CJ sat quietly, looking between Dean and Seth while holding Olivia close to her chest. The infant was still battling that damn cold and was fussier than usual, but this time it was only CJ that she wanted. Neither Seth nor Dean was able to calm her, which resulted in CJ having to hold the infant in the shower while Dean helped her scrub the shampoo out of her hair so that she could be a mother without dried shampoo inn her hair until she could get enough time to herself for a shower. She wasn't a fan of her shower being interrupted, but she could understand why they had to if Olivia was so fussy to the point where they risked dropping her. That wasn't anything that she was interested in.
"What's our plan?" CJ asked quietly, still gently bouncing Olivia to help her to sleep. "If I can't leave her then I can't compete tonight."
"You weren't competing tonight anyways." Dean murmured, looking at the picture of the match card that Paul had sent him. "Nattie and Tamina have a match, but you should be ready just in case things go south for Nattie."
"Olive should be asleep by that point in the night." She spoke with a shrug, kissing the infant's warm forehead. "Are we sure that its just a cold?"
"Mayo clinic says that a small fever is natural." Seth mumbled, moving to sit beside CJ and gently pushing her hair away from her forehead. "We can take her to the docs at the arena and see if they have a thermometer."
"I think we should. Just to be safe, y'know?" Dean commented, looking CJ in the eye and seeing just how worried she was about their daughter. "Olive is going to be fine."
CJ only nodded, kissing Olivia's forehead and smiling when she felt Seth kiss the side of her head. She felt weird wearing only a sports bra and sweatpants, but once Olivia went to sleep she'd change into more presentable clothes and cuddle with Dean or Seth. Whoever was available. She needed to cling to a man when she wasn't being clung to by her daughter. It was what she needed right now.
It took an hour, but CJ was able to finally lay Olivia down and not have to pick her right back up. The infant was sound asleep, and that made the young mother smile as she stood over the crib. Once she was asleep, Dean threw himself onto the bed for a nap so CJ left the room as quietly as she could and smiled when she saw Seth on the phone.
"... Yeah, mom, I know that. But-... An air humidifier?... I know what its for I just don't get why-... Ohhhh. Okay... I get it now, mom... Thanks a ton... Love you too... Bye."
"Does your mom know about Olive?" Was her first question once Seth was off the phone, getting his attention and smiling when he bit his lip. This had her slowly making her way to where he was sitting, opting to straddle him rather than sit beside him. "Its okay if you told her. I mean, Olive is your baby too."
"She saw pictures on your Twitter and Instagram. But she says that Olivia looks more like me than you guys and doesn't believe that Ollie is Dean's." Seth explained, his eyes never leaving CJ's face despite her not having put on a shirt yet. He didn't want to look down and admire the chest he'd spent years admiring, even though he knew that she wouldn't care. "I didn't tell her the actual circumstances, but I'm letting her believe that Olivia is mine for the time being."
"She's not going to go the the papers or anything, right?"
"Of course not. I let her know that I made a huge mistake and that was why you left, and that I was getting rights to be with her and see her grow up and wanted her to not get involved in any way because everything is fair right now."
"Okay." She mumbled, gently stroking Seth's cheek. He could tell that she was uncertain of just what his mother could and would do with the thought that Olivia was Seth's baby and not Dean's, but he didn't blame her for not being certain. His mother hated her and he wasn't sure why, but he didn't put anything passed his mother.
"Relax, alright? If she gives that information to any tabloids we can take her to court."
"But that's your mom, Seth. I wouldn't want to put any strain on your-"
"CJ, you've got a huge target on your back right now. The only thing really going right for you right now is your relationship with Dean and you don't need anything else stressing you out." He cut her off, knowing that she needed solid reasoning to relax her mind. "Don't worry, babe."
"I can't help it."
"I know. The way you bite your lip when you worry is so sexy, babe." Seth complimented, pecking her lips and getting a smile out of her. "There's that smile that I'm obsessed with."
"You're such a fucking creep sometimes." CJ teased, letting Seth kiss her again. This was much more than just a peck, Seth making her feel just how much he loved her in that gentle kiss. There was never any varying in the intensity of the kiss, even when Seth's hands moved from from her hips and started rubbing her sides. "Seth, I-"
"Are you uncomfortable?" He asked quietly, stalling his movements as he looked into her eyes. He didn't like seeing that conflict in her eyes and almost moved her from his lap to put space between them. But she shook her head slowly, bringing a smile onto Seth's face as her hands held his face gently. "Just let me touch your skin. Nowhere inappropriate, I promise."
