A/N: I felt super inspired. So, here is another update.
DISCLAIMER: I DO NOT OWN ANYTHING BUT THE PLOT AND OC.
Ghosts Of Days Gone By
The One That Got Away
The Rated R Superstar was gathering his belongings. He would be flying back out to Orlando so he could film his Last Man Standing match with Randy. The stipulation Wrestlemania matches like his, Cena and Bray's Firefly Funhouse match, and Styles and Undertaker's Boneyard match were being filmed earlier than the rest of the matches.
He was feeling giddy. This was his first Wrestlemania in nine years. Nine years. Even though there would be no audience in attendance thanks to the pandemic, he still couldn't contain his excitement about once again wrestling on the grandest stage of them all. In one of the most anticipated matches no less.
Beth walked into the bedroom, which is where he was. She took notice of how he seemed to have more pep in step than lately. "You seem peppy."
Adam stopped his packing to look at his wife. "That's because I am. This is my first Wrestlemania match after nine years, Babe."
"Is Summer going to be there?"
"She has to be. She's the Executive Director of RAW and she has been the one in charge of Randy and I's feud."
"But, you said that Vince was the one who flipped the script this past Monday. So, how is she the one in charge of your feud if he makes the ultimate decisions?"
Adam sighed. "Vince hasn't had any input in mine and Randy's feud. It's been all Summer. He just changed the order of some segments. He did veto some of Summer's ideas that she had in the original script, but that was for the other feuds. He hasn't touched anything pertaining to Randy and I."
"Obviously her ideas aren't good enough if Vince had to change the script."
"No, it's just that Vince is out of touch with the product. Why do you think that Randy and I have the best program heading into Wrestlemania according to a lot of the fans? It's because that's Summer's doing and Vince hasn't dug his claws into it."
Beth scoffed. "You really think that she's doing good?"
"I do. She advocated for us this past Monday according to Hunter. That's what a good person in charge does."
"Whatever." The Glamazon rolled her eyes. "I just don't like the idea of you and her working close together especially since you're on team Summer."
"What?" Adam asked, disgruntled. "You didn't have any issues with it before. What's the issue now?"
"That was before I realized how much you still care for her."
"What?" The Rated R Superstar repeated. "I do not care for Summer."
"Bullshit," Beth argued. "You've always cared for her, but I was just too blind to see it. Whenever you and her broke up and you and I first got together it was always Summer this, Summer that. Summer would do this, Summer would do that. I was actually relieved that you and her wouldn't see each other anymore. It wasn't even an issue for me when you made your part time appearances between 2015-2018 because she was done with the company. But now that you two are working together again, you have this gleam in your eye that I haven't seen in quite some time." She let out a sniffle and wiped her eyes. "Let's face it: I'm just the one you decided to settle for because you couldn't obtain the one you actually want."
Adam ran a hand through his hair. Out of all the things that he was expecting to happen today, this conversation with his wife was at the very bottom of the list. He hated that she was crying in front of him right now. He enveloped her in a hug and stoked her hair. "I love you and only you." He kissed the top of her head.
Flashback
Adam was getting strength tests done to see whether or not he could make it to Wrestlemania 27. Lately, he'd been feeling numbness and tingling in upper extremities and been in a lot of pain especially in his neck, where he had neck fusion surgery in 2003.
The WWE recommended him get strength tests done to see if he was capable of making it to the grandest stage of them all. He was done with one of his tests, so he was going to grab Summer, who tagged along, to see if she wanted to grab some lunch before his next appointment.
He walked back out to the waiting room to retrieve her. She was sitting there casually in her gray tanktop, white capris, and gray nikes, one legged cross over the other, reading a magazine. "Hey," he greeted her.
She looked from the magazine up to him. "Hey. How'd your test go?"
"It went just fine. Did you want to grab some lunch before my next appointment?"
Summer nodded. "Sure." She got up and grabbed her Coach purse. They made their way down the hallway of the clinic, heading towards the exit. "Where did you want to grab food?"
"I'm not sure, do you have a taste for anything?"
"Not particularly." Summer got out her car keys from her purse and unlocked the doors to the blue 2010 Toyota Camry they were renting since Adam was referred to a clinic in Alabama to get tested cause that was where he had his neck fusion surgery. She was the one to drive since he was the one having all the tests done. It was a rarity for her to drive since he usually did the driving when it was just the two of them. She got into the driver's seat and he got into the passenger's seat. She started the car and exited out of the clinic parking lot.
"Why don't we just find the nearest diner and eat there," Adam suggested.
"Okay."
With Hard Rock music blaring from the car thanks to The Rated R Superstar, the couple sat in a companionable silence until Summer found a nearby diner. She put on the turn signal and turned right into the parking lot. They got out of the car and walked into the diner. Adam held the door open for Summer and she smiled at him as she walked inside. It was a diner where they could seat themselves, so she picked out a booth that was near a window.
"Good afternoon." A woman in her mid to late forties greeted the couple. She handed them menus and silverware. "What can I get started with to drink?"
"Water please," Adam responded.
"Diet pepsi or coke please," Summer responded.
"I'll be back with your drinks."
Summer opened her menu and was pleased with what they offered. The club sandwich looked appealing to her. She wondered what Adam was going to order. "What are you getting to eat?"
The World Heavyweight Champion looked up from his menu to look at his companion across the table. "I'm debating between the club sandwich or the grilled chicken sandwich."
"I'm getting the club sandwich."
Adam nodded. "That's what I'll get too."
"Copycat," Summer teased. She stuck out her tongue at him.
"You just made a brilliant decision on what to order."
Their waitress came back with their dranks and the couple thanked her. "Alright, my Dears, have you decided what you're going to get?"
Summer nodded. "I'll take the club sandwich with fries please."
