The Plan

Chapter 34: Survivor Series Part 1

Dominik had been antsy and running off pure adrenaline since the moment he opened his eyes Saturday morning. He could barely sleep and ended up waking up way earlier than normal so he went to the gym to prepare himself for the biggest match of his career and work off some of the excess energy and nerves he was feeling.

Today was the day; the day he got his life back, the day he would shock the world and show everyone just how they wrong they were for ever underestimating him.

By the time he arrived at the arena with Liv he was focused, calm, quiet, and his confidence unshakable. Everyone was so sure that his match versus Gunther was just going to be a quick squash match so they were opening the show. Dominik wasn't deterred by this, he knew he was about to put on the best damn performance of his life and he wasn't going to let the backstage whispers from people who never took him seriously to begin with get in his head.

Liv was in her own little world, humming to herself without a care as she started prepping her gear in the locker room. Dominik sat on the bench, already dressed for his match, rolling his shoulders and flexing his fingers, tuning out everything around him.

He was so in the zone he almost didn't feel his phone buzz beside him. He glanced over and his eyes furrowed slightly as he read the screen.

DP: Hey can you slip away for a sec? Its an emergency Rhea needs you

Dominik glanced up at Liv while she laid out the final pieces of her gear across the bench. He had to think of an excuse quickly that wouldn't have her asking too many questions.

"Princesa," He called out.

"Hmm?"

"Tonight's a big night and you haven't saged the locker room yet."

Liv gasped. "Oh my god, you're right!" She suddenly remembered as she immediately started digging through her bag looking for her sage. "Ugh I don't know what I would do without you, the vibes for tonight were almost ruined!"

Dominik gave her a quick smile before standing to his feet. "You know the smoke irritates my eyes so I'll go do a lap around the arena so you can focus on getting the negative energy out of here. Be back in a bit." Liv just nodded in agreement as Dominik kissed her hair and walked out of the locker room.

He moved quickly throughout the halls, glancing over his shoulder every once in a while as he got closer to Rhea's locker room. When he was sure the coast was clear, he knocked softly before going inside.

Rhea was sitting on the bench with her head bowed and her breathing erratic. It put Dominik on high alert in an instant.

Damian approached him with a hushed voice.

"It's bad man, she's freaking out." He revealed. "I've been trying to help, but I think I'm just making it worse." Damian glanced over his shoulder at Rhea whose shoulders were visibly shaking as she gripped onto the bench so tightly her knuckles were white. "She needs you."

Dominik was barely listening to Damian as he gently shoved past him to approach Rhea. He crouched down to his knees in front of her and pried her hands off the bench to interlock their fingers.

Her fingers were ice cold and twitching restlessly in his hands. It made Dominik's chest tighten.

Rhea was a lot of things; unrelenting, powerful, dominant, and fearless. But underneath it all, she was still a person who could overthink herself into a frenzy and struggled with her anxiety getting the best of her at the worst of times.

This was Rhea. His Rhea. And she was falling apart.

Dominik had only seen her like this a handful of times, and it was typically before she had a big match like tonight, so he already knew what to do.