Take You One Day at a Time

The porch light came on and Darcy jumped back, dramatically putting her arms up as if she was about to karate chop something. Ashley snorted at the reaction and pushed Darcy towards the porch steps.

"I'm drunk, aren't I?" Darcy asked, following Leighla up the stairs. She tried to, at least. She tripped on the very first step.

"Just a bit," Leighla laughed, offering the small blonde her hand. Darcy staggered to her feet and used the rail to support herself. "The guys will still be here."

"Ew, boys," Darcy said childishly. Ashley pushed her again, causing her to trip up the next step. Darcy shrugged it off and ran up the next three, falling through the door when she crashed into it just as Leighla pushed it open. She exclaimed from the floor, "I win!"

"Should we feed her? I feel like she hasn't eaten enough for the amount that she drank," Leighla fretted, watching Darcy clamber to her feet and run through to the living room.

"She could eat a horse and it wouldn't do anything. She's so tiny that she's always going to act like this." Ashley explained, following her friend with an amused smile.

It was entirely unsurprising to her to see Darcy splayed out across the three men – Matt, Chris Spradlin and Moxley – sitting on the couch.

"We're sitting here, Darcy," Matt said, shoving Darcy's feet lightly.

"This is where I sleep," she mumbled into Moxley's leg. She evidently had no idea who she was lying across. "Do you know what I had to do all night? I had to keep telling those two over there that it isn't right to talk about how hot you guys are all the time. Like, you're people too. You deserve respect."

"Really now?" Colby laughed.

"Oh yeah, they were talking about how hot Matt's tattoos are and how amazing Joe's voice is and how pretty Colby's smile is and how nice Hero's hair is and the size of Moxley's arms." Darcy's eyes widened at the thought and she rolled over to stare up at the ceiling but she was distracted by something. "Your arms are fucking huge."

She reached her arm up to try and wrap a hand around Moxley's bicep and when she failed, she used the other as well and smiled proudly to herself – even if they didn't meet on the other side.

"You hate me," Moxley said with the same smirk as earlier in the day.

"I hate a lot of people." She was still smiling as she spoke.

Everyone chose to ignore her after that but she didn't mind, she just continued to stare at the ceiling and listened in on the conversation happening around her. The alcohol in her system made her so drowsy that she felt herself falling asleep a few times but each time the chatter brought her back.

Darcy woke up at 7.30 Saturday morning. She had no bedding to pack up – she hadn't bothered to set it up, choosing to sleep on the plain couch – so she went straight out onto the front lawn for a smoke.

She had a pounding headache and a queasy stomach caused by the excessive consumption of alcohol the night prior. Coffee and a cigarette would help it calm down and she should be fine by lunch time.

She generally slept better with alcohol flowing through her system. It helped knock her out again almost instantly no matter how many times she woke up during the night.

She hadn't called Harry yesterday morning. She woke up too early and he wouldn't like getting a phone call before eight. After eight she was already at FCW training. She would call him later in the day when he was less likely to be asleep. But before he was likely to be drinking.

She took one last drag of her cigarette, blowing the smoke out of her mouth in circles. Quitting was on her list of things to do. The mental list she had that consisted of the things people told her she'd never be able to do. She just didn't put it too high on the list.

Just like the morning before, Darcy was sitting at the counter eating her Corn Flakes when Colby came out of his bedroom. He was wearing only his boxers and she wondered if he had forgotten she was living with him or if he just didn't care.

"Morning," she said with a mouth filled with cereal. "Sleep well?"

"Fuck it, Harlequin," He swore, turning to look at her. "I forgot you were here. What are you doing up so early?"

"The early bird-"

"Catches the worm. Yeah, I remember. You feeling okay after last night?"

"Nothing a cigarette, this coffee and cereal can't fix." She assured him, putting another spoonful into her mouth.

"Want to come for a run this morning then? If you're so convinced you have a magic cure."

Darcy grunted, "Who willingly does cardio? It's so gross."

"That explains your reaction to suicides," Colby put down a bowl in front of her and poured some muesli into it followed by the milk. He then took a seat beside her. He didn't seem to mind that he was in his boxers. He wore less in the ring.

"Suicides should be made illegal. They are not fun and they do not help."

