Chapter 35:

The Balance Shifts

There was an obvious cloud of tension that seemed to hang over the arena when Jory arrived at Raw, hand-in-hand with Seth. With six days to go until WrestleMania 33 in Orlando, Jory had a busy week ahead of her. WrestleMania week was considered Hell Week by many in the company, based on the sheer number of promotional and media appearances, ceremonies and shows that take place in a span of nine days. After Raw, Jory and Seth were on their way to Orlando; from there, their WrestleMania week was in full swing. Jory and Seth both had meet and greets scheduled at the Axxess festival. Seth had to do some radio appearances, while Jory was spending her Wednesday at a library with Mark Henry and Dana Brooke to encourage the young fans to read as many books as they could get their hands on.

If there was a day that she was the most nervous about in her busy week, however, it was Friday. That was going to be an extremely busy day; Michael Hayes had shot her a DM on Twitter to let her know that she was booked to do an Orlando morning news show with Seth. If he was nervous about it, he wasn't showing it, but Jory knew he had a thousand other thoughts running through his brain. After the appearance on Friday, they had to separate so Seth could do another radio interview. Jory was getting together with Renee, Nia, Bayley, and Sasha to get ready for the Hall of Fame. Saturday was NXT TakeOver – she had a front row seat with Seth, and then Sunday was the big day, a day she honestly thought would never come with the way her career had been only months before. It's funny how things can change so drastically in a year. This time 365 days ago, I only had Renee, everyone hated me, I was alone. It's so crazy.

She walked hand-in-hand with Seth, the two of them dressed in matching Kingslayer T-shirts, Jory's cut and modified in a way that made it look like a midriff-baring halter top. Tight navy blue jeans, brown knee-high leather boots, and a high ponytail completed her look. Seth had stared at her for so long when she emerged from the bathroom that she wondered if she had messed up her hair or dropped something on her shirt, but he'd been quick to assure her it was a "hot look". To Jory, it was a show of solidarity, to go on TV in his T-shirt, a silent proclamation that the two of them were in this fight together, that no matter the outcome, they had each other's backs. She looked over at Seth, who was still using a crutch to move around.

Jory wouldn't say it out loud because she knew Seth was still stinging from the attack last week, but she had her concerns that the price of this feud was going to be too high for Seth, that from a physical standpoint he wasn't ready to face Hunter at WrestleMania. Anyone who asked, he assured them that he was fine, but Jory saw him behind closed doors, constantly icing his knee and arguing with doctors. A week ago, he'd told her that he'd be fine in the morning; now, with six days to go until the big event, he still needed the crutch to get around.

Seth looked over at Jory and flashed her a tight smile that did little to untangle the knot of anxiety in her stomach. It had been a long morning for her; their relationship was officially public – thanks a lot, Renee, Seth thought – and Jory found herself bombarded by friends, colleagues, and fans. Everyone they worked with was supportive, but the fans were split down the middle about the two of them being together. The negativity didn't bother her – she was used to it; people have called her worse than a gold-digger and a whore – but she ended up having to mute her phone because it was going off constantly. On top of everything, Seth knew she still felt guilty about what happened to Mick the week before. It didn't matter how many times he or Mick explained it to her that it wasn't her fault, she still felt awful about everything.

They stopped to sign autographs and take pictures with fans, with a few of them asking Seth if he was still good to go for WrestleMania. Jory listened to Seth assure them that he was fine, that everything was good. She wanted to believe him. With WrestleMania so close, she knew that it meant everything to Seth to get his revenge on Hunter. Mentally he'd been ready for months; it was everything else that remained a wild card.

"You've got this, you guys!" one fan shouted at them from the back of the crowd.

"Kick that bitch's ass at WrestleMania, Jordana!" a woman down the line in a Roman Reigns T-shirt yelled out.

