Thanks to everyone who took the time to review the previous chapter. It makes my day hearing your thoughts.
I've written this under the influence of some sort of horrendous virus. Please forgive any stupid mistakes.
Please let me know your thoughts. They really do help me to keep writing!
"Oh God, there's a crowd," Athena cringed as they pulled into the arena for that night's show. She gazed out at the waiting fans, who all cheered in excitement at who could be in the approaching car, wondering what they'd think at her arriving with Dean. What if Dean didn't want the world to know about them? There were rumours all over the internet about them, and that one picture of them kissing, but nothing had been confirmed and Athena knew them exiting his car together would send the wrestling columns into a frenzy. "Should we pull back out and you can drop me off around a corner?" She asked, still facing the window.
Dean scoffed loudly. "Why would we do that?"
Athena shifted in her seat to face him. "Those fans are going to take pictures of us if we get out together."
"So," Dean replied simply not looking at Athena as he pulled into a parking space.
Athena smiled shyly at his response, knowing that if he didn't care about the public knowing about them, he wouldn't care about the roster or their family or friends knowing either. He reversed out of the spot, unable to get the car straight. She struggled to hold in a laugh before a chuckle escaped her lips. Dean shot her an annoyed look and she pursed her lips attempting and failing at holding in her laughs. He pulled back into the space, finally getting the car straight.
"Ha, you park like a girl!" She teased, unbuckling her seat belt and leaning forward to pick up her bag.
"I'd like to see you do better," Dean grumbled, knowing full that his parking had been particularly poor.
"I could do a lot better," Athena said still laughing as she opened the passenger door.
Instantly the crowd's cheers assaulted their ears and Athena waved naturally at the crowd as she headed to the trunk of the car. Dean already had the trunk open and he pulled her suitcase down effortlessly, Athena pulled the leaver high as she sent a wave towards the fans before turning and moving towards the arena. Dean followed closely behind, pulling his own case with him. They passed through security and made it into the arena smoothly and as they headed through the corridors side by side, their arms brushed with every step.
It was so stupid, but every brush sent shivers down Athena's spine. Dean made her feel like an excited school girl again, every slight touch, every small smile made her quiver and gave her goose bumps. She wondered if he knew what type of power he held over her already. How one wink could send her into an effortless frenzy and how one small kiss could turn her brain to mush.
"Athena," a crew member called. Dean and Athena both turned to face him. "Hunter wants to see you."
Dean narrowed his eyes in on the crew member. "Now?" Athena asked casually.
"He said as soon as you made it into the building," the crew member shrugged before turning and walking away.
Athena turned to Dean who had a frown between his eyes. "I-"
Dean interrupted her. "Why would Hunter want to see you?"
Athena's lips parted in shock at Dean's cutting words. He sounded like the Dean she'd despised all those months ago. "What's that supposed to mean?" She said lowly, her deep blue eyes staring up at Dean. "Am I not important enough for Hunter to want to see me? Am I not good enough to be on his radar?"
"You know that's not what I meant, Red."
"Well what did you mean?" She asked, standing her suitcase upright and folding her arms across her chest.
Dean mimicked her stance and folded his arms across his broad chest. "I just don't like the idea of The Authority asking after you, doll." He smirked. "What happened to mousy timid Athena? I think I'm rubbing off on your, Red."
Smiling, Athena said, "Is that a bad thing?" She uncrossed her arms and tilted her case again. "Maybe it's about a match or something," she mused.
Dean nodded, though the smirk he'd briefly worn was gone. "Come find me afterwards?"
Smiling even wider Athena nodded and turned to leave only for Dean to wrap his hand around her slender wrist, turning her back to face him. He pulled her towards him and rubbed his thumb against her smooth chin before tilting her head up. He moved down slowly and placed his lips against hers, one hand still caressing her wrist and the other cupped around her face. Pulling his lips away he let his forehead rest against hers, "I'll see you later," he murmured.
Feeling her heart fluttering in her chest, Athena pulled away and turned to leave. She wanted to skip down the hallway but settled for a confident stroll pulling her case behind her. She stopped by the Diva's locker room and dropped her suitcase off before making her way to Hunter's office.
Taking a deep breath she knocked the door nervously, wondering why Hunter wanted to see her. Dean was right, why would he want to see her? Athena had barely had any dealings with him in the past. Talent booked her matches, Public Relations planned her media appearances, and Steph handled all the stuff in between. Her contract was due to expire, what if they were letting her go?
