Sasha would be out for a few weeks, nursing a nasty concussion. Bayley and Finn were still down in Orlando, Becky was lucky to see them once a week. And Charlotte, well she was busy. She didn't fault her for that, no one ever said it was easy to be the champion. They'd stopped sharing rooms a little while ago, while it was nice to have the company and save the money, their schedules were just too out of sorts. This was all part of the business, but she couldn't help feeling the slightest bit lonely without her girls. Sami was trying, he was trying really hard, she had to give that to him. It just wasn't the same.

Backstage at SmackDown she was getting her hair done when Natalya sat across from her in the other chair.

"Hey Becky, how's it going?"

"Oh fine. How's TJ?"

"He's doing okay, you know, the same."

"That's good. Must be hard without him."

"Yeah I miss him, but it's good to be back in the ring."

"Nothin' like it."

"What're you on tonight?"

"They've got me on this…dumb romance angle with Sami."

"With Sami?" Nattie asked surprised.

"Yeah, something about him needing someone to play off of, so he's gonna come save me from Emma."

"Oh so that's what they've been setting up the past few weeks?"

"Yeah we thought it was gonna be just a mixed tag thing, but yeah. They want us to be…romantically involved."

"Well Sami's a good kid, he won't get skeevy about it."

"Yeah, sure."

"You're all good," the hair stylist said.

"Thanks," Becky hopped up from the chair. "See ya, Nattie."

"Bye, Bex."

She made her way through the backstage. She almost tried to bolt, seeing Sami on a production crate, watching the dark match on the monitor, but he saw her.

"Hey! I was looking for you."

"Not lookin' really hard," she teased, sitting down next to him.

"Nah I got distracted," he laughed, "check it out, Neville's on."

"On Superstars? Poor thing."

"I've learned to just be happy to get out there at all," Sami said, "no matter when it is. Or what is it…" he nudged her playfully and she sent him a sad smile.

"I got some bigger goals in mind."

"I know but. Can you just y'know, make it work for the night? For me?"

"Okay. Yeah, for you."

"That's my girl. What're we doing tonight?"

"Hunter said Emma gets in a cheap shot, you come and scare her off. Then we've got a backstage thing in the trainer room."

"Are we doing…uh…"

"The kiss? Yeah, I think so, but I'm waiting on the script."

"Chin up," he teased, "I'll wear lip balm."

"Don't eat the garlic bread," she rolled her eyes, getting up to change. "See ya out there."

"Yeah, see you out there."

XXX

Becky felt as Emma wrapped her up in a submission. She screamed and tried to claw at her arms, to no avail. Crawling to the ropes she struggled, showing the valiant effort but she was far away from them and eventually tapped with her left hand. Emma kept the hold for a second until the referee pulled her off and Becky rolled over in pain. She looked up at the ceiling of the top of the arena as Emma's music started playing. Emma was celebrating on the ropes and looked back at her, waiting for the referee to slide out of the ring.

The kicks came all at once, Emma laying into her with strikes and stomps. Becky screamed as she drove her shoulder into the post of the ring post. That's when Sami's music hit. Emma looked up, eyes wide. He came running down the ramp, and dove into the ring.

"What is wrong with you?" he shouted at Emma, chasing her back through the ropes as he got in between her and Becky. She scurried off, glaring at Sami as she did.

He knelt down at Becky's side. She was grabbing her shoulder, wincing in pain.

"Are you okay?" he moved a piece of hair behind her ear gingerly.

She nodded, squeezing her eyes closed. He helped her to her feet, letting her lean on him as she limped her way out. His arm was wrapped tightly around her waist. She had to admit it, he made her feel safe.

As they came through the curtain, he looked down at her.

"You good?"

"Yeah," she rubbed her shoulder. "Oof. I'm okay."

They made their way to the trainer room, Hunter found them along the way.

"Hey, you guys good for the backstage seg?"

Becky sighed heavily, "I suppose."

"C'mon, I've been in plenty of these romance angles. They're not that bad. So, Sami you go in for it, Becky pull back. Shouldn't be hard if you're so upset about it, huh?"

"Yeah alright," she grumbled.

"Thanks for making me the sucker here," Sami said, hoping up on the trainer's table.

"Gotta chase the girl, you'll get her in the end."

"Greaaat," Becky said, joining him and taking the ice pack from the trainer.

"Just relax, it'll be fast."

The crew was setting up and Becky pressed the ice pack to her shoulder. It would be a nasty bruise tomorrow.

"Ready?" the producer asked before counting down and gesturing to Sami.

"Are you sure you're alright?"

"Sami I'm fine," she said sharply before breathing out, "thank ya though. I appreciate it."

"Emma's not gonna be a problem anymore. I've got you."

She smiled and cocked her head, looking up at him. He took a quick inhale and he pressed his lips to her in a stiff, closed-mouth peck. For someone she knew so well, it was so forced and awkward. That was strange. She kind of was starting to think…it wasn't important.

Jumping back, her eyes shot open. "Whoa!"

"Sorry! I just," he cleared his throat. "I'm gonna…I'm just gonna go."

