Dean couldn't help but grit his teeth at the sight before him. CJ talking to Randy Orton in what seemed to be a very friendly conversation. Too friendly for his liking. The Viper was standing way too close for it to just be a casual conversation, and Dean knew that he wasn't the only person who noticed. Seth had abandoned the idea of eating his salad in favor of squeezing his fork, and Batista was on the other side of the room watching with a smirk. That concerned Dean.
"Are you going to go protect her from Orton?" Seth asked through grit teeth and Dean shook his head. "Why not?"
"That's none of your business. If it bothers you, why don't you do something?" Dean asked, looking away from CJ and Randy for the first time to see that Seth's knuckles were white with how tightly he gripped the fork in his hand. What he wasn't expecting was for Seth to set his fork down as he stood up.
"I will."
"What did you jut start?" Roman asked as the two watched their teammate approach CJ and Randy. CJ looked surprised to see Seth, and Randy looked pissed that Seth was interfering with his conversation. The two Shield members were too far away to hear what was being said, but they knew that Seth was being cool about it. Whatever he said worked, because CJ gave Randy's arm a pat before letting Seth guide her away and out of catering. Dean, out of instinct alone, got up to follow the two and ensure that Seth didn't say anything hurtful to CJ in his agitated state of mind. Roman, who hated the idea of eavesdropping, followed Dean out solely because he felt weird eating alone.
"You hate him, CJ. So you wanna tell me the truth now?" Seth's tone made Dean's once straight face settle into a small frown. His friend was directing his anger at the wrong person.
"You're not my boyfriend, Seth, and you're definitely not my father. So you really have no right to demand anything from me, junior."
"Junior? Seriously? You're only two months older than me, CJ, and you're right, I'm not your father. I wouldn't want to be a parent to a copy-cat at her very best, either." Seth crossed the line with that comment, and the look Dean and Roman exchanged told each other that they were intervening before Seth damaged his friendship with CJ beyond repair. So the two rounded the hallway in time to see that Seth had CJ pinned to the wall and was more than likely preventing her from smacking him for his comment. Seth hadn't noticed them, and he certainly didn't notice CJ's leg move until her knee had made contact with his groin.
Dean and Roman quickly stepped in, Roman holding Seth up while Dean pulled CJ in the opposite direction. He knew that Seth didn't mean what he said, but he wasn't about to try to convince CJ of that fact. He just led her to the back door of the arena and watched as she sat down on the ground. Not really knowing how to comfort another person, Dean only sat down beside her so that she didn't feel alone. He kept his gaze locked firmly on the parking lot in front of them that was littered with various buses and cars that the talent used. Even when she sniffled quietly and he saw her wipe at her eyes in his peripheral vision, he didn't look down at her.
"Seth's wrong, y'know." Dean spoke quietly, not sure if bringing up the cause of her tears in any form would make the problem worse.
"What?"
"He's wrong, about you being a copy-cat. If anything you'd be a perfecter, since you do everything you picked up from dad better than he ever did."
"You really think so?" CJ asked, blue eyes still watery with unshed tears. She didn't understand why Dean wasn't looking at her, but she wasn't going to question it and make him uncomfortable.
"Yeah, like, your moves look prettier and so fuckin' fluid, y'know?" She only nodded, looking away from him and following his gaze.
"Thank you." Her voice was barely above a whisper as she lightly nudged his arm with her head as Dean only nodded.
"Did you really call Seth 'junior'?"
"It slipped out." CJ admitted with a small laugh and Dean smirked.
"So, she smiles. I thought that the 'queen of the world' was too glorious to smile." He teased, gently nudging her with his elbow and she bit her lip.
"Even the queen of the world smiles when she has a good reason. Calling a man over half a foot taller than you 'junior' is a good enough reason."
"I'd have to agree. You ready to go inside?" Dean asked as he stood, offering a hand out to her. He was surprised when she actually took his extended hand and allowed him to help her up rather than push herself off the ground.
"I am. Thanks for making me feel better, Dean."
"It's no big deal." He didn't realize that he was still holding her small hand in his until she cleared her throat, then he instantly released her hand and scratched the back of his head in slight embarrassment. "Sorry."
"It's fine. I see you have a match tonight." She observed, noticing that he was in his ring gear.
