Hello everyone! This took a bit longer than I anticipated, but it's here nonetheless. I want to give a thank you to Vera for letting me bounce ideas off of her and having her bounce some back as well.

Let me know what you guys think! I'm really interested in hearing your take on it so far.

It had been a long day, and it wasn't even near time for the television taping to start. After a long red eye flight on Monday night, and the two connecting flights the next morning, both of which were delayed, Maria found herself sitting quietly at a table in arena that was home to the next taping of Friday Night Smackdown. She had received a call from management, asking if she would mind stepping in and playing interviewer for the evening, their new girl Anastacia having come down with a bad head cold and resulting laryngitis. Maria wasted no time in accepting and waited for the flight itinerary to be sent to her. At first look, everything seemed to be in order, true she would probably have to sleep in the airport for the early part of the morning, but she didn't mind, even if the seats were terribly uncomfortable.

So, there she was, head resting on her arm, surveying the book that she had brought with her, confident in the knowledge that no one was around and no onewould be around for the next bit of time. And she was also, desperately, trying not to fall asleep in the lunch that she hadn't even attempted to eat. Her fingers were tracing the cover the book she had taken with her, trying to drum up the nerve to actually open it.

Reading it…well, she would cross that bridge when she got to it. It was a miracle she even bought the thing.

It wasn't long, however, before she lost the battle; the lack sleep and very uncomfortable nap she had earlier caught up and she was sound asleep, head lolling off her arm, hand resting limply on the cover of her book.

And that was what Kane saw when he walked through the catering area. In fact, he almost missed it altogether, as he was quick to get back to his locker room and she was soundly unconscious on a table in the corner of the room. He stopped on a dime when he did notice her, though, and couldn't help but take in the sight before him; the completely innocent and vulnerable sight. He couldn't have stopped himself if he tried, from walking over and staring. She would probably be startled half to death if she woke at that moment, but luckily he was safe in his observations, as she continued to breathe deeply, her mouth partially open, strands of hair fluttering on every exhaled breath.

He also couldn't stop the thoughts of what that innocent little mouth could more than likely do. Would do, with the right coaching. On the heels of the images that thought brought out, he was curious as to what she was even doing at a Smackdown taping. As far as he could remember, she hadn't been in the plans for the show the last time he had heard. Of course, things tended to change quickly in terms of storyline and he wondered who was lucky enough to have her tossed their way. Clenching his jaw, he consciously ignored the insidious thoughts of jealousy that that line of thinking brought about.

Or, maybe, she was there in her normal duties as an interviewer. Yes, that what much more likely to be the case, he thought, the green eyed monster sneaking back behind the door it came out of.

After a few minutes of abject staring, he noticed that her hand was resting on a book, the title slightly obscured by her delicate fingers. He also ignored the thoughts of what those fingers could more than likely do. Kane quietly cleared his throat and extended his hand, slowly sliding the book out from under her, being careful not to disturb the sleeping beauty.

The Story of O, he read, eyes wide as he quickly brought his gaze to her face, thinking that somehow his indrawn breath woke her. The book was familiar to him of course, his sense of shock stemming from the fact that her curiosity had advanced more than he had realized. Never had he thought she was actively pursuing information in the form of books, rather than the anonymous internet. Thinking she was too skittish in her inquiries and wonderment as all her previous reactions had shown.

He tightened his jaw again at the thought that someone else could have discovered her secret. Anyone could have stumbled upon her there, quietly reading her book.

Still eyeing the book in question, a plan starting forming in his head and he pressed his fingers harder into the stiff paper of the cover, sliding it out completely from under her hand. His eyes were steadfastly on her peaceful face, willing her to stay sleeping. And she did, as he pulled the book from her lax grip and slipped it behind his back, into the waistband of his jeans, the long shirt he was wearing covered his theft.

His head tilted to the side as he continued to watch her sleep, her breathing was deep and even. A shadow of concern filtered into his mind as he wondered how much sleep she had gotten the night before to cause her to sleep so sounding at an uncomfortable cafeteria table.

