Day after Smackdown: Lily's POV

"Can't keep up, little sis?" Colby called back gloatingly as he ran ahead of me without any issue. I glared down at the sidewalk grumpily and thought about how inhumane it was to be up so early. The sun wasn't even up, but Colby Lopez most definitely was. He relished the early morning hours and worked as my own personal morning sun: upbeat, cheerful, bright…and obnoxious. Somehow he was always better at everything, evidently including beating me on morning runs. "C'mon, I'll be back in America by the time you catch up!"

I took a deep breath and worked my legs faster, something Colby clearly wasn't expecting. I laughed gleefully at his surprised expression as I passed, trying to maintain my cycle of breathing, when something suddenly knocked the breath out of me all together. I went flying backwards and landed on the ground with a thud. There was a heavy throbbing radiating from my forehead, and I groaned, looking up at the light pole in front of me. The silence didn't last; it wasn't long until Colby's howls of laughter became the soundtrack to my glorious morning.

"This is what happens when I wake up before 6AM." I complained, rubbing my forehead.

"Are you-are you," Colby couldn't string a sentence together through his laughter. The impact the pole had made with my face -especially my nose- had caused tears to form in my eyes. He noticed and stopped laughing, though he literally had to bite a smile away. "I'm sorry, Lily, but that just made my week. Are you alright?" He pulled me to my feet and dusted the dirt off my clothes.

"I'm sticking with treadmills." I muttered thickly.

"I think I see a bump forming already." He touched my forehead and laughed again. "Man, I would've given last month's paycheck for a chance to catch that on tape."

"I'm so glad you're concerned for my wellbeing, it's very comforting to know." I retorted, shaking my head to clear the grogginess.

"Oh, you'll be fine. You're tough. Your pride however..." I sighed and he laughed again with his eyes shut, as if he were reliving the moment. "Wait until I tell Joe and Jon, they'll get a kick out of this!"

"You know, I kinda wish I were with them right now. They're still asleep in a nice bed and not being dragged on morning runs!" I responded sharply with a scowl on my face.

"They're not sleeping anymore, they've got an interview with the big news station this morning. Besides, this is our bonding time…what, don't look at me like that! Fine, I'll take you to breakfast, how does that sound?"

"Like music to my ears." He draped his arm around my shoulder and we headed in the direction of a few local shops and cafes.

Coffee cups clinked onto the table as Colby rejoined me, now looking at me with more sympathy as I rested my forehead on my hand.

"You know, have I told you how proud I am of you?"

"For running into a pole?" He chuckled and took a drink of his piping cup with a roll of his eyes.

"Lily, you've come so far since your first match. We've come so far. Look at us!" The pure excitement sparkling in his chocolate eyes made me smile, and his optimism suddenly became my own. "We showed everyone wrong, everyone who thought we were a lost cause. We did it." He grinned at me. Waking up so early was worth seeing his glee. I reached across the table, forgetting the dull ache on my forehead, and grabbed his forearm.

"We did it." I agreed softly. "And it's not even close to being over." I thought back to last night and the doubts that had clouded my mind, but they suddenly didn't seem as demanding and severe. I did fine, I looked fine, and I had tried my best, and that really was all that mattered. I was going to keep getting better and I let myself smile at the thought, feeling some of the pressure dissolve at my newfound hopefulness.

Yes, Colby most definitely was like the orange sun now rising behind me. So steady and illuminating others with a warmth that could inspire them to be anything. Eyes so round and optimistic, a smile so endearing and bright, and a heart so certain and sincere. If I were anything like my brother, there was no doubt I'd have less enemies and more faith in myself. At least he had faith in me.

"…and she's just laughing, and then, and then all of a sudden- WHAM! She ran straight into the pole." Colby was retelling the most popular news story of today to Joe and Jon, barely able to contain himself. It was noon and we were at a local bookstore, surrounding a table and preparing for an autograph session. Joe chuckled and shook his head.

"You gotta be careful with this one, Colby, she's fragile and needs protection. You're not doing your job very well." Jon teased from where he stood behind my chair. I opened my mouth to defend my capability, but no words ever came out because Jon's hands were suddenly on my shoulders. He massaged the area for a moment before sliding his hands up and down my upper arms. No one else seemed to notice; Colby and Joe were now both engaged in another conversation. You're one of those girls. Jon's words from last night popped into my head, and not for the first time today either.

"What did you mean last night?" I asked, keeping my voice low as I turned my head to look up at him.

"What do you mean?" He asked slowly, his eyes seeming to dare me on.

"Hey, Jon, the manager wanted to see us." Colby said suddenly. I frowned in frustration and he smiled at me as he followed after Colby. He knew exactly what I was talking about.

The room was still quiet as we waited for the session to start. Beside me, Joe was on his phone. Again. He was on it as soon as Colby and I arrived and whenever he got a moment of free time. I glanced at the screen, but it was too far away for me to see anything.

"You don't have to answer if I'm being too nosy," I began, and Joe looked up at me slowly, not expecting to see that I was addressing him. "But I've seen you on your phone a lot. Who are you talking to?"

"It's alright." He stood up, and for a moment I thought he was going to leave before he took the empty seat that had previously separated us, showing me the screen of his phone. His wallpaper was a picture of a beautiful girl and himself, smiling. I felt a smile of my own sprout like a flower.

"Your fiancée?"

"Jessica." He corrected me, smiling slightly. "She was telling me about Joelle, our daughter-"

"Daughter?" I choked out. "You have a daughter?"

"She's my pride and joy." Joe didn't seem offended by my blatant display of shock and showed me another picture on his phone, this time one of him, Jessica, and his baby girl.

"Wow." I murmured in amazement. "That's...that's really special. You have a beautiful family."

