Split

Panicking

It's Smackdown day and Emma hasn't spoken to either Rhea or Demi all day. It wasn't for lack of trying, she just can't get an answer to her messages or calls. She doesn't understand what she did wrong. Replaying the day over and over in her mind, she can't figure it out. One minute she was being eaten out in the truck, the next minute Demi comes out of the bathroom looking heartbroken. Was it something she said?

Unsure if Rhea, or even Demi, still wanted her at Smackdown, Emma texted management and offered to work it tonight. They accepted gratefully and she arrived early to be let in.

Now the show is getting ready to start and she's almost finished making her rounds. She checks off another name before looking down at her clipboard and finding all she has left to check off is Rhea. Emma takes a deep breath and finds The Judgment Day dressing room. She goes to knock but hears a commotion inside. Things being knocked over and someone crying.

Emma quickly opens the door and is shocked at what she sees.

"Princesa..it's okay..we've got you." Damian says.

Demi is dressed in her outfit for the show, but she has no makeup on and her hair is a mess. She's sobbing uncontrollably, her breath catching in her throat and she's throwing things around.

Damian, Dom and Finn are all standing around her, Damian trying to pull her into a hug, Dom trying to hand her a Kleenex and Finn trying to give her encouraging words.

None of it is working, it's only making her freak out more.

"Stop! Just stop!" She screams before sinking down the wall, pulling her knees to her chest and dropping her head into her hands.

"Guys give her some room." Emma says quietly.

The guys all look at her as she sets her clipboard down on the floor by the door and walks over. She kneels down next to Demi, who's still sobbing.

"Will you let me help you?" She asks softly.

"Go away!" She shouts through her hands.

"Demi let Emma help you." Damian speaks up.

Demi just continues to cry, her body trembling as she does.

"Dom, Finn, out." Damian says, "Go on." He adds as they start to protest.

Dom and Finn leave the room, shutting the door behind them. Emma reaches out to Demi and gently places a hand on her arm. Demi slowly puts her arms down, revealing an extremely red face and puffy eyes from crying so much. She doesn't look up at Emma.

"Can you go lay on the couch for me?" Emma asks.

Demi slowly stands and makes her way to the couch. Emma follows her as she lies down and sits next to her.  Damian sits in the chair by the vanity and watches silently.

"I-I can't breathe." Demi says, panicking still.

"Roll onto your stomach." Emma speaks, her voice soft.

Demi turns onto her stomach and cries into the couch, her body still trembling as Emma lies next to her on her side. She reaches out and unties the back of Demi's tank top, letting the straps fall off her back.

Damian goes to say something but stops when Emma gently places her hand on Demi's back. She starts trailing a finger around it, drawing different shapes and patterns on her back.

They stay there, none of them speaking and Emma drawing lightly on Demi's back until her cries slowly let up and her breathing starts to return to normal. She sniffles a little before looking up at Emma finally.

Emma looks back at her worriedly, sadly, until she's suddenly pushed off the couch. She gasps and hits her head on the coffee table. Grabbing her head, Emma looks up at the angry eyes staring back at her.

"Get the fuck out!" Rhea shouts.

"R-Rhea.." Emma says but winces at the pain in her skull.

Damian rushes over to her and gently grabs her head to check on it. There's blood coming from the back of it but Emma is too focused on Rhea to care.

"Go! Get out and stay the fuck away!!" Rhea yells as she sits up, tying the straps of her top again.

"Rhea please I-" Emma starts but is cut off.

"No! You're just going to break her fucking heart in the end so go! Get out!" Rhea screams.

"That's enough Rhea! Stop!" Damian shouts back as he helps Emma to her feet.

Emma feels tears stinging her own eyes now. Partially from the pain radiating through her head, but also the pain aching in her heart. She grabs her head where Damian was holding it and rushes out of the room, going to the medics on standby.

As they check her out and stitch her up, Emma cries. Not at the pain from the stitches, but the pain of not knowing how she screwed up such a good thing.