He really almost reconsidered the next step in his hastily put together plan.

Almost.

Bending down, he reached a hand out and placed it on her shoulder before gently shaking her. The sleeping diva did not move, just continued on with those even breaths of hers. He sighed, realizing just how tired she really must have been. Not one to be deterred, however, he shook just a little bit hard as he leaned forward and place his mouth next to her ear.

"Maria." His voice was soft, but it was enough as she slowly started coming around.

She wiped her face on arm as she turned to look in the opposite direction, trying to find the source of her interrupted nap time. It seemed to take an impossibly long time before her face swung around in his direction, her eyes squinting against the florescent lighting in the large room. His face was inches from her own as he knowingly invaded her personal space, but she was still too sleepy to fully comprehend that someone was in front of her.

It was comical, really, when the pieces clicked in her head. Her eyes went wide and her breathing changed from slow and even to fast and shallow. "Kane," she said, his name on an exhale and he had to shift his lower body to ease the sudden discomfort.

"Maria," he greeted back, voice pitched low as he waited for her to get her bearings. He mentally counted down from ten, and before he even reached six were her eyes frantically searching the table in front her. Her hand shifting over the table as though it could find what her eyes could not. "Lose something?" he rumbled.

She visibly searched for a response. "Uh…no," she answered slowly, forcing herself to stop her search. Her book was nowhere to be found, and she could have sworn she brought it with her. She stretched her foot along the floor, thinking she could have dropped it during her unexpected nap, but she didn't feel it anywhere. Her senses were frazzled, her nerves jumping at his slightest movement and she attributed it to her lost artifact. Something that would absolutely mortify her if someone else came across it. I must have left it in my bag, she thought, desperately hoping that would be the case.

"So," Kane began and watched with a hidden smile as she was jolted from her thoughts, "what brings a Raw diva to Smackdown?"

"Oh! Um, the new girl…oh, what's her name? Shit…crap…damnit!...Crap! I mean shoot!" she couldn't stop herself as she fell all over her words. "She lost her voice so they, uh, asked me to fly in and take her place." Nearly letting out a sigh of relief that she finished her explanation without sounding like a complete idiot.

Why she acted this way around him, she had no idea. Her job revolved around attractive men, constantly being in their presence, with nary a stutter to be found. But Kane seemed to be the exception to the rule, every exception, really. After her breakup from the current ECW champion, she had decided to give up on dating members of the active roster, or any roster really, and she had done a superb job. Until the Big Red Monster decided to start hanging around more. It wasn't his fault, she conceded, it was like she had a sixth sense about the man, and an infallible one at that. It didn't matter if it he was across the room or across the building, she always seemed to know where he was, and it was driving her insane. So, to be face to face with him, his facing being a hair away from hers it seemed, was putting her brain into overdrive. She didn't know how to input that information, and the fact that he was asking her questions…well, she couldn't handle it. And, a small portion of her brain realized, that he seemed to be getting some sense of joy out of it all.

"Excuse me," a voice interrupted before Kane could form a reply to her adorably cute ramblings, "Miss Kanellis? Stephanie wants to see you."

She tried to hide the gratitude in her voice as she focused on the writers assistant, "Okay, thank you. I'll be right there."

"Great," the man replied before he left the room.

The young diva turned back to the man in front of her only to discover that he was now sitting at the table next to hers and she found it suddenly easier to breathe. "I have to go," she murmured, looking towards the floor for some inexplicable reason.

Kane nodded, "Don't want to keep the queen mother waiting. I hear it's bad for your health."

Standing now, Maria couldn't stop the laugh the escaped, her smile was wide and infectious and he couldn't help but smiling back. "I heard that rumor, too."

"I'll see you later," he said by way of goodbye.

Suddenly shy, Maria turned to go, giving a small wave as she left. Kane watched her, the corners of his new book digging into his back all the while.