The only response he got was a nod, the small smile on her face reminding Seth of simpler times. Before he pushed for a relationship and before Dean had ever had a taste of CJ. It was just him and her, nothing more between them but great sex and greater times between them. His favorite was when they'd just lay in bed and spend time together because they had nothing else to do. She never hesitated around him back then, because she never worried about what other people thought of her and what she did. But now, now she was just so afraid to upset Dean that she had to second guess her every move. He didn't like that she hesitated before doing anything related to him.
"When are you going to stop hesitating around me?" Seth whispered, his hands rubbing her back gently as he spoke. His question had caught her off guard, but she knew that he had a point. She was ashamed of this, but she didn't know how to fix it. "Babe, I just want you to be comfortable with me."
"I am comfortable, Sethie." CJ whispered, actually speaking the truth. She was very comfortable with him, especially right now, and she hoped that he could tell. She could tell that he was getting a bit comfortable, as well, and she tried to assure herself that she wasn't needed to do anything to help him with his problem. But,she was still CJ and she lived to tease Seth when he was hard and couldn't help but grind her hips into his. She knew that Dean wouldn't approve, but right now she didn't care. This is what she had to do. Not for Seth and not for her, but for Olivia. She needed Seth on the same page that she and Dean were on, because that was the only way Olivia would be safest.
"Don't start something you can't finish, babe." Seth whispered, just before CJ claimed his mouth with hers. She didn't know what was going on right now, but she could care less. As far as she was concerned, Seth deserved this. He had done nothing wrong since being welcomed back into the family and she needed to reward him for it.
"Just relax, Sethie." CJ whispered, keeping with her slow pace in hopes that she was doing alright in pleasuring him. "Let me take care of you."
"Its not getting much further than this, is it?" He asked, knowing the answer already but praying that she would have a different answer for him. He only got a hum in response, but that gave him hope for some distance in the sexual aspect of their relationship (if he even wanted to call it that anymore). He wanted to taste her again, and he really wanted to be able to lay her down and make love to her until the sun rose. Of course, with Dean around he doubted he'd ever get to be with her for that long in such an intimate setting.
His hand moved from her back to her side, dangerously close to her breast, because he wanted to test her limits. She didn't falter in her movements, in fact she actually started grinding down on him just a bit harder and he let out a small groan that got a smirk out of the blonde. He felt her hand on his wrist and grinned when she moved it over her breast and took that as a sign to grab at her chest and almost groaned at the feel of what he felt was perfection. Her chest had gotten bigger thanks to the pregnancy and he was loving it all.
"That's it, Sethie, just relax and enjoy."
"Are we telling Dean?"
"I will. You just relax." She got what she wanted, Seth massaging her chest while kissing her neck. He wouldn't dare leave any marks on her skin, not wanting to set Dean off and make him any angrier than he would already be for this little event occurring in the first place. CJ continued working her hips against his, and Seth had to wonder just how much pleasure she was actually getting out of this. She wasn't making any noise aside from the little squeak that left her lips when he pinched her nipple a bit too roughly. But she didn't tell him to stop, which turned Seth on so much more.
CJ knew that this would most likely piss off her boyfriend, but she knew that Seth needed this and she needed to do this to keep him with her. Right now, she figured that she was playing peace keeper, since she'd be having sex with Dean later that night after she told him to keep him from murdering Seth. In the end everything would work out and everybody would be happy. She didn't know when that would be or how it would come to be, but it was bound to happen. At least she hoped it would happen the way that she wanted it to happen.
"You guys did what!?" Dean shouted, instantly upsetting the infant that was in his arms and CJ quickly stepped in to pull her away. "What the fuck, CJ!?"
"I know it was wrong, Dean. I'm not exactly proud of myself for it but it was what needed to happen for the benefit of our family." She kept her tone even, knowing that yelling wasn't going to do anything for her. If you yelled at Dean he just stopped listening and, right now, she didn't really need that. "You were pushing Seth away, and I needed to reel him back in somehow."
"So you fucking dry hump him!?"
"If it makes you feel better, I didn't cum." She added, hoping that it would make Dean feel better. She needed him calmed down before Seth and Heyman came back in from Seth's match because she had told Seth that she had Dean handled. She also knew that Seth wouldn't be afraid to step in should he come in while Dean was yelling at her and the last thing she needed was her two men fighting. Verbally or physically.
