______________________________________________________
"No offense - I know you were with him for six years, Amy - but I don't know *what* she sees in him." Trish's words were sharp as she and Amy drove back to the airport together. They had just parted ways with Ashley, the blonde catching a ride to the airport with her good buddy Carlito.
"None taken," the redhead replied honestly. She glanced at her friend as the Canadian diva steered the rental car. "I mean, why do you think I left him? Why do you think I fell in love with Adam?" But as soon as the second question left her lips, she knew that hadn't been because of Matt. Sure, his ridiculous possessiveness, verbal and emotional abuse and uncaring, nonchalant attitude had helped her along in that area, but the truth was, she'd always had feelings for the blond man.
Trish nodded.
"Exactly my point," she said. She smirked. "I'm actually glad Ash got a ride with Carly."
The redhead got the point immediately.
"You know something I don't, Trish?"
"Probably not," the Canadian replied with a slight shrug. "Unless you haven't noticed a spark between the two of them."
"I have," Amy admitted. "Adam and I saw them together in catering a few weeks back and even talked about that."
The blonde shrugged.
"John and I did, too. But I don't think anything will come of it. Ashley seems too loyal to Matt." She said a bit more, her gaze staying on the road as she drove, but after a few minutes, when her friend didn't reply, Trish turned her head.
"Amy? Hey... Amy!"
The redhead snapped back to reality.
"What? Oh, sorry."
"It's okay. What was that all about?"
The taller woman fixed an intense gaze on her firend.
"Trish, can I tell you something? But you have to promise me you won't say a word to Adam..."
"Sure." The blonde gave her a confused glance.
"*Or* to John," Amy continued. She hated having to say that, but she *had* to throw it in. She knew Trish loved to gossip, and she knew Cena would be the first person to hear it - and who knew if *he* wouldn't spill it to Adam?"
Trish arched a brow in surprise. This was pretty serious, from what she gathered.
"Okay."
"Well... Matt has been calling me a lot lately," the redhead admitted. "At the oddest times, at that. It's like... he can't leave me alone."
"Eww..." the blonde exclaimed.
"He even got into our rental car at the Royal Rumble," she confessed.
"He what?"
"Yeah, Adam went in before me, and the next thing I knew, Matt was in the car with me." She shook her head. "It's like he's been obsessed with me." She shuddered as her friend didn't interrupt but merely listened. "He even called when I was at Adam's in Toronto. Good thing Adam was in the shower."
"Oh, yeah," Trish said in agreement. "If he knew Matt called you, he would have flipped his top!" She stopped for a red light and stared at her friend. "What are you going to do?"
The redhead shook her head.
"I don't know," she admitted. "I don't want to change my number because that would be such a hassle. Trish, he keeps telling me he wants to 'see me' and 'talk with me.'"
"Do you think he wants you back?"
Amy shrugged.
"I have no idea... But more importantly, I don't care. I love Adam, and I'm *so* happy with him."
The petite blonde smiled.
"Aww, that's sweet," she said, giving her friend's hand a squeeze. "After both your past relationships, I think it's great you two found each other."
Amy smiled.
"Yeah... It *is* nice. And I have to confess - I actually miss him."
Trish's smile increased.
"Aww!"
"I'm going to miss being with him in Toronto, but I really need to go home," she said. There was a brief silence as the two friends continued on their drive. Then, the redhead sighed and continued with the original topic. "Maybe I should just give in and see Matt, let him speak his piece and be over with it. At least I can reiterate directly to his face that I don't want him anymore."
"Not a bad idea."
"And if he's as bad to Ashley as he was to me, then maybe I can even convince her to leave him."
The blonde bit her lip at those words. She couldn't comprehend how Amy had stayed with Hardy for as long as she had. It was so overly excessive considering that he hadn't treated her well.
"Maybe Carlito would be the best person to convince her to do that," Trish offered. "He obviously cares for her, and from the looks of it, that's exactly what she needs right now - a *nice* guy caring for her."
