While I love Kane/AJ, that ship seems to be on the backburner as far as WWE is concerned. Dolph/AJ is a worthy substitute. Their chemistry is hot like whoa! I need all the fics and MVs, hurry!

AJ hesitated before tapping on his door. There was still time for her to back out of this, laugh it off. But after fighting for so long for respect, for the biggest names in the WWE to know her name and know that she is to be reckoned with, from Kane to Paul Heyman to Vince McMahon, she knew she couldn't run scared now. Not from a peroxide-obsessed peacock with major attitude like him. So she steeled herself and knocked on the door.

"Come in!" He didn't even ask who was there.

The first thing AJ saw when she stepped into his dressing room was the half-empty, overturned suitcase. On the counter against the wall lay a pair of shattered picture frames, the glass already swept away. She guessed that Vickie had already come to rage at him. She found Dolph himself in a handstand in the middle of the room, every muscle taut with the concentration necessary to stay like that. AJ wondered if this was his version of meditation.

He didn't stand up or acknowledge her in any way. So AJ hopped into the plush chair next to him, stuck her legs up in the air, and let her head fall back so that she was eye-to-eye with him. His eyes were very blue, she noticed. She was noticing all sorts of things about him she'd never bothered to notice before.

Dolph smirked at her from his peculiar position. "I knew you'd show up."

"We need to talk."

He righted himself, shaking his head a bit as the blood rushed back into his body. AJ pulled herself up as well to sit in the chair. "And what do we need to talk about?" Dolph asked. He pushed into her space, still on his knees, but with his hands resting on the arms of the chair. His hair, no longer so tightly brushed back, haloed his face. He looked younger and more boyish than she could ever remember seeing him.

AJ let her eyes fall half-lidded, in the way she knew men loved. "I thought it'd be obvious. I thought you were always on top... of things, Mr. Ziggler," she murmured.

Dolph scoffed at her. "Let's get one thing straight between me and you, princess. You may have helped me out at TLC, thanks a lot, but I would've kept my Money-in-the-Bank contract with or without you. You were the one who put it on the line against Jericho in the first place. Don't think I forgot. And I know what you're thinking. You're thinking that little stunt you pulled tonight at the Slammies will drive me and Vickie apart. Well, it's over between us, but that was a long time coming. You had nothing to do with it. I'm not John. You're not going to jerk me around, and you're not going to play games with me. Got it?"

Her lips pursed. It didn't escape her attention that Dolph's eyes flitted down to her mouth. "Oh, I am well aware you're not John." She cocked her head to one side. "You and I, we could be good together."

"I'm good on my lonesome," he informed her smugly, and AJ had to fight to keep from rolling her eyes. God, how did Vickie and Swagger put up with him. Time to kick it up a notch. She scooted forward and wrapped her legs around his waist again, noting with pleasure how his breathing went raspy. Winding her arms around his shoulders, AJ combed back his unruly hair.

"She is going to do everything in her power to take you out," AJ said, not bothering to name the woman she was talking about. She didn't want Vickie's name to break her spell. "A woman scorned and all that. I should know. When that happens, you may want some... backup." Her lips brushed against his. Dolph's hands strayed to her waist, squeezing her hips. It had been awhile since she'd had someone who wanted to get a hold on her, and AJ loved the feeling of the strong grip of his hands, the warmth of his body. She leaned forward, and Dolph obligingly went backwards, till he was laying on his back and she straddled him.

Dolph's eyes gleamed. He seemed to be thinking over his response. "No games. No tricks. No lies. Just you and me, princess."

"You and me," AJ assured him. "And the WWE universe at our feet!"