(Present) October 26th, 2018 Dublin, Ireland (2 days before Evolution)
"I'm sure you'll do great lass. Always do." Rebecca spoke softly into her phone as she hopped off the ring apron and walked away.
"Ey! Becky! Where ya goin' lassie?" One of the men in the ring called out after her. "Talkin' to yer majesty again?" The sound of good natured laughter rang throughout the warehouse after a middle finger was raised by the woman in question. Eventually restarting their work in the ring. A loud slam echoing out.
"What was that?"
"It was nothin'. I wish I could be there though. It's been too long." Rebecca pouted into the receiver.
"You saw me like a week and a half ago Becca."
"Exactly!" The redhead exclaimed loudly as she stepped outside into the calm cool night air. "Far too long. How's I supposed to charm ya when we aren't even on the same continent?"
Rebecca could hear Charlotte's eyes rolling in her head. She could see the small, sly smile the blonde would try to hide had they been able to see each other.
It was all so vivid. Everything about Charlotte was ingrained in her mind like it was etched in stone. But she couldn't touch it. It was like trying to catch smoke in the palm of your hand. She could feel a radiant warmth but nothing tangible.
It wasn't much easier for Charlotte. She could see the familiar impish grin in her mind's eye. Plump, luscious lips that she yearned to be able to reconnect with stretching across a smile that could bring her back from the dead.
"You've been doing a darn good job of it so far."
Rebecca couldn't help the smile from stretching across her face till her cheeks actually hurt. "I can't wait ta watch yer match. Yous three are my real main event."
"Stop it. I'm already thoroughly charmed. No need to butter me up more."
"Butterin' ya up am I?" The Irish woman made her displeasure at the phrase clear. "I'm being serious here. No offense ta Ronnie and Nikki but even if I wasn't datin' you a match with you, Sasha and Asuka for the belt would still be what I'm lookin' forward to most."
This had been a bit of a regular occurrence between them over the last few months. Charlotte would consistently call Rebecca and downplay her latest promo or match. Even as the redhead would lavish her with praise, she would nitpick her own performance. Through repetition and time Rebecca had managed to help Charlotte be a bit nicer to herself but knew that perfectionism wouldn't go away. It may make the blonde overly critical but that was part of why she was so good.
"I know what I'm looking forward to."
Rebecca fought the urge to make a joke but simply answered, "What's that?"
"Well… I spoke to Hunter and he spoke to Steph. Then she spoke to Vince-"
Rebecca groaned loudly into the phone. "Yer doin' this on purpose, aren't ya?"
Charlotte continued on as if she hadn't heard. The only clue that she had was the way she seemed to speak a little louder and enunciate each word a little more. "And Vince thought about it. Then I spoke to Vince and we had a nice talk."
"Charlie!" The redhead petulantly whined. Garnering a satisfied snicker from the other woman audible over the phone. "I swear I'll hang up."
"No, you won't."
Rebecca wasn't sure if she loved or hated how confident and assured Charlotte was in her statement. But she wasn't wrong. "… What did you two talk about?"
She could hear the grin in Charlotte's voice. "We talked it over and he agreed with me."
"If the next words out of yer mouth don't give me an answer…"
"He agreed that I deserved some time off after Survivor Series."
The wheels slowly turned in Rebecca's head till a massive grin split her face. "I guess I should tell my boss I'll be addin' a few more days to my vacation."
She and Charlotte had already made plans to get together following the November PPV staple. A flight for work would be taking her to California that Saturday and it would be just a small car ride for Charlotte to come pick her up so they could spend some time together that weekend. The blonde had even managed to get her a ringside seat for the event.
"After Sunday night we'll have the rest of the week to ourselves. No television. No house shows. Just you, me and nothing to distract us."
A soft smile appeared on Rebecca's face as she leaned against the walls of the warehouse and stared out into the inky black night. "So, the opposite of when you were here last?" Referring to the time she and Charlotte shared a measly eight hours together in Europe.
Four of those hours spent with Rebecca allowing herself to be used as a pillow after the blonde had fallen asleep while they watched some show Charlotte had been trying to get her into.
May 17th, 2018 Madrid, Spain
Her right arm had long since lost any sense of feeling. The tiniest attempt to wiggle her fingers brought a series of pins and needles up and down her forearm. Yet, despite the discomfort, she wouldn't move her arm from where it was pinned for all the gold and quinoa in the world.
It must have been around two hours ago when Rebecca had turned down the volume on the hotel television.
Charlotte had used some technical doohickey so they could use her Netflix account on the larger screen and Rebecca had just sat there with a dopey grin on her face. It was the first time she had seen the blonde in person since going their own way before WrestleMania and the redhead was all too happy to drink in the sight. Heart swelling more and more with every second.
Rebecca wasn't sure how she had made it over a month without having the other woman by her side. Already dreading the moment when they would part again.
The two had snuggled together on the couch with a bowl of freshly made kale chips and Charlotte had valiantly struggled to stay awake for the first two episodes. Insisting that even though the show gets better after the first season they still had to watch it from the beginning.
Shortly into the third episode sleep finally claimed the exhausted wrestler and her body naturally curled up and leaned further into the warm body next to it. Her strong hand wrapping themselves around Rebecca's shirt and unconsciously pulling herself closer.
