Apologies for the big ass delay on getting a new chapter to you! Lots going on at home! Enjoy, and please have a look at some of my other fics!


The two weeks had gone by achingly slowly. Tama found she hated being away from the cameras the lights and the roaring crowds almost as much as she hated bananas. And that was a lot. About the only thing that kept her sane were the Skype calls every other day from Roman. Both out due to injury, although Roman's was a considerably more severe reason, they chatted for hours over Skype, talking about anything and everything. His reaction to first seeing her face was met with a lot of swearing and threatening to get whoever did it to her. Tama agreed wholeheartedly, she'd love nothing more than destroying whoever it was. But till they could figure that out, it was going to have to wait.

Finally, she was allowed to return to on camera work. She couldn't wait to get back in the ring, and was glad to be given the all clear. Returning to doing what she loved, it seemed the attack was a one off, and by the time Roman returned to his ring work at TLC in December, it was almost like the event had never happened. Throughout 2015, Tama kept a close eye on her scripts, her match ups, anything she felt might be compromised. And she was lucky, it paid off. Several times, scripts were swapped out and only just caught in time. And time and time again, it was unclear who was to blame. January 2016 arrived, and with it the excitement of the Royal Rumble. Roman was getting pushed hard, as was Dean, and now Seth was injured. Tama felt safe with the pair around, even without Seth present. Little did she know things were going to kick off once again.

The day of the Rumble dawned. Tama was excited, she was ready to watch her friend defend his title. She was also going to have a match that night with Dolph Ziggler, first fight of the evening, and was looking forward to it.

"Someone's in a great mood today!" Remarked Dean as she came over to the breakfast table.

"Why not? I get a fight at the pay per view, with Ziggler, that's more than I've done since the whole mess with Rusev and the scripts." she replied with a smile. "Besides, I'm looking forward to watching you both retain your belts!"

"Dean might, but you know my storyline, Tam, you know what's supposed to happen." Roman added, picking up his mug of coffee.

"He might change his mind, you never know. He is kinda in charge after all." She said with enthusiasm.

"I get the impression you don't share her enthusiasm, Roman." Dean said with a chuckle. "Alright, I'll knock it off," he added, noticing the look the big Samoan was giving him.

"How's Seth doing?" Tama asked, sipping her tea.

"He's not spoken to you?" Roman asked with a frown.

"He's your friend before mine, you know this. He chats to me sure, but he speaks to you guys a hell of a lot more than he does to me." Tama replied, setting her cup down. "Besides," she added, looking at the pair, "He's more likely to tell you two if he's in pain still."

"He's alright, Tam. Stubborn as all hell, but he's ok." Dean replied, before standing to get more food.

"Do you ever stop eating, Ambrose?" asked Roman.

"I'm a growing boy, what can I say?" Dean replied with a shrug, and walked off towards the food tables.


Getting to the arena, the three separated. Tama went to change, and met up with Dolph Ziggler and their opponents for the night, The Uso's. It was just a friendly match, there was no feud between the four. Banter filled the air as the four rehearsed, and they joked about as Dolph tagged in Tama to pick up the scripted win. She pinned Jimmy Uso, and they finished rehearsals. Everything was going fine, there were no issues, no hitches. Tama found herself relaxing once she knew things were running as they should be.

The fight went off as planned, there were no issues, Tama and Dolph picked up the win. As they headed backstage towards catering, Dolph put an arm around Tama.

"We make a damn good team, me and you. Wanna do that again?" he asked.

"Too damn right I do!" Tama said excitedly. "Wouldn't miss it for the world!"

"Great!" Dolph exclaimed as they stopped walking to talk. "I'll speak to Hunter, I'm sure he can figure out a way to sort it, and then we'll TAMA LOOK OUT!" he exclaimed, shoving her aside as a rumbling filled the air. Tama hit the deck, looking up to see a large, heavy equipment case crash in to a pile of metal poles for fencing, and they in turn fell on Dolph. The clanging and crashing of the falling poles echoes up the corridors, and Tama covered her ears instinctively. She scrambled to her feet, spotting as she did so a figure running round the corner and disappearing.

"I saw it too, go after him, go" Dolph yelled as he began to shove the metal poles off himself. Tama was torn, did she stay and help her friend or did she go after her attacker? Her loyalty to her friend won over, and she began to help Dolph get free.

"Damn it, Tam, get the fucker…" Dolph growled.

"No, you are more important," she said as people came running towards the sound. Tama helped him clear the poles off himself, and with the help of Big Show, helped Dolph to his feet.

"You ok? You hurt?" he asked as Dolph leant heavily on him.

"Damn it, I think I've hurt my ankle." He replied, gingerly putting weight on his foot and wincing. "Make that definitely hurt my ankle."

"Let's get you to medical, we can go from there." Tama said, with a nod from Big Show.

Tama stayed with Dolph in medical while Big Show went to get Hunter. He'd come in, brow creased, furious, and demanded to know what had happened. It was when Dolph explained they he'd shoved Tama aside that Tama and Hunter came to the same conclusion. It had been meant for her.

"What about the Rumble, Hunter? You're a man short. I can go out, but there's no way I'll last very long with a bad ankle." Dolph said. Hunter nodded, frowned and paced the room a bit. He looked over at Tama, giving her a small smile. Tama shook her head and held up her hands in front of her.

"Oh no. No…no, no, no…I am not someone suitable for the Rumble, Hunter…" she said as he walked over to her.

