Hola, readers!
Two chapters in two days. I am good to you all!
I absolutely loved writing this chapter and I am so excited for you all to read it. I guess you could call this major plot progression in a way. Man, I do love that slow burn…
This chapter is named after 'Almost Lover' by A Fine Frenzy
Madeleine Ziggler's Point Of View
The four of us made our way to the arena the following Monday, ready for Raw. We dragged our cases behind us, showed security our passes and made our way inside.
I wasn't due on Raw this week because of my recovery from last week's attack, but I at least wanted to go and sit backstage in order to show The Shield my support. After all they'd done for me, it was the least I could do.
They had taken care of me so well all week long, running around after me and nursing me back to health. It wasn't only Dean that had been attentive, but Seth and Roman too. I knew they were good friends to me, but after Orton's attack, they'd changed, becoming so much more protective of me. They were like my big brothers and my love for them grew more and more each and every day.
Dean had been right; the hounds didn't like it when someone hurt one of their own.
I was fully under The Shield's care now, both in and out the ring, and I was hardly let out of their sight. So I almost had no choice but to turn up for the match tonight. I wouldn't be out ringside, but I knew I could watch on the screens backstage and be there for them afterwards.
We entered their locker room and the boys began to get ready. I got a text from Nikki, telling me the matches for the evening.
"It's Dean vs Sheamus tonight," I said, gazing down at the text. "One on one, The Shield standing ringside."
Dean slipped his black special ops vest on over his black wifebeater, his face rather happy at my words. "I've been looking forward to beating the shit out of that jackass for months," he smirked.
I smiled in amusement at him. Dean hated Sheamus, especially after the bullying I'd undergone by him on my first day in the WWE, and time he'd attacked me during an interview with Renee Young. He hated the man's guts, and wanted to show him with his fists just what he thought about him.
"Well tonight is your chance," I said, putting my phone away, slipping it into my bag.
"And we get to finish off whatever Dean leaves us," laughed Seth.
Once they were all changed, they walked me to catering, none of them wanting me to wander the corridors of the arena alone. After everything that had happened, I don't think they'd ever let me walk around alone again!
We entered catering and I soon saw the twins at a table. They waved me over and The Shield allowed me to go, feeling satisfied that I'd be safe with The Bellas. I wished them luck and they rushed away, ready for the fight. I grabbed a cup of water and sat down at the table, all of us facing the big TV screen in there that was airing Raw that evening. The tail end of the match between Neville and Barrett was currently showing.
"How are you feeling?" Nikki asked sweetly, rubbing my back.
"I'm good," I smiled, sipping my water. "My body still aches a little but nowhere near as bad as last week."
"Good," she smiled. "John was seething after what happened. I had to stop him going backstage and beating Randy down right there and then."
I chuckled. "Well he'd have to join the very big queue that's building in order to get a shot at Orton."
"It's lucky Dean got out to ringside when he did," said Brie. "Everyone backstage was going crazy. No one could believe what was happening."
"Really?" I asked.
"Yeah," explained Nikki. "Dean may have got out there first, but others were preparing to help too. John, Daniel, Ryback, Neville, Cesaro. No one could stand to see what Orton was doing. You're Dolph's sister and a lovely person. Of course people wanted to help you."
My stomach did somersaults, my heart completely touched by the way the superstars were ready to rally behind me. I never really thought I'd had many friends in this company except for The Shield and the twins, but I guess my brother did. And any friend of my brother's was a friend of mine. It was good to know that, no matter what, someone would always have my back.
"Wow…" I said, staring down at the table. "That's… amazing."
"But Randy went too far," Brie said. "He'll get his comeuppance. Karma can be a bitch."
"With how pissed Dean was, I don't doubt it," added Nikki. "How was he afterwards?"
I smiled inwardly. "He was… wonderful. I've never been so well taken care of in all my life. He's waited on me hand and foot all week."
"Wow. That boy has it for you bad," Nikki smirked.
"Huh?" I asked, looking at her in confusion.
But she didn't have time to reply. We all looked to the screen, Sheamus's music blaring through the speakers, telling us their match was about to begin. He walked to the ring, the crowd boo'ing him wildly. He entered the ring, rallying the crowd until his music died.
The arena was impatiently waiting, many of the crowd turning to look at the staircase where we all knew they would eventually appear.
Sierra Hotel India Echo Lima Delta… Shield
I smirked, watching as the boys emerged and stood together at the top of the staircase, slowly making their way down. The crowd was going wild, having really sided with them over the Orton incident. The Shield were well and truly loved by the WWE Universe, and they were giving their praises loudly. They hopped over the barrier, Seth and Roman giving Dean a pep talk, the lunatic never taking his eyes from Sheamus who stood in the ring.
