Laid up in bed is where Adam and Beth said that CJ belonged for her first night back and, as much as she hated it, she complied. Adam had carried her out of the airport, and then up to the bedroom she had claimed as hers in the Syracuse house. The memory foam mattress was heaven beneath her body, and being around people who genuinely wanted her around made her feel a lot better.
As Ambrose requested, she texted him to let him know that she was secure in Adam's house. For proof, and more for her own little chuckle, she even sent him a panorama picture of the room and selfie of her sitting up in bed with Adam after he brought her a glass of water and some pain killers. His response was simple:
'Glad you made it in one piece'
What followed made it better. A picture of him and Cesaro in the backseat of a car, but Cesaro was asleep and using Dean's shoulder as a pillow.
'As you can see... I'm a pillow lol'
'Fighting injustice by day...pillow by night? Haha' CJ replied with a small smile, welcoming Shine onto the bed with her. As always, the Australian Shepard snuggled up close and CJ kissed her muzzle. Before Adam and Beth got together, he would always refer to CJ and Shine as "his little girls" and CJ always had a special bond with Shine. She loved all of the dogs, but she and Shine shared one common factor. They were both abandoned and saved by Adam.
'Just call me the pillow of justice lol'
'I prefer sir ambrose tbh :)'
'Yea... I do too' CJ didn't get why, but knowing that he liked her little nickname for him made her happy. Their sudden camaraderie was weird to her, but that didn't mean it was unwelcome. If Ambrose was going to be her protector, it would be easier to be some kind of friends. He hadn't officially dubbed himself as her protector, and she didn't know if he ever would, but she liked calling him her protector. It had a ring to it.
"Hey, Chrissie." Adam greeted softly, knocking on the door lightly before entering the room. "How are you doing?"
"The pain meds kicked in and I've got my BFF beside me. I think I'll be comfortable." She assured as she watched him walk towards her and sit on the bed. He scratched Shine behind the ears and kissed her head before looking at CJ.
"That's good, but what about mentally? All the shit going on that you've told me about has got to have you paranoid, kiddo."
"Yeah, it's some pretty scary shit, I have to admit that. But Ambrose-"
"The stalker?" Adam interrupted and CJ shrugged.
"Ehh... More like self appointed protector. We're kind of friends now, too, I guess." She corrected and Adam nodded, gesturing with his hand for her to continue. "He's making it all easier. He won't tell me who to look out for, because he doesn't want me to be overly paranoid, but he's cool about it. He's actually a pretty cool guy."
"Well, as long as he doesn't try to hurt you he's fine in my book. I tore Dave a new one over the phone Monday night, and Hunter right after."
"I appreciate it, but I hate that I don't get my title match on Sunday."
"I do, too. I would've flown to Pittsburgh for the Rumble to support you."
"Why isn't my dad supportive like you, Adam?" She hadn't meant to ask that out loud, but it was out there now and the sad smile Adam showed was enough to tell her that he didn't know.
"Because he obviously doesn't know what a wonderful little thing you grew up to be. I may not be the person who made you but as far as I'm concerned you're my kid, Chrissie, not his. Okay?" At a loss for words, CJ only nodded and Adam gave her head a gentle pat before he wiped away the tears that she wasn't aware were rolling down her cheeks. "No tears, kiddo."
"I can't help it."
"I know. You've always been an emotional one. Get some sleep okay?"
"Okay. Goodnight."
"G'night, kiddo." Adam murmured as he stood up from his seat on the bed and leaned over to kiss CJ's forehead. "Love you."
"Love you, too."
"How's Seth?" Beth asked as she and CJ painted in Lyric's room together the next afternoon and the shorter blonde shrugged. "Are you two still...?"
"I'm not sure." CJ sighed and Beth looked over at her, waiting on her to continue. "Like; I'm still really sore over the copy-cat comment, but he's being so sweet these days and I don't know how to feel anymore. I know he wants more than what we had going on, I can see it in his eyes, but I don't want a relationship."
"Why not? You'd be the perfect girlfriend: cuddly, cute, and badass."
"I can barely take care of myself, and my life is problem after problem. If I were to be in a relationship, it'd have to be with somebody who understands how my brain processes and wouldn't have a problem with me always expecting the worst." CJ explained, and it was then that she realized that she may end up single forever because of all the mental and emotional baggage she carried.
"I know why you do it, and I can understand. But you can't let that hold you back, Ceej."
"With as many times as I've been screwed over, that's hard to do. I can't just let all of it go, Beth."
