CHAPTER 7

"I really wish you were coming with me, Robin!" Liv was tossing her outfits on her bed as Robin rolled them and placed them in the suitcase.

"Nah, I'm fine. You go and enjoy your time with Wade!" Robin was trying her best to hide her sadness. She wasn't sad that she'd be missing the backstage experience at Wrestlemania. She was upset that she hadn't spoken to Dean in about two weeks and it seemed to be throwing her whole life out of whack.

"I hope it's not because of Dean because Wade told you he could put your name on the list."

"No, really. I'm fine, Liv. I have a lot of work to catch up on anyway." The lie burned the back of Robin's throat, but she couldn't let Olivia see that not having Dean in her life was killing her.

"Robin, how long have we been friends?" Olivia stopped packing long enough to put her hands on her hips and look Robin in the eye.

"Since elementary school. Why?" Robin continued rolling the clothes to keep them from wrinkling.

"I know you, Robin. Why can't you just say you miss Dean? You've lost a certain spark." Olivia pulled the dress out that she was going to wear to the Hall of Fame ceremony and placed it in her garment bag.

"What spark? I'm still me!" Robin tried to rustle up some sass, but Olivia wasn't convinced.

"Save the act for someone who doesn't know you! Just like you called me out on Seth, I'm calling you out on Dean. You two try to act like you don't care what the other one does, but you're not fooling anybody!" Olivia walked over to Robin and stood her up from the bed where she was sitting. "I noticed how you two feel about each other months ago! Roman and the guys noticed it too! Why don't you just call him?"

"No! I-I wouldn't even know what to say! Besides, you still haven't talked to Seth!" Olivia walked Robin over to her full length mirror.

"We're not talking about me and Seth right now, but you could start by being honest with Dean! Look at yourself Robin." She held her hands on Robin's arms. "You've lost the spunk that you've had ever since I first met you when you pushed Alex Hernandez down in the dirt at recess for trying to hit you!" The two of them laughed, but Robin's eyes soon filled with tears.

"I can't be this hung up on a guy, right?"

"It's called caring for a man, Robin. I knew you'd get bit by the relationship bug sooner or later." Olivia winked at her and continued to pack.

"Uh, don't say that word!" Robin stood in the mirror trying to shake the word "relationship" from her head and noticing for the first time that she really had lost her spark.

After dropping Olivia off at the airport for her flight to Detroit on Friday night, Robin decided to treat herself to a glass of wine and a binge marathon of House of Cards. Just as she settled in for her second episode and her 3rd glass of wine, her phone rang. The sound of her phone almost annoyed her and she answered without looking at the caller ID.

"Hello?!" She took a glance at the caller ID afterwards noticing her tone was a bit hostile. It was Dean. "Um-Dean? Hello?"

"Hey Robin. This is Roman." Roman was clearly sneaking to call her because he was whispering. "I'm calling from Dean's phone and I don't have a lot of time."

"Hey Roman. Is everything okay?" Robin sobered up at the thought of something having happened to Dean.

"Yeah-yeah, everything's cool. I just wanted to talk to you about Wrestlemania. Dean would kill me if he knew I was calling you, but I know he would really like to see you this weekend." Robin fell silent not knowing exactly what was happening.

"Um-did he tell you that?"

"No, you know Dean. He's been botching matches and screwing up promos. He's not himself and I know it's because he misses you."

"He doesn't need me! He has Renee! He should be fine! I have to go Roman!"

"Don't hang up! Listen, Robin. I know the two of you are two peas in a stubborn ass pod. He's not into Renee. He told us about the pictures and he said he didn't know anything about them. Can you please just come out to Detroit and talk to him?" Robin was pissed that Roman called to plead his case. She didn't care if he was botching matches. He hurt her.

"Why should I believe you, Roman? You're one of his best friends. Why wouldn't you lie for him?"

"Dean doesn't lie! He doesn't give a fuck if somebody doesn't like him for telling the truth and you know that!" As soon as the words left Roman's mouth, Robin knew he was speaking the truth. Dean always said Shame was a wasted emotion and lying was for cowards.

"Ok. So what do you want me to do? He hasn't tried calling me or anything."

"No he hasn't but you haven't called him either. You both care for each other, but you're too stubborn and stuck in your 'free spirit' ways! Ever since he met you, he hasn't been messing with any other women. He was always on the phone with you!" Robin laughed internally as she pictured how long Roman had been holding this lecture in. He probably wanted to superman punch both of them right about now.

"I hear you, Roman, but I honestly don't know what to do."

