A/N: Hi there! I'm sorry for the late update, since this got posted my laptop died and I had to get it fixed and once it got fixed I got swamped with school work. I'm in my last semester before my internship so I've been all over. But here I am with an update! Haha. Okay this chapter may be a little weird. It's actually, separated into two parts. This chapter focuses on Justin the first time he sees AJ since the break-up and then the next chapter will focus on AJ seeing Justin for the first time since the break-up as well. And then after these two parts are done, we will fast forward to when AJ first debuted on Smackdown. LOL. It makes sense in my head but anyways. THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR THE REVIEWS/ALERTS. It means a lot to me :D

Disclaimer: I own nothing.

CHAPTER 1 - HIM

'Miss you the most when I sleep, turn the nightmares into dreams...'

September 2010 - NXT/Smackdown Area

"Welcome to Season 3 of WWE NXT!"

His eyes were casted on the screen before him, his arms crossed over his chest as the murmur of the TV reached his ears. It had been four months. After being in development for two more weeks after that fateful day, he hadn't seen her since then.

He had changed. He was no longer smiles; his time in Nexus had changed his persona completely. When he talked he sounded dead and harsh, the gleam in his eyes from when he was in FCW was no longer there, it was like a dark cloud hung over his head the moment she left him alone in that locker room four months ago.

When he had gotten home that night four months ago, everything that was hers was gone. Pictures of them turned down, no sound of her Chihuahua barking whenever someone was at the door, her scent lingered in the air and he shut his eyes tightly wanting it to forever stay in the air because he didn't want to forget. The reason of his entire being these past nine months was gone.

And she was never coming back.

"What are you watch- oh." The South African's eyes moved from the TV towards the sound of his best friend's voice.

Daniel Bryan had been his best friend since the American Dragon stepped foot into FCW. They had grown closer during NXT and Daniel had been by his side after the break up. When Nexus formed Justin clung onto the man from Aberdeen, Washington. Even when Nexus "exiled" Daniel from the group for showing remorse for the havoc they ensued on RAW, Daniel was there. If it weren't for Daniel, Justin was certain he would've spiraled down into a darker world.

"I miss her." Justin mumbled darkly, running his hand through his lighter hair. He had changed it to fit his new role. He missed his black hair, though. The same black hair she would run her fingers through and tell him that if he ever changed it, she would complain until the end of time.

Sometimes he would imagine her walking through his front doors and telling him to change his hair but then he'd remember that she would no longer walkthrough said doors. The only thing he had of her left were pictures of them, her old text messages that he managed to still revive from his old phone, he would call her voicemail just to hear her voice, or watch FCW. When he did a clean sweep of his house, putting pictures of them in boxes to hide away in his closet for the rest of forever he had managed to find one of her hair ties in the bathroom. That hair tie was forever situated on his wrist ever since he found it.

He never took it off.

Daniel looked at his friend and nodded solemnly, patting the South African's shoulder softly. "I know." Justin was so closed off from everyone now and it was all because of that one person who filled his life with happiness and love was no longer around.

"She's on NXT this season..." Justin started, his eyes never once leaving the screen as he anticipated her introduction. "They're doing an all divas NXT season. Found out through Alex... not directly, I overheard him talking to Derrick about it."

Daniel's eyebrows raised at the newfound knowledge, "Yeah? Who's her pro?" he asked curiously. Justin's eyes lowered as he thought about her pro, his face showing distaste for the name that was about to escape his lips.

"Primo."

The moment Primo's name reached Daniel's ears, said NXT 3 pro's theme started to play through the speakers of the TV.

"Ugh." Justin's eyes moved away from the TV as he tried to erase the thought of Primo being all over her. In his mind she still belonged to him, she still loved him and he never broke her heart. "I shouldn't be jealous; we're over." he spoke and sat down in a chair, running a hand through his hair in frustration.

