Chapter 4 – Be Still

A few weeks later SummerSlam was upon them; Dean was still champion so far, AJ had been winning his matched against John Cena and Jaleesa was in the Women's Championship run. Dominique couldn't have been any prouder of the three people she deemed her favorite in her life right now. She was extremely proud of her brother; for the longest time people within the company said he wasn't championship material and he was proving them wrong left and right.

Dominique noticed AJ had started catching rides with Bray Wyatt or Baron Corbin. Clearly something happened and he didn't want to ride with her and her brother anymore.

Currently they were on their way to the arena for SummerSlam. "Dean did you do or say something to AJ to piss him off?" Dominique asked curiously from the back seat as she stared out the window. They had a three hour drive ahead of them and Dominique was suddenly trying to figure out why. He'd hitched a ride with Baron Corbin a few times because they had signings together and same with Bray Wyatt, she was suddenly wondering if he was avoiding the siblings...or her.

Dean quirked an eyebrow at his sister in the rearview. "Not that I'm aware of why?"

Jaleesa turned and looked into the back seat. "Because he stopped riding with us and Domi misses her back seat partner." She stated in a teasing tone.

"Just curious that's all." Dominique stated softly before she pushed her ear buds into her ears and pushed play on her phone.

Dean looked over at Jaleesa. "What was that all about?" He questioned.

Jaleesa shook her head. "You have a penis."

"Thank you for noticing. But what does that have to do with the price of tea in China?" Dean asked.

Jaleesa sighed softly. "I think your favorite sibling has a thing for the Phenomenal One and I think he shares and returns her feelings, but I also think he's fighting it because of his divorce."

"Thing?" Dean shook his head. "What kind of THING?" He emphasized the last word.

"You really are a man in every sense of the word. You are completely clueless when it comes to the way your sister is attracted to guys." Jaleesa stated with a soft chuckle. "Wake up Ambrose. Your baby sister has a crush on someone you consider a brother."

"Roman? But he's married." Dean stated and made a face.

Jaleesa reached over and pinch Dean's right nipple through his t-shirt. "No you idiot! AJ! She has a crush on AJ you dense fool."

Dean made a face as he grabbed his right pectoral and rubbed the pinched skin. "Damn it She-Ra keep your claws to yourself."

"Listen here He-Man don't go getting all protective over the situation. Just let them figure things out. When other people get involved shit tends to go all wonky and I don't want your sister to get hurt the way she did with Orton. Though I don't think ANYONE could hurt her the way he did." Jaleesa spared a look towards the back seat once more before looking at Dean again. "At least I'm really hoping not. I'm secretly hoping AJ can see the change in your sister and let's his balls drop."

Dean made a face again. "I don't want no mental images of other dudes balls attached to my sisters name. What change to you mean?" He asked. Had he really not been paying attention.

"You've been so busy getting ready for SummerSlam and that belt that you never noticed. But she's been quiet lately. Really quiet. You know your sister she is just as loud if not louder than me at times. She's usually giving you a load a shit with me and helping me pick on you, but lately it's been just me." Jaleesa shook her head. "She's been getting her own hotel room on the road when we usually share so we can have a good time and whatever but we haven't done that in a while."

"You guys always slumber it on the road." Dean stated as he watched Jaleesa nod in agreement. "Do you think I should talk to her?"

"No, just keep acting clueless. Either something will change or it won't." Jaleesa had come to that conclusion a few days ago.

Dominique had stared at her reflection in the floor length mirror in her hotel room for 45 minutes. She was dressed in a curve hugging dress with 3/4 sleeves she had pushed up to just below her elbows; the top part was white, then around her torso it was light grey, around her hips was dark grey and then from her thighs to above her knees it was black. She shook her head before she stepped into her 2 inch black peep toe heels. She'd left her dirty blonde hair down with a few curls here and there.

She couldn't get her insides to work with her outsides and her brain felt like it was malfunctioning as well. She walked through the back door of the Barclays Center in Brooklyn, New York. She had already had two meetings with Shane at the hotel before they left and now she was in charge of making sure everyone got their contracts signed for the night. There were a few she didn't have to mess with like Orton and Lesnar or even her brother and Dolph Ziggler - the man with the least talent on the roster.