"I'm certainly going to do my best," Jory promised. Breaking away from the crowd, the two of them walked towards the door. Seth draped his free arm around her shoulders. It slowed her pace down, but she didn't care. Behind them, she could hear cheering and a few jeers at the sight of Seth putting his arm around her. She wasn't stupid; she knew the female fan-base could often be rabid; she'd seen it firsthand with Renee plenty of times. At one point, they used to compare death threats, through both their Twitter accounts and their fan mail.

The two of them stopped by the match card, and Jory saw she had a match against Alexa Bliss. It was Stephanie's last call to soften Jory up before the grand event, and she was going to take advantage of the opportunity. Jory wasn't at all concerned about Alexa; she'd proven Alexa wasn't a threat in her eyes. She knew that Stephanie couldn't be happy that Jory had made their replacement look bad, but it wasn't Jory's problem anymore.

"You got a date for the Hall of Fame?" Seth asked. He saw that he had a segment in the ring with Hunter.

"Going stag. How about you?"

"So far, I am. Unless you wanna go with me? I mean, it's cool if you don't want to..."

"No, no. That sounds great. I guess we can work out the details through the week...I mean, since we're rooming together, I guess it only makes sense, right?"

"Right. We probably should have talked about that sooner," she said with a laugh.

"Things have been nuts," Seth reminded her. She nodded. "It works. I can't think of a better date. You?"

"Not off the top of my head." He laughed.

"You're so great for my ego," he teased. "Anyway, I need to go and talk to Roman. I'll see you later tonight."

"Okay. Be careful. Six days to go – they're capable of anything." Seth nodded.

"You, too. Don't underestimate Steph." Seth leaned in and kissed her quickly. He pulled back and grinned at the stunned expression on her face. "I guess that's one way to keep you quiet. I'll see you later." With that, Seth turned and walked away. She watched him turn left, disappearing from her view.

"Oh, girl..."

"Shit." Jory's shoulders curved. Turning, she saw Nia standing behind her. "Don't start, Nia."

"Don't tell me not to start. You've been telling me there's nothing going on..."

"Could you not make a scene?"

"Seth Rollins just kissed..."

"I know." It was on the tip of her tongue to say they'd done more than that, but she knew that would be opening a whole other can of worms that she was in no mood to get into. Jory walked past her, heading towards the women's locker room, dragging her bag behind her. Nia followed close behind.

"I want details."

"There's nothing to tell. We're just kind of...feeling things out."

"I bet you've felt..."

"Stop. Wow. I thought Renee was bad, but you're the absolute worst," Jory said, pushing the door to the locker room open. Sasha Banks and Bayley were talking in the corner. They gave Nia and Jory a glance and a curt nod before they went back to their conversation. "I'd stay and talk, but I'm headed to makeup."

"Don't walk away from this. I want details. I live vicariously through you!" Nia shouted at her retreating figure.

"Nia, don't be creepy." With that, Jory was gone.

"Mick!"

He turned to see Jory approach him, his mouth curving into a smile as she made it to him, her hand touching his left shoulder. "Oh my God, Mick, what are you doing here? I thought..."

"I don't know what I'm doing here," he confessed. "I thought last week was my curtain call, but I got this message from Stephanie that she expected me here tonight." He held up a white envelope tied with a red ribbon and bow. "They've given me this to read on the air."

"Mick..."

"I know how it goes with this family, Jordana. This is kind of one last indignity on my way out. I've done this before," he assured her. "I've been doing this since you were a toddler with these guys, Jordana."

"I'm so sorry about everything..."

"Hey. What did I tell you last week? None of that, okay? None of this is your fault." Mick put his giant hands on her shoulders and ducked his head a bit so they were eye level. "You're one of the best talents we have. You're everyone's last hope in terms of giving Stephanie what she's got coming to her. I'm old, I'm broken down..."

"Mick."

"Let me finish, Jordana. I need this time off. If I come back down the line, then that's great. But for now, I need to go. And if I can help you and Seth on the way out, then maybe...just maybe...nothing was in vain. Do you understand what I mean?" he asked her. She nodded. "I know you do. Congratulations to you and Seth, and I'm living vicariously through the two of you. Know that I'm rooting for you both this weekend. But I want you to clean the canvas with Stephanie."

