Robyn made her way around backstage and knocked on the men's lockerroom door. Sami answered.

"Hey, I heard you were here. Welcome back," he greeted.

"Thanks," she replied. "Can you ask Joe to step out here for a second, please? I need to talk to him?"

"Alright, hold on," the door closed behind him.

"I told you it would fit," Joe said, referring to the unused gears she had before her diagnosis.

"Yeah, you did," she sighed.

He raised a brow. "What's wrong?"

"I'm about to go home..." she said, feeling as if she'd throw up everything she'd eaten since she made this decision.

"Did you forget something?"

"No..."

"Then why?"

"Because I can't do this," she shook her head. "I'm not ready. It was you who suggested it and in my post sex haze, I went along with it."

"That was after sex. You had days leading up to this to change your mind. Why go through all this trouble just to pull out?"

"What trouble? I'm not advertised and as far as the fans know I'm still sick so they aren't expecting me. It's no loss. The closer it gets to showtime, the more I feel like it's not the right time…"

"Not the right time? The Rumble is the perfect time. Why do you think wrestlers who've been out on injury or for other reasons make their comeback here at this pay per view?" he blew a frustrated breath. "Look, I'm not about to argue with you, Robyn. Do you need my keys?"

"No, I was just going to get an Uber to drop me off…"

"You should get Ricochet to do it because I saw you hugging all over him earlier," he remarked.

Robyn let out a scoffing laugh. "Really, Joe? The first thing he said to me had to do with us and that hug that he initiated lasted 2 seconds if that!"

"2 seconds too long. Hell, you shouldn't be hugging at all. It's a pandemic!"

Robyn rolled her eyes. "Anyway, I was just letting you know."

"It's not me you need to be letting know, it's management so they can make arrangements to fill your spot and also, the women in your locker room that we're excited for your return," he leaned down to kiss her. "I was in the middle of going over some things in there with KO so I'll see you at home. Keep that gear on so I can take it off."


5 days earlier...

Robyn was busy drying herself with a towel in the bathroom when she heard footsteps coming up the stairs. Within seconds, Joe filled the doorway.

"You're back," she acknowledged, knowing that he was dropping the kids off. "What is Galina doing?"

"Nothing, but I know what she's going to be doing from now until further notice and that's keeping them over there. I love my children but damn, I'm exhausted! It's been what, a month?"

"How do you think she felt when you were on the road for almost 300 days a year since 2012? The biggest beneficiaries of the WWE pandemic era are the wives now that you wrestlers are home now to take care of your own kids," Robyn countered. "And if you stop letting them do what they want, eat what they want, sleep at whatever time they want no matter how late over here, maybe they'll actually want to go home. I give it a week before you get that 'come pick us up' phone call from Jojo."

"Maybe you should offend her again…"

"Sure but don't say anything when she never speaks to you again because you won't break the engagement. She's a teenager now so don't think she won't do it," Robyn snorted. "I'm not going to lie though, it's going to be nice to have some peace and quiet around here for however long."

"Peace and...quiet? That's funny because I want the opposite," he stepped closer to her. "I want to hear something I haven't heard in a month."

"And what's that?" Rob smirked, already knowing where this was going. She could see the need in his eyes.

"I want you," he says. "I want to hear you moan. I want to hear you beg for me."

"Make me," she wrapped her arms around his neck and pulled him toward her, a slow kiss. She could smell his scent. He pushed her up against the counter with such force that it almost knocked the wind out of her.

"Don't worry I will," Joe went back in. His kiss was hard, passionate and she couldn't breathe or move. Her legs went weak. Suddenly she could feel her wetness erupt. Just his kiss got her wet but his forcefulness had her shivering in anticipation. With one hand he gently traced down her cheek, along her neck and then on down to circle her hardening nipple.

She moaned in delight.

"That didn't take long," without warning, he took her nipple between his thumb and forefinger, pinching which caused a whimper.

Still kissing her, Joe guided Robyn out of the bathroom and over to the bed. She felt the edge of the mattress hit behind her knees. Then she felt herself falling backwards as he pushed her.

"Get on your knees, spread your legs apart and grab the headboard," he commanded and she did it, ending up in a weird kneeling position staring at the wall. She no longer liked the color and hadn't for a while but never got around to mentioning it to him. When Joe wasn't busy with the kids, he was in the gym putting in work to improve his body and character.