Dominique pretty much got along with anyone in the company with the exception of Randy Orton for all obvious reasons and Dolph; he'd gone out drinking with her and Dean one night and on a dare shoved his tongue in her mouth. She had never - in any way been attracted to him and since he'd let his bottled blonde hair go to shit he was even less attractive to her. She almost threw up in his mouth that night...she probably should have.

Naturally she had to get AJ and John Cena's signatures. She rolled her eyes as she walked up and knocked on the door of one of the locker rooms and looked up when Cena answered. "What's up Domi?" John asked.

"Sign." She stated as she handed over the clip board. "Is AJ here too?"

"Yes ma'am. Styles get your butt over here and don't make this pretty young thing wait for you; she's got plenty others to track down tonight before the event starts." John stated.

AJ walked over and opened the door more and his pale blues locked with Dominique's aqua. "Miss. Ambrose, sorry you had to hunt me down."

"Sure." Dominique's voice was clipped. If he was being formal than something was definitely up. She handed the clip board to AJ and he signed his name under John's for their contract.

A wolf whistle followed by. "DAMN Lass I ain't seen nothing like the likes of you since I left Ireland. Do you come in adult size, cause I might break your fun size."

Dominique's eyes closed to slits as she smirked. She recognized that Irish accent anywhere. A smile broke out across her face as she spun around and saw Finn Balor standing there in jeans and a t-shirt. She had completely forgotten he had gotten the call to the main roster but was over on Raw. Dominique jogged over as she threw her arms around Finn and he lifted her off the ground hugging her as tightly as she was hugging him.

"You little Irish shit!" Dominique exclaimed. "God you are a sight for sore eyes." She stepped back as she palmed his cheek with her right hand. His deep blue eyes and his smile were a warm welcome for her. She couldn't help hugging him once more. They had been friends for as long as he had been in the company. She'd made quite a few trips to NXT with Shane to look at talent they wanted to bring to the main roster; once they met they became fast friends.

"Aye your one to talk; I haven't seen you in months. I was beginning to think you were avoiding me." Finn stated with a chuckle when she slapped his t-shirt covered chest. "Aye, Aye McMahon been working ye like a dog? Don't feel bad his sisters bark and bite are worse than her smile."

AJ's pale blue eyes couldn't believe what they were seeing. Finn had been the one who helped start the Bullet Club in New Japan Pro Wrestling and when he went out AJ had signed and was automatically put in the Bullet Club filling Finn's spot; before that he and Finn had met in the Indy's they two both had great careers before coming to the WWE much like Dean Ambrose. Dominique looked TOO comfortable in Finn's arms. The way she greeted Finn had AJ's green eyed monster wondering just what the hell was going on with them as he watched them walk down the hall away from him.

AJ felt like he was watching a car wreck in slow motion; like he was suddenly losing something he didn't realize he had. AJ felt a nudge in his side as he looked over and down and saw Jaleesa's smirking face looking at him.

"Feel stupid yet Mr. Styles?"

AJ groaned inwardly as he watched Jaleesa walk in the same direction as Finn and Dominique.

Yes...Yes he felt very stupid now.

Everywhere AJ turned during the event he saw Dominique and Finn laughing it up. Finn was 4 years younger than AJ, but Dominique didn't seem to have a problem with that age difference either. He saw them in catering as they ate and laughed. He saw them in wardrobe while Finn was getting his wrestling trunks fixed by one of the seamstresses. He saw them sitting in the middle of the hallway talking while Finn was warming up his muscles for his match. He saw them in the Gorilla position waiting for Finn's music to hit. He watched as Dominique smiled and sat on the edge of her seat as she watched Finn's match intensely.

AJ didn't understand why he and Dominique's age difference bothered him so much. Maybe he didn't want people to think he was a dirty old man. Or maybe he didn't want people to think he was going to end up like Mark Calaway (Undertaker) - hell every time that guy got married his new wives were getting younger and younger; pretty soon he would be married to a high school chic. Of course Jerry Lawler was another one in the company who kept getting married to the younger girls. And he was not fairing any better by not being with someone his own age - or close to it.