"They help a lot, actually. They're good for those moments when you might need to run for a bit."

"My ring technique does not involve much running." Darcy pushed her bowl away.

"It should," Colby stated. "You're so damn small that you should be agile. You're a cheerleader for god's sake."

"Was a cheerleader," Darcy corrected him. She pushed her chair away from the table. "What I don't want to be is another WWE Diva who goes into the ring and dances and uses their past as a dancer or cheerleader to form their move set. I want to be Darcy Quinn the wrestler. Not Darcy Quinn former cheerleader."

"Darcy Quinn, rebel without a cause is what you are," Colby said casually, eating his muesli.

"I'd say there's a cause. Quite a few actually. The first being the fact that I was born addicted to crystal meth and nicotine."

Colby didn't respond to what she said. He'd heard it before and never knew what to say. Rumours about her being a drug addict flew around ROH. People assumed it was why she was secretive, why she was so unwilling to make friends. Adam Cole managed to crack her, though, and she slowly began to let people in – finally putting an end to the drugs rumours. That all changed when she came down to FCW, she closed up again.

"Hey babe."

"Harry, hi," Darcy smiled into her phone, her right hand holding a cigarette by her knee. She was sitting, again, on the front lawn just before sunset. She had finally decided to call her boyfriend.

"Haven't heard from you in awhile."

"I know, I'm sorry," Darcy apologised but she couldn't stop the smile that tugged at her lips. It had been too long since she heard his voice and it made her feel like walking on water. "I moved in with Colby and Leighla."

"Good. How long were you at Matt's?"

"Too long." Darcy took a drag of her cigarette and watched the smoke disappear into the air. "Are you going to come visit soon?"

"I'd love to, babe, but work's not going to good at the moment," Harry revealed to her in a gruff voice.

"You should have said something. Why didn't you say anything?"

"Nothing you can do to help, Darcy." She sighed at him, taking another drag. "You getting any matches down there?"

"Not yet but Tom's been talking about it."

"Let me know when it happens, babe, and I'll get down there as soon as I can."

"I'll hold you to that," Darcy smiled into the phone and imagined her boyfriend doing the same.

"I've gotta go, babe. Call me soon, yeah?"

"Of course. I love you, Harry."

"You too, Darc."

The dial tone sounded in her ear and Darcy ended the call. She pocketed her phone and watched the street from the front steps of Colby's house. She stamped the end of her cigarette into the ground and sat in silence for a few minutes.

Leighla's car came into view and Darcy stood up. She waited for Leighla to reach the front door before she went inside.

"Forget your key?"

"No, I'm just thinking."

"Smoking?"

Darcy nodded before adding, "Calling Harry."

"You miss him?" Leighla asked, pushing the door open with her shoulder, still looking at Darcy.

"Sometimes, I suppose... I guess I'm slowly getting used to being so far away. It's getting gradually easier."

"You should go visit him, if he can't come down here," Leighla suggested to her friend. Darcy shrugged.

"I have done, but I'm saving up for a house and right now that means no flights."

Leighla frowned slightly at her but let it go, everyone had learnt that Darcy was stubborn and they didn't bother fighting her.

Darcy disappeared into the study, searched through her suitcase before taking her clothes into the bathroom. She showered quickly and dressed, electing to let her hair dry naturally.

"You going out?" Leighla asked, noticing that Darcy was slightly more dressed up than usual; she was wearing jeans and a nice leather jacket. In contrast to her usual ripped jeans and baggy cropped shirt, this was almost formal.

"Thought I'd hit up the bar," Darcy answered as she put her clothes into the dirty laundry basket.

"Two nights in a row? You're brave."

Darcy ventured back into the bathroom to put some light make-up on, hiding the pimple that had been developing on her chin and the bags underneath her eyes. Insomnia took its toll on her appearance but she tried her best to own it.

"Hair of the dog," Darcy eventually responded, dropping her bag onto the kitchen table. "Wanna come?"

"I think I'm good," Leighla denied. "You looking to hook up, or?"

"We just talked about Harry, remember?" Leighla laughed at Darcy and shrugged. "But maybe," Darcy joked, running back into the bathroom one last time to check how her hair was drying.