Rebecca had just stared down with a tiny soft grin and endured the slight discomfort. Whispering softly so the tall woman wouldn't awaken, "This is becomin' a bit of a habit of yers." Studying the blonde's serene face as she slept on. "Can't say I mind it."
As easy as it would have been to be irritated at having their limited time together cut into further Rebecca was grateful for anything she got. The almost daily phone calls and texts could only fill the void she had felt since meeting Charlotte for so long. Video calls had helped quite a bit, but it was difficult to find a time when they both had a good enough connection and a little privacy.
The sound coming from the television was so low that Rebecca almost forgot it was on at times. She had been halfheartedly paying attention to the show but was content with just being so close to Charlotte. She didn't want to waste any of their time together even if the blonde was still snoring away. The constant travel of a tour around Europe and having matches almost every night had taken its toll and Rebecca wasn't going to deny Charlotte the rest she needed.
Besides, the fact that Charlotte tried to make time for her with such a hectic schedule spoke volumes.
She brushed the back of her hand along the sleeping blonde's cheek. Smiling softly at the way Charlotte instinctively nuzzled at her hand.
Risking one quick kiss to the crown of blonde curled up on her shoulder before she moved her attention back to the quiet television.
She'd give Charlotte all the rest she needed. This was enough.
(Present) October 26th, 2018 Charlotte, North Carolina
"So, the opposite of when you were here last?"
"I told you that you should have woke me up." Charlotte stated incredulously. "Not my fault you decided to be a martyr." She shot back as she walked back to the closet of her bedroom and scanned the contents.
"Martyr?" Charlotte could hear the dramatic raise in pitch through the phone and could easily picture the look of innocence on the Irish woman's face. "Doesn't a martyr have to be miserable or somethin' like that? I had the most stunnin' lass in the world lyin' on me for a few hours. I'd be a martyr every day if that's what I get out of it."
"You're evil." She said while placing a few articles of clothing into the open suitcase on her bed. "Saying stuff like that when I can't show you just how much I appreciate it."
A promising, husky chuckle came through the phone and right into Charlotte's bones. Vibrating through her and setting every nerve to eleven. "I'd love to show you just how evil I can be. Lil bit of a heel turn for ol' Rebecca."
Rolling her eyes seemed to be a constant for Charlotte whenever dealing with the Irish spitfire. "You're only proving my point here."
"Please. We both know you're the real evil one. Teasin' me every time ya get in the ring."
Charlotte grinned wide like a wolf who'd cornered an easy dinner. "I don't know what you're talking about."
A disbelieving pause met her statement. "Sure you don't… And I'm the queen of France."
"You didn't seem to mind all that much after Money in the Bank."
June 18th, 2018 Chicago, Illinois
It was late. Hours ago, Charlotte had been both thrown off a ladder and through one to the raucous applause of the fans inside the Allstate Center. Her back certainly showed a vivid picture of how the night had gone for her.
She hadn't won the match but that didn't matter. A confrontation with her old on screen rival Sasha Banks had led to her face being smashed into the ladder as they both stood near the top and then falling from the height down to the mat. Staring up into the lighting rig above the ring as Sasha unclipped the briefcase and the roof damn near blew off.
Charlotte had felt the rush that always came after putting on a match that the fans in the arena reacted so strongly towards. The hours afterwards were filled with one of the doctors checking her out as was usual after such a physical match, congratulations about the match and a near unbearable anticipation to just be back at her hotel already.
Normally the wrestler loved staying to watch the rest of the matches on the card, but Rebecca was actually available to video chat tonight and her mind was too focused on that to pay attention to anything else for all that long.
By the time she had managed to get back to her hotel it was already a few minutes past midnight and Rebecca would be calling in a little under an hour.
It certainly wasn't great for Charlotte's sleep schedule but they both had to make some sacrifices to make this work. Rebecca couldn't be the only one to suffer and Charlotte was fairly sure that if she didn't insist on sharing the load the redhead would endure any inconvenience in silence.
The next hour was spent moving slowly around the room as her back muscles tightened in protest at the abuse they had suffered. Ice and some Advil only doing so much while she hustled to clean herself up and get ready for her girl.
When the call finally came in Charlotte had felt what she could only describe as giddiness. Her good mood after how tonight's match had gone combined with the lateness combined to create a bouncy, playful energy that Rebecca could see on her face the second the connection came through.
After a few minutes the sight of Rebecca's beautiful face framed by a halo of early morning sunlight was too much and even though the redhead was in the middle of a story about the latest asshole passenger she met during a flight Charlotte couldn't help but blurt out, "You're so damn gorgeous."
Rebecca blushed and if Charlotte had thought that she was gorgeous before the blonde truly had no words for how lucky she felt to have met this woman.
"Not so bad yerself Charlie. Ya might say you've climbed your way into me heart." A big goofy grin showing off how proud the Irish woman was of her pun.
"I take it you've seen the match then."
Rebecca's grin faded and she gave the other woman a concerned look. "How's the back?"
Charlotte sighed. The wrestler knew this was coming after the last time she had taken a particularly nasty looking bump.
