Over to the chairman now then. What has Vince got up his sleeve? By the way forgive any editing mistakes I missed, I have whooping cough (who has whooping cough in this day and age?) so I'm mostly hacking up a lung at the moment. Enjoy!
xXBalorBabeXx, Haha, maybe but then has Vince ever been normal? Luckily not otherwise he wouldn't be half so interesting in my stories. My favorite Vince moment ever is his match against Shane because the whole family was involved. Even poor Linda (what a patient woman she is!)
Mandy, As long as there is a Dean and a Lauren there will be Deano cuddles so never fear! Seth will be back shortly in this story so never fear and he's in the next one too (because I'm creating him something of an arc you might say!)
LHisawesome4ever, Yeah Vince is about as far away from lowkey as you can imagine. But I'm not sure that eve I could write anything as crazy (trying not to say self-absorbed) as the Nikki/Cena wedding. I mean the truth is stranger than fiction right (using the term 'truth' very lightly in this case though!)
Wolfgirl2013, Nice guess but not quite…well, not totally anyway but we will see Randy again before this story is finished because the guy is like a literal bad penny. You never know when the Authority might pop back up!
Moxley Gal1, Never fear as you will see from this chapter Dean is already on the case or will be anyway because he knows that Lauren will blindly agree to things so this time he definitely wants to be there to slam the brakes on if needs be!
Skovko, It would be a very Vince thing to do…with a big wedding cake that gets trashed and thrown at people variously as it all breaks down a la Jerry Springer! Luckily it's not quite that in terms of his suggestion but you never really know what goes on with the McMahons…
DannyPhantom619, Haha, Grandpa is indeed back, but he is the least cuddly/trustworthy grandpa that there ever was in the whole wide world! He is a man with a plan but can he be believed? You never really know with Vince!
Labinnacslove, Vince definitely wants to turn their relationship to his advantage but luckily he stops just short of an actual wedding…or does he? Either way let's just say that Dean is not impressed and Lauren is less than keen but hey, we need a big ending right?!
Let's get into it…
Manic Monday
"Princess? Hey – ,"
"Huh?"
I turned in the corridor the second the familiar rumble bounced off the walls and then squinted a little towards the whitewashed horizon as the shift from the bright summer sun from the outside messed with my vision until I couldn't see a thing. I physically startled when a hand touched my elbow.
Eep.
"Whoa, somebody seems kinda nervy this evenin'."
Dean was standing right at my side which I realized from his hold and the smell of his aftershave but had to blink a few more times before I could properly make out. His own bright blue eyes were far better adjusted from having been tucked in the arena all afternoon, but he still had his shades looped in through his shirt collar and was it weird that I found the look totally hot? I mean alongside his lazy gum chewing and the fluffy bangs of his hairstyle.
Oh who was I kidding?
My fiancé was always hot.
I reached out to wrap my fingers lightly around his forearm and he responded by pressing his free hand against my hip like at any moment I thought there might be an earthquake and so was latching to the thing that I knew would keep me safe.
He frowned at me,
"Okay, somethin' is eatin' you, an' if you don't tell me straight up I'll tickle it outta you instead."
"You wouldn't dare."
His fingers curled inwards and began to brush teasingly over my side and I squeaked a little then began squirming on instinct because I had long possessed the world's most sensitive skin. From a few paces behind Matt took off his trilby then swiped the back of his hand across his head, where a bead of sweat had collected on his brow line which he then cleared even further by using his fashion statement as a fan.
He wrinkled his brow a little at our showing,
"God you two are ridiculously cute – like – I can't even stand the hallmark card levels of cuteness. But as for the nerves thing? We cut our little trip off early because your girl here has been called in to see the big bad boss."
"Hunter?" Dean barked looking instantly furious and I shook my head in response,
"No, Vince."
"The fuck does he want?"
I shrugged and threw my hands up but then undermined my attempt at being super casual by biting my poor bottom lip down hard and it make him flick my nose tip lightly in warning because he tended to hate when I beat myself up and which was kind of ironic since he was always picking at himself or slapping his own face or scratching at his hair.
"Um," I blinked, "I'm not sure, she wouldn't tell me."
