"Some of the guys have asked me to go out with them tonight," Seth said.
"Okay," Jaya said.
"No girls allowed. Their rule," he said.

She knew he most likely had not put up any fight with that rule. She wouldn't even be surprised if he had come up with it. She hated he referred to her and other adult women as girls but she never argued about it. Arguing with him was impossible. He was never going to admit fault to anything.

"Can you catch a ride with someone else?" He asked.
"Yeah, no problem," she answered. "Have fun tonight."
"I will," he said.

He leaned down and kissed her cheek.

"I'll see you later. Don't wait up," he said.

She nodded and walked away from him. She walked outside and her face lit up when she saw Dean in the process of putting his bag in his trunk. She hurried over to him and threw her bag in the trunk too. He turned his head and smiled at her.

"I need a ride," she said.
"I figured," he chuckled. "Does Seth know?"
"He told me to catch a ride with someone else," she said.
"I'm sure he meant one of the other women," he said.
"He should have specified that but he didn't so I'm riding with you," she said. "Unless you don't want me to for some reason."

He grinned and closed the trunk.

"Get in," he said.

They got into his car and drove away from the arena. He turned the volume of the music down so they could talk over it. It seemed so natural and right to have her in his car. As if they were a real couple traveling together.

"How have you been since last time we talked?" He asked.
"Since you fucked my brains out yesterday morning?" She asked. "I've been good. Really fucking good, Dean."

He turned his head and was met by her grin. He grinned back and winked at her before turning his eyes back to the road.

"So, do you read everyone's wikipedia or were you curious about me?" He asked.
"I wanted to know whatever I could about you," she answered honestly.
"Anything good in there?" He asked.
"Is it true you were kidnapped by three wild lions that kept you in a cave as their personal human slave?" She asked.
"It says that?" He asked surprised.
"No," she laughed. "It's just the usual stuff in there. Name, age, birthplace, etceterra."

He looked over at her and smiled at her laughter. In that moment she seemed happy. He loved that he had that effect on her.

"How did you end up with Seth?" He asked.
"Vince," she answered.
"Did he set you guys up on a blind date?" He asked.
"No, he told me to date him," she said.
"Told you?" He asked. "As in forced you?"
"If that's the word you wanna call it. I was told to date him or I'd find myself homeless and out of a job."
"What the fuck?" He asked.

She sighed and looked out at the trees passing by for a few seconds. He turned the music off. He needed his full concentration to be on her.

"Vince is a narcissist," she said.
"Everyone knows that," he said.
"So is my mother so you can imagine I didn't have the best time growing up," she said.
"I'm sorry," he said.
"Vince paid child support and I was allowed to go to the arena whenever WWE traveled through town. That's the only times I saw him. I had to sit there and be quiet while he worked but I took it all in. The wrestlers always treated me kindly so I found someone to talk to. Most of them answered my questions about the business. When I was 17, my mother decided she had enough raising me. She drove me to the arena with a bag of clothes and told me to figure it out. I had to beg Vince to take me with him. It wasn't until Undertaker of all people told Vince to be my fucking father that Vince caved and brought me home with him," she said.
"Undertaker has that effect on people," he said.

She looked over at him and he turned his head to give her a little smile. There was nothing to smile about with her story but he just wanted to make her happy somehow.

"Vince owns the house I live in. I can't kick Seth out and he can't kick me out either. Vince has this idea of me and Seth taking over the business. He trusts Seth. That's why he chose him. If I break up with Seth, Vince will take everything away from me," she said.
"He can't take the money you've already earned," he said.
"You know just as well as me that women don't make half of what men make in that business," she said.
"So? Do you need a fucking mansion?" He asked. "Find a place to start over and move everything of yours out of the house before telling Seth you're over."
"I'll lose my job," she said.
"You're an amazing wrestler, and you're a McMahon. Everyone will jump on the opportunity to hire you just so they can put you on tv and stick it to Vince," he said.
"So I'm nothing but a pawn in their game?" She asked.
"You're so much more than that and you know it," he said.

He meant every word. She was worth so much more than what she gave herself credit for.

"You deserve to be happy, Jaya," he said. "You don't owe Vince or Seth anything. You know that, right?"
"You seem to care a lot about my happiness," she said.
"I do," he said.
"What about you? Can I ask you questions about your life or are you the only one allowed to ask about mine?" She asked.

He had a feeling he might not like what was on her mind but he didn't want to keep any secrets from her. When it came to her, he wanted to be as transparent as he could.

"You can ask me anything," he said.

She kept quiet for 10 long seconds. He was about to open his mouth again when she finally spoke.

"When you all signed to NXT, I was already on the main roster. I've been there since I was 18," she said.
"I know," he said.
"When you got called up, everyone knew they had just witnessed something special. Magical even. You were about to change the entire industry and we all loved the ride you took us on. You delivered every promo and every match with such intensity and passion. I remember watching you and thinking, damn, that man is something else. What I wouldn't give for a night with him," she said.
"Go on," he smirked.
"Over the years that passion has slowly faded from your voice. Most people haven't caught on but I see it. The fire in your eyes isn't there anymore. You've changed," she said.

He swallowed nervously. She turned her head to look at him again.

"Where did that passion go, Dean?" She asked.
"I don't know," he said.
"Are you happy?" She asked.
"I don't know," he repeated.
"Don't you think you deserve to be happy too?" She asked.

He pulled over and looked at her.

"I don't know," he said for a third time. "What I do know is that I feel happy when I'm around you, and I get the feeling you feel the same way around me. I've never heard you laugh before until recently. I hadn't thought about it before until I actually heard you laugh. It's the most beautiful sound in the world."
"I do," she said. "You make me feel happy."

He leaned over and kissed her.

"Leave him," he said.
"I can't," she said. "Not right now."

He nodded and leaned back in his seat. He looked out at the road ahead but didn't start driving again.

"I'm being honest with you, Dean. All my life I've had to pretend to be someone I'm not. I don't know who I am or what I want. I don't even know if I like myself," she said.
"Don't say that," he said.
"But it's true. I have no fucking clue about anything when it comes to myself. All my life I've been told what to do, where to go, how to act, what to feel. I've never been allowed to be myself until I met you," she said.

He looked at her again. He could see her eyes were wet but she fought bravely to not cry in front of him.

"I can't make you any promises. I understand if that's not something you want to deal with. Walk away and I won't be mad," she said.
"I don't want to," he said.
"This is what you're gonna get for now. Sneaking around and nothing else. I can't tell you how this will end because I don't know. I just don't know, Dean. You need to figure out if that's something you're willing to take a chance on. All I can give you is this right here and now. I can't promise you tomorrow," she said.

He leaned over and kissed her again.

"I can't fucking walk away, angel," he said softly. "I don't care if it takes years or if I'll have to wait for Vince to die. I'm not going anywhere."