But maybe this time she could have some fun with it and turn the tables on the redhead who usually had her flustered.
"Let me show you." She said with a wink. Backing away from the screen and slowly reaching for the bottom of her shirt before Rebecca could even process what was happening. With a quick movement she pulled the fabric over her head as she spun around so her back was to the camera. Peering with a coquettish grin over her shoulder when she saw how the redhead's jaw dropped. "How's it look?"
"G-Good. It looks good." Rebecca responded distractedly. "Not the bruises of course." She added. "Does it hurt?" Shaking her head because of her own words. "Course it does. What am I sayin'. Did you get it checked out?"
Charlotte groaned as she rolled her eyes and slipped her shirt back on slowly. Taking care to make sure Rebecca would be suitably distracted with her movement. "Yep. Doc gave me a pass and said I'm good to go." When it was abundantly clear that it was working, she teasingly added, "If only someone was here to help me test it out."
That seemed to break Rebecca out of her spell. An exaggerated pout forming on the Irish woman's lips. "I'd be there in a heartbeat if you needed me."
Charlotte was touched and wished more than anything that Rebecca was physically there. "Don't make promises you can't keep."
"Who says I can't?"
The blonde rolled her eyes out of reflex, but she could swear that her heart felt like it grew a bit more just to try and make more room for the redhead. "You're on the other side of the ocean. I'm pretty sure physics says you can't."
"Screw physics. I'd find a way to you even if I was blind."
A brief pause was needed before Charlotte could speak. "Becca?"
"Charlie?"
"I'll find a way to you soon enough."
"Don't make promises you can't keep." Rebecca repeated back.
"I'm not." Charlotte stated with confidence. If she hadn't already known before, it was confirmed for her tonight.
(Present) October 26th, 2018 Dublin, Ireland
"You didn't seem to mind that much after Money in the Bank."
Rebecca scoffed and breathed in the fresh air as a loud bang came from inside the warehouse behind her. "Course I'm not gonna mind when yer takin' off your shirt. That was cheatin'."
"It's not cheating. I can't help it if some skin makes you into a zombie."
"Well you shouldn't be so damn beautiful then." Rebecca spoke into the phone with a playful lilt. "If I didn't love you so much, I'd think you were plottin' against me, lookin' the way you do every time I see ya."
"I can sense I'm not going to win this one."
"Smart girl."
"You really love trying my patience."
Rebecca couldn't stop a happy smile from crossing her face. "Not as much as you. I miss you."
"You've already said that Becks."
"I can't help it. It's true. I'm glad I'll get to see ya on the telly soon but it's not the same."
July 15th, 2018 Boston, Massachusetts
It had been a long day and Rebecca was bone tired. Ready to turn in for the night after almost ten hours in the air taking care of an asshole who must have seen to many pornographic movies. Apparently under the assumption that him shelling out for a private jet meant that he owned the plane and everything in it.
"Piece of shit." She mumbled under her breath. Rummaging through her bag with one hand while trying to walk through the throng of people at the busy airport terminal.
Despite dealing with a pig who decided her leg was a completely appropriate place to rest his hand anytime she came back to simply do her job Rebecca still maintained her composure and managed to not snap his entire arm off.
After some effort and nearly bumping into several people she found her phone at the bottom of her bag, breathing a sigh of relief. At least she could end her day off on a high note before she checked into a hotel room, lay down and rest her tired body.
As she maneuvered her way away from the busy terminal towards the far less crowded area of the airport Rebecca's memory allowed her to unlock and find who she wanted to call without even looking down.
It had become second nature for her to call Charlotte as soon as she could after landing. A new ritual she found herself not minding at all.
They had planned on meeting up tomorrow morning after the blonde made her way over from Pittsburgh where the latest WWE PPV was taking place currently to spend a few days together before Rebecca had to fly back.
Even though Charlotte hadn't had a match on the card apparently, they had needed her for some backstage segment to help promote the Sasha vs Asuka match taking place for the Smackdown Women's title. The former having used her Money in the Bank contract to set up this match and effectively prove that she was the best on both brands.
The old Boss of NXT days was back, and the heel turn that had been teased for months finally had a payoff. With she and Bayley having an actual feud sparked off by having to fight each other for the final spot in the Money in the Bank ladder match.
Rebecca had enjoyed watching it unfold from her perspective but on the rare occasion she spoke with either Bayley or Sasha she got the feeling while they both were happy from a creative perspective being on different brands was something neither relished.
When the call connected, and Rebecca heard Charlotte's angelic voice all the crap she had endured melted away in an instance.
"Hey Becca!" The excitement in the blonde's voice catching her off guard with its intensity.
"'Ey Charlie. I missed yer voice."
"We spoke like twelve hours ago. Is this going to become a pattern with you?"
"I make no promises. Yer easy to miss."
The other side of the call was silent for a few moments as Rebecca continued to wheel her single case of luggage across the tiled floor towards the pickup and drop off zone. "I'm goin' to need you to do something for me gorgeous."
It was rare that the Irish woman was the one rolling her eyes but here she was, "And what's that?"
"Pay more attention to your surroundings."