"And it's Ambrose who will fight on the side of The Shield tonight," said Michael Cole as her offered his commentary. "Ambrose who is still reeling from the attack on Madeleine Ziggler last week on Raw. We here wish Madeleine a speedy recovery."
"We sure do, Michael," added JBL. "We hope to see her back on Raw soon."
Once the pep talk had ended, Dean jumped up onto the apron and slipped through the ropes and into the ring.
My heart thumped in my chest as Dean and Sheamus circled each other, poised to attack. The bell rang and they immediately locked up.
I clutched the cup of water tightly in my hands as I watched the battle unfold, praying that Dean would be alright and would emerge victorious. Dean was on edge and pissed off enough lately with WWE. A loss tonight would seriously not help matters.
Dean won the lock up, getting the Irishman into a headlock, running and hitting his head off the turnbuckle. With Sheamus disorientated, Dean gave him a dropkick, Sheamus dropping to the mat. I smiled, relaxing a little as Dean got into the rhythm of the match.
He was geared up and he was prepared for anything that would be thrown at him tonight. This I knew. Dean was a very focused individual, one who gave whatever he was doing everything he had. And Sheamus was his target tonight.
The match went back and forth, Dean never stopping or backing down. Sheamus was feigning and I knew Dean was going for the victory.
That was until someone else's music hit.
I hear voices in my head, they come to me, they understand, they talk to me…
The twins I gasped, my eyes wide as Orton appeared at the top of the stage. My stomach flipped, a sick feeling entering my stomach as I gazed at the man who'd attacked me for the first time since it had all happened.
"What the fuck is Orton doing here?" Nikki asked.
Dean glared at him, his body stiff and his jaw tense, clearly unhappy with his sudden appearance. Seth and Roman began to walk towards Orton, but it was too late. The distraction had already worked.
Sheamus snuck up behind Dean and pulled him down, rolling him up and pinning him 1-2-3.
Sheamus's music filled the arena, Orton making a quick escape as Dean sat in the middle of the ring, shock on his face, anger in his eyes, unable to believe what had just happened.
Orton had distracted him enough for Sheamus to claim the victory.
The ref raised the Irishman's hand, Seth and Roman pulling an incredulous Dean from the ring, getting him out of there before he could lash out and get mad.
"Fuck…" I said to myself.
"That's not good," said a worried Nikki.
"He's gonna be pissed. So so pissed," I said nervously, running a hand through my hair.
I dreaded to think how he'd be. I could just tell from his face that he was not happy. Not only because he'd lost the match but because Randy had been the reason for it. The Viper had come out on top and Dean would not take to that kindly. A bad taste entered my mouth, especially as I watched the screen, seeing Dean walk away angrily, leaving his team mates behind him.
I needed to talk to him and calm him down. I needed to make sure he was alright. I finished my water and stood up.
"Listen, I need to go see if he's okay," I told the twins.
"Good luck," Brie smiled sympathetically. "It's not gonna be pretty."
"Tell me about it," I said as I left catering.
I swiftly made my way through the corridors, seeing from the screens on my journey that Seth and Roman were currently being interviewed by Renee Young about what had just played out. This meant Dean would be in the locker room alone. I was grateful for this. Distractions and interruptions were the last thing we needed right now.
I reached the locker room and knocked three times. I got no answer so I decided to enter anyway, quietly closing the door behind me.
He was sitting on a bench, looking down at his balled fists, his leg fidgeting nervously, twitching with annoyance. He didn't look up at me as in entered. In fact he barely acknowledged my presence at all.
I looked at him, the fury radiating off of him. I wondered if I was doing the right thing here. Maybe I should have left him alone to cool off, but he'd always helped me and I wanted to return the favour and help him.
I leant back against the wall, unsure of whether to approach him just yet.
"Dean…?" I asked timidly. "You okay?"
He didn't answer. He just continued staring holes into the floor. I bit my lip, hating seeing him like this, so angry, so mad, so pissed off at himself. "Listen, it's okay, you know," I tried again. "It was just a match. There will be others."
He glared up at me then, my body a little taken aback by the fury in his blue eyes. He truly looked like the lunatic everyone thought he was. I wasn't afraid to admit he frightened me a little.
"Just a match?" he hissed, his eyes narrowed. "Did you not see what happened out there?"
I swallowed, nodding nervously as he stood up, stalking towards me. "I did, but-"
"He won again," he growled. "That sick and disgusting bastard distracted me and got one over on me yet again."