"I know, honey. But I know that you'll find that guy to cut you loose. Maybe that protector of yours could be the one?" Beth suggested with a playful wink and CJ smiled as she went back to painting. "I appreciate you helping me with this. It can't be easy, but-"
"It's not a big deal, and I'm not in that much pain. You and Adam took me in like the saints you are for the next few weeks, it's the least I could do."
"I know Adam sees you as a daughter and I've come to see you as my daughter, too. Having you around is always a blast and never a burden, and you're always welcome. This is your home, too, Chrissie."
CJ only nodded and continued focusing on the wall in front of her. Adam, who had laid the baby down five minutes prior, watched the two interact from the doorway. Neither blonde had noticed him standing there while they chatted and he decided to get to his bookcase sketch that he had been working on. They all worked in a peaceful quiet until Beth turned around for something and caught sight of Adam working in the corner. She only smiled before going back to painting and Adam grinned, seeing CJ check her phone and then smile. It was just any old smile, no, it was the smile. The smile that reached her eyes and made them sparkle. The smile that Adam hadn't seen in almost a year. The smile that was real. He could only wonder who it was from.
Whoever it was, they were alright in his book.
"Paul Heyman wants you to be a Heyman girl?" Adam asked from where he sat with CJ in the living room while Beth was upstairs putting Lyric to sleep. "What did you say?"
"I told him that I'd think about it, and have an answer for him by the time I returned."
"Why didn't you say 'yes' right off the bat?"
"I wanted your opinion first." CJ mumbled from where she laid beside Tundra on the large dog bed.
"Do you know what this is going to do for your career? Having Paul Heyman is going to further legitimize you and your career. He can take you places that being a Jericho alone cannot. I wish I had been a Heyman guy, but this is something you need to capitalize on, Chrissie." Adam rambled from his seat on the couch and CJ nodded as Tundra shifted to lay closer to her while Shine sauntered up to sandwich CJ in.
"Alright. Thanks Adam."
Not a problem. Congrats on being scouted by Paul-fucking-Heyman. That's big. No, that's huge. Let's drink to that."
"Can't, pain meds." CJ declined and Adam nodded in understanding. "But tomorrow I won't take any so we can drink to that."
"I can live with that. How's being in the sandwich down there?"
"Comfortable. All I need is Branny and I'd be set. You should take my picture and I'll make it my new twitter header." Adam nodded and effortlessly caught her phone just as she got a text message from "Sir Ambrose"
'Its boring without having you to look for...' Due to not being a totally nosy person, Adam denied the urge to read the full text and instead pulled up the camera and took the picture for her.
"You got a text from Ambrose."
"Can you read it to me?"
"Your trust in me is absolutely mind blowing from time to time." Adam laughed and CJ smiled as she watched him unlock her phone. "'Its boring without having you to look for and I almost want you to come back early even though things here are getting really fucking weird.' I am not a fan of his language."
"You swear like a sailor, Adam. Can you reply and tell him to be careful? Throw in that I'll be back just before Elimination Chamber, too."
"How's this? 'I totes miss you a bunch and be safe baby boo because I need my sexy protector in one piece. I'll be back before Elimination Chamber my sexy love machine.' And there's a winky face." For effect, Adam winked down at CJ and she shook her head with a smile.
"I don't use the word 'totes', I have never called a man 'baby boo', and as sexy as Ambrose is, I've never called him that to his face. And 'love machine'? Are we in the seventies? I haven't even slept with him."
When Dean got the text from CJ he couldn't help but let out a small laugh. He knew that the text wasn't from her directly, because she didn't say things like that. The text that followed cleared things up.
'I asked Adam to text for me and he warped everything lol. But I want you to be careful out there, Dean. All three of you need to be careful. I will be back the Monday before elimination chamber though.'
'Sooo...you don't miss me?'
'I do miss you'
'I miss you too' He felt vulnerable sending a text like that. Sure it was CJ and she could probably relate, but that didn't change the fact that talking about feelings wasn't his thing. He was glad that she was having fun in Syracuse, though. She'd need some happy times to look back on when she came back.
Everything had changed so much while she was gone and the complexion of the WWE was much darker. Definitely not as safe as it used to be and he almost didn't want her to come back because everything was changing. She wouldn't be safe. At least not by herself.
There was no way he'd let CJ out of his sight. He could figure out how to get them to share a hotel room, since he didn't exactly trust Roman after the rumble. He and CJ would be practically joined at the hip if she would let him have his way, but he didn't think she'd mind with the way things were going.
Although I don't understand the purpose of the masks, because it's not like they wrestle in them, they're growing on me ever so slowly.
Thanks to ChelleLew and angelsdee327 for reviewing the last chapter!