So, here we go, meeting more wrestlers. Place your bets now on who it might be! Thank you to all my lovely reviewers, you guys make me smile from ear to ear.
Psion53, I'm literally so happy you used the word smouldering! This is easily the longest story I've ever written and it ended up that way because I really wanted to build up that tension. Can't wait for the pay-off (we'll get there, I promise!)
Wrestlechic1, aww, I'm glad you think they're cute. They get a whole lot cuter before the end (or at least, I think/hope they do!)
MizHyde, oh wow! Thank you for adding me, I'm so glad you stumbled across this. Welcome! I never wanted Lauren to be boring or two-dimensional so I'm really happy you think she sounds real. Glad you're loving the chemistry too. There's a lot more to come on that front - strap in!
Skovko, whoop whoop! Glad you're still enjoying it and thank you sooo much for your lovely reviews.
Samr09, guilty as charged, I do like a good cliffhanger and rest assured there's a few more of those to come (I'm cruel like that!) But I know you love them really!
Guest, welcome! Glad you're enjoying it so far. Hmm, no, I certainly wouldn't use the words soft or weepy, although obviously you'll have to keep reading to find out (I'm dangling the bait with that response!) Hope you enjoy what's still to come.
Okay, now on with the chapter!
All In The Family
The answer to the eternal question what exactly does a wrestler eat was answered for me in glorious technicolour as the waitress put down three plates of steak, which ranged from Dean's standard medium rare to Roman's surprisingly tame well-done. Not that it stopped them all positively drooling when my cheeseburger was brought out, complete with curly fries.
"Baby girl," Roman groaned, "What are you doing to us?"
I blinked at him,
"What? You could have ordered this as well."
"Not with a show tonight I couldn't. I wouldn't be able to pick myself off the mat."
He glanced down and stabbed grudging at his green leafy salad and I turned to find Dean's nose hanging over my food. Grinning I tried and failed to push his head back and he further made me giggle by snagging up a fry.
"Hey – ,"
"Come on, isn't that the least I deserve for drivin' you halfway across the country, twice?"
I thought about it for a couple of seconds and then pushed my plate towards him with sigh,
"Okay, if you put it that way, I can let you have another one."
His smile was almost a reward in itself although I had to slap off Seth and Roman, who had likewise tried to grab handfuls for themselves. Seth gaped back at me – hamming up the hurt look – and I smirked straight back at him,
"You haven't driven me anywhere yet."
"No, but – hey – I made them turn off the music while you were asleep."
Roman rolled his eyes,
"No, that was me."
"Yeah, well maybe you were the one that said it but I was definitely thinking it first."
Letting out a sigh of mock-resignation, I pushed my plate into the middle of the table and swiped up my burger while they helped themselves to fries. I hadn't really realised how hungry I was until I bit down into it and let out a groan,
"Oh my god,"
Dean smirked at me,
"Good?"
I nodded around my mouthful, not daring to speak in case I missed a tiny morsel of flavour. At one point I even shut my eyes and when I opened them again, all three of them were watching me.
"Don't judge me, I've hardly eaten in three days. Plus I've been through the emotional ringer – I need this cheeseburger to be happy, okay?"
Seth held his hands up in grinning submission and Roman silently pushed back my plate, moving it out of reach of their fingers and I grinned my thanks and took another bite.
The cheese, oh my god, the cheese.
The whole experience was so orgasmic that I barely even noticed the mood around me change and in the end it was only the sound of Seth's growling that tore me away from my heavenly meal.
"What the hell are they doing here?"
I looked up with a blink and was startled by their faces which were suddenly framed beneath glowering eyes. The three of them actually looked genuinely frightening and I shrank back a little.
"Guys? Wh-what's going on?"
When none of them answered me, I followed their gazes and actually gasped out loud at what I saw. Three large guys had come into the diner and when I say large, I mean unnaturally huge. They weren't just tall either but wide in all directions and each of them was swathed in so much long facial hair that it looked like they'd been castaway on some lost pacific island and had only recently made it back to shore. The man in the middle was wearing a hat and a bright Hawaiian shirt that made the other two look drab. I squinted a little and frowned in confusion. Was the guy with the red beard wearing a boiler suit? What the hell was going on here? As I stared their eyes slid over in tandem and settled on our table. My heart almost stopped. Something about them was deeply unsettling although Hawaiian shirt guy winked at me and offered up a smile.
