Carter walked out of the gas station, hurrying across the parking lot to her rental car, quickly slipping into the passenger's seat to get the car started and the heat running again. It always amazed her how quickly she could go from comfortable to freezing outside in the winter weather.

She was just a short way outside of Boston, bound for Philadelphia, following that night's Tables, Ladders and Chairs pay per view.

She still had a few hours to go and it was late and cold but she always preferred driving through the night over waking up early. Normally she had a companion but she was on her own tonight.

She had stopped for gas, some caffeine, chocolate and a cheeseburger and was ready to continue on her way.

She shimmied out of her pea coat and tossed it aside along with her beanie and settled into the feeling of the seat warmers as she pulled out of the parking lot.

Spotify was set on shuffle and she let herself fall into the melodies and beat of her music, singing along and dancing in her seat, getting her mind occupied and focused.

Her phone's screen lit up in its resting place on the small indentation on the dash and she let her eyes dart to it, realizing she had a text.

She bit her lip and reached for her phone to check the message quickly.

I just wanted to check in on you. Let me know how the drive is going when you can.

It was Seth and Carter couldn't help but smile slightly to herself.

She had told him earlier that day she was heading to the next city after the pay per view and hadn't had the chance to check in with him after the show.

She reached over to the passenger's seat to her purse to grab her ear buds, slipped the adapter into her phone and slipped one in her ear so she could talk hands free; pressing send to call him.

The phone rang a few times and she heard the call connect. He cleared his throat before giving her a "hello, C."

"Were you asleep?"

"Halfway," he replied, yawning. "I woke up and text you and was going back to sleep."

"Fuck I'm sorry. I'll talk to you later."

"No you've got me now, it's ok."

"No, Seth, go sleep."

"I figured you would be girl gossiping with Becky or napping or something," he responded. She could hear him moving around on his end of the line.

"Oh um well I'm not with Becky."

"Oh well tell Renee and Dean hi for me."

"I'm on my own tonight. It's just me."

"Carter," he said sternly, "why in fuck's name are you driving by yourself overnight? Isn't it like 1am there? Do you know how dangerous that is?"

"I have a feeling you're about to tell me how dangerous it is."

"It's stupid dangerous."

"Don't you travel alone? You're all privacy and grumpiness…"

"Yeah well creepy people aren't going to approach me if I stop all alone at a truck stop in the middle of the night."

"That's a bit sexist," she teased, laughing lightly.

"Sexist or not it's true," he shot back.

Carter sighed; rolling her eyes a bit, setting her phone in her lap and leaning back some in her seat. "I'm fine. I have caffeine and sunflower seeds and snacks and my music. It's not a big deal."

"Well I hope you have a lot to talk about too because you've got me for the next however many hours you're on the road."

She huffed, "you were sleeping and you can go back to sleep. I shouldn't have even called you."

"I'm awake now. How much longer do you have?"

"Roughly two hours."

"I guess I'll just make some coffee. I can sleep later."

"Fine," she replied, biting, pursing her lips together and glaring at the windshield and the few other cars on the highway.

"Ooo I've pissed her off," he teased her.

"Well you're a pain in the ass. You're acting like my dad or something and I know I can't just hang up on you because you'll just call back until I get annoyed and answer."

"I just want you to be safe, Carter. Do you do this a lot?"

"What? Drive by myself during the night?"

"Yes."

"No, not really; rarely. I was just on my own tonight. Everyone had people in town and I figured if I was going to be at the hotel on my own I might as well just go ahead and go to Philly. I prefer staying up and sleeping in over sleeping and waking up early. Plus I have a photo shoot tomorrow and I'd rather have a few extra hours in my bed then rather than tonight."

"What kind of photo shoot?"

"Something for Christmas, I don't know, I'll probably end up as a scantily clad reindeer or candy cane or something."

Seth snickered, "you sound so excited about doing that."

"It's the part of this job that I hate the most. I don't know how to do the whole sultry, sexy thing, but I have to. Like, I know you guys have to deal with the whole sex symbol thing but you have no idea how easy you have it."

