Welcome to Chapter Ninety Six! This is a long one. I hope you like it, it took me forever to write.
Monday Night Raw: June 23, 2014/ Tuesday: June 24, 2014
Angel took a deep breath of relief as she and Dean walked back through the arena. Everything went better than she could have hoped for. Now all they could do was wait and see if Hunter took the bait.
"Dean, Angel! Wait up!" She heard someone call for them just as they were about to go through the door that led to the parking lot. Turning around, they saw Tom Phillips jogging up to them with a camera man in tow. "The news just came from Triple H that Seth vouched for you to be in the Money in the Bank ladder match. You're in at Money in the Bank this Sunday."
She gasped at the news while Dean started to laugh. "I knew it." He smacked the metal door behind her. "I knew he would. He didn't really have a choice. We were going to show up in Boston anyway. We already made that kind of clear. I would just go ahead and walk up that ladder, after pummeling Seth Rollins half to death," He said punching his own hand. "grab that briefcase, take it to downtown Boston and sell it at a pawn shop, if they didn't just put me in that match."
Angel giggled at the man's words. "Before or after we grabbed drinks and celebrated?"
He turned to her and looked as if he was really thinking about it. "Oh, most certainly after. Either way it was a smart decision by Triple H. You wanna know a bad decision by Triple H, getting on my bad side and making an enemy for life of Dean Ambrose. I don't like Triple H, I've always had respect for him as a competitor, but I never really liked him. He was in Evolution and I was in the Shield, but now, he has an enemy for life. Seth Rollins has an enemy for life, and that's bad. Your life changes when I am your enemy. And it's just going to keep getting worse for them." Dean grabbed Tom by the shoulders and shook him. "I'M GOING TO MONEY IN THE BANK, TOM!"
Feeling bad for the man, Angel took a step forward to put herself between Dean and him. "You know, I'm starting to think that Seth isn't really as smart as we think he is. He once again underestimated us. I'm sure he vouched for Dean to be in the match so that he could keep an eye on him, which is smart on paper, but he also put Dean in a match were ladders are legal. He's giving Dean a weapon, which isn't smart. He also put Dean in a spot where he can win the Money in the Bank contract." She gave a small laugh. "Sure, we were going to crash the match, and ruin it, but he couldn't win. He couldn't become Mr. Money in the Bank but now, now he can. And as biased as I may be, my money is on Dean, he's the only one in that match who doesn't know how to give up. I can't wait to see Seth explain to Triple H how Dean Ambrose won the Money in the Bank contract." She looked up at the man beside her to see he was giving her that big smile, dimples and all.
"How is Seth going to explain it?" He shook his head. "How is Triple H going to explain this? How is Triple H going to explain to the WWE Universe, to his investors, how is Triple H going to explain to his wife, that scumbag Dean Ambrose is holding a contract for a World Heavyweight Championship shot? God, that really looks bad for the company, doesn't it?" Dean took a deep breath. "I'm sure he'll figure it out. Because he's our boss, and he knows what's best for business!" He finished as gave her a small push through the door behind them.
D.D.D
A smile was plastered to Dean's face as he and Angel walked away from Tom. He couldn't believe that Seth took the bait and vouched for him to be in the ladder match. As Angel said it was a good move on paper, but in real life all it did was give him the opportunity to get his hands on Seth and ruin whatever the Authority's plans were.
"YES!" Angel cheered as she turned around and practically jumped on him. "You're in the match!" She grinned as she threw her arms around his neck.
"I know." He chuckled, resting his hands on her hips.
"Mr. Money in the Bank, Dean Ambrose." Her voice grew airy as her eyes flickered to his mouth.
Groaning, Dean lifted her up in his arms so that her legs wrapped around him. "I like the sound of that." He backed her up against the wall.
"I do too."
"Scumbag Dean Ambrose is Mr. Money in the Bank."
She shook her head. "Hey now, you're not a scumbag."
He raised a brow. "Oh really?"
"Yes, really."
"Who says?"
"I do."
"And you're the expert on scumbags?"
"Scumbag, means someone dirty or detestable."
"Didn't know I was dating Websters Dictionary." He snickered.
He could tell she was fighting against a smile as the corner of her lips twitched. "Well, it still stands, you are not a scumbag."
"Dirty or detestable?" He thought about it. "Baby, I am the definition of a scumbag." When she rolled her eyes, he added. "Loads of people detest me, most for good reasons. And as for the dirty part." He gave a roll of his hips and she squealed. "I've been known to be dirty." He leaned forward and kissed her exposed neck. "You of all people should know that." He felt her shiver in his arms and smirked. "Just admit it baby, your man is a scumbag."
"No." She said in a whisper. "I won't." He pulled away from her skin and looked into those bright hazel eyes. "I can't."
"Why's that?"
Her face turned red as she bit her lip. "Because, I love you."
The words made his heart skip, like it did every time she said them. Fighting the urge to rub his chest, where the damn thing was now thundering, he adjusted his hold on her. "Well I hate to break it to you, but you're in love with a scumbag. A cad. A scoundrel. A street dog." He leaned closer with each word.
She chuckled and gave a ragged breath. "I'll give you 'street dog' but I'll never say the other…" He cut her off with a kiss.
When he finally pulled back, he let out a sigh. "So, you're ok with calling me a street dog, but not a scumbag?" She nodded, trying to catch her breath. "I'll never understand you." He kissed her again.
