Chapter 12

Desperately trying to steady her nerves, Lexi stepped back onto the tour bus. She'd spent the last twenty minutes doing everything in her power to talk Stephanie out of the new script idea. It was all to no avail. Lexi stepped up into the living area and the moment she spotted the boys sitting on the couches a lump formed in her throat.

"So?" Roman inquired. "How did it go?"

She couldn't bring herself to talk, couldn't do more than shake her head and wave them off with a quick, dismissive hand as she bolted for the bedroom. She stripped off her coat along the way, letting it drop silently to the floor somewhere behind her, then climbed onto the bed and curled into ball. How could they be so callous?

The bed dipped behind her, then warm arms wrapped around her. "What happened?" Roman whispered.

She shook her head as tears broke free and trickled down her face. God, she hated the messy emotions being pregnant caused.

The bed moved a second time and she felt a hand on her leg. "Come on, Lil' Mama, tell us what has you so upset."

"I can't believe they want to use me like this," she nearly whined.

"Like what?" Seth asked. "Come on Lexi. Talk to us."

"We can fix it, but you have to tell us what's going on," Dean added.

Wiping her tears with the back of her hand Lexi turned, pushed herself more upright so she sat against the headboard. Anger and frustration coursed through her, yet instead of showering her anger, she cried like an idiot. Of course that fact only added another layer to her frustration. "She wants to make me the catalyst for The Shield's demise," she finally said, then watched as the men exchanged wary glances.

"How?" Roman finally asked.

Lexi, reached across to the small nightstand and grabbed a tissue. "By saying that the baby is Dean's not yours."

"What?" The three men shouted in unison and Dean practically leaped off the bed.

"How?" Seth shouted over Dean's very creative curse.

She slid a sideways glance at Roman who, surprisingly, didn't look nearly as angry as she'd expected. "By using us and the baby as the reason for the infighting between Dean and I, right?" Roman asked.

She gave him a slow nod. "They want to plant the seeds that Dean and I have been having an affair and I've left you because of your accusations and jealousy. Which is the reason I'm gone right now. Then, in a few weeks when I'm showing just a little more, I'm supposed to come back, tell you I'm pregnant. At that point Dean is supposed to come forward and claim the baby is his-"

"Dean and I end up in a fight and The Shield breaks up," Roman finished the statement.

She nodded. "The situation would get you over with the fans and help transition the face turn they're planning for you. Dean is a better heel anyway, so it wouldn't harm him any and well, Seth and Amber are innocent in any wrong doing so the fans won't hate them."

"But the fans will hate you for cheating on Roman," Seth argued. "Your reputation will go straight to hell."

Lexi sighed. "Stephanie says because I'm a star and a legacy I'll eventually recover with the fans."

"Wait," Dean held up a hand. "Why did they chose me instead of Seth?"

"Because as far as the fans are concerned, you're single," Lexi replied. "Nobody knows about your relationship with Zoe, so it made sense for them to use you instead of Seth."

"Fuck," Roman exclaimed. "Like you need the added stress this could put on you."

"I don't like it." Seth shook his head.

"Well duh," Dean replied. "I'm pretty sure none of us like it. I mean I'm all for furthering our careers, but not at Lexi's expense," He glanced up at Lexi. "There has to be another way."

"If you know of one then start talking," Lexi said. "Otherwise, this storyline is going to move forward."

"Like hell," Roman growled. "I won't let them do this to you."

She reached for him now. "What you're not going to do is ruin your career by going against management's wishes."

"Lexi-" He warned.

She shook her head. "Don't, okay. In the grand scheme, this is a blip on the radar, a moment in time that will pass. You have years, Roman and I don't want you screwing that chance up."

"What if we can find some better storyline for them to follow?" Seth asked. "Would they consider some alternative?"

Lexi shrugged. "Stephanie said they would, but who knows for sure and what could we come up with that would be better than what they already have?"

"I don't know," Dean shook his head, "But there has to be a way."

"I'll go find Zoe, Amber and Nattie. The more people we can brainstorm with, the better chance we'll have for finding a way out of this situation."

"Stephanie wants to wait until I'm showing a bit more, so that should buy us a few more weeks. Maybe even another month," Lexi offered. "They're talking about building toward Wrestlemania for the match so she's looking for the reveal toward the middle to end of March."

"Good." Roman nodded. "That gives us some time to come up with something."