"She?"
"His assistant, she said I've got to go there right away."
Dean nodded back,
"Alright then, let's do this."
He raised his hand back up from my hip bone and then used it to tangle his fingers in mine, before turning and towing me blinking along the corridor until I was following like a faithful labrador in a baffled stupor right behind, feeling both grateful and confused by his presence but remembering to pivot back and give Matty a farewell wave. Dean continued walking regardless however and the pulled me round a corner and took my work best friend from sight, leaving me with little option but to try and keep pace with him and appreciate his protectiveness.
"Thank you for taking me there, you're too sweet, I guess I get kind of nervous about Vince-stuff because he asks me to do things and I can never say no, but knowing that you're outside is going to make it so much more bearable."
Dean grumbled back,
"I'm comin' in with you as well."
"Um, you're what?" I frowned in bewilderment as my feet continued to slap the cold concrete floor in a sort of instinctive move somewhere beneath me that I wasn't clued into since I was mostly focussed on our chat,
"Princess, like you said, that bastard talks you into shit an' this time I'm makin' sure he's not tryin' 'a take you for some ride or make you put on some crazy ass costume or take on more hours – ,"
"Or fire me?"
"That as well."
Because of his pace we had cleared the lower corridors and had passed up the stairs into the plusher looking parts, where management types were afforded swanky offices and which was therefore where the head of the company hung out. For the most part Vince never came to many tapings and instead left the running to his daughter and my old man, but when he did show up the mood sort of altered.
Everybody was suddenly on the balls of their toes.
Due to his being the super big boss man, he had been allocated the room that was the biggest of the bunch and idly I wondered whether he requested their finest or whether it was an honor they gave him simply because. I also wondered if maybe he had a rider and what sort of things a geriatric might demand and whether he was a drape-the-room-in-silk-sheets kind of person, or else the type to ask for only brown M&Ms. Given that he had known him much longer than I had, I thought that Dean might have the inside scoop on that and so asked him as he towed me briskly through the hallways with my usual completely out of the blue kind of start.
"Do you think he asks for a basketful of kittens?"
"The fuck are you talkin' about?"
"Oops sorry. Vince, I was wondering what sort of things his rider might have on it."
"Money."
I blinked,
"Huh?"
Dean shrugged loosely back,
"I kinda figure he has a ball pit in the back somewhere that has – like – a bunch of hundred dollar bills and when he gets some free time he strips himself naked and rolls around in 'em like he's takin' himself a bath."
He offered the answer as he continued to tow us and I blinked at both his unflinching trajectory and the ease of his sentiments on the matter in hand,
"I see you've clearly given some thought to this."
Dean snorted wryly,
"Picturin' the boss naked? Not so much. But the rollin' in money thing? Damn straight I have. Pictured your ass rollin' in the green stuff a couple times too and I'll give you three guesses 'bout which of those I fuckin' prefer."
I giggle-snorted which sounded completely not sexy,
"We could make it our very next role-play I suppose. I mean, I could be the sexy bank manager being super bitchy and turning down your much needed loan and you could take me off into the bank vault and have your wicked way with me on a pile of banknotes. Ooh, I could get one of those little cashier hats and maybe wear a white shirt and little neck scarf too and then you could use that to – ,"
I stopped and then blushed fiercely as a woman walking past us fixed me with a bewildered looking frown which then made me wonder how loudly I had been talking as Dean chuckled unhelpfully and then propelled me in front, using the brand new change of positions to press himself against me and murmur huskily into my ear,
"Sounds so fuckin' good."
"It does?"
"Looks like my kinky girl is back huh?"
Down between my legs there was a sudden spread of warmth as my body began to respond to his proximity and the fact that he was pushed so tantalizingly close, to the point that I could feel the tension in his jean fronts as he butted my lower spine.
Oh god, take me now.
But rather than lying me flat on the carpet and making love to me by the stairwell of the arena's fifth floor, he instead used his position to steer me around a corner and towards a small reception desk set up beside a pair of doors. Behind it was a smartly clothed, prim looking woman whose hair was so glossy that not a strand was out of place and which was therefore so opposed to my own flyaway static that I was caught between touching it and simply calling her a bitch.
