The overwhelming aroma of eggs and bacon being cooked stirred Seth from his sleep, and he looked down to see that CJ was still in his arms with her face pressed into his chest. The only difference was that they had been covered up by a blanket some time during the night, Dean was most likely the culprit there much like he was the only option for being the person cooking breakfast, and Seth couldn't help but wonder what Dean was thinking right now. Not that Seth felt bad for him right now or anything, but he knew Dean and knew the Dean was most likely going through a crisis. So he carefully moved the Canadian woman so that she was laying on the couch with her head on one of the decorative pillows that was nearby then made his way into the kitchen to see Dean multitasking by cooking dinner and tending to Olivia as she played with Cheerios in her high chair.

"Need help with anything?" Seth asked gently placing a hand on Dean's shoulder. The blonde didn't even look at him as he requested that Seth get some plates down from the cabinet and then stir the eggs a bit. The younger man complied without questioning Dean further, his eyes drifting to Olivia when she laughed loudly because Bear was licking at her feet. "How are you feeling?"

"Well, Seth, my head is pounding and my girlfriend is pissed. I'd say that I'm doing just fine."

"Do not get pissy with me, Dean. I'm just trying to be a good friend, here."

"Which is why you're cuddling with her every chance you get?"

"When the love of your life sits down beside you and just starts bawling because she's tired and too mad at the love of her life to go to him, are you going to push her away?" Seth asked, making eye contact with Dean for the first time this morning. "How many times do I have to tell you that I'm not trying to take her from you, Dean?"

"I'm sorry, okay? I'm just-"

"Your head is in a hundred places and you're scared." Seth explained for him, turning off the burner that the eggs were on. "I know, and its okay. But I'm not who you need to be apologizing to."

"I know." Dean sighed, running a hand though his hair before flipping the bacon over. Olivia had chosen that moment to yell loudly at the two men while banging on her high chair repeatedly, seemingly scolding Dean for his actions at well. "And now the princess is pissed at me too."

"She just doesn't like it when her parents are fighting, Uncle Sethie doesn't like it either." Seth spoke with a laugh, getting a small chuckle out of Dean. "Have you fed her mush yet?"

"Not yet. I tried and she pushed it away, so I just put it in the fridge." Dean explained, watching as Seth went straight for the fridge to get the "mush", as he called it, and made his way over to the high chair. Olivia instantly stopped her yelling once she saw the familiar container of food in Seth's hand and he couldn't help but laugh at the fact that she most likely got his appetite rather than Dean's or CJ's.

"Should we wake up the queen or let her sleep?" Dean asked looking to Seth to see that he was actually doing squats as he fed Olivia. "Seriously?"

"What?" Seth asked, ceasing his squats and turning to face Dean for just a moment while loosening his grip on the spoon just enough for the infant to pry it away from him. "Hey, little girl, you made a mess last time that I'd rather not repeat."

"Seth, an answer would be nice."

"Oh! Uh, I'd let her sleep. Yesterday was pretty hard on her and she's going to need all the sleep she can get before you guys talk it out together." The younger man reasoned, turning back to face Olivia so he could continue to feed her. "But, I mean, that's just my opinion. But can I ask you something?"

"Sure."

"Do you want me to back off, Dean? Like, not leave completely, but just distance myself a bit?"

Dean was caught completely off guard by Seth's question. Why the hell would Seth think for a second that right now was the time to be backing off? If anything, Seth was somebody that they both needed most right now to keep them together and on a united front. Dean needed him to help keep an eye on his- no, their- girls, and CJ needed Seth for the comfort that Dean couldn't really give her while he was stressed like this. He tried, but his mind wasn't in it as much as his heart was and he was certain that it showed, while Seth could just cuddle with the ability to block out everything else on his mind and focus totally on making sure that CJ was comfortable. Didn't Seth know these things?

