“How are you feeling?” Dave asked as he glanced up at Tania while dipping his toast into the yolk of his egg. Frowning, he couldn’t help but wonder if Randy’s omission of part of the note had something to do with the situation.

Tania shrugged. “Fine, I guess, considering.”

“No one had any idea that Adam was like that.” Lilian was still in shock over the entire situation, not quite believing Dave when he had told her the news right after it started to get around backstage. “It’s all so surreal.”

There was a small snort from Tania. “You have no idea.” She went from being a nobody to the talk of the backstage area. Though she had tried to ignore it, every superstar’s eyes had been on her the night she had left the arena. “How’s your voice Lilian?”

“Fine.”

“Not fine. She still shouldn’t be talking, but as you can see I can’t get her to shut up.” Lilian gave a roll of her eyes as Dave continued to complain. It wasn’t that she couldn’t talk, she just wasn’t allowed to strain her voice.

Randy chuckled. “Do you two ever not bicker with one another?”

“Only when sex is involved.” Lilian pointed out matter-of-factly. Realizing that Dave wasn’t going to say anything to that, Randy’s laugh grew louder. “Speaking of sex…” Lilian glanced over at where Tania was glancing momentarily out the window.

“Yes, Tania, rumour has you with a certain tall, dark and handsome millionaire. Any comment on that one?” Dave knew that something was going on, he had seen the way Shane looked at her on more than one occasion. The only question he had found himself wondering was what Tania felt about the situation.

Sighing heavily, Tania wasn’t surprised to hear Shane’s name come up into the conversation. “I can’t confirm it, but to be honest I can’t deny it either.”

“You two aren’t dating?” Lilian was actually a little surprised.

“When I figure out that one I’ll let you know.” To be honest, Tania didn’t have a clue if they were dating or not. She knew that Shane wanted the relationship to become something serious, but would it? Deep down she couldn’t help wonder if she was the flavour of the week. There was also the possibility that Randy was right in Tania only feeling the way she did due to a need to feel loved.

Looking across the table, Dave was quick to notice the face that Randy pulled in hearing Tania’s statement. Even if the man still wouldn’t admit it, he was crazy about the woman. Now if only he and Lilian could get the two of them to see it before Tania was completely lost in Shane’s fake charms.

“Maybe you should talk it over with Shane.” Dave suggested. Maybe that would be enough to scare her away from any commitments.

“I already know Shane’s take on it all.” He had told her it so many times in the last few days, and she really was starting to believe that he wasn’t so crazy. “When it comes to a relationship the man wants something serious. I guess he sees that possibility in me.”

“You don’t sound so sure of that.” Randy couldn’t help but point the fact out. If he could plant any bit of doubt in her mind than he was going to.

Brushing her hair out of her face, Tania really didn’t want to answer that question. “I guess it’s because it’s all happening so fast…”

“And he’s the son of one of the wealthiest men in the states. That’s a billion dollar company he’s helping to run.” Lilian couldn’t imagine how that would play into things. “Think about it, if you married him than you would inherit part of that company.”

“Come on Lil, don’t go rushing her into marrying Shane quite yet. What a way to scare the poor girl right off.”

Tania smiled across at Dave. “Thanks.” He was right, there was no need to have her married off to Shane quite yet. To be honest, that was actually a scary thought for her. Being married to him. Not only that, but way too soon to even be thinking about marriage. “I have to admit though, he is a looker and a big teddy bear behind closed doors.”

“Wait till you get into his really romantic side.” Lilian warned, “then you’ll be totally in love with him. That boy could fly you to Paris for spaghetti dinner on top of the Eiffel Tower and for him it would be nothing.” Now if only she could teach Dave a few of those tricks.

“Nah, if he’s going to fly me anywhere on a dime it better be to Scotland. Something about all those hot men in kilts with accents is just…”

“Hot?” Lilian raised her eyebrows awaiting confirmation.

Tania nodded. “Oh yeah. Definitely hot.”

“Someone warn Shane definitely not to take her to Scotland. He might never get back.” Dave pointed out with a laugh. She sounded like she was the type of girl to have a crush on anything hot and Scottish that happened to own a kilt. Though he wasn’t a mathematician, he imagined that was quite a bit of the population over there.

“Only if his name is Gerard Butler.”

“Or Ioan Gruffudd.” Lilian grinned, clearly thinking about the man in her head. “God, those curls when he was playing Lancelot in King Arthur was absolutely amazing.”

Tania laughed. “There’s just one problem with that Lilian.”

“His girlfriend?”

“True.” Tania hadn’t thought of that. “Actually what I meant to say was that Ioan is Welsh, not Scottish. Though he still has a kilt and an accent. But I totally agree with you on the curls. Those would be hot to run your fingers through during a moment of intense passion…”

Dave and Randy both groaned. “Can’t we talk about something other than guys?” Dave was quickly growing bored with the subject. “Like the new Diva’s magazine?”

“Yes! Did you see Trish in it? How hot can she get?” Randy questioned, a smile spreading from ear to ear. She had always been his favourite diva, and still had yet to get a date. That really pissed him off.

“Ooh, I loved that one bikini that Stacey was wearing. In the first picture that she appeared in. What I wouldn’t give to go tanning in that.” Lilian smiled. She had fought to wear it when she was doing her own shoot for the magazine. “That would be a great tanning suit.”

“Yeah, but then you get those tan lines.” Tania hated that. Though she acted like a bit of a tom boy, she still loved a decent tan. “Which looks horrible if you get really tanned.”

“I hate to say it, but unless you tan nude you are going to get tan lines. We even have that problem.” Randy pointed out. Then a thought occurred to him. “Or are you hinting that you tan naked?”