Of course the thought of falling for someone who wasn't his wife scared the hell out of AJ. For a while he felt as if he'd be cheating on her and once he got past that asinine thought he was doing much better. That he found out from one of his sons that his ex-wife was on the dating scene again.

That just about killed him.

He wasn't sure if it was the fact that she started dating before him or if it was the fact that she got back into dating so soon after the divorce was final. It hadn't even been 6 months yet and she was already moving on. Clearly it wasn't anything to serious yet because they had both agreed when it turned serious for either of them they would bring them over and let them meet the other; simply for the fact that four children's lives were caught in the middle and they didn't want any of them hurt or upset with either of their parents.

Either way AJ had to figure out what was going on in his head. He could see a change in Dominique even if no one else could. Her quietness bothered him; it was almost as if her smile had been stolen and her laughter ripped away. He hadn't heard her laugh in so long he almost forgot how good it sounded.

And how much he missed it.

By the end of the night Dean was still the WWE Championship, AJ beat John Cena and Jaleesa was the Women's WWE Champion for Smackdown Live. Again Dominique couldn't have been more proud. By the time Dean and Jaleesa had showered and dressed and they were all ready to head to the hotel they walked out of the arena and saw Dominique sitting on an equipment trunk with her heels off talking with Finn.

"We'll meet you at the rental Dom." Dean stated loud enough so she could hear him and she nodded but continued her conversation with Finn.

"I guess that's my ride Irish." Dominique stated using Finn's nickname she had given him. She hopped off the trunk as she grabbed her shoes, refusing to put them back on.

Finn chuckled. "So should I even be asking why AJ Styles was giving me the evil eye all night?" He questioned with a grin.

"I'm sure I have no idea considering I'm pretty sure he's been avoiding me and Dean. I think Dean pissed off AJ somehow and now he doesn't want to come around us. Dean says he doesn't know, but you know my brother. He speaks his mind so much he probably doesn't realize he did it." Dominique shrugged.

"I think he fancies you." Finn stated honestly.

"I think you are crocked." Domi chuckled back.

"I think you are either in denial or oblivious." Finn said as he laughed back.

"Oh God not you too. Jaleesa started all this mess with telling me AJ had a thing for me; backed it up with some very convincing pictures. The first few weeks after the draft he was riding with us and then out of the blue he stopped. So I'm not sure what is going on or why." Dominique explained.

"I think you should talk to AJ. He does not really seem like the type of person to just walk away from friendships he's made on the road just because he didn't like something that was said to him." Finn stated honestly.

A horn honking in the distance caught Finn's attention. "Well, they seem to be playing my song. I better get going, I don't want the others leaving me. I will see you at the next joint Pay Per View Lass."

Dominique stepped up as they hugged tightly. "Yea definitely - keep in touch Irish."

"Aye, don't forget about your Raw family. I'm always here if you need to talk. All you have to do is call or text." Finn offered as always.

Dominique nodded. "All I ask is you be careful in the ring you Irish daredevil." She watched as he nodded before he jogged off to catch up with his ride. She heard a door open and close as she looked over and saw AJ lugging his bag over his shoulder while walking towards a rental car where Bray Wyatt was loading his things. She watched as AJ tossed his bag in the back and closed the hatch.

She walked over as AJ turned around and stopped; he pushed his hands into his front jean pockets as he looked down at her when she stopped in front of him. "I'm - I'm not sure what happened or what was said to upset you or piss you off enough that you stopped riding with us, but whatever it was I just - I'm sorry."

AJ shook his head. "Nothing happened."

"Clearly something did; I just don't know what." Dominique turned to start to walk away before she turned back as she stepped closer and softly gripped his left forearm. "I miss you riding with us ya know. It was fun when you were around...It's not nearly as much fun anymore." AJ opened his mouth to say something. When Dominique cupped is right cheek. "Be still..." She pushed up on her toes and caught his lips in a soft kiss.

It only lasted for a few seconds before AJ felt Dominique pull away and then walked across the parking lot and disappeared into the Brooklyn night.