Another Piece of The Puzzle
A Nikki Bella/Seth Rollins fanfic

Prologue.

If there was something Nikki Bella had learnt during the past 10 months, it was how to be perfectly content with her own life under any circumstance.

It hadn't been an easy journey, that was for sure, but after breaking up with John she had slowly, day by day, started to build herself up again – and solo this time.

It had come almost as a shock to her, the sudden realisation that in the end, after so much time and so many struggles and indecisions, what she had longed for was finally hers to have, only it wasn't what she wanted anymore. Not per se, cause she still strongly desired the whole package -commitment, marriage, children, happily ever after- but not with the one she had fully believed was the man of her life.

So she had moved on, not romantically for she was still single after the breakup, but with her own life.

Birdiebee, Dancing With The Stars, Belle Radici, Total Bellas... she had kept herself busy and launched herself in every opportunity that arose, finding again that spark of passion inside her and re-building, slowly but surely, the confidence she had suddenly felt she had lost.

Yes, it was safe to state that Nikki had a full life she was satisfied with.

"Good job, Birdie!" Nicole praised her niece when she successfully threw the rubber toy in the shape of a circle onto the wooden spike, "You're such a good girl!" The former diva cooed as she picked Birdie up from the fluffy carpet and effortlessly held her against her hip. "Now we'd better get ready for bed though, before mommy and daddy come home and scold us."

Date night had been one of the new routines in Daniel and Brie's life now that he was back on the road for the majority of the week, and Nicole had been only happy to transform it in her and Birdie's night as well, especially since her sister's family had moved back to Phoenix while she had remained based -at least for the moment- in San Diego. Nicole had tried to arrange her schedule in order to be able to fly up weekly to be with them and especially with Birdie.

She loved kids, loved all her nieces and loved being the cool aunt that got to spoil them at every chance she got.

Her life had been frantic as of lately, especially since Brie needed more time to stay at home now that Brian was away, and as a consequence Nikki had found herself to be the one dealing with more responsibilities -and a fuller agenda- for their brands.

It was definitely tiresome to fly from place to place, yet satisfying at the same time. Only in such moments like this, when she found herself strangely still, she sometimes started to feel a particular longing in her heart.

After John there hadn't been anyone in her life; a couple of dates had taken place, but nothing had come out of them. She had told everyone who asked her that it was fine this way, she was sure that the right man would show up at the right time and she wasn't in any way bothered by the lack of love interests in her life.

Yet, as she now put Birdie down in her baby bed and watched over that angelic face drifting off to sleep, she wondered if there was still a spot for something so amazing to happen in her own life.

Yes, she felt fine, she loved her life and enjoyed it thoroughly, but she couldn't help but feel like one piece of the puzzle was still missing, after all.


Monday Night Raw had just ended and the usual buzz and excitement was calming down in the backstage, with everything coming back to its normal pace.

The men's locker room was already half empty by the time the superstars that had competed in the main event came out of the showers.

"I'm not usually the one to brag," began Dean Ambrose as soon as his former teammate, still dripping water from his wet hair, joined him near the lockers, "but did you see how I locked Baron Corbin's arm in that hold?"

Seth Rollins didn't bother to hide the amusement on his face at such statement. "Of course you're not the bragging type. You're just an arrogant, egocentric son of a bitch."

Dean seemed to consider the description just offered for a moment before acknowledging it with a nod. "That too," he conceded, unbothered, "Yet did you see that move? Pretty impressive, huh?"

"Yeah, it was good." Seth eventually agreed while throwing on a black t-shirt, he knew this was the only way to deal with his off-screen's best friend, after all. Dean might seem and sound full of himself -which partly he was- but he was just like an overzealous giant puppy, good-naturedly looking for attention.

"You mean great, not just good."

"Huh-uh."

"So, you coming to grab a bite with Renée and me?"

Seth considered the offer for a bit before replying. "I don't think so, but thanks man." The Architect refused, "I'm pretty much done for the night. I think I'll go straight to the hotel."

"You sure?"

"Yeah, definitely."

"Alright bro, see you tomorrow then."

"Yeah, tomorrow." Seth echoed as his fist bumped into Dean's in their usually form of salute, dismissing him.

Then a sigh escaped his lips. It wasn't that he didn't enjoy the company of Dean and Renée, or that he wasn't enthralled by the way things were working out for himself wrestling-wise: he had just won the men's battle royal at the Royal Rumble, meaning he was going for the title at Wrestlemania, after all.

Yet, was it normal to sometimes feel a peculiar longing inside of him when he was to play the third-wheel part?

Was wrestling all he truly got?

And would it be ungrateful for him to sometimes feel like, if this was the case, it wasn't really enough?

Yeah, it felt enthralling, energizing, amazing... yet something told him that a piece of the puzzle was still missing in his life.