"So, what's the agenda going to be like?" Tania questioned, turning back to watch Shane use his free hand to put his sunglasses on. For a moment, she regretted putting hers into her suitcase instead of her purse.
"For today?" Tania gave a small nod. "I figure if we go to the arena first then we will have more time to do whatever we want. It's called freedom." He laughed as he tried to paint the picture in front of her with a wave of his hand. She just joined him and shook her head.
Waiting at the bottom of the stairs, Tania pushed closer to Shane. "I guess that makes sense."
"You can meet up with Randy there for a few minutes too. At least that way you guys can touch base…" Shane seemed to be waiting for her reaction to it. He still wasn't sure how Randy played into everything, and that meant he would be a threat. "Unless you want to phone him, of course."
"Nah. If I meet him, I meet him. If not then oh well."
"You're sure?"
Tania laughed. "You're starting to sound like a jealous man again Shane." To her, it was almost cute. The mention of one man making him so uncomfortable.
"Should I be?"
"Course not." Why did she get the impression no matter how man times she explained it, Shane wouldn't grasp the concept. "Randy and I have no chemistry. It would never work. To be honest, there's nothing more than a friendship there as far as I'm concerned."
To prove her point, Tania stood up on her tip toes and lightly brushed her lips against Shane's. "I suppose it makes me feel better."
Leaning down, Shane hooked an arm under Tania's legs and picked her up. Tossing her up slightly, he adjusted how she was cradled in his arms. With a stupid grin on his face, Shane began to spin around.
"Shane!" Tania squealed, arms latching on around his neck. She felt like she was going to fall. "Put me down!"
"Why? I like you right here." It felt good having her in his arms. Knowing that she belonged to him made him feel almost macho. Plus, he had to admit, it was great to know he had something that Adam wanted but couldn't have. "You still worried about the note from Adam?"
Up until that point, Tania had forgotten about it. "Yeah. I am. I don't know him, and therefore I don't know what he's capable of. I think that is what is getting to me the most." If she knew Adam a little better then she'd be able to believe Shane when he said that Adam was all bark. But she didn't. That was cause for caution.
"I won't let anything happen."
"So you keep saying." Stretching her feet out, Tania felt Shane placing her back down on the ground. "And for some reason, I believe you." "I'm glad to hear that." It actually did mean something to Shane that she was willing to do so. It was hard to explain how things were with them. He wasn't even sure that he could. Surprisingly, Shane found things moving a completely different way than even he imagined. He was beginning to feel things he hadn't felt since Marissa first came into his life.
Letting a smile play on his lips, Shane tightened his grasp around Tania.
oOoOoOo
"So are you going to help Monday or not?" Adam asked, tossing his bag into the trunk of the rental car. Slamming the trunk, he looked up at his friend with raised eyebrow.
"Like I said, I'm not helping you ruin that woman's life. I'm sure Shane's doing a good enough job of it already." He wished that Adam would just give up on it already. Any sane person who knew about the situation was going to see that somebody was going to get hurt. In fact, knowing the two men that were involved, it could go even farther. "So forget it."
"Jay, I need this!" Adam begged.
All his friend could do was roll his eyes. "I'm not doing it Adam."
"Shane and Tania separated. That's all I need to have happen." He could do the rest from there. Jay was his best friend, why couldn't he do something as simple as what he was asking? "Talk to Shane about a story line or something. Please."
"No!" There was no way Adam was going to get him to do it. "Adam, I'm telling you this because you're like a brother to me. What you are doing is wrong. What Shane's doing is wrong. Tania is going to get hurt. Can you live with yourself if something down right horrible happens?"
Adam snorted. "You make it sound like she'd kill herself or something."
"Because it's a possibility! You're playing with someone's life here." Leaning against the door of the car, Jay turned away. He really didn't want to deal with this right now. Adam's stubbornness. He still couldn't believe that both Adam and Shane felt the need to use Tania like a tug of war rope. She was a real person with feelings, feelings that were going to get hurt. "You know what, I'm going to ride in with Jericho."
He didn't even give Adam the chance to argue. Slamming the door close, he broke out into a jog back towards the hotel.
oOoOoOo
"Jake?" Randy was a little uncertain as he approached the man as he couldn't quite remember what he looked like. He had only seen the man with Tania for short periods of time once or twice. "Jake Brinson?"
The guy set down the piece of equipment and turned towards Randy. "Yes?"
"Look, I need to ask you a big favour…" He felt strange asking it of Jake, but who else could he go to? "It's about Tania."
