers shot the fans one last smirk, before heading out of the arena.

US Airways Center, Backstage

As the group of wrestlers reached the backstage area two of them started talking excitedly, since they didn't have to keep up character for the fans anymore.

"Dude, that was amazing!" The dirty-blonde-haired girl squealed, bouncing on her feet from the adrenaline coursing through her body. Seth Rollins – better known by his real name, Colby Lopez, in the locker room – grinned and wrapped an arm around her. "I know, right? And you did good, kid, you did good!" He said as he ruffled her blonde and blue hair. As result she grinned up at him, and started skipping a few steps ahead of them. Colby himself fell back and waited for his teammates to catch up, smiling at the enthusiasm of the girl. When his teammates caught up with him he fell in easy conversation with one of them, but the other remained silent.

Jon Good was deep in thought after watching the girl skip away. The thing that kept popping up in his head was the way she smiled, the way she seemed completely in her element out in front of the crowd. Her reaction after getting backstage even had him smiling a bit, something that wasn't easily achieved. It reminded him of a past he rarely remembered nowadays, a past that had been happier than he considered it at the time.

"Yo, Jon, you in there bro?" Colby's question came as he slapped the third member of the Shield on his shoulder, trying to get his attention. It startled Jon a bit, but he quickly shook his dirty blond hair out of his eyes and grinned at his friend. "Yeah man, I'm gonna head to Gorilla, left some stuff there," he said as he started walking away from them, "I'll meet ya in 10 for the next segment." Unbeknownst to his friends he was solely walking towards Gorilla to meet up with the spitfire that'd just left them, and he found himself walking a little faster than usual to get to where he knew she would be. As he turned the last corner he spotted her lightly chatting with some of her friends. Okay, it's now or never…

As she skipped towards Gorilla Position she grinned brightly, very content with the way her debut on the live Raw show went. She couldn't believe she had actually made it to the big leagues, she was finally there! After all the hard work she had finally made it to where she'd wanted the be all along. As she reached the entrance area she was bombarded with compliments on her performance, and AJ Lee flung herself to her, enveloping her in a huge hug.

"Oh my God! You were amazing out there! I'd never thought that I'd enjoy being flung into the Titantron, but that was amazing!" The pint-sized Divas Champion squealed as she let the blond-and-blue-haired girl go. The girl grinned back at AJ, and the two started chatting about what had just went on between them on live television. They were joined by some of the Total Divas, and after a bit CM Punk made his way over to the group, quickly hugging the newest Diva and joining their conversation.

What the group didn't notice was one of the members of the Shield, Dean Ambrose, or Jon Good, approaching them until he was stood just a few feet away from them. He cleared his throat, getting the attention from the group. "Hello ladies, and Punk," he said with his lazy Cincinnati drawl, nodding his head in greeting towards the group. All the Divas greeted him cheerfully, before falling back into their conversations. CM Punk, however, tensed up visibly, and wrapped a protective arm around the girl standing beside him. The girl, who had been laughing with her friends and coworkers just moments ago, now wore a blank expression on her face as she slightly shrunk into Punk's embrace.

"What do you want?" Punk sneered at the man in combat gear, his distaste for him clearly audible in his voice. Jon Good didn't seem faced by the former WWE Champions tone though, and he directed his gaze directly towards the girl standing in front of him. She returned his gaze, but no emotion was showing on her face, it was as if she had momentarily frozen in time.

"I just wanted to say you did good out there," Jon said as he looked into the depths of her blue-green eyes. She looked back at him, and then slowly nodded her head in recognition. "And I'm …" he started, but somehow the words got stuck in his throat. After everything that had happened, he just couldn't put to words all the things that he needed to say to her. He just froze. "I-It's good to see you again, Jessie." And with a sigh and one last look in her eyes he turned around and walked away from her. As he did, the girl, Jessica, let out a shaky breath, only now noticing that she had been holding her breath since Jon had showed up. She blinked rapidly, trying to avoid tearing up in front of everyone as she watched him leave, a sharp pain in her chest the only thing he left behind. As he turned the corner she saw him glance back, a look of longing and pain on his face. She knew that feeling well, the longing for something she could never really have, and the pain that accompanied it. And then she realized that, ironically, the roles were reversed now. But a question remained, would she be wiser this time around, or would she play that dangerous game all over again?

And that's a wrap on the prologue! Hope y'all liked it! I will try to post the next chapter next week, but bare with me as I try to get this "write-rust" off my fingers! And remember: reviews = love! ;)