"Lauren,"
A hand went over mine and I jumped and looked around in sudden alarm,
"Huh?"
It was Dean.
"Ignore them, it's fine – we're not lettin' them get anywhere near here."
"Not letting them? Why, who are they?"
"The Wyatt family," Roman growled back and his fists were actually clenched against the table-top. It didn't exactly make me feel better and so I looked towards Dean for a few extra facts,
"Friends of yours?"
"If you mean wrestlers – then yeah, they are."
It was the first time I had seen the three of them with their game faces and it was as interesting to watch as it was unsettling. Dean, Seth and Roman I felt happy to joke around with, but these three versions were definitely something else. As if sensing it however, Dean glanced across at me and smiled a little,
"Not gonna finish that?"
His hand snaked across the table towards my burger and I hastily slapped it away with a grin.
"Nuh-uh, no chance mister. I told you – I need this. So if you want it, you're going to have to come through me."
He raised an eyebrow,
"Oh, fightin' talk, huh?"
I took another bite,
"Let's just say you don't want to mess with me."
Dean snorted wryly as Roman chuckled and abruptly the mood started to settle back down. It was helped as the Addams Family were shown to a table across the other side of the diner to ours and although there was a continued element of staring, The Shield boys eased up a little one by one. After another couple of minutes, I even felt safe enough to try and talk about it,
"So you said those guys – the Wyatts – were a family. Do you mean a real family or – ,"
"No," Dean replied and his brows drew in again, "They're barely a real fuckin' anythin'."
"More like a god damn cult," Seth murmured and when I blinked in confusion, Roman explained,
"Bray likes to keep Harper and Rowan under his thumb. They do pretty much whatever he tells them – take people out, torment them, hurt them. I mean, us three right here? We'll do whatever it takes to get to where we need to go. But those dudes ain't got no rhyme or reason. They're dangerous, no doubt about that."
In the light of his pretty bleak assessment, my eyes slid towards their table again. The bigger two – Harper and Rowan he'd called them – were eating with their heads down like pigs at a trough, but the Hawaiian shirted man was sitting back casually with one leg resting over his knee. He was drinking tea from a cup and his sharp eyes were shining as they came to sudden stop on me. I shuddered and finished the rest of my burger, suddenly keen to be moving along. Seth too was getting particularly antsy,
"Why the fuck does he keep on staring?"
"Easy," Dean warned, not sounding much happier, "We're havin' ourselves a nice meal over here."
Grabbing a final curly fry, I screwed up my napkin and dropped it onto my plate,
"I'm all done,"
Dean blinked across at me then furrowed his eyebrows, appraising my overly chipper sounding tone. I stared back at him innocently, trying hard to look nonchalant and fighting back what I knew was a fast forming blush. He was already uneasy about me working for the company, so the last thing I needed was to look full-on frightened when faced with wrestlers other than them.
"Yeah?" he asked coolly, clearly not buying it and I nodded quickly,
"Yep. I mean, we've still got a way to go before we get to tonight's venue, right? Can't spend all day eating I guess – I mean I'd like to but we can't – so, I'm good to go."
"That makes two of us," Seth stood up hastily and Roman rolled his eyes and counted out a few bills. Dean started to copy him and so I too drew my purse out, only to find Dean's hand push it back.
"Nah, you're good."
I shook my head at him ruefully,
"You're going to have to let me pay for something eventually."
He nodded,
"Yeah, but I'm buildin' up to somethin' big."
"Oh?"
"He wants a monster truck," Roman winked teasingly, "Big red one."
"Well, at least I know."
We slid out of the booth as a compact little foursome and once again Dean placed his hand on my back. Were the fireworks ever going to stop popping when he touched me? Three days in and the answer was still no. As we crossed the diner past the Wyatts however they fell into a tight formation around me, practically propelling me as fast as I could walk. From somewhere beyond the muscled cluster of forearms, I heard a rough chuckle,
"Run boys, run."
I could feel Seth bristling and his fists clenched tightly,
"We're not running anywhere – especially not from you."
"That isn't what it looks like," the voice drawled back at them. It was grainy and sounded almost raw, "Looks to me like you're high-tailin' it out of here. Care to tell me why that might be?"
