Seth was in a rut. He didn't know where CJ was and the only contact he had with her was the voicemail about her last doctor's appointment that was a week ago. When he called her back she sent him straight to voicemail and he left yet another desperate message in the slight hope that she would actually listen. He knew she probably wouldn't though.
He had to talk to her though. He knew that she just needed to hear him out and, at the very least, he needed closure. He needed to know that she no longer loved him so that he could start trying to move on. Whether or not his attempts to move on would work, he wasn't sure, but Hunter had been trying his damnedest to get Seth out on the dating game because he was tired of seeing the young man so depressed.
But Seth couldn't help it. CJ was his everything and he screwed it all up because he had a misguided sense of what was right for them. But now he was in too deep, and reaping in the benefits like a bigger paycheck and the privileges that came with working with The Authority. He was going to do whatever he had to to find out where she was for a five minute conversation at the very least. He just wanted to explain himself.
"Hey, Seth." Stephanie greeted with a smile, one he knew was fake, as she pat his shoulder gently. He glanced up at her, one rich brown eyes dull with exhaustion because he wasn't sleeping well whole guilt ridden, then looked back down at his phone. The older woman frowned before taking a seat beside him on the small couch, her knees touching his thigh as she gently pried his phone from his hand. "What's the matter? You used to be so full of life, Seth."
"I'm sure you're aware, but CJ left me because I cheated on her."
"I honestly can't blame her for that."
"But Hunter-"
"I give Hunter permission to do stuff like that every once in a while, so that's a bit different." Stephanie cut him off, shrugging her shoulders. When Seth only stared at her, she sighed. "Seth, I know that Hunter loves me and sometimes we both need the excitement of being with another person. That doesn't mean that we love each other any less. It's bad enough that you're out on the road and she's sitting at home with an injury, but to turn on her friends and then cheat on her, even you have to admit that cheating crossed a serious line."
"She moved out, didn't tell me where, and I didn't even get a chance to-"
"Have you tried looking her up?"
"Yeah, but I can't find her anywhere."
"Did you try Jericho or Copeland?"
"Copeland?"
"Christina Copeland. Her name?" Stephanie asked, surprised that Seth didn't know this about the so-called "love of his life".
"Copeland!" Seth exclaimed, popping up from his seat and patting his thighs. "Steph, has anybody told you that you're a genius lately?"
"I assume you'll be needing the weekend off?" She asked with a smug smirk, always loving when her ego was stroked.
"If I can get it."
"Consider it done. Here's your phone back."
Watching the excited young man hurry off brought a smile to Stephanie's face. She looked back at when she was young and so in love, and hoped that Seth found happiness whether it was with CJ or somebody else. He was a good kid, and definitely deserved to be happy.
CJ really liked her new apartment. It was a bit like her old place in Syracuse, but smaller. She didn't mind the smaller space, since it was just her except for when Dean came over on his off days. She didn't feel as lonely when alone in her place as she did when she was alone in Dean's apartment or Seth's house, and she knew it was because she was in her space and she was comfortable there.
But she knew that she needed a companion. She didn't really have the time for a dog since she was trying to focus on a healthy pregnancy and keeping Dean healthy and, since she wanted a big dog, she didn't really have the space. After being friends with Natalya for years CJ had grown to hate cats so a cat was most definitely out of the question. They were moody bastards in her opinion anyways.
I'm going to get an expensive ass fish. CJ decided on a whim, looking at the bar counter of her kitchen before putting on shoes and a light zipup hoodie, heading out in only one of Dean's Cincinnati Reds shirts that was knotted in the back and a pair of jeggings. She had no clue where a pet store was, but she was going to find one and buy herself a companion.
It took about twenty minutes of wandering around, but eventually she found a pet store and put in her sunglasses before entering the store. She was grateful for her jacket, because the AC was ridiculously high in the store and CJ found herself slightly chilly as she looked at the fish in the aquarium section.
"Male Crowntail Betta?" She mumbled to herself getting down to be at eye level with the fish. "Oh he looks so grumpy like Ambrose. I need him."
"Did you also need help picking out a tank?"
"Yes, please." CJ muttered, glancing over at the employee who had approached her. "How would I get him?"
"We'll take care of him."
And so CJ followed this employee around the store, getting a tank just large enough for her one fish, a tank filter, and little decorations that the employee suggested the fish would enjoy hiding behind. Then he showed her what food the fish would eat and finally she got her fish and paid for it all.
The cup the fish was placed in fit in her cup holder nicely and CJ was quick to get home so she could set up the tank. But right before she was able to put the fish in the tank, a knock sounded on her door.
"You hang on, Grumpy Smurf. I'll be back." She spoke to the fish before sliding out of the barstool and making her way to the door.
"Christina Copeland?" The delivery guy asked and CJ nodded slowly, not remembering any recent orders she had made that would require delivery.
"Uh, yeah?"
"These are for you. You're a lucky lady." The guy said with a smile, hanging her an expensive looking vase with a bunch of expensive looking flowers. "Here's the card."
