Welcome back to Yours to Hold, friends! Hope you're anticipating this one as much as I am.

As always, I love to read your reviews. I've got a new Paige story up, for now...we'll see...it's called So Darkness I Became. If you like my writings, promptly direct your attentions that-away. :)

Seth listened intently as he heard AJ creep up the stairs, letting his guard down just a little when he'd heard the guest bedroom door close. The last thing he wanted was for AJ to hear anything that might upset her, especially after she'd opened up to him so much about her relationship with Punk.

Seth, of course, wished he could ignore the fact that his own ex was ringing him at nearly midnight...but, he had to admit, sometimes he wished things were different-or maybe, still the same-as they'd always been as far as Leighla was concerned. And the more he caught himself falling for the tiny little Black Widow, the more he felt like he was betraying his ex-fiancee.

"Lay," he cooed into the phone, not realizing he'd called her by a pet name he'd given her during the course of their relationship.

"Hey, Seth," she seemed awfully chipper, though ignoring the fact that he'd called her by her nickname. "I'm sorry for calling so late. I know you're probably busy, but I-"

"Never too busy for you," he said, letting the alcohol soak in. What in the hell?

"Cute, Seth. Very cute," she seemed annoyed. "I just wanted to let you know that your mom called me earlier, and I talked to her briefly. She told me how your dad was doing, all that...I'm so sorry your family is going through this." Leighla's tone changed to a more sympathetic one quickly, and Seth imagined the way her eyes squinted when she was being serious, when she knew that Seth was bothered by something...what he wouldn't give just to see that look on her face in person right now...

But wait-you were just getting cozy with AJ! he scolded himself, feeling like the 'player' that he had been portrayed as for the last year. While it was true, deep down he felt something for the woman who was just upstairs, he couldn't ignore the butterflies Leighla triggered just by using her voice...

"Thanks," he replied, trying to let his buzzed brain sort out what she was saying. What was the purpose of her call, again? He felt torn, unsure of where his loyalties lay. But now, it was his turn to feel kind of annoyed. Why was she slithering her way back into his life right now, right when he felt comfortable without her in it anymore?

"I saw your picture on Insta yet again," she slipped into the conversation, and now he knew why she'd called. She wanted answers; who was the mystery woman in these pictures?

"A little less of me than last time, I hope," he joked dryly, knowing it wouldn't sit well with her to bring up the messy end to their relationship. But he also used his words as a cover-the last thing he wanted was for rumors to begin swirling. Nor did he want her to think that he was seeing someone seriously. Just in case.

"Hilarious," she breathed, and he sensed her temper flaring. "No, I noticed that the woman pictured, though hidden so I can only assume a co-worker of yours, didn't have disgusting, nasty tattooed knuckles. So it wasn't Zahra. So many people have asked for my comment, and to be honest, I don't really have one. I'm glad that you're not trapsing around cities with the likes of the awful woman you were cheating on me with, but I called to let you know, truly, Seth, I'm so happy you've moved on."

"I um-" he was about to say that he was with a friend; that he hadn't moved on at all. That he still wanted to make things work between them. He did, didn't he? But instead of any of those words, Leighla talked over him, the words that he didn't want to hear spilling from her lips.

"I'm happy because, as I told your mother earlier, I'm happy to announce that I, too, have moved on. Derek and I are getting married."

Seth felt like his whole world stopped. Any chance of ever rekindling a romance now out the window, he felt...crushed, to say the least. His first love had chosen someone else, and even though he supposed he deserved feeling the way he did right now, he still felt like she'd ripped his heart out. He also now understood what it would've been like for AJ, knowing that her husband-HUSBAND! had chosen to boot her from his life for the likes of another person.

Pinching the bridge of his nose as he felt his head swirling from both the alcohol and emotional pain he was feeling, he didn't know what to say, and the words didn't formulate properly anyways. He should apologize for his actions. Congratulate her. Wish her well. But nothing seemed to come to him.

He heard the upstairs floorboards creak, and his ears pricked up like a dog's might. AJ was wandering around upstairs, and she was probably in a similar mindset as he was.

