Memphis had just finished refereeing a match at the FedEx Forum in the city for which she had been named. She had grown particularly close to Nattie Neidhart and Melina Perez and during the house show, the two women, two of the premiere female faces had faced each other in an entertaining and intensely physical match up that their newest girlfriend had been thrilled to officiate. As Memphis walked towards the back of the arena, she was struck with the disappointment that such a wonderful matchup had not been televised. The Divas matches were usually limited to two minutes of yelling and hair pulling every other RAW. The women in the company were so much more than that. They worked hard and deserved to showcase their talents and get the respect they had earned. Walking towards the changing room and looking forward to a hot shower, Memphis decided to make one quick stop in Catering. She wasn't hungry but her mouth was dry and she was getting tired. The next city was Chicago so she was debating whether to make the eight hour drive in the rental or just fly back to Illinois. Desperately craving an energy drink, she reached into the cooler and pulled out a Monster. The room was dimly lit and most of the edible supplies gone. She didn't even hear someone else walk in the room.

Sore after his bout with Justin Gabriel, Randy Orton craned his neck while stretching his long arms over his head. He had won, of course, but he had fallen victim to the South African Sensation's 450 Splash. Heading back to his bus, he couldn't seem to find a cold water anywhere in the building. The show was coming to a close and everybody was beginning to pack up but Catering was his last option. He walked in, not even noticing that someone else had beaten him to the punch. Randy approached the cooler, then looked up. That's when he saw her and for both, the air left the room, making it awkward and tense.

"Hey," he said.

She bit her lip.

"Hey."

"Don't worry. I'm not stalking you. I'm just thirsty."

He brushed past her and reached for a water. Holding onto her can of Monster for dear life, Memphis made a quick bee line for the exit. Randy sighed. Typical. She did whatever she had to do to avoid him and when somehow they managed to be in the same breathing vicinity for more than four seconds, she was ignoring him and already looking for a way out. For over a month he had been letting her go, biting his tongue and trying to let her have her space and figure out her own way. His feelings for her, both physical and emotional, had only intensified since their sexual encounter. He knew deep down that she felt the same way even though she did not show it. She was engaged in a stubborn bout with herself and denial and he knew just sitting back waiting wasn't going to help her come around any quicker. He reached out and stopped her from leaving, grabbing her by the arm.

"Stop it," she recoiled from his touch.

"Memphis."

She shivered when he called her by name. His large hand was on her shoulder, begging her to turn and face him but she couldn't. She was tired. Tired of fighting against him, tired of lying to Phil, tired of lying to herself, tired of fighting what she was feeling inside.

"Just leave me alone."

"Don't run away from me," he hands fell to her waist as he leaned down and whispered in her ear. "Stop fighting it, stop fighting me. You can't run away forever. We have to talk."

Memphis' eyes shut tight.

"Don't do this to me. Please."

"How can I not do this? Memphis, it is time for you to face the truth. For a month and a half, I have kept my mouth shut and backed off and done everything I was supposed to do, everything you needed me to do. I was trying to give you time to come around."

He slowly turned her around but she hung her head, refusing to meet his gaze.

"Just leave," she begged in a voice so soft and low that it could barely be heard. "Oh God, why can't you just leave me alone?"

He tilted her chin to meet his face. Once their eyes met, it was no turning away. She felt paralyzed, hypnotized, much like she did that night in Canada. It was the moment she had been trying to avoid so desperately, now he, they were there.

"This is why," he breathed.

The Viper lowered his face until his lips captured hers. In an uncharacteristic move, he moaned out loud at the sweetness of the taste he had been missing and craving for 39 agonizing days. Her lips felt much softer than he remembered and as he stood there cupping her face, he half expected her to scream or slap him or both. Instead she did neither. To both their surprises, she kissed back.

"Randy," she whimpered when they pulled away breathless.

"I want you," he stated simply. "I want all of you and you know it's about more than sex. I know you want it too, Memphis. I know you do."

She slowly started to back away as tears filled her eyes.

"I don't."

"Look me in the eye and tell me you don't think about me."

"Please…"

"Memphis…"

"What the hell do you want from me? I, I don't get you. You had me. I was weak and in the moment and I had sex with you. I put all the blame on you but truth is, there are no more excuses. I did what I did and I have had to live with that. The guilt is excruciating. I know after everything you and I have been through that getting me into a bed was a challenge for you. You're Randy Orton. You like challenges, you like sex. You won, okay? You got laid, you proved the point that you could seduce me and you get the secret satisfaction of knowing once again that you took something that is very special to Phil. You got everything you wanted, Randy."

"Not everything."

"What? What more is there?"

"You."

"Randy…"

"It stopped being about the sex a long time ago, you know that. And if this was all about getting back at Phil, don't you think I would have blown your spot up by now? I mean, how many chances have I had to tell him?"

She swallowed hard. He had a point.

"What do you want me to do?"

"Leave him."

She shook her head.