"Thanks." Her immediate assumption was that Dean was trying to be cute, until she remembered that Dean being cute was more along the route of him surprising her physically with gifts than by having them delivered to her. So then she guessed that Adam and Beth had them sent to her and left them on the other side of the counter, tucking the card into her back pocket before going to put the fish she had temporarily named Grumpy Smurf(due to the fact that he was bluish and seemed to always be pouting) into his new mini tank.
Once it looked like he was settled, went into her bedroom to change into comfier flannel pajama pants. The card fell out of her pants when she tossed them into the hamper and she picked it up, gently caressing her stomach as she made her way out to the living room.
'CJ,
I know you want relatively nothing to do with me but I can't help myself. I can't let you go until I know that you no longer love me. I think about you all the time and I know that I love you. Please just answer the phone the next time I call and give me some closure.
Seth.'
"Closure? He wants closure? For what?" CJ asked aloud, tossing the card into the trash. The vase and flowers were too pretty for her to trash, but she did scowl at them for effect. She knew that no matter what he did, she would still love him. Not nearly as much as she loved Dean, but love for Seth was still in her slowly healing heart. What Seth did, both the betrayal of his bro- business partners and of her, was unforgivable. Throw in the fact that he bragged about it, and she was just done.
But that didn't stop the heart from wanting, and she hated herself for that.
Dean Ambrose was livid.
That was to be understandable, because CJ had told him about Seth sending her flowers before excitedly changing the topic to the new fish she had bought herself. Apparently it reminded her of him or something, he honestly wasn't listening because he was so pissed about Seth's nerve. Even more so that the bastard had the audacity to look up her address so he could send them, which meant that being with The Authority was paying off.
They were the only people, who would talk to Seth, who knew how sourly the breakup affected him. The only people who knew her name, since Seth damn sure didn't and CJ made that clear before talking about her fish. They were the only people who wouldn't have to directly deal with the repercussions of whatever Seth popping up did to CJ emotionally, and Dean knew that they were the only people who had the power to give the traitorous bastard the weekend off while Dean himself had to work shows.
It wasn't fair and he wasn't having it any longer.
Judging by looks on people's faces as he walked by, Dean knew that he looked pissed. He may not wear his heart on his sleeve, but he damn sure wore his temper on his sleeve and there was only one person he needed to see and that slippery bastard was leaving the arena.
"You stop right there, Rollins." Dean called and, to his surprise, Seth actually stopped and waited for him to catch up before turning around.
"Is this going to take long? There's a car waiting for me out there and I've got a flight to catch."
Corporate schmuck. Dean thought to himself, upper lip twitching in disgust for the man whom he once saw as a brother. "If one hair is misplaced on her perfect little head, I swear to god I will end your pathetic life."
"Oh, look, empty threats. How typical Ambro-" Taped hands grabbing him by the lapels of his suit jacket and shoving him roughly up against the brick wall made Seth stop short as he gasped in pain.
"Listen to me very closely, pretty boy." Dean muttered, his face inching closer to Seth's until they were nose to nose. Even though Seth was confident in his abilities to "control" Ambrose in front of The Authority, he knew that when it came to CJ the man was unstoppable. "That woman is my life. Those kids are my life. If she calls me anything less than a hundred percent because you fucked with her in any way, I will hunt your ass down to the ends of the earth to ensure that you pay for any trauma you cause her. Physical, mental, or emotional. Have I made myself clear?"
Dean Ambrose was a dangerous man when his girlfriend wasn't one of his main concerns. Throw her into this and the man could- and would- become lethal. Seth knew this. Seth had witnessed the wrath of Ambrose come out when battling Evolution, since he wasn't just fighting for The Shield. Ambrose fought for her, too. He always had and Seth knew that he always would.
So Seth nodded, though he was unsure of what his trip to Vegas would entail when it came to CJ. Seth knew that he was possibly making his deathbed, but he didn't care. It was worth it. She was worth it.
Dean released Seth's coat, the younger man ungracefully dropping to his feet and leaning against the wall to steady himself while he smoothed out his coat. The two made eye contact, Seth looking into Dean's eyes for any inclination that he should cover his face but Seth wasn't surprised to see that Dean had put his walls back up. Seth could no longer read Ambrose just by looking him in the eye and observing his body language. That scared the younger man.
"I was looking for a verbal confirmation, Seth." Dean commented, bringing his arm up so he could drum his fingers against his collarbone. Seth knew that this brought some sort of comfort to Dean, he just wasn't sure how or why.
"Crystal clear." The younger man mumbled, making the blonde smile as he tapped Seth's cheek with a smirk.
"Good boy." Dean praised cynically, moving to walk away. "But I'm sure that ever since you became Triple H's lap dog you've gotten used to hearing that, huh?" Dean called over his shoulder and Seth scoffed, picking up his bags and heading out the door.
Dean was still pissed as he walked away, but he was feeling better. He made his point to Rollins, and now he had to make his point to The Authority. He wasn't going to be a victim to their power. And neither was CJ.
Raw last night was great. Dean Ambrose is a great man, but I'm going to stop myself before I start swooning.
Thank you to L, Sarcastic Nightmare, Sammie94, ChelleLew, UntilNeverDawns, MulishaMaiden, and Jess420 for reviewing the last chapter. It's all this support that keeps me going.