A/N: WOW! The response from the last chapter was overwhelming. I am so glad that so many people are getting behind this...as ya'll know, I'm all for Punklee IRL, so this is hard, but it makes me happy when I hear from people that this is actually believable. That's what I'm going for!

Anyways, your reviews have put the boot in my ass to sit down and type up this chapter. As a genuine thank you for your support, here she goes!

Zahra Schreiber couldn't believe that her little plaything just ditched her like that.

Okay, so she'd probably scared him away a month or so ago with her hints at a real relationship. But the more she'd given thought to it, the more she realized that neither Seth or herself were meant to do the monogamy thing. In fact, she liked having the freedom to fly north or south, to whoever and wherever she pleased. No heads-up needed.

Lately, though, her ex-fiance had no interest in stopping over and relieving her of any tension she might have. He didn't even look her way the night before, when they'd both been out at the same nightclub. So, fuck him. She had figured that at the very least, she had Seth to fall back on. Whenever she was lonely and wanted her pants taken off, he had willingly stepped up to the plate. And she'd almost gotten that primal urge out of her system.

But right when she'd turned up her tease factor, Seth zipped his jeans up and left her, anxious and wanting.

So what the fuck did that mean?

She jumped into the shower immediately after chasing him out the door, during which she had screamed every obscenity at him she'd ever secured in her memory. He didn't even look back, jumping into his slick little rental car and heading to whatever sweet thing he had to do. Not only was she slightly humiliated, she was furious. Nobody played her like that. Sure, she had hooked up with straight up players in the past, but she always made it known that she was the coach. And what she says, goes.

Letting the hot water slap against her naked skin, she lathered up her soap, deep in thought.

Unless...

No way was Seth interested in someone else, right? He couldn't have a girlfriend or anything...he'd told her straight out that he had no interest in getting attached right now. His focus was on that stupid gold belt that he treated like a wife. There was hardly room for a side hoe...

In a quick panic, she finished her shower, wrapping a plush, deep purple towel around herself. She grabbed her cell phone from the top of the countertop, skimming through her contacts. She still had friends in high places, and if Seth had anything going on with anyone, she'd be sure to find out. And, most likely, ruin whatever he had going on.

Because if she wasn't allowed to be happy, why should Seth be?

She found the person she was looking for, a NXT diva who had made quite a splash lately. She was such a sweetheart that anyone would jaw-jack, to her, but Zahra figured with the right bribe, she'd report any findings straight away.

"Hey, Carmella, sweetie, it's Zahra," she cooed into the phone when she was sent to voicemail. "I know you're so, so busy training, so it's no big deal if you don't get to me right away. But I'll be in the area soon, and I really want to catch up. It's been lonely, and I miss my golden girl...well, call me when you can," she tapped the 'end' button on her phone, feeling confident that she sold her voice well enough to make it sound like she actually wanted to spend time with the stupid bitch.

Carmella was good friends with Eva, who was almost always in the loop about everything because of her status on that Total Divas show. That meant it was probable that any gossip going around would be sent straight Eva's way. Who couldn't keep her mouth shut about anything to her new friend, Carmella.

And if Zahra played her cards right, she would be able to wiggle her way back into their lives and, hopefully, back into Seth's bed.

"Hey, AJ, wait up a sec," the accented voice called as she headed towards the exit of the Performance Center. She was ready to get going, having had a long day there. And not that it was bad at all; she found herself intrigued, wishing that when she'd first started her journey, there was more of a focus on the elements of a successful star. She had been in all sorts of classes that day: Goldust opened her eyes quite a bit to costume critique, Mick Foley made himself available for the day to give a run-down on character development, and Chris Jericho watched over them alongside the regular trainers during their in-ring work.

If those guys weren't enough to get star-struck, the leader of effective promo training was none other than WWE's Dean Ambrose. And while AJ had hardly been in contact with the Lunatic Fringe with the exception of his "protection" of CM Punk, she had found his techniques rather intriguing. The NXT team had set up a video much like a classroom would do, going through do's and do not's. Dean had a few links to some YouTube videos following the presentation which he'd narrated so well that everyone in the room was busting out laughing. He had replayed some of his personal favorite promos, then one of his own that he felt "hit it out of the park."

