John Hennigan climbed out of the midsized rental car and swiftly walked around to the other side to open up the passenger door in order to let his longtime girlfriend, Melina Perez, out. The door slammed and the couple waited to be joined by two more friends who were exiting the back seat.

"Good choice, Mel," Memphis Kramer grinned. "Smells delicious."

It was a Monday night and the RAW broadcast had finally gone off the air. The performers had showered and dressed and slipped out of the arena, past the legions of loyal fans who waited, some not so patiently, in the parking lot for autographs, pictures, and mere glimpses of their favorite Divas and Superstars. As usual, the talent was hungry and Melina had suggested Timsan's, a local Japanese steak house for a late dinner.

"You'll love this place, girlie," Melina smiled. "The food here is so good. We come here every time we're in Green Bay."

John rubbed his famous washboard abs with a fret.

"I don't know, babe. Don't know if I'm really feeling the whole sushi thing right now."

"But you love Tuna Rolls, baby," she pouted in her little girl voice.

"Usually but you know what happened last time," he recalled with an ugly grimace as he thought back to a recent time where presumed food poisoning had left him violently ill for days.

"That's what you get for buying sushi in a convenience store in between the Slim Jims and the slushy machine," Phil Brooks quipped.

The four laughed as they made their way through the front door. To their surprise, the restaurant was quiet and relatively empty but it was quickly obvious that they weren't the only ones who had left the Resch Center craving hibachi. At the large rectangular table in the center of the restaurant, the one where the chef cooked the meal in front of the customers, sat Mark Henry, Ron "R Truth" Killings, Anthony "Santino Marella" Carelli, Dos "Alberto Del Rio" Caras, Jr., Eve Torres, Gail Kim, ring announcer Justin Roberts, and John Cena.

"Hey guys, we didn't know you were coming," Gail smiled warmly.

"You know I never pass up a chance to eat at this place," Melina gave her friend a hug. "Room for four more?"

"You got it," Justin nodded, standing, summoning the waitress as they added additional space to accommodate their newly arrived friends.

Within seconds everyone was seated and Phil and Memphis, side by side, looked over a menu together.

"What's good here?" Phil asked.

"Everything," Mark responded, causing everyone to chuckle.

Memphis looked up at the empty seat directly across the table from her.

"Who's missing?" she casually asked.

No one had time to respond as the large frame of the Viper slithered its way to the chair. Memphis sucked in a breath and did her best to avoid her boyfriend's gaze.

"That was a pretty nice bathroom."

"Orton, you are growing soft in your old age, my friend," Anthony kidded. "What a nice bathroom…he's such a little girl."

Randy couldn't help but laugh.

"Shut up. I was just saying…"

His voice trailed off as he noticed for the first time that more people had joined the table. John Cena immediately picked up on the tension and cleared his throat. Secret relief ensued when the chef joined them as the waitress took John, Melina, Phil, and Memphis' food orders. There was quiet small talk and friendly banter at the table for the most part as everyone tried to ignore the big pink elephant in the room that was the dissension between longtime real life foes, Phil and Randy. Memphis sat quietly, downing iced lemon water after iced lemon water, secretly wishing it was Sake or at least wine. As the chef began preparing everyone's food, his culinary tricks and acrobatics entertained the masses and took everyone's minds off of what was going on at the table. Memphis munched on her fried rice and egg, giving Phil a nervous but reassuring smile.

"You okay?" she whispered in his ear.

"I'm good."

"You sure? I mean, I don't want things to be weird. I had no idea he was even going to be here so if you want to leave, I totally understand…"

Phil looked her in the eye.

"No worries, Dollface. It is what it is. We're both starving and we're already here so we may as well make the best of it. I'm not worried about Randy Orton."

She nodded and seemed to relax a little even as Randy stared at her from across the way. She was wearing a fitted, long sleeved black shirt, dark flared bottom jeans, and heels. The sides of her hair had been pulled back with the rest flowing in curls over her shoulders. She had makeup on and it looked great, blending in with her striking features, never too much. She was different from any other woman he had met. Randy preferred brunettes to blondes, especially darker complected, more exotic looking girls. And Memphis was gorgeous, encompassing the kind of soft and natural beauty that automatically turned heads. Looking at her, he couldn't help but shake his head as she and Phil were about the oddest couple he had ever seen in his life and he had seen some pretty strange pairings in his days. Phil's hair was still cut short and his beard, though surprisingly groomed, was full. Wearing jeans and a bright yellow tee shirt with some stupid writing on it, he undoubtedly looked like your average tattooed, greasy looking punk.

He didn't look like one of the most popular and respected professional wrestlers in the world and he certainly didn't look worthy enough to have a sexy and classy woman like Memphis Kramer on his arm. For the life of him, Randy couldn't understand what Memphis saw in him but it was more than unnerving watching them from across the table. Memphis' slim and svelte body was slightly turned towards Phil and she kept her left hand with that stupid Onyx ring in plain view, on his knee. His sleeved arm was casually draped on the back of her chair and the whole time they were engaged in inaudible, intimate conversation. Phil refused to acknowledge him and poor Memphis, looking nervous and uncomfortable only looked his way a few times.

"Ma'am, ma'am," the chef said to Memphis in an animated voice. "You like to catch shrimp? Think you can beat your friend?"

Memphis frowned, as she had been so involved with Phil that she had not paid attention to the hibachi tradition of the chef shrimp tossing to the various patrons at the table. Everyone was laughing and talking and having a good time. Eve had managed to lead the pack by successfully capturing three out of six tossed shrimp into her mouth while Ron had been 0 for six. Now the chef was asking Memphis to participate in the game.

