Shaking off the Rust
- January 27, 2014; Cleveland, Ohio-
Tessa woke up to no alarm clock that morning and it was a pleasant change. The only sound in the room was the light snoring of a male. She knew who it was immediately. He still smelt the same – Colby Lopez hadn't changed.
With her head resting on his chest, she could hear his even heartbeat. His arm was wrapped loosely around her waist. Her leg was stretched over both of his. It felt so natural and just like every time before.
Tessa knew that he had a girlfriend – she'd heard plenty about Leighla during the few car rides she'd been on with The Shield – but to her that hardly mattered. She was back in the arms of a man she had truly loved and she wasn't going to ruin it. For nearly 20 minutes Tessa did not move, she barely even breathed.
The sun was rising over Cleveland, slowly lighting up the room. The curtains had never been drawn and they were on quite a high floor so she was able to see it peering over the building tops. She still hated Ohio, she just found it pretty.
She felt Colby arch his back slightly, something he always did as he was waking up. She left her head on his chest, still staring out the window.
Colby went to move his legs only to find another resting over them. He knew that someone was using him as a human pillow, that much he could feel from the weight on his chest but Leighla's legs had never been so casually stretched over his; she was more one to entwine them. He knew it was Tessa. From her legs, to her hair, to the hand idly drawing shapes onto the sheets... He would know her even if he was blind and deaf.
Neither said anything as Colby's hand started to lightly massage her head. Tessa sighed heavily and shifted so her chin was on his chest and she was looking up at him.
"Hi," she said quietly, afraid of disturbing the air around them.
"Hi," he said back in a gruff, tired voice. "What time is it?"
"A little after 7."
Colby groaned, "I need to get up."
He didn't need to say anything else for Tessa to move off of him and slide onto the other half of the bed, not bothering to pull a sheet over her chest. He'd seen it all before – many times, in fact – she didn't need to be modest.
The air was thick as Colby got out of bed and walked straight into the bathroom, leaving Tessa with no clue as to whether she should stay or go.
Opting for stay, she leant against the headboard and listened to the water flow through the pipes. Occasionally she heard a loud noise, most likely Colby bumping into the glass shower door, which would shake her from her near sleep state.
"Oh," he breathed when he walked out to see that she was still in his room. Typically, the towel was slung low on his hips and there were water droplets running down his chest. "I thought you'd be gone."
Tessa got the message and got out of the bed herself, walking around the bed in search of her underwear and clothes.
"We can't do this, Tessy."
"No," she agreed in a whisper. "I know." She pulled on her panties and her skirt. In a slightly louder voice she began to explain, "I didn't come in here for sex. I wasn't thinking about it at all. I just wanted to tell you about Gabe."
"It's no one's fault," Colby reasoned. "I know you weren't looking for sex. It just happened... But it can't happen again." Tessa quickly pulled her shirt over her head and looked at him, catching the glint of sadness in his eyes. She was sure her eyes matched his.
"It's okay," she assured him slowly as she sat on the edge of the bed. Truth be told, she was almost certain it wasn't okay. She had put him in the same position she'd been in before and it wasn't going to be easy for him to get past it. "It's not going to happen again and no one has to know. Accidents happen."
As she struggled to tug on her boots - she had bypassed putting on her tights for the sake of swiftness - Colby cleared his throat, causing her to look at him once more.
"Are you still-" he started only to stop and rephrase his sentence. "You still have the-"
His hesitation alerted Tessa to what he was asking, "We're fine. I still have an IUD."
"Good." He breathed out a sigh of relief. "And you're, you know, you're clean?"
Tessa stood up after successfully pulling on her boots. She looked him square in the eye and answered, "Yes, I'm clean. I hope you can say the same."
Balling her tights up in her hand, Tessa walked straight passed the frozen man - who had not made any effort to change or dry himself – towards the door. After checking the peephole to ensure no one was roaming the halls, she opened the door and quickly made her way down three doors to her room.
Her key card had somehow managed to stay in the pocket of her skirt despite it being tossed across the room, so she made it into the room without any mishaps. Except perhaps the tears that were forming in her eyes could have been seen as the biggest mishap possible.
