A/N: These next two are for ILoveAnime89. Thank you for reading and reviewing my story!
WWE Headquarters – 8:56 AM
"Viv, we're leaving in about five minutes."
She looked up from the menu request she was reading to see Paul standing halfway inside the office at the door. She nodded her head and stood, gathering up some folders and placing them in her bag. "I'll be right out." She looked back down at the desk before remembering what he wanted to tell him. "Paul!"
He popped back into the doorway, not having gone very far. "Yeah?"
"Will you tell Michaels that I want to talk to him?"
"Sure," he said before his brows furrowed. "What for?"
"Oh, I just wanted to ask him what he wanted me to make for him. I know he likes certain things I make," she covered with a smile.
"I think that he'll eat anything you make, but I'll let him know."
"Thanks." She quickly grabbed up her bag, and headed out after Paul, shutting the door behind her.
"""""
RAW event – 9:27 PM
Vivian sat in the office that Stephanie had designated them to share. It was the knock at the door that took her eyes from the book she was reading.
"Come in," she said in a loud voice.
When the door cracked open, a smiling face chewing gum appeared.
"H told me you wanted to talk to me," he said as he made his way in and sat in a chair that was next to the couch she sat on. "What can I do for you?" A wide grin graced his face.
"Well, what you can do," she said, closing the book and sitting up straight. "Is tell me why Jay and Adam seem to be going at it." A smile spread over her face now.
Shawn's facial expression dropped. "What?"
"Don't play with me. I know that you know." She leaned in closer to him. "Spill it, Michaels."
"Well," he drawled out. He looked down at his hands as he stammered. "Last that I heard... but you know, this could be completely untrue... But last I heard... You know, it's not good to gossip," he got out, pointing a finger at her.
"Shawn, if you don't tell me, I'm never going to make you my chicken and biscuits ever again." His ears perked up along with the corners of his lips curling up in a silly grin. She tilted her head up, willing him to tell her. "Fine, no more stuffing either."
"Oh, come on!" he said in a hoarse voice that she couldn't help but laugh at. "Okay! Okay, I give in. I'll tell you." He sighed. "But you have to make me some chicken and biscuits."
"I'll have ten of them hot and ready tomorrow morning," she said quickly before he began.
"Randy's kind of, you know... Spreading... a little rumor about you... and him. Together, and we all know it's not true."
"So, he's saying that me," she tried to clear up, pointing to herself. "And him, are together?"
"Yes," Michaels confirmed. "And – and like I said... We all know it's not true."
"Well, I know that, and you know that. Paul and Steph know that. But if Jay hears it from Randy, it's going to make him flip."
"I understand that Randy sent you flowers?"
"Yeah, for Valentine's. He, uh, asked me out to dinner on the card with it."
"And you didn't accept, right?"
"Of course not," she scoffed. "Jay ripped it up and threw it out."
"So he knows that Randy's trying to, you know, get a go at you."
Vivian sighed, placing her hand on her forehead. "I just don't want it to cause any issues between me and Jay. Like we don't have a mountain to climb over already."
"You mean with the baby on the way? And the divorces? And then you have Shawn spending time with Jeff to tend to as well," Michaels listed off with animated hands.
Her eyes shot to him. "Thanks for the recap," she with another scoff.
"Sorry," he said, ducking his head. "Maybe you should have a little, you know, have a little sit down with Adam. Talk things out." He stood, crouching in front of where she sat, placing a hand on her knee. "I'm going to get going now, but if you ever need anyone to talk to, and to... you know... get stuff out of, I'll be around." Scrunching his face as he talked, he gave her a smile and stood up with some effort.
"Knee still bothering you?"
"Just a bit of rust," he said, rubbing it gingerly. "Literally." He heard her laughter as he left out of the office. Of course, he didn't really believe it was his place to tell Vivian exactly why Adam seemed to have such an intense dislike for her. She needed to find out from him, and better sooner than never if she ever wanted her relationship with Jay to last.
"""""
October 2001 – 7:45 PM – RAW event
"Hey, Vivy."
She looked up from arranging trays of food to see the wide-smiling face of Edge. "Hey, how are you tonight?"
"Doing good," he said taking a chicken strip off a tray. "These are really good."
"Thanks," she said and turned back to her work.
"Homemade?"
"Of course," she confirmed with a smile of her own. "Frozen foods would just not bode well with the Superstars, now would it?"
Her gentle laugh seemed to float around him. Watching her as she completed her arrangements, he cleared his throat, nervously raking a hand through his long, blond locks. "So, I'm throwing a birthday party in a week, and I was wondering if you'd like to come."
"Oh, sure. Happy birthday in case I forget." She twirled around to grab an empty platter and tucked it under her arm. "I'm terrible remembering dates."
Following her back to where the kitchen was, he leaned against a display counter. Just being with her these few minutes, he could see why his best friend seemed to be infatuated with her. But she also seemed to be so untouchable. A beautiful lady too busy with work to even have any type of love life. Of course, he was one of those guys who were unable to touch her. How Jay ever became close to her was a complete mystery to him.