"Seth, I need you here with us now more than ever." Dean spoke honestly, looking up from the plates of food to see Seth watching him as he listened. "And don't take this as me only wanting you here because everything is fucking insane. Even when we're rid of my mom, I still want you here because you make things feel complete. CJ loves you, Olive loves you, and I actually love having you around, so I'd prefer it if you didn't back off at all."

"But-"

"Last night I overreacted because I didn't understand what was going on in my head, and earlier I was just angry at myself and took it out on you. You didn't deserve that, and I really am sorry."

"Again, its not me you need to be apologizing to."

"But I do need to thank you for dragging my ass home."

"It's what brothers do, Ambrose." Seth blew off his thanks, turning back to Olivia and successfully ending that conversation. He didn't want CJ waking up to them talking about her, since he knew that she wouldn't be too fond of that at all. It was almost as if Dean knew what he was doing, hearing CJ shifting on the couch and mumbling something incoherent. "Let's hope you didn't burn breakfast."

"If I did there's toaster waffles in the freezer."

"Chocolate chip?"

"Yessir. Her favorite."

"She actually used to hate those until I force fed them to her one time about two years ago." Seth informed with a laugh, knowing that he said the right thing when Dean laughed loudly before clutching at his head.

"Fuck you, Seth." Dean groaned, getting a heartier laugh out of Seth as he watched the blonde bring their plates to the table.

CJ woke up to laughter coming from the dining room and was relieved to hear that the guys were still getting along nicely despite her falling asleep with Seth the night before. It was something that she had worried about before making that decision, but in the end she decided that she didn't really care what Dean thought because she needed to be held and she certainly wasn't going to Dean after the stunt he had pulled.

She slowly got up and rubbed at her eyes, not wanting to really have to deal with Dean but she knew that they had to talk and the only way that was going to happen was if she got herself in the mood to Deal with Dean. But first she would need food and a cup of coffee, preferably the coffee would come first. But if he was expecting her to brush her hair before dealing with him, he had another thing coming. If he was going to be hungover then she was going to be a hot mess. It was only fair.

She shuffled into the kitchen and smiled when she saw the pot of coffee brewing. It was like they knew she would be getting up soon because right as the coffee finished, the microwave dinged and the toaster popped up two chocolate chip waffles, and she was silently praising the boys for their ability to time these things but she knew that it was majority Seth. The man lived through his stomach's intuition, and he was probably the only man on the planet who knew how to time everything to the millisecond to ensure it was all done at the same time so he wouldn't have to wait for anything.

"Good morning." Seth greeted upon entering the kitchen and she nodded with a small smile as she watched him throw the waffles on the plate that came from the microwave that had bacon and eggs on it before pouring her coffee and stealing a kiss from her when he maneuvered around her to the fridge to get the creamer out for her coffee. She didn't remember them having creamer in the fridge so that must have been a last minute purchase on Seth's end because he was the only man in the state of Nevada who knew that she only liked creamer in her coffee after a rough night because in her opinion creamer was for cheaters. She didn't like to bother Dean with having to remember information like that, because she rarely had bad nights with him. "Sleep well?"

"I slept alright, thanks." She answered quietly, trying to wrap her head around just what the hell was going on. It was obvious that he was trying to butter her up, and she was almost certain that he was trying to butter her up before her conversation with Dean. She had to admit that she admired his willingness to help his brother out, but he was seriously going above and beyond the call of duty on this one. "What's going on, Sethie?"

"Nothing. Just making sure that you're having a good morning. Dean actually made the breakfast part but he doesn't know the creamer thing, so I thought I'd lend out a helping hand." Seth explained, gently shuffling her towards the table while carrying her plate and coffee. "He's upstairs bathing Olivia because we gave her the spoon against my better judgment and she painted herself with it."

"Against your better judgement?" She asked, sitting down and looking to Seth as he set everything down in front of her. "Trying to get him in trouble, Sethie?"

"Isn't he already in enough trouble as it is?" He asked, his tone playful and teasing as he sat down beside her and draped his arm across the back of her chair. "But seriously, sweetheart, I don't want you to hold this little mishap over his head forever. I mean, he's got to explain himself to you on his own, but I really need you to be as open minded as you can when he does. Don't interrupt and don't ask questions until he's done."

