Sorry for the delay in updating. Bit of a mixed chapter here, so hopefully it flows okay.
Aidan & Orla (and their family) belong to me. Everyone else belongs to themselves.
Orla awoke the following day to the sound of her phone ringing. Her hand slowly emerged from underneath her pillow as she attempted to locate the device in order to see who was calling. Retrieving her phone from her beside table, the blonde woman eyed the screen to see that it was Fergal's number calling. It was still early, but that meant it was late in the States. The blonde woman yawned as she swiped the screen and answered the call.
"You're up late."
"Couldn't sleep. I miss you." Fergal told her.
"I know, I miss you too." Orla sighed, laying back down against her pillows.
"Did I wake ya?"
"Yeah, but it's okay," his girlfriend sighed, "So, what's stoppin' ya from gettin' ta sleep?"
"Orla, I need ta tell ya somethin'." his tone was unnerving. It made her anxious.
She swallowed nervously before enquiring, "What is it?"
"Nick's been sayin' some things, about you," Fergal sighed, "Tellin' lies about ya."
"Like what?" the Irishwoman asked.
"He hasn't said anythin' to me, but he's been tellin' some o' the lads tha he slept with ya."
"You don't believe him, do you?" Orla gripped her phone tighter, "I've never been anywhere near him."
"I know tha, Orla," the Irishman assured her, "But it's not just tha."
The youngest Sweeney sibling waited for him to continue.
"Me ex-girlfriend has been makin' some comments about ya too, in private conversations."
"I don't understand," the Irishwoman frowned, "I've never even met your ex-girlfriend."
"I know," Fergal replied, "I don't know wha Cathy's problem is but I'm guessin' there's some jealousy there."
"So why are ya tellin' me all this now?" Orla asked him.
The leader of the Balor Club considered her question, "Because I want to be honest with ya."
"Well in the interest of bein' honest, I saw me ex-boyfriend yesterday."
"Where?"
"In the street, after we got our dresses fitted."
"Did he say anythin' to ya?" Fergal asked anxiously, "Are ya okay?"
"Bronagh was with me," Orla replied, "She put him in his place."
"I'm sorry I wasn't there with ya."
"Don't be sorry. He was just runnin' his mouth about you and I." the blonde woman yawned a little.
"Like what?" Fergal enquired.
"Said tha you weren't a real man, and tha you'd get bored o' me like he did."
"Orla Sweeney, you listen to me," the Irishman told her, "I don't care wha he says about me, but I want ya to know tha I will never get bored o' ya. I love ya, and I want ya in me life, always."
"Same." the blonde woman replied.
"Anythin' else we need to discuss?" Fergal asked cautiously.
"Have ya spoken to Nick an' Cathy about what's been said?" Orla enquired.
"Not yet." the Irishman replied.
"Maybe ya shouldn't."
"What do ya mean?" The leader of the Balor Club frowned.
"Fergal, yer finally where ya wanna be," Orla sighed, "Don't go doin' anythin' tha could cause problems in yer career."
"I just wanna protect ya, Orla."
"And I love ya for it, but I'm back in the States next week. We'll sort Nick out together."
"Okay, no more bad stuff," Fergal cleared his throat, "What's up back home in Bray?"
"Well as ya know it's the weddin' this weekend. Ma's been goin' mad helpin' Bronagh with the final details."
"Imagine wha she'd be like if it was your weddin'!"
"Ya know wha me Ma's like. I think part of her's disappointed tha I'm not already wed and poppin' out a few more grandkids for her!"
"I think you'd be a good mother. You're so sweet and caring."
"Yeah, well, we're not there yet," Orla gave a nervous laugh, "If tha's even on the cards in future."
"And if it was?" the Irishman enquired.
"We'll need a bigger box."
"Wha?"
"Ma brought out the photo albums last night," Orla told him, "Keeps them all in a big cardboard box."
"Ah, okay. Find anythin' interestin' in there?" her boyfriend enquired.
"Actually, yeah, the photos from Aidan's twenty-first birthday party."
"Wow, I remember tha," Fergal exclaimed, "I asked ya to dance cause ya were all alone in tha corner."
He recalled that March evening like it was yesterday.
"Who's tha girl in the corner?" Fergal enquired.