"I'm not a sex symbol," he replied.

"I'm sorry, are you kidding me? Yes you are."

He sighed, "no, I'm not. I'm...I don't know, I just wrestle and play video games, I'm not...I don't...this is awkward."

"You don't what? You don't know how to be sexy?" She laughed.

"Again; this is awkward."

"Rollins you've really got to be kidding me right now. There's no possible way you can think that you and Roman and Dean and Cena and all the other guys aren't sex symbols. Especially Roman with those amazing pretty blue eyes he has..."

She heard Seth huff on his end of the line.

"Don't you know how many females and probably males would die right now to be on the phone with you while you're in your bed? Let alone be in that bed."

"Awkward, Carter."

"You know that smug, douche bag smirk that you do?"

"No."

Carter sighed, shaking her head. "You're hopeless. My point is, though, that all you guys have to do is go out to the ring, take your shirt off, do your match and go back to your business. You don't have to do photo shoots and be sexy elves in candy cane striped miniskirts or bikinis."

"I don't think bikinis or candy cane striped miniskirts would be a good look for me anyways. I'm too hairy."

"Again, you're just completely missing my point."

"Why would an elf be in a bikini anyways? Isn't the North Pole cold?"

"Bruh..."

"And reindeer just have fur so technically they're already scantily clad..."

"You're fucking doing this on purpose and I really hate you for it."

"It's keeping you awake isn't it?" He asked, laughing.

"I didn't need you to keep me awake so don't be so proud of yourself."

"Why did you call me and wake me up then?"

"Because I'm driving and it's not safe to text and drive."

"The one 'safe' thing that actually crossed your mind out of all of this."

"And you were awake when you text me, obviously. You can wipe the smug smile off your face. I can hear it in your voice."

"The sexy one?"

Carter inhaled deeply, and cleared her throat, pausing for a moment and trying to not let herself get frustrated with him. He was baiting her and she knew it.

"Are you going to hang up on me?" He asked, most of the teasing gone from his voice.

"No I was just trying to count backwards from 100 before I called you an asshole."

"How far did you make it?"

"92, asshole."

He laughed, "I'm sorry. It's just so easy with you. You get flustered very quickly and it entertains me."

"Well I'm glad I can entertain you."

"I promise I'll stop now. For a little while anyways."

"One day you'll regret purposefully irritating me."

"We'll see."

Carter smiled to herself, reaching for her coffee to take a sip.

"Did you watch the show tonight?"

"No, how was it?" he replied.

Carter could hear a change in his voice and she frowned slightly.

"Why didn't you watch?"

"I haven't watched anything since my surgery. I just…can't. And don't tell me to stop feeling sorry for myself, it's deeper than that."

"I won't, I understand."

"I'm stepping back from all of it. Even social media. I just want to focus on what I'm doing here and when it's time I'll get caught up on everything. Or you can keep me updated. I don't mind hearing about it I just don't want to watch it…"

"Well you could at least watch my pre show next time," she replied, scoffing at him. "That would be a very friend-like thing to do."

"Oh is my trial run over?"

"Once again we're on the phone in the wee hours of the morning and you've been scolding me like a rebellious teenager so I think it's safe to say we're friends."

"I can't help that you're reckless."

"You're a worry wart."

"Friends worry about their friends."

"Okay so let me ask you a question; I was thinking about this tonight. Doesn't it hurt? Going through tables and jumping off ladders and what not. I mean I know you guys have your safe ways of doing things and taking bumps but still- you're going through a table…"

"Look at you and your wrestling lingo. I'm impressed."

"Can you not mock me for once? That was a legitimate 'I'm interested so tell me about what you do' question."

"You're really wanting to have a conversation about wrestling with me?"

"Yeah, educate me. We have two hours…"

"Well yeah it hurts but I don't know, I don't really notice it in the moment. There's a lot of adrenaline pumping and I mostly just focus on what I'm doing and what the other guy is doing and having faith we don't fuck up. It hurts more after the fact, the next morning. Unless I get legit hurt, it's hard not to notice that. I used to blade before my WWE days."