Suddenly all three Shield members stiffened and I instantly knew he was alluding to me. My heart started to beat against my ribcage insanely and I was glad I couldn't see him.
Dean stepped in close.
"She's nothin' you need to worry about Wyatt."
"Just taking care of business," Roman added and his tone had lost that honeyed layer it had oozed when he'd been talking to me. Obviously the Wyatts were not the baby girl type. In fact I wasn't sure they had ever been babies, maybe they had sprung fully-grown from the mud? Bray Wyatt chuckled but it was pretty cold comfort, particularly because nothing funny had been said.
"Of course boys. Business. Something important for the big bad boss man I figure? My, my, you three sure are good little soldiers."
Seth stepped forward but Roman grabbed him back and I heard my name being whispered almost sharply. I imagined that starting World War Three outside the ring was unadvisable at the best of times, but with me tucked behind them and not knowing what was happening, it was probably among the worst of ideas. Reluctantly Seth uncurled his fists and let out a sigh of frustration,
"Fine."
Deciding to remove himself from the worsening situation, he turned and stomped away from the group. It left a small gap and in less than a second, Bray Wyatt's eyes were settled on me, widening slightly along with his smile and I shivered, not liking it one little bit.
Evidently neither did Dean.
"Come on," he grunted, taking my arm and steering me quickly in the direction of the doors. Roman took up position at the rear and it suddenly occurred to me that they were like commandos, crossing a hostile enemy land. It was the tiniest glimpse of the world I was stepping into and I was happy to admit that it scared me a lot. I mean, okay, so not all co-workers got along with one another, but these guys almost got into it in the middle of a diner. That was genuine next level stuff. My head was spinning as we emerged into the lobby and it was only then that Dean's grip loosened up,
"Fuckin' Wyatts," he muttered irately as Roman swiped his hands through his hair, "I wish I could've wiped that damn grin off his face – all of their faces."
I stared at the floor, feeling guilty,
"I'm sorry."
Both of them turned to look at me quickly and Dean frowned,
"What are you sorry for?"
"Because," I shrugged, "If I wasn't there, you could have fought them or trash talked them or – I don't know – whatever."
Roman snorted,
"Baby girl, I'm glad you were there, because you stopped me from putting my foot up his ass and throwing his carcass clean over the counter."
"Besides," Dean added, still sounding tense but obviously trying for some sort of comfort, "Your old man doesn't like his wrestlers brawlin' unless it's in the middle of the ring and especially not in front of his daughter, so you saved us – like – one hell of a fine."
I grinned as a twinkle appeared in his eyes again and slowly things seemed to get back to okay. Behind us, Seth came in through the entrance and threw his hands out,
"What's happening? We leaving?"
"Yeah," Roman snorted, still seeming angry but letting a sigh out, "You bet we're leaving."
We stepped as a group in the direction of the parking lot but on seeing the signs for the ladies restrooms, I pulled back from them a little and ducked away to the left,
"Be right back."
"Really?" I heard Dean call out loudly, timing it as an elderly couple walked by, "Aren't you some kind of expert at squattin' now? There's plenty of bushes for you to choose from outside."
"Dean."
He chuckled and his tongue poked out between his teeth in obvious pride at what he had done. The movement made him look so instantly adorable that I couldn't stay mad at him.
Well, not for long.
Ignoring the appalled-looking glances in my direction, I sped off down the corridor, cursing his name.
Damn him.
Despite my experience squatting in the bushes the ladies bathroom was definitely a step up. On top of which they also provided a mirror, which random foliage certainly did not. It was as I washed my hands that I caught my reflection and realised that I was still broadly grinning like a child. Not only that but my insides were bubbling and I had butterflies in my stomach that were dancing around.
Dean Ambrose had done that to me – for me – Dean had broken me out of my funk.
Glancing up, I looked towards the ceiling and drew a deep breath in,
"Mom, what do you think? I mean, okay, so maybe he's a little rough around the edges and he swears a lot and he's kind of a closed book but I'm pretty sure I like him – as in really, really like him – and I think he kind of likes me back. I just – ugh – I don't know what to do about it. I need a sign or something. Come on mom, tell me what to do."