Dean stepped around me,
"We're here to see the boss man, I'm guessin' the big guy's holed up in there right?"
He barely even paused to let her answer the question or much take stock of the fact that we were there since he was moving as the sentence was still rumbling around us and taking the pretentious looking brass knob in his hand. He knocked once and then simply let himself in regardless while I hovered nervously beside the desk in his wake watching as the assistant shot up in mild panic, fumbling a few items and scattered sheets of paper before hitting the intercom seconds too late,
"Mr McMahon, Lauren Helmsley and Dean Ambrose are – ,"
He shouted back wryly from inside,
"So I see."
In response to his tones her shoulders slumped slightly and then her eyes flickered instantly back towards me, with levels of irritation that were so pulsating I had to resist the urge to step back a pace. Never blinking she waved a hand off towards the threshold and then smirked at me pointedly,
"You can go in."
I nodded in what I hoped was a thankfully little gesture then scuttled in past her and quickly closed the door before blowing out a sigh and turning into the office with an absent little head shake,
"She's not happy at all."
Oh.
Both Vince and Dean were staring back at me silently from their various positions around a solid hardwood desk with the elderly business owner sat stern faced behind it while my fiancé was parked in front having found himself a seat. It was one of those things that fascinated me about him, because no matter where we were Dean always looked cool or like nothing alive would ever openly bother him or else like he had all the time in the world. I padded across the office and then took the place beside him before crossing my hands demurely.
"Um, you wanted to see me Vince?"
He raised a greyed brow,
"Sure, but I forgot you two are a thing now so I should have expected your boyfriend to show up as well. Oh, my apologies to you both – fiancé because who can forget that little slip right?"
I sucked in a breath,
"Um – yeah – so about that."
"Congratulations you two kids, I'm very happy for you."
"What?"
In having prepared myself mentally for the fallout the one thing I hadn't prepped for was the boss being pleased and so I had to look up to make sure I hadn't dreamed it, which I hadn't because Vince McMahon was smiling at us.
Honestly I wasn't convinced that I liked it.
Even Dean too looked very mildly stunned, which was an expression then grew pretty exponentially as the boss stood up suddenly and threw out his arms.
"Come here kid,"
"Uh – ,"
For a man who was one hundred or however old he was, the company owner moved pretty darn fast and so before either one of us really knew what was happening, he had skirted the table and hauled me into his arms, using one hand to press my head into his suit front which therefore instantly began to suffocate my lungs with a mixture of expensive spiced smelling aftershave not to mention a measure of charcoal twill. His arms pressed around me in a genuine hugging motion, while my own flapped from oxygen starvation behind, not sure whether to return the impromptu cuddle or to use them to claw his suit down to retrieve some needed air.
"Didn't I always say you two made a cute couple? Linda and I are seriously beyond thrilled and we want you to know that however we can help out and make your day more special then we certainly will."
He let me go and I hauled a shaky breath in and then tried to clear my spotting vision a bit as Vince briskly moved himself over to my fiancé holding out a firm hand which a very bewildered Dean shook.
"Uh thanks."
His suspicious tones managed to speak for the both us which was probably just as well since I was still trying to work things out.
Members of the McMahons were genuinely happy for us?
Hold up –
Had he offered his financial support?
In striding back past us Vince slapped me paternally and far too hard right between my shoulder blades and it propelled me forwards in an awkward little stumble that Dean managed to save by hanging onto the back of my blouse. Fortunately our employer appeared not to notice as he reinstalled himself behind his well-polished desk and then steepled his fingers in a tentatively looking gesture that made me sink back down into my seat.
"So then you two, we need to talk about moving forwards and how we're going to have to try and handle this whole thing."
"Handle?" Dean echoed with no small amount of scowling,
"Absolutely," Vince replied, "I mean, this is a pretty big deal and now that it's been mentioned on live television we have to go with it because that makes it a part of the storylines now."
Dean bristled,
"This isn't some crazy angle we dreamt up to get more airtime."