I tried to keep my pounding heart calm. "Randy's not worth getting angry over."
"First he attacks you, and then he attacks my match," he said, still stalking towards me, like a lion approaching its prey. "He ruins everything good in my life and you're telling me he's not worth getting mad over?"
I began to breathe heavily then, knowing I probably should have let him calm down first. I'd tried sorting this out far too soon. Dean wasn't ready and now I was getting the bad end of all this.
"Dean, calm down," I said, trying to keep myself composed, not showing him my worry or fear. "There will be other times to get both Orton and Sheamus."
"I wanted him tonight," he growled as he finally reached me. "I wanted both of them tonight. Both of them have upset me, both have hurt you. And I don't like it when people hurt you." I jumped as he rested his palms on the wall behind me, one on either side of my head, trapping me between himself and the wall.
"Dean…" I tried again, the familiar tingling appearing in my stomach at his closeness. I could smell him, and he smelt delicious.
"Do you know what it does to me every time you're hurt? Every time something bad happens to you? It gets me angry, Maddie. I'm your protector, your shield, the person who keeps you safe. And I wanted revenge for all those times they assaulted you."
"And I appreciate that, but there will be other chances," I tried.
"No, they don't get second chances, not when it comes to you," he said. "It's one strike and you're out with me when it's anything to do with you, Maddie. They do something and I will fuck them up, I will tare them limb from limb. I destroy anyone who tries to harm you. And tonight Orton ruined that. He ruined my chance."
My mouth was dry, my heart threatening to pound right out of my chest, my stomach tingling in the most wonderful way. Every word he said, every syllable he muttered made this man more and more amazing to me. The care he had for me, the affection he offered me, the love he seemed to give me… I'd never find anyone like this in my life. He was truly my most favourite person in the world.
"Exactly. It was Orton who ruined it, you need to stop blaming yourself," I whispered gently to him.
"I should have been more focused on the fight and left Orton to Seth and Roman. But he just gets me so mad." He closed his eyes, pressing his forehead to mine, trying his hardest to calm his body down. I could feel his breath on my skin, his face mere inches from my own.
"I know he does," I said.
"I care about you way too much to let him keep getting away with this shit," he said.
"Dean…"
"Everything he did to you makes me wanna punch his face till there's nothing left of him. The RKO, the sinister threats… the way he kissed you and claimed you…" He opened his eyes and suddenly rubbed his nose lovingly over mine. "I'd never been so jealous in all my life."
Whoa…
He'd been jealous?
My eyes shot to his, my breath catching in my throat, goosebumps spreading slowly over my skin. His eyes were dark, hooded, needy. Something had changed in him, the anger of what had happened slowly dissipating and turning into something else. It was like all he could see now was me, all he could think about was me. Randy was no longer in the forefront of his mind, I was. I'd only ever seen him like this one time before and it had been the time he kissed me all those weeks ago.
"I hated it too," I whispered, almost wishing he'd press closer against me. "I hate that he's the last one to have kissed me and held me like that."
"It ate me up inside," he said, running his nose along my cheek, my eyes fluttering closed. My stomach wasn't the only part of my body tingling any more, I was now feeling funny even lower, lust flooding every part of me. "To see another man's lips pressed to yours… I wanted to cry, to scream…"
He moved his face back so his eyes could see into mine, my own opening to look at him.
"You look like you wanna kiss me right now…" I said as he gently stroked my cheek with the tips of his fingers.
"Would you push me away if I did?" he queried.
I shook my head. "No… Never…"
He rubbed his nose over mine again, my eyes instinctively closing as he leaned in…
Then the locker room door burst open.
"Fuck," Dean groaned.
I gasped as he pulled away quickly, Seth and Roman entering the room before anything could happen.
"Can't believe the mother-fucker showed up like that," said Seth as he walked over to his bag, none the wiser to the scene he'd just broken up. "He's got some fucking nerve."
"No kidding," said Roman as he shut the door, walking over to Dean. "How you feeling, buddy?"
"Fine," mumbled Dean as he began to sort out his things. "I'm, uh, fine."
I simply stood there, glad there was a wall behind me to lean on. With the way my legs felt right now, I was surprised I hadn't fallen to the floor in a messy heap. I just watched on as my heart rate slowly tried to get back to normal, my skin on fire, my mind unable to comprehend the fact that Dean Ambrose had almost just kissed me…
A giant thanks to Hollarious969, calwitch, Tantoune, Ashley, AKSimons, Blue Moon Solstice and Crazychiksxxxx for their lovely reviews.