CHAPTER SEVENTEEN

I call Paul and explain the situation. He agrees to move my match earlier on the card so I can leave when Colby does, but he is unwilling to move Colby and Dean's match. It's the halftime main event.

My match is directly before their's. I'm facing Nattie for her shot at my title. I'm glad it's not a Bella, and I'm thrilled for Nattie, but this is going to be an awkward match. What's worse is I know TJ is going to be at ringside for it. As usual, especially since Rosa's been gone, I have no one in my corner. I only hope being in front of a nearly sold-out arena will make TJ behave.

Nattie and TJ go out first. She looks fierce and I know I'm in for a good match. A few months ago, I wanted nothing more than a crazy rivalry with the toughest Diva on the roster, but it's different now. Her stupid husband ruins most of her matches, getting involved and making it about him.

My music starts and I skip out. I kiss my baby and hand her to the referee, my heart pounding. This is it. This is the match I dreamed of for so long.

The bell rings. Nattie immediately comes at me. She hits me hard in the stomach. I hit right back, fighting hard. Both of us are giving as good as we're getting. For every move she's got, I have a counter. For everything I do, she does something equally or more impressive. For the first time in ages, I'm in a real match. The fan are going insane and chanting, "This is awesome!" I flash back on the show we saw the night of the accident and remember a chant I heard while Drew was in the ring. This is wrestling!

We don't get that one at our shows much. It's big on the indies and at TNA, and it's got anti-WWE undertones. The fans are saying, this is wrestling, not the crap you give us. For the first time in too long, I feel like I'm part of a match worthy of that chant, and it puts a huge smile on my face.

I hit the shining wizard and Nattie goes down hard. I go for the pin, but with a Cena-like skill, Nattie kicks out as the ref's hand is about to hit the mat for the three count. If we were at an indie show, the crowd would be screaming, "Two!" But this is WWE. The crowd is cheering, but there is no Two Cry of War, nor is there a random guy holding a sign that is nothing but a giant number "2" written in sharpie. You'll find him at a lot of indie shows. There's always one, althoughit's not always the same guy. I remember the rush of crowds like that. I remember being Miss April. I miss it, but right now, I just hope I'm doing Miss April and her fans proud.

Nattie recovers slowly as I stay in character and watch in shocked frustration. I put on my crazy eyes and stare her down. I'm about to attack when TJ steps up on the apron and tries to distract me. We're in a match, at a pay-per-view, and the fans deserve a good show. I ignore my fear of him and do something I can only get away with in this setting. I grab him, pull him over the ropes, and jump on his back, forcing him into the black widow.

I must have snapped from stress, but I don't care. The stalking, the creepy comments, the flirting like we're having an affair, the lies, the attacks, all of it catch up to me and I am done. I lock the black widow in harder and he actually cries out.

"What the fuck?" He asks, but the crowd is so loud even I barely hear him.

"Nattie's husband" chants break out amongst the cheers and laughter of the fans. He tries to free himself, but I'm determined to hurt him. Physically, the move hurts a little, but the emotional wound as I show the fans he is pathetic is much stronger. He's furious, but he can't do anything. He taps. I don't let go.

The referee looks at me like I've gone insane, probably because I have. I finally let him go after Nattie's on her feet and coming at me. She attacks me and hits me with a German suplex. I don't move. That shit hurts! I definitely pity anyone who has fought a match with Lesnar, where it's all F5s snd German Suplexes. How do they survive?

Nattie is checking on TJ. I give her the time instead of attacking her because I respect her too much to use a cheapshot on her. When she come beck to me, I'm on my feet. She hits the Nattie-By-Nature and I'm knocked back down. Now the match is back on track.

Nattie pulls me into the sharpshooter. I fight to free myself, crawling toward the ropes slowly. It takes me a bit, but I reach them. The ref makes Nattie break the hold. I curl up in a ball trying to recover. Nattie kicks me in the back. I try to get away, but I fail. She picks me up for another suplex. I'm down. Nattie pins me and becomes the new Divas champion. This is as it should be. Nattie's earned it. If this were Ring of Honor or another indie show, I'd shake her hand for one hell of a match, but I'm AJ Lee. My character doesn't play nice. So I stand up, glare at her, and skip away while TJ acts like he just won the Divas championship.

Once I'm backstage, I start laughing. I know I pissed off a man who has a thing for attacking me, but for just that moment, I had been the one in control. He'd been at my mercy. And now, he knows what it feels like to be helpless.

Tenille and Taylor, who are officially a very adorable couple, are waiting for me backstage. "That waa brilliant!" Tenille declares. "Best Divas match in years!"

"You did great!" Taylor tells me with a hug. "Sorry you had to drop the title, though."

"That's okay," I say. "Nattie earned it."