"Go on, Tama, we've got no one else suitable at such short notice, and besides, this will be a career highlight for you." He said putting a hand on her shoulder.

"I'll get murdered out there!"

"You'll get murdered in here if you refuse, dumbass," Dolph said. "Please, Tam, take my place. You'll be saving the day," he added.

"And saving my neck." Hunter added also. "We advertised a 30 man royal rumble. We kinda gotta stick to that." Tama groaned, rolled her eyes and nodded in submission.

"Alright ya bastards, I'll do it. Roman and Dean are going to fucking kill me." She said, as Hunter enveloped her in a thankful hug.

"Thank you SO much, you are a lifesaver, you are doing me a huge, huge favour right now. Dolph, you rest that ankle, I want it checked over again tomorrow before RAW. Tama come with me we need to prep you and get you ready for the Rumble."

"Do me proud, Tam!" Dolph called as Tama was walked off by Hunter.

They walked towards where the Rumble entrants were gathering, and Hunter explained everything as he did so. Who she was to out, who she was to team with etc. Then they discussed what had happened. Both had come to the same conclusion, the equipment case had been meant for her, and it was sheer luck Dolph had shoved her out of the way. Which meant whoever her attacker was, he was back. Tama decided it would be wise not to say a thing to Roman and Dean till after the Rumble, just that she was taking Dolph's place and they were all to treat her as if she was anyone else in the Rumble. They explained to everyone gathered she was Dolph's replacement, as he was injured. Roman and Dean looked over at her and Tama gave them a look that clearly said she wasn't going to talk about it that moment. Roman nodded, Dean scowled, but neither said a word.

Getting ready to go out, Tama tried to ignore the voices in the back of her head that asked her is she wasn't sure her adversary was out there. But he'd be stupid to attempt something on live TV, she scolded herself. The royal Rumble was the spewing ground for a lot of the years feauds, storylines and debuts. AJ Styles himself had gone out to debut that night. She stood with Sheamus and Triple H backstage now, waiting for her cue.

"You'll be fine out there," Sheamus said with his thick Irish accent. "Have fun, it's all a good laugh."

"Yeah I know. I don't have to be in there too long. Shame I don't get to out anyone," she added smiling. Hunter laughed.

"Next year, I promise. Besides, Taker asked when you're free to take him up on his training offer. I was thinking after Wrestlemania, perhaps setting the scene for a Summerslam match." He added.

"Sounds like a plan to me...welp, here I go!" She grinned, as she was given the signal. Hunter watched as she went out of the curtains, the crowds roaring as one.

"She ok, Hunter? I heard what happened with her and Dolph." Sheamus asked the COO.

"It's a mess, truth be told, Sheamus. I have no idea what's happening. I just hope Dolph's not too injured, she might have to fill in some of his storyline for us."

"Not that she would mind, let's be honest," Sheamus said with a grin to match the COO's as they saw her fight with Bray Wyatt momentarily.

She was lucky, Tama decided as she was turfed out of the ring by Triple H, and hit the floor. She was lucky to have been given the chance to fight in such a highly prestigious match. And also, said a voice in the back of her head as the crowds focused on Roman and Triple H, lucky she wasn't more seriously hurt. The thought accompanied her as she headed to medical, was cleared, and went to shower and change. Except she didn't make it to the changing room. She had to walk past Dean being interviewed by Renee Young, and as she tried to sneak past, Dean wasn't having any of it, and darted off camera, grabbed her by the arm, and hauled her in to the interview.

"Now, this lady here, this is what i call one tough chick. Did you see it huh Renee? She fought against Triple H! Ok, so he won, but even so, she went toe to toe with him, and by the look on his face I'd say he was pretty surprised by her strength!" Tama looked at Dean with a smug smile that was characteristic of Feral.

"And, Feral, how did you find being in the Rumble? Your first Rumble at that?" she asked.

"Well Renee, I LOVED it. It was really something to get my teeth in to, something the wild animal in me adored. It's that primal need to scrap, to fight. Going one on one with the big guys. And if you'll excuse me, this animal has a primal need to shower. You too dude," she said, tapping Dean on the chest with the back of the hand. "You stink." She added with a smirk and walked off.

"Well, that's an offer I won't pass up. Yo, Feral, wait for me!" he called, flashing an impish grin at Renee and running off after Tama, as Renee shook her head.

He caught her up as she walked round a corner, heading to the ladies changing room. He asked what had happened with Dolph, and Tama paused to explain everything to him. They walked slowly onwards, Dean uttering a few curse words as Tama told him everything, and the pair speculating on who it could be. Tama then went to change. As she did so, she thought about the situation. She was damn lucky to have been shoved aside by Dolph, and she felt sorry for him. He'd been at the right place at the right time for her, but wrong time for him. And she too had been in the right place at the right time, to get a slot in the Royal Rumble. And then she thought about it some more. The guys she had been in the ring with. Sheamus, Roman Reigns, Bray Wyatt, Triple H, Dean Ambrose, and Chris Jericho. They were all built like brick shit houses, with much more Rumble experience than her. They could easily have decimated her. She came to a horrifying realisation. The injury to Dolph was planned all along, it wasn't about her that time. They knew Hunter would put her in the Royal Rumble in Dolph's place. Whoever it was wanted her in the Rumble, because they wanted her hurt. And with crushing realisation, Tama realised she could have been hurt, very, very badly.