"You look great; now go before all the good booze is gone."

Darcy was three drinks in and already feeling the alcohol in her head. She was sitting right at the bar, ignoring the passes being made at her and the men across the bar eyeing her up. All she wanted was a few drinks, admittedly she probably shouldn't have gone alone but looking like an alcoholic didn't bother her all that much.

"Is this seat free or has it been reserved for one of your many friends?"

"I'd prefer it if you sat somewhere else."

"I want to sit here, so too bad." Darcy rolled her eyes as Moxley sat on the stool beside her. "What are you drinking?"

"Your blood," Darcy answered without hesitation. "Mixed with your tears."

"It's a great mix," Moxley responded without a beat. He looked at the bartender who was blatantly staring at them, "One of whatever that is."

Darcy followed the bartender as he went about making another gin and tonic. She knew that Moxley was looking at her, probably trying to work out why she was sitting all alone in a bar.

"What are you doing here?"

"I needed a drink," Moxley responded, handing over some money for his drink. "Have you heard?"

"Heard what?" Darcy asked, swivelling her seat slightly so she could look at him.

"Come the end of the month, Prichard is gone. DeMott's coming in."

"That's next week," Darcy worked out. "That was quick."

"No one's sure if he wants to be going or if they fired him. You sure you want DeMott?" Moxley asked, finally drinking his drink. He raised an eyebrow. "G and t, unexpected."

"I want anyone who isn't Prichard," Darcy finished her drink quickly and asked for a beer. "He hates me."

"He's testing you," Moxley corrected her. He span his chair around so he was facing the rest of the bar, he took note of all the men glaring at him. "I think everyone's a bit jealous."

"He treats me like shit, why would anyone be jealous?" Darcy said in confusion. Moxley span her chair around for her. He rested his arm on the bar behind her just to see everyone glare at him more. "Oh."

"Give me a kiss, really rile 'em up," Moxley suggested, pointing to his cheek. Darcy looked up at him, his shit eating grin was enough to make her stand up and walk away. "Don't be like that, babe!"

Darcy groaned in disgust, grabbed her beer and bag and walked outside. A few guys tried to grab onto her and make her sit with them, telling her that she was too good for the sleaze at the bar. She laughed in their faces.

She found a seat outside in a corner away from the loud ruckus inside. The first thing she did was fish through her bag for her cigarettes. The instant relief when she inhaled was enough for her to calm down slightly.

She noticed the men around her looking at her and then back inside to see if Moxley was going to follow her out. One made the decision to stand up and started to make his way over to her, only to have a hand appear on the centre of his chest and push him back down.

"You can't just leave me alone?" Darcy groaned as Moxley walked towards her, beer in hand. He had the same grin on his face as when she had left him in the bar.

Wordlessly he sat down opposite her, effectively blocking her from everyone's view, and pulled out his own cigarettes. Darcy watched him light up and was momentarily taken back by how he looked when he was smoking.

"You should probably pretend we're together or you're going to have to put up with those creeps all night."

"I have a boyfriend."

"And they think it's me. Just go with it." Moxley took a drink from his beer.

"I basically look like a 12 year old boy, why would they even want anything to do with me?" Darcy all but sighed. She rarely pulled the 'woe is me' act but sometimes it was impossible to hold back her thoughts.

"Believe me; you look nothing like a 12 year old boy." Moxley watched as she raised an eyebrow before giving herself a quick once over.

"I'm about the same height as one," she began to list. "My haircut is pretty boy-ish. I have a distinct lack of curves – I'm only wearing a bra today because this shirt sometimes rides up. Most of the time I don't even have to wear one. Have you seen these?" Darcy asked, framing her breasts with her hands. "Probably not because they're so fucking small."

"Believe me, babe. If you looked like a 12 year old boy you wouldn't have been hired." Moxley took a drag of his cigarette as he eyed her up and down. Darcy should have felt uncomfortable with his eyes roaming over her body. She didn't though. If any of the other men in the bar were blatantly checking her out right in front her she would have yelled at them and probably swung a punch, with Moxley it didn't seem so disturbing. "I thought you hated me. You seem to be quite happy sitting there right now."

"You're more tolerable when I'm drinking."

"I get that a lot."