Next week may have been when the hard work started, but right now was time for celebrating.
After changing out of her ring gear Alex made her way to the backstage entrance where Rob was waiting for her.
"Not going to watch Trips and Randy Orton?"
"Not when I've got the WWE's finest Diva waiting backstage for me." Rob grinned and hugged Alex lifting her off the ground. "You were absolutely kick ass."
"Not bad for my first time in front of a crowd that big, but I can do better."
"You were brilliant and you know it." Rob elbowed Alex lightly in the side, "I can't wait to see it on TV, I reckon we should get the Lock to put it on the big screen."
Alex was about to shoot down Rob's idea when a shout from behind them interrupted.
"Hey Shadow!" Alex groaned, it had been six years, she'd hoped he would have forgotten, or at least not recognised her.
Rob looked at her quizzically, "Shadow?"
"Don't ask." Alex turned round trying to hide the smile that was threatening to creep over her lips, "I really hoped you wouldn't recognise me."
"How could I forget my number one fan."
Alex rolled her eyes as Adam Copeland pulled her into a hug.
"My shadow's all grown up."
"All grown up and perfectly capable of kicking your arse."
"Oooh Shadow's gone and gotten herself an attitude." Adam grinned at Alex.
"Bad habit I picked up from you and Jay, I was young and impressionable. It was bound to happen."
A cough to their left alerted them to a very amused looking Rob. "Aren't I going to get an introduction."
Alex had the grace to look embarrassed, "Sorry Rob. Rob this is Adam, Adam this is Rob."
"You two together?" Adam asked with curiosity.
"God no!"
"Absolutely not."
Alex and Rob replied at the same time, cracking up as they both realised what they'd done.
"Well good to see that you're still crazy as ever."
"Well I must have been crazy to ever fancy you." Alex pocked her tongue out and linked arms with Rob, turning away from Adam, to continue on their way to her locker room.
Adam laughed and shook his head, just wait until he told Jay. Shadow had definitely grown up, and he could already tell it was going to be fun having her around.
"Okay spill, what was the between you and Edge?" They'd barely made it into Alex's locker room, or more accurately Dave's before Rob questioned her.
"Firstly his name's Adam, and secondly nothing."
"Oh come on, you guys obviously have a history." Rob pressed on, and Alex let out a growl of frustration.
"The only history Adam and I have is that I used to follow him and Jay around when I was deluded lovesick teen, the summers my dad would let Jack and I come to work with him, something that still makes me cringe with embarrassment every time I think about it."
"You were a ring rat." Rob's eyes lit up like Christmas had come early.
Alex launched herself at Rob, "I most certainly was not!"
The two friends were too immersed in their tickle fight to notice that they were no longer the only occupants of the small locker room.
Dave Finlay and Jeff Hardy watched the display in front of them with equal amounts of amusement. Dave had always thought that Alex and Rob would make a great couple, it was just a shame that when they'd tried it out once it hadn't really worked.
"Are you two quite finished or am I going to have to come back in ten minutes."
Alex fell off Robs lap, landing with a thud on the floor as her godfather spoke. Which made all three men in the room burst out laughing.
"Yeah yeah, laugh at the girl on the floor. Don't worry yourselves I'm not hurt."
Jeff was the first to move holding out his hand to Alex, which she took gratefully, at least there was one gentleman in the room.
"Thanks!" Alex brushed herself down and glared at Rob, who was still laughing.
Jeff raised an eyebrow at Dave, a grin gracing his lips, before turning his attention back to Alex, and the reason he was there. "A group of us are heading over to a club called Matter, thought you'd like to join us."
Alex looked down at her attire, boyfit jeans, converse trainers and a tight fitting Doors t-shirt, all she could think was thank god they picked a club that didn't have a dress code.
"I'd love to." Alex smiled, "I haven't really met any of the other wrestlers on the roster yet, and I'm still buzzing from my match."
"Awesome, I'll go grab you and your friend here a couple of tickets and we'll head over."
Jeff smiled and with a nod to Dave bounded out of the room.
"Don't tell me you had a thing for Jeff too."
Rob stated as soon a Jeff was out of sight.
Dave chuckled and set about getting his gear together.
"For your information no I didn't. I was too busy mooning over Adam, and keeping out everyone's way. Now can we drop this. I was young and foolish, and I'd rather not remember how lovesick I was."
Rob put his hands up in defeat, "Whatever, ring rat."
"I will seriously harm you." Alex jabbed a finger towards Rob, threatening another round of tickle fight. Her attack plan however was stopped short by the reappearance of Jeff, and the three of them set out for the club.