It took a moment for Rebecca to realize the sound wasn't coming from just her phone. Still she held the device up to her cheek while turning towards where the noise came from. A smile breaking out as her phone dropped to the ground in her haste to cover the short distance between herself and the blonde, she hadn't thought she would see for another twelve hours or so.
The redhead literally jumped at the taller woman and wrapped her arms and legs tightly around her. Not for the first time extremely pleased at how strong her girlfriend was and how often she went to the gym.
"I thought you were busy with work?" Rebecca spoke softly into the blonde's neck.
"I was able to just do a pre-taped segment and Hunter covered for me." Charlotte muttered into the Irish woman's ear. Using her nose to nudge Rebecca's face out from her neck so she could fuse their lips together. Not wanting to go a single second longer without indulging in the kisses she had been deprived of.
Rebecca loosened her legs and slowly lowered them back to the ground. "I can't believe you're actually here right now. Ya sure I'm not jus' dreamin'? Cause I've had some that start off like this before."
"If you are, then I am too." The taller woman said. Moving in for another quick kiss before looking longingly into Rebecca's bright eyes. "I've had something I've wanted to say to you for the last month."
The redhead frowned slightly. "We talk almost every night."
Charlotte shook her head. "I wanted to say it in person. You deserve it."
Rebecca was starting to look a little worried. "What is it Char?"
The blonde took a deep breath. Even though she had planned this out in her head she was suddenly filled with nerves. What if Rebecca didn't feel it yet? She didn't want to ruin a good thing by pushing too quickly but she didn't want to hide how she truly felt. It was getting too hard to say goodbye without adding on a few extra words.
"Charlie?"
Obviously, she had been quiet a bit longer than she thought. "I love you. I didn't want to go another day without you knowing."
Rebecca knew exactly what she wanted to say in response, but her mouth didn't want to cooperate right away.
"Don't feel like you have to say it back just because. I know we promised to be as honest as possible with each other." Charlotte added when the other woman's silent stare after her confession made her a bit self-conscious about revealing so much.
"Charlie…" Rebecca whispered her name like it was everything. The single word holding a weight that Charlotte could physically feel. Their eyes meeting as the air between them sizzled. "I love you too."
(Present) October 26th, 2018 Charlotte, North Carolina
"I can't help it. It's true. I'm glad I'll get to see ya on the telly soon but it's not the same."
Charlotte smiled sadly. "I know it sucks but after Survivor Series I'm all yours."
"You already are lass. By the way I've got a little bit of a surprise fer ya."
"Do I get a hint?"
"I think it might make us a bit closer."
The blonde zipped up her suitcase and looked over at the clock on her bedside table. It was getting to be about time to leave for her flight up the coast to New York for the Evolution PPV. "As intriguing and purposefully vague as that is, I've got to go soon. Can't be falling asleep during an interview tomorrow."
"I understand. I'm gonna be a bit busy tomorrow myself but I could probably talk round four or so in the afternoon yer time."
"I'll make some time." Charlotte responded. She wasn't yet one hundred percent sure what her schedule was because of the hectic nature of their business but she'd find a way.
"Perfect. Love you Charlie. 'Ave a safe flight."
"Love you too Becca." Charlotte said. Deflating just a bit as she always did when the reality of their long distance settled back in.
Only another month though. One more month with Rebecca and she would be rewarded for all her patience with an extended period of uninterrupted time with the redhead.
It was going to be a long month.
October 27th, 2018 Dublin, Ireland
"You know I could have got you a tryout right away? You didn't have to go through all this and wait."
Rebecca was pacing back and forth in a nearly empty hallway as she stretched and spoke to the phone she had on speaker. "I know that Finn. I jus' wanted a test run. Make sure everythin's workin' like it used to."
"Just trust yourself out there. Trust all the work you've put in. Trust how good you were before the injury. It'll be just ridin' a bike."
"I know. I know. It's just a bit different when it's in front of people. Havin' a match was easy back at the gym when it's just the boys."
"You're ready Rebecca. Just go out there and let go. Have fun with it."
A hand just out the corner of her eye caught her attention and alerted her that it was time. "Thanks for listenin' to me moan. Got to go though. Time to see if I still got it."
"You're gonna tell Charlotte soon right? I don't want her getting mad at me for helpin' you train behind her back."
Rebecca rolled her eyes as she walked towards the curtain. Feeling the buzz of anticipation and nerves that came from performing in front of a crowd no matter how small it may be. Even though it was only about one hundred people it could have been a hundred thousand and she would have still felt the same jittery energy. "I'm tellin' her next month. I was gonna wait till after the tryout to mention it to her."
"If you want my advice-"
"Yer going to give it to me if I want it or not."
"If you want my advice tell her before. You'd be surprised by how much having someone believe in you like she does makes everything seem easier. You trust her, don't you?"
"With my life." Rebecca stated without hesitation.
"Then tell her."
She had less than a minute of time before her entrance music would play. "What if it doesn't work out?" Her voice quiet as she took the phone off speaker and brought it to her ear.
"Then I'm sure Charlotte will want to be there for you. Don't deny her that anymore. It's been long enough. We know the old injury isn't a problem now. You've got to start believing in yourself again."
Rebecca swallowed as the countdown began. "Thanks again Finn. Don't know what I'd do without you sometimes."