Of course, he'd chosen one that was aimed at the heel turn of Seth Rollins, and AJ had to sit on her hands as to not bite her nails. Even so much as hearing the champion's name made her feel like she was hiding a dirty secret, even though she knew there was nothing going on between them besides a platonic, stupid friendship that kind of just happened, out of nowhere.

Bayley and Carmella turned in unison, shooting each other knowing glances as AJ spun around to talk to Finn. AJ ignored them, waving them forward so that they weren't going to try tuning into whatever he was going to say.

"So, that was an interesting day, huh?"

AJ stopped, mid-stride. "That was what you wanted to say? I'm ready to run out of here and sit in a bath full of ice," she joked. Kind of joked, anyways.

Finn laughed once. "No, of course not. I wanted to see if you were interested in getting a bite to eat. I'm starved. And besides, it's not every day AJ Lee comes through the doors of the NXT. I feel like I haven't given you a proper tour of rookie life."

Finn Balor was hardly a rookie, AJ thought to herself. If anything, he was in the wrong place.

"But you forget, Finn, I've lived NXT rookie life," she smirked, surprised at how comfortable he made her feel. It was almost like talking to Seth, minus the random bitching and sexual innuendos. "I've been there, lived on a tiny check from shows. But because of that, I guess I learned a lot about being self-sufficient. And, I can make some mean Ramen noodles," she readjusted the strap to her bag, and the next thing she knew, Finn had it slung over his shoulder with ease, chattering nonsensically with her as they walked out the door together. He was ridiculously handsome, though his height was towering compared to her petite frame. He wanted to take her out? Like on a date? Nah, as friends. She tried not to let it bother her. What harm could a quick dinner do? She wasn't married anymore, and she sure as hell wasn't in a relationship with Seth Rollins.

"I saw this cool diner just outside the city," Finn was telling her, taking down her cell phone number. "I'll give you a text once I'm all cleaned up. I like you too much to walk into a public facility sweating like a swine." Finn popped open the trunk of a vehicle that Bayley stood next to, pretending not to listen in on their conversation by playing Candy Crush on her phone. He lightly tossed AJ's bag next to the two others that were already enclosed, carefully closing the pop-up trunk.

AJ giggled-giggled?-and agreed to keep her phone on standby. She quickly said goodbye before hopping into Bayley and Carmella's ride, suddenly looking forward to her time she'd be spending with the NXT clan. It was really nice breaking away from the drama of the main roster, and from what she'd heard, the shows weren't doing so hot rating-wise. Hopefully soon, that'd all change, and she wanted to help impact the change.

"You lucky wench!" Bayley was grinning from ear to ear as she started up the SUV, Carmella seated next to her. "Finn is like, absolutely gorgeous!"

"For sure, he is," AJ agreed, trying to calm herself. She kept reminding herself it was two co-workers hanging out after a day on the job. Nothing more. But she had to admit, if she was to get into the dating game, Finn appeared to be everything she'd wanted. Serious, focus, and driven; not to mention, it didn't seem that he had any baggage weighing him down. He seemed like a genuinely nice guy who everyone liked and respected, and that was a tell-tale sign that he was a decent person.

And not a cheater.

The ride back to the hotel they'd be staying at seemed to drag, AJ growing anxious every moment they passed an inn and Bayley didn't turn into the drive. Finn hadn't texted her yet, so that was good. Seth had, and she figured maybe she should give him a response...

"Home, sweet home!" Bayley happily announced as she finally pulled into a U-shaped driveway of a lavish-looking hotel. The three women unpacked their things quickly from the trunk, all thoughts of texting Seth back pushed aside. AJ had to figure out what she was even going to wear...not that this was a date. Because it wasn't.

Did she have her red Converse with her? She couldn't remember. Should she maybe wear her boots instead? Those were for serious special occasions...no, Converse would have to do...