"Get a room." He heard someone call, making him reluctantly pull away from the kiss. He looked around only to see two men laughing and carrying on as they walked down the hall, it was Jimmy and Jey Uso. Don't kill Roman's cousins. Don't kill Roman's cousins. He growled.
A giggle brought him back to the woman in his arms. "See, street dog." She winked with a poke to the cheek.
"I'll show you a street dog." He smirked as he leaned down to attack her neck. As he sucked hard on that one particular spot, he felt Angel starting to wiggle in his arms.
"Dean." She gasped when he pulled away.
"What?" He cocked his head and gave her his best innocent look. "You said that I'm a street dog, right? Well." He growled in her ear. "Street dogs like to mark their territory."
Her hand flew to her neck and covered the hickey that was quickly forming. He watched as her face grew crimson. "And you can be the one to explain that to my parents."
All of Dean's cockiness washed from him. He had forgotten that they were heading out to Pittsburgh tomorrow, to spend time with her family. "Shit."
A.A.A.
"Mom, we're here." Angel called as she opened the door.
The loud sound of a chair squeaking against the floor hit her as she heard someone gasp. "Where is my little girl?"
"I'm right here." She said as her mother came barreling in from the dining room. Not even taking the time to pause, the woman rushed over and pulled her into a tight hug. "Easy, Mom." She laughed, hugging her back.
"I'm so excited." Her mom said as she pulled away to hold her at arm's length. "I get you and Dean for almost four whole days!" Angel could see the tears that were brimming in her eyes.
As a slur of cursing came from behind her, she watched as her mom's gaze shot back to the man who was pushing his way through the front door. Without warning, the woman pushed past her and pulled Dean in for a hug.
"Wow, it's nice to see you too Evelyn." He laughed, dropping the bags so he could hug her back. "As much as I'm glad that your happy to see me, Imma need you to stop squeezing me so hard or I'm going to spring a leek." He warned.
"Oh sorry." Evelyn pulled away.
"It's alright. Just had to piss for the last hour of the drive."
Angel rolled her eyes at the man like she had been doing all day. "I told you to pull over."
"Hey, I made it." He stated proudly even as he shifted his weight around. "But if you don't mind…" He gestured up the stairs before taking off.
Shaking her head, she shut the front door. "While we wait on Mr. 'Two Good for Rest Stops', I'm going to take these up to the guest room." She said grabbing her suitcase. When she turned back to look at her mother, she noticed that the woman looked a little off.
"You might want to wait on that." She gave a half smile.
"Why? It'll just get in the way down here." She said trying to figure out what was going on.
She sighed. "It's just…"
"Evelyn quit hogging Angel."
Eyes going wide, Angel looked over to see her grandmother walking into the living room. "Grandma Grace?" She cocked her head and dropped her bags. "What are you doing here?" She walked over to the woman, only to be pulled once again into a hug.
Her grandmother laughed. "Your father told us you were coming home this week, so we came to visit."
"We?"
"Hello, Angel."
Her heart fell as she looked up to see who the other half of 'we' was. "Hi, Aunt Nancy. I didn't know you were coming over." She glanced back at her mom with what she hoped came across as a smile.
"When your grandma said she was coming out to visit, I thought that I would join her, since Lexi moved out and Uncle Nathan is away for work."
"Oh, that's great." Angel had to force herself not to grit her teeth. It wasn't that she didn't love her aunt, but the woman was known for being a bit snooty and judgmental, and she didn't think that her, rough around the edges, eccentric, jeans and t-shirt wearing wrestler was going to pass the woman's test. She had hoped to warn Dean before he met her, but that plan was now gone.
"Plus, since we weren't able to make it to Easter, we can use this time to catch up. Lexi was so upset that she didn't get to see you, and that she didn't get to meet your new boyfriend, Dean was it? When I told her I was coming, I had to promise her that I would give her a full report."
And I'm sure you will. "Sounds just like Lexi." She stated just as heavy footsteps came down the stairs.
"Alright, now that I don't feel like I'm going to explode, where were we?" Dean wiped his hands off on his pants as he walked into the room.
Taking a deep breath, Angel mentally prepared herself as she watched her aunt's eyes lock onto him. Those calculated eyes flicked over Dean like he was a puzzle just waiting to be solved. Then came the look of disapproval that she was expecting.
"There he is! How have you been, Hot Buns."
Dean chuckled. "I've been good. How about you, Grace?"
Angel turned around to see the two of them embracing, and she couldn't help but feel happy that Dean had remembered her grandmothers name after only meeting her once. However, that good feeling was washed from her as she heard her aunt clear her throat.
"Aren't you going to introduce us?"
She nodded. "Dean, this is my Aunt Nancy. Aunt Nancy, this is my boyfriend, Dean."
As if on a switch, Dean's charming smile lit up his face and he stuck out his hand for the woman to shake. "Nice to meet you."
"Like wise." Angel was shocked that her aunt actually took his hand. "I've heard so much about you."
"Oh?" He rubbed the back of his neck.
"All bad things." Grandma Grace spoke up. "I wouldn't want to ruin your reputation by telling her anything good."
He stuck his tongue out through the smile. "Atta girl. I knew I liked you."
D.D.D.
"Do you really fight for a living?"
When the abrupt question came, Dean looked up from Angel's grandma and turned towards the woman standing next to his suddenly upset looking girlfriend. "Yeah, I do." He eyed up the overdressed woman. Angel's Aunt Nancy? He didn't remember meeting this one at Easter, and he would have. She looked like the business barbie doll that all the girls had when he was younger, she wore a fancy blouse, a straight skirt that stopped just above the knee, and a pair of bright red heels. He glanced around at the other women in the room before landing back at Aunt Nancy. One of these things is not like the others. He sang in his head.