"Sami!" She called after him as he ran off, sighing heavily.

"Cut! Good work you two."

Sami was looking at her from across the room. The crew shuffled around them to clean up for the next segment. Eventually, they were left alone.

"I wore chapstick for you," he said with a hopeful smile.

"Much appreciated," she laugh, hoping off of the table.

"Was it that bad?"

"No it was fine, it's jus'…"

"What? The garlic bread?"

"Nah, it's jus', did it feel really stiff to you?"

"Honestly? I've never done one before."

"Kissed a girl?" she teased as they made their way down the hall.

"Stage kissed a girl. Well, technically I did play Romeo in the 6th grade so I guess I stage kissed…oh what was her name?"

"Very wham-bamb-thank-you-ma'am."

"Haha, look, you're my best friend yeah?"

"Yeah? Alright."

"So it's gonna feel weird to kiss you in front of a million of people."

"Okay, I guess ya right."

"I think it went about as well as anyone could expect."

"I suppose."

"But I'm a much better kisser in real life."

"Uh huh," she smirked.

"I am! It's rude to go for tongue there."

"Is goin' for tongue the only way to make a kiss good?"

"No I- didn't wanna go you know, full on passionate. It didn't fit the character."

"The character is you," she laughed.

"Yeah well I wouldn't stick my tongue down your throat out of the gate."

"Good to know," she laughed again, waving to Charlotte at catering. "Hey, lass."

"Hey girl, good match out there."

"'ow was the backstage seg?"

"Oh,uh, it was fine," she said with a pitch to her voice.

"Oh god, that bad?"

"What's bad?" Seth Rollins said, sitting down next to Sami.

"Nothing!" Charlotte said quickly. "Their segment, it was good."

"Yeah sure, the seg was good. The kiss was terrible."

"Seth!"

"Nah it's okay," Sami nodded, "he's right."

"Look romance angles are obnoxious and hard, we all know it."

"Ya ever been in one Seth?"

"A couple when I first started in the locals. They're awkward you know? But you'll get more comfortable the more you do it." Seth shrugged. "You'll be fine."

"Kissin' ya friends is weird huh?"

"Yeah well, if you hate it that much, I can talk to Hunter," Seth said as he stood up from his seat, "maybe I can steal you from him." He winked at Becky and walked away.

Charlotte rolled her eyes, "he's such a little jerk sometimes."

"Gotta love it," Becky scoffed with a laugh.

"You really don't," Sami said, bitterly.

"Aw ya jealous?" she teased.

"No! But Seth's one of my closest friends, I have a responsibility to call him on it."

"Yeah, alright," Becky giggled.

"He doesn't have to lay it on so thick on every girl he sees."

"Relax, he was jokin'" she laughed. "Though I have to agree with him about that kiss."

"It'll get better. Promise."

But over the next couple of weeks, the more they had segments together the more awkward it felt. It was fine, everyone told them, because it fit the story. Sami was chasing after her and dealing with his insecurities as he feuded with Kevin. That gave him the opportunity to rub it in Sami's face while talking about how he would never measure up. They hadn't kissed again yet, but she was nervous for Payback, that was the plan. She'd kiss him before his match, simple and innocent. Yet she was playing it over and over in her head, thinking about it. Those awkward, stiff kisses wouldn't do for long.

"You deep in thought?" he found her backstage at Payback.

"Hey Sami," she pulled her earbuds out. "Yeah I'm just…" she shook her head.

"Nervous?"

"No, I'm-"

"You're nervous. It's okay. Keep it easy and we'll just play it off as new relationship jitters."

"That won't work forever."

"I know. But we'll cross that bridge when we get there, okay?" he chuckled, "it's not like we don't have any chemistry."

"I think sometimes that makes it 'arder."

He nodded. "Don't worry, we'll figure it out."

"Okay."

"No tongue," he nudged her playfully and got up to go change. "I'll see you out there."

"Yeah…"

Later, as she waited for the cue, she could feel her heart speeding up. The cameras started rolling, and Sami stood taping up his wrists. She took a deep breath and wandered over to him.

"Hey you,"

"Oh hey…hey Bex." He looked over at her, shirtless and with that little smile. She had to admit, it was cute when he looked at her like that.

"Want 'elp?"

He hesitated, "uh, sure, yeah."

She took the tape in her hands and continued to wrap up his wrists.

"Jus' remember what ya been workin' on. Stay light on your feet, don' let him ground ya, the top rope is your domain."

He chuckled softly. "You've never been on the receiving end of Kevin's cannon ball. But thank you, for your help."

"Yeah 'o course," she paused, wrapping the last of the tape. She looked up at him and took a deep breath. "Good luck."

Leaning up to his lips, they met in a quick peck. She pulled back just as quickly as she'd kissed him, his face stunned. He lunged for another, but she turned away.

"Have a good match,"

She walked out of frame and bit her lip. As she expected, it was stiff, uncomfortable, and unnatural. She sighed as he smiled to her when cameras cut. It was stressing her out to think about what would happen to her own storyline if this didn't work.