Chapter 13

"Kinda ironic isn't it?"

Nearly two weeks after Stephanie's bombshell, Lexi sat on the plush overstuffed chair inside her therapist's office and listen to the woman she'd chosen to confide in call her situation ironic. Lexi frowned. "How do you mean?"

"Well," Doctor Moreno leaned forward and rested her elbows on her knees. "Part of the reason you're here is because you were cheated on, and now your work wants you to be the cheater."

Lexi pursed her lips as she considered that statement. "I suppose there's a certain amount of sick irony in this situation."

"How much stress is this new storyline putting on you and the baby?" Doctor Moreno challenged.

Lexi shrugged. "I haven't been sleeping all that well and I've been waking up nauseous again."

"And how does Roman feel about the situation and the stress?"

Lexi picked at a piece of non-existent fuzz on her pants. "He's miserable and worried about me. He wants to confront Stephanie and creative, but I won't let him."

"And that's creating tension between you two?"

Lexi nodded. "Yeah, but it's nothing I can't handle."

"Nothing you can't handle," Doctor Moreno arched a brow. "Are you sure about that?"

Surprised by the fact that she was stunned by the question, Lexi stared at her. "I won't let him ruin his career."

"What is the worst that would happen if he did?" Doctor Moreno challenged again. "He'd have to find a new line of work right? Possibly something a bit more normal."

Lexi shook her head now as frustration began to build. "Normal is a relative term. Even you know that. Wrestling is our life. It's what we both grew up in. It's what we both know. It's all Roman has ever wanted." She could feel the emotion building now, growing stronger a the words tumbled from her mouth. "I won't let him screw up his dream for me."

"How do you know standing up to management will screw up his dream?"

Sudden sadness flooded through her and she lifted a hand to her head, pressing her index finger and thumb to her temples. The move was partially to stave off the beginning of a headache and partially to hide her eyes which began to tear. "You don't know the McMahon's like I do. You've never seen what they can do to a career." She sucked in quick breath and managed to find that much need and recently absent control she used to have. "Just ask my father about the McMahon's. He'll tell you that they're power hungry and full of themselves. They're not the kind of people who you want to cross. Not if you want to keep your job."

"Yet, from what I've heard, you've never been afraid to cross them before. So why stop now?" Doctor Moreno leaned back in her chair and tapped a finger on it's arm. "Why kowtow now when you didn't before?"

"I'm not kowtowing," Lexi argued. "I just know how they work. Last time I stood up to them, I had leverage. My contract was up and we were in negotiations. I'm a superstar and a legacy. The fans love me and my leaving would have caused a big blow to them."

"And yet, from what I hear you walked away from the business in order to save Roman's career, right?"

Lexi nodded. "So?"

"So, they still ended up asking you to come back, right?"

"Right," Lexi sighed. "What's your point?"

"My point is, this time you have even more at stake than both your career's, Lexi. Right now, you have your health to worry about. Plus the future of your unborn child and the stability of your relationship with Roman. By preventing him from confronting management you're emasculating him to a certain degree." Doctor Moreno pushed up from her chair and moved to the cooler where she poured a glass of water, then crossed back and handed it to Lexi. "Without him being here, I can't know for sure, but I'd bet he's feeling impotent in his roll as your protector."

Lexi accepted the glass, took a small drink before setting it on the table. "I don't want him to be my protector, Doc. I want him to live out his dream."

"At what cost, Lexi?" Doctor Moreno challenged. "I realize that in the grand scheme, this is just some fictional storyline, but the fallout from it could be very real, for both you and Roman."

Lexi was still thinking about her conversation with Doctor Moreno later that week as she walked through the halls of the arena. Doctor Moreno didn't understand. This… She glanced around the concrete corridor. This was their lives. This was all they knew. If Roman confronted management and they fired him then what? Sure he could get a job working somewhere...anywhere, but would he ever truly be happy? He thrived on being in the spotlight. If she were honest, so did she. While her time here might be limited now by the birth of their child, that didn't mean her career was over. When it came time for her to step out of the ring for the last time, she would easily be able to make the transition to instructor at the training facility in Orlando. They'd only be a couple of hours away from his family in Pensacola and Nattie and TJ in Tampa. Her children could go to school while she worked at the training center and Roman continued to travel and be the star he deserved to be.

In her mind their future was all worked out, but if they pushed back on this issue and pissed off management, all of her plans could end up flushed down the toilet.

With only a week and a half left until the big breakup they were running out of time to come up with an alternative idea. Creative was doing a great job with playing Roman and Dean against each other, then bringing the men back together. Visible cracks has formed in the team and the fans were chomping at the bit, waiting for the end result.

Damn it she didn't want to be the one to perpetuate that end result. There just had to be another way. Lost in her thoughts, she turned a corner and ran smack into a warm body that had her nearly tumbling backwards on her ass.. "Whoa. Sorry about that," the eerily familiar voice sent an instant chill dancing up her spine as she jerked away from the hands that touched her. It couldn't be?

"Lexi?"

Slowly she lifted her gaze and found herself staring into familiar blue eyes. Eyes that the last time she'd seen them four long years ago, had stared back at her in mocking disdain.