"Is she okay?" Jake frowned, suddenly concerned about his friend. From the first moment that Tania had started talking to Randy he couldn't help but feel that way. The crew and the performers lived in two completely different worlds. It had always been that way. "Did something happen?"
Sliding his hands into his pockets, Randy shrugged. "That's the thing. I'm not sure. I think I may have gotten her into a bit of trouble."
"Trouble how?"
"I think Adam and Shane are using Tania as a way to get at one another. She's going to get hurt, and I can't help think that it's my fault."
Letting out a sigh, Jake motioned for Randy to follow him. The last thing they needed was for someone else to hear the conversation. Slipping into the back, Jake opened a door to his trailer and led Randy inside. "You need to tell me everything."
Sitting down on the one chair, Randy ran a hand through his hair. He couldn't figure out how to explain it, and it probably sounded absurd. "When I introduced Shane to Tania, he started paying a lot of attention to her. Apparently him and Adam were trying to see who could ask her out first."
"And the winner was?"
"Shane." He could see the reaction on Jake's face and imagined it probably wasn't much different than his. "But Adam has been threatening her. I'm not sure that Tania realizes what she has gotten herself into."
"How do I fit into this?" Jake was still trying to digest all that Randy had told him. From having to meet with him on several occasions, Jake knew what Shane was like. He always had a motive for everything that he did.
Randy almost smiled. "I need you to talk to her and find out if everything is alright. If I do it, I'm afraid how it will look. I don't know her like you do, and for me to suddenly pry into her life…"
"It's cool. I understand where you're coming from." Tania would probably open up more to someone she knew and trusted then someone she had just met. Actually, he was surprised she was opening up as much as she was to Shane and Randy. In a way, it wasn't a bad thing either. Jake often wished she would get out more, just not like this. "I'll do my best to talk to her as quick as I can."
"I appreciate it Jake." Randy glanced down at his hand and frowned. He had been peeling at a patch of skin with is thumb nail. Definitely a sign of nervousness with him. Of course, this wasn't the typical situation he found himself in either. "This had become so complicated so fast."
"Reminds me of a really bad soap opera." Jake noted under his breath. Sometimes the backstage drama was unbelievable. It was a shame that this time Tania was going to be the one caught up in it all. "You ah, really seem to care for her."
"I know what you're thinking, and the answer is no."
Jake laughed. Clearly it hadn't been the first time someone had mentioned something to Randy. He wasn't the only one seeing that there was a little more than what Randy would admit to. "Are you sure about that? Because to me it sounds like a little bit of denial."
"The chemistry isn't there." Randy informed. Why couldn't people understand that? It was a general assumption that when a male and a female happened to hang out with one another then there was some sort of relationship going on. Whatever happened to friendship? "Look, if something were to happen to Tania, then I'd feel downright horrible about it. I'm the one who introduced her to these people."
"Hey, I was just asking. There's no need to get all emotional over it." Jake teased. He never meant to offend Randy, and yet that was how it appeared. "Do you know what's going on with Tania over the next couple of day?"
"She was flying out here with Shane. Something about singing a few papers to take over Lilian's job temporarily for the next week or so until she's able to come back. I didn't get her cell phone number so I can't exactly tell you." Then again, with the way things were going, anything was possible. She could be moving into the McMahon mansion by the end of the week after eloping with Shane in some cheap Vegas chapel.
"You don't have her cell number?" Jake was actually a little surprised with that. "Got yours with you? I can give it to you if you'd like."
Looking up, Randy reached into the pocket of his coat. "Here." he handed the little silver phone over to Jake. Tonight, he was definitely going to make the call to Tania. Things needed to be worked out and quick. If Tania were to even know what the last part of the note was, she'd probably on a plane home. In a way, he was regretting never showing it to her.
Some days, he hated himself. This was one of them. There was a good chance that Adam was going to try and rape Tania next Monday. There was also a chance that he could succeed. If that were to happen, how could he live with himself knowing that he could have prevented it? He had to tell her.
RKOs My Hero: Thanks. I have this constant fear that this will go stale all of a sudden.
pianogal: It was a plan by Shane to have them alone on the plane. Can you blame the guy?
Untouchable1400: I'm glad I can make you think different of Shane. I love how your thinking about all this.
WWECenaFan: Shane does, doesn't he? I think Randy's biggest problem is him.
Kate: I actually kind of like Tania and Shane. Then again, I'm writing it.
Latisha C: I guess we are just seeing a different side of Randy.
Deceptive-Innocence: So many guys, so little time!