"Does it pay well?"
"Nancy." Grace scolded.
"For some." He answered without hesitation. "It really depends on your contract and what company you're working for."
Nancy nodded as she looked him up and down. "Oh?"
And there it is. He sighed at the look on the woman's face. It was one that he knew oh too well, the look of disapproval.
"Speaking of fighting." Evelyn said with hesitation as she inserted herself into the conversation. "Did you get in the match?"
Turning away from Angel's aunt, he smirked. "You know it."
Evelyn's eyes widened as her face twisted into a weird half smile. "I don't know whether to be happy or nervous for you."
"Nothing to be nervous about." He winked.
"I'm guessing that this match you're talking about is important?" Grace asked. "Are you up against a tough opponent?"
"Opponents?" Angel corrected. "He's going up against six other men."
"In a ladder match!" Evelyn added. "Which is why I'm so nervous."
"Ladder match?" Aunt Nancy scoffed. "What in the world is that?"
"Well, to put it in layman's terms, it's a match where something hangs above the ring, normally a championship belt or a contract, and Superstars compete to see who can climb the ladder and get whatever said thing is. Whoever grabs it, wins it." Angel quickly explained.
"You're leaving out the part where the ladders are allowed to be used as weapons in the fight." Dean said looking her aunt right in the eyes.
"Oh!" Grace gasped. "That sounds dangerous."
"It is, but if Dean wins this match, he gets a contract that guarantees him a shot at the World Heavyweight Championship."
"And that's the reason I'm happy for him." Evelyn laughed.
"Well then, good luck." Grace gave an awkward chuckle.
"Thanks." He smiled at the woman as he caught Nancy eyeing him up again. Go ahead and look your fill. He told her wondering what part of him she was judging the hardest. Was it his hair, his growing beard that he had forgotten to shave, the hoodie with the sleeves cut off that Angel got for him, or was it the black wife beater he was wearing underneath? It was none of the above. He snickered as he watched the woman's gaze drop to his legs for the fifth time. It was his ripped jeans. He should have known. Women like her seemed to hate when he wore his old ratty jeans, but hey he just drove four hours and they were comfortable.
"It seems like we've got some catching up to do, so why don't I make some coffee and we'll sit down and chat." Evelyn clapped her hands. "But first, Dean I have a favor to ask of you."
"What do you need?" He asked politely.
"I bought some mulch…"
"Don't say another word." He rolled his shoulders. "Just tell me where it is, and where it needs to go?"
"Oh, bless you." She laughed. "It's sitting on the floor of the greenhouse, and if you could put it next to the strawberry hydrangea, that would be lovely." He blinked at the woman. "Angel will show you what I'm talking about."
"Sounds good." He turned towards Angel. "Lead the way."
Following her out of the room, through the kitchen and out into the greenhouse, he saw two bags of mulch laying on the ground. Throwing one on each shoulder he turned back to Angel and smiled. "Now, what is this strawberry something or other."
She let out a laugh as she opened the door that led into the backyard. "It's the pink and white bush." She said pointing across the yard. They both walked over to the thing and he dropped the bags. When he went to open them and pour them out, she stopped him saying that her mom would want to do the rest.
Nodding, he wiped his hands off on his pants before turning back to Angel who was staring at the ground. "Hey…"
"I'm sorry." She said quickly. "I'm sorry about my aunt."
"You don't need to be." He told her.
"I do." She took a deep breath. "She's always like that. She's judgmental and values appearances and class over most things…."
"Ah, so I'm pretty much a shock to the system for her."
"You could say that."
Not liking that she was still looking down, Dean reached out and grabbed her chin, forcing her to look up at him. "Don't worry about it, darlin'. I'm used to being judged." He chuckled. "She can hit me with her worse and it still won't break me."
"You don't know what you're asking for."
"Do I ever?" He raised a brow. "If she wants to judge me, then I might as well show her who Dean Ambrose really is, right?" He dropped her chin but only to use it to mess up his hair even more.
Angel laughed as she shook her head. "Alright, come on, my street dog."
He barked.
"Did you really just bark?"
"Yeah. What are you going to do about it?" He smirked.
She rolled her eyes and started back to the house. He barked again. As she got to the door of the greenhouse, she turned back around to face him. "Keep barking and I'll have to muzzle you."
"Kinky."
"Oh, shut up." She smacked him on the arm.
Proud of himself, he stuck out his tongue. As he walked past her, his eyes flickered down to where the dark hickey was sticking out over the collared shirt that she had picked to wear today. Just wait until Auntie sees that.
"Do you want any coffee, sweetie?" Angel's mom called as they walked into the kitchen.
"No thanks." Angel shook her head. "Do we have any cokes left?"
"We should, check in the fridge." Evelyn glanced over her shoulder. "How about you, Dean?"
"I'm good."
"How about a beer?" Angel asked from the fridge.
"That, I'll say yes to."
After gathering up their drinks, they made their way back into the dining room where Grace and Aunt 'Prissy' was sitting waiting on them. "Alright, does anyone need anything else?" Evelyn asked placing a fancy looking tray, full of anything that one would need for coffee, on the table.
"Mom, sit down."
"Yes, Evelyn relax, your daughter is home. I'm sure you rather be sitting here talking to her than waiting on us." Grace patted the chair next to her. Evelyn gave an exasperated look before sitting down. Nodding, Grace turned to look across the table at him and Angel. "So, how was your trip?"
