Chapter 2

Amber slept in fits and spurts until finally she simply gave up. Careful not to wake Seth, she slipped from the bed, grabbed one of his t-shirts, pulled it over her head and quietly stepped onto their hotel room balcony. The crisp air hit her square in the face and instantly chilled her toes. Darkness bathed her surroundings with only the faint glow of the parking lot security lights providing any illumination. It appeared that in the quiet of the night, even nature continued to sleep.

Amber eased into a chair, and pulled her knees to her chest as she let the cool air infuse her. For the hundredth time since it happened, she played back the events from Tuesday night. It wasn't so much they words they'd said, or what she'd done in the ring that haunted her. It was the memories of the fans she couldn't shake. The stunned looks on their faces seemed to be burned into her memory for life, leaving her with a new found guilt she couldn't ignore.

Oh sure she was used to them booing her. She was, after all a member of The Shield, or at least she had been, and that meant being on the wrong side with the fans. She'd known going in that she was a heel, which made receiving those boos an honor. It meant she was doing her job right. However, the chiding she'd received Tuesday night was different. The way they looked at her, as if she'd just committed the biggest sin on earth by not taking Seth and Roman's side, caused pain and guilt to course through her. She was no longer just a heel, she was evil in the eyes of the WWE Universe. Only they didn't understand, she'd hadn't had a choice.

They hadn't just booed and hissed at her when she helped Dean from the ring. They'd called her a traitor, a cheater, and names too horrible for her mind to focus on. The WWE Universe now hated her for the choice she made, the choice that hadn't actually been hers to make.

A thin layer of gold appeared near the horizon, signaling the start of a new day. Amber's stomach churned as worry about what exactly this day would hold, took over. After the taping on Tuesday, whether intentional or not, management had let her ride. No directions No contact. No scheduled matches. It was as if she'd dropped off the planet over night. Unfortunately, the fans hadn't forgotten and they'd taken to Facebook, Twitter and Tout with their opinions.

Today though. Today she and Dean had a scheduled meeting with the creative team. She, Seth, Roman and Dean would rise early, pack up and make the drive from Raleigh to Columbia for a Saturday night house show. Once there, she'd learn of her fate.

Streaks of pink and purple joined the layer of gold as the sun slowly inched its way into the sky. It wouldn't be much longer before the boys woke. Amber closed her eyes as she sucked in a shaky breath. If they were bothered by the breakup, they certainly weren't showing it. They'd laughed and joked last night as if the end of The Shield had never happened.

She couldn't quite fathom their attitudes, but then she suspected that the plan from the very beginning would have been for them to eventually separate. After all, they couldn't very well become the superstars they deserved to be by staying a stable. Yes, there was power in numbers and they'd fed off each other to raise their own stock with the company, but ultimately every great superstar ventured out on his own.

She thought about Shawn Michaels and Triple H and how they'd used DX to help propel their careers. Then there was Cody Rhodes and Randy Orton. Being members of Legacy had launched them into WWE stardom. Then there was Lexi, who had used being a member of the Hart Dynasty to slingshot herself into the stratosphere. It only made sense that the boys would be excited about their futures as singles stars.

Too bad she couldn't find that same enthusiasm. It was fear, she told herself. Fear of the unknown that had her heart in her throat and her second guessing every thought and emotion.. Being safely ensconced inside the biggest stable in recent memory provided her with a certain amount of respect and prestige. Neither was something she felt she'd ever truly earned. Being on her own mean exposing her faults and weaknesses. Being on her own meant looking in the mirror and facing the cold, ugly truth.

"Hey," Seth's voice drifted over her and she glanced toward the balcony door. Barefoot and dressed in only a pair of black sweatpants, Seth stood in the doorway, his hair mussed from sleep, his eyes only half open. "What are you going out here?"

Amber shook her head as she worked to find her voice and prayed it didn't sound as weak and vulnerable as she felt. "I couldn't sleep and I didn't want to wake you."

He crossed to her now, and knelt next to her chair. Concern lit in his sleep filled eyes as he lifted a hand and cupped her cheek. "You haven't slept well all week," he all but whispered. "Want to talk about it?"

She shook her head. Nothing he would say or do could change what was already done. The wheels were already in motion, grinding out her new destiny...whatever that might be. So what point was there in bringing it up? "You can't do anything about it."

"Maybe not, but it might make you feel better just to get it off your chest," he countered.

She lifted a hand, placed it over Seth's as she stared into his loving gaze. Sometimes she still wondered just how she'd gotten so lucky to be the one on the receiving end of his love. "I know you want to try and fix all my problems," she whispered. "But this one I'm going to have to work out on my own."

After a moment he nodded, then, holding her in place, he leaned forward and pressed a soft kiss to her lips. "Just remember, you're not alone. I'm here when you're ready to talk."

She gave him a small smile. God she loved him so much. "I know." For the first time that morning she noticed the birds singing and the sounds of life coming from the parking lot several floors below. Blue now inched across the sky, slowly pushing out the golds and pinks from earlier. "What time is it?"

"The bedside clock said a quarter of six when I woke. So probably somewhere around six am now."

On a sigh, she pushed up from the chair. "We need to get moving."

Before she could walk past him, Seth snared her by the waist. She turned in his arms, looked up at him and found love staring back. "I love you, Amber. Don't shut me out, okay?"

She could only nod as emotion welled in her throat. Would he understand that depending on what creative came up with, she just might needed to shut him out in order to protect him from what was about to come her way?

Seth glanced over at Amber as she dozed against the car window. He'd noted her somber demeanor and the dark circles under her eyes and despite her assurances that she was fine, he was worried.

"Is Amber okay," Roman glanced in the rear view mirror at Seth.

"Yeah," Dean added from the passenger seat. "She's not acting herself."

"I know." Seth raked a hand through his hair, then worked to reset his ponytail when he realized he'd wrecked it. "I think this Shield break up has her upset, but she won't talk to me about it."

"She's never been one to share her feelings easily," Roman observed.

Dean nodded. "Kinda makes her a lot like me in that respect." He turned to Seth. "You want me to try and talk to her?"

Seth glanced over to where she slept. It hurt him that she couldn't or wouldn't bring herself to talk to him. Still, having her confide in Dean would at least get whatever was bothering her out in the open. Until they all knew what was running through that head of hers they couldn't do anything about it. "Yeah," he finally said on a sigh. "Go ahead and give it a shot."

"You know," Roman began. "Lexi will be back in less than two weeks. Maybe she can get through to Amber."

Seth nodded. Since Amber arrived in the WWE she and Lexi had become best friends. Surly Lexi could reach her. "Yeah, maybe." He looked back at Amber who now slowly began to stir. He hoped someone would be able to get through to her before whatever ugliness running through her mind resulted in catastrophe.