"Seth?" Leighla sounded on the other line, and he'd realized she'd been chattering on. "Did you catch any of that?"

"I...I, yeah, I'm sorry," he apologized quickly.

"So even though at the time, things were so hard for me to work through, I'm happy it all happened. I hope that this girl, whoever she is, is the kind of girl that you need. Someone who makes you a better person, a happier person. Because despite all of our previous issues, Seth, I do wish you the best. And I know that that godawful woman you'd dated last is not going to cut it."

"Seth?" he'd heard AJ call down the stairs, and he felt himself smiling. He had no idea why, but hearing the tiny woman's voice call his name and pull him back to reality made him realize that whatever he had left behind with Leighla needed to stay in the past, no matter how much it hurt to just let it go. Sometimes, holding on to the rope cut the hands up more than if you just let go.

And he needed to let go.

"Lay, I appreciate everything we've been through together. With you, I've had some of the happiest moments of my life. And I'm sorry I couldn't be what you needed. But I am so happy you've found the guy that can give you what I couldn't. Even though my relationship with AJ is very new, she makes me feel...like I've got a purpose again. I've been focused on my career for a long time now, and now I feel like she could be the woman I'd like to focus on other things with," he admitted, knowing that he'd dropped the million-dollar secret. But he could trust Leighla not to say a word. "I've got to go, and it's been good talking to you. I'd like to remain cordial, but for the most part, I see no reason for us to catch up."

Breathing a sigh of relief, Leighla was smiling into her phone, and he could tell. "I'm so glad you said that. I've asked your mom to no longer seek contact-it's just better that way. And I feel so badly to do that, but I can't properly move forward with Derek if I've still got such heavy connections to you and your family. So, you're right...it's better to just leave it all in the past. For good."

"You'll always have a piece of my heart," he murmured quietly. "But I'm glad you've got someone who can give you the whole thing."

And with that, the they said their goodbyes for the final time. How strange it was, he thought, knowing that if she had said she wanted to get back together with him, he might've jumped at the chance. But why? Because she was familiar, someone he'd spent so much of his earlier life with. And AJ...she was something he didn't know how to conquer. She was something new, something scary.

And he'd just said he was in a relationship with her...FUCK!

Suddenly aware that she was waiting upstairs on him, his eyes flitted to the top of the stairs, where her silhouette awaited his. She'd changed into one of his "Don't Sell Out, Buy In" official WWE t-shirts of his, and she was swimming it it. He couldn't tell in the dark, but he didn't think she wore shorts, just panties, underneath the hem. She had her dark hair over her shoulders, looking strangely stunning.

"AJ," he breathed as he held out his arms to her. He gave a silent prayer that she hadn't caught wind of a single sentence he'd spoken to Leighla; hadn't suspected that, for just a moment, he'd re-envisioned what things would be like with his ex. She smirked at him, and he thought for certain she knew; but she walked towards him, letting him bring her close.

"Is everything okay?" she asked quietly. "I didn't catch much, but it really seemed important."

"Of course everything is okay. Why wouldn't it be? I'm here, with you, and I haven't felt so alive in weeks. Months. Hell, maybe even years," he said, burying his face in her dark hair.

"It just seemed like an intense conversation," she stayed put, letting her body mold into his arms. "I didn't want to interrupt, but I just couldn't get comfortable."

"Stay with me tonight," Seth stepped back, looking at her as best he could. Her face was slightly lit from the moonlight cast through the small hallway window, and it took all he had in him not to swoop down and kiss those perfect, heart-shaped lips of hers. He wondered how she tasted; wondered how perfect she was beneath the clothes she wore. True, he'd seen plenty of her from her in-ring attire, but he was curious...

"Seth, come on. I don't know who else has been in that bed," she was getting a little whiny. "Besides...we aren't...we can't..."

"Nobody else has been in my bed," he stated truthfully. Most of his time spent with Zahra had been at her place, and Leighla had never set foot into his home. Sure, he'd had a few others here and there, but only on the road: never, ever would he bring someone he'd just met back here.

AJ looked relieved, eyeing him carefully to detect deception. She must have believed him, as she allowed him to lead her to the main bedroom.

