"There is no way in hell she is going to make to that arena."
Sasha sighed, glancing down at Bayley who had managed to cry herself to sleep in the corner that she had crawled into. Becky had managed to pick her up and put her into the bed without her waking up. Then Sasha remembered how little sleep she had gotten the night before and realized just how exhausted she had to have been.
"What are we gonna do? She and I are supposed to be there in three hours. I can't even figure out how to tell Steph or Hunter that she won't be there tonight, let alone why." whispered Sasha, reaching out to gently stroke Bayley's hair, knowing how much her friend needed this sleep.
"I have no clue. She can't just not show up. But we need a reason. And they're going to expect that reason to come from her…." said Becky, sighing as she joined Charlotte on the other bed.
"Why can't we have one of those normal jobs where you just pick up the phone, fake a cough, and get out of work?" groaned Sasha, thinking that that life sounded easier at this particular moment.
"Doesn't help us right now, Sash. Either she shows up and we try to figure out a way to just keep her off TV, which considering she was the main event last night, I'm guessing they have her on the card for a fairly big segment tonight, or we convince her to tell Steph and Hunter what happened. Those are basically our choices," said Charlotte, falling back on the bed.
"What if we let her make that choice?" whispered Becky, eyeing Bayley. "I mean, I give it an hour, if that, before she wakes up from a nightmare given how last night and this morning went. She hasn't lasted an hour without having a panic attack since we've been here. The girl is a mess, and she has every right to be. Not to mention, if it happened at the arena….do we really want her going back to where it happened less than 24 hours later?"
Sasha groaned. "I don't know. I don't know what to do! What do we do? It's a lose, lose situation for her in every direction. She doesn't want to go to the hospital because she's afraid of people finding out. I don't even know if she knew the guy who did it. We don't know half of what she knows. All I know is that it happened and she is falling apart and there is nothing I can do to make it better for her, and that is fucking killing me. Because I should have fucking been there to keep it from happening at all!"
Sasha was crying as she finished exploding, wishing she had something to punch right now, or someone. Mostly the dick who had done this to her best friend. She wouldn't mind punching him...or shoving a pole up his ass a few hundred times. Either or, really.
Charlotte sighed, offering Sasha a hug. This was a lot on everybody. There was no denying that, but Sasha and Bayley were so close, and Charlotte had a feeling that they weren't far off from Sasha feeling at least a little guilty for what happened. Though there really was no need for it.
"Steph and Hunter are probably already at the arena. They usually get there hours earlier than anybody else. Why don't we wake up Bayley and see what she wants to do. She's gonna have to go, one way or the other. Even if it's just to tell Steph and Hunter that she can't be there. It might be better if we go now before everybody else gets there…." said Charlotte, Sasha nodding at that reasoning. It made sense. Charlotte was always the logical one of the group.
"And if she doesn't want to tell Steph or Hunter anything?"
Charlotte sighed, chewing on her bottom lip. "Then the three of us do everything and anything in our powers tonight to make sure we're with her the entire freaking day and night. It's gonna be hell for her, but if she wants to try being there then what else can we do?"
Sasha nodded, turning herself onto the bed, gently placing her hand on Bayley's back. "Bayley, honey?"
Sasha's voice was soft and gentle as she woke her friend up, Bayley waking up with ease, rubbing at her eyes as she glanced over at Sasha, who smiled.
"Baby, we gotta talk about tonight….." said Sasha, glancing at Charlotte before discussing the show and what she wanted to do about work.
Trying to get Bayley to leave the hotel room was a nightmare. For her and for Becky, Sasha, and Charlotte.
Sasha wrapped her arms around her friend, gently holding her close as they left the hotel, all three trying to keep Bayley out of sight. As soon as they got into the car service, Bayley curled herself up in the very back, gazing out the window, not really focused on anything going on around her. Sasha sat next to her, occasionally offering her a smile or a reassuring hand or shoulder squeeze, but for the most part, she just left her friend alone, knowing she preferred it that way at the moment.
Bayley started crying as soon as they pulled up the arena, refusing to get out of the car.
"Come on Bay, it's okay. You're with us, we're not gonna let anything happen to you," whispered Sasha, offering her terrified friend her hand. Bayley could feel her breathing getting worse, shaking her head, pushing herself away from the door…
"Bayley….Bay, honey, come on. You can do this. You can. I promise. We're here, baby. Nobody can hurt you, honey…." coaxed Charlotte, reaching in to help Bayley get out of the car.
