Hey everyone out there reading this! Thanks for taking the time to check this story out. For real, your reviews make me so happy. Knowing anyone is reading this at all makes me smile. Shout out to lauraxxx for the reviews, I really hope you continue(d) to enjoy this story. Also, shout out to the guest reviewer who read just the first chapter and said my story was just like all the other AJ/Punk stories, making Punk look like a sexist a-hole and AJ an nonindependent woman. My intention is definitely not to make CM Punk look sexist...you'd see that in later chapters. Apologies if it seems that way. As far as AJ goes, I have her mood swinging allllll over the place quite intentionally. Having been cheated on in the past, it is a whole wave of emotion. So it's not that I want to show her as a leech, but someone who is now unsure about, well, everything. I can't imagine going through a divorce, but I imagine it has a lot of emotional distraught...which is why this is fanfiction. Just sayin'.

So without further ado, please review, sub, follow, and as always...stay awesome. :)

"And as for AJ's pathetic little challenge...on behalf of me and my sister, we accept!"

The crowd began to roar with anticipation, the twin divas already dressed in their red and black ring gear. Nikki gave a small smile as the crowd burst into "NXT" chants. She said something to Brie, then held up her index finger to inform everyone that she wasn't quite finished with the microphone.

"So, as for the challenge, Brie and I put our beautiful heads together. Which diva in NXT offers beauty, brains, and in-ring superiority? Well, for us, it wasn't that hard to choose." She motioned towards the empty ramp as thousands of fans' heads turned to look where she was pointed. Much to many people's dismay, the name EVA MARIE flashed across the titantron in a feminine cursive font, her music beginning to play.

Some people cheered, but more people booed. Even more people let out boos when she actually appeared, her bright red hair matching her red robe. She played off the jeers, happy to have a reaction at all. She gave a smug smile, knowing fully well how many people didn't want her to be there. AJ watched from the monitor backstage, silently happy that Eva was great at playing off critics. A lot of divas got sucked up in being afraid of what others thought of them, eventually ruining their career.

The only thing, AJ thought, that Eva didn't have going for her was her entrance. It reminded her too much of the veteran diva, Candice Michelle...just with suckier music.

Joining the twins in the ring, Nikki offered her partner the microphone she'd been holding. Before Eva even brought the mouthpiece to her lips, the crowd was roaring, some sections still on the "NXT" chant; others started up a "We want Sasha" chant.

"Oh, please," she said sweetly, once the decibels decreased in the building. "Don't act like you guys aren't all excited to see me. I mean, why wouldn't you be?"

Nikki and Brie nodded their heads, making a show of clapping and encouraging the other woman.

"Thank you, ladies," Eva acknowledged them, showing her impossibly white teeth as she smiled. "Well, anyways, when I heard that some has-been issued a challenge to my Total Divas castmates, I knew aligning with them was the right thing to do. I mean, sure, we've had our differences. But if I've learned one thing during my time in NXT, it's that the future is now. AJ Lee, I'm sorry to tell you, but your time is up. AJ is the past. Nikki, Brie, and Eva Marie? That's the now."

She was faced with the loud audience again, but all three women stood tall in response, each smiling beautifully with matching red lips.

Eva handed the microphone back to Nikki, draping an arm around her shoulder as though they were best of friends.

"Oh, knock it off. Besides, at least we all look good in all red everything," Nikki motioned a thumb towards Brie, Eva laughing at the pun. With that, Becky Lynch's music struck like lightning, the crowd instantly reacting to the excitement as she adjusted her steampunk goggles. She ran down the ring, her fiery orange hair a blur until she stood in the center of the ring with the other women.

She motioned for her own microphone, a stagehand tossing one up to her.

"Have we seriously not rid ourselves yet of the eyesore that is Eva Marie?" she asked, probably quite seriously. "Aside from your matching red gear, ladies, the only things you all have in common is awful move sets, pretty faces, and enormous egos," Becky's accent made her sound angry, but she also sounded very sincere.

"And, Eva, at least I made it here all on my own. I didn't have publicists, or a drama television show. I didn't hook up with hot superstars or get special training. And, at least I've had title matches, both for the NXT Women's belt and here with the Divas belt. How many have you had, again? Exactly. So why are you here? To show off your fresh hair dye?"