Angel laughed. "Long."
"You came from Washington DC, right?"
He nodded. "And we were in Delaware before that."
"And Reading PA before that, and Ohio before that." They listed off their long travels.
Grace's eyes widened. "Oh wow, sounds like you two are busy, busy."
"No rest for the wicked." He winked making two of the three women across from him laugh.
"Sounds like you've been everywhere, but where do you call home?" As soon as the question left Nancy's mouth, he felt a small hand on his leg.
"Originally, Cincinnati." He answered grabbing the hand, giving it a squeeze. "But right now, I live in Las Vegas."
"Las Vegas?"
"Yeah, moved there not too long ago."
"Do you like living there?"
"I do. There's a bit of something for everyone, plus I don't mind the heat." He watched as Nancy calculated all his answers in her head and waited for the next question.
Grace took the moment to say. "Oh, I haven't been to Las Vegas in quite some time."
"You've been to Vegas, Grandma?" Angel laughed.
"I have." The woman said proudly. "I went with some friends and had a blast."
"Well if you ever want to come back down, I'll take you to some of my favorite spots." He told her.
"Oh, doesn't that sound like fun." Grace patted Evelyn's arm.
"It does, Chris and I were thinking about taking a trip."
"The more the merrier." He nodded. "Maybe with you there I can finally get this one to go to the strip." He pointed at Angel.
"You've been the Vegas, how many times, and haven't been to the strip yet?" Grace looked at her granddaughter in shock.
"Hey, there's more to do than just go to the strip." Angel defended herself. "Plus, normally we're only there for a night or two, due to work. And I would rather relax then get all dolled up and go out gambling."
"Don't worry." Dean looked Grace in the eyes. "I'll get her there someday."
A.A.A.
Angel laughed as her grandmother and Dean shared a wink like they were planning a heist.
"So, do you go to the strip often?" The laughter fell from the table as her aunt spoke up once again. "I mean since you live in Vegas, it must be tempting."
Dean shook his head. "Not really. We don't get that much time off, and like Angel said we normally get to go home one to two nights a week, with appearances, interviews, house shows, and whatnot."
"We don't even really have a full three days off this week, since we have two interviews to do; one on Thursday and one before the show on Friday." Angel added as she hoped that for once her aunt was satisfied with the answers she was getting. However, judging by the woman's face, she wasn't.
"Well, if you ever do get some time and are around New York City, you really should go visit Lexi. Her and Brandon's new place is wonderful." Nancy said with a genuine smile on her face.
"Yeah, I'll have to see when we're able to." Angel said to appease the woman. "I'm not sure when we'll be in the area though." She glanced at Dean. "I have to pick up the finalized house show schedule for the next few weeks, but I don't think New York was on the list of places we're going. Maybe after we come back from Japan."
"You're going to Japan!" Her grandma asked excitedly.
Angel nodded with the same amount of excitement. "Yep! We're going over for a few days at the beginning of July! I can't wait!"
"First the UK and now Japan, this job really does have some perks." Grace laughed. "Do these perks ever include the family."
She laughed as her grandmother wiggled her eyebrows. "I'm not sure about that, but Mom and Dad due get to check out backstage as well as sit front row for the show on Friday."
"Oh, that's exciting."
"I'm looking forward to meeting some of the Superstars." Her mom said with a slight blush. "Like your friend Roman."
"You better watch out with that one." Dean laughed. "He can be quite the lady's man."
"Oh, that's what I'm hoping for."
"Mom!"
"What?"
"I'm confused, do you have to fight your friends?" Nancy asked as she stirred her coffee.
A vacant smile came to Dean's face and she knew that he was thinking about Seth. "Sometimes. It all depends on what's happening at the time. If you're both going for the same goal, then yeah you might have to scrap a few times. And it's always every man on his own at the Royal Rumble, so there's that."
"Royal Rumble?" Angel heard her grandma ask.
"It's a thirty-man elimination match that starts with two men in the ring, then every ninety seconds another Superstar will join the fight." She explained. "The goal is to eliminate everyone else by throwing them over the top rope."
"Oh boy that sounds like a chaotic match."
"It is." Angel laughed. "People are everywhere and it's hard to keep up with what's going on." She said remembering back to Dean's twenty man battle royal. Back then, she couldn't even find Dean half the time.
"So, do you have a match on Friday that Evelyn and Chris get to watch?"
Dean nodded. "Can't have my girl's parents in the front row and not let them watch me beat the living hell out of someone."
She looked over to see the excitement that was in her mom's eyes. As much as wrestling was more of her and her dad's thing, her mom most certainly got into it. Especially now. "He's going up against Bad News Barrett."
"Oh?" Her mom cocked her head. "Isn't he one of the men in the ladder match?"
"Yeah, I'm sure that's why the Authority paired them up." She sighed. "If they have to face off on Friday, there's a chance that neither of them will be ready for Sunday."
"You don't have to worry about me." Dean said wrapping his arm around her. "Fighting BNB is far from what I would call a game changer for Sunday. I'm still going to climb that ladder and walk out with the briefcase." He spoke with the same intensity as when he gave promo's and it sent shivers down her spine.
"Goodness," She heard her grandma gasp. "So serious."
"When it comes to wrestling, always."
D.D.D.
Dean relaxed back in his chair, with one arm draped over the back of Angel's. As much as he hated talking about himself, he really enjoyed answering the questions that the three women were throwing at them. Even Aunt's Nancy's. He knew that she was trying to find his flaws, but he didn't care, he just answered honestly. It wasn't every day that non-wrestling fans tried to learn about the product.