-/-/-/-/-/-/-/-/-/-/-/-/-
The club was packed, and as Alex, Rob and Jeff made their way through the throng it soon became apparent that a lot of the arena crowd had made Matter their post show destination. Jeff was shaking hands left right and center and stopping to pose for a photographs every few steps. Much to her surprise a few people recognised her and she joined Jeff in posing for photos and shaking people's hands.
Eventually they made it to the VIP section that the wrestlers had claimed for the night, much to Alex's relief.
Grabbing a beer at the private bar Alex made herself comfy on one of the plush sofas next to Jeff, and was soon introduced around.
Her and John Hennigan immediately hit it off, probably due to the fact that she was wearing a doors t-shirt, he was a funny guy, and they were soon immersed in a conversation about music. They were soon joined by Melina, one of the Divas Alex had been most eager to meet.
She was one of the few divas, who in Alex's opinion actually had some skill in the ring, skill that Alex hoped she'd be able to test some time.
As she settled into comfortable conversation with Jeff, John and Melina, the VIP room started to fill up some more, introductions were made, drinks were drunk and a party atmosphere kicked off.
Alex was deep in discussion with Melina about the diva division, when she heard her nickname being exclaimed the other side of the room.
Looking up she couldn't help but smile as she saw Jay and Adam coming towards her.
"You were right man, our little Shadow really has grown up. Come here you." Jay grinned and pulled Alex into a hug, "It's been too long Shadow, we were missing you."
"You know I really don't like that nickname."
"Nice to see you too." Jay attempted his best affronted look, but couldn't exactly pull it off very well.
"You guys really haven't changed at all have you?" Alex smiled, grabbing an offered beer.
"Probably not." Adam said honestly, "but you certainly have."
Alex rolled her eyes, there was a time when a leer like that from Adam would have turned her legs to jelly, now it didn't quite have the same effect. Almost but not quite.
After untangling herself from the terrible twosome, Alex made her way out to the smoking area, it was getting a little too hot inside the club and she was dying for a cigarette.
The smoking area was bustling with people, but Alex soon found herself a table to rest her drink.
It was an unusually warm night for April, but Alex shivered as the cool breeze from the Thames, whipped up around her. Stupid smoking ban, she really should have brought a jacket.
Alex laughed to herself as she thought about her day. She still couldn't quite believe that she was now a WWE diva. She just hoped that she could do a good job of it.
"Nice match tonight."
Alex almost dropped her glass as the familiar voice spoke close to her ear. What the hell was he doing here?
Taking a couple of seconds to compose herself, Alex turned round. "I'd say thank you, but I swore I'd never have anything nice to say to you again."
"Aww come on babe, don't be so hostile, I was trying to be nice." James reached forward, his fingers running lightly over her arm.
"Don't touch me." Alex pulled away, her eyes full of fire. "We're through James, I thought I'd made that clear. Obviously I wasn't clear enough."
"This guy bothering you?" Jeff appeared by her side.
"He was just leaving, weren't you James?"
"Whatever." James picked up his glass, and leaned towards Alex, "I'll see you around." and with that he was gone, working his way through the crowd, and out of sight.
Alex released a breath she hadn't been aware she was holding and turned to Jeff, "thank you for coming to my rescue."
"You looked like you could do with it. Ex boyfriend?"
Alex nodded and downed her drink, before lighting up another cigarette and offering one to Jeff.
"He's been hanging round like a bad smell. I just can't wait till I'm in the states and away from that cretin." Alex shook her head, "and I only just met you today, you really don't need to know about my disastrous love life."
"If you can't tell your friends, who can you tell?" Jeff smiled, putting an arm round Alex's shoulder.
"You may regret saying that." Alex laughed sombrely, as she put her arm around Jeff's waist. "Now let's get back to the others, I could really do with another drink."
"James is here." Alex downed her fourth shot and turned to Rob, finally letting him know the reason for her sudden mood change.
"What did he say?"
"He was at the show tonight, told me I'd had a nice match." Alex picked up another shot and downed it.
"That slime ball, what the hell was he doing there?"
"We were still together when my appearance was arranged, the bastard was probably expecting to see me fall flat on my face." downing another shot Alex spun round on her chair, surveying the VIP area, "I want to dance."
"You're drunk." Rob stated beside her.
"I don't care and I wasn't asking for permission." At that moment, Adam walked towards them, heading to the bar to get another drink. But Alex Jumped off the bar stool, and intercepted him.
"Fancy a dance?"