Ouch, AJ thought, impressed by Becky Lynch's promo work. NXT certainly did a fabulous job with things like that nowadays, and it was pretty impressive to see a divas segment last for more than thirty seconds. Even more, Becky reminded AJ of herself; her own 'pipebomb' rocking the divas division years ago. The fiery Irish woman was sure to succeed.

In response to that, Eva just rolled her eyes, whispering something in Brie's ear that made her laugh.

AJ realized that that little move was her queue, flattening her long dark hair once more before standing straight behind the curtain. She was ready to go in her own ring gear, her denim shorts tight against her thighs so that she didn't have any accidental free shows. She also wore a black hooded sweatshirt to mask the t-shirt she wore underneath, a "SAWFT" NXT shirt to show her support to Carmella, who was more than just a little nervous to be in front of so many people.

Her music began to play, and she turned to the blonde rookie and winked at her before taking a deep breath and started skipping down to the ring. She noticed how many fans had actually stuck around for the segment, where traditionally, when the women got TV time, it resulted in a lot of bathroom breaks. That meant they were doing something right. People's attentions were captivated.

She gave Becky Lynch a small hug when she stepped into the ring, adjusting herself to sit on the ropes as she eyed her three opponents. For the first time in a long time, she had actually opted out of delivering a promo. When Steph had asked AJ if she wanted to do a short segment of her own, she happily declined. "I really would like to focus on the girls of NXT. They deserve it," she'd stated nonchalantly. And even though Stephanie hadn't said so, her face said it all. She was actually quite proud of AJ.

"Thank you for joining us, AJ," Becky motioned towards her. AJ responded to her, making a quick joke about the trio that stood across the ring. Nikki feigned anger, stomping towards the tiny woman until it forced AJ to stand up. Now, they stood toe to toe. All rehearsed, but the chemistry tonight was so spot-on that it felt like a movie, everything flowing flawlessly.

"Now, now, Nikki," Brie had the microphone now. "It's not fair to go picking on them quite yet. There's only two members of their team, and three on ours. Unless, of course, you couldn't find anyone who actually wanted to team with you two talentless bores?"

Nikki backed off, mocking AJ and Becky as they awaited the non-arrival of their third team member. The chants started up again, but nobody showed up on the ramp or the titantron.

"Exactly as we suspected," Brie smiled. "I guess it'll be a handicap match, then!"

Just as she exclaimed those last words, the entire arena erupted when "F-A-B-U-L-O-U-S" started to play, Carmella doing a quick moonwalk before strutting down to the ring in cheetah-print gear. If she was nervous, she sure didn't show it anymore. AJ unzipped her sweatshirt to reveal their third partner's traditional logo, tossing it out on the apron. Before the referee had a chance to call for the start of the match, she plucked the microphone right out of Brie's unsuspecting fingers. Brie acted offended, and Carmella smiled brightly as she turned to take in the thousands of people watching her.

"All's I gotta say, dah-ling," she played up her east coast speak a little, "is how YOU doin'?" the fans of NXT simultaneously recited the last bit with the Princess, before the referee ended the segment with the bell.

"You ladies did amazing!" Paige greeted all six of the divas as they came backstage from the match. She gave Carmella a loose hug, quietly offering her words of congratulations. AJ smiled broadly as Seth Rollins approached her, handing her a bottle of water as he was near enough.

"You can't bring me water like that after my match," she said quietly. "People will talk."

"So? We're friends. Let them."

AJ rolled her eyes, hoping nobody else had noticed his act of kindness. She chugged the water quickly, not realizing how thirsty she'd been until she felt the cold liquid roll down her throat.

"That was an awesome match," he commented finally as they walked together down the hallway, leaving behind the commotion. "Seriously. I haven't seen a divas segment that was so on point in...well, since maybe your feud with Kaitlyn." AJ smiled at the mention of one of her dearest friends, and was kind of flattered that Seth had watched her matches prior to her recent run with the company.

"Thank you. I really appreciate you saying that," she looked up to face him, noticing his lips were pressed in a thin line. As though, perhaps, he had more to say.