"So Angel, what is your job exactly." Nancy asked, turning the attention to her niece.
"Well I manage both Dean and our friend Roman Reigns. Which means I'm the one who sets their out of ring schedule. I book hotel rooms, rent cars, and make sure they can get to wherever they are needed. I also, or I'm supposed to be, the one who finalizes their matches."
"Supposed to be?"
He watched as Angel's face fell. "Right now, we're in a very complicated position where most of Dean's matches are made with out my consent."
"Is that allowed?" Grace asked.
"Since the one's doing it are the principle owner and COO of the company, yes it's allowed."
"That sounds like abuse of power."
"It is." Evelyn spoke up. "Sorry, but it is. And that's not even the half of what they've been doing to them."
"Mom." Angel sighed.
"She's not wrong." Dean said rubbing Angel's back. "But hey, it is what it is. And I won't let it get me down."
"Well." Nancy cleared her throat. "It sounds like you do a lot of the behind the scenes stuff for your clients." Everyone nodded at her conclusion. "So then why do you go out to the 'ring' with Dean for his matches? Couldn't you just stay backstage and do the same job?"
"I could. But I like supporting him during his matches."
"Support? How do you support him?" Nancy asked with those calculating eyes.
"I um, cheer him on and if the match gets out of hand, I make sure he's ok."
"And that helps him?"
Dean sighed when Angel looked up at him. "I mean, I would like to think so."
Taking a deep breath, he tried to quell the anger that was starting to rise within him. He didn't need to go full Lunatic Fringe mode in Angel's family's dining room. But he couldn't help it as he watched how flustered Angel was becoming. Why was her aunt questioning her like this? Everything up until now had been aimed at him, but this was strictly hitting Angel. Why? Was she really that much of a bitch not to notice how upset her niece was getting?
"What difference does you being out there, make in him winning or losing"
"She helps more than anyone would know." He blurted out not able to stop himself. "I need her out there, she helps me keep my cool when the going gets tough. She tries to keep my head in the fight. And if it wasn't for her, there would probably be a few more tallies in the loss column for me."
Nancy turned her gaze to him. "Interesting. But doesn't her being out in the middle of your fights also put her in harm's way?" A smug look appeared on the woman's face. "Chris told me that Angel has been attacked on multiple occasions, and really got hurt by someone you call a friend."
"Called." He snarled. "Trust me, we ain't friends anymore."
"But she did get hurt."
"Yeah." He now saw where this was going.
"Wouldn't a good boyfriend want to keep her out of harm's way?"
His hands clenched under the table. "Listen, I've already had this conversation with her father. Do I want to keep her out of harm's way, of course I do."
"Then, why do you allow her to go to the ring with you."
"Because that's what I want." Angel spoke up. "Dean has tried to tell me to stay backstage, multiple times. But I want to be out there for him. I want to support him in any way that I can. And if I get hurt, well I signed a contract staying that it's on me, so we'll just use that as a point of reference."
Dean smirked as he looked up to see what Nancy thought about all that, but the woman held her poker face well.
"Geeze, when is that son of mine getting home." Grace tried to change the subject. "I am getting hungry and I do believe our reservation is for six."
"Are we going to The Capital Grille, like usual?" Angel asked as if she didn't just give a monolog.
"Of course." Nancy smiled. "Uncle Nathan will be so jealous that he couldn't make it."
"The Capital Grille, is Nancy and her husband's favorite restaurant out this way." Grace explained. "And I will say the food is pretty good."
"Pretty good? It has a five-star rating and was awarded the best steak house in Jacksonville, Philadelphia, and Orlando…" Nancy trailed off as her eyes once again looked him over.
"That sounds pretty good."
"It is." Angel nodded. "We like to go there for special occasions."
"Oh Nancy, do they have a restaurant in New York?" Evelyn asked.
"There are several." She answered. "But goodness, there are so many fine restaurants in New York that the Capital Grille isn't on our list right now."
As Nancy went on about the different places to eat in New York, Dean quickly pulled out his phone and looked up the Capital Grille. Fancy. He sighed, looking at pictures of the dining room.
"Hello family!" A voice echoed from the living room as Angel's dad Chris filled the doorway.
"Dad!" Angel jumped out of her seat before running to give her father a hug.
"Welcome home little one."
"I didn't hear you come in." Evelyn laughed as her husband leaned over to kiss her.
"I snuck in while everyone was talking." He smiled.
"I hope my family didn't talk your ear off too much, Dean."
Dean smiled at the man. "You clearly haven't had to deal with the Divas' division. Talk about chatterboxes"
"Hey." Angel put her hands on her hips. "I'm friends with some of those Divas."
"Yeah and can you really tell me I'm wrong?" He raised a brow. "One word for you, Nikki." Angel opened her mouth to say something, but nothing came. "Thought so."
"Oh! Do we get to meet the Bellas?" Evelyn clapped.
"Well, Brie's still hasn't come back yet."
Evelyn's face fell. "Oh, that's right."
"But you'll still be able to meet, Nikki and Paige. Not to mention, you get to see Renee again." Angel stated making her mom's eyes light up again.
"Renee is such as sweet girl."
A.A.A.
"Well that's enough chitchatting for now." Grandma Grace said as she pulled out of her son's arms. "Go get cleaned up, I'm starving."
"Alright, alright." Her dad said as he put his hands up. "I'll go get changed."