"Luckily you'll never need to know. Now go kick some ass Becky Lynch."
(Present) November 17th, 2018 Los Angeles, California
Rebecca had been to LAX quite a few times in her travels, yet she had never spent any time in the city, only ever having seen as much as the airports interior but that was all about to change.
Normally after almost fourteen hours in the air she would hate how crowded the terminal was. Wanting nothing more than to find a hotel where she could have a hot shower and crawl into bed.
Today was different. Today she was going to be meeting Bayley and Sasha, who would be giving her a ride over to the hotel where Charlotte would hopefully be waiting for her.
The original plans had been for the blonde to pick her up from the airport, but the last couple weeks had drastically changed the landscape of the WWE going into Survivor Series tomorrow night, and as such Charlotte's schedule was a lot busier than it had been initially.
It all started a few weeks ago during the ill-fated but entertaining invasion of Raw by the female Smackdown wrestlers.
Everything had been going smoothly. Sasha had attacked Ronda and went out to confront the rest of the Raw talent with her own backup.
She still remembered landing, turning her phone on and being inundated with a bevy of notifications. A couple calls from Charlotte, several messages from her girlfriend and –To her surprise—a few from Bayley as well.
It was that they were unfriendly, but Rebecca still felt a bit intimidated around the blonde's friends. They had gone through so much together on their way from NXT to the main roster and even if she was Charlotte's girlfriend, she was under no illusions who knew the blonde better.
She was actually a little jealous about Sasha in particular because of the fact that she and Charlotte were now on Smackdown together. It was irrational and childish, but she couldn't help it. She was a little jealous of anyone who got the chance to see her girlfriend nearly every day when she couldn't.
The redhead took a moment to send a text to the two women she was on her way and continued on her journey through the busy airport.
Her fingers deftly undid the top two buttons of her work shirt. The cool air conditioning hitting her skin, bringing her a preview of the relief that would come when she could take a shower and put on clothes that hadn't been worked in all day.
Rebecca slowly moved away from the busier sections of the airport towards the place they had decided to meet up.
She was a little apprehensive about seeing the two again but forged on with an air of nonchalant confidence. The only times she had spent with Bayley or Sasha in person had been when Charlotte was there, or in tiny increments of time when the blonde had to step out for a few minutes.
The Irish woman still could remember the initial awkwardness when she had been left alone with just Sasha for the first time.
August 19th, 2018 Brooklyn, New York (Summerslam)
Charlotte normally didn't care where her match was placed on the card. Whether she was the first match or the last it didn't change her goal; go out there and put on the best match she could.
But tonight, she was grateful for whatever twist of creative fate had decided that her and Asuka's number one contenders match for the next shot at Sasha had come early on in the night. It gave her more time to enjoy Rebecca's company without a looming match and enjoy the first time the redhead had came to see her live.
It was something she had actually spoken to her girlfriend about earlier. As much as she loved hearing from the redhead, she prided herself on her professionalism and dedication to her craft. When she was in full work mode anticipating the match ahead it was hard to fully focus on Rebecca.
The blonde had been a bit hesitant about saying it. Not wanting the words to come out wrong and offend the other woman.
She was pleasantly surprised with how easily the redhead had understood. Honestly, she should have known Rebecca would understand. She knew her girlfriend used to wrestle and knew the amount of work that went into being a top wrestler in the world's biggest wrestling company.
Even though Rebecca had only gotten into New York this morning she had been working overtime to assure Charlotte that she understood. Going out of her way to give the blonde a sign that she knew every time the wrestler got called away to for something work related; a quick kiss, subtle squeeze of the hand, or even just a knowing smile and a nod.
It somehow made it harder for Charlotte to step away than if Rebecca showed a clear annoyance at the constant interruptions of their time together.
For Rebecca the whole night had been in exercise in restraint.
She was dead on her feet and wanted nothing more than to find a dark room, curl into a ball on something soft—preferably her girlfriend's chest—and go to sleep but the redhead knew how much tonight meant to Charlotte. The blonde had tried to play it coy, but it was unavoidably obvious how much Rebecca coming to a show in person meant to her.
There was a zero percent chance that Rebecca was going to let her down after promising to be there, hence the current fifth cup of coffee she had since landing a few hours ago and rushing her way through rush hour New York traffic over to the Barclays Center right away.
After a short delay with security Rebecca was eventually allowed in once Charlotte made it to the checkpoint, provided her with a security pass, and ushering her inside the arena.
Rebecca had to restrain herself from pulling Charlotte into an empty room and reclaiming her right then and there. The blonde's smile was so radiant it was practically blinding as she dragged her girlfriend around backstage to show her around.
When Charlotte had brought her out to the ring, she had to restrain herself from jumping right in as she watched Alexa and Ronda rehearse and test out a few moves.
The last few months of on and off training had reignited a spark inside of her that kept slowly growing.
Before Rebecca had started training again watching wrestling would fill her with remorse and contempt, but now she wished she could get in the ring herself. A brief vision of her and Charlotte working together inside tantalizingly raced through her mind, but she shook the thought away before it could take hold.
No need to get her hopes up.
"Did you want to get in the ring?"