The anticipation was killing her. All she really wanted was to feel him deep inside of her.

"Hurry, please, I need you," she whined.

"Patience is a virtue," he crawled onto the bed from behind to straddle her. She can feel the length against her ass as he leans forward to kiss her neck and shoulders. Her hands ache to let go of the headboard so she could reach down and stroke him but this was clearly his time to be in charge.

His kisses trail down her back and she could feel her whole body erupt in goosebumps, wondering if he could feel them. He got lower and lower until he was laying down underneath her on his back and she was straddling his face.

Both hands spread apart her ass as his wet tongue playfully circled the back door. Then she could feel his lips covering her mound, tongue slipping out to part the lips. As he caressed her clit, she could feel her body start to quiver as she moaned.

A long thick finger plunged into Robyn. She writhed into his hand begging him to go deeper. He artfully stroked her and she could feel an intense buildup. Slow, then fast and hard and now he was going at a snail's pace. It was infuriating.

"Don't hold back," he told her. "Let go."

"I'm trying," she tells him as she felt herself climbing over the edge. "Don't stop, please."

Joe disregarded her pleading and removed his finger.

"Why!"

"What do you want me to do?" he playfully asks.

"You know what I want you to do," she has a hard time verbalizing it, trying not to let go of the headboard.

He got on his knees behind her. "I do know, but I want to hear you say it."

"Fuck me!"

On command, he roughly entered her. She gasped as he felt his dick spreading her slick walls. Her hands let go of the headboard to reach behind and grip his powerful thighs as they moved.

"You feel so good," he whispered in her ear.

"And you feel so good in me," she returned. "Don't stop."

"I'm not. I want to hear you scream."

Her body uncontrollably starts to buck and writhe but as he continues his assault. He gets his wish as she screams loud enough for the kids to hear her from Galina's house. Short strokes, long strokes, she can feel the tip just inside before he thrusts back in. The edge is so very close...faster, harder and deeper he went until she had no sense of what was going on.

Finally, her body shuddered uncontrollably as she fell forward to lean on the headboard. She tries to push him away but he's holding onto her waist tight. The spasms wrack her body, giant ones at first followed by little aftershocks.

Before she had a chance to gather her bearings and recover, he rearranged her so that she was face down, ass up on the pillow. She had to grip the sheets to prevent her head from banging against the headboard. He grunted each time he entered her. Reaching around, his fingers found her clit and rubbed as he continued to pound. The shuddering starts deep within her core and expands throughout body until she couldn't catch her breath.

"I'm about ready to cum," he announced as he slapped the side of her hip.

"Hurry up, I can't take it anymore!" Robyn hissed through clenched teeth. 3 more strokes...then he stops as warm liquid spreads inside of her. They collapsed next to each other. "Was that loud enough."

"Not really but we can try again later," he replied contently.

"All this sweat. I just got out of the shower before you got here and now I have to get back in. Thanks," she remarked sarcastically, walking toward the bathroom.

"You look amazing," he complimented, following. He leaned against the counter while she turned on the water.

"Considering how I can never be naked without you on top of me, behind me, inside of me...I'm aware," she replied.

"No, well yes, but I'm not just talking sexually," he said. "Your body looks better now than before."

"Believe it or not, I feel better now than before. From working out in your gym to our ring, I'll be in the best physical shape of my career when I return..."

"Speaking of return, the Rumble is Sunday. We've been talking about an opening to get you back in there and there it is."

"I can't take anyone's spot," she shook her head.

"The Rumble is 30 spots. The Raw and Smackdown roster does not equal that. I'm sure there will be some NXT entrants but even then, some spots will be reserved for returns or legends."

Robyn did miss being in the ring. She missed the bright lights of the arena, she missed her theme music, she missed that adrenaline rush she felt when she'd hear it play. She even missed the live audience even though they were horrible to her before she left...but that's neither here nor there now after everything that's happened. "You know what, you're right. Maybe it is time."

Joe reached for his discarded sweatpants on the floor and pulled out his phone. "Let me make this phone call."