"You had no choice." Daniel replied sympathetically and pulled over a chair as he sat beside him, "You still love her. It's obvious."

"To everyone but her." Sighing loudly Justin looked to the ground, his hand immediately going to his wrist as he snapped the black hair tie around it. It was a habit he had picked up over the last couple of weeks. The pain in his wrist was bearable compared to the pain he was still feeling in his heart. When it came to his emotions Justin was never one to share them; prior to Nexus, Justin in the ring was different than the Justin out of it. When it came to work he was Justin but behind closed doors? He was just Paul.

The moment he saw her on the screen he found himself mesmerized by how beautiful she looked. The grey dress clung onto her petite body snugly, her hair was long and straight, and he couldn't help but chuckle when he saw a pair of heels on her feet. Those were probably the only pair of heels she owned, she was never one to wear them because she was a walking hazard. He always told her she should have a warning sign on her forehead, always earning a light slap on the chest and then a kiss to where she hit him.

"She looks happy." Justin noted. Daniel looked at him like he was crazy, "Her smile looks forced." he retorted.

"It doesn't." Justin replied back.

"It does."

"She's happier without me."

"Bullshit."

Silence overcame the two as Justin's eyes fixated back on the screen. Primo's voice filled his ears as he heard him talk about his ex-girlfriend.

Staring at Justin, Daniel ran a hand through his hair and looked at Primo on the screen as he and AJ strutted down the ramp. "He's ugly." he started, hoping to lighten up his best friend's mood. "He also sucks donkey dick and he's going nowhere in his career. I mean DZP? Really? Ryder's better off alone."

Daniel continued, "Carlito basically carried him when they were tag champs. He's useless. Insignificant. I don't even know why he's a pro. I SHOULD BE A PRO. I'd be amazing, don't you think? I'd bury everyone cause I'm so great. I'm the fucking King of Submission Wrestling. I'm so damn awesome and yes, I just called myself awesome. Mizzy can suck it."

A chuckle escaped the South African's lips, "You're the best, you know that right?" Daniel was the only person who could get through his defences and be the only person who could cheer him up. Daniel was patient, understanding, and just... a wonderful friend to him. He didn't know what would've become of him if it weren't for Daniel.

"I know."

Both men looked at the screen before Justin reached for the remote and turned off the TV. "I can't... even watch her without wanting to find her and beg for forgiveness. Fucking beg, dude. I don't beg." he grumbled as he ran a hand through his hair. "Every day... I miss her. I think back to when I hurt her and I just... she's my whole damn world. After all this time..." Burying his head into his hands, the heartbroken Nexus member shut his eyes tightly. "But she hates me... I've called her. I've texted her... Greg won't talk to me. No one in FCW will talk to me. I'm dead to all of them."

"Hey now..." Daniel started and shook his head, "That isn't true."

"It's not?" Justin countered back, gripping his hair in frustration. "Derrick and Johnny, two who have been like brothers to me since I stepped foot into development three years ago haven't spoken to me in months. Angela and Maxine who I considered little sisters because of April, have cut me out of their lives for good. If I go visit I get the damn silent treatment. I have to overhear conversations about what goes on down there because no one will fucking talk to me. Face it Daniel, I'm dead to all of them." He was so isolated from everyone. The only people he talked to now were Daniel, Nexus and occasionally, Cena.

"You are not." Daniel protested, clapping a hand on his friend's shoulder. "You were only doing what was right. You didn't want to hurt her-"

"But I did!" It ate him alive inside knowing that he had and he would never forgive himself for hurting her; thinking that he was doing the right thing by breaking up with her, following Wade's order because it would be good for the group. Standing up, Justin shook his head and headed for the door. "Even after all these months she's still the one person that haunts me in my sleep. When we're out with the guys and girls are throwing themselves at us, I don't want any of them all I want is her..." Letting out a frustrated sigh he ran a hand over his face. "I need some air."