"No. This….this….this is where it happened. I...he...I was….no, no, no, no!" cried Bayley, screaming when Charlotte climbed back in, pulling herself towards Bayley.
"Hey, hey, listen, I know. I know you are having a hard time right now, baby girl. I know. It hurts, I know," whispered Charlotte, gently placing her hand on Bayley's shoulder. "Honey, you have to get out of this car, though, okay? Sasha and Becca and I….we are right here and we're not gonna leave you alone at all today, okay? We won't. I promise, baby girl. Not for a second. Nobody is going to be able to hurt you. And we're gonna help you, okay?" whispered Charlotte, sighing as Bayley threw her arms around her, Charlotte gently holding her in her arms. "I'm here. I'm right here. Just stay with us, okay?"
Bayley nodded, allowing Charlotte to ease them both out of the car. "You want to walk in with me?" asked Sasha, knowing it would look a lot less suspicious if she were hanging on to Sasha.
Bayley nodded, realizing the same thing. Sasha gently wrapped her arms around her, easing her out of Charlotte's arm as the four girls quickly made their way into the arena, Bayley darting her eyes around for other people the entire time.
Sasha sighed as they made it through the hallways and into the locker room hours before anybody else was really set to arrive. Bayley immediately sat down on a bench, pulling away from the group and back into herself.
This time it was Becky who offered to console Bayley, gently kneeling down in front of her.
"Hey there, love," whispered Becky, pulling Bayley into a hug, not allowing her to fight it off. "You are being so strong right now, sweet girl. So, so strong. We are so proud of you for trying so hard today, sweetie."
Bayley began to sob, her fingers clutching at Becky's shirt. "I don't feel so strong right now," she whispered, letting out another small sob, squeezing her eyes shut as she cried.
Becky gently rubbed her back, placing a kiss to her hair. "But you are so, so, strong love. Most people would not have even been able to leave the hotel room, let alone come back here. But you are here, baby. And I know you're hurting, but you're here and that's a big step, even if you still need some help right now," whispered Becky, rocking Bayley in her arms, rubbing her hair.
Bayley nodded into Becky's shoulder, allowing her to continue to comfort her. Charlotte glanced at Sasha, motioning for her to step out of the room with her, not wanting Bayley to hear the conversation.
"What are we even doing forcing her to be here right now?" asked Charlotte, shaking her head. "You really think she's going to make it? What happens when she sees someone else? Someone she doesn't trust so much? This isn't going to end well if we keep her here...I have a bad feeling," said Charlotte, Sasha leaning up against the wall, running a hand tiredly through her own hair.
"I know. She can't be here. Becky is right. She is being hella strong right now. The girl has more strength in her right now than I would ever have if I were in her situation. But what do we do?" asked Sasha, glancing into the room, noting that Becky was now leaning against the bench, Bayley curled up completely in her arms.
"We figure out something, fast. Just….I don't know...Hunter loves the two of you. I swear you're his favorites," laughed Charlotte, earning a small smile out of Sasha before she rolled her eyes.
"What? You think me going to Hunter and telling him "oh, by the way, change of plans. Bayley can't come tonight and I can't tell you why' is going to work because he likes us?"
Charlotte shrugged. "You really want to put her in front of Steph and Hunter and see where that goes?"
Sasha let out an audible groan, using her palm to hit the wall behind her, leaning her head against the cool brick. "I don't know what to do! I don't know what's going to traumatize her less at this point!" yelled Sasha, growing more and more frustrated with the entire situation.
"Ahem."
Both Charlotte and Sasha looked up at the sound of someone clearing their throat, Sasha's eyes growing wide at the site of Hunter standing just a few feet away, looking as if he'd heard at least part of their conversation.
"Shit," muttered Sasha, once more slamming her fists against the wall, rubbing at the knuckles that were starting to hurt from doing so.
"Care to...maybe fill me in?" asked Hunter, eyeing both of the girls curiously.
"Not preferably," said Sasha, trying to crack a smile for one of their bosses. Hunter always loved her sarcasm, anyways….
"Nice, Sash," he laughed, shaking his head. "Charlotte?"
Charlotte sighed, glancing towards the door. "I plead the fifth," she shrugged, rubbing at the back of her neck then.
