FCW had a show in Sarasota which meant that it would be another long day and way into the wee hours of the morning before Josh would be home. Ryland was used to it. At any time she was free to travel along to see the shows but more often than not, she elected not to go. It was after seven and she had just finished yet another dinner alone. After clearing the dishes, she put on some classical music and poured herself a glass of red wine. Taking it to the living room, she dimmed the lighting, kicked off her shoes and settled onto the couch. After two sips and five minutes, there was a knock at the door. Ryland certainly wasn't expecting any visitors and she had made no real friends in Tampa. Melanie had joined her husband and sons in Sarasota so she had no idea who it would be. She was stunned when she opened the door and saw who was on the other side.

"Maryse!"

The blonde looked up. She looked like a little girl in designer jeans, classy black flip flops and a dressy tank. Her blonde hair had been pulled up without the extravagant extensions and her makeup was less dramatic than what she usually wore to the ring. She was gorgeous but more childlike than Vixen like. But it was a surprise to see her nonetheless.

"I hope this is not a bad time," she said softly, her accent still thick. "I need to speak with you."

"No. No, not at all," Ryland stepped out of the way. "Please come in."

"Thank you," she stepped inside.

"Have a seat," Ryland ushered her to the couch. "Um, forgive me but this is a surprise. What brings you by? Is everything alright?"

Maryse looked away, playing with her hands.

"My appointment is in two days."

Ryland knew what she meant by appointment.

"Oh. I see. I, um…I don't quite know what to say. How are you feeling about that?"

"Scared," she replied honestly.

"That is very understandable."

"It is a good place. Cody found it. Safe equipment. They do it all the time. It won't take long and I can come right home."

Ryland nodded.

"Good. They will do everything to make you comfortable. Cody will take very good care of you, I'm sure."

"He is a good man."

That he was.

"Is there anything else I can do?"

Maryse shook her head.

"You have done enough. I know I did not show my appreciation, me or Ted but that was very nice what you did. You could have gotten in trouble and it was a big risk."

"You're right, it was a big risk but I understand what I was doing and I take full responsibility for it, especially if there is any fall out. I did what I had to do and I only wanted to help you. I don't regret getting that note for you. You're in a bad situation and for that I'm really sorry. I hope this all works out and somehow you can eventually put it behind you and move on."

"It's not Ted's baby," she blurted out.

"I, I know. About that…uh, Cody told me. I feel awful for making a scene like I did in the restaurant but Ted made me so angry and I just started jumping to conclusions. I want to apologize to you. I owe you that much. I made an assumption and I was wrong."

"I understand how you feel and how it must look. I understand your anger."

"I apologized to Ted as well. Actually, we talked and were able to make amends."

"That is good."

"Believe it or not, we used to be good friends when we were little but that was a very long time ago. I hadn't seen him for a while."

"I know," Maryse stated. "He told me."

Ryland looked surprised that he had found her and their relationship relevant enough to share with Maryse.

"He did?"

"Yes. He said nice things about you. Ted is a good person. He has problems but you just have to get to know him. He has been nothing but a good friend to me, I don't think I could find a better friend. He takes care of me and he has really stood by me. I just want you to know that there is nothing romantic between us."

"I do know that, Maryse but you don't owe me any kind of explanation. It really is none of my business, besides, I'm not involved."

Maryse looked up.

"You are. Like it or not now, you are."

Ryland chewed her lip. She knew she was right.

"I'm not here to judge you."

"Please don't judge Ted either. He would never cheat on his wife. He is stuck in an unhappy marriage but he never turns to other women even though they come on to him on the road all the time. I feel bad. Kristen doesn't like me very much but their problems are way more serious than me. It is not my fault. I did nothing wrong."

"It has to be hard with him on the road all the time and everything. They've been together for a long time. Maybe they'll work it out. Who knows?"

"He is under a lot of pressure. From her, the fans, his family, especially his father. He feels he has to live up a legacy. I tell him all the time he does not have to wrestle in his father's shadow, that he must make his own path but sometimes it is very hard for him to listen. Being sent here was very hard for him. He does not understand. He feels like a failure. He is very…what's the word?"

"Stubborn."

Maryse smiled.

"Thank you. Stubborn, that is it. Teddy is very stubborn. I'm sorry, English is not my first language. Sometimes I need help with words."

