A/N: Sheesh, impatient! I've been merrily writing this, anyways. I've been basically glued to WWE Network for like the past four days, I cannot get enough of the Trish/Lita Rivalries video. WOW! Anyways, here's a new chapter.

Just ignore her. Pretend you don't know her. Punch her in the face. No, run.

AJ couldn't stand all the thoughts running through her head all at once, the perfectly polished woman still smiling at her. Her smile, of course, wasn't a nice one...they had never exactly seen eye to eye, and Michelle had actually sent a sympathy card to Punk in lieu of a wedding card once she'd heard of their union. She looked as though she wanted to say more, but for fear of being around so many people, held her tongue.

"We can go," Paige whispered, acknowledging the issue. AJ wondered if her friend even knew the full story, or if she could just tell that things just got really, really weird. But, how could anyone not realize the sheer resentment in the room? Those two despised each other, and as of late, AJ felt like she was on the brink of insanity, ready to snap at any minute. Seeing this...wench out and about didn't really make her temper mellow out at all.

"Michelle," AJ replied as smoothly and coolly as she could, trying to mentally persuade sarcasm and anger out of her tone. "It's really nice to see you."

"Wish I could say the same," Michelle still held her sick smile, her eyes locked on AJ's brown orbs.

Ready to punch her in the face, Michelle flipped her hair, much like the girls that bullied AJ back in middle school used to do. She got the sudden urge to get the hell out of that pub, and fast. Because if she didn't, this blonde bimbo would surely end up with a broken nose, and given her past encounters with the gorgeous ESPN worker, WWE would surely fire her ass. Michelle watched her, sizing her up. It was as though she expected that AJ was ready to bash her head against the concrete floor.

Not that it was such a bad idea.

"Oh, I heard the great news!" Michelle exclaimed, and now, AJ's heart felt like it was literally shredding.

How in the hell did she find out?

"Oh, honey, you really didn't think he would keep interest in you, did you? Oh, dear." Michelle put on this faux 'big sister' gimmick, and AJ was now hyper aware of every single person in that room. Toeing up against her foe, AJ didn't even realize she'd gotten up from her stool.

"Just like he showed such great interest in you, right?" AJ breathed, her eyes locked. Michelle giggled stupidly, rolling her eyes. It was no secret she'd had a giant crush on the Cult of Personality, but her man-eating ways drove him away from the type of relationship she'd once hoped for.

"AJ, let's get out of here," Paige spoke again, rising from her chair. The whispers around them were hard to ignore.

"Yes, April, please do. Go ahead, publicly embarrass yourselves in front of your co-workers, yet again, with your tail tucked and your head bowed," Michelle waved her hand towards the door, as if she were shooing a fly.

"Alright, bitch, just leave her the fuck alone," Paige was clearly annoyed, her eyebrows knitted together with frustration and anger.

Michelle rolled her eyes and the younger woman, taking a sip from her drink. "I didn't realize April had a smaller dog biting ankles for her these days. Funny, I remember having such a loud, obnoxious bark back in the day. What happened?"

"I'm going to go," AJ mumbled, not able to take all of the cruel words in addition to the memories.

"Wonderful, darling. And make sure you give a ring to Phil, and tell him I said hi," Michelle smiled again, her eyes twinkling with passive aggression. She turned on her heel, and AJ felt lower than she ever had before. Why couldn't she properly stand up to her? Why did she feel so empty?

Not being able to handle the buzz of everyone, AJ dropped a bill on the bar and flew out the front door, Paige just an arm's length behind.

"Hey!" Paige called, and AJ was already halfway down the block.

She whipped around, now with stinging, hot tears in her eyes.

"Don't worry about her," Paige offered a hug, and AJ accepted, letting herself fall apart.

"I just want to feel like me again," she sobbed into possibly her only friend's shoulder.

"I know. I know the feeling all too well," Paige got quiet for a moment, reminiscing, perhaps, of her own awful heartbreak a few years back.

"She wouldn't be saying all those awful things if she really knew how things ended," AJ murmured between choked tears.

"Of course she would. Because she's an evil witch, and has it out for anyone who is obviously better than she is."

For awhile longer, the two divas stood there, hugging. Tons of cars drove by honking, and even more people stopped to take pictures of them. AJ could just imagine the ridiculous captions that would surely flood the internet soon, but she couldn't muster up enough energy to give any fucks.

"I'm going to head back," she said after what felt like hours. "You stay, have fun. I really just want to lay down for awhile."

Paige decided not to argue, urging her to text her throughout the night. AJ agreed, but knew that she would force herself into a sleep coma. It almost felt like lately, the only way she could escape all the demons in her life was while she was snuggled up under the blankets.

Seth felt great.

Like usual, he managed to beat his own records while working out. He was all about pushing his personal limit; all about growing both physically and mentally. Throwing himself so far into his exercise routine really helped him ease his mind, forget about all of the things in his life that weren't going the way he'd hoped. He just turned on some cool beats, and pretended that he was a superhero.

Pulling his earbuds out, he started towards the door, ready to get back up to his room to shower. He hadn't seen many people in awhile, and assumed everyone was pretty much still down at the pub. Maybe once he got himself cleaned up, he'd make an appearance...not that anyone really wanted to see him anyways.