"Seriously?"

"Yeah, I have a few scars. I'll show you some time."

"I'm good."

Seth chuckled, "it's not that bad. It's all part of the show. People like blood and danger."

"You're all a little bit crazy but I admire you."

"Thank you."

"Do you ever hurt anyone on purpose? Not like seriously hurt them but if you're in the ring with someone you legit dislike. Do you ever slip up and actually kick them?"

"All the time."

"Hmph…well whenever you're back if you ever face Dolph and you want to throw one of those in…"

"Oh I've already thought about that."

"Shut up," she laughed.

There was a comfortable silence that fell over them for a few moments. Carter took the chance to adjust the setting on her seat warmers and open her sunflower seeds. She switched the car's radio back on and kept the volume low, searching for a station that would come on. She didn't need the noise but there was a white noise silence to the car outside of her phone call and it was starting to bother her.

"Do you have any more questions?" he asked.

"Part of my job is asking questions; I'm sure I can come up with plenty."

"Well I'm an open book. I like your curiosity about everything."

"A lot of it is new to me."

"Give me like…3 minutes to let Kevin out and start some coffee and you can fire away. I'm not hanging up, just stepping away; my phone is charging…I haven't been keeping it very charged lately."

"Okay."

"Do not fall asleep."

"I won't."

Seth held true to his word, staying on the phone with her up until she parked in front of her hotel to go inside and check in. The majority of their conversation had been her firing off a long string of questions at him, mostly wrestling related. It had been good, light, and educating. She had learned a lot about the business and about him and how deep his passion for all of it ran.

She promised him several time that as soon as she was in her room she would text him to let him know she was one hundred percent safe and settled.

She slipped the key in the lock and drug her bag in with her, letting the door fall shut behind her and being sure to switch over the extra latch on the door.

In my room. I'm good to go. She fired off a quick text before tossing her bag on the bed to unzip it and retrieve the clothes she planned to sleep in.

She changed quickly and washed her face, pulled her hair up in a messy top knot and trekked back into the room, turning off lights as she went.

She checked her phone as she plugged in her charger.

Good. Be sure you have all the locks covered.

She rolled her eyes and shook her head.

I'm a grown ass woman I can handle this.

Thank you for worrying, though. I scoff at you but it doesn't go completely unappreciated.

She pulled her covers down and settled into the bed, reaching over to turn of the light.

If you plan to do this again give me a heads up, ok? So I can take an afternoon nap.

Thank you. Go get your sleep now.

Good night. Good luck with the photo shoot and your reindeer candy cane elf outfit.

She smirked and chuckled, responding with a series of Christmas emojis and some smiley faces and set her phone aside, letting herself drift off into the sleep she desperately needed.

A week later, Carter found herself pacing in a hallway backstage at the Target Center in Minneapolis, awaiting the start of that night's RAW and the annual Slammy awards. Although she wasn't presenting the actual awards she had been tasked with 'hosting' and she was reading over her script even though she would have it in front of her.

She was excited.

"Well yowza! Looking good my southern mama!"

Carter looked up to see an energetic Renee, smiling, coming down the hallway.

"Oh well thank you my Canadian sister," Carter smiled.

Renee pulled herself up onto an equipment case, crossing her legs. "You all ready?"

"Yeah, it'll be fun. It'll be nice to be out in front of the crowd for once," Carter brushed her hair over her shoulder and folded her arms, looking at Renee. "Just cross all your fingers and toes that I don't trip on anything because these boots…"

Renee glanced down at the burgundy, velvet booties Carter was wearing and made a face at the heel on them, "should've tried to sell them on how fashionable flip flops are."

"Right?"

"So…" Renee wiggled her eyebrows at her friend and clasped her hands in her lap, "dinner tonight, after the show; all of us and Nikki and you know Dean…we thought about Dolph but I nixed that, Becky…and you should invite Seth if you didn't already. Just a pre-Christmas send off for all of us."