Tessa was buzzing when she walked into Quicken Loans Arena. The morning's events had been effectively pushed from her mind as the realisation dawned on her – she was making her wrestling debut for WWE. The only thing really dampening her spirits was that she had to do it in Ohio.
"What is it about Ohio, anyway?" Brie asked after the umpteenth complaint.
Tessa sighed, "My brother crashed his car when we were driving through Ohio."
"Was it bad?" The twin asked, her face softening dramatically.
"Not really but, uh, never really liked Ohio after that."
"Hopefully this memory overwrites it."
Tessa smiled warmly at Brie as they walked into the Divas locker room. Tamina was sitting with Nattie but their discussion had seemingly ended as they were both reaching for their phones. Tessa placed her bags into a corner, wasting no time in changing into something she could wrestle in. She wouldn't change into her ring gear until it was closer to go time, for the time being shorts and a tank top would do just fine. The newest Diva soon after gestured to Tamina that she was going to the ring and was given a nod in response. Tessa left the room in search of the ring – the signs were becoming her best friends.
The ring was, as to be expected, occupied. The Real Americans were standing about talking to Rey Mysterio and Sin Cara. There was no need to interrupt them, so Tessa moved off to the side and began her warm up. She ran a few laps around the ring, opening her body up to exercise. It was easy to tell that the men in the ring were looking at her every now and then but she paid them no attention.
Tamina came out as Tessa was sitting on one of the mats, stretching out her hamstrings.
"We're done," Jack Swagger informed them, leaning slightly over the rope to talk to Tessa. "You girls can have it." Tessa thanked him with a smile and gripped the bottom rope, hauling herself onto the apron and over the bottom rope.
"Is that how you enter the ring? Is that how Tia would enter the ring?" Tamina asked, watching Tessa carefully.
"Excellent point," Tessa said as she rolled underneath the bottom rope, leaving the ring. "That is how June enters a ring."
Walking around to the stairs, the newest Diva walked up them carefully and deliberately, holding onto the top rope when she was in reach. She flirted with the idea of holding onto the top rope and launching herself over but also realised that Tia would not do that.
Choosing to put more emphasis on her in ring theatrics, Tessa wiped her feet on the apron and then ducked underneath the middle rope. She walked into the centre of the ropes, and with a genuine smile, she curtsied.
"Works if you turn heel, too," Tamina commented. "All you have to do is put on a seriously sarcastic smile. Make it arrogant."
The little time they would be given for their match left the pair with not much to practice or sort out so they left the ring the second Alberto Del Rio and Kofi Kingston walked onto the stage.
"We've got this," Tessa said proudly when the women walked back through the curtain. "I'm sorry that you have to lose so quickly."
"Don't be," Tamina smiled warmly. "We have to make you look worthy of the title. I have to apologise for AJ, though."
"No, you don't. Not at all."
"She's letting it all get to her head; no one can really get through to her."
Tessa shrugged, "With Punk beside her getting in her ear, I don't think that's going to change any time soon."
"He hasn't shown up tonight," Tamina told Tessa. She continued, noticing Tessa's horrified expression, "He wasn't too happy about Batista winning the Rumble."
Tessa explained that she wasn't at all surprised before the two parted ways and Tessa began to notice that everything was more chaotic than usual. It had to have been because of the sudden need for a script change and she scoffed at Punk's audacity.
Walking through to catering, Tessa hung her head when she saw Colby sitting at a table with Luke Harper. The latter had become a friend to her during his time with Chikara, a place she had spent much time when she was dating Rami. She had been able to save that friendship when he worked briefly in Japan but she couldn't go speak to him if he was sitting next to the man she had slept with. The taken man she had slept with.
-Live on Raw-
AJ Lee was mid-sentence, once more running her mouth about being the longest reigning Divas champion, when she was interrupted by unheard music.
She barely knew your name.