"Its a difficult topic?"

"Yeah, but more because he's still trying to fully figure it all out too."

"Okay." She answered simply, accepting the maple syrup he handed and being generous as she poured it onto not only her waffles, but some on her bacon and eggs too. She had already decided that today was a cheat day, and she was going to go all out. "But if Dean's upstairs, what were you laughing at before I got into the kitchen?"

"He literally just went upstairs to bathe Olivia right before you sat up. He's not dodging you, babe."

"Okay." She repeated her earlier response, this time with a mouth full of food, and Seth was grateful that he got to see her like this. The side of CJ that forgot about her manners and just let loose with him, the CJ he missed.

"Can I start calling you Christina, too?"

"Why? Its so long."

"But its pretty, and Dean and Roman call you that sometimes and I was just curious if I was allowed to be in on the loop."

"Sure, I guess. But try not to do so in public, because I really don't want everyone and their mom knowing my real name." She requested, looking up at Seth before taking a drink of her coffee. "I'm trying to keep myself feeling more human and less celebrity, y'know?"

"I totally understand."

"Thank you Sethie." She whispered, smiling when he kissed her head before whispering that he'd let her eat in peace for a while so he could shower and get dressed. She knew that he was trying to make sure that he was available to take care of Olivia so she and Dean could have their adult conversation without having to juggle their daughter between them. Having her with Seth meant that she would get the attention she needed from one of her favorite people in the world, and that gave her and Dean time to focus their attention on each other and to ensure that they had all bases covered.

After she had finished eating, CJ sat and held onto her coffee mug for a moment while contemplating her next move. She wasn't sure what to, and that bothered her because she was never sure what to do with Dean. But she knew that he never knew what to do with her, because this all was new to them. She knew that being with Seth was always going to be her safer decision, but she knew that she needed Dean. She loved him to death and she knew that he loved her, but sometimes when he acted on his impulses or got overwhelmed and ran to clear his head and scared the shit out of her without warning it made her feel like her feelings were the last things he thought of and she really didn't like that. She knew that he wasn't even considering that or trying to make her feel that way in the slightest, but that was still how it happened sometimes and it really got on her nerves.

Things to mention, I suppose. She thought to herself, standing and taking her plate and coffee mug to the kitchen and setting her mug to the side of the coffee pot before she started washing her plate along with the dishes left behind by Seth and Dean. She figured that one of them had already planned on doing this, but she really didn't mind since it was only about six things. The plus side was the fact that it gave her a way to busy herself while she thought about things to bring up to her boyfriend. Not things that he necessarily needed to fix, but things that she wanted him to think about and consider. She just hoped that she was going about things the right way. It wasn't like she was asking him to change who he was, she was just asking that he think things through a bit more. That's all.

"I was going to take care of those." Dean spoke softly, smiling sheepishly when she turned around to look at him while drying off her hands.

"Yeah, well, I needed to busy myself a bit. Helps me think."

"I know." He spoke with a nod, getting a coffee mug of his own before stepping just a bit closer. "Can I just apologize for yelling at you last night? It was uncalled for and really unfair to you and-"

"Dean, its okay. You're stressed and you let your temper get the best of you. I shouldn't have raised my voice at you either, so I'm equally in the wrong there."

"No, I needed to be yelled at yesterday. Basically everything I did yesterday was out of line." He basically blew off her apology as he watched her pour coffee into both of their mugs. He then watched as she went to the fridge and got out the bottle of coffee creamer that Seth had insisted on running to a store to buy, and now Dean knew why. But he didn't understand why, exactly, because she had never put creamer in her coffee before when she was with him. Milk and sugar, yeah, but never straight creamer. He was surprised to see that she had even taken the time to put some sugar in his coffee, too, despite the fact that she was mad at him.