"I agree," the redhead said, nodding. She grew silent then as she thought about Adam. She wished she could call him right now, but she knew he was on a plane heading for Toronto at that very moment. She decided she would call him as soon as she got home - no matter what time it was. As always, she had to tell him goodnight and "I love you" before she went to bed.
*
*Three Hours Later*
Adam grumbled uncomfortably as he lugged his bags over the threshold into his house. Luger and Branny weren't making the task easy, either, as they jumped up on him as he entered.
"Hello, boys!" he called, forcing himself for once to sound enthusiastic. He was exhausted and weary... And he missed Amy. The redhead had stayed with him every single night over the past week since her house had been vandalized, and it felt alien to him not to have her with him.
Luger was whining as he sat on his haunches and eyed his master dolefully. It was as though the Labrador had read his mind, and he probably *had*. Adam knew exactly why he was crying.
"Mommy's not here tonight, pal. Soon... soon."
They'd been referring to Amy as the dogs' "Mommy" for awhile now, even since before the vandalism. They seemed to love her just as much as he did.
He really missed her. He supposed it was silly, but he wished she could *always* be with him.
Adam walked through the house, paranoia getting the better of him as he checked each room. After what happened at Amy's, he'd picked up the habit of making sure everything was the way it should be. Then again, after his separation, he'd been equally as wary, as Lisa had had a habit of trying to get into his house. It knocked the wind out of him that he had ever gotten mixed up with her in the first place, let alone actually married her.
He knew she was responsible for Amy's condo being trashed. Who else would write such horrible things - and in lipstick, at that - on the redhead's bathroom mirror and wall? He'd called her right after he'd called the police that night, telling her off. He had been considering getting a restraining order, but Amy would have to do the same. And those damned police! They claimed there was "insufficient evidence" to pin the vandalism on his ex-wife. Idiots... But he knew her, and the crime fit her to a T. Besides, Lisa didn't have the guts to confront the redhead face-to-face - that was why she had resorted to cowardly comments on an internet message board a year earlier. She knew Amy would beat the shit out of her and put her in the hospital if she ever fucked with her up close and personal.
He had just removed his shoes and stretched out on his back on the bed, his hands folded beneath his head and the TV on when the phone rang. He smiled, his mood completely changing as he reached over to answer. He knew it was her.
"Hello, baby."
"Hi, baby," Amy replied, smiling. "I just got in."
The blond man smiled. The mere sound of her voice still caused his stomach to get all fluttery. He supposed true love was meant to do that.
"So did I..." He paused, and then, "... I miss you."
"I miss you, too, Ad," she replied, and his heart melted. He loved her so much that sometimes it actually hurt.
There was a brief, comfortable pause, and then he posed a question with concern.
"Is all okay over there? The place hasn't been trashed again, has it?"
"No, everything's fine here," she answered. And it *was*, except for the fact that she missed him like crazy and wasn't sure she would be able to sleep without him. She had gotten the locks changed and had had custom - "fashionable," as she liked to call them - bars put on the windows. In truth, she hated them, but after the frightening experience of having someone break in and vandalize the place, what choice did she have?
"Good," Adam said. He reached up with his free hand, running his fingers through his golden hair. "And by the way, Luger and Branny miss you. Well, Luger does, at least."
The redhead laughed softly, sweetly on the other end. Being equally as huge a dog lover as her boyfriend was, she found that adorable.
"Yeah? Aww... Well, he'll see me again soon enough."
The tall blond man chuckled.
"I - *he* - can hardly wait."
Amy laughed as well.
"I love you, Adam."
"I love you, too, Ames. See you tomorrow."
"Goodnight," she said, following the word with a kiss she blew into the receiver.
"Goodnight, baby."
Shortly after hanging up, the Canadian went to bed. Surprisingly, it didn't take him long to fall asleep. Not
surprisingly, the beautiful redhead dominated his dreams that night.