"I do. Just dealing out some justice here and there, prepping for the rumble. Do you have a match?" He asked
"I'm joining commentary during AJ's match Naomi. I get my title shot at the rumble."
"That's cool. Congrats."
"Thanks. I'm gonna go find Brie." CJ said as she started to head in the opposite direction. Dean took one glance down the hall and, despite Roman and Seth waiting for him, seeing Batista in CJ's path made him need to go with her.
"Why don't we go together? I need to find Seth and Roman anyways."
"Oh, alright. That's cool."
It didn't take them long to find Natalya and the Bellas, and Dean couldn't help but be disappointed that it didn't take longer. But, he did have a match to prepare for and figure out how he was going to deal with Seth without hitting him. CJ already caused the younger man enough pain for about a week, so Dean wasn't sure how to top a knee in the family jewels. Just thinking about it had him in pain.
Comfortably seated in the office chair beside JBL, CJ propped her feet on the table. After sharing words with AJ and having a staring contest with Tamina, she was more than ready to deal with Michael Cole. JBL was fine, and she had grown used to Jerry being a pervert, but Cole always asked questions about her father. Questions that CJ hated answering, but had no problem pulling satisfying answers that painted the picture of a happy relationship out of thin air.
"So, CJ, how prepared are you for your title match against AJ Lee?" Cole asked and the blonde shrugged, twirling a piece of hair around her index finger. She kept her eyes on the action in the ring, not wanting to miss a second of AJ in action while she prayed for the champ to get some kind of injury to easily exploit at the Royal Rumble.
"I'd say that I'm as prepared as I'll ever be. AJ is good at coming out of nowhere and with Tamina it'll basically be a handicap match, but it's nothing I can't handle."
"What kind of question is that, Michael? You have the daughter of a six time world champ at commentary, and you ask a stupid question like that? Of course she's prepared." JBL scolded and CJ smirked, seeing Tamina get jumped on by the other Funkadactyl.
"Somebody should really check on her. I think Cameron actually doing something sent Tamina into shock." CJ commented, taking her feet off the table to get a better look at Tamina all laid out. Of course, Cameron heard CJ's comment and glared down the Canadian, but CJ wasn't in any position to care. Instead of saying anything, she just pointed up at where AJ had Naomi in the Black Widow. "It's been fun, you guys. I've got more important things to do."
"Hey, Chrissie, what's up?" Adam had always been a listening ear for CJ, and she was always grateful that he'd take the time out of his day to talk to her when he most likely had better things to do.
"I told you how I spent all off my off days avoiding Seth because he'd been pissy, right?" CJ asked, looking around the parking lot for The Shield as she made her way to her rental.
"Yes, ma'am. Because you got him all hot and bothered but Regal called so you abandoned him for an important phone call, right?"
"Yeah, well, today I was talking to Randy and-"
"Oh, bad news bears!" CJ heard Beth call and furrowed her brows.
"Am I on speaker?"
"Get over it and continue." Adam ordered and CJ could hear the smile in his tone.
"So Seth pulled me away and demanded to know why I was avoiding him and I tried blowing him off and he called BS, so then I pulled the 'you're not my dad' card, and he called me a copy-cat at best." CJ left out calling Seth 'junior' and him pinning her to the wall because she didn't want to risk Adam making a backstage appearance to put Seth in his place.
"What did you do after that?"
"I rammed my knee into his package and then cried a little." CJ admitted, leaning her head back when Adam and Beth erupted into laughter. "I wasn't crying over kneeing him."
"I know, but the way you worded it was so stereotypically Canadian." Adam breathed once he had composed himself. "But you're not a copy-cat, Ceej, was your stalker there?"
"He comforted me. It was awkward but I definitely appreciated it."
"Good. I know you're in your rental, so you drive to the hotel and get some rest. I better see you soon, CJ."
"You will. I promise, Addy."
"Good. Love you, kid."
"Love you too. Love you, Beth.
"And I love you, Chrissie." Beth called into the phone before CJ hung up and set her phone in the cup holder.
"Do you always make phone calls in your dark, unlocked, rental car?" She heard the unmistakable voice of Dave Bautista and turned to see him leaning into her car, leaning against the door.
A/N: Insomnia is a bitch, but I managed to get creative with it. Muchos gracias to ArtisticLullaby, LivHardy, and princessofdarkness2016 for reviewing the last chapter! I appreciate it a lot!