Piece Of The Puzzle
A Nikki Bella/Seth Rollins fic

THANK YOU for the reviews and for having followed/added the story to your faves! Hope you guys like this new chapter - this was a necessary step to move on with the plot, so excuse the lack of Seth. (Forgive me for any typos/mistakes, 10 years might have passed, but English still isn't my first language lol).

Chapter 1
"What a mess, Nikki Bella!"

"Alright, where the bloody hell have you ended up to?" Nikki demanded quite annoyed -yet still helplessly- looking at her walk-in closet. Or, to be more exact, looking at the mess that currently occupied the room that she had shifted to closet in her beach house.

"Nowhere. I'm still here." Brie's perplexed voice responded from the iPhone in Nicole's hand.

"What? Oh, shoot." Nikki put the phone back to her ear, "Sorry Brie, I didn't mean you."

"Who else, then?"

"What else, actually." Nikki corrected her sister with a frustrated groan, "I can't find my belt, the Gucci one in pink suede with the double G's on the front."

"Where did you put it last time?"

"Well Brie, if I remembered I wouldn't be looking for it right now." The number two Bella retorted matter-of-factly.

"Obviously. I meant when did you last wore it?"

"Gee Brie, learn your basic grammar then."

"Ha ha, don't be a sassy bitch, Nicole."

"Sorry," Nikki made amends "I can't remember. I think when I was in Tampa two days ago... but I think I have unpacked that suitcase already... or perhaps it was last weekend in Napa..."

"Nicole, what do you mean you think you've unpacked? Is everything under control there?"

"What? Yeah, of course! I just need to– oh, someone's at the door, gotta go!"

"Nicole...!"

But with that the sisterly conversation came ungracefully to a halt.

Nikki put the phone in the back pocket of her jeans overall and focused on the pile of bags, accessories and clothes once again.

Three suitcases laid open and still not completely emptied in front of her and the former diva started to randomly move various items of clothing from one to the other.

Okay, maybe Brie had a point and things weren't exactly under control over there. But what could she do? Her schedule was looking nearly more hectic now than when she was with the WWE.

In the last 10 days she had to oversee the finishing touches of the upcoming Birdiebee fashion show, record the solo commentaries for the newest season of Total Bellas and then fly last minute to Napa for an issue regarding a specific kind of grapes. To top that off, she had received a call from the production of "Dancing with the Stars" for some sort of special episode with a cast reunion. A call she still had to get back to, actually.

Basically, she had spent more or less 48 hours at her place – considering she had also found the time to go over to Brie and Daniel's and spend quality time with her family. No surprise she now needed a cleaning lady -make that a whole squad even-, a personal assistant to keep track of her entire schedule and 12 hours of undisturbed sleep. And not necessarily in that order.

She wasn't one to raise white flag, but even she had to admit she couldn't possibly stay on the top of everything by herself now that Brie was for the majority of the time stuck at home.

Or perhaps she could, but she'd have to squeeze in a nervous breakdown into her schedule, too.

Right on cue, her phone started ringing once again. Pretty sure it was Brie calling after the abrupt ending of the previous conversation, Nicole didn't bother to check the caller ID as she slid right and put the phone up to her ear.

"What now, bitch?"

"...Hello? Nicole?"

It took a moment to Nikki to register that nope, it actually wasn't Brie again. She didn't even need to check whether it was a registered number, cause the female voice on the other line anticipated her.

"Nicole?" It's Steph. Stephanie McMahon."

Oh good Lord.

"Steph?! Steph! What a pleasure!" Nicole put on her best innocent-meets-cheerful tone. "I couldn't hear a thing, I guess there was some interference at first."

"Yes, it happens sometimes. How are you doing? Have I caught you at a bad time?"

"What? No, not at all! I'm doing fine, thank you. What about you? All overworked before 'Mania, I suppose?"

"Definitely, you know how it is." Stephanie laughed. "That's actually the reason why I was calling you."

"Really? What's happening?"

"Well, forgive me if I cut straight to the point instead of asking you to fly to Stamford first, but as you just said we're in the middle of planning the built up to Wrestlemania. So, is there any chance you'd be interested in a comeback?"