"Let's go sit down and talk, alright?" CJ suggested, picking up her mug and maneuvering around the sleeping Bear as she made her way into the dining room. Dean followed closely behind, sitting across from her at the table despite really wanting to be right beside her for comfort. After what he did, he didn't deserve that although he knew she might feel otherwise. "So, I just need to know everything she's been doing, and then I need to know why you needed to leave. Then, once we're done here and all made up, I am calling Paul to see if he can get a rush on this restraining order."

"You think he can do that?"

"This is Paul Heyman we're speaking of. He's got all the right friends in all the right places." She reasoned, smiling when Dean chuckled. "Did you wake up hungover?"

"As fuck."

"Good." She spoke simply, nodding her head in approval of his hangover. "Serves you right."

Yeah, I deserved that. Dean thought to himself, looking down at his coffee briefly while trying to figure just how to start explaining the last couple months and the events that had occurred so far. He knew that she deserved to know everything, but he really didn't want to tell her everything. She didn't need to know that his mother had delivered threats on behalf of a drug dealer he used to know(who he thought was doing life in prison but whatever). She didn't need to know that yesterday's note that came attached to a rock was a threat to kidnap their daughter. She didn't need to know these things because then she would become paranoid and that was something that nobody really needed.

But he did it anyway. He told her every detail, even including all of the encounters he had with his mother before they were together. He didn't spare a single detail, admiring the way she kept a straight face while she listened intently to every word he said. He appreciated her not trying to interrupt him with questions or concerns, because it was taking a lot for him to just be open about this topic with her. He should have had this handled to the point where she didn't even know about their way of life being intruded on by his mother. He was doing a shit job of protecting her.

"...and, yeah. Here we are now."

CJ was silent for a moment, just trying to wrap her head around it all. There was so much being kept from her, and she had no doubt that Seth and Roman had known more than she did all this time and that had her a bit upset. But she had to keep in mind that he did this to protect her, to keep her life as stress free and he possibly could and she appreciate that to an extent. But, at the end of the say, she believed that she should've been completely in the loop the moment their daughter's well being was threatened.

"Thank you, Dean." She spoke softly, not knowing what else to say to him right now. He was obviously upset by the whole ordeal, and she wished that she was able to make him feel better about it all. But, unfortunately, she didn't know how to help him feel better. This whole situation was completely new to her and, while she had to call Paul for legal advice, she had to call Adam to beg for personal advice since he'd probably know what to do or have a pretty good idea of what they should do about all this.

"You deserved to know." He conceded, standing and heading for the coffee pot. She only looked down at what was left of hers, debating whether or not to follow and get more coffee for himself. She eventually decided not to, knowing that Dean was most likely needing a bit of space to himself. "And yesterday was just a clusterfuck of confusing thoughts and feelings and I just needed out for a bit."

"I guess I can understand that to an extent." CJ said, shrugging even though she knew that Dean wasn't really paying attention to her. "But I need to know what got you so confused."

Fuck. Dean thought to himself, not wanting her to know that she was part of why he was so confused. But he figured that it was totally necessary that they all be on the same page, and he knew that since Seth knew what was going on that made him have to get away then it was only fair that CJ knew as well. "Well, babe, its kinda... I don't know how to fuckin' explain it."

"Explain it to me the best you can, please." She requested, noticing the way Dean just brought the coffee pot to the table with the creamer and his mug. She knew that it would probably be for the best that they keep their quickly depleting source of caffeine nearby. Instead of sitting across from her, Dean sat down beside her and topped off her cup before filling his.

"I saw you and Olive sleeping on Seth and I felt weird. It wasn't jealousy or even anger, and that confused me. I'm supposed to be jealous or pissed off when another man is providing comfort to my girls, aren't I? I'm a highly possessive and protective man, yet I wasn't really bothered by Seth being there with you guys in our bed and that was what bothered me and confused the hell out of me too." He started his explanation, looking over at her briefly to see her nodding while watching him out of the corner of her eye.

"You thought that there was something wrong with you, right?"