"I guess that means we should get cleaned up too." Angel sighed as she looked down at herself. A four-hour drive meant that comfy clothes were carefully picked out this morning, and as much as she didn't want to change into something more formal. Her sweatpants and t-shirt weren't the best things to go to a higher end restaurant in.
"Right." Dean stretched in his seat. "Time to get out of the wife beater." She could have sworn that she saw her grandmother pout at his words.
"Don't take too long, I'm not sure your grandma will make it." Her mom laughed.
"Be as quick as we can." She said as they made their way over to where their things were piled up. "Where you going?" She asked as Dean turned for the stairs.
"Up to the guest room to get changed?" He cocked his head. "I mean, I'm not shy but I'm sure your family wouldn't like it if I strip in the living room."
"My aunt and grandma have dibs on the guest room tonight."
"Oh?"
"So, we have been banished to the pull-out couch downstairs."
He looked puzzled by her words. "I don't remember there being a couch downstairs."
"Well maybe that's because someone was too busy beating himself up on the treadmill while he was down there."
"Could be." He said scooping up their bags. As they started down the steps, Dean glanced over his shoulder. "So how fancy is this place? The pictures I saw were pretty bougie."
She didn't want to know why Dean knew the word bougie. "It's not a suit and tie type of place, you should be able to get away with one of your buttoned-up shirts." She paused. "You do have one with you, right?"
"Should." He shrugged. "Well I'll be damned, there is a couch." He announced as he walked over and placed their bags on the thing.
"So, how do you like my Aunt Nancy?" She asked as he unzippered his bag and rummaged through it.
"She's something else."
"Sorry."
"Darlin' I told you not to say sorry." He looked over at her. "I was starting to get worried that your whole family seemed to like me. At least now I know that you're not from a race of overly friendly aliens or something."
She shook her head. "I still feel bad, you shouldn't have to deal with that."
"I've dealt with worse." He said pulling out a dark grey button up from his bag. She instantly realized that it was the same one he wore to their Fox 4 News interview back before Extreme Rules. And it looked like it had been in a ball in his bag since then. "Bingo!"
"I'm so glad we have an iron." She sighed.
"What, it adds character."
"You have more than enough character."
Dean smirked. "True." He glanced down at the shirt and sighed. "So, what should I do about pants?"
She pursed her lips. She was sure the man didn't have a pair of rolled up slacks to go along with the shirt, and his normal blue jeans weren't going to fly. "I hate to ask this of you, but do you still have a pair of black jeans with you?" Taking a deep breath, he looked back into his bag. Without a word, he reached in an pulled out a familiar pair of black pants. "Do you mind?" She knew he didn't want anything to do with his old ring gear, but she also knew that he wasn't going to have anything else to wear.
"Nope." He popped the 'p'. "Just point me to the iron."
"You know how to work an iron?"
"I do." She raised a brow. "Don't look at me like that. Indie coaches don't like if you show up looking like a slob."
Laughing, she walked around the gym equipment to grab the ironing board and iron from the corner. "Alright, why you do this, I'm going to head up to my room and get dressed. Since unlike you I actually do clean out my suitcase every now and then."
"Hey! It's a good thing I didn't." He called as he set up the ironing board.
Waving him off, she ran up the two flights of steps to her room where she grabbed out a pair of slacks and a nice floral-patterned blouse. When she finished getting dressed, she went down to meet everyone in the dining room.
"I was thinking, why don't we go somewhere else tonight." Her Aunt Nancy's words stopped her before she got to the room.
"Go somewhere else? But we always go to the Capital Grille." She heard her grandmother answer.
"Exactly, let's change it up."
"Where do you want to go, Nance?"
"I don't know, maybe that one place that you took Nate and I too. You know, that one on the South Side."
"Fat Head's?" Her dad asked. "You hated that place."
"I didn't hate it."
"You said if you ever wanted to eat slop again, you would rather kill someone and go to jail then go back."
A loud sigh came from the room. "I just think that maybe the Capital Grille is a little too fancy for tonight. I mean, Angel and Dean just got here, they probably don't want to get all dressed up to go out."
"Nancy." Her father said with a warning tone. "This better not be about what I think it is."
"What? I'm just saying that maybe somewhere like Fat Head's would be more fitting."
"More fitting for what?" Her dad said in a tone that she had only heard when she did something wrong. "Or should I say, who?"
"Chris."
Angel propped her shoulder on the wall as she listened to the two 'adults' bicker. She knew what was going on. Her aunt was embarrassed about the idea of taking Dean to somewhere like the Capital Grille and is trying to weasel her way out of it without sounding like the bad guy and her father wasn't taking any of his sisters crap.
As she decided whether or not to pop out of her hiding space, she heard Dean walking up behind her. "What's going on?" He whispered into her ear.
"My dad and aunt are fighting about where we're going to eat."
"I thought we were going to that place your aunt was raving about."
"Yeah well," Angel turned towards the man, and her jaw hit the floor. Her boyfriend, WWE Superstar Dean Ambrose, was standing behind her in his grey buttoned-up shirt and black jeans, looking fit as can be. And to top it off his hair was brushed.
"Careful, darlin'." His voice was low. "You keep staring at me like that and we're not going anywhere."
Her face went stark hot and her eyes snapped right to the floor, landing on his combat boots. "You look good."
"You do too." He chuckled. "I think this is the first time I've ever seen you in something like this."
She looked up at him and thought back on their time together, only to realize that it wasn't. She was wearing a nice blouse when she first met him, and when Stephanie put her with the Shield, but she understood why he wouldn't remember that.