"I'm very blessed." He agreed, putting his phone away into his pocket.

"Can I ask you another question?"

"Sure. If I can ask you one." I hesitated before nodding. "Why are you wrestling? You chose at a young age to do this, why? Didn't you ever want to do anything else?"

"I used to watch wrestling with Colby all the time. I liked it, but it wasn't a dire need like Colby, not at first. And then I realized that there was an art to it, and they were telling a story. There was an allure to that, to create something and make so many people feel it. I mean, I guess I've always just wanted to create something." When I looked up, Joe was no longer looking at me, but behind me, and I glanced over my shoulder to see Jon, leaning against the wall staring down at me. I blinked in amazement; when did they come back? Colby was standing a little ways away, chatting with one of the security guards. I looked back to Jon. He smirked.

"Please, don't stop because of me."

"There's not really anything else to say." I shrugged. He took the other seat beside me and Joe turned back to his phone once again.

"You know, that's one of the things that pulled me in too." He told me, picking up one of the pens and playing with it. "The drama we create, how we have the power to take people to this fantasy world and believe it. It's a powerful feeling to make other people feel something." The power of his gaze left me without a sense of stability, and I tried to decipher the language his eyes were speaking.

"Yeah, it is. I love it." I said. He nodded slowly, and an idle smile spread on his face at an equally slow pace. Suddenly he stood and joined Colby without giving me any departing words, or a chance to ask him about last night. I sighed softly.

"You still have a question for me." Joe reminded me suddenly as people began to herd the fans inside in an orderly fashion. My eyes scanned over the fans' faces absently as his words sunk in.

"Were you able to tell right from the start? That Jessica was going to be the one?" I asked him. I turned to watch his face as he contemplated my question.

"I'm not sure when I knew exactly, but I definitely felt something right from the start with her." He told me. In the distance, a small group of fans began cheering louder. Jon was walking back towards us with Colby, and they were the reason for the small outburst from the fans. I didn't take my eyes off of Jon as he gave small waves to the people and walked mostly with his head down.

"Right from the start, huh?" I murmured to no one in particular.

I yawned as I carried my bag towards the rental car in the hotel parking lot. We were going to the airport for a late trip home tonight. Well, I was going home, the boys were heading to Florida for extra training. The most I did today was an appearance to meet fans and I was beyond exhausted. I guess the pole took a lot out of me.

I turned to head back to the room, only to run straight into Jon. I gasped in surprise and stumbled back a bit, all to his amusement.

"Sorry…What are you doing, I thought you were still working out with Colby and Joe?"

"They always like to give a little extra. I decided I was done." He said with a shrug, putting his bag in the car. As soon as the bag left his hands, he pulled out a cigarette. "So," He said, leaning against the car and blowing out smoke. I leaned beside him. "Are you coming to Florida with us?" The setting sun saturated his face and made him glow a brilliant bronzed hue.

"Didn't we go through this once before?"

"Yeah, but I didn't like your answer and I'm hoping you changed your mind." He was so straightforward, at least, when he wanted to be.

"Why?"

"You know why." A sense of dread swept over me. I didn't reply, I didn't want to. I wanted to disappear like the puff of smoke coming from his mouth.

"Actually, I don't." I replied anyways, but deep down, I knew exactly where this conversation was going. I stared at the disappearing smoke longingly as he chuckled.

"Alright, I know I don't know you very well, but I do know that you are A) a bad liar, and B) not stupid. And you know myself, I don't really care for pretending." I jumped when he put his hand on the car beside my face, now facing me instead of the sunset. "I may not know you well, but at the same time…I know you. I know every curve of your body, every inch of your skin, every sound you're capable of making." I swallowed, breathing in and out the smell of smoke.

"You remember," I breathed. My body was tingling with nerves. "I…thought…I thought you…"

"Forgot?" He guessed.

"Can you blame me? They call it a one-night stand for a reason." The words coming out of my mouth felt grimy as they were spoken and the feeling of shame was almost overwhelming.

"You remembered." He pointed out.

"Not because it was…special. It wasn't, obviously." My argument sounded so weak, and he wasn't buying a word I said. I crossed my arms defensively. "And what does this have anything to do with me coming with you guys to Florida? Because if you think I'm still that girl, I'm not. I'm not naïve and I'm not just going to jump in some guy's bed. I'm not." My voice was unsteady as I hammered my point into his mind.

"I know you're not. But what you were telling Joe today just reminded me even more that I don't really know you. I would've never guess that all those years ago the girl I slept with loved this business as much as I did and would someday be painting the company red. I just want to know you."

"Then we have to forget the past. It never happened." He frowned for a second. "We were able to work together back in FCW without bringing it up, we have to do the same now. Okay?" I asked, desperately trying to make him understand my words. I was not the same girl from the past.

"Are you coming with us then?" He asked a question of his own. I hesitated.

"I don't think that's a good idea."

"That's not going to stop me from getting to know you. You're still stuck with me when we travel." He reminded me. His words made me hopeful, almost like how I had felt this morning. But Colby and Jon, they were two different types of heat.

Colby was warm and nurturing. Protective rays of guidance towards a path of hope. Jon was just fiery. It was the kind of fire that you knew would burn you if you got too close, but you couldn't keep yourself away. A magnetic fire full of curling passion.

"There they are," I heard Colby say in the distance. Jon stepped away from me smoothly, putting out his cigarette as Colby and Joe joined us with their bags. "Lily, are you sure you don't want to come with us?" They all watched me silently, though Jon's flickering eyes spoke volumes.

"Maybe next time."

Next: Lily tries her hardest to escape the past, but the present doesn't seem any easier. Her relationship with each member of the group grows, and the storyline continues on RAW. Let me know your thoughts and ideas of improvement! Thank you! xx