Rise

Author: LexysK23
Chapter: (15/45)
Words: 2,034
Disclaimer: I don't own WWE or the plot, just how the story goes.
Author's Note: This chapter is actually pretty short. But it has a lot of information. So this chapter changes everything. The last few chapters led up to this, but not in the way you guys think. I hope you guys don't kill me because of the last cliffhanger. Enjoy.

Update: April 30, 2015

"PAIGE, there is something I need to tell you," AJ told her, looking her straight in the eye.

Paige let out a laugh. "Why does this seem familiar?"

AJ gave her a small smile. She was hoping it didn't end up like the last time they were in that moment. "Well, I know I may have screwed it up before, but I like you Paige. As more than a friend?"

"What do you mean?" Paige asked, frowning.

"I like you Paige. I'm falling for you. Everything about you brightens my day. When you smile, when you laugh, hell even when you cry. When you let your guard down, letting me see the real you, it makes me fall even more for you."

Paige didn't respond. She just stared at AJ.

"Paige?" The nervousness in her voice loud and clear.

"You like me? Now? After you turned me down? After I told you I was trying to move on?" Paige asked, her voice full of doubt.

"What's that say, you don't know what you have until it's gone? I never really saw what you made me feel until I was loosing that window."

"So, what do you want from me?"

AJ frowned. She looked down, before looking back at Paige. "I want you to want me."

"Why should I?"

"Because you still have feelings for me. Because I can give you the life you want. I can give you the love you need."

AJ stared at Paige, who seemed to be watching AJ, no expression on her face. AJ could feel her heart pounding. She could feel her hands get clammy.

A smile grew on Paige's face. She moved closer to AJ. The shorter woman could feel the Brit's breath on her.

"You're lucky you figured out your feelings when you did," Paige whispered, before pressing her lips on AJ's. AJ wrapped her arms around Paige's neck, pulling her closer.

AJ felt Paige's hands on her waist. She could feel Paige pushing her back, towards the wall. Once they were there, the kissing got crazier. It got heated. Paige started to move down, towards her neck.

AJ wanted to moan, but suppressed it. She closed her eyes, feeling Paige's lips on her neck.

"I love you Paige. I love you so much," she moaned, feeling so much pleasure.

"AJ," she heard Paige call out. "Hey, AJ."

AJ blinked a few times, realizing where she was. She could see Paige staring at her, an amused grin on her face.

"Welcome back to the living. So, what did you want to tell me?"

AJ frowned, before realizing that she had imagined the whole thing. She shook her head and looked at Paige.

"Paige, I think I—"

She was about to tell her, when someone called out the Brit's name. Paige turned and stiffened.

"Hey, Paige!" a British voice shouted.

"It's been a long time, I've miss you," someone else said.

AJ watched as three men, who were from NXT walk over to them. AJ couldn't see Paige's face, because she was facing away from her.

She saw Adrian Neville, Sami Zayn, and Corey Graves walk up to the two.

Corey opened his arms and looked at Paige, expecting something. Paige slowly walked towards him, into his hug. She closed them and AJ watched as he whispered something into her ear.

"AJ, I get to finally meet the girl that our girl beat," Adrian said, smiling at the New Jersey girl.

AJ frowned, not liking the energy she was getting from the group. She looked at Paige, who hadn't moved from Corey's side. Corey wasn't looking at either of the girls, but he kept his arm around Paige.

Confused, AJ told Paige that they had to get ready for the show. Paige nodded. She told Corey she had to leave. He smiled and nodded. He gave her a hug and a kiss on the cheek.

Paige started to leave, when Sami spoke for the first time.

AJ saw that Paige didn't want to stay there. She gave Adrian and Sami a hug and started to walk away.

AJ had a small idea of what was happened, but she wasn't completely sure about it. She watched as Paige started to walk away. AJ shot one last look behind, and saw Corey watching Paige leave, a look in his eyes. AJ didn't know what that meant, but she knew she had to keep an eye on him.

Fireproof Flame

"SO, what kind of match do you want?" Paige asked, as she stared at Nikki. AJ and Brie stood beside their partners.

"I want a cage match," Nikki said, glaring at the younger girl.

"Really? I was expecting a different type of match. But this is interesting. Are you sure you want to lose inside a cage? Who'll be the Gate Keeper?" Paige asked, a smirk on her face.

"Brie."

"Oh, so a handicap match?" Nikki smirked and shrugged. Paige stared at them. "What if I want someone else to be it? Like AJ here? Or Emma? Or someone else?"

"You told me I could choose," Nikki responded.

"How about we have a match to decided who will be the Gate Keeper?" AJ interjected, looking at both of the women.

Paige looked at AJ, signaling her to continue.

"What if Brie and I have a match before yours? If I win, I'll be the Gate Keeper and Brie can't be at ringside. And if Brie wins, she'll be the Gate Keeper and I can't be at ringside. Sound good?"

Paige nodded, liking the idea. She had fate in AJ, and new that she would fight her hardest.

"Deal," Paige said, before looking at Nikki.

Nikki looked skeptic, before nodding. "Okay."

AJ smiled. She watched as Nikki turned to Brie, before walking away. Paige and AJ stood in the ring.

AJ brought her mic to her mouth. "I'll win the match, and you can beat Nikki fair and square. You can trust me."

Paige nodded. "I know."