"Sorry that I thought our guest would prefer to go to a casual place where he can have a burger and fries." Angel frowned as her aunt's voice rose.
She felt Dean clap her on the shoulder as he rounded into the dining room. "Nancy, you don't have to worry about me. I'm down to try this Capital Grille place."
Angel walked into the room behind him, to see that everyone was looking at him the same way she did just moments before.
"Oh my." Her grandma blushed.
"You clean up nicely."
"So, I've been told." He smirked.
Stepping up next to Dean, she saw a smile appear on her dad's face as he turned towards his sister, who was standing there with her arms crossed, looking at Dean like she couldn't believe what she was seeing. "So, Nance, still want to go to Fat Head's?"
The woman cleared her throat and shifted in her spot. "If Dean wants to go to Capital Grille then that's fine with me."
…
"They have steak and a full bar; I could get used to this place." Dean laughed after ordering his Jack and Coke, light on the Coke.
"Would you like anything, ma'am?" Angel blinked as the waiter turned towards her.
"Oh um." She thought about it. After the last couple of days she had, it was temping.
"Just get a Long Island, baby." Dean told her.
"That sounds good." She smiled up at the waiter.
"I'll be right back with your drinks." He said walking off.
"Since when did you start drinking?"
"Nancy, don't start." Her grandma warned. "We are hear as a family to have a nice dinner."
"I know." Nancy sighed. "It's just the last time I saw her, she said she wasn't a big drinker."
"Still not." She sighed, even though she did drink a lot more now that she worked for the WWE. "Just like to wind down with a Long Island every now and then."
"So, Dean," Her father started. "Don't worry about any of the numbers on the side. We don't do this often, so order whatever you want."
"Don't tell me that." Dean said fiddling with the cuffs on his shirt. "I could probably clear out the kitchen."
"I'm sure." Grace laughed. "You need all that to fuel those muscles, Hot Buns."
"Grace dear, I'm not sure if you're talking about my arms or…"
"Sure, your arms." Everyone but Aunt Nancy laughed.
The waiter came around with their drinks and asked if they wanted any appetizers.
"And order of the Prosciutto." Her dad was the one to speak up. "Anyone else want anything?" He glanced around at the table. "Dean?"
"The calamari with hot cheery peppers sounds good."
"It does." Her dad nodded. "An order of that too, please."
Angel wrinkled her nose as the waiter walked away to put in their appetizer order. "What? You don't like calamari?" Dean gasped.
She shook her head. "I've never had it but I'm not really a seafood person."
"Good, god. I don't know if this relationship is going to work."
"Well if this is what ended it, it's been good." She teased back.
He dramatically turned towards her grandma. "Do you like seafood?"
"I do."
"You single? Because I just got out of a relationship."
"Dean." She gave him a playful smack. "Really? We break up and you go for my grandmother."
"At least she likes seafood." He said, to which Angel gave a fake pout. "Damn darlin'." He quickly wrapped his arm around her and pulled her in so he could kiss the top of her head. "And I thought that Roman was whipped."
When she stuck her tongue out at him, she realized that the whole table was watching them. Blushing, she pushed against him a bit, making him let her go. As she turned her attention to the menu, the conversation started back up and thank god it wasn't aimed at her or Dean at the moment.
However, as they talked, Angel noticed her Aunt was growing more and more irritated and she wasn't sure why. But she didn't have to wonder for long as the woman quickly let the entire table know. "Sorry, Evelyn." Nancy put her hand up stopping Angel's mother who was talking about a day at work. Slowly she turned towards Dean, who looked back at the woman like he was a dog getting yelled at about something he didn't understand. "Can you not?"
"I'm sorry?"
"Didn't anyone ever tell you that it's rude to chomp your gum."
Angel watched as Dean moved the piece of gum around in his mouth. "Shit," He cursed making her aunt groan. "Sorry, I didn't even realize I was doing it."
"Well if you can't control yourself, why don't you go spit it out."
Dean quickly popped the piece of gum into the empty wrapper that was sitting next to his glass and wadded it up before placing it back on the table. Knowing that it was going to bother her that Dean didn't go to the bathroom to spit it out, Angel's eyes flew to her aunt and she wondered if the woman was going to burst a gasket. But she didn't say a word.
After that, everything seemed to be fine for a while, the waiter came and got their order, and the conversation when to Aunt Nancy's newest big hit client that she bagged for her company. That was until Dean excused himself to the bathroom after downing the rest of his drink.
A loud sigh came from her Aunt and Angel knew this was it. This was the moment she had been waiting for all night. "Something wrong Aunt Nancy?" She said poking the bear.
The woman's eyes flashed to her. "Do I even have to say it?"
"I don't know what you're talking about?" She lied. "I thought we were having a nice family dinner."
The woman shook her head. "I'm sorry Angel but I really think you need to reconsider your options." She started to rant, getting louder with each word. "Because that is not the best you can do." She pointed toward the bathrooms. "He's unkempt, foul mouthed, and seems to me a bad influence," She made a big show of gesturing to her own neck, and without a second thought Angel knew the lady was talking about the hickey she was sporting. "he's rude; chomping away at his gum and tapping on his glass without a care in the world, while we're sitting at a nice restaurant trying to have a meal. Just think of everyone else who had to sit here and listen to that. And that's just what I've noticed since we got here. You don't even want to get me started on his first impressions and what he does for a career. Who on Earth makes a living off something as barbaric as fighting for amusement?"
