Audrey threw her car in neutral and lifted the emergency break in to place. She sat in her car momentarily thinking of exactly what she was going to say. The emotional stakes were far too high for her to have a clear mind at this moment. She knew what she needed to say, she just didn't know how to say it. Exiting her car, Audrey lifted the hood of her sweatshirt up over her head and wrapped the sides around her front to protect her from the thunder storm that was rolling through Tampa.

She ran across his front yard, smashing her foot down in to the puddles that were scattered along the walkway leading to his front door. The motion sensor light lit up as she soon as stepped on his welcome mat and rang his door bell.

Stuart Bennett opened the door and stared at her. He was wearing black athletic pants and a grey t-shirt. Speechless, he looked her up and down. She took a breath deep, rain water spewing from her lips as she began to speak. "Can I come in, please?"

Stu woke up from the daze of seeing her standing there in front of him. He stepped aside. "I'm sorry. Of course. Please, come in."

Audrey took her shoes off in the front hallway and peeled her soaking wet sweatshirt off of her. The red tank top she was wearing underneath was also soaked through. She squeezed her hair in her hand, droplets cascading on to his entry carpet. "I'm sorry. Do you have a towel or anything?"

Stu headed towards the bathroom to grab her a towel. "Why are you here? You're supposed to be in Portland." He yelled to her behind him. "I know Thomas left yesterday," he said with a sour tone to his voice. He threw the towel at her from a few feet away. He didn't want to get too close to her. It was always hard for him to contain himself in her presence.

Her dark brown eyes met with his as she toweled off her hair. "I'm not going. I'm not moving to Portland."

Stu leaned against his front door. "Why's that?" he asked skeptically.

Audrey swallowed hard. "I don't love him," she said almost in a whisper. "I don't want to leave Tampa. I don't want to leave you," her voice soft because of the emotionally lump climbing its way up her throat.

Stu walked over and took her face in his hands. Audrey's eyes closed slightly and her lips parted in preparation for the kiss she expected him to lay on her lips. "Please don't mess with my emotions any more than you already have," he said gruffly.

"I'm sorry." Stu couldn't tell if the water running from her eyes were tears or rain water from her hair until he heard her sniffle, but he was studying her expressions and waiting for her to speak. "I told Tom. He knows I'm not coming. And he knows it's because of you."

Stu threw his hands in the air. "Perfect," he said shaking his head. He bit the inside of his cheek and walked in to the living room, taking a seat on the couch. "I spent two years watching you fall in love with him. You knew how I felt about you that whole time!" Tom and Stu had both come over together from England and signed development deals with the WWE. They started off together at Ohio Valley Wrestling and were moved to Florida Championship Wrestling when the WWE ended their relationships with the former promotion. A few months after moving to FCW, Tom sustained a neck injury that would prevent him from wrestling ever again. Audrey was his home physical therapist sent from the visiting nurse. Stu fell in love with her at first glance. Even in her doubty tom boy outfits. Stu was about to ask Tom for permission to ask her out when Tom admitted he was going to do it himself. After Tom had broken up with Audrey for the first time, Stu admitted his true feelings to his friend. Feelings that Tom shared with Audrey when took her back as his girlfriend. Audrey had been harboring these feelings for Stu as well, but she didn't want to go behind Tom's back. Now the situation was different. Audrey had a reason to stay. When Tom had been offered a job in Oregon, Audrey agreed to make the cross country move with him. Ultimately, she could not do it. She was miserable with Tom in Tampa and they would be miserable together in Portland. Audrey had made her self sick on the drive over thinking about the rejection she might face from Stu. "Why are things different now?"

Audrey walked over and put her hands on his shoulders, staring deeply in to his eyes. "The thought of leaving here and not seeing you every day was terrifying." Stu looked down at his hands. Audrey bent down to meet his eyes. "I love you." She paused momentarily thinking about the offer she was about to extend. "If you don't love me, tell me. I'll leave."

Stu pulled his hand away and used it to gesture. "Oh, so off to Portland with you, then?"

"No." She shook her head for emphasis. "I'm staying in Tampa. I'm looking for a new place to stay now," she said matter of factly. "Like I said, if you want me to leave just...tell me that...tell me that you don't love me and I'll leave."

Stu sat in silence staring down at the swirls in the carpet surrounding his coffee table. Audrey got up and walked towards the door. She stepped back in to her ballet flats and hung the towel on the rack where her sweatshirt rested. She turned the dead bolt in the front door and placed her hand on the handle twisting it open. Stu's hand came out of no where and pressed the door shut. Audrey turned to look at him, but his lips came crashing down on to hers in a fit of passion. She wrapped her arms up around his neck as his wrapped around her core squeezing her close to him. Now that Stu had her, he never wanted to let her go. Audrey ran her fingers through his jet black hair, smoothing his curls between her fingers.

He broke the kiss. "I love you," he whispered against her lips. "This better be real," he said. "You better stay," his tone was serious.

"I only want to be with you," she pulled him towards her and planted another passionate kiss on his thin lips. He picked her up and cradled her across his body, carrying her across his home and in to his bedroom.