Jory rushed him and hugged tightly. He was like a giant, plaid and Christmas covered teddy bear. He hugged her back just as tight. "Thank you for believing in me, Mick. Thank you for everything you've done for me. I'll never be able to repay you for any of it."

"I just want you to be you," he told her, giving her a pat on the back before pulling back. "So, level with me, since you two are this exclusive item now – how is Seth doing?" He noticed that her face darkened.

"He's staying tight-lipped about everything. I can't get a thing out of him about it, which tells me the man has a plan." She shook her head. "He's been stewing about what happened last week, and I'm sure Hunter's got something planned for him tonight..."

"You be careful. I bet Stephanie has something planned for you, too."

"Oh, I'm counting on that. Especially since she's dispatching Alexa Bliss."

"You've got this." He sighed. "I hate to cut this short, but I need to go..."

"No, it's fine. I'm just on my way to makeup. Good luck tonight."

"You, too, Jordana. If you see Seth before I do, tell him the same."

"I will."

"And no guilt. We all do what we have to do." She nodded, her lips pulling into a thin line when Mick turned to leave. She watched him until he disappeared from her view, the sympathy she felt swelling as she watched him limp away. Then, she turned and left to find the makeup area.

"So, you and Seth Rollins are official now, are you?"

"Oh, look, it's WWE's resident messy bitch. Thanks for blasting that all over Twitter this morning. I've never hated any sound more than I've hated the sound of my phone going off today," Jory told her with a roll of her eyes. In the seat beside her, dressed in a black halter romper, Renee laughed and clapped her hands.

"Oh, give me a break. I've been good," she insisted. "I've had my suspicions about the two of you ever since you posted that picture..." Jory went to shoot her a look, but one of the makeup artists, Leslie, chimed in.

"Oh, that was a great photo. I know which one you're talking about. Hair game on point."

"Was that in his bed?" Renee asked, closing her eyes so makeup artist Lindy Sue could start working.

"Nope. Mine." Jory shut her eyes so Leslie could get to work.

"Did he take the picture?"

"Nope. My best friend."

"Who?"

"It's not important, oh my God."

"Dean said it was a good look, but an awful T-shirt."

"He would. You know, in all of this, I forgot how much your husband hates the two of us."

"He doesn't hate you," Renee reassured her. "I mean, he doesn't like you very much, but I wouldn't call it hate. I don't even think he hates Seth. Dean just takes everything so personally. I think he'll forgive Seth at some point, though. Those three are connected forever, whether they like it or not."

"You really think that will happen? Because Seth thinks hell will freeze over first."

"He will. I've been seeing the way he's been following you two. He's still angry, but I think he's listening to what you guys are saying," Renee told her. "It just...Seth hurt Dean so deeply."

"I know he did," Jory said with a sigh. "Seth and I...we've got a lot to atone for, for everything that we've done. But I think Seth still has some skeletons he needs to face. Dean being on SmackDown doesn't really help with that. But he's come a long way. I can see it. Seth's not the same man he was when he came back last year. I guess it takes some people longer than others. I probably wouldn't be where I am if they hadn't decided Nikki Bella was going to replace me."

While Lindy Sue grabbed another brush, Renee looked over at Jory. In the middle of all the chaos, Renee was surprised that all she could sense was serenity radiating from Jory like a halo. With everything she'd been through, everything she'd experienced, and the things that lay ahead, from what Renee could tell, Jory seemed grounded.

"You and I have an interview before your match tonight."

"Thanks for the heads up."

"Are you gonna wear that for it?"

"Why not?" Renee grinned. Jory didn't have to open her eyes to know it. "Stop."

"I mean..."

"Seth and I are in this together. We're both aware of that. There's no reason why we can't support each other."

"How much support...?"

"You're not allowed to hang around Nia anymore, oh my God."

"Are you two going to the Hall of Fame together?" Renee asked. Jory sighed. "Oh my God, yes!"