The entire dining room went quiet and Angel just sat there staring at her aunt with a blank face, even as anger rose with in her. "Are you done?" She said in an even tone.
"Oh, I could go on."
"I'm sure you could." Angel nodded. "But I'm going to stop you there. Because you don't even know him or what kind of man he is. Yeah so what, he wrestles for a living. At least he had the ambition and drive to go out there and do what he wants. He achieved his goals, not everyone can say that. And I don't care what you think about the sport, but you don't get to bad mouth it in front of me, because day in and day out I watch as men and woman put their bodies on the line for the entertainment of people of all ages. As much as you don't want to believe it, Dean is a hero to some people, they look up to him, love him. Hell, a couple of days ago, we met this little girl, she was so cute, and she had the biggest crush on Dean. He was so sweet and kind to her, and it made her day. The man is the farthest thing from rude, he can be a little hard to handle, a little 'eccentric' at times, but rude he is not." She paused thinking of all the examples of Dean being selfless. "When I was hurt by someone we work with, he came running out to help me. He chased the guy back, followed the medics to make sure I was ok, and then volunteered the help me back to the hotel. I didn't even know him at the time. He has done so much for me, so I won't stand around and let you call him rude." She took a breath, trying to keep her voice low and quiet. "As for everything else, you have to remember that not everyone is the same as you. Not everyone values appearance and class the way you do. And I happen to love the way he looks and dresses." She gave the woman a sour smile. "Oh, and I want to point out that you've been so worried about how people will look at Dean, that you didn't notice that no one cared about what he was doing. You're the one who ended up making a scene."
When she stopped talking, she looked around at the table before saying sorry and turning her attention to the drink in front of her. She was ready for the lecture that she knew was on its way, but it never came. In fact, no one said a thing until Dean got back from the bathroom. It was like they didn't want him to know what had just gone down. Even her aunt seemed to act as if nothing happened. Which was perfectly fine with her, Dean didn't need to know that the whole restaurant knew that her aunt didn't like him.
…
"Everything good here?" The waiter asked as he passed with a big pitcher of water.
"Yes, in fact, can I get the check?" Her dad answered.
The waiter shook his head. "It's already been taken care of."
"What do you mean it's been taken care of?"
"Your bill has already been paid." The man smiled as he walked off to do his job.
Someone had paid their bill? Angel glanced around the table to see that everyone looked just as puzzled as she did, everyone but Dean. He didn't, did he? She reached out and tapped him on the arm, and he turned to her with an innocent look. "Did you?"
"Did I what?" He said, and she knew instantly that he had been the one to pay for their meals.
"How? When…" She thought about how it was possible for him to do it without everyone noticing. She gasped. "When you went to the bathroom."
"What about it?" He played dumb.
From across the table, she noticed that her mom seemed to catch onto the conversation, as she gave the man a look of appreciation. "You didn't have to do that."
He winked at her.
Angel chuckled at herself as she realized how fitting it was that Dean had gone and payed for their meals while her aunt ran his character down.
As they gathered up their things and made their way out of the restaurant, she grabbed onto Dean's arm and hugged it close to her.
"Everything ok?" He glanced down.
"Yep." She nodded. He pulled his arm out of her grasp, only to wrap it around her shoulders and bring her into his warm chest.
"I wonder who the sweet person was that paid for our meal." Her grandma said as they made their way to the garage that they had parked in. "It couldn't have been cheap."
"Yeah." Angel looked up at Dean. "It was very sweet of them."
"Eh." He shrugged.
When they finally made it to where they parked, her and Dean got into her car, while everyone else piled into her father's. As soon as the doors closed, Angel leaned over the center console and pulled Dean into a kiss.
"Wow." He smirked when she pulled back. "Warn a guy next time."
"You really didn't need to do that."
"I know."
Samcoo 12: I'm so glad that you liked the last chapter! I'm trying to make them longer and put little random scenes in but I feel like I'm jumping around. So I'm so glad that you liked it. I did send a message but I guess you didn't get it. No big deal, we've already talked about what was in it. Thanks again!
Labinnaclove: They are so cute together, aren't they. Lol, oh and thanks for the follow on Tumblr, makes me feel like I have to keep up with everything over there. I'll be posting a new picture here soon and another answer to the AMA, so stay tuned.
Silentmayhem: I love those little things as well, I love writing little moments that is normal like Dean kissing her forehead, it's a normal reaction and it happens all the time in relationships but since it's them it seems so much more cute. Putting Dean in a chain, that's a wonderful thought, lol.
Katara Melody Cullen: I'm so glad that you liked the chapter, oh my god Mary was the sweetest thing wasn't she. I would die if i was Mary and my crush did that too me. The photoshoot was fun but tricky to write, so I'm glad you liked it as well. I hope I'm showing that Dean still has all that anger inside of him even if he's happy with Angel.
Canadice: I'm so glad you like the story! It's hard to give you more then just what's going on in the show, because that pretty much the main chunk of their lives, but I did agree with you that I felt like they needed some time away from it all, so I hope you like this chapter...and I promise you'll like the next one.
Sonia: Hey, Hey! I will always answer questions! I'm writing the answer to your other one right now! YAY. I'm so glad that you like the chapter it means a lot.
BrookWorm3: I am so jealous! I've been to a few shows...Most of them being when Dean was out because of his arm. I went to a house show, Extreme Rules, the Shield's farewell (You can see me on TV) and an episode of AEW. But I haven't seen them outside of the shows. Lol.
MarshWolffe: Always free! I'm so lad you liked the chapter.