As somebody else pushed into the bathroom, I lowered my head and shot them a smile. It was entirely possible that she'd heard my crazy ramblings and as she hurried to shut herself into a cubicle those fears were confirmed. Great, now I was scaring people and I wasn't even a wrestler at all. Ridding my hands of the last droplets of water, I stepped back into the diner's main corridor, still so focused on my jumbled musings that I physically crashed into a solidly shaped man,
"Oh," I gasped, "I'm sorry, I didn't see you – ,"
But I tailed off again as I looked into his face and a chill ran through my blood at once. Staring down at me and still smirking coolly was the hat-topped, Hawaiian-shirt-wearing form of Bray Wyatt.
Uh oh.
As I took a step backwards away from him instinctively, he grinned and mirrored me by stepping in close,
"Now, now," he offered, oddly unblinking, "You don't need to be frightened of good old Bray. You've spent too long with those little Shield boys and they've been filling your head with lies."
"So you're not a cult leader?" I asked without thinking, watching as something flickered in his gaze. Had I asked the right thing or the drastically wrong thing? Luckily Bray threw his head back and laughed. It wasn't a great sound though, in fact it was manic although figuring that he was potentially distracted I tried to duck past.
It didn't work.
Instead he side-stepped surprisingly quickly, holding his hands up in a move of submission that was hard to pull off since he wouldn't let me leave. How had I gotten myself into this situation? Where had he come from?
"Do you call your family a cult, cherie?"
What the hell was up with the nickname? I wet my lips nervously,
"N-no, but – I mean – I'm kind of between families at the moment, so when I get a new one I'll definitely let you know."
In line with my habit to gabble when nervous, I was opening the floodgates of conversation to Bray. I doubted it was the answer he'd been expecting, so I wasn't surprised when his thick brows drew in.
"Between families Little Bird?"
Okay, cherie was better.
"Um, kind of – ,"
"Then maybe you should come with me."
"Huh?"
That seemed unlikely but Bray was clearly into it and as I stepped back again I collided with the wall. His eyes were pale and had he seriously not blinked yet? I could smell him he was standing so close and while Dean's scent was manly and utterly enticing, Bray's was suffocating and slightly unclean,
"My family always has room for new members. Especially lost souls with nowhere left to turn. It's a dangerous world out there for a Mockingbird – come with me and we can save you from the storm."
At that exact moment, the bathroom door opened and the woman who had caught me talking to the ceiling walked back out and stopped in obvious concern. Bray watched her sharply but moved to let her past him and I seized my chance and sped away too. In fact I practically sprinted along the corridor, checking behind me and – yep – there was Bray, walking steadily but still catching up to me and brushing past the woman who now knew I was insane.
As I skidded round the corner I collided with someone who grabbed my wrist and instinctively I yelped. In my panic I assumed it was one of the Wyatts, but a burst of fireworks went off instead,
"Lauren?"
"Dean – ,"
"What's going on?"
Interesting question. What was going on? I shook my head at him,
"I – I don't know. He was just there and I – ,"
"What?" Dean frowned, "Slow down. Who was there?"
"The cult leader," I hissed back and Dean stiffened, his face hardening in anger,
"You mean Wyatt?"
That was it, we'd said his name too many times and like Beetlejuice the Bearded One came lumbering around the corner. He stopped on seeing us and smiled in amusement. Unfortunately it wasn't a two way street and the second he saw him, Dean's grip grew tighter and he towed me behind him in an attempt to keep me safe,
"Well would you look at this pretty little picture," Bray rasped out, before frowning at Dean, "You know, you really shouldn't be telling Mockingbird that she can't put her trust in me and my boys. It gives the wrong impression and we don't want that now, do we Little Bird?"
As Bray tried to look at me over his shoulders, Dean snapped his fingers so sharply that I jumped,
"Hey, you don't get to look at her Wyatt – she's off limits. You got that?"
Bray grinned,
"Come on now Dean, that ain't fair on the rest of us. Didn't your mother ever teach you to share?"
I blinked and Dean stepped forwards to meet him, pressing himself up against the rounded chest. The ferocious Dean was back in abundance and in a moment I was right back there in the motel, watching as he spat threats into Jeff's goatee and geared himself up for the one-punch knockout.