"Let me-" Daniel was interrupted as Justin raised his other hand, "I'll be okay. I just need to be alone right now." He knew he was pushing his best friend away but he just needed to be alone. He needed to shake how he was feeling at that moment because if he didn't it was going to bother him for the rest of the night. Maybe it was the image of her when he saw her on TV, all he knew was that his heart was constricting inside his chest painfully and it was because he didn't have her.

"Are you sure?" Daniel asked.

"Yeah... I'll see you later, okay?" With that said, the South African left the locker room, his mind spinning a million times per second. He needed air, he kept telling himself. Maybe leave the arena early if he wasn't needed. He just needed to get away.

Pushing open the aluminum doors he leaned against the brick wall and took out the phone in his back pocket. He turned it on, the light flashing in his face as he looked at the wallpaper, her smiling, giddy face as his lips were on her cheek.

It was stupid, really. Having her as his iPhone background. He couldn't help it though. When he got his new phone after destroying the other one the night they broke up, he got a new phone and plugged it into his computer. Pictures of him and her had filled his screen, his facebook page spammed with pictures their friends had taken. He had taken all the pictures of them together from his computer, leaving all but one into an 8GB USB stick. He had thrown the stick into the box that was sitting in the back of his closet, collecting dust for the past four months.

But it was that one picture that he had to keep on his computer, the one picture that he put on his phone and could never delete. It was a picture of them back in February, the day she won the Queen of FCW crown. They had just finished a taping for FCW and she was over the moon. He had given her time, time to get the congratulations from everyone in the locker room and he stayed off to the side, a smile on his face as he watched his girlfriend beam in happiness. By the time she got to him she jumped into his arms and giddily kissed his face in sheer joy. He accepted the kiss, and then smothered her in kisses as well, not hearing the shutter go off from Angela's Blackberry. It was when they were all out for dinner the same night that the Canadian showed the couple the picture she took and sent it to both of them.

To this day it was his favourite picture. Back to when they were happy, back to when they were in love. Back to when he didn't break her heart because of work.

His phone lit up and vibrated in his hand, a message popping up onto the screen.

'Where r u?'

Heath.

Rolling his eyes, Justin rested his head back against the brick wall, shoving his phone into his pocket and just stood outside lost in thought. He just didn't want to deal with anything right now.

And soon enough minutes turned into an hour and his phone started to vibrate non-stop. A loud sigh escaped his lips as he pulled it out and ran a hand down his tired face as he saw messages from Daniel, Wade, and another message from Heath.

'Man, come 2 catering. Laurinaitis needs 2 talk 2 us.'

He stared at the message, contemplating on whether or not he should go. Picking up his feet he unwillingly trudged his way back into the arena, shoving his hands into the pockets of his sweater once he pushed open the doors and walked down the hallway.

Walking towards catering he could hear the hustle and bustle of the backstage production crew at the gorilla making sure NXT was going well. Justin rolled his eyes not missing how hectic NXT got backstage and looked to the ground, wanting to be anywhere but where he was at that moment. He didn't even know why he was going to catering, he didn't want to anyway. It's not like Laurinaitis had anything to say to them. The dude was useless like gum on the bottom of someone's shoe.

He was so lost in thought that he didn't even realize a group of divas come out down the gorilla steps. Or a distracted petite brunette, trying to take off her heels as he bumped into her.

"Oh shit, sorry." he spoke when she fell to the ground and he helped her up as he heard her laugh lightly. "It's okay I wasn't looking where I was-"

Her voice stopped and he furrowed his eyebrows wondering why she had but the moment he saw who he had bumped into it was like his whole world stopped.

Just like it had a year and a half ago when he first laid eyes on the girl from Union City.

April.

A/N: Dun dun dunn. Haha. I hope you guys like this chapter, it's probably one of my favourites thus far (lol there are only two but yes, I like this chapter a lot). Next chapter we get AJ's POV since the break up.

Don't forget to review and favourite and alert ;)