I nervously bit my lip and then habitually began to fondle the necklace pendant that was always hung where I could put my restless hands on it and run the pretty cameo under my fingers which acted a little like a fidget spinner type thing and reminded me of my mother and how calm she was always. It made me suck in a breath and reach for his hand,
"Dean."
"Fuck."
My fiancé sat back with a tiny grumble that the owner of the company may or may not have heard, then began to tap his fingers rhythmically against his kneecaps like he was beating out a tune that only he could hear and then alternating that by patting on his collarbone or reaching up to itch fractious fingernails through his hair at which point his foot would then take over the drumming.
Vince watched it happen with a vague smirk.
Huh?
It wasn't a look that I found terribly settling but it was gone again before I had the chance to study the lines more and was instead replaced with the same grin from earlier as he continued on his trajectory like nothing was wrong.
"So what we were thinking here was an interview segment."
I blinked,
"Um, interview segment with who?"
Hazel orbs looked back at me steadily with barely even a flicker in the gaze and which was enough to tell me that whatever he was thinking he had already pretty much set his elderly heart on.
Damn.
"Between you and Michael Cole. I'm thinking probably a simple in-ring thing before the main event. It could be a good cool down bit and break the show up with something a little special and help to get the audience even more involved. I mean, after all the fans are crazy about you and especially about your relationship and love story."
"They – they are?"
"Oh yeah, the female fans in particular which as you know is who we're trying to get on board here, but thanks to you being so sweet and pretty the male demographic are kind of into it as well."
Dean snorted roughly.
It probably wasn't the greatest selling point since the last thing my fiancé would ever have wanted to somehow encourage was more covetous eyes on me and particularly since I already had previous for attracting attention in the wrong places and then some. From Bray Wyatt back what felt like literal years ago and then moving through Andy and Elliott from home, before landing squarely and terrifyingly on Randy who was easily the worst of a very bad pool. If Dean had been given his way then I would have existed in a bubble and walked around in public with a bag on my head rather than being propelled before the cameras and held up for thousands of lustily viewing men.
I blinked away the image,
"So – um – this interview, what kind of things would I be expected to say? Because I'm not sure how much I would feel comfortable with putting out there."
Vince reached over and patted my hand,
"Nothing personal kiddo, I promise. Michael will simply ask you some general stuff. How the proposal went down and that kind of thing. I mean, hell, if you're not comfortable then just make the answers up. No one's going to know and it's only for the storyline so if that's what you wanna do then go for it okay?"
Dean looked up and his blue orbs were fiery as they had been the whole time Vince had been putting forth his grand plan but which the businessman was either oblivious to or ignoring.
Probably the latter.
Possibly a bit of both.
"What if she straight up plain doesn't want to do it or – indulge me here for like a second will you old man – but what if the fiancé who hasn't had a say yet thinks you've come up with a terrible idea? In fact, possibly the worst idea in the history of wrestlin' because askin' someone about their freakin' engagement has nothin' to do with anybody else?"
Ouch.
I held my breath and then looked nervously between them because the levels of testosterone were lifting off the charts, to the point where I expected them to start pounding their chests gorilla-like or possibly even start throwing their own turds. In response to Dean however our head honcho lifted his brow again in a pure combination of unhappiness and raw glee,
"Hypothetically I'll assume you mean Ambrose?"
"If that makes you any happier then sure, what the hell."
"Well in that case then I would have to regrettably bring up the contract that Lauren here signed barely one month ago and which states that if needed she will still appear on camera provided that it is in a non-wrestling role. I think this would fall broadly into that category wouldn't you agree?"
Dean instead grit his jaw and tried to bite back something incendiary that would probably get him fired but which still partly bled out,
"Son of a bitch."
Vince snorted smugly,
"I'll take that as yes then, but if it makes you feel any better about things Ambrose, then you have my word that our girl won't get hurt out there. I see her as a part of my family as well you know and that hasn't changed throughout everything that has happened."
Dean grimaced back at him,
"Yeah, that doesn't help at all."
He stood from his chair and then beckoned me towards him, signalling that in his eyes the impromptu meeting was all done and brushing his fingers over my elbow as I blinked for a second and then hesitantly stood up. The second I was back on my feet Dean turned me and pressed his palm to the lower section of my back in a move that was both protective and guiding and which clearly wanted to get me the hell out of dodge.
