A/N: Okay, so I wrote the prologue and I couldn't stop. So many ideas, and I'm so excited. You are welcome.
"You've got to be kidding me," AJ heard the whispers, but she pretended not to hear them.
"After what she did, why would she bother to show her face here again?"
"Just wait until Nikki gets wind of this."
AJ couldn't wait to take the ring. All of the aggression built up, all of the anger she was harboring for her soon-to-be ex husband...she couldn't wait to find the release she desperately needed.
"Ladies! Please, conduct yourselves as such," Sara Del Ray acknowledged the whispers, commanding charge almost instantly. "You all should be happy to work with a future hall of fame diva. Now, give AJ a warm welcome. Cameron, you and AJ, take the ring. Remind us why you want to be here," she told the mocha-skinned woman, who rolled her eyes as soon as Sara's back was turned.
AJ and Cameron tied up, and AJ gave a mighty push, landing the other woman smack on her ass. AJ delivered a nasty elbow drop, then ran to the ropes to deliver a dropkick.
She was literally making Cameron look like she had just started wrestling last week, and it felt good.
Cameron, of course, didn't take too kindly to AJ's punishing move set.
The women tied up again, and Sara watched the pair from ringside, smirking as AJ weaseled her way out of the other woman's arms, sweeping her off her feet again with an armbar.
"Alright, ladies. AJ, you look like you never even left. And Cam, did you show up today, or leave your passion at home? I couldn't really tell." Sara stepped in the ring, clapping the former divas champion on the back as she backflipped out of the ring. A disgusted sound came from Cameron, and Sara whipped around to face her.
"Whatever. This bitch still ain't no Nikki Bella," Cameron stated.
AJ's ears perked up. "'Scuse me?" she shouted from outside the ring.
"I know you heard me," Cameron snipped back, stepping towards the rope.
"Cameron, knock it off," Sara stepped in the ring, ready to break up a brewing real-life girl fight.
"Hell, no, I ain't gonna knock it off. This bitch leaves so she can fuck her husband every night, and the rest of us are forced to struggle? My girls on the mains have seen nothing but three-minute matches and roll-up pins, all because the so-called top diva follows her hub like a puppy dog. She comes storming back, and she just gets presented yet another golden opportunity! Don't you think your ship's sailed?" Cameron wouldn't stop, and AJ's fists clenched at her sides. She had half the mind to reach up and snag a piece of Cameron's ratchet looking hair. Deep down, she kind of wanted to. The fact that this woman had the audacity to judge her choices based off from nothing made her super angry. What the hell was her problem?
"She was sent here first," Sara pointed out. "If she were given star treatment, she wouldn't be here, she'd be on Smackdown tonight. Now, shut your mouth before I allow AJ to shut it for you."
"Yeah, whatever." Cameron waved Sara off, letting her steam evaporate.
"Finally," Sara gave a exasperated sigh. "Was it that hard to shut your face? Cameron, you and Alexa. Outside, take a lap. I don't want to look at you."
"Why me?" the NXT manager, Alexa Bliss, pointed to herself, not bothering to hide her annoyance with the WWE trainer. AJ wondered if she'd said something about her as well, but it appeared the pretty blonde was nothing but an innocent bystander.
"Because you are wearing glitter to practice," Sara shrugged. "And I'm not in a shining, sparkly mood anymore."
"Sethie, I'm really sorry. I didn't want to make you look bad, too. I never intended for this too happen..."
Seth was tuning out the black-haired, tattooed, former NXT talent. She had called him as soon as the WWE shitcanned her, but he didn't have the patience to deal with it the other day. Finally, after handfuls of missed calls and ignored text messages, Seth supposed he should speak to his pseudo-girlfriend.
But the more she talked, the more he realized that she was a cancer to his own career. And like hell if she would let this psycho bitch ruin that, too.
"Z, listen. I like you a lot but you need to understand how badly this whole situation reflects on me. You have a lot to fall back on; you still have opportunity. But me? This is all I've got. I can't keep doing this," he heard himself say, and his heart was pounding. His stomach was almost as sick as when he'd broken things off with Leighla for jeopardizing his career last time.
Maybe he just needed to escape crazy chicks altogether.
"Are you fucking serious?" he could hear her begin shouting through the phone, cursing him out like a bad-mouthed sailor.
He held down the end button, throwing his phone in the depths of his duffel bag. For now, at least, he would have to ignore her. Until things started to simmer down a little bit. Or, at least, until she found a new man to sleep with.
Burying his face in his hands, his phone began to blow up with texts, probably from Zahra. He'd forgotten to turn it off or silence it, and he couldn't handle the unnecessary beeping. He was already irritated, and that was going to make it worse.