The words knocked Rebecca out of the trance she had been in as Charlotte led her around the ring. The blonde taking care to say hello to all of the staff working hard to make sure the PPV went on without a hitch. "Uh… I wouldn't want to get in their way."
Charlotte frowned a little but ultimately let it go.
The rest of the night was filled with restraining herself from yawning and letting Charlotte in on exactly how tired she was. Taking care to keep up her caffeine intake, stay awake and make sure her girl didn't feel like she was at all unappreciative for the invitation backstage.
Sometime between watching Charlotte's match with Bayley from backstage and the blonde showering away the sweat after wrestling for a grueling fifteen minutes at such a high pace the caffeine high had begun to transition into a depleted low. Struggling just to hold her eyes open as Sasha and Bayley kept her company while Charlotte changed.
When the blonde returned, freshly showered, dressed in a positively mouthwatering pair of jeans and tank top Rebecca had a brief resurgence of energy. She would never be too tired to let Charlotte know how beautiful she was just even when she wasn't trying.
Everything work related was supposed to be behind Charlotte for the night, but work was never truly over. A stagehand came over to the group and informed them that both Charlotte and Bayley were needed for separate backstage segments for the WWE Youtube.
With yet another understanding smile and quick peck on the lips Rebecca longingly watched Charlotte walk away before the exhaustion her body had been feeling returned two-fold without the blonde there to distract her.
She slumped down in the chair and heaved a heavy sigh into the air. Forgetting that she still had an audience.
"Tired?"
For the second time since arriving at the arena Rebecca was brought out of her own headspace abruptly. "Uh…" She didn't want to come across like she was complaining to one of Charlotte's best friends. "Jus' a lil' bit."
Sasha only nodded and an awkward silence filled the alcove they were in as the wrestler idly picked at her cuticles while stealing glances over at Rebecca. The redhead clearly fighting a losing battle against her eyelids. After a minute or so the purple haired woman spoke up. Unable to sit a second longer without saying something. "Ya know, you don't need to lie to me. Not goin' to think less of you for wanting to take a nap. PPV days can get a bit long and boring."
Rebecca shook her head but could barely summon up the strength to pick her eyelids up. "It's not that."
"Then what is it?" Sasha asked with a raised eyebrow. Her Smackdown championship glinting in the light by the side of her chair. "Because even if you can fool Charlotte, you can't fool me. You're obviously about a minute of silence from falling asleep right here."
The redhead sighed again but relented. "Jus' been a long day is all. Don't make a big deal of it though. Don't want Charlie to feel guilty 'bout it."
Sasha rolled her eyes even as her respect for the other woman grew a bit more. With their schedule WWE wrestlers constantly pushed through exhaustion and Rebecca's willingness to put herself through similar meant a lot. She picked herself up and shifted over to the vacant chair next to the Irish woman. Rebecca's eyes sluggishly following her movement. "You know, you probably have another twenty minutes or so before they finish up. Even these little backstage interviews take longer than you'd think."
"I 'ppreciate it, but I don' wanna be asleep when Charlie's comes back." Rebecca said even as her body began to shut down. The caffeine crash hitting her hard. "Besides, it would be rude to jus' nap while yer here."
Sasha took a moment to take in the other woman's words before she began to take off the thin zip up sweatshirt she had on and balled it up to create a makeshift pillow. "I can see why she talks about you so much." Placing the bundle of soft fabric on her shoulder and motioning for the other woman to lean into her. "Close your eyes and try to rest. I'll wake you up when Charlotte's on her way back."
Rebecca was a bit hesitant even though she trusted Charlotte's choice in friends. She and Sasha weren't exactly close by any means. There was no negativity between them, but their schedules didn't exactly cross up that often. Even when they did the vast majority of Rebecca's limited time was spent solely with Charlotte to try and make up for all the time apart. "I don't want to impose."
"You're not." Sasha stated clearly. She had heard enough stories about Rebecca from Charlotte that she figured this was how she'd respond. "I've got nowhere to go till Bayley gets back. Take advantage of me being this nice. It doesn't happen often." The wrestler joked to try and make it seem like no big deal.
Sasha wasn't exactly the most open person in the world. She picked her friends carefully and that was sometimes mistaken for rudeness. Still, she had found out that she had a bit of developing a soft spot for certain personality types and gravitated towards people with extremely positive demeanors.
A small smile graced her face as she watched the redhead bite her lip and debate in her own head. No doubt still worried that she would be taking advantage or imposing on Sasha.
Rebecca reminded Sasha of Bayley in the best ways and she couldn't help herself from smiling a bit wider at the thought of the brunette. "I swear I don't bite. I'll leave that to Charlotte." She added with a wink.
The awkward, uncomfortable feeling between the two had slowly lifted and the Irish woman gave Sasha a grateful grin. "I suppose it would be rude to not take advantage of the offer." Leaning her head slowly onto the makeshift pillow on Sasha's shoulder and settling in. "Don' tell Charlie 'bout this. Wouldn't want her to get jealous." She joked while her eyelids seemed to shut of their own accord.
Sasha laughed softly. "I'm only doing this, so you won't fall asleep on her tonight. She's been talking about you coming in all week and I don't want her moping after you leave." A quick pause before she added as an afterthought, "Worse than normal that is."