"Wait, there's something I need to do tomorrow first…"

January 27th. A very significant day. This year it fell on a Wednesday but last year it was a Monday, the Monday after last year's Royal Rumble. The Monday that stopped her world. Here she sat in the same office, the same room, the same spot waiting for her results. There were already too many similarities for her liking but the only one that mattered now was the result. Joe grabbed her hand for reassurance; his were warm while hers were cold. He was talking but she didn't hear a word. The door opened suddenly, causing both to jump.

"So, Robyn…" Dr. Foster started.

"Dr. Foster, I don't mean any harm but let's get right into it. No small talk, no dramatic pauses. Good or bad, just give it to me straight," Robyn interrupted.

"You are officially medically cleared to wrestle and the front desk receptionist is faxing a copy of my statement over to WWE headquarters in Stamford," Dr. Foster said.

Joe's eyes lit up and Robyn beamed a smile at him. "I knew you were fine but I just needed to hear it."

"Same. Now you can make the call," she instructed before squealing. "I'm really about to do this! I don't even have gear."

"All that gear taking up space in our closet?" Joe replied. "I haven't seen you in half of it."

"Who knows if I can still fit those…"

"I don't know why you wouldn't be. You're no bigger or smaller than you were when it was made."

"Welp, with the time constraints, I have no other choice," she shrugged.

Over the next few days Robyn practically killed herself in the gym. The night before Joe locked the door and hid the key because he wanted her to rest. Then there was the morning of.

Sasha: So is it true?

"Joe?" Robyn yelled upstairs where he gathered his bags.

"Huh?"

"Did you tell Sasha?"

"I haven't told anyone besides management..." he yelled back down.

Robyn: Yes! Who spilled? Not that I care about you knowing but I'm scared it'll leak via backstage personnel & I want it to be a surprise.

Sasha: Nobody, some of us got to the arena early and we're looking at the match card. With COVID, less staff is on hand which means less leaks. You're good. Get here!

"Are you ready?" Joe asked tenderly as he drove. "All the hard work you put in has been leading up to this moment."

"Yeah...it has," her breath quivered. The joy she'd felt in the last few days was slowly being replaced with anxiety but she couldn't let him know that, at least not right now.

"You've never been to this arena before so catering is over there," he pointed and the women's lockerroom is down here."

Robyn opened the door to the lockerroom, but stopped cold in the doorway. There were flowers and 'Welcome Home' balloons flying around.

"You guys did not have to do this!" she exclaimed.

"But we wanted to," Bayley replied.

There was something much more touching about welcome home instead of welcome back because as they say home is where the heart is and this is where it was, these people were her unofficial family, she met the love of her life here.

Robyn covered her eyes with her hand, feeling overcome with emotion. "I don't know what to say besides thank you."

Soon it was time to go out to the practice ring to discuss spots and learn their cues. As she stood on the apron watching #1 Bayley and #2 Naomi do a quick runthrough, she felt herself being tapped on the shoulder. Ricochet. She scanned the area to make sure the coast was clear. She didn't have time for Joe's bitterness when it came to him.

"So when's the wedding?" he asked and she felt bad knowing he wasn't going to be invited when they do set a date.

"Hopefully soon. I really want a destination wedding and that requires things to get under control because I don't want anyone getting sick or potentially dying afterwards and it's traced back to us," she replied. "That includes myself because I fall into the at risk category. If everyone in this arena wasn't being tested before we entered I would not be here right now."

"Yeah, that's a smart move," he nodded. "Well, I'm glad you're back and good luck tonight," he reached out and hugged her. Over his shoulder she could see Joe watching from the top of the ramp. Of course he'd show up at that moment.

She'd be going in #7 this year and went to fall in with the 6 women who'd come before her.

"You alright in there?" Roman asked, walking closer to ringside.

Robyn crawled over to him. "They move around the ring much faster than you when we train at home but yeah, I'm keeping up."

"Go on somewhere, Joe, we got her," Trinity told him.

Robyn laughed. "Leave him alone. He's just concerned."

They had Robyn but Robyn wasn't sure she had herself as her hands nervously shook while she sat in the makeup chair.

'Everyone else in the match gained a year of experience over me while I was gone.'

'Ring rust is real. What if I go in and mess up on my first night back. That'll give fans something to talk about. Now that they know I'm not sick anymore they can talk shit without feeling guilt.'

