The Amway Centre was insanely crowded for the Royal Rumble when Amanda heard the door open and saw Terry. She tensed up but the older man held up his hands as a sign of peace.
"It's alright… I just want to do what I should've done 15 years ago and mend things with you." Terry explained.
"You'd be surprised… I didn't stay angry at you for long, Terry, I was more or less confused as to why you hit me." Amanda responded.
"I'm quite short tempered, much like Kota is. We both have a habit of lashing out for no reason." Terry said.
"It's human nature." Amanda replied as they shook hands… and he saw her nervousness. "They left the rumble match open ended." She explained.
"Good luck out there but watch out for Owens, he's in that kind of mood." Terry replied.
When the rumble match had been underway for a little over an hour, Amanda had landed on her hands after being thrown over the top rope and walked on her hands to the corner as Kevin yelled at her… Amanda hooked her right foot under the middle rope before reaching her hands up and grabbing it before she pulled herself up onto the turnbuckle as the fans cheered and Kevin got angrier.
"Chill out and stay within the script!" Sami warned, Kevin turning to him in his rage.
But while he was turned, Amanda grabbed him and stood up on the top before using the Demon's Destruction… with Kevin out cold, Sami picked him up and tossed him out.
In the back, Dakota flinched as Sami turned and was dropkicked hard enough to go flying over the top before he was kicked in the jaw and eliminated.
"Damn, she doesn't fuck around." Dakota replied, Terry nodding in agreement.
"It has been all high energy since the start of this match and we are down to two fourths of the former Shield!" Michael Cole responded as Dean and Amanda looked at each other.
Finn kept his eyes locked to the screen as Dean and Amanda kept the match going, Dean picking Amanda up and putting her on the top turnbuckle… but as Dean ran at Amanda, she wrapped her legs around him and pulled him over the top rope, Finn's, Dakota's and Terry's eyes widening in shock as Dean hit the floor and the bell rang and Amanda fell to the mat on her knees as You're Gonna Pay by Jim Johnston blared through the arena and the fans cheered loudly.
"She did it, Amanda Cena is the first woman in history to win the Royal Rumble!" Michael responded in an ecstatic voice as Dakota and Terry saw Finn head out there before seeing him get in the ring and pick Amanda up to her feet and the two holding each other.
Dakota saw Sami and stood up, walking over to him.
"Hey… hell of a match out there." Dakota replied.
"It was… she earned it, now she's going to Wrestlemania." Sami responded.
"Now, now. Why didn't they let this crazy one in the ring?" They heard a man say.
"Uncle Ted!" Dakota exclaimed before hugging the man.
"Hey there kiddo." Ted responded. "Is this your boyfriend?" Sami blushing bright red.
"Uncle Ted, manners remember?" Dakota said.
"Kota, I'm the rude brother while your dad is the nice one." Ted said, Dakota rolling her eyes. "Don't you give me that kind of sass."
"Really Uncle Ted? You are trying to lecture me?" Dakota asked.
"Hey just because you are 23 doesn't mean I don't get the right to lecture you." Ted said.
In the area separating the backstage area and arena itself, Amanda and Finn were holding each other and she was still shaking from the adrenaline.
"I won out there…" Amanda whispered, the two smiling as they looked at each other.
"Damn right you did… I'm proud of you, Mandy." Finn responded as they continued to hold each other.
"We've gotta go celebrate, let's go find Kota and Sami and-" Amanda replied as she turned to go find them, Finn stopping her.
"How about just you and me?" Finn asked.
"After how crazy things have been, I like that idea." Amanda answered before they headed towards their locker room, Sami watching them.
"Sami? They'll be alright." Dakota responded. "Why don't you come out with me and my cousin Luke? Must warn you he can get a bit crazy once he's been drinking."
"Alrighty." Sami replied before they left.
In a club in the downtown area, Luke had joined them and it was easy to see that he was already intoxicated.
"Luke, you started the party without us?" Dakota asked.
"It's called pre-drinks cousin." Luke slurred.
"I'll pre-check you into a hospital." Dakota said.
Luke stumbled further into the nightclub and saw Amanda by the bar… when he reached the area, he reached his hand out.
Amanda screamed as Luke squeezed her ass and pulled on her black cut out mini dress… she turned around and slapped him, Dakota howling with laughter.
"Good one Luke, ya dickhead!" Dakota yelled, Luke flipping her off.
"How much have you been drinking?!" Amanda responded, Luke straightening out to his full height before he backed up as Finn reached them and pulled Amanda behind him.
"Hey, scram, I saw the fiery lady first!" Luke replied.
"Don't fight that one Luke, you're better off not doing so." Dakota said.
