A/N: Thanks to all who reviewed. Enjoy and happy reading!

Chapter 7 – The Time To Let Go

"So you and Candice are going out tonight?"

He was fixing his collar while checking his appearance in the mirror. Randy liked to look good and anyone could say, when they have seen him around, that he had a good taste in fashion.

"Yes," said Randy. "I'm taking her to this really nice seafood restaurant."

"Cool," said John. "Well have fun then."

After making sure that he looked smart on his date, Randy turned to his best friend with a smile.

"I'm sure I will. Alright I'm heading out so I'll see you later."

"See ya!" John called from behind.

Randy closed the door behind him and went past a few doors as to look for a particular room number to Candice's room. Randy found her room and then he knocked and waited for an answer and soon the door swung open by someone he didn't expect to see.

"Mickie," he said and cleared his throat as to not show his awkwardness around her. "Good evening."

"Hi," was all she said. She looked up and down at him as if she was searching for dirt on his outfit. "You're a few minutes early."

"Well it's not a bad thing now is it? Can you let her know that I'm here?"

"Sure."

Mickie called for her and a voice in the bathroom responded with, "Okay! I'll be out in just a bit!"

"Well you heard her," said Mickie and faked a cheeky smile for him and Randy rolled his eyes at this.

"Thanks for letting her know. I'll just wait over--"

"Hold on a second. I need to speak to you."

"Alright then, fine."

Mickie stepped out of the room and closed the door behind her. She turned to Randy and folded her arms. Whatever it was she wanted to discuss, Randy could tell by the look on her face, that she wasn't happy about it.

"What were you thinking?" she began to say.

"I have no idea what you're talking about."

"Cut this crap because you know very well what I'm talking about!"

Randy furrowed his brow but then released the tension of it a second later and made a chuckle.

Mickie scoffed and shot an annoyed glare at him. "What's so funny?"

"Is this what it is all about? Me and Candice?"

"Yes that is what I'm talking about. Ever since what happened last night you're starting to play games with me?"

"Me? Play games? Now first of all you made it clear that you've moved on. You told me to move on too and that's what I'm doing."

"Don't make it look like I'm a bad person in th--"

"Do you honestly think that's my intention?"

"Of course I do. You're only dating Candice just to get back at me!"

Randy scoffed and looked at her in disbelief. "Okay now before you come to this crazy conclusion, I'm not dating her just to get you jealous okay? This is simply a night out as friends."

"You really expect me to believe that?"

"Look if you want to act adamant about it, that's your business. What I do and who I'm dating with, that's my business. Just because we're not together anymore doesn't give you the right to control my life. I've done you a favor so you do the same for me. Leave me alone."

Then silence overcame them but was soon broken when the door was clicked opened. They turned to see Candice.

"Am I interrupting something?" she asked.

"No not at all," said Randy and smiled. "You look incredible."

Candice giggled. "Thank you. So I'm ready when you are."

"Alright," Randy grinned.

"Oh Mickie you're going back to meet Dave right?"

"Yeah I was just about to get ready to go," said Mickie.

"Good 'cause I'm going now and I want to make you didn't leave your stuff in my room."

Mickie laughed. "Don't be silly I came over empty handed!"

"Oh okay," Candice laughed. "Just checking."

"Well anyway, have a good time tonight!"

Candice smiled broadly as she looked at her date. "Oh I'm sure we will!"

"Shall we?" Randy offered his arm to the dark haired woman and she took it.

"See you later Micks," said Candice.

"Yeah sure," said Mickie.

She was left standing in the middle of the hallway as she watched her best friend walking away with the man she once had a relationship with. Mickie wasn't at all pleased by this sight. But wasn't she the one that told Candice that she was okay with her dating Randy?

Thinking about what she had said back in the beach, she wasn't sure about it anymore. All she knew was that she still wasn't happy about seeing them together.

Being stubborn was one thing but jealously was out of the question. Right?

"He better not hurt her," Mickie muttered. "If he ever does, he better watch out for me…."

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"Good evening," the waiter greeted the guests with a warm friendly smile. "How are you this evening?"

"We're fine thanks," said Randy, making a quick glance at Candice as he said this before turning back to the waiter. "Can you take us to our table please?"

"Certainly sir, right this way."

The waiter led them to a table. He pulled out a chair courteously for the woman.

"Thank you," she said with a smile as she sat down.

"You're welcome," said the waiter and he did the same for Randy who thanked him afterwards.

"Will you like to start off with a drink?"

"Oh yes definitely," said Randy. "Can you bring a Cabernet for this lovely woman sitting opposite me?"

Randy made a glance at Candice who was smiling yet seemed to be surprised by what he was ordering for her.

"Certainly sir," said the waiter. "And what to get for you?"

"I'll have a lemonade."

"Alright," said the waiter. "I'll be back with our drinks shortly."

"Thank you," the dates said in unison and soon the waiter walked off leaving the two to look at each other.

"What?" Randy asked as he tried not to laugh at the look on Candice's face.

"You ordered wine for me."

"Is that a bad thing?" Randy joked.