As predicted, twelve texts were from Zahra. He hadn't fully read any of them. They ranged from, "we can still make this work" to "I want to have a family with you" to "fine, go fuck yourself." Deleting each of them, he just couldn't deal with this anymore. Couldn't deal with her, couldn't deal with the spotlight, and couldn't deal with the company. Maybe he'd make like CM Punk did and just...stop showing up.
If only it were that simple, he thought to himself as his eyes landed on the championship belts tucked in their own separate carrying case.
That gold, and a few good friends...that's all he had. And even though he felt empty sometimes, he could live with it.
"I heard you were in town again, lovely," the clear British accent came through AJ's phone, and she began to smile immediately. If anyone ought to lead the divas while AJ was away, it was the fair-skinned, English bad-ass. She couldn't be more proud of her friend, helping to get over extremely talented women.
"That I am, my ever-adorable crumpet," AJ teased her friend, feeling at ease for the first time since returning to the NXT ring.
"But for how long? A week? A month? Forever?"
AJ laughed. "For as long as I can handle it. I needed to do...something. As much fun as I've had running the streets of Chicago with Scruff McGruff, I realized that I'm not ready to leave this all behind yet. I don't handle 'normal' very well."
Paige laughed. "Oh, AJ. How does Philly feel about all of this?"
AJ froze at the mention of her husband. He still hadn't called her, and her divorce attorney had not contacted her, either, which meant he hadn't signed the papers yet.
"He, um. He doesn't exactly...know."
"Oh, shit. Don't tell me you guys...you know what? I'm only about twenty minutes or so away. Text me the room and hotel you're in and I'll have Foxy drop me off."
"It's really okay, I don't really want to-" but Paige had already hung up the phone.
"Talk about it," AJ said to the sound of a dial tone.
In about a half an hour after texting where she was staying, Paige showed up outside AJ's room. Shrieking like little girls as they saw each other for the first time in maybe three months, they hugged; AJ commented on the blue extensions that Paige had added to her raven locks, and Paige idolized the rock-hard abs that AJ still kept fully intact.
"I'm so glad you're here," Paige said, flopping on to the king-sized bed. AJ's clothes and shoes were all over the room, as she didn't have enough time to shove it all back in their homes and shower and get presentable.
"I'm glad I finally have a friendly face to look at," AJ said back, flopping next to the other woman. She felt like a teenager with Paige, and it was so good to feel young and free.
"Yeah, Sara mentioned you had it out with Cameron on her watch. You know what though? Fuck Cameron, she's just sour because she's been here forever and she is atrocious."
AJ laughed. "It felt good to destroy her at my old stomping grounds," she smiled at the memory, remembering the look on Cam's face as she landed on her ass.
"Small, yet mighty," Paige smiled. "I can't wait for you to get back on the road. It's been great. You'll love the direction they're heading with this whole thing. And Bex, she's truly great. Charlotte, great but full of herself. But being the spawn of Ric Flair, I guess that's notable enough."
"Steph said the roster was pretty crowded," AJ recalled. "I wouldn't be surprised if they kept me at NXT for awhile."
Paige laughed. "Steph is using scare tactics. Like hell if you'll be stuck there forever. You're AJ Lee, for Christ's sake! You've already proven yourself. She just doesn't know where to use you without pissing off everyone else."
"Speaking of pissing people off..." AJ trailed.
"No, I don't think the Bellas know of your decision to return to action," Paige accurately read her mind, and a sigh escaped from AJ's lips.
"Brie, she and I were pretty okay. But Nikki...well, I know she beat my record. And I know we didn't exactly see eye to eye."
"That's hogwash. Okay, no it's not. She was thrilled to be the new top diva when you bowed out."
"Gee, Paige. I appreciate your honesty," AJ playfully punched her friend's arm.
"I know, I know. And now I need some of yours."
Dread bubbled up form the pit of her tummy.
"You, sweetheart, need to explain why you're kooked up in a hotel room without your husband."
AJ sat up from the bed, drawing her knees close to her body.
"I don't want to talk about it," she squeezed her eyes shut, willing the dulling ache in her heart to disappear.
"I know you don't. But you can't keep it inside."
"I want to."
"I know that you don't. What happened? Did he hurt you? So help me God, if he laid a finger on you, I'll give a call to-"
"No, no. Not like that. He destroyed me, though. Destroyed everything we've built. Torched it to the ground."
Paige hugged her friend as a sob escaped from her, and she began letting the tears that had been building for the past few days fall, leaving watermarks on the starchy hotel quilt.
"It started, I guess, with a tweet..." she began.
Hooray, chapter two! So, how will the other divas react to the change of heart? What exactly ended the marriage? So many questions!