Nicole's eyes went wide, now that was something she wasn't expecting for sure.

"You mean you want Brie and me to make a cameo? Induct someone in the Hall of Fame ceremony?"

"No, I actually mean a solo comeback. Again, forgive me if I go straight in – we want you in the title match at Wrestlemania, what do you say?"

"And basically, that's all."

Standing in the middle of Brie and Daniel's living room, Nikki finished off her detailed account of the phone call with Stephanie McMahon by spreading her arms – a crossover between a drama actress on the stage at the end of a scene and a lawyer resting her case before the jury.

The news was so big and important that it couldn't be talked over on the phone, that's why the following morning Nikki had taken the first flight to Phoenix. It was definitely something to be discussed in person.

"Wow, that's big news." Brie commented in genuine surprise.

"A great news," Brian echoed "I mean we're talking Wrestlemania here. That's a huge honour."

"Exactly." Nikki agreed, finally sitting down on the couch opposite the Danielsons. "Besides, have you seen the women's roster? They could have picked almost anyone to put on a great title match, they don't need to come to me for that as a necessity."

"Indeed," Brie promptly agreed "that's a quite pondered choice, not a call out of desperation. And that's really flattering Nicole, cause you deserve it."

"Did she say exactly what are their plans?"

"Yeah, it would be me versus Ronda building up 'till Mania and then of course we'll see from there. They have already a 2 years contract ready for me, but Steph said I can consider it with no rush and wait after April to sign it, in case I need more time."

"Wow, 2 more years. You could walk out of the match as new champion, then. And you could break more records, make even more history in 2 years." Brie's eyes were alive with excitement. Nicole met her sister's gaze, sharing exactly the same feelings, the same thoughts.

"I know."

"And you'd be done at 37." Brie pressed on, "Which means you will have the time for kids and all. Nowadays that's not old at all for having babies."

A smile briefly appeared on Nikki's face at her sister's reassurances. Besides, it wasn't like she already had impending maternity projects... she didn't even have a man to begin with!

"That's right, but what about the rest? How can we deal with all the other stuff if I take a step back? How can we manage?"

"Nicole, is that what this is all about?" Brie read the distress on her sister's face, in her voice. "That's why you came all the way here?"

"I can't help but feel like I'd be walking out on you or something."

"But that won't be true." Brie retorted. "Yeah, I can't fly out all the time, but it shouldn't be all on your shoulders either."

"You will figure something out." Brian added. "There's Skype for meetings, you could hire some sort of assistant... perhaps someone you already know you can trust."

"Yeah, JJ was saying it just the other day, that he wanted to help us out with the wine industry."

"And with him and Laura living down the road, if anything came up, it wouldn't be a problem to leave Birdie with them for half a day..."

Nikki stood up again and started pacing the room again, a thousand thoughts running through her head.

"Nicole," it was Brian the one to speak up next, you need to listen to what you want to do deep down inside your heart. You're not talking to someone who can't understand – the love for that ring, we all have it in our veins, you recognize it when it calls to you."

"Yeah, I agree with Sweetface." Brie pressed on. Nicole, what would you do if you weren't under any other obligations?"

"I'd say yes," Nicole's eyes lit up at the mere idea. "I love everything we do but that – that's special and I've been missing it like crazy. I feel like this is what I wanted all these past years – make history, defying even more odds... I really want to be that woman who conquered it all before hanging her boots up for good."

"Then off you go and make us proud." Brie smiled. "There's two of us, Nicole. It hasn't been fair on you lately, you doing all the work. We'll figure it out, both of us, the Bella Twins. My dream isn't more important than yours. I'm living mine, so now you go and live yours."

"Alright then," Nicole's smile finally remained in place this time and reached her eyes. "I guess Fearless Nikki is back in town."

"Oh, yes." Brie grinned. "What do you think, Birdie? Can you say 'Coco is the next champ'?"

Birdie turned from where she was playing on the carpet. "Coco champ." She partially, yet dutifully repeated.

"Aw, come here." Nikki laughed and scooped her niece up into her arms.

"Yes!" Echoed Brian with his trademark pose, soon mirrored by his wife.

NEXT CHAPTER: Nikki is back on Raw and we see Seth again since the prologue...