"No. No way. I can't do that to him. I won't."

"Why not?"

"Because I love him."

Randy rolled his eyes.

"Loving somebody as a friend, loving somebody because you feel sorry for them or because they make you feel safe…is that how you're going to live your life? Memphis, is that what you're gonna hide behind?"

"I do love him."

He chuckled sarcastically.

"No, you don't. You know, from the moment I met you, you were this mouthy, feisty, strong, independent woman who didn't take shit from anybody, including me. Good or bad, that's what drew me to you in the first place. What happened to her? Huh, Memphis? Where did she go? Cause all I see in front of me now is a scared, spineless, co-dependent coward."

A single tear slid down her cheek that she frantically wiped away.

"Is that all you got?" she managed. "Is that what it goes back to, you trying to cut me down with words? Well, go ahead. It doesn't matter. Maybe, maybe a little part of you was right. Maybe that night, those few hours changed things, made me feel stuff. Maybe for a night it was sex that I wanted from you and maybe afterwards I was foolish enough to think there could be more. But that was then, Randy. That was fantasy. It was just sex."

"I call bullshit on that one. It was more than all that and you damn well know it."

"That's over now," she turned to walk away.

Randy chased her down and blocked the exit.

"He don't make you feel the way that I do. Not in here," he put his hand on her chest over her heart. "And certainly not in bed. Look, I'm not a perfect guy. Most of the time I am an asshole but I guess I don't have to tell you all that. I changed a lot, Memphis, and some of that had to do with you. For whatever reason that I can't explain, you made me want to be a better person. That counts for something, at least it does with me. I can't make a bunch of promises to you. I can't tell you that I won't ever screw up again, cause face it, we both know that I will. All I can do is tell you that I want you, that I care about you, that I think about you a lot when you're not around…probably way more than I ought to. I'm not gonna be that perfect guy that kisses your ass all the time and I'm not gonna put creepy ass fake gothic engagement rings on your finger. I can't tell you what's gonna happen with us but all I know is there is something there that's bigger than you or me. I feel it and I know you feel it, too. The way we talk, the way we get along, the way we can share private, personal stuff with one another…the way it just exploded between us in bed. I know it's not safe, Memphis and you're probably scared but I'm not the safe guy. But I won't deny what I feel and you can't either, not anymore. I told you a few weeks ago I'm inside your head. Well, I'm in your heart, too and so is the memory of that night. It's not over and as long as you keep pretending, as long as you keep stringing Phil along, it will never be over."

His words hit as powerful as a fist. She wanted to walk away, hell, she wanted to run away but she couldn't. And when he pulled her in for another kiss, she didn't bother to fight him off. Emotionally exhausted, she gave in to want. As their tongues danced, the confusion evaporated. She could admit it to herself. It was Randy Orton that she wanted, not Phil Brooks. Moaning, she let him slam her against the wall, grinding his massive hardness against the cotton material of her black slacks. He pinned her arms back with one hand, letting the other rub between her legs, as his lips launched a massive attack on her neck.

"Randy," she cried out.

He laughed.

"That's it, baby. Call out my name."

Mustering all the strength she had left, she pushed him away.

"We can't," she tried to regain a normal breathing pattern.

Randy took a few steps back, shaking his head as he felt a surge of anger rise through him.

"So that's what it's gonna be like, Memphis? You're gonna do this with me, then go back home to him?" he questioned, his voice rising in anger.

Memphis took a deep breath.

"I mean we can't do this here, not now. It, it's not right. I have to tell Phil, I have to tell him everything," her voice broke. "And I know it's gonna hurt him beyond belief and that kills me but I…you're right. Dammitt, you are so fucking right about everything and I, I, I just can't do this anymore, I can't keep living like this. I want to have sex with you. And I want to be with you, whatever that means, as much as any girl can really be with Randy Orton. I want desire and chaos and fun and unpredictability with you. I, I don't want to be safe anymore but I have to do it the right way. I have to face my betrayal. That means I have to face Phil. I can't risk making it worse by getting caught screwing you in the abandoned Catering room. God, he deserves more than that. We've already hurt him, I don't want to humiliate him."

Randy could only nod.

"When?"

"I don't know. Soon."

He nodded, his want for her stronger than ever. There was nothing else to do or say. The ball was in her court now. With tears drops streaming down her face, she reluctantly wrapped her arms around his neck and gave him one more kiss before scurrying away. The hallway was empty but she could hear voices not far away. Not ready to see anyone just yet, she opened the first door she could which just so happened to be a janitor's closet. Closing the door, she leaned over and vomited in the large trash can before sinking to her knees in a fit of sobs. She couldn't fight it anymore. And she couldn't deny it or fix it either. With Phil, she was always convincing herself that she didn't want Randy. But being with Randy, there was no convincing. As wrong as she knew it was, it still felt so damned right. And now would come the hardest part. The truth had come full circle and it wasn't going to hurt like hell.