Broken Handcuffs [III]

xxxi.

It was an extremely rare moment that she was able to be outside for a while. It was around sunset and raining, but Leah took advantage of Phil napping and decided to go for a drive. She didn't really know her way around that well since she'd mostly been at Phil's place, but remembered this lovely restaurant with a beautiful view of the city and she wanted to see the rest of the sunset from there.

She kept a low profile but wasn't obvious about it as she pulled into the parking lot. It wasn't as packed because of the weather and she was grateful for it. Leah knew there were wrestling fans all in Chicago but something told her she'd be okay doing this one thing for herself. She regretted listening to that something when she was immediately stopped on the way inside.

"Oy!"

Leah kept walking, hoping the person wasn't addressing her and almost made it to the restaurant door when a wet hand slammed the door back shut.

"Hey, is this how you treat a soaked man in the rain?" She frowned, turning her eyes up and seeing a very familiar face.

"Finn?"

He smiled that signature grin, all teeth and barely any eyes but he was soaking wet underneath his small hoodie, "I didn't know it was gonna downpour like this. I would've brought an umbrella!"

"How did you know I was gonna be here?"

"Don't worry, no one else knows but me. I took extra steps making sure I wasn't being tailed." He nodded to reassure her. "Can we see about gettin' me dry? I'm technically still on tour and would hate to get sick!"

"Oh! Right, sure."

Although Finn was overall trustworthy and a little bit creepy for knowing exactly where she was, Leah couldn't have him knowing that she was staying with Phil. Where could she take him? She didn't know of any hotels nearby either.

"Well? People are staring at us inside, y'know. Are you gonna take me with you?" He gestured to some of the customers who were watching on in apt attention.

"Shit! They recognize you!" Leah hurried and pushed Finn towards Phil's car, not worrying about the fact that the man was a walking waterfall at the moment, "Get in and keep your head down!" He just followed instructions in silence and Leah's hopes of watching the sunset alone are crushed.

The car ride is silent: one reason being that although Leah had questions for Finn she needed to find a place to take him that wasn't Phil's.

"I'm staying with a friend down here. Booking a hotel was too much of a risk. Here's the address." All Leah took was a quick glance and she knew he knew. "Just take me to Phil, will ya'?"

"How the hell do you know all of this? How did you know where to find me?"

Fergal shivers even though Leah had the heat on full blast, the cold weight of his clothes chilling him to the bone. "It wasn't easy at all finding you, but I started keeping a closer eye on you during the Women's War. I originally did it because Cass told me to and we're NXT family, so it's a given."

"Originally? So what about now?"

He looked over at her, "I don't like seeing you hurt anymore." She caught the rare loaded look and sighed as she turned back towards the road.

"Look, Ferg—"

"No, no, no. Don't wanna hear the whole friends talk. Not again." He resorted to looking out of his window. "No matter what I'm still gonna look out for you."

"And I appreciate that, I really do." She bites her lip, "But you know how I feel about Nicole. Hell I think everyone does after Wrestlemania. I just don't want to give you—"