True to his word, Wade called Isabella on Monday to make arrangements for their date. Raw was filming live from Cincinnati, Ohio, but Isabella wasn't able to catch the show; she was on her way for to cover Johanna's closing shift. The two of them agreed to meet on Thursday night, at a nice little café down the road from her apartment. Isabella drove by it daily, but she was embarrassed to admit that she had never been inside or tried any of the food. It looked like a nice place, a clean, small white building with tall windows and a soft pink and white awning over the front glass door.

For the past three days, part of Isabella has gone back and forth, wanting to cancel plans with Wade. There was something inside of her that made her want to write off and ignore everybody underneath the WWE umbrella. She knew it was just a side effect of her fight with John, but she couldn't help the way she felt. Isabella didn't think he was capable of understanding how much he hurt her when he lashed out. At this point, she just didn't want to be around him, and she wasn't sure she ever wanted to be again. It suited her just fine.

John had been trying to call her since their fight, but she wasn't ready to hear it. She was tired of his bipolar attitude, the way he wove in and out of moods. He had gone so far on Monday as to grab Wade's phone, but she had responded by hanging up on him. He had Nikki Bella now, and he'd made it very clear that Isabella was nothing more than an albatross, not a friend but a buzzkill. She was the party crasher, the woman acting like his mother. His words still hurt her, that he saw her as a nag despite everything she had tried to do for him. She thought it was unfair of him to ask her to be okay with him going back to the lifestyle that put him in rehab. She was tired of arguing.

Isabella decided to walk to the café. It was a beautiful balmy night. The snow was long gone, a surreal memory. Ruby was being surprisingly supportive to Isabella, even though wasn't saying much about the situation that had come up between Isabella and John Cena. It was for the best; Isabella didn't really want to talk about it. She still felt like things were weird with Ruby; she wondered if things would ever go back to normal. Things had gone sideways somewhere between the two of them, and it seemed like re-righting the ship was an impossible task.

Walking in, Isabella wasn't surprised to find that Wade was already there waiting for her. He looked good, dressed in a royal blue V-necked shirt and black jeans. His sunglasses were clipped to the V of his shirt. He was already nursing a cup of coffee, staring out the giant window beside the table. He looked lost in thought. Turning his head, he saw her, a giant smile splitting his face. He waved her over and she approached.

He took in her appearance and concluded that she looked amazing. She was dressed in a denim skirt with a baby blue T-shirt sweater with a sweetheart neckline. Her hair was pulled back in a low ponytail, wisps of her hair falling out and framing her face in a way that he found downright flattering. Ankle socks and white running shoes completed her look. She greeted him with a crooked smile, one that resonated sadness. He stood, wrapping her in his arms tightly.

"Hey. I was afraid you were going to cancel," he confessed with a laugh.

"I thought about it. I haven't been feeling much like company lately," she admitted softly. He hugged her tighter for a moment before pulling back. They sat down at the table. A waitress approached, a cherub-faced woman with a big mop of black curls. Isabella ordered a cup of peppermint tea, while Wade asked to have his coffee refilled. She nodded and walked back towards the counter. Isabella looked down at her hands before absently picking up the menu.

"Have you spoken to him at all?" he asked. She shook her head.

"I don't want to talk about him." There was an awkward beat. Wade looked down at his hands. The hurt was written on her face, imprinted in her eyes. He had heard all the details from John. Since the fight, the guy had been spending every waking moment partying with Nikki Bella and her sister Brie. He wasn't about to tell Isabella that, though. He wasn't about to make things worse between the two of them. John had described the hurt in Isabella's eyes, but seeing it in person made Wade feel like somebody had twisted a knife into his heart.

Isabella realized that her tone had sounded harsher than she had intended. She cleared her throat awkwardly. "You know, this is the first time I've been in here. I know, weird, right? Since I drive by it at least four or five times a day."

"They've got some of the best sandwiches I've ever had," he told her.

"I guess I'm going to have to try one of those, then," she said. They fell silent. She sighed. "I'm sorry..."

"It's fine, love. You've got nothing to apologize for. I'm just going to have to work that much harder to cheer you up tonight, though." She flashed him a small smile that gave him a little bit of hope that such a thing was possible. It was his turn to clear his throat. "I don't know if you're too busy after this, Isabella, but I know a little place..."