The match really had gone on beautifully. Becky Lynch ultimately gained the pin on Nikki Bella, the small attempt of beginning a feud between the harsh warrior and the self-proclaimed queen bee. Carmella had an amazing bout, both with Eva Marie and Brie. To create a little fire to ignite the feud between AJ and Eva Marie, Eva had pulled some dirty moves like an eye rake and a roll-up while holding on to AJ's beltloops. She also mocked AJ's height, motioning towards the height difference between the two.

"I really think you should re-think this match idea between you and Eva," Seth said, readjusting the championship belt on his shoulder.

"You know that I can't do that," AJ shot back, annoyed that he'd even be bring that up. "I don't think she's doing that bad."

"Maybe not, but when I saw her lock up with Carmella...I don't know. I don't want you to tarnish your legacy by dropping a match to her, no matter how much she's improved. If you want, I can skate by Hunter's office and see if he's willing to change direction on this whole thing."

AJ looked at him as though he had three eyes. "Seriously? No, please don't do that. I hurt someone on purpose. I'm lucky to have a job. Not to mention, I don't think it's fair to dislike the creative intent so much to go crying to the boss. Maybe people like you get the option of doing things like that, but I don't. I'm doing this to help someone get over, you know, and carry in to the next generation of divas when I'm truly done with this. And I'm not going to stop until I'm proud of what I'm going to leave behind."

Seth held up both hands, defeated. "Relax, AJ. It was just an offer."

"Yeah, well, I don't need your help. You wouldn't willingly try to put someone over even if it was right, because your ego is so big it can barely fit through the door," she was feeling confident, her words sharp.

"While I don't deny having the ego of a champion, I most certainly would do what I could to help someone out if they rightfully deserved it."

AJ scoffed, starting back down the hallway towards the locker rooms. She had been so happy to see this guy just a few hours ago, and it was reasons like this he got under her skin and made her wonder what in the hell his charm was. Why was she friends with someone like this? Someone who would use the gold to get his way with the management?

"I'll prove it to you," he was right at her heels, trying to keep the conversation in tact.

"Yeah, I'm sure. I bet you won't."

Seth put a hand on her shoulder, slowing her. She turned to look at him, tucking her hair awkwardly behind her ears to avoid looking him straight in the eye.

"I bet you I will. I will lose a title match, if it meant projecting someone upwards," he plead with her. "I'm sorry for being an idiot and suggesting I use my power with Hunter instead of letting you pay your dues. That was really shitty of me. I must seem like a grade-A tool."

AJ shrugged, slightly nodding in agreement. "Well, you said it. You should lose your match tonight, against Dean." Seth gave her a wild look, unsure if he had heard correctly.

"As I thought. You won't throw the match."

"I would, if it wasn't a title match. And if it wasn't against Dean...we haven't seen eye to eye in over a year."

"Even though he deserves a little push?"

Seth sighed, defeated. "What if I don't?"

"Hmmm...then you will sit down with both your old brothers and apologize for throwing them under the bus. Throwing them to the side so you could go further, while they sit and hang around in mid-card, tag-team land. You apologize for only worrying about yourself, even though you all came in to the business as a unit, and intended to keep it that way for as long as possible. And, of course, apologize for sidling up to the damn Authority. Even though, in my opinion, you should apologize for those things anyways," she drawled out her last word, making her point. "I know you ruined your friendships when you jumped ship like that, not even offering a forewarning. And from the times I've spent with you before, it hurts you still."

Seth looked down at his boots, avoiding her dark-eyed gaze. "So I don't throw the match, and I am forced to apologize to my former teammates?" he was weighing this option, realizing that it was more likely that it go badly than not. If he was forced to make amends, would it be sincere? Sometimes, he wasn't sure if he felt badly for turning coat so quickly. He did what was right for Seth Rollins. And even though it probably pissed off his brothers, what did it matter? Not to mention, if he had to sit down like a sissy and say he fucked up, it was just gonna be draining any ounce of pride he had left.

"Fine. And if I do?"

"I don't know. What do you want?"

"To spend more time with people who make me want to be a better person," he said simply.

"I'm not sure I'm following."

"Do you have any travel plans for the week?"

"Um...no? I don't even have any scheduled appearances that I know of."

"Perfect. I don't, either. I've actually got the next week off."

"Your point?"

"Where have you been staying when you're not on the road?"