"Leave it to me. There's a flight from Philly to Detroit at 9:15 am tomorrow. Can you be on it?" Robin looked at the time and the almost empty bottle of wine before responding.

"Uh-sure! I can make it!" She immediately got up and went into her bedroom to see what she had to wear.

"Cool. I think your flight will get here around 11. I'll send a car to pick you up. Dean has media appearances most of the day tomorrow, but he'll be at the stadium early on Sunday. You can surprise him backstage." Robin could hear a smile in Roman's voice. It sounded sexy and Robin thought about making a comment on it, but she stopped herself. Her spark was definitely starting to come back!

"Sounds good, Roman. Thank you!"

"No need to thank me. I'm just happy that my boy is gonna get his mind right. Take down my number and text me when you land." Robin scrambled for a piece of paper and a pen. "It's 850-709-7219. Gotta go. Dean's coming back. Bye." After hanging up the phone, Roman quickly deleted Robin's phone number from the call log before handing the phone back to Dean and returning to the Meet and Greet he was taking a break from.

Robin stormed through her closet for the next 2 hours vetoing everything except the white pants suit with the plunging neckline that she knew would be perfect for wrestlemania. She figured she might need an outfit for the Monday night raw after wrestlemania if everything went well. She was positively giddy at the thought of surprising Dean.

"Dean really needs to put a password lock on his phone!" She laughed to herself thinking about how easily everybody was able to access his phone. After carefully putting her pantsuit and her other outfits into the suitcase, she plopped on the bed and felt a wave of anxiety come over her. "What if Dean is with Renee backstage? Or worse, what if he's with some other woman?" She thought to herself as images of the backstage debacle with Seth, Olivia and Brittany came to mind. In the midst of her worry, she heard her phone buzz. She didn't even realize what time it was. It was Olivia texting her to let her know she had arrived in Detroit and was waiting for Wade to pick her up.

"Hey Liv! I'm glad you got there safe and sound! I'll give you a call in the morning. Tell Wade I said hi!" Robin sent her text and giggled to herself at the surprise Olivia would receive when she called her around 11 am after she landed in Detroit.

She tried to dismiss the "what if's" from her mind and get some sleep. This weekend would make or break her situation with Dean. She hoped it would at least put them back on speaking terms. Her heart couldn't take not having him in her life at all.

"I'll be gone all day for media appearances, but I'll leave the car for you to go wherever you want, Love." Wade kissed Olivia on the head and gave her a wink before heading towards the door. "I'll be back to pick you up for the Hall of Fame ceremony around 6." He walked out the door giving Olivia a chance to look around the beautiful suite in the daylight. Just as she wrapped a plush robe around her naked body, her phone rang.

"Hey girl!"

"Hey Liv! Guess where I am!" Robin was in the car that Roman sent for her.

"Um-are you shopping?" Olivia was still getting her wits about her as she walked around the room.

"No, girl! I just landed at Detroit Metro! I'm here for Wrestlemania!" The women screamed into the phone like schoolgirls.

"What?! What the hell are you doing here? Does Dean know you're here?"

"No. Roman called me last night and asked me to fly out and surprise Dean."

"Oh my Gosh, Robin. I'm so happy he got you to come. You know you guys need to talk this out." Olivia took time to look out the window over the city and tried to think of what she would do today.

"I know. Maybe it's time to figure out what the hell is going on with us. I'm just nervous." Robin had a great appreciation for what Olivia felt the night they surprised Seth in Pittsburgh.

"You don't have to be nervous, girl. I know he'll be happy to see you! Where are you staying?"

"I'm at The Atheneum. Roman said he tried to get me a room in The Westin where the wrestlers were staying, but it was all booked up."

"Yeah, I'm in the Westin right now. Hey, how about we meet up for lunch after you check in? Wade left the driver downstairs for me. I can meet you at your hotel." Robin laughed hysterically into the phone as Olivia spoke.

"Girl, would you have thought 7 months ago that we'd be talking about drivers, luxury hotels and being backstage at Wrestlemania?!" The two women screamed into the phone again at the realization that their lives were like a dream.

The women met for lunch in a restaurant called Santorini inside Robin's hotel. They laughed about the good old days and of course they chatted about their favorite wrestlers.

"So Seth still doesn't know?!" Robin's jaw dropped as the waiter set down their Greek salads.

"No! I don't even know how to bring it up. I haven't talked to him except to respond to his text messages begging me to call him."

"You do know he's going to see you tonight at the Hall of Fame ceremony." Olivia's face went still. For some reason she had assumed she'd at least have until Wrestlemania to address Seth.

"Shit! I kinda forgot about that. Maybe I shouldn't go." Robin nearly choked on her salad and chugged her glass of water.