Fireproof Flame

"YOU didn't tell her?" Nikki asked, looking at AJ. It had been two days since the incident, and AJ hadn't told anyone of what happened. She still couldn't believe she was so close of spilling her guts and telling Paige she as in love with her.

"I couldn't. When I was about to tell her, someone interrupted," she said, as she closed her eyes. She was hanging out with Nikki and Brie in their room.

"Who would interrupt you?" Brie asked, looking at her friend.

"Corey fucking Graves and his stupid buddies from NXT."

"Corey? Wasn't he really close to Paige back in NXT?"

AJ opened her eyes and frowned. "What?"

Nikki nodded. "I heard that Corey and Paige were really close back in NXT. Then, one day, they just stopped hanging out."

"Weird," AJ whispered.

"So, are you still going to tell her?" Brie questioned, "Because the way you said it, it sounded like you had enough time. What happened?"

AJ sighed. "I started to daydream. I was imagining her reaction if she said yes."

Nikki laughed. "Oh my gosh, she's blushing. Was it that hot? You have to tell us," Nikki exclaimed, her eyes wide with excitement.

AJ groaned and fell back on the bed she was sitting on. She knew they would mock her for what she said. But she told them about her little dream. And her steamy kiss with Paige. Just remembering the daydream got her all hot and bothered.

Fireproof Flame

"DOES anyone know?"

"No."

"So you haven't told anyone?"

"No."

"Good, because you know what will happen if you tell anyone. I'll make you wish you kept your mouth shut. So what do you say? Dinner with me? Tomorrow night? Just like old times?"

Paige nodded slowly, her eyes glistening with tears. She looked away, but he yanked her chin to make her look at him.

"I missed you so much. You're perfect in my arms, like that's where you belong. We were destined to be together, don't you agree?"

"Y-yes."

He laughed and walked away, leaving her there, her tears streaming down her face.

It was just like before.

Fireproof Flame

"HEY, so how has things been?" Seth asked Sami and Adrian. Sami looked at him, and then turned his attention to something else, not answering.

Adrian smiled and shrugged. "It's been good. I just can't believe we got called up. It's going to be just like old times? Don't you think?"

Seth smiled and nodded. He looked up to see Corey whisper something in Emma's ear. Emma nodded and walked towards Paige, who was drinking with Dean.

Corey walked up to them and smiled at Seth. "Hey man."

Seth smiled and turned to Emma and Paige.

"Are you going to ask her out?" Corey asked, looking at the Brit and Aussie.

Seth shrugged. "I don't know. I want to, but I'm scared."

Sami smiled. Adrian and Corey laughed. "Since when is Rollins scared?" Sami asked.

Seth shrugged. "She's just perfect, you know?"

Seth smiled and stood up. He told the three men that he was going to go see the girls. He walked up to Emma and Paige. He asked them to dance, Emma declined, saying that her shoes were killing her.

Paige looked conflicted, knowing he wasn't going to like it. But Dean just pulled her to the dance floor. Having few alcoholic drinks in her system, she was unable to stop herself from falling. Seth stopped her from slamming to the ground.

She giggled and both men started to dance, very stupidly, with the tipsy Brit.

Paige didn't notice the hard stare she had been receiving.

Fireproof Flame

HER talk with the Bella twins had ended, and she had gone back to her room, the one she was sharing with Paige. After some convincing, she promised the twins that she would tell Paige by the end of the week. She had promised herself that nothing was going to stop her from telling the twenty-two year old that she loved her and wanted a chance to be with her. To tell her that she would protect her heart.

She heard knocking on her door. Frowning, she walked over to the door. She got up on her tippy-toes and checked through the little peephole. All she had to see before opening the door was the raven-black hair and the white skin.

AJ opened her door with a smile "What happened? Did you forget your key card?" AJ asked, humor in her voice, but soon her humor was gone and her smile fell off her when she saw Paige, a red mark on her cheek. "P-Paige, what happened?" AJ asked, pulling the girl in.

She closed the door and took the girl to her bed. They both sat down next to each other. Paige seemed like she wasn't going to say anything.

Paige shook her head. "I-I was with Seth, and Dean. We were dancing, and drinking, and having fun. And he saw and he got mad and the he-he—" Paige couldn't finish. She started to cry, and AJ just held her.

AJ frowned. She held Paige near, as she thought about the last days.

Paige had been fine, not one hundred percent but not as broken (not counting the time AJ shattered her heart). But it all changed when Roman returned. When the three men from NXT appeared.

AJ froze. One of them was her ex. All she had to do was figure out which one it was. Which one had just slapped the crying girl in her arms. And when she figured out who it was, she was going to make him wish he never laid a hand on Paige.

Her declaration would have to wait until she was sure Paige was okay. Until she knew that Paige was going to be safe. Paige's safety was at the top of her priorities. She was going to protect her, no matter what the cost was.

AJ held the crying girl until she fell asleep. Once Paige was completely asleep, AJ texted Seth, telling him what she knew. They were going to find the bastard. And they were going to make him pay.

Hope you guys liked the little Pai-J hook up, even if it wasn't real. I hope none of you guys got mad. But AJ will tell Paige how she feels soon, I promise.

And you'll find out who the boyfriend is soon. Detective AJ and Seth will start investigating who it is. And remember, "he" has been at it for a year. You can't be fooled by the way he acts. Sorry there was no Roman in this chapter. He'll be back soon.

Anyways, thanks for reading. Review. And until next time.

Next Chapter:
May 2, 2015

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