Tia walked through the curtain, smiling to the WWE Universe. She was wearing her ring gear, black, high-waisted shorts with a thin gold belt in the loops, a black and white horizontally striped crop top with a little window to show some cleavage, a pair of white wrestling boots and, of course, with her knee pads – nicely padded so she didn't reinjure her left knee. She had white tape around her wrists, a staple since her very first match.
"What are you doing?!" AJ fumed. "I am talking!"
Tia ignored her, instead waving to the crowd. She walked to centre of the stage and held a peace sign up near her face.
AJ was evidently growing tired of Tia's nonsense. She was standing in the middle of the ring fuming because she had been interrupted, she was stomping her feet and asking Tamina unintelligible questions.
Tia made her down the ramp, the smile never leaving her face. The happiness she was exuding was one hundred percent real. She blew kisses to the fans on her way to the ring.
"You know what?" AJ asked as Tia walked up the stairs and ducked underneath the middle rope. "I want to you know who you are. You've been standing on the stage for weeks now, not saying anything just watching and it's really creepy. I'm surprised no one's been called to take you away."
Walking past the champion and her bodyguard, Tia put her hands between the ropes and asked for a microphone.
"Are we finally going to find out who this woman is?" King asked, clearly excited by the idea.
"It's about damn time," JBL said.
"Now, AJ," Tia spoke in her kindest voice, trying not to sound patronising. "I'm allowed to be here. I'm not just a fan who's managed to bypass security every week... I'm the newest WWE Diva."
AJ pulled a face and retorted, not directly into the microphone, "No you're not. Don't lie."
"If I was lying I definitely wouldn't have made it into the ring. You want to know who I am? I'm Tia." AJ shrugged, unimpressed. "You don't seem to believe me... How about we have a match right now? I'm ready. Are you?"
AJ brought the microphone up to her mouth, "You can't just come out here and request matches! There is a process!"
"I've been approved for a match. I was able to speak to Stephanie McMahon earlier and you two have never really gotten along. So, if you accept, we have a match."
"I'm not going to wrestle you! I've never even heard of you." A few fans in the crowd who recognised Tia from her previous work jeered.
"But, you see, I've heard of you. I actually have a few issues with you," Tia revealed, causing the WWE universe to respond with an 'oooo'. "You think you can just hide in the bus and people will leave you be. Don't you? I'm here to put an end to that. I actually care what you do between Pay Per Views."
AJ Lee rolled her eyes while Tamina stood back, her arms crossed over her chest.
"I know how tempting it is as champion to sit back and watch everyone fight for scraps. If they beat each other up, they've done all the hard work. You come back in a few weeks time, they're weak and mentally destroyed and all you have to do... One accurately timed knee to the head and you've got the win. I'm a former champion myself, I know how it works.
"You're the longest reigning Divas Champion in history, no matter how short that history is. It's nonsensical; it's a disgrace to this division. It's okay though because I'm going to put an end to your pathetic excuse for a title reign and when I do I'll actually be a champion worthy of that title."
AJ dramatically lunged forward, ready to attack Tia for everything she had said but Tamina was able to hold her back. AJ calmed herself down, straightening out her clothes and flattening her hair.
"No, I'm not going to give you a match. Tamina will."
Tia's face fell for a split second before she grinned at the prospect of getting a match. AJ left the ring as a referee ran towards them, leaving the two Divas staring off at each other.
The ringing bell signalled the match start and Tia held out her hand, expecting Tamina to shake it, only for Tamina send Tia flying across the ring with a harsh shove. She shook it off, still sitting on the ground, and stared up at Tamina in shock.
"Do you think Tia's going to regret this?" Michael Cole asked the other men at the table. "Tamina's as strong as she looks."
"I don't think she would have accepted if she couldn't handle it," King said enthusiastically.
"Okay," she said to herself. "I can do this. No big deal." Tia stood up and moved back into the centre of the ring, calling Tamina back from her conversation with AJ. "Never turn your back on your opponent!"
Not one to take a cheap shot, Tia waited until Tamina was standing directly in front of her before she dropped to the ground, bending her left knee, keeping her right straight and spinning around. She connected with the back of Tamina's legs, dropping the Diva onto her back. With her own momentum from the leg sweep, Tia was able to rise back to a standing position.