Hearing a deep voice inviting her in, she took a deep gulp and moved inside. "You wanted to see me?" She asked timidly, her eyes narrowing in on Hunter who sat behind his desk and Seth who stood behind him, his arms folded across his chest and a cocky smirk plastering his face.
Hunter smiled and folded his hands together. "You got the message. Good." He stood up and pulled a wad of papers up with him. "This here," he waved the papers that were stapled together in the air. "Is your new contract. A one year contract all signed and ready, just need's your signature." He held the document out and Athena moved forward to take it only for Hunter to pull it back close to him. Seth laughed deeply. "I'm just going to go and take a walk, maybe get a coffee." Hunter moved around the desk as Athena narrowed her eyes in at him. "If you want this contract I'd suggest you're still here when I get back," he chuckled. "Take a seat."
Hunter left the room quickly, still carrying the contract leaving Athena standing staring at Seth. What was this about? Why was Hunter playing games with her? Huffing Athena slouched into the seat as Seth's eyes raked over her.
"What's this about, Seth?" She asked as Seth sat down in the chair Hunter had just vacated.
He leaned forward, his elbows resting on the desk. "I wanted to talk to you." Seth said seriously, his dark brown pools staring deep into Athena's blue orbs. "And you wouldn't let me-"
"I wonder why," she muttered, breaking his stare by looking down to the floor.
Seth continued as if he hadn't been interrupted. "So I asked Hunter if he could help me. All you have to do is listen. I just want to explain myself; don't you want to know why I walked away from The Shield?"
"I don't really care what you've got to say Seth," she said quietly still staring at the floor.
"You do care, Attie," he said gently.
"You're right," she said looking up at him with pursed lips. "I do care. I especially cared when you betrayed Roman and Dean, when you smashed them with chairs. When you turned out to be a completely different person to who I thought you were."
Seth shook his head. "I was always that person." He leaned forward speaking slowly. "You were just too loved up to see it. It's the exact same thing as you're doing with Ambrose now."
Athena sat up straighter and ran a hand through her auburn curls. "So this is what this is about," she sighed.
"It's not, I'm proving a point. I bet you think he's a nice guy now, huh? That he's sweet and that he cares? You've completely forgotten about how much of a dick he was to you before?" Seth leaned back in his chair. "You only see what you want to see Athena, you see the best in people and sometimes that's not a good thing."
"Well you proved that, didn't you Seth?"
"You knew how ambitious I am. The Shield, we'd come as far as we could, none of us were benefiting from being a unit anymore. It was time to move on," he justified. "I was just the only one smart enough to realize it."
Athena rolled her eyes. "Sure, you were," she said sarcastically. "Why didn't you just leave? Just say you didn't want to do it anymore?"
Seth shrugged his shoulders. "Hunter came to me with a business proposition and I would have been mad not to take it. He told me what I already knew, that I'm the future of the WWE, and aligning myself with The Authority would benefit me more than staying with those two yuppies."
Athena shook her head, not believing how casually he spoke about betraying Roman and Dean. "They were your friends, your brothers."
"Business associates," Seth stressed. "Look. I got offered a deal and I took it, and it worked out well for me. I'm Mr. Money in the Bank, and the future WWE World Heavyweight Champion."
"You wouldn't have that briefcase if it weren't for your buddy Kane, Dean would have it."
Seth's dark brows furrowed together. "You think Dean's capable of carrying the company on his shoulders? You think he's capable of looking after you?" He said turning the conversation around.
"I don't need looking after," Athena said quickly.
"You think he could get you a title shot?"
"What?" Athena asked, running a hand through her hair, desperate for Hunter to return.
Seth stood and moved around the desk, sitting on the edge of it just beside Athena. "It was part of the deal I made. That you would get a title shot. All I've got to do is say and you'll have it," he leaned forward and began twirling a strand of her hair between his fingertips.
Athena jerked away from him, standing quickly. "I don't want it."
"You don't want to be champion again?"
"Not that way," she said stepping backwards.
Seth let out a deep sigh. "Athena. I did it for us."
Shaking her head in disgust, Athena opened the door. "No. You did it for you," she said before walking out the door, unable to spend another second in a room with him no matter what the consequences.
XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX
Dean ran his hands through Athena's curls idly as they laid watching an old movie playing on the television. Her head was rested on his chest and she had one arm slung across his bare torso; she only wore a small pair of underwear and a vest top that teased at her breasts spilling out at any moment. Her face was bare of make-up, a sprinkling of freckles dusting her cheeks, her lips a natural pink. Dean was sure he'd never seen her looking more beautiful, and he was silently thrilled that she was laying with him in bed.
Especially knowing that Seth would love to be in his place. Athena had told him about her encounter with Hunter and Seth earlier in the day, and it just proved to him that Seth still cared about her. Or at least still wanted her on his arm. Between how he'd reacted when Dean had told him he'd slept with Athena and his actions that day, Dean knew it must be eating him up knowing that he was with her instead of him.
Good, Dean thought bitterly. He hoped it ate him up inside, that it played on him so much that he couldn't sleep, that he felt sick whilst eating at the thought of Dean with her.
His plan was working out brilliant on that front. He was getting to that backstabbing bastard mentally, as well as beating the crap out of him at any opportunity. Dean wondered how Athena would feel if she found out why he'd had begun chasing her; she would one day, surely, He didn't want to hurt her, she had been just a pawn in his game, but she'd become so much more than that. Dean knew he liked her, he hadn't been lying when he said she'd got under his skin, she really had and there seemed to be nothing he could do about it. He'd never intended to start liking her, he'd wanted her out of his life as much as Seth, but know he couldn't imagine not seeing her smile or hearing her laugh.
Dean found himself for the first time happy in a relationship, and he hoped to God that when the truth came out it wouldn't hurt her as much as it would hurt him to lose her.
Athena sat up, her hair tumbling down her back and her eyes wide and blinking. "Are you sure?" She asked for the tenth time that night.
"Yes, I'm sure. They can't not give you a contract because you walked out of a room with that scumbag. They wouldn't risk you going public, or trying to sue them." He brushed his thumb along her lower lip. "I guarantee this time next week you'll have signed that contract."
She laid her head back down on his solid chest. "I hope so," she mumbled sadly.
They lounged in silence for a while before Athena sat up, rolled her shoulders and began edging of the bed. "Where are you going?" Dean asked, leaning forward, wrapping his arms around her waist pulling her back to him.
"Bathroom," she giggled as he began placing stubbly kisses on her neck.
He wrapped his arms around her stomach tightly smashing her back against his stomach, as her body crashed lightly against his a short sudden vibration shot across his leg and a droning toot sound filled the room. Athena stiffened within his arms and he turned and stared at her with wide eyes, a massive grin stretched across his face. "Did you just fart?" He said slowly.
"No!" Athena gasped, turning her head away from him, her body still stiff.
He let go of her and moved around to face her. "You did. You just farted... on me."
Athena's face was bright red, a look of horror stained her face and she was completely speechless.
Dean sniffed the air once. "Erggh, you stink too!" He teased, trying desperately to hold in the raucous laughter that he could feel building inside him.
"Oh my God," Athena groaned, flopping down on the bed and covering her face with the pillow. "I'm so sorry. It slipped out," her muffled voice claimed.
Dean's shoulders shook with laughter. "I can't believe you farted on me!"
"Please go in the bathroom so I can leave with some dignity," she pleaded from beneath her pillow.
Dean grinned madly as he stared down at her sheepish form. He moved forward and began pulling on the pillow; she gripped it tightly and he had to yank it hard to get it from her fingers. Athena's face was bright red and her arched brows were furrowed.
"Lighten up, Red. It's just a fart," Dean said still smiling.
"Oh God, please don't say that!"
He chuckled. "Well what am I supposed to call it?"
"I'd rather not talk about it," she mumbled staring up embarrassed.
"Fine," he said leaning over her. "It's forgotten about."
Dean leaned down and placed a stubbly kiss against her plump lips, his big hands kneading her hips; she leaned up into him, her tongue swiping across his lower lips desperate for entry. She ran her nails along his back gently as he kissed her; he sat up slowly, his hands pulling her up with him. She wrapped her arms around his neck as he yanked her onto his lap so that she was straddling him. Pulling away slowly, he bit her lower lip teasingly before smiling widely, "you're not going to fart on me again, right?" He teased.
Her mouth opened up in horror. "Dean!" She yelled as she picked up the pillow and whacked him playfully in the face.
Yes, inside I'm still a child that finds farts funny.
Please review : )