Pulling the duvet back, he found himself watching her sculpted, smooth legs glide over the bedsheets in order to make room for him to lay next to her. She looked so small and alone in the California king-size bed, and he had to mentally remind himself that the only activity that would be happening between them that night would be, sadly, sleeping.

Quickly, he kicked off his pants, so that she didn't see that his manhood had been partially awakened. He hadn't felt the rush of getting into bed with a woman in a long time, and even though he knew that no sexual activity would be occurring, it still wasn't hard to imagine...

Before letting himself fall in next to her, he did sneak a glance at her bottom, shaming himself for it, but happy to realize she wore black panties with a Batman logo screenprinted on the back.

"See something you like?" she joked, a phrase that was all-too familiar to him. He laughed, shaking his head at how forward she was. He'd been caught.

"If I can be truthful, yeah," he admitted shyly, fluffing up his pillow before laying down. She giggled, poking him in the rib before flipping her body towards him. "You should wear a Seth Rollins shirt every day."

"You wish!" she said back, holding back another giggle. "Take a picture, baby, cause it's gonna be the first and last time you see me wearing your crappy merchandise!"

"Don't tempt me," he warned, grabbing his phone from the night table. He wouldn't mind having a cute picture of her to look at when she wasn't around...

"Here, let's take one," she said, scooting closer to him. That surprised him greatly: after all, she'd been nothing but camera shy so far.

"You sure?" he asked, raising an eyebrow. "You must be really drunk," he teased.

"I'm sure, Seth. I know you're not gonna go sell it to TMZ, because you're not that kind of guy," she put her face close to his as he pulled up the camera, smiling widely as he took the picture. He turned his phone so she could see it, and she agreed that it made the cut.

"God, you're beautiful," he said quietly as he hit the 'save' button on the touch-screen.

"Whatever, I'm nothing compared to Leighla," she said, now turning away from him.

"Leighla? What's she got to do with it?" he could feel himself panicking. So she had heard part of the conversation.

"That's who called, right?" she kept her voice calm, and Seth wasn't sure if she was upset, hurt, or actually didn't care.

"Yeah, it was. She wanted to let me know that she was getting married," he stated. "And it was bittersweet, to be honest. Like, it could've been me that met her at the altar. But in a strange way, it's also liberating."

AJ tossed her hair over her shoulder, not turning to face him again. "I think it's nice that you can still act like respectable adults," she said quietly. "I'm sorry that she's found someone."

"Sorry? Don't be, AJ. That's a great thing. After all the time I'd spent away from her, and after...well, everything else, she deserves to be happy. And to me, it sounds like this new guy could be perfect for her."

"Do you ever worry that you won't find the person who's perfect for you?" she whispered quietly. So quietly, in fact, that he wasn't sure that she'd intended for him to hear it at all.

"No. Not at all," he responded. "I think that everything will happen when it's supposed to."

Now, she turned towards him, putting a hand on his chest. She still faintly smelled of tequila, despite the minty mask of her toothpaste she'd used. "Seth," she said quietly, her eyes slowly beginning to close. She was falling asleep fast, the exhaustion of the day taking its toll.

"Yes, babe?"

Her eyes fluttered open, and he noticed how long her eyelashes were. He'd always wondered, even before being this close to her, if she was the kind of WWE diva who put on those fake things with glue. But now, he could see, her eyelashes were full and real: she didn't need the false ones.

AJ Lee was anything but fake.

"In another life, I could love you," she whispered to the dark, her eyes half-open as she buried her head into the crook of his pectoral muscles.

He watched her shoulders rise and fall. Rise and fall. Over and over. Until her breathing slowly evened out, he kissed the top of her head, slightly pulling away from her and let her sleep peacefully.

"I might love you in this one," he responded, but of course, she was fast asleep.

Leighla scrolled through her messages, looking for the number that had texted her earlier. Normally, she wouldn't low-ball like this. Normally, she would have just ignored the vile woman and gone on with her happy life.

But unfortunately, she had a huge wedding to plan, and when opportunities for money came knocking, she couldn't exactly look the other way. Sure, she made decent money, and so did Derek. But the amount of money that was being offered to her for any information regarding fucking Seth Rollins was hard to ignore.