"Oh...I'm not really in the mood for the Florida nightlife..."

"Not a nightclub, you silly thing," he said with a laugh. "Something more...scenic."

"Oh..." She laughed sheepishly, feeling stupid for interrupting him. The sheepish laugh turned into a full-on giggle and she put her head in her hands. "God, I think I'm going crazy. It's honestly where my first thought went." The waitress returned with her tea and a coffee pot to refill Wade's coffee. Wade ordered a BLT while Isabella ordered a roast beef sandwich. The waitress left again.

"How's your week been, love?" he asked.

"Busy. I'm just keeping busy," she admitted. "How about yours?"

"Busy, but that's just because I'm always busy," he said with a laugh.

"I can imagine. It's crazy, all the things you guys do. It's like having three or four jobs in one."

"It is, but I love it. Wouldn't change a thing about it."

"Do you ever miss it back home?"

"I do. I'll probably head back there when I retire, but that's still a few years yet."

"How do you handle the homesickness?"

"The boys help. It also helps that I love what I do. We tour over there from time to time, so it's not like I never ever go back." They silenced when the waitress returned with their sandwiches. Isabella's eyes widened. Wade bit back a laugh.

"These are huge," she said with a laugh.

"You'll need your energy where we're going. There's a bit of a hike involved," he informed her with a smirk. She took her first bite, her eyes lighting up. Wade had to laugh. He bit into his. They were quiet for a little bit, eating and staring out the window. "How are things with Ruby?" he asked.

"I think they're okay," she answered, sipping her tea. "I don't know. I still love her, she's my best friend, but it's just...she's been so weird with me since everything happened with Trey."

"What's going on with that?" he asked. She shook her head in disgust.

"Mom and Dad came home early from it. Same old bureaucratic bullshit. They know things aren't really going to go anywhere. It's why I couldn't go with them." She put her cup down on the table. "When Trey got into politics, I had to train myself to stop watching the news. I'm just...I'm so tired of being angry. I'm even more tired of being hurt."

Wade surprised her by reaching out and putting his hand over hers. It was warm, firm and comforting. She looked into his eyes. "You know if you ever need to talk, you can call me, right? Don't ever hesitate."

"Thanks."

When they finished, Wade handled the bill, despite Isabella's protests. "I invited you," he informed her firmly. The two of them left the café together. She let Wade lead her to his car. She buckled her seatbelt as Wade got into the driver's side. Isabella was thankful she had left her cell phone at home; she wanted a nice night out, a night where she didn't have to run the risk of getting a phone call from John, wanting to talk it out. She rested her head against the back of the seat and stared out the window as Wade drove. She wasn't sure what the music was playing in the stereo – it was British punk, she knew that much – but she couldn't seem to bring herself to ask him.

Wade's secluded area wasn't far from the café. He pulled into a parking lot. "It's a good thing you wore your sneakers," he told her with a chuckle. They got out of the car. "Don't worry. It's all downhill right now. It's when we come back up that'll be the workout." He winked at her. She smiled an uneasy smile.

They walked to the edge of the area, where there was an orange wooden fence with a gate. He opened it and let her through first. She thanked him. Together, the two of them walked down the long wooden stairway. It went on forever. Isabella was pretty sure her legs were going to feel it in the morning.

At the bottom of the steps, Isabella's breath caught. It was beautiful, a stream and a waterfall. Wade reached the bottom step and turned, extending his hand to her to help her down the last couple steps. "Wow. This is insane. I didn't realize we had anything like this in the area."

"I found this place completely by accident. I think it used to be a bike trail or something. I don't know what's going on," he confessed. "I just know that I like what I see."

"I do, too," she agreed. The two of them walked towards the edge of the stream. Isabella sat down on a log, her arms crossed over her chest. Wade sat down beside her. "This is...just...beautiful."

"It sure is," Wade mumbled, taking her in.

"This isn't a secret spot for you, is it? I might have to come down here when the world gets to be too much," she told him with a laugh.

"I don't mind sharing it, love," he told her. They looked at the waterfall in silence, listening to the water rush. It was soothing to Isabella. Without even really thinking about it, she rested her head on Wade's shoulder. If he was uncomfortable by it, he didn't say a word, and for that, Isabella was thankful.