Those thoughts and more ran through her mind consistently.

An hour before show time, she paced alone in the hallway. This was too much pressure for her to take. She was ready physically but mentally she wasn't there yet. WWE knew she was in remission from Day 1 and would've called her themselves when an opportunity presented itself. Instead she let Joe rush her into this on a random Tuesday afternoon. That settles it.


"It's not me you need to be letting know, it's management so they can make arrangements to fill your spot and also, the women in your locker room that we're excited for your return," he leaned down to kiss her. "I was in the middle of going over some things in there with KO so I'll see you at home. Keep that gear on so I can take it off."

Robyn took a deep breath as she walked into gorilla. She approached Mr. McMahon from behind. "Vince?"

"Robyn! We're so happy to have you back," he said.

"About that…I just wanted to thank you for the opportunity…" there was supposed to be a but there. Instead, something came over her. It wasn't confidence and her anxiety was still present and accounted for but she felt a calm settling in.

"You're welcome," he said, assuming it was the end of the conversation...and it was.

Robyn decided not to go back and tell Joe that she was staying. Once Carmella and Sasha were on, it was time to line up. This was it. The irrevocable moment had arrived. She was surprised she wasn't losing it in the midst of this super hectic backstage environment.

1. Bayley

2. Naomi

3. Bianca

4. Billie

5. Shotzi

6. Shayna

7. Robyn

Hearing her theme for the first time in a year was literally music to her ears. The only thing missing as she hit the ramp were the fans. The rows of screens were creepy but welcome because she could see the reactions that ranged from shock to excitement to confusion. She felt overwhelmed but now was not the time especially with the entrance she had to make.

Most of the women were clustered in the middle of the ring. From the steps she climbed up the turnbuckle to the top rope and debuted her imploding corkscrew 450 splash where they caught her. It was on from there.

30 minutes, 3 eliminations, last 5 standing before being eliminated by Natalya. With her being last minute, the winner, Bianca, was already written in stone and Robyn wouldn't have it any other way. There also needed to be an adjustment period for her to return full time. Mixing in with 29 other women, sometimes just laying in the corner was much different than being 1 on 1 where all the gaps in her game would be exposed.

Kayla was waiting for her behind the curtain. "Robyn, how does it feel to be back."

"It's an incredible feeling now, now that it's kind of sinking in," she replied.

"You're trending on Twitter right now mostly because the WWE Universe was confused about your health status. Would you like to shed some light on that?"

"I finished my treatments a while ago. I'm sorry for keeping everyone in the dark but if I announced it back then, I knew the 'when are you coming back' comments would start and I didn't want to feel rushed because of course it takes time for the body to settle down and recover. As you can see, I've done that and now the challenge for me is to get back to the top," she finished before thinking of something else. "Oh, and thank you to the Thunderdome fans for creating that moment for me and making it special and thank you to the fans at home for all your thoughts and prayers. Even when I was at my lowest, I read everything that was sent to me."

"She really did even when I told her she needed to focus on herself," Joe said, surprising her from behind. He didn't seem to be in character.

Kayla didn't miss the opportunity, putting the mic up to his lips. "How did it feel seeing her back out there."

"To see her go through all that she went through and still come back, it takes a tremendous amount of desire and no one should ever question her love for this business. I can't put into words how much respect I have for this woman and her resiliency."

"At least we know you're nice to someone…" Kayla muttered.

"There's always a chair across from the head of the table and that's where she sits," Joe replied which ended the interview. He secured his arm around her shoulder. "I'm really proud of you for going out there like I knew you would."

"How did you know?"

"Because I know you. You always say what you aren't going to do out of panic and then come to your senses later. That's why I didn't bother arguing with you about it because it would work itself out."

RobynWWE: And that's a wrap! I'm sure I'd be forgiven for simply being happy to be here. Happy to be in remission. Happy to be in the ring. Happy to be participating in the Rumble, something I last did exactly a year ago(successfully might I add) It's nice to be back obviously, but for me, I didn't just want to make a return, I wanted to win. Instead, I did the next best thing and made an impact. Let me just say right now, Rumble winner or not, I'm still going to Wrestlemania. Stay tuned.