The next day at the arena Seth was filling up a cup of coffee, pressing the hot bitterness to his lips. He closed his eyes and took a deep sigh. Sasha walked up from behind him, shuffling with the coffee cups.

"Hey there," he said softly.

"Hi Seth." Her voice was strained but it didn't reveal too much.

"You okay last night?" he asked carefully. "Too much tequila?"

"I was fine. I didn't need you sticking around." She filled up her cup, not looking back at him.

"Well,no. But that wasn't about to stop me from making sure you were safe."

"I don't need anything from you, alright?" She tried to storm off, but his voice, low and longing, stopped her.

"Saaash," he followed her out of catering, leaning against one of the cement walls of the arena.

"I should go," she said quietly, but he caught her arm and she sighed, leaning up against the same wall with him.

"Listen,"

"I don't want an explanation."

"Can I just-"

"I don't care. You're free to do whatever, or whoever you want. You're not mine anymore."

"That's where you're wrong."

She scoffed, "Seemed like it last night."

"You know you can be so damn stubborn sometimes? It drives me crazy."

"Oh gee I'm so sorry for you."

"I'm trying to apologize and you're not even letting me talk."

"Apology accepted," she said sharply, "I hope you had fun."

"I did, oh trust me, I did." The words came out of his mouth and he regretted them, her harsh eyes on him, her brow furrowed. It didn't need to be said.

"Sasha, Seth?"

He turned, Mick Foley was walking past them.

"Hunter wants to see you, he's in the office."

"Us?

"Both of us?"

"That's what he said."

"Alright, thanks Mick," Seth nodded as Mick walked off. He looked back at Sasha, "after you."

She stormed in front of him, and frustrated as he was, he loved watching her hair bounce behind her. Knocking on the door of the office, she didn't look back at him.

"Yeah," Hunter called and they both walked into the small office. "How're you two?"

"I mean, other than losing my title?" Seth said with a half-laugh and sitting down on the couch.

"Yeah, other than that."

"Just great."

"Ha, alright, well I might have something you can sink your teeth into. Management's noticed the fans missing the two of you in segments together. You had one of last year's most popular feuds."

"So I get to slap Seth again?" she asked, a little to eagerly.

"No, that story's complete. We want you working together."

"What?" Seth perked up. "Us? It's only been like a month since that program ended."

"Strike when the iron's hot," he shrugged, "you two have something special out there. You could be the biggest power couple in the company."

"Don't you think Lana and Rusev have that covered?" she asked.

"Look, I know things have been tense between you," he said sternly, looking back and forth between them. "But you chose this, and I'm not stopping a good program because you hurt each other's feelings."

Sasha crossed her arms and looked away from Seth.

"Steph and I ran plenty of programs when we were fighting-"

"This isn't a fight, Hunter," she said sharply.

"Guys. Pull it together. I can promise you no romance but that's about it."

"Okay," Seth said, softly, "we'll do it."

Out in the ring, Sasha stretched, waiting for Emma to make her way down. She wouldn't be alone, Dash and Dawson in toe. They'd recently formed an alliance after Emma had interfered and helped them take out Cesaro and Sheamus last week.

Sasha looked out to the crowd as the boys held the ropes open for Emma. She gave her a nod and they locked up. It had actually been a while since her and Emma had gotten in the ring together. Emma had been out for several months with a bad back injury and before then, she hadn't really had a lot of opportunities. Sasha was looking forward to this feud, with the exception of Seth getting involved with it. The match was good, a nice taste of things to come. Finally Emma grabbed her by the hair and whispered.

"Top rope finish."

Her head hit the mat hard and she groaned as Emma began beating up on her. She managed to kick her off and take her down with a big closeline. Taking a deep breath, she looked to the corner and climbed up the ropes, getting in place for a frog splash. A hand was on her back, another around her ankles, and she fell head first down to the mat. She moved her body to make the spot look devastating, her arm crumbling underneath her and a look of agony on her face. Dash and Dawson cackled as Emma pulled her into the middle of the ring and pinned her for a three count.

Sasha sat up, looking with shock across her face at Emma as she scurried off with the boys. She ran her hands through her hair and grabbed the title from the ref, walking back up the ramp nursing her right arm.

Backstage in the trainer's room, they set up for the segment. Seth was already waiting when she got there, even though they had until after commercial to get ready.

"Are you okay?" his eyes were wide.

"Yeah, it was just a spot."

"It looked bad."

"It was fine."

"How's your arm?"

"Seth," she said, hoping up onto one of the tables, "enough."

He bit his lip but didn't say anything else.

"Places," one of the Producers shouted, and Seth got behind them, "1…2…3, rolling."

She grumbled to herself, trying to wrap her wrist up with a bandage. Seth walked into the frame, a smug look on his face.

"You alright, Banks?"

"Fine."

"Here," he took the bandage from her and held her hand steady, while Sasha just looked away. "Looked like you could use some help out there."

"I have it under control."

"Oh really? Cause you just got pinned, Champ. Which means she's coming for that title of yours. You really wanna take that risk?"

She tugged her arm from his grasp. "I can take Emma."

"Maybe, but not with those goons. I'm offering to help neutralize that factor."

"Even if I say yes, which I'm not, but if I did, we're still outnumbered."

"Please," he laughed, "you know I'm worth two of them, baby." He smiled smugly and pulled at his tshirt.

"Goodbye, Rollins." She got up and left him shaking his head at her.

"We're off," the producer said, "Good work everyone."

She unwrapped the bandage, her back to Seth.

"This is kind of fun," he said hopefully.

"No, it's really not."

He sighed, "I'll see you tomorrow."

XXX

Sasha and Bayley pulled into the hotel with a big bag of Mexican take out.

"You're right this is a much better plan than going out," Sasha laughed, the smell of her burrito wafting up from the bag in her arms.