"Wha girl?" Aidan frowned, "I just see me sister."
"That's Orla?" the dark haired Irishman raised a brow in disbelief.
"I've not seen her since last summer," Fergal told his friend, "She looks different."
"She turned sixteen a couple o' months back," Aidan supplied, "Ma says she's blossoming into a woman."
She was definitely blossoming. She was beautiful, but she didn't seem to realise it.
Ten minutes later and Orla was still standing in the same corner. Fergal was watching her with quiet curiosity when she suddenly looked up and caught him staring in her direction. She looked bored and somewhat uncomfortable in her surroundings, prompting the Irishman to swallow the remnants of his drink and head over to where she stood.
"Hiya, Orla."
"Fergal." she nodded her greeting.
"Whatcha doin' over here in the corner?" he enquired.
"Just standin' here I guess," the blonde shrugged, "I'm not really into parties."
"Ah, come on!" Fergal grinned, "Will ya not have a dance and some cake?"
The youngest Sweeney sibling shrugged again, "I dunno."
"Come with me," he took her hand and led her to the dancefloor. She followed without any resistance.
Fergal offered a small smile and squeezed her hand, "Just one dance, for me?"
Orla looked away from his gaze for a moment, apparently considering his request, before turning back and shrugging, "Okay, I suppose. Just one dance though."
Fergal broke into his wide grin as he placed one hand on her waist and held her right hand in his left. He noted how soft and warm her hand was as he held it in his own. The blonde blushed a little, avoiding the Irishman's gaze as he began to move around the part of the dancefloor that they occupied, allowing a nervous giggle to escape her lips as he twirled her around. She almost lost her balance at one point, anxiously clutching at the front of his shirt to steady herself.
"Ya okay there, Orla?" he enquired.
"Fine," she nodded, "Just a wee bit dizzy."
"Okay, time for party games!" Roisin Sweeney's voice echoed around the hall as the music died down, "Everybody get into pairs!"
"Oh, please, no." Orla muttered under her breath. But Fergal caught it.
"Be me partner?" he asked her, having noticed that Aidan was already pairing up with Tommy.
The youngest Sweeney sibling nodded, "Okay."
"Fergal, are ya still there?" Orla's voice echoed down the line.
"Yeah, sorry, just reminiscing."
"Well try an' get some sleep, okay?"
"Will do," the leader of the Balor Club smiled, "I love you, Orla."
"I love ya too, Fergal."
Fergal was walking down the hallway with Rami after taping a promo, casually chatting about events at one of the recent house shows, when Nick's voice echoed from the locker room ahead of them. There was a pause followed by some sniggering from an unknown source. The Irishman and the Canadian passed the open door of the room to see the man known as Dolph Ziggler standing with an amused crew member, likely to be one of the men hearing of the Show Off's fictional exploits with Orla.
"Hey, Balor! How's your girlfriend?" Nick called after him.
"That's none o' yer business, Ziggler."
"Oh, don't be like that," the Show Off smirked, "Jealousy doesn't suit you."
"Me, jealous of you?" Fergal raised a brow in disbelief.
Nick continued to smirk, "Tell Orla I said 'Hi'."
The Irishman shook his head and walked away. He couldn't stand to see the look on Nick's face anymore without punching it, and he intended to honour Orla's wishes that he held off on confronting the Show Off until she was there too.
"What a jerk." Rami remarked as they continued walking.
"Yeah," Fergal ran a hand through his short hair, "Just another thing I gotta put up with."
"Hey, that doesn't sound like the Fergal I know." the redheaded man frowned and placed a hand on the smaller man's shoulder.
"It's just tha, I never thought that me bein' with Orla would have so much backlash from other people."
"What other people? Nick's an idiot, so pay no attention to him."
"It's not just Nick," the Irishman sighed, "It's Aidan not bein' on board, and now it's Cathy too."
"Your ex, Cathy?" Rami looked surprised.
"It's a long story. I'll fill ya in after the show."
The man known as Sami Zayn looked at his friend, "Please don't give up on happiness because of other people."
"I won't," Fergal assured him, "I've finally got Orla. I'm never gonna let her go now."
Fergal and Orla will be reunited next chapter! Review!