"With my Shadow? Always." Adam grinned and laughed as Alex dragged him out of the VIP area. Neither noticing the concerned look being directed their way by Rob, or the the way that Jeff's gaze followed them.
They'd made it down one flight of stairs, when Alex came to an abrupt halt. Blocking the stairs down to the dance floor was James practically shagging a scantily clad girl up against a wall.
That was the straw that broke the camels back, Alex took one look at the sight in front of them, and dashed into the nearby toilets, tears running down her cheeks.
Adam followed her in, and pulled her into his arms, her sobs echoing round the now empty toilets.
"You want to talk about it?" He asked softly, kissing the top of her head.
Alex pulled away, turning slightly away from Adam, "He's my bastard ex."
"You shouldn't let a jerk like that get to you."
"I can't help it. We were together for four years. It's hard to just let that go."
"It'll get easier."
"You could make it easier." Alex looked up at Adam her eyes wide and pleading, as he ran a tender hand through her hair.
Adam brought his hand down and cupped Alex's cheek, "you're drunk, we both are. Nothing good could come of..."
Adam was cut off as Alex's lips crashed against his.
Of all the times she'd imagined kissing Adam Copeland when she was younger, and it was a lot, she'd never once imagined it would be like this. Drunkenly heavy handed, in a unisex toilet, definitely hadn't been one of her fantasy scenarios.
Adam's free hand had found itself on Alex's waist and he pulled their bodies flush together. The intensity of their kiss increasing as their bodies rubbed against each other. The air was thick with arousal, and as Alex was about to unzip Adam's trousers and really get things going, her stomach lurched.
Breaking the kiss with lightening speed, she managed to make it into the nearest cubicle before her stomach emptied itself of all it's contents. She'd really had too much to drink.
As she knelt over the toilet, retching, she felt a comforting hand drawing circles on her back, and was vaguely aware of her hair being held out of the way.
She'd been seconds away from having a dirty shag in a club toilet with her teenage crush, and now she was slumped over a toilet bowl. She really hadn't envisioned the night going this way.
"I'm sorry." Alex slumped against the side of the cubicle, a ball of tissue paper scrunched up in her hand, looking up at Adam forlorn.
"Don't be. It saved us from doing something you'd probably have regretted in the morning."
"I.." Alex tried to interrupt.
"You were angry and upset, and neither of us were really in the position to make an informed decision. You'd have regretted it."
"Says you."
"Says me." Adam smiled sadly, "now come on, lets get you cleaned up."
Helping Alex up, Adam led her over to the sinks, holding her hair back for her as she splashed water over her face.
"Great first impression I made, god I'm so stupid."
"No ones going to hold it against you, we all get a little too drunk sometimes, and you had a very good reason for it. Besides no one else needs to know what went on in here." Adam pulled Alex into a hug.
"Thank you."
"Come on, the others will be wondering where we've got to. Wouldn't want to be giving them any ideas would we?" Adam pulled away from Alex, a smile on his face.
"Rob is going to be hell when he gets me alone. Me and you alone for an extended period of time, his mind will be racing."
They made their way back to the VIP area with little hassle along the way, and as soon as they entered the area, all eyes were on them.
Rob was immediately at Alex's side, and after a quiet word with Adam was soon filled in on what had happened, with certain aspects left out, and before she knew it, Rob had his arm around her waist and they were making their way out of the club.
-/-/-/-/-/-/-/-/-/-/-/-/-
Alex's head was thumping the next morning when she woke up, her whole body ached and she felt decidedly queasy. If only heavy drinking could come without the hangover. Or the stupidity. She scrunched her eyes together as she remembered what had happened between her and Adam. Crap!
Reaching out of her duvet cocoon, Alex grabbed her phone off her bedside table, stabbing at it with her eyes half closed, trying to get the time up.
She had six new messages, blinking up at her. Scrolling through them, she smiled as she saw she had messages from Jeff, Adam, Jay and Melina. All of them hoping that she wasn't too hungover, and asking if she was okay.
One was from her Dad, he was excited to see Smackdown when it aired on Friday, and that he was looking forward to seeing her when she touched down in the states.
The sixth was from James.
Sender: James
Sent 00:24
Ring rat slut!
How much had he seen last night? Had he seen anything last night?
With a growl of frustration, Alex through her phone on the floor, and buried herself deeper under her covers.
Tomorrow she'd be getting on a flight to New York, away from James. That bastard could go fuck himself as far as she was concerned. She had a new job now, and a new life, she wasn't going to let that prick affect her.