Flames

Burned, part 2

"So Sasha goes on a break and gets a dog and a title shot out of the deal." Becky tapped her script on her leg as Seth flipped through his. "I clearly need to stay away longer."

Seth planted a quick kiss on her cheek. "You got an engagement ring, unless that doesn't count for anything. I can take it back and we can go adopt a dog instead. . . ."

Becky wagged a finger at him, holding her left hand out of his reach. She would take her ring off before she went out into the arena, but she fully planned on keeping it on for every single second she could. Her ears were still ringing from all the delighted squeals in the women's locker room when she arrived, and she was fairly certain she had never been hugged so many times in one day, not even during the six-hour meet and greet. "Oh, no, no, no. Don't you even think about that. I want a dog in addition to my ring, thank you. Plus a title shot."

"You already have Red," Seth pointed out. He looked as tired as she felt. Their time in Hawaii had been glorious and as much as Becky loved wrestling, she dreaded getting on the plane to the mainland. "You planning on teaming up with Bayley and going for the Women's Tag titles?"

"Funny you should mention that." Grinning, Bayley ran towards them, holding up the SmackDown Women's Championship. Becky rose and they clinked the belts together like champagne glasses before hugging. "I'm guessing he hasn't read your parts yet?"

Becky shook her head. "Apparently there's going to be a 'Women's Champions Showcase'," she said when Seth gave her a confused look. "Me and Bayley against Alexa and Nikki. No titles on the line, though."

Seth's eyebrows rose in appreciation. "Nice. Should be a good match. And at least you don't have to worry about Sasha hitting you with a chair again."

Bayley and Becky shared a glance. "Yeah. About that. . . ." Becky instinctively reached around and poked her back. The sunburn was still tender, but at least the flaking stage had passed. The costume department had worked some last-minute wonders and found a thin aloe-infused gauze she could wear under her top that would help protect her still-sensitive skin. "I'm getting the sequel tonight." She purposefully didn't look over at Bayley.

"Seriously?" Seth shook his head. "Why can't they just let you two fight?"

"Because it's not just from Sasha. . . ." Becky folded the straps of her belt in and set the title on her lap, letting her fingers trace over her logo on the side plates.

Bayley spread her arms wide as if she were about to give Becky another hug. "It's from me too!"

"Seriously?" Seth paged forward in his script and when he couldn't find Becky's segments quick enough, he grabbed her pages instead and zeroed in on the highlighted portions. "So much for the Four Horsewomen reuniting any time soon. . . . "

Becky shrugged and pulled her script away from him. "Who knows? Maybe if Andrade wins King of the Ring, Queen Charlotte will smile upon her dutiful peasants and take pity on me." Then she looked over at Bayley again. "My sunburn's still healing, so take it easy, yeah?"

"And no head shots." Seth's eyes had darkened enough that Bayley took a step back and raised her hands in surrender. After Bayley sped through her goodbyes, Seth slung an arm around Becky's shoulders. "So you get to be the lone wolf for a while. . . ."

"Nothing new, really." Becky tried to keep her voice neutral. She was thrilled that Sasha was back and that Bayley was getting more opportunities, but she would be lying if she said she didn't miss the camaraderie of the Four Horsewomen. "But you've got your own beatdown to prepare for," she said, kissing him as she stood, "so I'm going to get my sunburn checked by Medical before I get dressed and then wander for a bit."

She never willingly went to Medical and Seth knew it, but he also clearly saw that she needed some time to herself, because he didn't ask or offer to come along. "Sure. Catch you later."

Becky veered away from Medical as soon as she could, finding an empty corridor where she could pace. Over the past year, she had built herself up and got herself over to a degree even she hadn't imagined; now she could help others do the same. She could help Bayley achieve the heel turn that had fallen flat during her feud with Sasha last year. Staying at the top and holding a title indefinitely was impossible—at least for people who weren't Brock Lesnar or Ronda Rousey—but that didn't mean she had to fade into obscurity either. It just wasn't a journey she envisioned making alone; Becky had figured she would stay friends in character with at least one of the Four Horsewomen, but it was looking increasingly unlikely.

The night both sped by and felt as slow as sludge. Having Sasha come out during her initial spot had been electric; it almost made Becky feel like a fan again. But that enthusiasm could only lift her so much. Once it came time for her beatdown, she tried to focus on the fan reactions, fighting not to smile at the huge pop when Bayley started hitting her with the chair. It was almost like SummerSlam 2018 all over again, just on the receiving side of the beating, but it didn't take long for the boos to take over. Fan reaction was all over the place; she didn't envy Creative for trying to navigate it, and she definitely didn't look forward to potentially cringe-worthy spots she and Bayley and Sasha were going to have in the coming weeks.

After the cameras went off and Seth came out to check on her, Becky felt a strange twinge of guilt for not having her ring on. She hadn't even had it for two weeks, but her hand already looked strange to her without it. "I'm fine," she muttered, bowing her head so her ponytail could shield her face from view as she started to storm up the ramp. Seth was either acting up a storm or he was legitimately concerned, because he kept reaching for her. She didn't turn around until she was beyond the curtains, past the gorilla position, and far away from any cameras. "I'm fi—"

"You're going to Medical." Seth didn't push her; instead he did the opposite, standing firm in her way until she sighed. "Humour me. Please." He pressed his forehead to hers, cupping a hand around her head.

"Do I get a dog?" Becky figured it was worth a shot. Since they were still bouncing between California and Davenport, though, she knew that would have to wait.

Seth's expression was caught somewhere between worry and exasperation. "A stuffed one. But it doesn't sleep in the bed. The belt was bad enough."

Becky cracked a smile. "You're just lucky I've never had three belts at once." She wrapped her arms around him and focused on his heartbeat for a few moments.

"Yet." Seth bent to kiss her head. "Come on. I have a dark match, and I'm not going out until you're cleared. Or at least until I know you're in Medical and actually going to get looked at."

"I will. Promise." Becky twined her fingers with his, smiling as he instinctively ran a fingertip along where her ring should be. "And I'll listen to the doctor and all that."

Seth still insisted on walking her to the office, even when a harried tech ran up and told him he was up soon. "Don't let her trick you," he warned the doctor. "I know for a fact she had some bruises from last time."

"Hush, you. Go beat up Baron Corbin for the millionth time already. I'll be here." Becky couldn't help smiling as he kissed her one last time and then left. Earlier she had been feeling like she was on her journey alone, but she knew better. It was just that the path and who she was travelling it with had changed, and she was changing with it. Sasha might have been an emo-lyric butterfly with her cocoon, but Becky was a phoenix and her flames were still burning.