I hear Colby's music start to play. I watch from backstage as he and Dean have their match. Colby throws himself into it, beating the hell out of Dean, who fights back just as hard. It's an all-out brawl at first. Then Colby gets up on the ropes and Dean knocks him down. He does the futureshock DDT and Colby stops moving for a minute, but he kicks out of Dean's pin at two.

The crowd is loving every second of this match. Colby is hiding his emotions well and is fully lost in character. I'm so impressed, I have no words. His heart is broken, but he's still smiling like a madman and giving the match all he has.

Colby gets to his feet and goes for the ropes. He climbs up and looks at the camera, mouths, "This is for you, Mom." He does the phoenix splash and pins Dean for the win. I'm tearing up a little as he comes backstage. So is Colby. I wrap my arms around him and tell him, "She would be proud of you."

"I hope so," Colby says.

Dean gets backstage. "Thanks, man," Colby tells him.

"I couldn't let you job a match you dedicated to her," Dean says. "Now let's get cleaned up. I'll come with you guys and Joe will meet us at the airport."

"I'll stay with her," Taylor says quickly before Colby can ask. He agrees and he and Dean walk away.

"April, I noticed you have bodyguards all the time," Tenille said. "Why is that?"

Taylor looks like he's searching for a lie, but I know he doesn't want to lie to his girlfriend. "Something happened a few months ago," I say. "They're just watching my back."

"Are you okay?" She asks me.

"I'm getting there," I say honestly. What I did today is helping me feel less afraid. Maybe I can take my life back after all.

*Skip, Skip, Skip... LATER*

We take the first flight out and arrive in Iowa a while later. Colby has been silent the entire flight. Dean and Joe keep trying to make small talk with me, since Colby won't reply to them. I hold his hand the entire time until we get to his parents' house. His brother opens the door to let us in, looking at me in confusion. The Shield coming with Colby makes sense, but not me. I'm the outsider.

"Dad," Colby says. He hugs his father. "I hope you don't mind I brought friends. I couldn't bring myself to do this alone... You remember Dean and Joe, right?"

"Yes," Mr. Lopez says. "And this lovely young lady would be...?"

"This is April. She's my... she's a..."

"She's his girlfriend," Dean says. "They're just both in denial."

"Dean, not now," Joe scolds him.

"No, he's right," Colby says. "April is sort of my girlfriend, only I never made it official."

I'm freaking out. Did I ever agree we were dating? I know we live together, but I'm in the middle of a divorce... But suddenly I don't care. Being called Colby's girlfriend sounds official and scary, but I love him. I don't want to deny it anymore.

So I take his father's hand in mine and shake it. "It's a pleasure to meet you," I say charmingly. "I wish it were under better circumstances. I am so sorry for your loss..."

"Isn't she married to your ex buddy Phil?" His brother asks.

"Kenny, don't-" Colby starts.

"No, it's okay," I say. "Phil and I are getting a divorce."

"You stole your old friend's girl?" Kenny asks. "Classy. Jerk."

"No. I left Phil because he hit me. Colby's been letting me stay with him since. Is there anything else you want to know?"

Kenny looks flustered. "Um... Wow. I was a Punk fan. Had no idea he hits girls though. Sorry."

I shrug. "It's fine, but please keep it to yourself. We haven't gone public about it."

"Right... It's nice to meet you, AJ. You're actually my favorite Diva."

"It's April, but thank you. That's very sweet."

"Are you kids hungry?" Mr. Lopez asks. "I can make you some food..."

"Food..." Dean echoes.

"You shouldn't have to cook, Mr. Lopez," Joe says. "Show me the kitchen and I'll take care of everyone."

I had no idea Joe could cook. "Alright," Mr. Lopez says, leading him away.

"Mmmm, Joe's cooking," Dean says. He's practically drooling.

"Is it that good?" I ask.

"He has a backup career if wrestling fails, and I don't mean football."

"It's true," Colby says. "He always cooks enough for an army, too."

"Look at the size of his family," Dean says. "And those boys can eat."

"I can't believe Roman Reigns is cooking in my childhood home," Kenny says.

"I cook here all the time," Colby says.

"You're a whiny little bitch since your heel turn, like you always were at home. He's Roman Reigns. Oh, and also? Making protein drinks and salad and healthy crap doesn't count as cooking. I can't eat that shit."

"He also opens cans of Kill Cliff like a pro," Dean teases.

"That stuff is gross."

"Hey! Don't speak ill of Kill Cliff. That's blasphemous," Colby says.

I'm starting to relax. It's weird to meet Colby's family like this, but with talk of Kill Cliff and Dean cracking jokes on Colby, it almost feels normal.

I know tomorrow will be much harder, but at least we can give Colby this moment of peace. I squeeze his hand encouragingly and hope I can be his rock the way he's been mine.