Vince watched us go but called out when we hit the threshold,
"Lauren? You'll get a call before you're needed to go on and you'll need time to go back and change before you go out there so I'll make sure you have a little warning before that."
I stopped –
Huh?
Dean nearly walked right into the back of me, but I honestly he could have steamrollered me down because I probably would have still been blinking at our employer with measures of confusion,
"Um, I'm sorry but go back and change?"
"Well of course kid," Vince nodded like the statement had been obvious and not a massive curveball like most of the things he said had, "I mean, we want to make sure you're looking all glamorous and like the blushing bride-to-be don't you think?"
"Um – ,"
I looked down quickly at what I was wearing.
Black capri pants with some not-too-tall red heels and a sleeveless blouse with a high lace neck. Honestly I thought I looked pretty professional and Dean had certainly not appeared to mind when he had greeted me that morning as I had stepped from the bathroom by planting his hot palms right in over my ass and then nuzzling my earlobe as he had murmured in husky sleep tones about my butt cheeks looking super fuckably hot in the tight pants.
Evidently however I hadn't read the pamphlet on how an engaged woman was apparently supposed to dress and so gaped back feeling pretty bewildered and mildly hurt,
"What's wrong with this?"
Vince smiled indulgently,
"Kiddo, you look great in that, but we're going to try and strike an engagement party vibe, besides, this is your moment so we all want you to look stunning. I mean, how often do you get to celebrate like this right? In front of whole world and showing everyone that you're happy? I want you to remember this night for a long time to come."
"Oh," I replied, because that sounded nice I guessed.
Maybe he really was trying to do right and give me something special in the only way he knew how to, when frankly a coffee machine or new set of bath towels would have done.
Vince winked at me,
"I'll see you on the screen kiddo."
"Princess, come on," Dean sighed heavily from behind, replacing the guiding palm that had been positioned above my butt cheek and using it to steer me sternly out of the room. I could tell he was pissed and that he hated our private lives being used in an angle to push the ratings up a bit and so I held off until we were back around the corner and into the stairwell beyond the lions' den. There I paused and turned around to face him before cupping his cheeks lightly and then tiptoeing up.
I kissed him,
"I'll be fine, I've done interviews before this and I actually think this one might be kind of nice. I mean, pretty much since the moment you popped the engagement ring out I've wanted to scream about this from the nearest empty roof and even though it isn't the most perfect situation – which I know, I know, is putting it pretty mildly – I actually get to do that tonight."
He murmured over my lips,
"I don't fuckin' like it."
I kissed him again,
"Don't worry, I'll be fine, I mean Michael Cole might be a total idiot but at least he's not dangerous."
"Princess – ,"
"Hey," I stroked his cheeks beneath the tips of my fingers and then waited until the blue eyes had lifted back up before leaning in and kissing his nose end, the way he had done to me a million times before and which thankfully managed to take the fight right out of him, "How about you keep thinking about that naughty role play and what else we can do when we get back to our room."
He snorted at me,
"You really think I'm that easy to manipulate?"
I licked his bottom lip,
"Yep."
He shivered,
"Fuck, you're right."
Pulling me closer and then wrapping his arms around me, he clamped me close for a proper searing kiss which was so hot and heavy and full of tongues and sloppy lip locks that we even lost our balance and crashed back against the wall, upsetting a large pot plant set beside the stairwell and then laughing in tandem at how ridiculous we were.
Dean stroked my hair back,
"Promise me you'll be careful?"
"I will, there's totally nothing to worry about tonight."
I even stupidly meant what I was saying too because as far as I was concerned it was plain sailing from there on out, but which was probably because I hadn't considered where I was working and more specifically the family that I was actually working for.
It turned out that there was quite was a lot to be worried about –
Mountains and mountains of worry in fact.
Sooo, what happens next chapter? Well, there is a lot going on so for now I'm just going to say that I'll see you there! Also, RAW this week (in real life) in is Cincinnati so let's all keep our fingers crossed for the real life Dean to pop back up (I figure if I say it enough times it might happen!)