"Really?" Of course, knowing that she wasn't satisfied by her technically unfaithful actions would calm Dean down a bit. That "alpha male" complex of his was going to be the death of her some day. He had relaxed a bit, and that made CJ relax a bit but she still hadn't let her guard down completely. Dean could be ruthless when he was upset and CJ wasn't really trying to deal with that while vulnerable. While she knew that Seth didn't mean the shit that he said when he was pissed off, she wasn't sure just how sincere Dean was in his angry rampages.
By this point in time Olivia had finally calmed down and CJ smiled at the infant while wiping away her tears. She was quietly whispering assurances to their daughter that everything is fine, and the scene made Dean start thinking. He understood that CJ had their best intrest in mind, and the safety of their daughter was top priority. He understood that Olivia was safest when all three of her parents were on a united front, and he could respect CJ for wanting that for their daughter. He knew that CJ had a point in the fact that he was pushing Seth away, but she didn't have to use sex (as non explicit as it was) to reel him back in. There were other ways to go about things like that and, while he could understand her wanting to go the easy route in pulling Seth in, she could've used Olivia or any other method she had up her sleeve to reel Seth in. The man was a sucker for anything related to CJ, so Dean knew that it wouldn't have been that hard to pull him in.
"Look, Dean, I know what I did was wrong and I'm sorry. At that moment in time, I just- I didn't know what else to do." CJ spoke softly, sitting down on the couch in the room but not taking her attention away from their daughter. "I can understand why you're mad and I don't blame you. But please, don't take it out on Seth. He doesn't deserve that, especially when it was all me."
"Seth is off the hook, no worries." Dean assured, grabbing CJ's eye contact as he sat down beside her. "But I will be talking to him later and you, my dear, we'll be talking too. Maybe fucking, too. But I'm not sure I want to put you through that, sweetheart."
CJ could only nod her understanding as Seth and Paul came strutting into the room. She knew that Dean wouldn't do anything to raise suspicion or cause a scene at work to bring more unwanted attention their family, and gently handed Olivia away because it was time for her to accompany Natalya to ringside. The plan had changed from their original plan once her countrywoman had requested that she accompany her to the ring and keep things fair. CJ, not being a big fan of Naomi or Tamina, was quick to say yes because she would never pass up a chance at kicking Naomi in the face. It was her new favorite thing to do at work.
"CJ, you're looking hot." Natalya complimented upon seeing the blonde strut up to her. Her typical merch shirt had been trimmed into being just a crop top and those jeans were set to have Dean kill a man who looked at her the wrong way. Just how Dean (and Seth) liked her to dress.
"Thank you, my domi-Nattie." CJ teased, high-fiving her friend and linking arms with her as they walked to gorilla. She wasn't going to let Natalya know what she had done or why, because she had a tendency to spill secrets in hope of making casual conversation and that was the last thing CJ needed. Right now, she needed to kick somebody in the face, nothing more and nothing less. After she kicked somebody in the face, she would be ready to deal with whatever Dean threw at her.
At least she hoped that would be the case.
She wasn't ready. Kicking both Tamina and Naomi hadn't given her enough of a confidence boost to deal with Dean and Seth at the same time. It was tense on Dean's end and awkward on Seth's but she didn't expect anything else from them. Seth knew that Dean was pissed, and Seth was trying not to get them in any more trouble so he was choosing to tread lightly around Dean and the girls to avoid setting off the Ohioan.
In the arena it was okay, because they had more space to maneuver around each other. The bus was spacious, but it wasn't spacious enough and CJ was having a hard time dancing around Seth and Dean with a fussy infant in her arms. But eventually Olivia was asleep in the crib and Dean quietly motioned for her to take a seat on the couch next to Seth while he sat across from the two. Seth was nervous, the way he bounced his leg giving him away, while CJ just kept herself still and leaned against the arm of the couch while staring at Dean and waiting for him to speak.
She knew exactly what he was doing. He wanted them to squirm to make sure that when they did finally start talking about what had happened, they'd be completely honest with him. Only problem with his plan of action was that CJ was already completely honest with him and had no reason to squirm because she had nothing to hide. It made her wonder about Seth, though. He knew that Dean knew, so what was he hiding?
"I think we all just need to lay everything out on the table." Dean suggested, looking between the two and taking in their surprised expressions. CJ had her head tilted to side while she just blinked at him, and could only stare at him with his mouth open slightly. Neither expected this from him, and he knew that, which was why he was kind of entertained. "If everything is going to go on at least somewhat smoothly, we're going to have to be open and honest with each other."