"Listen Wyatt – you piece of crap – if you want a woman, try your mother or your sister, or whoever it is you in-breed with these days. Because the women out here in the real world? Not happenin'. They don't want a single fuckin' thing to do with you."
Bray's eyelid twitched slightly as Dean hit a nerve, but what about I didn't want to know. His lack of prowess in the lady department, sleeping with his mother or a little bit of both? It was still a question I was mentally debating as the doors to the diner swung back open and two more bearded figures strolled out. Rowan and the other one – what was his name – Harper. At once I surged forward and grabbed at Dean's arm,
"We need to go."
"You go," he responded, his tone still icy and his gaze not shifting, "I'll be right there."
"No."
Despite the fact that I was scared completely witless, there was no way I was prepared to leave him alone and so I tugged him with all of the strength I could muster, which succeeded in pulling him back a single step. He tried to unravel my hand in frustration, but I clung on like a spider monkey,
"No Dean, come on – think about Hunter,"
Initially it had seemed like a good idea. The boss hated fighting. Dean himself had said it earlier, but in the heat of the moment the boss card didn't work. Not that Bray helped me out in that department, grinning toothily,
"That's right little Hound of Justice, think of your master."
Dean strained again and I struggled to hold him. I needed a new plan and I needed one fast, so putting my hands on either side of his face, I forced him to look at me and let the words tumble out,
"Think about Hunter naked."
That worked.
If anything a little too well because not only did it abruptly shake Dean from his anger but it also drew the Wyatts attention as well. For the first time all four men seemed united and their common ground was confusion at me.
"The fuck – ," Dean started but I didn't let him finish, simply continuing to pull him away. My heart was pounding, I needed him to come with me and thankfully – slowly – he grudgingly did. We were almost outside before Bray spoke up again, calling out gratingly,
"See you at the show Dean," he was grinning again and it quickly moved my way, complete with an old fashioned sweep of his hat, "Until next time Mockingbird."
Dean turned back again, ready for action and I looped my entire arm around his and nestled down into his side like a child. He'd have to physically drag me with him if he wanted to fight.
"Please Dean, I'm fine. I just want to leave."
It came out as nothing more than a whisper but thankfully it seemed to do the trick and with a conflicted sounding growl of frustration, Dean stepped out through the doors beside me. The hot Texas sun shone down like a dart and instantly burnt off the stench of the Wyatts. Roman and Seth were out waiting by the rental and as we crossed the lot towards them, Dean kept his voice low,
"The fuck did he say to you back there?"
"Nothing really, he – he just startled me is all."
"Lauren," he shot back, not buying my coolness, "You fuckin' ran into me. What did he say?"
I shrugged,
"He kind of invited me to join him – them I guess – his cult I mean."
"Why?"
"Um," I swallowed uncertainly, "About that. I might have mentioned not having a family and after that he just wouldn't let it go. He called me cherie which is weird because he's not French, or I mean, at least I don't think he is."
Dean sighed angrily,
"Why the hell would you say that?"
"The cherie thing?"
"No, about not having a family? How do you go to the bathroom for five minutes and end up swapping life stories with Bray Wyatt? See this is the reason I didn't want you to work here. These people are dangerous – they love easy prey. It's bad enough when it's some fuckin' rookie, but when they think you're just the pretty girl backstage? Jesus. They're gonna be all over you, trust me."
I blinked as I tried to get my head around his monologue. There was the pretty line again. The tiny feminist inside of me bailed and I bit back a giggle but obviously not well,
"It's not fuckin' funny Lauren."
"No, I know, I wasn't – ,"
"I mean it. I can't always be there to watch out for you and tonight you're gonna be on your own. I need you to promise you'll be fuckin' careful and stay as far away from the Wyatts as you can."
Seth and Roman were watching us closely, clearly sensing that something had gone on. I watched them absently and Dean bumped into me, forcing the issue,
"Promise me."
"Uh-huh," I nodded, "Yep, I promise – cross my heart and, well, hope not to die."
But how could I promise him that I would be careful when I didn't even know who to be careful of? After the Wyatts I wasn't certain of anything, except for one growing realisation –
Wisconsin was a very, very long way off.
Oooh, big bad Bray Wyatt, huh? I literally love that his character is so creepy. Gives a poor writer endless possibilities and makes for a super protective Dean of course. As ever, let me know what you're thinking.
Until next time...