Walking down the hallway, he noticed a shadow against the soda machine's illumination. The person was small, really small. She had long hair, and her face was buried in her knees.

It took him a minute, but he realized it was former WWE Divas champion, AJ Lee. Clad in her black sweats and absolutely atrocious Chicago Cubs t-shirt, she was almost unrecognizable. Seth was ready to carry on and find his room, letting her to her womanly antics. Who knew why she was hiding out from all of her peers? She was just as much a social leper as he was. But, he didn't have time for anyone else's problems...what about his own? He had a lot going on in his own mind, his own life. Why bother to stop and see if she was okay?

But, oddly enough, he found himself walking towards her. As if he were dreaming, and not in complete control of his actions.

"Hey, you alright?" he asked, lightly touching her shoulder. He was appalled at how nice he sounded, something he just didn't do anymore.

AJ's head lifted up, her eyes red and her cheeks blotchy. She wore her glasses on her head, probably so they didn't fog up.

"I'm sorry if I bothered you," he offered. "I can just...leave you be. Especially if you're this upset."

"It's not a big deal," she said quietly. "I didn't expect anyone to be here."

"Me, either," he responded lamely, their conversation quickly heading for a trainwreck.

He started to move, now anxious to get back.

"I miss him more than I'd ever like to admit," she said quietly. "This shirt is his."

Seth shook his head, wishing he were anywhere but here. He was so, so bad at dealing with meltdowns. Not to mention, this was frickin' psycho AJ that was sitting in front of him. It was no secret that she and Punk were on the fast track to a divorce, and while there were tons of opinion articles as to why that was, they both kept very quiet about it, as usual. But the way she presented herself right now, to him, said it wasn't by her choice. If he could guess, Seth would say Punk pulled the plug on the whole thing.

But why?

Whatever, it wasn't his problem.

"Good. I hoped that wasn't really your shirt," he gave a nice attempt at a smile, trying to make a stale joke.

"I am so sick of people thinking they know. Thinking they know a damn thing! I hate being scrutinized for my choices. Like, do you all really think that I wanted my life to fall apart the way that it did?" She balled her hands in her hair, much more like her character than the real-life AJ would do.

Seth knew that was an opening. If she wanted to talk about it, maybe he could lend an ear. He knew how lonely it was in his own head, so it was safe to assume she was rowing in the same boat as he was.

"I just miss him so much," she said, barely whispering the sentence. She shook her head, clearly sorry that she'd admitted that out loud. "But...I can't believe how quickly that fell apart."

Seth was growing more and more uncomfortable as her cheeks harbored more tears. He knelt down next to her, offering a hand. He still felt like he was in a dream, felt as if he was watching the whole scenario unfold from afar.

She looked up at him, her eyes rimmed with red. Her pretty hair was matted to her forehead, and Seth felt an overwhelming feeling in the pit of his stomach. She reminded him of a lost puppy, and fought the urge to brush the hair from her forehead. What was this weird emotion? Guilt? Sorrow?

Whatever it was, he didn't like it.

"Let me get you back to your room," he said to the sad woman, and she gave him a strange look.

"Why?" she asked almost inaudibly. "You're Seth Rollins."

"So? You're AJ."

AJ shrugged. "Not the same AJ as I used to be. Confident? Not anymore. Entitled? Used to be. But you...you're at the top."

Seth's eyebrows furrowed. "And your point?"

"You're at the top, and I know how lonely the view is. And, especially when you burn every bridge you have just for one person."

AJ's eyes narrowed, still ignoring his outstretched hand. She got up, tossing her messy hair over her shoulder. "I know who you are."

Seth could feel the anger burning in his chest, this whackjob getting under his skin quickly. This was exactly why he didn't bother to help anyone.

"Oh, do you really?" he finally gave in to the fury. "Really? Miss AJ Lee, too good to talk to anyone, too weirded out by her own fans that she won't even let them give her high-fives? Miss follow-in-the-footsteps of loser boyfriend Punk, walking out on a company when it was in a rocky state? Tell me, sweetcheeks, how do you have any idea who I am? Because to be honest, I'm certain we have spoken a grand total of twice prior to this."

AJ wiped her eyes, pursing her lips. "You're exactly like Phil," she said as she shoved past him, walking away and leaving him alone.

Jesus. She's just as fucked up as I am.

But he couldn't help but wonder why she'd said that. Because he'd yelled at her? Seth was nothing like CM Punk; the bit that he worked alongside him back in the day could prove that. Yeah, he'd admired the guy then, but it was clear that the veteran had expected to be at the top, all the time. And when he wasn't, he didn't feel like he was being treated fairly. Seth knew his time with the belt would end at some point, most likely to the ever-improving Roman Reigns. Though he silently hoped to be the longest-reigning WWE Champion in history, did he really do anything to take that epic title away? The only reason that record would be given to him would be to erase Punk's legacy forever.

He pushed AJ's strange behavior from his mind, deciding whatever allegations she'd made up pitting his behavior to the likes of her ex-husband.

Hopefully, he wouldn't cross paths with that crazy chick again anytime soon.