Serena woke up at quarter to six after having a nightmare that took her back to the woods. She realized she fell asleep on the couch watching TV, turning back to see Dean fast asleep in his bed. Taking his key card, Serena left him sleeping and ventured to a nearby bakery to pick up breakfast for the two of them, along with some extras because she knew Roman and Seth would make their way to the hotel room at some point in the morning. She was armed with a lot of food, all in bakery boxes that were stacked in two giant bags that hung over her arms. In her right hand, she held a flat of four cups of coffee, all of them clearly labelled. Hanging out with The Shield so much, Serena knew their coffee preferences down to the letter.
Later on in the morning, they had to fly out to Seattle, Washington for a house show. Dean, Seth and Roman were main-eventing the house shows, taking on the team of John Cena, Kane and Daniel Bryan. Since it was going to be a short flight, Dean was ecstatic to get the extra hour of sleep that he felt he so desperately needed.
Serena was making her way through the main lobby of the hotel, towards the elevators. She had a headphone in one ear, listening to Jessie J. Her head was swaying softly back and forth to the beat as she wove swiftly between the people lining up at front desk to check in and check out.
"There you are, love! Your mother has been worried about you all night! Where have you been?"
Serena turned to see Wade standing in front of her. His grey hooded sweatshirt was zipped right up, the hood covering his hair. He wore sunglasses over his face. She could see his headphones hanging around his neck. He was armed with a cup of coffee. Serena was pretty sure that he had just come back from his morning workout. Serena's eyes narrowed. She remembered back when their friendship was on more solid footing, when she was happy to see him and he was warm and caring and non-judgmental. The fact that he was getting along with her mother so well was beginning to annoy her, not to mention she suspected some of her mother's traits were rubbing off on Wade. She also had her suspicions that her mother was filling Wade's head with all sorts of ideas about a future between Serena and Wade. Serena hated to admit it, but she was beginning to develop some sort of us vs. them mentality when it came to Sabrina, Wade, Dean and herself.
Wade took one look at her and knew instantly where she had spent the night. His face darkened. "It figures. You shouldn't have run out on your mother like that, Serena. She raised you better than that."
"She barely raised me. But I'll bet she never told you that," Serena told him dryly. She kept moving towards the elevator. Wade was struggling to keep up with her. She hit the button. She sighed. "Since when did you become so attached to the hip with my mother?"
"She's a charming woman, Serena. I see a lot of you in her."
"Bullshit. I'm nothing like her," Serena told him angrily.
"You've changed, Serena," he accused. She snorted.
"Well, I'm not the same as I used to be," she told him curtly.
"He's changed you."
"Who, Dean?" she asked. Wade didn't have to answer. Serena knew he was looking for anything to validate his sudden dislike for Dean Ambrose. Serena snorted. "Get out of here with that, Wade. The scars all over my body changed me. That night in the woods, killing a human being? That changed me. But you haven't been around to figure that out." It was a cheap shot and she knew it, but she didn't care. The elevator door opened. Serena walked in and hit the button. Wade got in with her.
"Serena…"
"Don't, all right? I don't know what you're doing with my mother, I don't know what she's saying to you, but I don't care, okay? In the past few years, I've been attacked twice, sued and I've done things I never thought I'd do in a million years. I still have nightmares. I have problems looking at myself in the mirror. I'm just trying to put one foot in front of the other and keep moving on with my life. I'm not going to be the same after what has happened. It's certainly not Dean's fault."
"You should be…"
"With you, I know, I know. We've been over this." She wasn't looking at him, something that struck Wade. She was hardening, he could see it. The elevator stopped on a floor that he knew wasn't hers. She went to step out, but he grabbed her arm.
"Serena…"
She put her arm out, keeping the elevator door from closing. "Don't, all right? You can run back to my mother and say whatever you want to tell her, but I'm not ready to deal with her yet." She stepped out onto the floor. Wade watched her walk away as the elevator doors closed. Serena didn't bother turning back to look at him.
Serena attempted to shake the unpleasantness from her mood. Serena slid the key card into the door and walked into the room. The first thing she heard was the water running in the bathroom. She saw his bed was empty, the covers thrown back. The other bed wasn't slept in, since she had fallen sleep on the couch. She couldn't remember what she was watching before she fell asleep. Serena went to the kitchen area and put everything down on the counter, pulling the boxes out of the bags. There were donuts, turnovers, and other goodies that she had picked up. She was so sure she would make it back before Dean woke up that she hadn't bothered leaving a note. Now she was second-guessing that decision.