"Hell-ooo, Earth to April!" Bayley exclaimed as she grasped her friend's shoulder. Carmella was already halfway to the front door, and AJ hadn't even moved from the trunk area of the vehicle. She apologized quickly, throwing her bag over her shoulder and pretended her mind wasn't a million miles away. Bayley snickered, digging her elbow into AJ's ribcage. "Got your mind on a hot date, or what?" she teased, and AJ elbowed her back.

The pair trailed Carmella, who was already checking in to the conjoined room that the three planned on sharing. They'd talked it over at lunch time very briefly while Bayley made the arrangements on her phone. As NXT women's champion, she had a few appearances the next day. Both Carmella and AJ had to be back in the training facility at 9 AM. In short, it made sense for them to just stay together. Plus, having some fun with a few of her colleagues might actually be interesting. AJ had kept reminding herself to have an open mind, and this was a good start.

"It's not a date, Bay," she stated, thanking the woman at the service counter as she handed her a card key. "We just had a super intense day in the same training group. I feel like I've known him forever, now that I've spent all day with him. It'll be nice to talk to a like-minded person."

Bayley feigned a hurt expression. "What am I? Chopped liver?"

"I'll be home at a reasonable time. We've got a lot to catch up on, you know."

Bayley's smile waned a little bit. "Yeah, I guess I do. You crazy kids have fun. You deserve it," she tried to remain upbeat, but she, just as everyone else had been doing, felt she had to treat AJ like glass.

Seth Rollins had been texting AJ, and right before his match against fuckin' Roman Reigns, she finally decides to respond. He didn't know what it was about this woman, but she was making him absolutely insane. Not the insane that he got from Zahra, and not the insane thing that he got from Leighla. No, she had him wondering about her all the damn time. She hadn't been talking to him all day long. And while he knew that she might be busy with all of her NXT training, he didn't want to lose her completely, and so far, it felt like she was slowly fading away.

Knock it off, you loser. It's only been a little over a day!

But, from spending all of your time with one person to absolutely no time with someone, it's hard not to feel lost and confused. And that, he supposed, he was. Just when he had given up hope for a response, right when Seth's head was finally on straight, AJ had sent him what he'd been quietly hoping for all evening long.

Good luck tonight. Miss u.

It was something so simple, but he couldn't help but feel like he was on top of the world. He quickly texted her back, asking if he could talk to her in later on, after RAW was over for the night. If he couldn't spend time with her, the least he could do is give her a quick call, remind her that he still existed. Though he was aggravated that she'd taken so long to bother speaking to him, the thought of hearing her voice at all made him a little bit giddy.

Later when? Heading out to hang out w/Finn.

Finn? Finn? Seth was glad that he was alone, quickly becoming pissed off that AJ had already replaced him, and it was likely that she'd be hanging all over Finn Balor in just a few hours. And unlike himself, Finn Balor actually seemed like a pretty stellar guy. If he came in and swept a woman off her feet, it was almost certain that nobody else in the world had a chance.

"You look like you just got kicked in the stomach," a familiar voice had joined him, shifting his own gold championship belt to the other shoulder. He sat on the wooden bench next to Seth Rollins, smiling widely as he began to untie his wrestling boots.

"Fuck off, Kevin," Seth sneered, wanting to display how horrible of a mood he was in. How he ever planned on focusing against the giant Samoan heartthrob was beyond him. Sure, Roman Reigns was sloppy in the ring, and for most of the time the Shield was together, the other two members had to carry him through matches. But lately, Reigns had a game-face on. And tonight, Seth needed to wear his, too.

"Love you too, man," Kevin Owens smiled widely, sliding closer to Seth as he tried to read over his shoulder.

"I ought to knock you on your ass," Seth's tone was still angry, and clearly, his friend wasn't getting the hint. He shoved his phone back into his bag, silently hoping that Kevin hadn't seen who he was texting.

"Yeah, but you won't," Kevin kicked off his boots, revealing his taped-up feet. His toes were red and raw, clearly rubbing wrong inside his gear. Seth thought about demanding him to head to the trainer to soothe them, at least then, he'd get out of here.