"Can't 'ave that. Jus' 'member ta wake me." Rebecca mumbled as she quickly drifted off till she slumped even further against the other woman.
Normally Sasha would never allow someone to use her as a pillow for one minute let alone however long Charlotte would be gone for. Maybe it was the months of hearing story after story from the blonde about Rebecca; maybe it was the recipe the redhead had given her for some rather delicious and nutritious protein muffins that drove her to giving an exemption to her rule.
Her mind once again drifted off towards Bayley and how similar the two were. Optimists to her natural earned cynicism. Warm and inviting to all while she was more reserved and mistrusting. Sasha believed in meritocracy. You had to earn her respect through your actions over time. She didn't attach herself to others before they deserved it.
It had even taken her a long time to truly warm up to Charlotte. Although a large portion of that initial animosity was due to their place in NXT and eventually on the main roster. Sasha herself playing second fiddle to Charlotte more often than not.
The one person who helped her finally warm up to Charlotte was the only person who had ever earned her respect within a month of knowing them.
Bayley had become good friends with Charlotte—who was she not friends with anyways—and had pushed the two together one night. Hashing out their differences over a few drinks had helped quite a bit.
There wasn't a set equation Sasha followed to know when someone had earned her respect. It was all based on a gut feeling. She would know it the second it happened. The second that person became someone she was willing to go to war with.
Bayley had been the quickest to earn her respect, but Rebecca was a close second.
She let the redhead sleep. Her gentle snores making it abundantly clear how exhausted she truly was.
Sasha gave an evil eye to anyone who was unlucky enough to walk by the alcove. A fierce protective streak coming over her.
The past few months had been filled with something Sasha hadn't even known was missing until it was suddenly there in full force every day. Charlotte being truly happy. Smiling like she meant it rather than just wanting to mean it. If she wasn't so sure it was impossible Sasha could swear Charlotte's voice had changed too. She could almost hear the weight of life lift away. Especially if she had just gotten off a call with the Irish woman.
If the woman leaning against her and drooling on her sweatshirt gave Charlotte that, then she had more than earned her respect.
(Present) November 17th, 2018 Los Angeles, California
Rebecca had been a little surprised by how different Sasha acted around her since that day. In their few interactions prior to Summerslam she felt like she was always trying to prove herself. Even if neither of Charlotte's friends had been anything but kind to her, she put the pressure on herself to show them both that she was worthy of the blonde choosing her.
That feeling had started to lessen after Sasha had actually texted her at one point. Putting in effort to get to know her and in turn making Rebecca grow fonder of the wrestler. Developing an understanding of the way Sasha's mind worked. The layers that had been between them falling down till Rebecca saw the caring, real person beneath it all.
They had gotten a lot closer and Rebecca couldn't wait to see her. Especially after what had went down a couple weeks ago.
She spotted Bayley first. The brunette standing on her tip toes as she looked around the airport. Presumably hoping to catch sight of her red hair sticking out amongst the scattered crowd.
Sasha was sitting down next to her dressed in an oversized sweatshirt that couldn't be hers considering how she seemed to be swimming beneath the fabric. A Boston Red Sox hat pulled low on her forehead combined with a pair of large sunglasses that hid her face well.
Rebecca stride picked up speed as she got closer. Bayley finally spotting her and waving while she poked Sasha's shoulder till the other woman stood up.
"Hey you two." The redhead greeted them. Setting down her luggage so that she could accept the hug coming her way from the brunette.
The hug itself meant a lot to Rebecca. A couple months ago she had woken up to a rather heated call that only reinforced her fear that Bayley wouldn't ever warm up to her like Sasha had. The brunette making it clear in their brief interactions that while she had accepted Rebecca, she was still wary on Charlotte's behalf.
September 17th, 2018 Sydney, Australia
It felt like a cruel twist of fate that Rebecca's work had taken her to Australia a few weeks before WWE was coming for a big event. So close to being able to see her girl in person and maybe even act like a normal couple for a day or two; take in the sights and soak in the beautiful weather and scenery with Charlotte at her side.
Alas, that was not in the cards for her and she was currently locked in a hotel room sleeping away the day. She didn't even want to go out anymore. The last time she did it felt like something was missing. Namely a tall blonde goddess at her side to laugh at her antics and awful Australian accent.
She had been in a deep sleep when the phone call came in. Rolling over and answering without looking at who was calling. Hoping to hear her girlfriends voice come through the speaker so that for a few minutes she could pretend that Charlotte wasn't halfway across the world.
"'Ello." Rebecca sleepily murmured as she wiped away some of the sleep from her eyes with the other hand.
"Why is Charlotte upset?" Bayley's no-nonsense voice broke through some of the sleepy haze.
"Charlie's upset?" Suddenly the redhead was a lot more alert.
"And she won't tell me why. Did you do something to piss her off?" It was most definitely an accusation but something in the way Bayley spoke hinted at how deeply she cared about Charlotte and Rebecca couldn't find it in her to be offended.
"Not that I know of. Texted 'er a few hours ago when I landed, she was actin' normal." Now Rebecca was sitting up and throwing her legs over the side of the bed. Last remnants of sleep long gone.
"Are you sure? You didn't say something that could have set her off?"