"Eh," Carter shrugged, crossing her feet and frowning. "Dinner and drinks definitely sounds great."

"What are we eh-ing?"

"I haven't talked to Seth in a day or two," Carter shrugged.

"Why not? I thought you two were like BFFs now?"

Carter sighed, "it's…it's a long story, Nae. It's nothing."

"Carter!" Renee exclaimed. "What happened? Last week he was staying up all night to make sure you got to your hotel okay. Talk to me."

"I just, I don't know. I'm just kind of rethinking this whole 'friend's with Seth Rollins' deal." Carter scoffed and sighed, leaning against the equipment case with her hip and looking at Renee. "I just don't want to get too close to him, even as just as a friend, because I don't really know if we're friends and I don't want to deal with more bullshit right now. Yeah he did stay up all night making sure I stayed awake and worrying about my safety and then four days later he was in Orlando and didn't even tell me. We talked that day but not a single mention of a plane or being in Florida or being at the performance center or anything. And I don't know why."

"How did you know he was there?"

"Because I was there, too. I went to work out with Becky and he was leaving when I got there. I saw him."

"Did he see you?"

"If he did he hasn't mentioned it. He's text me some but I just ignored him. It's petty, I know, and stupid but it kind of pissed me off."

"You two are really just friends, Carter? This isn't one of those like…you have a booty call dude but you pretend like you don't know each other in public things?"

Carter scowled at her friend, almost a glare. "No, Renee, it is not like that. We talk, we vent, and we share music; that's it."

"Well…I don't know. Just talk to him about it, I guess."

"I will, eventually, but I'm doing my best to avoid him tonight."

"Well he's on crutches so I feel like you can outrun him. Even in those heels…"

"Thanks," Carter smirked.

"Well I still have to get hair done so I will see you later. Good luck, love."

Carter smiled, watching Renee slide of the equipment box. She winked at Carter and continued off down the hallway.

Carter watched her leave and sighed heavily to herself. She pulled herself up on the box where Renee had been sitting, reading over her script again and finally giving in and scrolling through her phone, looking over Twitter and Instagram.

She was in the process of posting a selfie when she heard the all too familiar voice.

"Are we always going to run into each other in hallways?"

Fuck. Carter closed her eyes and took a deep breath. She looked up from her phone, Seth standing a few feet from her in an all black suit, leaning on his crutches and a half smile on his face.

"Hi," he said.

"Hi," Carter replied.

Seth watched her as she got down from the equipment box, doing his best to inconspicuously look her up and down. Last time he had seen her she was in sweat pants and a t-shirt. Tonight she was camera ready; heels, black leather leggings and a burgundy fit and flare top.

This was different.

"After all the sleep I've lost talking to you I figured I would at least get a smile from you," he said.

Carter gave him a pensive look. She felt bad, she could see the slight disappointment on his face, but she didn't want to do this at that moment.

"I, um, need to go finish getting ready for tonight. I hope you enjoy your night back, though."

She gave a forced smile, pausing before continuing on her way when she realized she was going to have to go by him.

"Carter…" he said, sighing as she passed him. "Hey, look, it's not fair to run away from me I'm kind of at a disadvantage."

She stopped and turned to him as he turned around.

"What's wrong?"

"I've just been busy," she replied.

"Okay."

She sighed, rubbing her face with her hand and pinching the bridge of her nose.

"Look I just…it's a big night for you tonight and I just want to let you have that. Enjoy seeing everyone and being in front of your fans. You know how to get in touch with me later…"

"Will you actually respond to me?"

"Yes. I have dinner plans but yes, I'll talk to you then."

He sighed, shifting on his crutches, "what's going on? Ziggler drama?"

"Just enjoy your night, Rollins. I need to…go work," she waved the script in the air slightly.

"Ok," he shrugged, holding his hands up in defeat and giving her an aloof look. "Good luck with everything tonight. You look really nice…"

"Thank you," she replied.

She gave him another look, biting the inside of her cheek and turned to retreat down the hallway, shaking her head as she went. Now she was feeling bad, and she knew she probably shouldn't feel bad, but she couldn't help it. He had looked genuinely happy and then so disappointed.