"So, is it Zahra that's god you down? " Kevin nodded towards the phone Seth had ditched. "She's always a true delight," he mocked, slipping on a pair of Adidas sandals. Seth cringed at the tattooed woman's name, trying to disregard every memory he had of her. Especially after he'd run out of her home like a jack ass, his mind only letting him see AJ. God, that was awful. And weird.

"No, no of course not," Seth shook his head quickly. Too quickly.

There was a tap on the door frame, causing both men to look up. Dolph Ziggler stood in the doorway, wearing his awful black tights and jean jacket. As always, he was dazzling; he could easily pass as a movie star, in Seth's opinion. Still, despite his good looks, he was a grade-A tool. He was still trying to weasel his way back into Nikki Bella's life, despite their departure due to his wandering eye.

Seth figured that Dolph wanted a moment with Kevin. After all, they were scheduled to begin feuding soon over the belt. But when Seth began to rise from his spot to give them privacy to hash out details, Dolph's million-dollar smile faded. He held up a hand, walking into the room that he wasn't asked to enter.

"Actually, champ, I came to see you," he was now face to face with Rollins. "Owens, if you don't mind?" Dolph shot the other man a quick look, a nice way of telling him to leave. Kevin shrugged, but not before shouldering his way through to the door. "Don't forget, Seth, you've got a match in about ten," he called on his way out, not even bothering to apologize for shoving past the men.

"Ziggler. To what do I owe the pleasure?" Seth questioned, knowing he sounded like an asshole.

Dolph smirked. "Don't be like that, Seth. You're not really in a position to lose more friends, now, are you?"

Seth rolled his eyes. "I've got a few good ones, actually, but thanks for your concern."

Dolph smiled more widely. "You do, huh? Like...AJ Lee, perhaps?" Seth froze at the name, trying hard to keep his emotions in check so as not to give away a thought or feeling about her.

"She's cool. We're friends. That's it. So what's it to you?"

Dolph showed the heavyweight champion a forwarded picture message on his cellphone. And unfortunately for Seth, it was very clearly himself and AJ, looking at each other adoringly in a coffee shop from the time they'd spent together.

"Where'd you get that?" he snarled, trying to snatch the phone from Dolph.

Dolph held his hand up higher, quickly dodging the grab. "From a friend, Seth. And so far, we haven't released this to the Twitter world."

"You wouldn't dare," Seth's eyes stared straight into Dolph's, and he was ready to pop him in that chiseled jaw of his.

"Oh, but I would. And I told my friend I'd talk to her about you, but AJ's in such...well, you know. With all that's going on in her personal life, I thought I ought to seek you, first. Listen closely, Rollins. AJ Lee is not my favorite person in the world, but everyone is still worried about her. After the news broke online about..."

"Yeah, yeah, carry on," Seth growled. "I've got a main event to get to. Make it quick."

"You don't deserve to be anything with her, Seth. You don't deserve her friendship, and you don't deserve anything more. We know how you operate, we've seen it! So you are going to do with her just as you do with everyone else. You'll find a way to sleep with her, and after that, you'll dismiss her. Just like you always do. And you and I know it. So does the rest of the world. Forget about her, man. You'll fuck it up. You always do."

Who in the fuck would send Dolph Ziggler to talk to AJ? The only person that made any ounce of sense was Paige, but Paige had been on a completely different schedule than them. She probably also wouldn't tell AJ not to see Seth anymore. Most likely, this was a diva's work. But AJ didn't exactly have a slew of people looking out for her best interest right now...

Still, Seth hated hearing the words spoken aloud, but he knew they were true. He should just let her go, because she deserved happiness. And his pain in the ass self was surely going to drag her down. Not to mention, the baggage he was carrying around was pretty heavy. She had her own problems, and he knew that.

"So what do you have to do with any of this?" Seth asked, anxious to end the conversation.

Dolph slipped the phone inside his jacket pocket. "Your word. You leave her alone. Go back to banging Zahra, or strippers, or whatever you're into this week. Just let AJ be. She just got out of a pretty shitty relationship, so I'd imagine, the last thing she needs is to be destroyed all over again by the likes of big, bad Seth Rollins."