"Yeah well you're cut off for at least a week after the Rumble."

"But moooom," she teased, following Bayley to check into the hotel.

"My room or yours?"

"Yours, my key's in my bag, and I want as little time in between me and my dinner."

"Haha alright," Bayley called the elevator. "But I'm picking the movie."

"So we're watching Back to the Future?"

"I don't always-okay yeah we're watching Back to the Future."

Sasha laughed, and then glanced behind her, catching her breath. Seth's eyes were wide as he looked up and saw her too, his hand low on a woman's back. Bayley looked back at them, her eyes narrowed as she saw the dark haired woman in a tight dress.

"The elevator's slow," she told him.

"Oh, um," he coughed and shifted uncomfortably.

After a moment that felt like an eternity, the doors opened and they all crowded inside. Sasha looked at the wall, her arms crossed, refusing to look at him or the woman. The awkward silence was unbearable, surely the girl he was taking up to his room felt it too? She breathed a sigh of relief as the elevator dinged, and Seth motioned for the woman to follow him out. The doors closed again and Bayley looked over at Sasha.

"So uh-"

"I don't wanna talk about it."

Her phone rang early the next morning. The picture popped up of the two of them, laughing backstage at a live show. She loved that picture, Seth's smile warm and soft. But like she had done for a month now, she let it buzz and buzz until a voicemail alert came up on the screen. She lifted it up to her ear, and his voice filled her senses.

Hey Sasha, you're probably at the gym or something…heh…

He knew it wasn't true, that she had just screened the call.

Look, about last night, I'm sorry if it was really uncomfortable for you and Bayley. I guess my sneaking around skills aren't as sharp as they used to be… okay that came out kind of shitty.

She laughed, rolling her eyes.

What I'm trying to say is I'm sorry. I'm really not trying to make sure you know about it…I know it kind of seems that way but, I mean you gotta know I'm not that petty. Right? I hope you do, anyway. It's funny, Banks, I keep trying to get you out of my head and ha, there you are, every time. Alright this has gotten really pathetic so I'm just gonna hang up now…yeah.

With that, she put down the phone and gathered her things for the gym. She saw him in the mirror as soon as she walked in, his eyes on her reflection. He looked over as she took the standing bike two down from him, waving sheepishly. Adjusting his earbuds, he closed his eyes and quickened his pace.

She rolled her eyes, he loved showing off in front of her. Still, the thin layer of sweat on his tan skin, his shorts hiked high on his thighs, his heavy breathing, she felt herself wanting him, and bad. She tried to focus on her own work out, but it was no use, her eyes kept drawing back to his skin. Opening his eyes he pushed through another sprint on the bike, his hands finding the waistband of his shorts aimlessly. She bit her lip as he held onto it, peeling it down a little to reveal the skin between his bunched up tshirt, the taper of his abs down underneath.

His eyes flickered to her in the mirror. Fuck. She looked down at the monitor of her machine and ramped up her pace too, though out of the corner of her eye she could see him smirking. Whatever, it wasn't like she'd ever denied that she was attracted to him. And besides, two could play at that game. She leaned forward, her elbows on the handles of the bike, letting her chest heave up and down as she sprinted. His eyes were on her as quickly as she'd done it, and she enjoyed the feeling again.

"You should sit up straight," he said, pulling an earbud out.

"Hmm?" she looked over at him innocently.

"You won't burn as many calories like that,"

She gave him a smug smile and sat up, pulling in her core. His eyes were still on her, struggling to catch his breath, and for a second it looked like he was about to say something else. He was interrupted by Xavier taking the bike in between them.

"Mornin' Boss."

"Morning" she said smiling.

Xavier didn't even look over at Seth. If Sasha's cold shoulder was icy, Xavier's luke warm acceptance of his existence was just as bad. He didn't press the issue, and kept his eyes ahead.

XXX

Backstage at the house show, Seth was combing his hair when Xavier came into the locker room. Sami smiled at him, tying his boots for his match.

"Hey man,"

"Hey," he nodded, "Madden tourney next week, you in?"

"Yeah I'll be there, Kevin too, we were talking about it yesterday."

"Nice. Uh, Seth?"

Seth looked over his shoulder. "Me?"

"Yeah you," Xavier sighed. "I've been told I'm not allowed to exclude you."

"The people might riot," Cesaro teased.

"And Sasha won't speak to me,"

"Sasha won't?"

"Give her credit man, she'll do anything to protect you. And I, personally, have no desire to be on the other side of her cold shoulder."

"Can't blame you there," Seth said with a grumble.

"Look I don't really give a shit if you do it, just tell Sash that I tried if she asks, alright?"

"So that she'll snuggle up to you for being so nice to her ex-boyfriend?" he rolled his eyes.

"Whoa, easy fellas," Sami tried to intercept but Xavier was already fuming.

"First of all, you were never her boyfriend. You don't get to claim that after the fact to make yourself feel better."

"Guys, seriously," Cesaro said, but he was ignored too.

"Boyfriend, boy-toy, I don't care what she wants to call it, but I was hers and she was mine."

"Yeah but she's not yours anymore now is she?"

"Seems not," he said bitterly.

"Don't put that on me, dude. You're the one who screwed it up-"

"Oh fuck off," he spun around and stared Xavier down, "Yeah alright, I screwed up, but if you think you're gonna slide in and pick the bones-"

"What are you talking about?"

"Don't play stupid, you know what I'm talking about."

"Guys! Enough!" shouted Sami.

Seth threw his hands up and spoke slowly. "Why did she call you that night, huh? Tell me that and I'll back the hell off."

"I don't know, Seth. She told me no questions asked, and I've respected it."

"There must be a reason."

"Maybe you should ask her yourself."

"Maybe I will."