Tamina tried to back away as Tia bent over and grabbed hold of her legs, wasting no time in attacking her left knee.
JBL protested, "You can't attack her when she's down! That's not fair!"
Tamina was able to move away for a second only to have Tia grab her by the ankle, lift her into the air and drop her knee to the mat.
While Tamina clutched at her knee – Tia had spent the entire match targeting it and had just swept Tamina down to the ground again – Tia ran towards the ropes and pushed off them, drop kicking Tamina's knee.
She went for it, not wanting to give Tamina any time to recover. Tia grabbed her opponent by the legs and applied a cloverleaf, leaning as far backwards as she could to put more pressure on Tamina's knee.
"This might be it!" Cole exclaimed, "Tamina has nowhere to go!"
"She's done it!" King cheered as Tamina's hand hit the mat repetitively. Tia released her hold and looked to the ref with a wide smile. When her wrist was held and pulled high into the air, Tia jumped excitedly.
Before she exited the ring, she curtsied to the crowd and mouthed a few 'thank you's for their cheers and for letting her wrestle before them.
-Off Air-
Brie and Nikki were waiting for Tessa at the end of Gorilla and embraced their friend in a tight hug, congratulating her on her first match.
"It was fantastic, Tessa! You're going to win the title and everyone's going to believe it!"
Tessa didn't voice that she felt a little uneasy about going over so easy – Tamina had gotten in minimal offence and while it would be played off as some sort of beginner's luck, the winning streak Tessa was about to embark on worried her.
While she waited for the show to finish – only the main event was left – Tessa showered and changed. She accepted praise from everyone who gave it to her, blushing every time someone complimented her. It was blowing her mind that everything was being said in English after she had become to accustomed to hearing things in Japanese after her matches.
The Shield were driving her to the airport seeing as they had to go there as well, so her wait was even longer. They always took their time getting ready but Tessa didn't protest – waiting beat catching a taxi.
"Let's go, Jacobs!" Jon shouted, walking straight by her – Darcy was laughing at him and the skip he had in his step.
"Fucking retard," the blonde snorted.
"Well done tonight, Tessa," Joe smiled down at her, putting a supportive hand on her shoulder. "You killed it."
She smiled up at him, the blush returning to her cheeks, and walked alongside the big man just so that she wouldn't still be standing there when Colby walked by her. She avoided him in the car as well, suddenly thankful that Darcy and Jon needed to be sat together in the backseat. Joe was driving so Tessa sat behind him, as far from Colby as she could manage. He looked at her over his shoulder sporadically on the way to the airport and Tessa had to avert her gaze every time – she was looking at him in what could only be described as lustful longing.
All day she had felt guilty for sleeping with him. She knew that he was in a relationship and she didn't want to ruin that for him, especially given her own track record. Though, she felt guiltier about how badly she wanted to do it again. Guiltier about not feeling like she'd done wrong.
It was just her luck that Colby's flight to Iowa was going to depart only 10 minutes after Tessa's to Flint. They were left sitting together after Joe, Jon and Darcy all got on their flight to Orlando and Tessa was sitting as still and as quietly as humanly possible.
"You're going to do this are you?" Colby asked her, shifting in his seat to look directly at her. "Not talk to me?"
"What are we going to talk about? The Avengers? The Hobbit? Harry Potter?" she asked in a low voice, staring directly ahead of her. "Because personally I loved The Avengers and Harry Potter cannot disappoint." Tessa stood up when she heard her flight number being called over the radio.
"Tessy..." he said, reaching out to touch her hand. She let her hand linger before moving it to her carry-on.
"What? Colby?" she asked him in a tired, desperate voice. "You said it yourself, it can't happen again."
"I just want to know if you regret it," he whispered, watching her carefully. She took a deep breath, her chest rising and falling dramatically.
"I could never regret you."
a/n :D thank you for the response to the last chapter! nattiebroskette, Imagineer1392, UntilNeverDawns, nmoxracha, Livin on the EDGE, deanambooty, ajroleplays and CarolReigns get super shout outs for their reviews!