"What?! You're kidding right?"

"No. I'm just not ready to deal with him yet." Olivia sipped her glass of white wine before staring off into to space.

"Okay, I have to ask you an uncomfortable question now." Robin waited until Olivia's gaze returned to her. "Are you sure you're as over Seth as you claim to be? I'm only asking because you've been hiding out with Wade for months now." Olivia couldn't answer right away. She knew Seth still had a place in her heart, but she was so mad at him for toying with her.

"Wade is amazing! He's sexy, sweet, and intelligent. He thinks the world of me! Why would I want a man like Seth who drug his feet with me and gave me a false sense of security only to get caught with his pants down?!" Robin tilted her head feeling her friend's pain. It was a hell of a situation to be in. It was obvious that she cared about Wade, but her connection with Seth was out of this world.

"Liv, I can't tell you what to do or feel, but I can tell you what I see! It doesn't look like you're over Seth." Robin finished her last sip of wine before standing and Olivia followed her lead. "Don't worry about what Wade or Seth will think. Think about what makes you happy and do what you want to do!" Robin grabbed her purse and slid on her sunglasses. "Now, let's take this driver for a spin and do some shopping, shall we!" Olivia laughed realizing the old Robin was definitely back!

6 o'clock came a lot faster than Olivia would have liked. She knew Wade would be back any second to get dressed and pick her up for the ceremony. The knots in her stomach made her nauseous. She sipped on bottle of seltzer water from the mini bar and tried to think of what to say.

"Liv, are you here, love?" Wade walked into the suite and craned his neck to look in the living area where Olivia was sitting on the sofa. "Liv, what's wrong? You're not dressed!" Olivia was unable to think about what she would say to him up until the very moment it came out of her mouth.

"I'm sorry, baby. I'm not feeling very well." She curled into a ball on the sofa and Wade wrapped his arms around her.

"Oh, Liv. Are you okay?"

"Yes, it's my stomach. I'm very nauseous." Wade kissed her on the neck and sighed with disappointment knowing she wouldn't be joining him for the ceremony.

"Let's get you into bed, Liv." He picked her up and walked her into the bedroom before gently placing her on the bed. He took care of her right up until the time the driver called the room saying they would have to leave in order to make the ceremony.

"Don't look at me like that, Wade. I'll be fine!"

"I'll stay if you want me to. I want to take care of you." Wade rested his head against hers and gently kissed her lips.

"I really don't want you to do that, baby. I'll be fine until you get back." Wade sighed and put on his tuxedo jacket. "Damn he looks good!" Olivia bit her lip wanting to tackle him on the bed until her nausea returned.

"Ok, I won't be long. Text me if you need anything, love." He kissed Olivia once more before he was out the door. Olivia immediately reached for her phone to call Robin.

"Hey Robin. He just left. What are you up to?" Olivia got up and walked around the large suite again.

"I'm just taking a nice bubble bath and getting ready for tomorrow. I had a facial and mani/pedi downstairs in the spa. I'm trying make Dean cum in his pants as soon as he sees me!" Robin certainly had her spark back and then some.

"Who talks like that?!" Olivia burst into laughter at her friend's vulgarity until she felt like she was going to throw up.

"Liv? Are you okay?" Robin heard the gagging sound and her laughter turned to immediate concern.

"Yes. I think so. My stomach is weird tonight."

"It's probably the stress of dealing with Seth and Wade. Girl you need to free yourself!" Robin laughed to herself. "Unless you're pregnant…" The two of them burst into laughter again.

"Girl, please! You're gonna make me sick!" Olivia laughed heartily as she laid on the bed. The stress of this situation was really taking a toll on her and she hated it.

"Do you need me to come over?" Robin sat up in the bathtub and prepared to throw some clothes on.

"No-no don't come over! I'm fine! Besides, you can't risk Dean seeing you until tomorrow. I think his room is on the floor below ours."

"Hmm…and where is Renee's room?" Olivia laughed at Robin's jealousy.

"Stop it! You know he's not checkin' for that chick!" After Olivia reassured Robin that Dean only had eyes for her, she convinced her to stay at her hotel and rest up for Wrestlemania.

For the rest of the evening, Olivia stared at the ceiling contemplating her next move. Should she reach out to Seth? Or should she just forget about closure and live in the happiness she had with Wade? Every time she changed her mind, her stomach churned. Little did she know that behind the confidence Robin had, she was back in her hotel with butterflies in her stomach too. Both of them trying to find the will to sleep as they pined over their respective former members of the shield. They both knew it would be a long night.