"And if I don't?" Seth was nose to nose with the bleach-blonde highflyer, and he could smell the minty gum he was chewing. "What are you going to do about it?"

Dolph Ziggler took a step back, a smug smile on his face. "Then I release this picture to every social media outlet known to man. Can you imagine the earth-shattering response? I can. AJ has done everything in her power to avoid publicity. But imagine the heat from either Zahra or Leighla once they catch wind that Seth Rollins is interested in a newly divorced co-worker? That doesn't look too good, for either of you."

Seth gnawed at the inside of his cheek, unsure if a response was required. Unfortunately, Dolph was right.

"Seriously. Those two evil bitches will do everything they can to humiliate AJ Lee. Why in the hell would you subject her to that, if you care about her so much?" Dolph now began to step back out into the hallway, giving the champion on serious look. "The last thing she needs is for a piece of shit like you to make her feel any lower than she probably already does. Just leave her be. Leave her alone."

"Fine!" Seth growled, starting out towards the hallway. He was probably being looked for by the stagehands at this point; his match was scheduled to start any minute now. "But I can't promise you she'll stay away from me!"

Dolph shrugged, turning on his heel. "I'm sure you'll find a way to change that, Rollins. You always do."

"So, just job to Eva Marie, and you're off the hook? Sounds like a bad deal," Finn Balor sat across the table from AJ, swirling his french fry into ranch dressing before popping it into his mouth. They'd been together for about half an hour now, Finn mostly filling in the silence between them by telling her stories of his success and a little bit of his backstory. He was unreal; and AJ actually felt that he had such a great way of telling his story that rather than rattling off his credentials to her, he made her feel like she was actually there to witness them. He carried himself with such esteem that it would make CM Punk look like a rebellious teenager. The conversation shifted focus to her, and she'd given him a run-down of how she'd ended up at the performance center for a week.

"I know it seems bad. She's really got a lot of people that don't like her, and even more people who believe she is wrongfully on the NXT roster. But you know, after spending the day with Eva today, I don't think she's all that bad," AJ replied, cutting her garlic and parmesan crusted chicken into smaller pieces. "From what I saw today, she's actually got a fire under her ass, and she knows that if she doesn't step it up, someone else will take her place."

Finn laughed loudly, taking a drink from his iced water. "Honestly, AJ? This is the first time in literally months that I haven't heard Eva Marie wine about how hard our drills are, or how stupid she thinks it is that she has to train with the rest of us. I think that it's because you were with her. She was probably intimidated that a former champion was working with her."

AJ shook her head dismissively. "I've worked with Eva in the past, though," she pointed out.

"Maybe so, but now she knows that she's got to work through a real feud with her," he chomped on another fry, and AJ shifted uncomfortably, ready to move on from the red-haired diva. She was in no position to start talking smack about her colleagues, especially because in the past, it had landed her into hot water. And because of the way she'd spoken of the women in the past, she was still trying to find a happy medium with them...

Her phone buzzed in her jeans pocket loudly, and she apologized as she pulled it out, sliding it open to look at the text she'd just received. It was from Seth.

How's the date going?

Her face screwed up in agony as she read it, now wishing she hadn't mentioned that she was going to hang out with Finn. Leave it to Seth to make it into more than what it actually was. She wasn't even sure why she was so pissed that he'd texted her. Was she angry because he was jealous? Or was it because he took time to ruin their night? Or was it because she wasn't having as great a time as she'd anticipated?

"Fucking Rollins," she said under her breath, quickly typing a snarky reply before shoving her phone back into her pocket.

"Drama between you and Seth Rollins?" Finn must've heard her grumble, and she turned red quickly, not realizing she'd said his name aloud.

"No, not really," she replied weakly. "Just asked how things were going."

"You guys aren't...?" he didn't finish his sentence before AJ's eyes nearly bugged out of their sockets.

"No! Oh my god, no! Come on!"

"Good. Because I wouldn't want to have to fight him over you," Finn winked. "After all, everyone knows who would win."