Disclaimer, etc., in part 1.

Part Thirty-Four

Eve pushed her hair back from her face, the diva frowning as she sat down on the bed in her hotel room. She'd checked the upcoming live event schedules, noting that she and the men of the Shield were all assigned to the same set of live events for the next several weeks... And, since she was now their manager, they would now pretty much always be assigned to the same events. That meant that Ambrose's suggestion that she start traveling with them was actually something that was feasible. After all, it wouldn't have worked very well if she was on a different set of live events than they were.

Not that she was making a decision yet or anything. As she'd told Dean Ambrose, she was going to think about it. And so she was... In fact, she'd been thinking about it ever since she'd gotten in her car that night.

Shaking her head, Eve reached for the remote control to the television, hoping to find something to watch to take her mind off things... The woman freezing at the sound of a knock on the door to her room. Frowning, she rose to her feet, making her way over to the door, more than a little uncertain who might be there. She didn't even know if any of the men of the Shield were staying at the same hotel as her, and she was pretty sure they didn't know what room she was in even if they were in the same hotel... And surely Zack Ryder wasn't so stupid as to think that he could come to her door and knock and she would actually answer or something... Was he?

The knock came again, and Eve bit her lip, then leaned forward, checking the peephole... Breathing a sigh of relief when she saw who it was. Quickly, she reached out, unlocking the door, then opening it, gesturing for the other woman to come inside.

"Not that I'm bothered by you showing up, but what are you doing here?" Eve asked, and Kaitlyn shrugged as she stepped into the room, the younger woman watching as Eve shut the door behind her, then locked the deadbolt and set the chain.

"You trying to keep someone out, or just keep me in? Should I be worried?" Kaitlyn asked, and Eve rolled her eyes, gesturing for Kaitlyn to take a seat in one of the hotel chairs, Eve making her way back to her bed and sitting down.

"No, I just... After what happened last night, I'm being really careful," she stated, making a face as she thought about it, and Kaitlyn nodded.

"Yeah... Zack Ryder's kind of gone full-on creepy. I mean, first he attacks you in a hotel hallway, and then he was clearly waiting for you tonight. Or maybe us. I mean... Most people already realize that the Shield is with you at the shows pretty much constantly. It's only been a week, but... It's kind of been noticeable. Zack really couldn't have thought he would catch you alone after your match... Especially since Roman Reigns was right there waiting for you the whole time. No way is Ryder going to be able to take out Roman Reigns. Not without a sneak attack, a steel chair, and possibly a few other weapons. Which means..."

"He might have been there to talk to you instead. See if you had any sort of influence on things," Eve said, and Kaitlyn snorted.

"Yes, because I'm sure the Shield would listen to me if I told them to play nice with Zack Ryder," the woman said with a roll of her eyes. "Seriously... What was he thinking saying something nasty about you in front of any of them? Monday night on RAW they made it clear that they're just fine with you being their manager. Rollins didn't seem to have any problem at all teaming up with you."

"He was a good partner, too. And Roman is completely willing to keep spearing Big E until I finally get to see it happen, so there's that."

"And Ambrose is willing to fight someone for saying some nasty things about you," Kaitlyn said, then shot Eve a look. "Was it the typical 'hoeski' crap that he likes to pull?"

Eve frowned. "That was in there. But what really set Dean off was the insinuation of what I must be doing in order to have the Shield be so nice to me. There was mention of me being on my knees," the woman said, an edge to her voice as she spoke, and Kaitlyn's mouth actually dropped open.

"He... Okay, first... Ryder is a bag of dicks for saying that, and second... How in the hell could he have not expected to end up getting the crap kicked out of him for that? If not by the Shield, then by you!"

"Apparently Zack thinks everyone else thinks the same things about me that he does. It's funny, really, that he and John Cena talk so much about my morality when neither of them ever got anything from me. The one time I kissed Ryder, I was messing with him because he was already going out there and calling me names. I kissed Cena because I had a moment of insanity, and I fixed that the following week when I played the stupid villain and made sure everyone knew my devious plan," the diva said, rolling her eyes. "Overall, however, my plan did work because Kane stopped chasing after me after that, so... Yay." Eve shook her head, glad that Kaitlyn already knew the basics of what had really happened the year before, because otherwise, everything she'd just said would have been a shock to the other woman. As it was, Kaitlyn was simply nodding her head in agreement. Eve sighed. "Anyway... I just wish Ryder would leave me alone."

"Well, if Dean Ambrose puts Zack on the shelf tomorrow night... That would keep him away from you for awhile, and probably convince Zack that messing with you is a bad idea. At least when the Shield's around."

Eve nodded. "And that's another thing... Dean walked me out to my car again tonight, and... He's suggested that I start traveling with the Shield," she said, watching as Kaitlyn's eyes widened in surprise.

"Like... Rooming with them and stuff? Because..."

"That wasn't mentioned. Riding to the shows with them, staying at the same hotel... That was. Probably try and book rooms close together, I don't know."

"It might not be a bad idea. After what Zack pulled... It's definitely something to consider."

"I know. And it would be safer. Being alone on the road is more dangerous than being part of a group of four... No matter who you are."

"And if the Shield happened to be your other three... Yeah. I don't think anyone would mess with you."

"I shouldn't have to have three intimidating men with me in order to keep assholes like Ryder away from me," Eve said, and Kaitlyn.

"No, you shouldn't. But it sure helps."