Rebecca was starting to get a little angry. Her worry at Charlotte's behavior making her temper a bit shorter than usual. "Course not!" Now she was getting a little offended. "Where is she?"
"Getting ready for her match and avoiding me and Sasha. Do you have any idea why she'd be upset?"
Red hair flipped through the air as Rebecca swiftly moved around her hotel room. It hurt a bit that Bayley didn't trust her after their brief discussion at WrestleMania a few months ago but she knew the brunette was just worried about her friend. Rebecca was still a relative stranger to the wrestler and had plenty to prove after Charlotte's previous romantic partners. "I need to make a call. I'll call you back." She said before hanging up on Bayley without waiting for a goodbye. Yes, she wanted to call Charlotte as soon as possible but she couldn't deny a small amount of petty satisfaction from the move.
The phone began to ring, and Rebecca held her breath as she waited to hear her girl's voice.
"Hey Becks. What's up? I figured you'd be sleeping after work."
Rebecca listened closely for a sign of anything wrong in Charlotte's voice but either the blonde was a good actor and hiding it well or Bayley was hallucinating. "Jus' wanted to hear yer voice before I tucked in fer the…" The redhead looked at the clock showing it was well past noon, "Not night. "
"Oh." Rebecca wasn't sure but she thought she detected just a bit of what Bayley might have seen in that single syllable. "My match is on next, so I don't have much time."
"Oh… Good luck out there." She waited for anything more from the blonde, but nothing came for some time.
"Did you need anything else?"
Rebecca was glad that Bayley had informed her of the mood Charlotte was in, otherwise she might be a bit more taken aback at her words. The dismissive nature of them still stung but it mostly made her want to get to the bottom of what was bothering the blonde. "Are you alright Charlie?
She heard a sigh from the other side of the line before the response came in a decidedly more tired sounding voice. "Bayley called you… Can we talk about this later?"
"Charlie… Can ya jus' give me somethin'? Jus' a little so I'm not sittin' here worryin' the worst." Rebecca didn't want to force Charlotte. In their time together she hadn't ever heard the blonde sound so downtrodden and unhappy. She wasn't really sure how to handle it but that didn't mean she was going to sit and do nothing.
"It's something from my past coming back to haunt me… Becca can we please talk about this later? I'm just… not ready to talk about it right now."
"Alright." Rebecca was already planning her next move. "You know, I was a ghostbuster for Halloween when I was a younger. If yer getting' haunted I consider myself a qualified exterminator."
A little ray of sunshine broke through the gloom when a brief but real laugh came through the phone. She couldn't be sure, but she was almost sure her ears picked up a brief sniffle from Charlotte's side. "I really do have to go… Thanks Becks."
Rebecca smiled sadly. Throwing her luggage onto the bed and thinking over her options. "Luv ya Queen."
"I love you too. Talk to you soon."
The call ended and Rebecca typed out a quick message to her supervisor at work. A little white lie couldn't hurt. She hadn't missed a day of work in over two years. They could give her this.
She didn't often take advantage of the privileges that came from her job but right now she was beyond grateful for the free flights it offered her.
Smackdown was going to be in Tulsa, Oklahoma in two days after tonight's PPV, and so was Rebecca.
She fulfilled her earlier promise and called Bayley back. Speaking up before the other woman got a word in after it connected. "Hey, can you or Sasha get me in the arena for Smackdown? Took a few days off fer a family emergency. I wanna be there for her."
Rebecca held her breath as she waited for Bayley's response. "Did she ask for you to be there?"
"No." She admitted. "But there's no way in hell I'm gonna sit here and act like nothin's wrong." Silence was her immediate answer, but she could still hear Bayley's breathing on the other end. "Please Bayley. I'd rather not have to break into a WWE event and reveal my ninja skills."
"You could just call Charlotte and have her let you in, you know?"
"Sort of ruins the surprise though." Rebecca said like it was obvious.
September 18th, 2018 Tulsa, Oklahoma
Rebecca walked beside Sasha as she guided her through the backstage area towards the female locker room. Shooting smiles and quick waves at all the people who recognized her as the moved.
"You ready?" Sasha asked when they reached the door that Charlotte lay behind.
The redhead gave her friend a nervous smile. "As I'm ever gonna be."
Sasha laid a hand on Rebecca's forearm before she left. "Bayley's sorry by the way." The Irish woman shot her a look that prompted her to continue. "She gets a little overprotective sometimes. Especially when it comes to Charlotte. Said she might have came off a bit… like an ass honestly."
"It's ok."
"No. It's not." Sasha stated decisively. "You've been good for Charlotte. She knows that."
"Thanks… I guess this is where you leave me." Rebecca said. Trying to hold in the nervous energy she felt standing in front of the door.
"Don't worry so much. Charlotte will be happy to see you. Just be your normal ridiculous self and she'll forget all about whatever's been bothering her." The wrestler said as she walked off.
Rebecca rolled her eyes but raised her hand up and knocked on the wood. Her heartbeat rising with each footstep closer she could hear from inside.
When the door finally opened Rebecca couldn't stop a large goofy grin from overtaking her face at the sight of Charlotte's utter confusion. "Hey Charlie."