The water stopped running in the bathroom. Serena helped herself to her cup of coffee and leaned against the counter, sipping from the paper cup. She turned her head and looked out the window, at the quiet world below. She saw Daniel Bryan and Kane arriving back at the hotel with Brie Bella in tow. Serena made a noise. She wondered if she was becoming too bitter with some of the people around her. She decided quickly that the animosity and bitterness she felt towards the Bella twins, Alicia Fox and Rosa Mendes was more than justified. They had been cruel to her. She knew Alicia's reasoning, but she had nothing against the other three. Serena didn't even know them.
Serena was brought back to the room when the bathroom door opened. Dean walked out, dressed in blue jeans and a black T-shirt that hung off him. His hair was brushed back and slicked. He smiled. "Good morning. I though you went back to your room."
"It's too early for that," she said with a laugh. She grabbed Dean's coffee, crossing the room and handing him the cup. He thanked her with a kiss on the cheek. "I went and got breakfast."
"You're too sweet." He sipped his coffee. "You remembered the espresso shot. God, you're perfect."
"You're too sweet," she mimicked. He followed her into the kitchen. He looked at all the boxes. "I figured Seth and Roman were probably going to stop by in the next little bit."
"I'm going to have to put extra time in the gym, but I don't even care right now," he told her, grabbing a chocolate frosted donut topped with rainbow sprinkles. "Thanks for breakfast."
"It's the least I could do, you know, with me dropping in at three o'clock in the morning."
"You're always a welcome sight," he told her, draping an arm around her shoulder and bringing her close. Serena could tell he was still tired. "This is some good fucking coffee." She laughed. "Did you get the espresso shot, too?"
"No, but I probably need it," she told him. She grabbed herself a raspberry turnover and bit into it. "I ran into Wade downstairs. This is going to sound crazy, but I think he spent the night with my mom." Dean almost choked on his coffee. "Not like that. Gross."
"I'm with you there," he told her. He finished his donut. "I'm sorry to put that thought out in the universe."
"You should be," she told him. "But she's filling his head with stuff, Dean, and he's buying it. I don't like it."
"You shouldn't," he agreed. "But don't let it bother you. You have enough shit to deal with." He ran his hand through her hair. Serena was surprised she could feel so comfortable around somebody. "Are you still thinking about doing what you were talking about last night?"
"What, the move?" He nodded. "Yeah, I am. I'm still thinking of having everyone over to paint, too."
"Well, you can always stay with me while the paint is drying," he told her. "I don't have to tell you that, though." Serena put her coffee cup on the counter. She ran her hand over his wet hair, bringing her hand to a rest on his cheek. He looked into her eyes. He thought they were one of her best features, light and clear blue. There was a knock on the door. He turned his head and kissed her hand.
"I'm going to get that," he told her, moving past her. He scooped up his baseball cap off the coffee table and put it on backwards, never missing a beat. He peered through the peephole and answered the door. It was Seth and Roman. "Serena brought breakfast, guys." Roman closed the door behind them.
"Good morning, Serena," Seth greeted. He opened his arms wide and she gave him a hug. Then she hugged Roman. Seth grabbed a long john donut. "You got us coffee, too? Serena, you're the best!"
"We just got up," Roman explained, "And you know how Seth is without his coffee."
"Oh, I know," Serena laughed. "Why else do you think I got extra larges?"
"Much appreciated," Seth told her, strolling out of the kitchen area and sitting down on the couch.
"Thanks, Serena," Roman murmured, grabbing a blueberry fritter. He took his place beside Seth on the couch.
"Serena's thinking about moving again," Dean announced.
"But you just got into that place a couple months ago," Seth said, surprised.
"I know. I just want a house of my own. I miss my little cottage, away from nosy neighbors," Serena confessed.
"You thinking about leaving us?" Seth asked.
"No, no. I'll still be in Florida."
"Good. We're getting a little too used to having you around," Seth told her with a grin.
"Maybe I'm a little too used to having you guys around, too," Serena responded. Dean went back into the kitchen to get his cup of coffee. He put his arm around Serena's waist.
"We should go to the zoo tomorrow before we fly back," Seth suggested. Roman and Dean shot each other bemused looks.
"I think that's an awesome idea," Serena told him. Dean's shoulders slumped, but Serena didn't see it. "We should totally take a loop there before we get on the plane." There was a beat. "By the way, Seth, did you ever call Cinderella?"
"Let's not go there."
"What happened?" Dean asked. It was obvious Seth had kept everything to himself.
"I said let's not go there."
"She said her little brother was a fan…is that the only reason why she got your number?" Serena asked. Seth didn't have to answer. "I'm sorry, Seth."
"It's fine. There's someone out there for everyone, right?"
"There is," Serena agreed. "You'll find her eventually."
"Took me a while, but I found mine," Dean told him. Serena felt herself blush. She felt his grip around her waist tighten just a little. Serena still had that nagging feeling about the situation with Wade and her mother, but she pushed it aside and in the moment allowed herself to feel normal.