"You had better promise me that this isn't going to become a thing where I go to buy a dress and you guys start hammering me with super personal details," Jory said with a groan. Renee laughed.

"How could you accuse me of such a specific thing?" Renee asked. Jory went to turn her head, but Leslie chastised her for moving her head.

"Because I know you."

"Can you at least tell me how long you two have been a thing?"

"I don't know...the concert, I guess..."

"I knew it! I freaking knew it!" This time, it was Renee's turn to be chastised for moving. "I could totally sense something up with you when you came back to TV after."

"Oh, you could not."

"I could. You had that glow..."

"Don't..."

"You know the glow, right, Lindy Sue?"

"I do."

"I'm lost," Leslie said.

"It's the glow of someone getting it on the regular," Lindy Sue offered. Jory groaned. She wished the floor would open up and swallow her whole.

"You looked like you got it good. So...?"

"Fuck off, Renee. I'm not saying another word." The other three women laughed. "I need better friends."

"You love me."

"I'm wondering why right about now."

"Have you got any ideas for what you want to do on Sunday?" Leslie asked.

"I'm just waiting on a picture of the finished gear. I'm starting to get nervous. I should have had it by now."

"Once you get it, text me a picture, and I'll see what I can do for makeup and hair from there."

"Thanks. You're the best."

"I know, dear. But it's always nice to hear."

"Oh, isn't that cute? You're wearing his T-shirt tonight."

Renee's question died on her lips as Hunter stepped into the frame, dressed in a grey suit with a white button-down shirt that had the first three buttons undone. On the other side of Renee's microphone, Jory stood, her lips pursed into a narrow line. Unsure of what to do with her hands, she crossed her arms over her chest, shifting her weight onto her left foot. It was important for her to show no fear; she kept her face stoic, disguising her anger and disgust at the mocking tone in his voice.

"What do you want?" she asked sharply. Hunter was incredulous.

"Wow. Look at you, finding your backbone all of a sudden," he told her with a derisive laugh. "I'm here because I know your man is watching tonight. Congratulations on that, by the way."

"I'm sure you really care," she told him, but he kept talking.

"And see, I meant what I said about not wanting a lawsuit, about not wanting things to come back on me for what I am going to do to Seth Rollins if he chooses to face me at WrestleMania. So, if he wants a match with me so bad, if he really, really wants it, Jordana, then he can come to the ring tonight and sign a Hold Harmless Agreement. You know what that is, don't you? Why don't you explain it to the people watching at home?"

Renee moved the microphone to her, and she wanted to smack Renee upside the head. "It means Seth doesn't have a legal leg to stand on if he's hurt in the match."

"Look at the big brain on Jordana. I always thought you were smart."

"If you were smart, Hunter, you'd sign one, too."

"If you were smart, you'd watch your back."

"Huh...?"

It was all Jory got out before her world faded to black.

Jory lay on her back, staring up at the ceiling of the hotel room. Beside her, Seth was fast asleep. Typical guy. Gets some and then checks out, she thought with a roll of her eyes. She was jealous; it was almost four in the morning, and Seth would be pushing her up and out to get in a workout within the next two and a half hours. At this rate, he'd be well rested, and she'd still be awake, wondering why the hell she couldn't fall asleep.

It had been probably one of the most exhilarating and intense sexual experiences she'd ever had. Thinking about it, she couldn't remember a time where she'd ever used it to relieve stress, but she wondered if it was something she should be doing more often. It's no wonder he crashed out. I just wish I could follow suit.

Seth rolled over, his arm draping across her midsection. He was walking without the aid of his crutch now since it was destroyed at Raw. Seth had been in a great mood all night; this time, the crutch had been used as a weapon on Hunter. The fact that he made it out of the show with minimal damage to his knee made him feel good, like his chances of being good to go at WrestleMania had drastically gone up. He'd signed that Hold Harmless Agreement, and it was his intention to make the joke fall back on Hunter. He would show up at WrestleMania, better than he had been before, and he would finally exact his revenge on Hunter for everything he'd put him through.