Speaking of Jay, he was quickly walking up to where they stood.
"Adam, we're up next." He looked from Adam to where Vivian was moving about in the kitchen. "Hey, sweetie."
Adam stared at him with raised eyebrows. Sweetie?
She looked up from the large pans in front of her. "Hey, honey."
"I haven't seen you all night," Jay said to her, leaning against the wall that was next to the display counter.
"Been cooking nearly half the day. Now, I'll be cleaning up half the night," she said with a sarcastic grin on her face.
"Well don't work too hard. We're supposed to be going out later, remember?"
Going out? Adam looked towards Vivian as she answered him.
"Yes, I remember. To that club down the street. Don't worry. All I need is some time after work to shower and get dressed." She came over to where they stood and leaned an arm on top of the display case. "Adam, are you coming?"
"Well, I don't know," he said rubbing a hand on the back of his head. "I don't want to interrupt anything with you two - "
"Oh, no, it's not just us. A few other people are going."
"We're just not going with them," Jay said quickly with a smirk as he slid the big white framed sunglasses he was holding onto his face. "Come on, we're going to be late."
Adam sighed, and pulled down his own sunglasses from where they were perched on top of his head.
"See you guys later," Vivian called out after them.
"""""
Later that night...
Dancing was not his strong point, but if it meant he could be close to her, he'd learn every dance they did that night. His hands glided down the sides of her body, the simple white T-shirt she wore and leather pants that hugged her curvy figure almost playing with his mind. She had done her hair in a colorful manner, random strips of it braided or bunched together with what he assumed was temporary hair dye. She didn't change her makeup much from earlier while she was working, instead opting to put this glittery stuff on that made her shine and glow even more than she already did.
Stephanie downed another drink, her hair also done in a similar fashion to Vivian's, and danced her way back to her best friend. Vivian gladly accepted the dance invitation from Stephanie as they twisted around each other. Jay, who sat at a table not from far from where the two danced, couldn't help but stare at them and then notice his own best friend's reaction.
"Look at that," he pointed out to the Hardy brothers who sat around one side of the table.
"Man, why aren't we out there?" Matt whistled out.
"I'll tell you, that girl is insane." Jeff took a sip of the drink he was sliding back and forth between his hands on the table. "I plan to ask her to marry me," he said suddenly, not even noticing the dead-face stare that Jay shot at him.
"Well, 'bout time!" Matt exclaimed, then gulped down the remainder of his own drink. "I was wondering when you two would get hitched."
Jay felt his breath catch in his throat as he turned back around to look at Vivian who was now dancing with Adam again. He didn't even notice Stephanie sit on the end of the semi-circle bench where Matt and Jeff sat.
"Whoo!" she said loudly, fanning herself with her hand. "That girl is crazy!"
Matt chuckled out. "Jeff just said the same thing."
"She is though. Was on her feet all day, cooking no less, and she can still come out and dance like that." She placed down the glass in which she had ordered a simple water with lemon, watching as Vivian and Adam walk over to their table. "Ready to go?"
"More than ready," Adam said breathless.
Vivian leaned her head on Stephanie's shoulder, attempting to take a deep breath. "Super more than ready. I'm so tired now."
Jeff slid out from the bench. "Come on, babe," he said to her as he walked around the table to her.
Jay looked to Adam standing next to where he sat on the outer part of the table, seeing the way Adam's face stiffened up as Jeff wrapped his arms around Vivian and kissed her. Jay was close to her, had even slept with her, but even he couldn't do what he'd seen Jeff do.
"Okay," Stephanie abruptly said, taking the last swig of her water. "Let's go."
Jay grabbed Adam's arm, keeping him from walking away with the group.
"Vivian?" he simply asked.
"I didn't know she was with Jeff," Adam said still in a slight daze of what he saw.
"For a while now. Listen," he sighed. "If you're thinking about getting involved with her, it's not a good idea."
"Why?" Adam asked, shooting a stabbing look at Jay. "Because you want her? I already invited her to come to the party. Now I'm just going to look like an idiot." He angrily raked a hand through his hair.
Jay squinted his eyes. "How long have you had an eye on her?"
He scoffed. "Since before you did. Believe me, Lisa was a second choice." He sat down on the bench, running his hand through his hair again. "I saw how much she was in love with you, and I backed off."
Jay crossed his arms over his chest. "So you assumed like every other person that she was with me."
"Of course I did! Do you even realize how close you guys are?" He stared down at the empty glass Stephanie left sitting on the table.
"Yeah, I realize it," he said, vaguely remembering their night together. "I also realize I have Denise."
Adam glared at Jay. "I think we both know that you'd drop her in a heartbeat if Vivian told you that she'd be with you."
Knowing Adam was completely correct, Jay nodded his head. "That doesn't matter now. Jeff said he was going to propose to her." He finished off the little bit of Coke and rum in his glass before setting it back down on the table. "Come on, let's go."
