Disclaimer, etc., in part 1.

Part Fourteen

CM Punk made his way over to the door to the locker room, the paper that he'd shown her earlier in his hand. Glancing back over his shoulder, he looked at Eve, then slid his gaze over to one of the others in the room.

"McGillicutty. Escort Eve to the steps leading to the stage-"

"I told you that I don't want any of you out there for my match!" Eve protested, her hands already on her hips as she went over to the leader of the New Nexus, glaring up at him. Punk arched a brow as he looked down at her.

"I'm aware of that. As I said... You can have it your way about that. This time."

"Then why-"

"I didn't order him to stand at ringside for your match. I told McGillicutty to take you to the steps leading up to the stage. He will wait there, not going out unless absolutely necessary during your match, and he will walk you back here after your match," CM Punk informed her, and Eve tilted her head to the side, looking at the man, her expression defiant.

"Why? Because you're so worried that I might run off?"

"Not likely." He nodded toward her bag. "Your street clothes are still in here. As are your car keys. You wouldn't get very far without them," he said, smirking slightly when Eve simply glared at that. They both knew he was right, but damned if Eve was going to admit it. He arched a brow as he looked at her. "It's for your protection."

"My protection? Please-"

"You're part of the New Nexus now-"

"Not by choice," Eve snapped out, not sure of the looked that briefly crossed Punk's face as she said that. The woman glared at him. "I was forced into this. And none of the guys that are pissed at you over last week are going to come after me. Morrison, Cena, Orton, Truth... They're not going to hurt me-"

"I'll give you that. I think you're right there," Punk told her. "But they aren't the only people here tonight. Both rosters are here. The SmackDown roster is here."

"I'm aware of that."

"Meaning that The Corre is here," CM Punk continued, rolling his eyes as he said the name of the other group. "They may have a stupid name and be a bunch of losers, but... They're vindictive losers. Wade Barrettt especially doesn't like me. And before you ask what that has to do with you... I know you're an intelligent woman, Eve Torres. You have a brain. Use it."

Her gaze narrowed angrily at his words, though she did realize that there was a bit of a compliment buried in there... He had, after all, acknowledged that she was intelligent. It was just that he'd also implied that she wasn't *using* her intelligence at that moment. "Look, Punk," she said, emphasizing his name in such a way that it sounded like an insult, "I don't care-"

"You should care. And trust me, if you walked to the curtain alone and Wade Barrett or one of his lackeys came out and attacked you... You would care," he told her. Stepping closer to her, he leaned down so that he was looking her right in the eye, the man right in her face. He was so close that she could see the different shades in his eyes, and though she desperately wanted take a step back, she knew that doing so would make her seem weak or like she was conceding something, and she refused to do that. "Wade Barrett would not care that you're a woman. He would not care that you don't want to be a member of the New Nexus. All he would care about is that you *are* a member of the New Nexus. That's all. He would care that taking you out of action would hurt the New Nexus." He arched a brow at her, his gaze flicking over her face. "I'm not going to let that happen."

Eve crossed her arms over her chest, trying not to look like his words had shaken her... Because the truth was, they had. Mostly because she knew he was right. Wade Barrett was ruthless, and the man had it in for Punk. After all, CM Punk had taken the Nexus away from him, even stealing most of the members of the group... Only losing two of them - Heath Slater and Justin Gabriel - when the men had refused to take part in the initiation that Punk had planned. "You don't know-"

"Don't insult us both, Eve. You know I'm right. I know I'm right. I am not doing anything more than making sure that you actually get to take part in that match... And make it back here in one piece afterward. Michael McGillicutty will walk you to the curtain area. I will go ahead of you to make the announcement. During the match, we will stay in the back as long as it seems that things are under control." He shook his head when she opened her mouth to protest. "And by 'under control' I mean that there are no members of The Corre out there to attempt something. As long as they stay backstage where they belong, whether you win or lose the divas' match tonight will be completely up to you and what you do in there. Understood?"

"Understood," Eve snapped out, her voice clipped, and Punk smirked slightly at that.

"Good. As long as things are under control, McGillicutty and I will remain in the back, waiting for you. Once the match is over, we will walk you back to the locker room, once again, for your safety. I don't trust Barrett not to try something."

Eve smirked. "Well, it's not like he doesn't have a reason to pull something. You stole his group from him and got him thrown off RAW."

Punk smirked. "How nice of you to notice," the man said, then tilted his head, his smile widening. "By the way, friend or not, you might want to steer clear of Orton tonight," he told her, and Eve's gaze narrowed as she looked at him.

"What did you do?"

"Nothing much. We were just a little bored earlier. While you were taking so long to get ready." He smirked. "We might have interfered in the WWE title match-"

"What? You didn't-"

"We did. Randy Orton isn't going to have the title, not if I have anything to say about the matter. Which I do," Punk told her, then shrugged. "Don't worry, Eve. There wasn't anything you could do to stop it." He glanced at McGillicutty. "Make sure she gets to the ring without incident."

"You're an asshole," Eve told him as Punk went to the door, and the man shrugged.

"Maybe I am. And maybe I was just giving Randy Orton exactly what he deserved," Punk told her, meeting her gaze for just a moment longer, his hand on the open door.

And then he was gone.