TMZ offered her a grand to comment on Seth's newfound relationship. Not enough money, no comment.

Pro Wrestling Insider offered her nearly two grand to comment on what woman was hiding beneath the jacket in the circulating photo of him. Opting to stay away from the wrestling world altogether when she'd publicly shamed Seth's nude pics, she politely declined.

She'd been tweeted the photo. She'd been tagged in comments. She'd been reached out to by tons of different blogs, all hoping to catch her attention. All hoping to get an idea of who it was that Seth was seeing. Again, normally she would have ignored all questions. Seth wasn't much in her life anymore, and she kind of liked it better that way. She preferred living in her own world, far from the speculation. Away from the constant criticizing, the magnifying glasses. The media. But as the day wore on, the bids for her comment became increasingly more and more.

She finally commented on the new relationship on her Twitter, replying to a fan saying she was grateful that he's moved forward, though she wasn't sure who he was now seeing.

Next came the message from someone who instantly made her heart fill up with rage. Zahra Schreiber had messaged her on Twitter.

$2500 if you can get a name out of him. I want this asshole to go down.

She ignored her at first. It wasn't her business, anyways.

You need more? 3000.

She almost had her. But why did it matter that much to Zahra? The more she pondered it, the more she understood. Zahra had fallen for Seth, even though their relationship had meant to be solely for sexual purposes. And now that Seth had grown a little, he was more interested in finding the perfect person to spend his life with-not someone to keep his animalistic side company. And while Leighla sometimes wished things had worked out differently between herself and Seth, she had quickly come to realize that, unfortunately, Seth was taken by the WWE, and she needed more than that.

She was certain, once she saw the picture, that it was one of the pretty girls he worked with. She was certain it was the lovable Bayley from NXT at first glance, a woman that Seth had praised for her hard work in the past, which years ago, struck jealousy immediately. Additionally, all Seth did was work: he had no room for meeting people outside of that.

4000, final offer. I can wire you the money tonite.

Slowly, Leighla found herself giving in.

Why do you want him to go down so badly? She typed back, though she knew the reason.

He deserves to be miserable. The response was almost instantaneous. She didn't like this answer one bit, knowing that despite all of his flaws, Seth deserved to find someone who made him feel like a whole person.

One condition: he does not find out about this.

There was a long pause between her words and Zahra's, before the reply came rolling in:

Deal. He will never know. Get a name. Send me your e-mail address, and I'll send it to your PP account.

Now, Leighla was unsure if she should go through with this. He'd given her the name-AJ-without hesitation, without thinking. He admitted they were in a new relationship, without second-guessing her motives.

Leighla had normally been a pretty wise woman, despite leaking to the entire world those gross pictures she'd found of Seth and Zahra. She liked to think she was smarter than that, kept her head on straight and worried about her own life and her own problems.

But four grand was a lot of money, and would help a huge amount in her upcoming wedding...not to mention, the amount of pain Seth had put her through a few years ago made this feel like she was getting even. She decided she'd give Zahra the name. What that horrible excuse of a woman did with the name after that was not her problem anymore. What could Zahra really do to this AJ person? She wasn't with the WWE anymore. She couldn't get into the buildings they held their shows at unless she bought a ticket and sat in the crowd. So what was the alternative? Attack her via social media? Big fucking deal. Zahra was outspoken on the internet, but it would calm quickly, because nobody gave a damn about her now that she wasn't tied to to WWE champion.

Still, Leighla felt like a scumbag. She hadn't even pried into his mind to get him to talk...he trusted her with that information.

Knowing she was using poor judgement, she logged into Twitter and went straight to the messages. She sorted through a bunch from fans, more questions about Rollins, a few magazines using Twitter to reach out for fashion and makeup advice...a-ha, she'd found Zahra, noticed she was logged in. She was probably waiting for the response like a cat.

I've got the name.

As if Zahra actually was staring at her screen, waiting for the green light, she responded back.

Good. Shoot.

Giving a long pause, a guilty sigh, and wishing she wasn't so motivated by this large amount of money, Leighla typed back the response simply and quickly.

AJ.