Disclaimer, etc., in part 1.

Note: Don't worry... We'll get back to Dean's demand for a match with Ryder on RAW... But first, gotta get through the live events between SD and RAW...

Part Twenty-Five

She sat quietly in her car, her hands still on the wheel, the diva taking a deep breath before she forced herself to turn off the rental vehicle. Eve unbuckled her seatbelt, then opened the door, getting out of the car, her gaze sliding around the parking garage in search of Seth Rollins, whom she had been told would be meeting her out here tonight to walk her to the Shield's locker room, but Seth wasn't the individual with two-toned hair that she found seemingly patiently waiting for her.

Kaitlyn was.

Arching a brow, Eve watched as the younger woman pushed away from the wall and began to approach her, the divas' champion going about the business of gathering her things from the trunk of her car as Kaitlyn made her way over.

"I wasn't sure I'd get a chance to talk to you. Seems like you've always got a member of the Shield around you now," the younger woman said, and Eve shrugged her shoulders.

"They know they've made enemies in the past couple of months. I think the concern is that one of those enemies might decide that it's a good idea to come after me," the woman said, and Kaitlyn gave a slight nod.

"Can't really fault their logic. Anyway... I was waiting for you for a reason, and not just because I missed you," Kaitlyn said, and Eve snorted. Considering how things had been for them up until a couple of weeks ago - when the younger diva had discovered that Eve really *hadn't* been behind the attack at Night of Champions - the idea of Kaitlyn missing her was actually a bit funny. Not that she was going to say that.

"So what's going on?" the diva asked instead, trying to prompt Kaitlyn to give her the reason that she'd sought her out, and the other woman sighed, pushing a hand through her hair.

"I need a tag team partner, at least for the show tonight. It was supposed to be me and Natalya against Aksana and Alicia, but that's not going to happen because Nattie had travel issues. She had some promotional work this week, so she wasn't at SmackDown, and now the weather where she's been is awful and she couldn't get a flight out in time, so... I need a new partner. Booker T told me that it was up to me to find one, otherwise it would be a triple threat, and... I'm not sure if that's a good thing or if they'd just end up double-teaming me, so... I'm looking for a tag team partner, and I'm asking you. I checked, and you don't have a match tonight otherwise," the woman said, her gaze sliding to the divas' championship that Eve had draped over her shoulder. "I thought that was kind of weird since you're the divas' champion and all, but that's the way it was listed. The Shield does have a match, though. Six-man tag against Ryback and the Usos."

Eve nodded. "I'd seen that before... When I was going through paperwork for Booker T last night. And... I have no problem teaming with you, so... Tell Booker you found a partner."

"Will the Shield have a problem with you taking a match?" Kaitlyn asked, and Eve arched a brow.

"Did Team Hell No have a problem with you taking a match?" she countered, and the younger diva shook her head.

"No... Their match is earlier in the card than mine - they're opening the show tonight - so they actually decided that I shouldn't be out there for their match, just in case. You know, to make sure that I'm okay for mine. But, uh... That's Team Hell No. You manage the Shield."

"And they know I'm a wrestler as well, and that I'm divas' champion. They have to know I'll have a match sometimes. I'll be your partner tonight, Kaitlyn," she said, and the younger woman nodded.

"Okay... I just... Things seem to be okay with you and them right now, and I don't... I don't want to mess things up, because... They are pretty dangerous," the Houston native said, and Eve nodded slightly at that, her mind going back to what had happened the night before after SmackDown... When Zack Ryder had been stupid enough to say something bad about her in front of Dean Ambrose and Ambrose had reacted not only by defending her, but by actually demanding a match against the other man. A match that she rather thought that Zack really was not looking forward to.

"Maybe so... But they haven't done anything to me, and I don't think they will. They know what Teddy Long hoped would happen, and they seem pretty intent on not doing that, so..." Eve shrugged. "Anyway... I'm in. I'll meet you at the curtain before the match, okay?"

Kaitlyn nodded. "I'll be there... And thanks, Eve. I know you didn't have to say yes to teaming up with me, and I appreciate it," the younger woman said, giving her a smile and a little wave before turning and heading off... Blinking and taking a step back when she saw Seth Rollins standing about ten feet away. Clearly, he was waiting for Eve, but hadn't approached yet because there didn't seem to be any trouble between the two women. Taking a deep breath, Kaitlyn continued on, giving Seth a pretty wide berth as she did so, Eve fighting not to smile at that because really... After hanging out with him for just a couple of shows, Eve didn't really find Seth intimidating at all, not anymore.

As she passed him by, Seth shook his head slightly, then stepped forward, coming to stand in front of Eve. "Everything okay?" he asked, reaching out to take her bag and, rather than look like an idiot by standing there fighting him over her things or something, she let him take it.

"Fine, actually. Kaitlyn just asked me to be her tag team partner tonight since Natalya couldn't make it to the shows, and I said yes," she stated, and the young man frowned.

"Really? Why would she... The two of you... Don't seem to get along. You think you can trust her?"

"I think I can. Because she knows the truth now," Eve said, though the thing was, she couldn't really expect Seth Rollins to know what the truth was... She hadn't told the Shield that she hadn't actually been behind the attack on Kaitlyn at Night of Champions.

Rollins arched a brow. "I'm guessing that truth is a little different than the widely accepted story."

"I didn't have her attacked, and she knows it. So I'm not as sneaky and underhanded as people think I am. Disappointed?" she asked, and Seth let out a laugh.

"Actually, I was mostly just disappointed in the idea that you would have someone like Aksana as a henchman," he told her, then gestured toward the door. "Come on. Let's get inside. You can tell us all about what really happened at Night of Champions... And then, well... It seems you have a match to get ready for."

"That I do," she said, and Seth smiled at her again before turning and heading toward the door leading into the arena, Eve easily matching her steps to his as she walked alongside him.