Carter had managed to put her slightly guilty feelings out of her for the majority of that night's show. She was standing quietly near the curtain that led to the stage, watching on the monitor the match that was currently happening and waiting to go back out. She glanced to her right when she caught movement out of her peripheral vision and her eyes fell on Seth, standing a bit back from the handful of people that were standing around.

Carter bit her lip and then turned to walk back to him.

He gave her a slightly surprised look as she sidled up next to him.

"Are we speaking now?" he muttered to her.

"Look, there's a group going to dinner tonight; Nikki, Renee, Dean, some other people. If you're feeling up to it you should come."

He looked at her and she looked at him, a short silence passing between them.

"I would love to but I'm leaving after the show," he replied.

"Oh. Well disregard."

"You would have already have known that if you hadn't been avoiding me…" he shrugged, turning his eyes back to the monitors.

"You're a fine one to talk about somebody avoiding somebody," she replied, matching his tone.

"What are you talking about?"

"How was your trip to Orlando?" she turned toward him.

She watched recognition cross his face and his shoulders drop slightly, "Carter, I wasn't avoiding you. I was seriously only there for a day, not even a whole day. I just didn't think there would be time…we saw the doctors, we stopped by the performance center and we came right back to Iowa. My brother was with me and he-"

"Carter!" they both looked over at the sound of her name being called, "you've got like one minute and you're back out there…"

"You could have at least mentioned it. You do know how that comes across, don't you?" she turned back to him

He was quiet, looking at her.

"It's fine, ok? I get it. That's why I've been avoiding you, though. It hurt my feelings."

"I'm sorry," he said.

"Forget about it," she shrugged and turned quickly to head to the curtain and go back on stage.

Carter returned to her hotel room fairly late that night, exhausted and just ready to crawl into bed and sleep for a few hours before she headed to the airport. Then she could go home and relax and see her family and enjoy the holiday. She had purposefully ignored her phone for the majority of the night. She knew Seth had text her and that he was home but she hadn't felt like talking.

She fell back on her bed and closed her eyes, sighing heavily.

She felt stupid and now she was avoiding him out of embarrassment. What right did she have to get her feelings hurt over him not telling her that he was in Florida? He didn't owe her anything.

She reached for her phone that she had discarded next to her when she flopped down on the bed and frowned to herself before texting him.

Are you still awake?

Of course I am: it didn't take long for his response to come back.

Can I call?

Sure

Carter sighed at the one words response but went through the motions of calling him anyways.

He answered with a curt 'hello' and she frowned.

"I'm not driving on my own overnight this time…" she offered to him.

"Well it's good to see you've learned one thing."

"I can't promise I'll never do it again."

"I'll take it."

Carter sighed, staring up at the ceiling. "Look, Rollins, I'm sorry that I avoided you and that I snapped at you. I just…I don't know, I have trust issues I guess. And that's an excuse and I don't give excuses so…I'm just sorry."

"I'm sorry I hurt your feelings, it wasn't intentional."

"I know."

"Truth be told I had hoped that I could hang out with you when I was around today; go to lunch or something, but you were like a little gnome and just hid all over the place so you missed out on that. That's on you."

"I'm not a gnome. I'm not even short."

"Your ears are kind of pointy…"

"Well you look like a skunk."

"That's rude."

"You compared me to a creature that hides out in gardens, it was fair."

He chuckled lightly and silence fell over them.

"I know you had a long day and being around everything probably wasn't great for you so I'm not going to keep you and talk your ear off about nothing. I need to sleep anyways. I wanted to clear the air, though, and just…maybe we can just erase all of that from the record. We can have a do-over eventually."

"Well next time I actually see you I expect you to be a ray of sunshine, then."

"I think I can handle that."

"Are you flying home to Tampa or Tennessee?"

"Straight to Tennessee; I can't wait."

"Hope the flight goes smoothly. I'll talk to you tomorrow, I'm sure. Sleep well."

Carter smiled, "you too."