"Define 'open and honest'?" Seth asked, tentatively looking to CJ because he knew that she had some skeletons in her closet that she wasn't at all interested in revealing to anybody.
"I don't want to know what you ate for breakfast on your first day of seventh grade. I just... I'm tired of there being so many secrets between us all." The blonde explained, watching CJ shift in her seat. She was getting uncomfortable, and Dean figured that this would happen.
Dean looked between the two, not at all surprised by how differently Seth and CJ were acting. He expected Seth to be a nervous wreck, because the younger man didn't know that he had been spared the wrath of Ambrose because CJ had stepped up and told him everything beforehand. Dean just wanted everything to be laid out on the table. No more secrets, no more lies, he wanted nothing but pure honesty between the three of them, and he hoped that Seth and CJ were okay with that. If not, there were going to be issues.
"Feelings, you guys. I need us to be able to talk feelings." Dean clarified, seeing how horrified CJ looked before. But that look didn't change, and that scared Dean. She was probably going to shut down and that was the very last thing that they needed. Seth was watching her, too, visibly concerned about her and what she was thinking.
"I'm pretty sure that I'm the one person out of the three of us that has been open and honest about their feelings." She spoke after a couple moments of silence between the three, earning a nod from Dean and Seth gently taking her hand in his in an attempt to support her. She pulled away, though, standing from the couch and running a hand through her hair as she started to pace. "I mean, if anything, you guys are constantly asking me how I feel but never tell me what's going on in your heads. You can't always be 'fine', no matter how much you really want to be and its like you don't trust me to take care of you guys like you take care of me."
Dean and Seth got more out of her than they thought they would get out of her, and Dean was pleasantly surprised by her ramblings. What followed was just as surprising, CJ opting to sit on the floor between the two men rather than beside Seth or Dean, and both knew that they needed to let her have her space right now.
"I get that CJ, I do. But I feel that its my job to-"
"Can we cut that 'its my job as your boyfriend to protect you' bullshit?" She interrupted, looking up at Dean with obvious aggravation in her eyes. "I've heard it enough and, being honest, I'm getting sick of the 'fragile' treatment."
"You are fragile, though." Seth cut in, knowing that it wasn't his place to do so but somebody had to and it sure as hell wasn't going to be Dean. Dean had too much to lose if he wound up making CJ mad at him, but Seth didn't. "Look at you right now. Any talk about feelings has you shutting down and afraid to rely on anybody. We try not to put our feelings on you because you'l over think them and you'll break down because, emotionally, you're fragile."
"Is that how you feel, too, Dean?" CJ sneered as she stood up, looking at her boyfriend for some kind of answer. Any kind. But he said nothing and hung his head, telling her everything that she needed to know. "Well then, you boys have fun being emotionally tough out here, I'll just take my fragile ass to the bedroom and get some sleep."
She flipped them both off before shutting the bedroom door behind her, and Seth looked to Dean with nothing but regret in his eyes. This was his fault and he'd officially gotten himself thrown out of the family, he just knew it. But Dean only shook his head, looking to the door when it opened and CJ dropped a pillow and blanket on the floor for Dean before the door shut once again.
"I'm so sorry. Somehow I just made you the bad guy and I'll just-"
"Don't worry about it Seth." Dean assured, standing to get the pillow and blanket and following Seth over to the extra bunks. Instead of his earlier plan of not punishing Seth, he landed a nice punch to the younger man's arm to make up for it. "Dry hump my girlfriend without my permission again and I swear to god your ass is grass. Clear?"
"Crystal." Seth spoke through clenched teeth, holding his arm while trying not to howl in pain. "That. Shit. Hurt."
"Good." Dean muttered, getting comfortable in the top bunk. "It was supposed to."
Don't worry CJ is still in plenty of trouble with Dean for her earlier stunt with Seth and, possibly, with Seth himself should he find out just why exactly she did what she had done with him. She's dug herself a hole and I don't think that she can charm her way out of this one.
Anyways, thank you to calwitch, meredith757, Imagineer1392, ChelleLew, Pinayprincesa, and ItReignsJustice-619 for reviewing the last chapter! You guys rock my socks!
And, fun fact that had me super jazzed, this chapter was exactly 4,000 words before my usual author's note at the end. #JazzHands