Late Monday afternoon, a knock came at the locker room door.

"Yeah," Sasha called.

She was the only one in there this early in the night. She liked the quiet of organizing her locker and making sure everything was in place. It gave her something to take her mind off of any nerves. Seth walked in, a slightly smug smile coming across his face.

"Hey, so I talked to Hunter about tonight," he leaned up against the locker next to hers, an arm around his ribs. "I'll come to your rescue in your rematch tonight with Emma."

"Ha, your dream come true," she laughed, pulling her jackets out of her bag and hanging them up.

"Yeah, well," he smirked.

"Thanks for getting that."

"You seemed pretty eager about it last night, so, y'know, I wanted to make sure it was handled."

"I am, definitely," she nodded.

"Yeah?" his eyes narrowed.

"What?"

"Nothing, it just was odd, hearing from you at 1 am about a program."

She laughed nervously, laying out a couple of gear options on a shelf of the locker.

"I'm a workaholic, what else is new?"

"Uh-huh so let me get this right, you called because you wanted to get a little work done?"

"Yeah that's why I called."

"Bullshit, Sash," he got close to her face, his brow furrowed. "Bullshit."

"Jesus Seth," she said, flinching at his sharp tone.

"I think you knew exactly what was happening when you called. You called to see if I would pick up, didn't you? You wanted to know just how desperate I am, huh?"

"You're being paranoid again."

"It was a test," he raised his eyebrow with a smirk. "Did I pass?"

"Seth, enough, I'm sorry if I ruined your night."

"By making me wonder if you were calling me up because you wanted to talk, or maybe because you wanted me? How would that possibly ruin my night?"

"We're co-workers, you'll have to get used to interacting with me."

"Don't play innocent. You knew what you were doing. You wanted to see that I would drop everything for the slightest chance to crawl back to you on my hands and knees. Guess I am just that pathetic when it comes to you, Sash." He bit his lip.

"I didn't-"

"Yes, you did. You getting off on me wallowing like this? Cause trust me, I can do it all night long if you want it baby." He said with a thick sarcastic tone.

"Okay what is your problem?"

"My problem is you're playing with me, Banks," he slammed her locker closed, making her jump. "And I don't appreciate it."

"Seth!"

"Is it not enough? How badly I want this to work? How much I miss you?" the pathetic twinge was crawling back into his voice. "Do you really, really need to know that I'm groveling at your feet?"

"I…" she couldn't finish her thought, just looked down at the ground.

"Yeah well," he ran his fingers through his hair "I guess we're done here."

XXX

Their segment was the opener, her rematch with Emma announced first thing as Raw began. She strutted out to the ring, and it felt weird not to have the belt around her waist anymore. Looking out to the crowd, she tried to push the conversation she had with Seth out of her mind.

Emma came out with that red belt on her shoulder and Sasha wrinkled her nose. The revival were right behind her, smirking as they set up on the side of the ring. As the bell rang, her and Emma locked up and went back and forth for several minutes. The boys kept to themselves, smacktalking but not outright getting involved. They'd bide their time, letting Emma fight for herself until it was necessary. Emma need to be kept fairly strong as champion, the Revival were just there to give her an edge.

As they got into places for the finish, she felt her heart beating faster. She knocked Emma down with a Clothesline, and then elbowed Dash down off the apron. Dawson went to him, and she ran the ropes for a Suicide Dive. Her throat was in her stomach as she dove through the ropes, but honestly, it was her favorite thing. They caught her mid-air, and slammed her down to the ramp. It was about as violent of a spot as they could get away with. Emma dove onto her and the Revival stomped on her stomach, causing the DQ and the bell to ring. But Emma stayed on her, wrapping her up in the Emma-Lock. Sasha screamed and scratched at Emma's arms, selling the spot.

Seth's music started playing and he hit the ramp fast. He took out Dash with a right hook, and then Dawson with a drop kick. Emma let Sasha go and tried to come to the aid of the boys. They scurried away, Emma grabbing her title from the ref. Rolling over Sasha could see Seth standing over her, yelling at them.

"That's right! Run you cowards!" His eyes were wild as he bent down to her. "Hey, whoa, easy,"

She grabbed the back of head and groaned. He offered her a hand and she looked at it for a moment. Her eyes flickered up to those big brown eyes, soft and gentle. She accepted it and he pulled her to her feet. Their eyes locked as she stood and the crowd was going crazy. He held out his hand again, but she turned on her heel and left him trailing behind her.

The moment they hit the curtain the cameras were on them for a backstage segment.

"Hey! Boss, c'mon." he called after her. She turned and the little smile he was giving her made her heart skip.

"What is this, Rollins?"

"Uh, you're welcome?"

"Cut the crap. Why?"

"I respect you, Banks. And I don't know if you've noticed, but you're kind of getting your ass kicked by those goons. That strikes me as an injustice."

"What are you after?"

"Ha ha ha alright, alright, since you brought it up."

"Yeah, figures. What, you want some arm candy to parade around out to the ring?"

"Give me some more credit than that baby," he smirked, his eyes on her. "Look, I don't think I'm outmatched by Kevin Owens, I'm getting out-planned. Kevin is crafty and his strategy won him that match last night."

"What's that got to do with me?"

"Well, if I think about who might just be craftier than Kevin Owens, one name comes to mind," he looked her over and raised an eyebrow.

"You want a strategizer?"

"I want the best strategizer in the company. Do this for me and I'll make sure Dash and Dawson become a non-issue."

She sighed and looked over at him, "okay."