"Oh no thank you," she forced a smile, putting her hand up. "I'll pass."

He smiled and respected her wishes before looking right at Randy.

"How about you, sir?"

Randy shrugged.

"Why not?"

There was a smug tone to his voice as usual and again he and Memphis' eyes met. The mutual gaze lasted a few seconds longer than the previous few and though the temperature inside the restaurant was warm and cozy, she visibly shivered as she looked away. The chef began the shrimp toss and with amazing coordination, weaving and bobbing to the left, the right, front, and back, Randy caught six out of seven shrimp leading to a loud cheer and standing ovation from his co-workers, the staff, and the remaining other patrons dining in the restaurant. He wiped his mouth with a cloth napkin before raising his massive arms in victory and taking a mock bow for his accomplishments. Everybody was clapping so Memphis awkwardly and reluctantly joined in, keeping an eye on Phil out of her peripheral vision as he just stared blankly ahead and sipped on another Diet Pepsi. The chef finished up preparing the food which was every bit as scrumptious as Melina had described. The gang dug in but Randy paid more attention to Memphis than his meal. He couldn't stop looking at her, something that did not go unnoticed by John Cena.

"What are you doing, man?" John asked in a low voice.

The table was large and rather noisy. With the two men being sequestered at the end, speaking in hushed tones, no one else could hear the details of their private conversation.

"What?" Randy looked right at him.

John rolled his eyes in exasperation.

"Come on. You know damned well what I'm talking about. You…her," he subtly motioned over to Memphis' direction. "What's going on?"

"Nothing…yet."

"Yet? What the hell is that supposed to mean?"

Randy smirked.

"Inquiring minds want to know, huh? Well, I guess you'll have to just wait and see."

"Don't do this."

"Do what?"

"You're attracted to her."

"So what?" Randy admitted. "She's hot. What guy wouldn't be?"

Cena acknowledged his point.

"Is it more than that?"

"I've gotten to know her. She's cool. I like her."

"How much?"

"A lot," Randy sighed, stealing another glimpse her way.

John just shook his head.

"I knew it. I knew this mess would happen. Damn, Ran, you've got to reel it in, man. You can't do this. It's not good. Trust me, nothing good will come out of this if you try to make a move."

"You can't help how you feel."

"Look…"

"It takes two to tango. I know how I feel. If Memphis feels the same way and we both act on it…it is what it is, right? We're adults."

"Does she know how you feel?"

"I don't know."

"Does she feel the same way?"

"What's with the twenty questions? I don't know."

"Things are calm now. For once, your ass isn't in hot water with Vince. Everybody is getting along backstage. Memphis and Phil seem to be good."

"Your point?"

"My point is, let sleeping dogs lie. Don't stir the pot. Leave well enough alone. Don't mess everything up just because you want a piece of ass and just because you get the chance to piss off Phil again. It's not worth it, I'm telling you."

Randy shot John a sinister look.

"So that's it? That's what you think this is all about?"

"I…"

"You think I just want to sleep with her or get in another cheap dig at Phil?"

"Honestly? Yeah."

"I guess that's what you would think," Randy grumbled under his breath. "Anyway, it's none of your business and I don't want to talk about it anymore."

"Fine," John raised his hands defensively. "This one is all you, bro."

"It always is," Randy chased his last swallow of beer with a drink of water.

The dinner lingered on for another half hour or so before the group began dividing the check. The wrestlers began to disperse slowly. John H., Melina, Phil, and Memphis began making their way to the parking lot as Randy stood to make one last trip to the men's room. Cena had been polite enough to summon the manager and express his and his colleagues' appreciation and satisfaction with the quality of the food and service they had received. Randy quickly used the bathroom and washed and dried his hands. He exited the door and as he did, the door to the women's restroom opened at the same time. To both their surprise, it was Memphis. The space was narrow and they stood still just looking at each other.

"Hi," she finally said, shifting her small weight from side to side.

"Hey."

"Good food, right?"

"Yeah."

Memphis nodded.

"You, um, you headed back to the hotel?"

"Yeah. You?"

"Yes. I'm exhausted. It was a great show tonight."

"I saw your matches," Randy spoke in a low voice. "You looked good."

What did he mean she looked good?

"Thanks…well, um, I have to get going. Everyone is waiting on me…"

Randy leaned in to her personal space and put a large, tattooed arm against the wall.

"You look really beautiful tonight. I was just wondering if you wanted to…"

"There you are!" John Cena chirped loudly, clapping his huge hands. "Been looking all over for you, man. Should have known you were in the can. I swear, Memphis, this guy has the bladder of an 80 year old. Anyway, it was a great night with great food, celebrating with great friends but now it's time to hit the old dusty trail, don't you think?"

Memphis nodded.

"I'll um…I'll see you guys around. Have a good night," she said as she slipped between the two men and scurried off towards the rental car.

Randy gave John an annoyed look as soon as Memphis was out of earshot.

"Thanks, man," he muttered sarcastically. "You're a real cock sucker, you know that?"

John grinned.

"That's what I'm here for," he extended his arms as Randy angrily brushed past him.

John had known Randy for a lot of years and he had seen him make a lot of mistakes. The situation with Memphis was fast heading to be yet another one and with so much at stake and so many people in the cross fires, John was going to do all he could to stop it. But Randy was Randy…stubborn and persistent and John knew that even he couldn't stop that train, only prolong the time before the fiery crash that was bound to happen.