AJ shrugged, Seth making her uncomfortable. She hadn't been very vocal of how shitty that whole situation was, no longer having a real home to go back to when she had a little time off. She'd been meaning to look into homes on her days off, but instead she had been filling her time with work. It seemed it was the only thing that kept her mind straight, and her focus clear.

"Yeah, that's what I thought. You can't keep living out of hotel rooms forever. I'd like for you to come and stay with me, for a week."

AJ laughed. "Yeah, okay. Deal," she stated, extending her hand out for a handshake.

"Deal," he responded, taking her offered hand.

He walked away, leaving AJ to laugh again. There was no way in the world Seth Rollins would change the outcome of his match for the better. As far as AJ could tell, he was all about getting a leg up for himself.

She doubted that this was going to be anything but that.

"And the winner of the match...DEAN AMBROSE!" The fans were yelling wildly as Eden Stiles announced the victor, a proud smile shining from the center of the ring. Dean couldn't believe it, the shiny belt in his arms. His face was in disbelief.

True disbelief. As if he wasn't expecting to win. As if Seth had marched into his little buddy Triple H's office and asked to drop the title to Dean Ambrose.

AJ sat in the divas locker room, Carmella and Paige hanging around her while the other ladies opted to leave early before the rush of madness at the end of the show. All three of them looked at each other in pure shock, not sure what in the hell was going on. They all had scripts; Seth Rollins was slated to win this match tonight due to interference by Roman Reigns. But, the tall Samoan was nowhere in sight, and it was the Lunatic Fringe clutching the prized possession.

She was going to be hanging out with fucking Seth Rollins for the next week. AJ hadn't told Paige of the stupid little bet she'd made. She had actually expected to win it. But now, she was going to be heading to some cornfield in Iowa, fighting both urges to hug Seth for being so sweet and punch him in the face for being such a douche.

"However...I am told due to disqualification, Seth Rollins is STILL the champion!" she exclaimed, her tone even. Now, everyone booed, as Seth came back into the ring to take the belt away from Dean...who ran out of the ring, the belt still tucked in his arm. Ending the show was a close-up on a furious face of the top heel of the company, throwing a temper tantrum just like a kid who had his favorite toy taken away from him.

The screen went black, and Paige turned to AJ. "I don't know what in the fuck that was," she said matter-of-factly, raising an eyebrow. "Seth's been acting weird. But weird enough to change the outcome of a match? That's just..." she shook her head rather than finish her thought. "Did he say anything to you when he pulled you aside after our match?"

What the...she actually saw that? AJ hadn't intended for anyone to notice that they had gone wandering off together, and it seemed nobody had. Everyone else was so busy talking about the impact of the segment on the diva's revolution. Apparently, Paige had seen them.

"Of course not," AJ said simply. She hated lying to her friend like this, but she knew Paige often acted like a mother hen. Paige was outspoken, and if she knew that Seth Rollins were to ever make a pass at any of her friends, she'd have no problem throwing him into a submission just to get him to leave any hopes behind. AJ supposed that was fine; after all, it was Paige who helped to rebuild her self-worth once shit had hit the fan. Paige welcomed her back with open arms. Her intentions on keeping AJ from getting hurt all over again were good ones, and she knew that.

But wait. Did she win the bet? Or lose it? Seth had lost the match to Dean. But he didn't lose the belt. Did it do a damn thing to put Dean into the main event picture? That was the whole purpose, wasn't it?

"Interesting. What exactly would someone like Seth Rollins say to you?" Paige pried on, not impressed.

"He pretty much said that we killed the match. He said he hasn't seen anything that good in a long, long time." Well, it wasn't a lie.

"And he said all that to you away from everyone else? He didn't think anyone else should hear his expert opinion?" Paige questioned, one of her perfectly done-up eyebrows raised. She didn't believe a word coming from AJ.

"Er...yeah. He also mentioned he'd seen all the drama and Twitter and offered an ear if I needed it. You know...when the Shield came up on the fast track from NXT, they were hired as Phil's bodyguards...so he knew them fairly well." There. She pulled that card.

Paige accepted that. "Ah, that makes sense," she laid off, getting up from her metal chair. It made sense for people to offer condolences away from everyone else towards AJ. And while it was kind of lame, it worked to get Paige off her back. Carmella hadn't been paying any attention to the conversation, busy sending texts and snapchats to her goofy boyfriend.