"Yeah, and I had to just get away for a while. I should've left a note-"

"You should've taken your phone." She scolded, before remembering Seth's earlier request to just hear him out. "Sorry."

"Its fine, because you're right. I should've taken my phone because we were all technically in danger. I just- I panicked I guess because somewhere in my head I felt like I was possibly losing you to Seth." Dean murmured, not surprised to see her turn her whole body to face him. Her hand gently covered his, giving a gentle squeeze as they made solid eye contact with each other. "I know that's a stupid thing to think, because Seth doesn't want to take you from me, but I'm still terrified to lose you to anybody."

"Nobody is going to take me from you, Dean. Sure, we'll fight but we're always going to make up babe." CJ assured, smiling up at him in an attempt to reassure him that everything was going to be fine between them. "I don't want to ever be without you so you can guarantee that I'm not going to just let anyone whisk me away. I love you, babe."

"But you also love Seth."

"That doesn't mean that I'm just going to leave you, Dean." She reasoned, her smile never fading as she continued to hold onto his hand tightly. "I love you more than anything else in this goddamn world, Olivia excluded obviously."

"Obviously." Dean added, smiling and taking a drink of his coffee. "You only birthed her and everything. I get that, Christina, I do, but this isn't an insecurity that I can just turn off."

"I'm not asking you to, Dean. You know that I'm terrified to lose you too, no matter how many times you've told me that you aren't going anywhere."

"We just have to work on these abandonment issues that we have." Dean suggested, using his free hand to smooth down her hair. "Can I mention how hot your bed-head ponytail is?"

"Thanks. I woke up like this." She joked, leaning into his touch when his hand came to rest on her cheek. "We're getting off topic."

"I think we're doing just fine, baby."

"But there's something else I want to talk to you about, babe." She murmured, scooting to the edge of her seat to be closer to him. "Like, with Seth, what all is going on between the three of us?"

"Fuck, I dunno. I don't think he knows either."

"I think he and I are just following your lead, really." CJ admitted, shrugging when he gave her that confused look that she thought was one of the most adorable things ever.

"Well, shit. I guess he could call himself your boyfriend, since you guys kiss and shit like that."

"You realize that telling him that is going to make his year, right?"

"Happy birthday, Rollins." Dean joked, leaning in and kissing CJ's forehead. "I'm sorry that I'm an ass munch sometimes."

"Its okay, baby, you're my ass munch sometimes and that's alright with me."

"Can I munch on that ass later?"

"How many times do I have to tell you no butt stuff?" She laughed, standing from her seat and taking the coffee pot with her. He stood to follow, downing the rest of his coffee on the way and finishing hers too. Hers was a bit too sweet for his tastes, but he knew that she wasn't going to finish it and didn't like to waste things. "Thank you, my love."

"You're still mad at me, though, huh?"

"I'm not mad so much as I'm bothered. Instead of just joining us in bed to calm your panic attack you just left us." She stated, turning around and leaning back against the counter. "What if something had happened, Dean? Then nobody would have known where you were or how to get a hold of you because you didn't have your phone or tell us you were going on a run. If it had just been around the neighborhood, it wouldn't have been as bad because at least we would've been able to find your stupid ass."

"I just wasn't thinking clearly, sweetheart. But that's going to change, I swear."

"How are you going to change your thought processes, Dean?"

"Not changing my thoughts, but what I do when everything gets all jumbled." He spoke as he trapped her against the counter, pressing his body against hers to keep her in place but not enough to hurt her or put her in an uncomfortable position. "Instead of trying to get away, I'll just go to my ultimate source of clarity."

"Which is..?"

"My absolutely gorgeous one-in-a-million girlfriend." He answered, lifting her onto the counter and wedging himself between her legs. "You make everything better for me, baby."

That's my goal. She thought to herself with a smile, letting him rest his head on her chest so she could run her fingers through his hair. His arms wrapped tightly around her waist and she relished in the feeling of complete safety and security that was offered by her boyfriend. She kissed the top of his head and let her lips linger, enjoying the smell of his shampoo that was still present. "Good to hear, babe."