"Great. So, I'll see you and Bayley at the show tonight, ready to go then," said Hunter, turning away, knowing there was more to the story than what the girls were telling him.
"Wait," groaned Sasha, sighing when Hunter turned back around, a knowing look on his face.
"Yes?" he asked, gazing at the nervous look on Sasha's face, the way her eyes kept darting between him and the partially closed door of the Women's Locker Room.
"I….you'll see me at the show tonight, for sure. Wouldn't miss it. Looking forward to it, even," rambled Sasha nervously, knowing Hunter was going to see right through it, not even sure why she was bothering.
"And…..what about Bayley?" he asked, sensing that that was where the conversation was heading next.
Sasha let out a long deep sigh, wishing she could just hit pause on the entire conversation, the entire day, hell, wishing she could just rewind back to last night and fucking stay with Bayley when she told her she wanted to stay a while longer. What the hell had she been thinking?
"Bayley….not so much…." muttered Sasha, frowning when she thought about her devastated friend.
"Why? What's going on?" asked Hunter, Sasha shrugging as she glanced down at the floor, shuffling her feet around on the cement.
"I….I….can't say…..exactly. I just…..um she is just…." Sasha glanced up at Charlotte, pleading for help.
"She's just not herself, right now. Um she doesn't feel well and it's really not a good idea, sir, for her to be on the show tonight," finished Charlotte, Sasha mouthing a silent thank you to her friend.
Hunter thought for a moment, stepping closer to Sasha, wanting to reach out to her but thinking better of it.
"Is she in there?" asked Hunter, nodding to the locker room that both girls kept glancing back at.
Sasha rolled her eyes. "Oh, why are you even asking? You already know the answer," she groaned, thankful that Hunter at least understood her. Stephanie not so much. She was still working her charm on her.
"Can I go talk to her?" asked Hunter and Sasha let out a half of a laugh. "I don't recommend it, Hunter….she's not….she's just…..she's hurting, right now. Not physically, I don't think, but emotionally she's just….not there right now. And it's really hard for her and adding someone new to the mix….especially you or Steph….I'm just trying to look out for my best friend. You have to understand that if I could tell you, I would, you know I would or she would, but we can't, right now. She can't, right now. Maybe someday, hopefully soon, but right now, tonight….please just let Charlotte and Becky take her home. Please don't make her be here tonight. It'll only hurt her more," explained Sasha, taking a deep breath as she finally got the words out of her mouth.
Hunter sighed, sitting down on a nearby bench as he looked up at Charlotte and Sasha, taking in what they were telling him. "Is it really that bad?" he asked, both Charlotte and Sasha nodding.
"Becky's here too?" he asked, and again the girls nodded. "Must be bad if all four of you are here with her tonight, then."
Charlotte and Sasha said nothing, glancing at each other while Hunter processed what two of his top girls were saying to him.
"Steph might kill me for this later, but, I'll deal with her. Go home. All four of you. Take care of her tonight, and this week. Becky and Charlotte can have Smackdown off too. And live events this weekend. Just take care of her, and come back on Monday and fill me in, okay? And if you need anything, or she needs anything, you let me know, okay?"
Sasha gave Hunter a hug, quietly thanking him for doing something he most definitely did not have to do. At all. But he did it and Sasha and Charlotte couldn't be more thankful.
As they walked back into the locker room, they noticed that Bayley was still curled up in Becky's arms, though now she was asleep.
"So? Did you guys think of anything?" whispered Becky, not wanting to wake Bayley up. It hadn't taken long for her to fall asleep, but Becky really wanted her to stay asleep for the moment. Her eyes were nearly swollen, well one of her eyes had already been swollen, but now they were both just heavy and starting to hurt her because of all the crying and the lack of sleep.
"Yeah. Hunter overheard us talking. He didn't hear much, but he questioned us. We told him that she just wasn't emotionally available and needed some time and he gave all four of us the week off to take care of her," said Sasha, kneeling down to place a kiss to her friend's hair.
"Well now that was too easy," muttered Becky, rocking Bayley slightly as she started to stir, not wanting to wake her up.
"So can we just get her out of here, then?" asked Becky, Charlotte shrugging. "I guess. We shouldn't really wait around here for nothing. I'd rather just get her back home, you know?"
Sasha nodded, standing up, helping Becky get up with Bayley still in her arms, before the girls grabbed their bags and headed for the door.