The waitress wrote down her order. She looked at Adam. "And for you, Dear?"
"I'll take the same thing as my lovely girlfriend."
"She sure is lovely," The waitress agreed. Summer smiled in response. The waitress wrote down Adam's order. "Alright, Dears, I'll be back to check on you."
"Just so you know: I'm paying for lunch today," Summer decided. "It's my treat."
"Thank you Beautiful."
Summer smiled. She loved when Adam called her endearments. "You're welcome."
"I also want to thank you for not only coming with me, but for driving."
"Of course."
"You're always crazy busy, but yet, you always make time for me if I need you. You don't know how much I love you for that."
"That makes me a keeper; right?"
"I've kind of known that you were a keeper since our first date, Summer."
Summer beamed. Their food arrived and she beamed even more. "Thank you," she said when her plate was set down in front of her. "This looks delicious."
Adam's plate was placed in front of him. "Thank you." He took a moment to observe the food on his plate. "It does look good. I'm about to starve."
Summer giggled as she watched Adam inhale his food as if he hadn't eaten in days. He wasn't lying when he said he was about to starve. She knew he had a long morning of tests, so she didn't blame him for being as hungry as he was. At least he would be nice and full for his afternoon tests.
Summer was dressed to impress in her navy pinstripe short business suit with a white undershirt. She wore black stiletto sandals and her blonde hair was in fluffy curls. Her makeup was done with navy eyeshadow and pink lipgloss. She walked inside the ring, where Adam and Randy were.
"Hey, Summer." Summer was greeted by Randy. He took notice of her sharp business look. "Are you trying to impress me?"
Summer laughed and shook her head. "The days of me impressing you are over."
"You did a wonderful job impressing me whenever we were dating."
Summer blushed and rolled her eyes before diverting her attention to Adam. "Hey, Adam."
"Hey." The Hall of Famer was shell shocked by what he just heard. Randy and Summer dated? When? How did he not know about this? If anybody would be well known about in the history of wrestling couples: Randy Orton and Summer McMahon would definitely be at the top of the list. Everyone knew that he and Summer were in a relationship for four years. "You two dated?" He motioned his hand back and forth between Randy and Summer.
"Yeah, but it's ancient history," Summer responded. "We dated for only a year."
"I had just finalized my divorce and Summer had just ended things with Punk, so we seeked comfort in each other, but I realized that Summer was wifey material and I wasn't ready to get married again, so we mutually ended things," Randy added.
"I'm obviously not wifey material, Randy," Summer sighed. "You or Adam didn't marry me." Even though she was poking fun at herself, it still made her feel sick to know that both of the guys she was occupying the ring with didn't marry her even though she was in serious relationships with them. Randy she understood, but not Adam.
"I would've married you, but I just needed time. I was depressed that I had to retire from wrestling, but by the time I was ready to propose, you decided to move onto Punk. So that's why I moved on," The Rated R Superstar confessed.
There was a pregnant pause. Adam, Randy, and Summer were all standing there with their eyes widened in shock. Adam was shocked that he confessed that while Randy and Summer were both shocked by the confession.
"Adam…." Summer muttered.
Adam waved off the issue. "It's all water under the bridge. I'm happily married now."
"Anyways…" Randy clapped his hands together. "Should we get this Last Man Standing match underway?"
"I'm ready." Adam rolled his shoulders. "Bring everything you've got, Orton."
"You know I will, Man. I always do."
Summer followed along with the cameramen as Adam and Randy got into character. Edge and Randy Orton - Last Man Standing was officially underway. It all started with their entrances and then it would finish with them somewhere backstage in the Performance Center. She was just following along and letting them improvise what they wanted to do.
"Hey, can I talk to you?" Summer approached a freshly showered and changed Adam.
"You okay?"
Summer ran a hand across her forehead. "About what you said earlier…"
"Yeah, let's pretend that I never said any of that."
"But, I can pretend that you didn't say that. That was a huge bombshell."
"You want the truth, Summer? Yes, I wanted to marry you. I was trying to find the right time. But instead, you get upset cause I couldn't give you an answer and we just always fought - so I felt like the only thing I could do was end things. I did want to get married to you but I didn't want to get married while I was depressed. It would've made me look pathetic."
Summer furrowed her eyebrows. "How would you have looked pathetic?"
"Because I had quit the one thing that was my livelihood. How would've it looked if I had all of a sudden married Vince McMahon's daughter? People would think that I would be trying to stay attached to the business by marrying into the family."
"That's not true," Summer argued. "You had your own legacy. You are one of the greatest of all time. People knew you and I were together but you didn't get judged for it. If memory serves me correctly: everybody thought you brought out the best in me and you did. You helped me become less superficial. Don't you remember how high maintenance I used to be?"
"You did like the finer things in life," Adam teased. "But, you were always wanting to do the right thing. You always have been a good advocate and confidant for us wrestlers," he pointed out.
"And I'm going to continue to be someone that everyone can count on to fight for them."
Adam smiled. "I don't want to cross any boundaries, but I'm proud of you."
"Thanks," Summer beamed. "I'm happy that you're wrestling again. You were always one of my favorites."
"I appreciate that." Adam ran a hand on the back of his neck. "I, uh, we should probably head out. I'll walk you to your car again."
"I know you've always been super nice, but if it makes you uncomfortable you don't have to."
"I insist."
They walked out of the Performance Center together. They approached Summer's private vehicle she arrived in. She placed a hand on his shoulder. "You were incredible today. It was an honor to watch you from the behind the scenes in your first Wrestlemania match in nine years."
He watched as she got into the vehicle. As he watched Summer's vehicle leave the parking lot he came to a realization that was there all along: she was the one that got away.
A/N: Thanks for reading :)! Please let me know what you think.