"Listen to your cousin and find a ride home!" Finn growled, Luke narrowing his eyes at him before turning angry.
"No way in hell man." Luke slurred.
"Finn, you are awesome, but hurt my cousin and I'll hurt you worse." Dakota said.
"That's right! You listen to her!" Luke yelled.
"You shut your drunk ass up, you went and treated Mandy like she's there for you to use however you want! Treat her with respect!" Finn responded angrily, Amanda managing to hold him back.
"Finn, calm down. He's just being a damn drunk idiot." Amanda said quietly.
"Wanna keep running your mouth boy?!" Luke demanded.
"Shut the fuck up and get out of here, little boy! The only one trash talking and not backing it up is you!" Amanda yelled after turning back around, not intimidated by Luke's much larger frame as Sami, Dakota and Ted ran over to them.
"Who the fuck does this pipsqueak think she is, telling me off?!" Luke responded.
"Alright son that's enough of that." Ted said.
"Any more idiocy out of your mouth and I will let Finn rip you to shreds!" Dakota growled before they saw Enzo and Dianne.
"What's going on over here?" Enzo asked.
"Well my drunk cousin decided to grab Mandy's ass and then try to pick a fight with Finn." Dakota explained, Dianne looking right at Luke.
"That's your cousin?" Dianne asked.
"I know, he's pretty tall... 6'7"." Dakota said.
"Height doesn't matter when Finn's pissed off, anyone who's crossed Mandy has only done it once and hasn't gone near her since. Apologize to her, now!" Enzo responded, Luke turning to Amanda.
"Oh trust me, if Luke was sober, Finn wouldn't stand a chance." Dakota said.
"Why are you with this little midget, sweet thang?" Luke responded, Dakota stepping back as within seconds, Finn had grabbed Luke and held him down onto the bar after pinning his right arm behind his back.
"Damn, you weren't kidding, Enzo." Ted replied.
"Now that apology…" Finn growled in a menacing tone, Luke screaming as his arm was twisted up further. That's when another man came up behind and grabbed Finn and pulled him off.
"No one touches my brother!" The man yelled.
"Well tell your brother to keep his grabby hands to himself instead of groping my friend!" Finn shouted, Dakota turning to the other man.
"This true, Kota?" The man asked.
"Bryan, back off." Dakota said, Bryan stepping back.
"Sorry, mister. Miss, you alright?" Bryan replied, Amanda nodding before she and Finn left.
"You almost broke his arm…" Amanda responded as Finn rested his right hand on her upper back.
"He deserved it." Finn said, wrapping his arms around her.
At the hotel, the two were in their room and sat down on the bed.
"You're still all tensed up…" Amanda whispered before her tiny hands rested on Finn's shoulders and she started massaging him.
"I don't like it when someone gets grabby with you, Mandy…" Finn responded.
"I'm okay, he didn't hurt me. He was drunk and that's it." Amanda replied, Finn lightly wrapping his hands around hers when her arms wrapped around him and lifting them to his mouth and kissing them. "You're really sweet to me… sometimes I feel like I don't deserve it." She said quietly as she rested her head on his right shoulder, Finn reaching his right hand up to run his fingers through her hair as they looked at each other and he turned himself to her, both sitting down and her resting her head on his right shoulder as his arm wrapped around her shoulders as Just A Song Before I Go by Crosby, Stills & Nash played from the radio.
"No one should treat you wrong… not someone when they're drunk or when they think they're protecting you. Because you're too kind and loving to be treated wrong." Finn whispered as they held each other, his blue eyes looking into her hazel ones and him leaning in closer.
Having grabbed the wrong key, Dakota headed down the hallway and put the key in its slot… she quietly opened the door, assuming they were sleeping. But when she saw them kissing, she quietly and quickly closed the door.
"Where are we?!" Luke yelled, making Dakota jump.
"Shut the fuck up." Dakota responded.
"What was that, cousin?" Luke slurred, Dakota facepalming.
"Just be quiet and get going!" Dakota hissed, nudging Luke down the hallway.
"You're acting like... you don't want me to… see something!" Luke slurred.
"Just get into my room you idiot." Dakota growled.
Luke nodded and Dakota opened the door, guiding him into the room and onto the second bed, where Bryan was passed out.
"No! I don't wanna sleep with Bryan!" Luke slurred, Dakota slapping him across the face.
"Suck it up and get into bed, before I break your legs." Dakota said, Luke gulping.
Luke kicked his shoes and shirt off, discarding his jeans before pulling on some pajamas and climbing into the bed. Dakota got into her own pajamas after washing her face and climbed into her own bed, closing her eyes.
To her relief, there was no noise.
'Take things slow with Balor, you seem like that kind of girl, Mandy.' Dakota thought before sleep overtook her.