"Well, chicks, I'm going to head back to the hotel," she stretched, turning her black baseball hat she wore backwards. "You're more than welcome to ride along."

Carmella agreed, the excitement of her evening clearly taking a toll on her. She looked exhausted.

"I've got to meet up with Stephanie quick," AJ lied. "And then I'm going to be heading home. I have a clear schedule, and I kind of miss being in a real bed."

Paige shot her a look. "You mean...like, home, home?"

"Yes. In Union City," AJ lied. "All I want is something familiar, and home-made pancakes." In all actuality, she hadn't been home often at all, and she intended to keep it that way. That place was horrible, a constant reminder of the humility she was put through as a kid. Growing up, she didn't have a lot of money. She was average-looking, and her love of comic books and wrestling very much set her apart from her peers. She was often the target for bullies, often hearing snide remarks about her brother's hand-me-down t-shirts she wore during her high school years.

Her family was a whole other story. While they were happy for her achieving all of the goals she'd set for herself, they didn't necessarily approve of her decisions in her personal life, including her retirement, marriage, and moving to the dreary Illinois city.

"Alright, sweet pea. Keep in touch while you're away," Paige slung her bags around either of her arms, getting ready to exit the arena.

AJ bid both of the women farewell, giving Carmella another quick note of encouragement on such an excellent first night on the main roster. "When you're ready to stay here with us for good," AJ hugged her, "I can't wait to see you beat my-I mean, Nikki's record for longest reigning divas champion." This made Carmella beam.

Once both the divas were well out of the building, AJ exited the locker room, peeking out of the hallway. There were lots of crew members taking down lights, folding up curtains, and packing up props. Mandy, one of the seamstresses, was packing up her sequin caddy. Michael Cole's voice could be heard, but he was far away, the words inaudible. But aside from his, that was the only voice AJ heard.

She ducked out quickly, heading down the hallway. If she didn't find Seth soon, she would have no choice but to ask Michael Cole for a ride to a hotel.

And there were about six hundred things that would be more exciting than listen to Michael Cole talk, she thought to herself. For example, a Great Khali title reign.

No sooner than her final thought, arms wrapped around her middle, and she was in the air.

"I hope to God this isn't Brock Lesnar, and I'm about to go to Suplex City," she winced, awaiting a bump. Instead, she was put down gently, now facing the weasel that was Seth Rollins.

"Nope, just me," he smirked. "And technically, you're going to Dubuque, Iowa."

AJ rolled her eyes. "How do you figure? You didn't drop the title to Dean. And you didn't jet him to main-event status. That was the deal."

"Au contraire, madame," Seth was being goofy, the side that she secretly wished he'd show more often. "You never gave stipulations. So, I went to see the Authority, pitched them the idea, and they liked it. It builds hate for me, and sympathy for Dean. And also, it sets him up for some comedy shit to help lead up to a main event at the next pay-per-view."

Ah, shit. The sneaky asshole got one up on me.

"Okay, fine. You're right," she agreed, realizing how many loopholes were left open for Seth to worm his way through this little bet.

"Go and grab your bags, and I'll meet you outside. I'm pretty sure my rental is the last one out there. Our flight leaves at 11 tonight, so we might want to grab some caffeine before we hit the road to the airport. I don't know about you, but I sleep like ass on planes."

With that, he ducked into a smaller hallway and into one of the offices, leaving her speechless. She told herself to start walking towards the divas locker room, but her legs wouldn't move. Was she really going to be holed up with this guy? For a week? She might kill him.

Her phone pinged in her pocket, and she drew it without looking at the sender, anxious for any kind of distraction from her current situation.

Looked great out there, Ape.

She froze, a panic rising quickly, as if someone had just shot a blast of ice through her soul. She felt sick. She felt angry. She felt...sad. Hopeless.

The only person that called her Ape was her ex-husband. Why in the hell would he be sending her a message at all?

All she wanted to do now was run and hide, away from cameras and Twitter and all that is CM Punk. And for a week, she would do just that. After all, she did 'lose' a bet with a manipulative but smart gambler. She was grateful to keep herself preoccupied in the middle of nowhere. And while the company she would be keeping might be bittersweet, it would be better than being alone and feeling sorry for herself in an over-priced motel.