He grinned as she held out her hand and he shook it. The producer called the end of the segment and the camera crew ran off.

"See," Hunter laughed as they passed him, "you two have managed not to kill each other."

"Debatable," Sasha said with a hair flip as she turned her back on them and leaned on the back of Bayley's chair in front of a monitor.

He watched her walk off and sighed as she glanced back with a frown.

"Everything okay?"

"Yeah," Seth nodded, "it's fine."

A sneeze came over him and it sent a nasty shock of pain through his ribs. He grabbed them, shaking slightly.

"Fuck!"

"The ribs still bothering you?"

"They're killing me. Ugh," a chill ran down his spine.

"Bruised ribs are no joke, and you sound like you're getting a cold."

"Nah it's probably just like, exhaustion," he said, far to nonchalantly.

"You're done for the night, go home, get some rest."

"You sure?"

"Go, now."

"Yes sir,"

He laughed and it sent the pain through his body again. His head had been pounding all day long, but he was trying not to complain about it. Sasha glanced back at him as he walked past her again, and he felt a bad about losing his temper with her earlier. Her eyes seemed like maybe she felt a little bit bad too, but knowing her, he'd probably never hear it. He nodded to her with a small smile, and to his relief, she returned it.

XXX

The pillow felt good under his head and he drifted off to sleep in his jeans. Hours must've passed because when he woke up, it was to a knock at his door. Groaning, he opened it and for a moment, he wasn't quite sure he wasn't in a dream.

"Hi," Sasha said with a shy smile, "I brought you pizza."

"Hey, uh," he blinked a few times, "sorry, I'm just a little groggy."

"Did I wake you?"

"Don't worry about it,"

"I can go-"

"No, no, just give me a sec to get my bearings. C'mon,"

She fallowed him into the room and put the pizza down on a small table in front of the couch. He sat on the edge of his bed, watching at her. Her eyes flickered up to his gaze and she giggled.

"What?"

"Are you real or am I tripping on my pain meds?"

She laughed again, sitting down next to him and handing him a plate with two slices of buffalo chicken, his favorite.

"Do you often hallucinate me bringing you pizza?"

"It's possible," he laughed and tried not to cringe.

"I, um, I thought I'd bring a peace offering."

"Mhmm," he nodded, his mouth full of pizza.

"Look, you were right, I called last night because I was jealous about you taking another girl home and I just wanted to know if you'd put me before getting laid."

"You knew I would."

"Yeah well…I'm never quite sure with you anymore. But uh," she bit her lip so hard it turned red with blood, "it was petty and insensitive and I'm sorry."

"Easy," his voice was low and smooth as he wiped her lip with his thumb. "It's alright."

"Apologizing isn't my strong suit," her eyes met his, his thumb still lingering on her lip. He wanted her so badly it was twisting a knot in his stomach.

"I know," he tucked a piece of hair behind her ear and pressing his lips to her cheek like he used to. "But it's okay."

She shuddered a little, but tried to change the subject. "You're hot."

"What?"

"No, I, ha, your face, it's warm," she blushed, "Are you burning up?"

"Probably, I've felt like crap all day."

"I can get out of-"

"Sasha!" but even as he said it the shivering came over him.

"You should get under the covers," she said sternly, taking his empty plate to the trash.

He chuckled, doing as she told him and flipping on the tv.

"You wanna watch a movie?" he looked up at her hopefully.

"Just one, okay?" she said, lying on the far side of the bed, just within his reach.

He nodded, landing on The Dark Knight, about halfway through the movie. The shivering was getting worse, her eyes were on him with a concerned gaze.

"That looks bad."

"It'll pass," he said, pulling the comforter up to his chin. A small smirk came over his face, "although if you wanted to help."

"Don't even," she warned, but she was biting her lip.

"I'm just saying I was a boy scout,"

"Before or after gymnastics?"

He ignored her comment, "and we were taught skin to skin body heat can save you."

She chuckled, eying him as he shrugged and smiled flirtatiously at her.

"Never mind," he said, shivering harder, "it was worth a shot."

"Fine, but you're keeping your underwear on."

"Yes ma'am," he said with a smug smile, his eyes grazing her as she lifted her tank top over her head, a soft triangle bra. "That one's new."

"Uh, no, no comments."

"Okay, okay," he laughed, stripping off his own shirt and moving to the zipper of his jeans.

Despite herself, her eyes were on him too until they were both down to their underwear. He held the comforter open for her and she crawled in, curling up to him. It felt so good to have her in his arms again.

"Better?" she asked.

"Yeah, this'll do the trick."

"Good."

The warmth was radiating off of her, the way it used to when she'd snuggle in close to him in his bus. She used to run her leg up and down his, making him pull her in closer and kiss her until she turned her back to him so that they could actually get some sleep. With her now, he had to resist the very strong urge to run his hands along her arm and kiss the top of her head. The cold had left his body within a few minutes.

The Dark Knight ended, and The Dark Knight Rises started, but she didn't move. He could feel her breathing under his arm, and it felt peaceful and perfect. The movie kept going and Sasha didn't stir, soon he realized she was fast asleep. He moved carefully to get the remote from the other side of her, his arm trapped under her shoulder.

"Hmm?" she said, shifting in her spot and starting to sit up.

"Shh," he gently pushing her back to the bed, "I was just turning off the TV. Go back to sleep,"

"You sure?" she said, half-awake.

"Stay. Please."

"Okay."

She turned and buried herself into his bed, letting him scoot up behind her. The smell of her hair filled his senses, and it was the happiest he'd been in months.