The rest of the day was pretty relaxed. She had expected to go nuts being on lockdown with her boys and babies, but she was having a pretty decent time. Sandwiched between Seth and Dean on the couch with Olivia fast asleep on her playmat with Bear laying nearby. She had decided on watching reruns of CSI: Miami and both men went along with it, neither wanting to argue with her since it wasn't her fault that they were all stuck inside.

A knock on the door made CJ jump, and Dean assured her that he'd go get it while Seth held her close and assured her that everything would be okay. He didn't like that just a knock on the door had her worried, which was why they really needed to hurry with that restraining order. It was already getting to the point where she wasn't feeling safe in her own home, and that wasn't okay.

"You're safe, sweetheart." Seth whispered, kissing the top of her head while rubbing her back. "Dean isn't going to let any body come in here if they aren't welcome and neither of us are going to let anything hurt you. No ifs or buts about it."

"I know, Sethie, but its just so hard to relax right now." She whispered, looking up at him to see the worry in his eyes.

"Babe, you got a package from Vince." Dean called as he reentered the living room, big brown box in his arms, and CJ looked up at him in confusion.

"Why the hell would Vince send me anything, let alone something so big?" She asked, sliding out of Seth's hold and onto the floor as Dean set the box down on the floor before going to get knife to open the box with. "Seth?"

"Don't ask me." He spoke as he moved to join her on the floor, watching Dean reenter the room with his pocket knife. The blonde swiftly opened the box, but let CJ shift through all the packing peanuts. Seth picked a couple up just to play with them, not all that interested in what was in the box until he felt fabric hit his head.

"'The Gold Standard' huh?" She asked, investigating the tshirt with a smirk before flipping it over to the back. "And it says that I'm a Heyman Girl? Is this my new merch? Oh my god, I finally have my own merch!"

Both men smiled proudly, happy to see her so excited over something despite their current circumstances. It seemed like only a split second had passed before the shirt she was once wearing was off and tossed to Dean and her new merch shirt was pulled on proudly. Both Dean and Seth shrugged before following her lead, knowing just how excited they were to get their own merch- Dean reflecting on seeing CJ wearing nothing but his first merch tshirt around his apartment when he had first brought it home.

"What's this case?" CJ asked, more to herself than the guys because she knew that they didn't know, before pulling the large black case out of the box and Seth pushed the box away so she could set it down on the floor. "There's more in the box."

"We'll look at it later." Dean assured before knocking on the case. "Open it."

She wasn't sure what she was expecting, therefore she opened the two silver latches on the case one by one before shutting her eyes tight as she pushed it open. Two "holy shit"s left the guys and she would've been concerned had she not known that they were awed by whatever was in the case. So she peeked one eye open quickly, getting glimpse of black and gold before shutting her eye again, not sure that she really wanted to see what was in there.

"Babe, open your eyes." Seth prompted, and CJ made a noise of uncertainty before opening them slowly. Her jaw literally dropped upon seeing an updated version of the WWE Women's Championship that had her name beautifully inscribed on the plate in cursive.

"This letter from Vince says that you're the Women's Champ, now. Nobody knows but you-well us- and Heyman, and you're making the official announcement on RAW Monday night. Do what you want with the Diva's Championship, they'll crown a new Diva's Champ sometime soon anyways."

What neither man was expecting was for her to faint.

I'm on some kind of roll and really thankful for it. I'm also thankful for everyone who has read, favorited, followed, and reviewed this story, because Saturday is the 1 year anniversary of Her Protector. Its been some kind of adventure, one that I didn't ever expect to go on this long but I'm grateful for it. I'm not too certain that I'll have an update by Saturday, but I couldn't allow myself to save this one until then. (Is it weird that I'm like on the brink of tears over this story lasting so long?)

I'd like to thankcalwitch, Imagineer1392, ItReignsJustice-619, meredith757, Sarcastic Nightmare, and nafiondf aof for reviewing the last chapter!