"It's okay."

Ryland was able to read Maryse's mind but in the process, over the last few weeks she'd been granted insight inside her old friend's head. She was slowly starting to get a feel where Ted was coming from. It did not excuse his bad and self-destructive behavior but it did offer some sort of explanation.

"I don't trust a lot of people. I trust Ted and I trust Cody. Now I have to trust you too."

"Maryse, you don't…"

"You know my secret."

"I do but I will never tell. If that's what you came over here for, you don't have to worry about that ever. I promise you."

Maryse wrapped her arms around herself and sighed.

"I don't know why I come here to talk to you. It's stupid…"

"Don't say that. It's not stupid, sweetie."

"The guy…the father of my baby," she sadly glanced down at her middle. "His name is Mike. He is a wrestler. We were put in an angle together years ago. We were friends. It turned into more but we were, you Americans say off and on. He said and did some bad things. I left him alone for nearly a year. Ted was so angry they almost had a fist fight. One day we were getting ready for RAW and I was sitting in Catering. Melina Perez and I had done some promotional work for the WWE in Costa Rica. We had a blast and I took pictures on my camera. I was sitting at the table looking at them and Mike asked if he could see my pictures. He told me I was beautiful. He was so nice, so charming. I swore I would never take him back but it started all over again. I was so dumb."

She sounded so sad. It was heartbreaking.

"Don't beat yourself up, honey. People change and sometimes we just want them to change so much it makes us quick, too quick to give them the benefit of the doubt. That is human nature."

"My career is important to me. I am not ready for children. I don't even know how to be a mom but part of me was happy, foolish enough to believe that Mike, me, and a baby could be a real family together. I was so scared but I told him. I didn't know what he would say or do but I never thought he would look at me and ask whose child it was. He, he actually denied being the father. He said I was a whore and a slut and anybody in the RAW or Smackdown locker room could be the real father. After that, he stopped talking to me. He even changed his number, threatened to tell Vince McMahon that I was stalking him."

"Oh my God…"

Ryland felt awful. She had no idea it was that bad, that this Mike character was such a heartless and inconsiderate son of a bitch. The heartbreak of what he had done and the fear of what was to come left a tangible expression on her sad and weary face. And through it all, Ted DiBiase, one with so many problems of his all, had been this girl's rock, her savior.

"I know I cannot have this baby. It's for the best. Besides, I am young. Later on, I will have plenty of time for family."

It sounded more like she was trying to convince herself instead of Ryland. It was a hell of a position to be in and have to make that kind of choice.

"Of course."

She chuckled sadly.

"You probably think I am crazy for coming here saying all this."

"I don't think you're crazy. It's okay. I know we don't know each other well but I am a good listener or so I've been told," she offered a meek smile that Maryse returned.

When the blonde looked up, there were tears brimming her eyes, just waiting to fall.

"Thank you for all your help. You didn't have to. Besides Teddy and Cody, no one else has tried to help me like that. You did more for me than Mike and you don't even know me. What you did know, I was not very nice to you. I'm sorry for treating you that way."

"It's okay."

"I just wanted you to know that I am not a whore or any of those things Mike said I am, any of those things Kristen thinks I am. I am not stupid, I know what they say about me behind my back. But I'm not like a lot of the other girls in the locker room. I do not sleep around. I thought Mike was different. I thought that he loved me. I believed him when he said I was special to him. I know you don't know me and we might never see each other again after this, but I wanted you to know."

With that she stood but the tears spilled down her cheeks. She wiped at them furiously with shaking hands. Out of empathy, Ryland stopped her, gently grabbing her arm.

"It's okay, Maryse."

She buried her face into her own arm and sobbed.

"I'm scared, Ryland. I am so scared to do this."

Ryland reached out and hugged her. She held onto her for dear life as Maryse just cried into her shoulder.

"I know, sweetie, I know. And I am so sorry you have to go through all this. It's alright. It will be fine. You have Ted and Cody and you have me and everything is going to be fine."

It was odd seeing Maryse so vulnerable but the pent up emotion was real. There was an actual person inside of there. Ice water did not run in her veins. All she needed was to be loved, to know that someone had her back, that she could trust. In her likely world of kayfabe and make believe, the good doctor's wife, this kind and beautiful stranger from Ted's past had become the most unlikely of friends.