"No," Candice laughed. "That was…sweet of you to say the least."

"I'm glad you thought that way."

She laughed when she saw that famous smirk that she had always knew and loved to joke about. Candice couldn't be happier about his return to the wrestling ring which meant that they could catch up on their friendship. She sighed happily as she looked back at him with a smile though Candice wasn't aware that she was being lost into his aqua blue eyes for a moment.

"What is it Candy Girl?" Randy asked as he leant forward in his chair to get a closer look at her. "What is it that's making her smile?"

She didn't make an answer and soon Randy felt something soft touching some part of him and he looked down to see her hand resting upon his. He looked up at her again and her sweet smile had not faded.

"It's you Mr. RKO," said Candice with a quick smirk. "I'm just happy that we can hang out and talk again just like old times."

Randy nodded and looked down at her hand again. He flipped his hand over gently and soon his hand was now holding hers.

"Me too," said Randy and made a content smile for her. The comfortable silence overtook them but then it had to be broken when a new voice came to distract them.

"Excuse me for interrupting but your drinks are here."

"Oh great," said Randy with a smile as he sat back on his seat once more and watched the waiter opening the bottle and pouring out the red wine into Candice's wine glass as he waited to get his mocktail.

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Batista was sitting on the floor in his hotel room watching a comedy movie while he was munching on popcorn. There was suppose to be someone watching with him but then she had decided to sleep in early. Mickie was curled up into a ball underneath the sheets and tried her best to close her eyes but finding difficulty in doing so.

She couldn't help but wonder what they were doing right now. Where could he have been taking her? What were they doing? Mickie wanted to know and she wanted to know now.

At that moment, Mickie was getting annoyed but just felt the need to unleash her anger at any time. But something else had ticked her and her mood was about to be tested when she heard raucous laughter ringing at her ears.

"Can you keep it down?" Mickie said suddenly as she shot up from her bed. "I'm trying to sleep."

Batista turned around and looked at her with confusement. "What's up with you?"

"What's up with me? I'm trying to sleep and you disturb me."

"That's a switch," Batista said with a laugh. "You sleep so easy, even if ten trucks passed you by. So what makes this any different?"

"I have a headache okay? I need some peace and quiet."

"Oh. Do you need an aspirin?"

"No I'm fine. I just need to rest my head."

"Are you sure?"

"Yeah I'm sure."

"Okay then. Sorry to disturb you. I'll try to laugh quietly."

Mickie chuckled. "Thank you babes."

"You're welcome," said Batista.

The brunette woman smiled and crawled across the bed to give him a good night kiss.

"I love you," she said.

"I love you too," he replied. "Sweet dreams."

Mickie was back under the sheets once more and tugged the pillow close to her. There was one man in the room with her and she had another man in the room as well, not physically but mentally as Randy was in her thoughts again.

After reassuring herself that she was happy about her life and didn't see the need to look back at her past, Mickie drifted off to an easy sleep at last.

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A ping was sounded and as they had stepped out, they would be assumed by anyone as a couple but they were in fact two friends having a good time. Since they had arrived back to the hotel, they had been grinning from ear to ear while linking to each other's arms. Soon they had come to Candice's room at last.

"Well tonight was amazing," said Candice. "I really had fun."

"So did I," said Randy. He took her hand and brought him towards him and pressed his lips onto it. He chuckled to see a cute picture before him as Candice smiled as her cheeks turned slightly pink.

"So I'll see you tomorrow," said Candice.

"Sure," said Randy with a wink.

Candice giggled. She slowly took a small forward and soon a gesture was returned to him as she kissed him on the cheek. She looked back at him and her smile was back on her face in an instant.

"Good night Randy."

"Good night Candice."

The eye contact and the comfortable silence was soon broken when Candice unlocked her door with her card key and pushed the door open. She looked back at him and soon her smile disappeared behind the closed door. Randy turned around and made his way back to his room with a smile on his own. Then a thought had struck him like a ton of bricks.

Have I really moved on?

Though he was certain of it as first but now he wasn't sure. Ever since he had returned back to wrestling ring, his past had come back to haunt him. But then he started to wonder if the past was worth holding onto.

At that answer in mind, he shook his head.

"No it's not," he told himself. "You have to let go Randy. You have to let your past go and you have to let Mickie go. Let the past be the past and focus on the future."

He shoved a hand into his pocket and took out a wallet. He took out an old small picture he had of himself and Mickie while they were dating. They used to be so happy together. He had cherished that photo and had kept it close to his heart. But now he had to make a choice.

If he was going to move on, he would have to let go.

"So how was the date?" John asked when Randy entered the room.

"It was great," said Randy. "Absolutely great."

He opened up his hand where the photo was resting but was now crumbled up into a ball. Then his eyes turned to see a wastebasket sitting nearby the television. He looked at the little ball and then looked at the wastebasket again.

And then without having to think twice of what he was going to do, Randy threw the little ball and made a perfect shot as it had landed inside the mouth of the wastebasket.

Randy had come to his decision and now he had never seemed to regret it.