"Stop it." His words were cloudy with sleep. She sighed.

While Seth rode the high of having a great night, Jory's had been the polar opposite. It had been one of the worst night's she'd had on Raw in a long time. Her match with Alexa didn't take place; her interview with Renee came to a screeching halt when Stephanie assaulted her from behind and knocked her out. Seth had watched from a backstage monitor, helpless as Stephanie straddled Jory's midsection and punched her in the face over and over until she cut Jory open above the eyebrow. By the time they got on the plane for Orlando, it was turning a dark purple, blooming out from beneath the Band-Aid. It had taken four stitches to close the wound. She had been in the worst mood Seth had ever seen. Since coming to on the floor in the interview area, she hadn't held a conversation with anyone. Seth had been afraid to speak to her; just looking at her sideways was asking for a death sentence.

"You wanna talk about it?" he asked with a yawn. He propped himself up, staring at her, loving the way her hair fanned out on the pillow. He only wished that she would smile. He'd done everything in his power to try and cheer her up, but it had been to no avail.

"There's nothing to talk about. I'm going to murder Daddy's Little Princess on the Network this weekend."

Seth nodded. "How's your head?"

"It's killing me, Seth." She fell quiet. "I just...I feel so fucking stupid. This is all my fault. I knew this was going to happen tonight, and for all my talk about keeping your head on a swivel, I couldn't do the same. I mean, how am I going to do this on Sunday? Stephanie was right..."

"No. She got the drop on you tonight," he told her firmly, moving closer to her, draping a leg over hers. She shot him an angry look, but he continued. "She got the drop one night. That's it. Hunter got the drop on me last week and blew my return to bits. And it sucks. I know how you're feeling. I know it's the worst. But don't get inside your own head about this. You'll bounce back for Sunday. She got lucky tonight, okay? She had to attack you from behind because if she tried that shit to your face, you would have dropped her."

"I should have known."

"It's over now, Jory. Don't dwell on it. It'll only drive you crazy." They both knew it was easier said than done.

"Do you think we're in over our heads?"

"With what?"

"Everything. All of it."

"All the time. I think it's a perk of the job at this point," he told her. His arm left her midsection, disappearing underneath the blanket to rest across her bare skin. Everything he did for her since Raw ended hadn't done a thing to put a dent in her mood.

"What do you think happens after?"

"What do you mean? After what?"

"WrestleMania. I mean, what happens after? What's going to stop Stephanie from coming out on Monday night and just firing me? I'm really amazed she hasn't done that." She sighed, her chest rising and falling heavily. "It's funny. I've been waiting so long for her to get tired of me and cut me loose, and now that she could finally do it, I'm not ready to go."

"You aren't going anywhere. Especially after Mania," he assured her.

"Who knows who she is going to bring in next," she told him. "We got lucky that Mick was so nice. But the next one...we're probably not going to be so lucky."

"I've heard some rumblings about who it's going to be, and I don't think we're going to have to worry about anything," Seth assured her. Jory gasped as his fingers began exploring her inner thigh. "Just...take a deep breath. Everything is going to work out, okay?" When she didn't answer, he moved his fingers away from where she wanted them the most. "I mean..."

"I know what you're doing." It took everything she had not to smile when she saw the grin on Seth's face. "I didn't tire you out?"

"I obviously didn't tire you out," he pointed out. "I obviously haven't done my job."

"Obviously."

"That sounds like a challenge," he told her, adjusting himself so he was on top of her, underneath the blankets.

"You think a second shot is going to put me to sleep?" she asked.

"It usually works for me." Jory rolled her eyes. Seth was relieved to see her smiling underneath him. The last thing he wanted was for her to fall asleep in a bad mood. It was going to take everything he had in a few hours to make her smile because he knew when she saw her reflection in the mirror, the bruising on her forehead and the Band-Aid above her eyebrow, that she was going to fall back into that pit of anger. He knew it was going to follow her all week long, to every appearance, to every ceremony, and when Sunday came, he knew that Stephanie was going to have her hands full.