Tania laughed. “No need to hint. I’ll just straight up admit it. I tan in the buff.” She grinned even more when she realized that Dave’s eyes had opened just slightly more than normal at what she had said. Most men reacted that way.

Randy, on the other hand, was actually intrigued. “Where do you do this exactly. Like on a balcony or by a pool…”

“Tanning booth. I’m not that much of an exhibitionist.” Tania was hardly surprised that Randy was the first one to mention that. There was always at least one man in a group who did.

“Damn, and here I was about to invest in a pair of binoculars.”

---

“So what is Adam up to?” Chris asked, eyes never once leaving the television set. Though he had been a little surprised that Jay had asked to room with him, he was just as sure that he probably didn’t want to be around Adam to quick either.

Jay snorted. “Who knows with him any more. Let’s just say I’m not too impressed with him. I wish he’d just give up on trying to win that dumb bitch over. He’s not going to get her.” As days passed on, her was starting to hate Tania more and more. It all came down to being her fault. If she hadn’t suddenly tried to fit in to the backstage environment than none of this would have came about.

“I don’t blame you. What the hell was he thinking going after her like that?” Chris almost found himself laughing. “I mean, at the arena none the less. Who the hell rapes someone at an arena.”

Now that was crossing the line. “Adam would do a lot of thing, raping Tania is not one of them.” He knew Adam that much.

“Did you ever imagine him being able to abuse a woman? Because last time I checked he did that. Last I heard he even managed to knock her out.” Maybe it was just Chris, but that seemed a little uncharacteristic for the real Adam Copeland. “Clearly the man is a little more capable of things than anyone was aware of.”

“It doesn’t help she’s Shane’s new piece of arm candy.”

Chris shrugged. “Probably not, but he’s got to let things go.”

“Says the man who’s at least held the title a few times in his career. You forget the hell that Shane’s been putting Adam through.” For some strange reason, Jay couldn’t figure out why he was trying to defend his friend. True, what he had done was wrong and he probably should have let things go a long time ago except that wasn’t how Adam worked.

“And like he isn’t putting Tania through hell?” This time Chris actually turned to look at Jay. “So they have a personal battle going on. Do they have to suddenly involve someone who most likely has no idea the whole story behind things?”

---

“Shit!” Randy cursed as he quickly set his coffee back down on the table. Pushing Tania a little closer to the wall, he did his best to try and hide himself.

“What?” Dave question, glancing to where Randy had been looking a moment earlier. “Oh.” It was the quick recognition of the leggy blonde that hade everything suddenly making sense.

Scratching his head, Randy frowned. “Did she see me?”

“Not yet. You can still make an escape…” As long as he was quick it could be possible. “We’ll pay for your coffee.”

Randy bit his lip as he weighed his options. He was trying hard not to have to talk to Stacy if he could. Sometimes he swore that she was worse than some of the fans. “I’m sorry to split on you like this Tan.”

“It’s understandable. I’m sure we’ll be bumping into one another again some time during the day.” It wasn’t like she didn’t at least once a day. For some reason he just always seemed to be there.

“You guys rock.” Taking a quick glance over his shoulder, he noticed that Stacy was nowhere to be found. Glancing back he made a pleading face before making his quick escape towards the door leaving the three of them alone.

Tania laughed. “Poor guy. I think he’s got himself a stalker with the means to track him down all the time.”

“You have no idea.” Frankly Dave was getting a little annoyed with Stacy himself. She was just always there trying to throw himself all over Randy. Some days it was more than sickening. “I almost wish that I could pay Trish to just knock her on her ass for a few days.”

“Wouldn’t the world be a peaceful place.” Lilian noted under her breath. She wasn’t sure anyone was really a fan of Stacy.

A frown appeared on Tania’s face. “You can’t help but feel bad for him.”

“We can. We do it all the time.” It wasn’t anything new for them. They were always having to hide Randy from her. If he’d just explain to her that he wasn’t interested then everyone’s life would be easier. “But it’s interesting that you can’t.”

“I guess because I’m not around him as much as you are.”

“Is that all?” Lilian mentally slapped herself the moment that the words slipped her mouth. She hadn’t meant for it to happen.

Now Tania was on the defensive. “What’s that supposed to mean?”

“C’mon Tania. Are you the only one who hasn’t notice that the guy is crazy for you?” Dave couldn’t believe how ignorant the two of them were. In a way, it almost made them perfect for one another. “We can all see it.”

“I’m not sure what your seeing, but that isn’t it Dave.”

“So you’re saying that there’s nothing going on between you and Randy. That you honestly haven’t thought about what it would be like with him?” Lilian found it a little hard to believe that Tania hadn’t ever given that much a thought. She had even found herself fantasizing about Randy once or twice before she started seeing Dave.

Tania nodded. “Not a thing. I’m not sure what you guys are seeing, but I think you two need to get your eyes checked.”

“Doubtful.” Dave snorted. “He cares about you. A lot more than you realize.”

“Okay, so saying that he does, what do you want me to do about it?” Randy wasn’t going to do anything about those supposed feelings and Tania was currently seeking a relationship with Shane. Such was like. “In case you guys still haven’t realized, I’m with Shane.”

Lilian frowned. Dave however, wasn’t going to let her off so easily. “I would suggest figuring out what’s going on between you and Randy so that you don’t end up hurting him, or yourself.”

“And how exactly do your propose I do this?” Tania still found it hard to believe that Randy had any feelings for her. Part of her couldn’t help wonder if Dave and Lilian were just trying to split apart her and Shane. For some reason, she wasn’t surprised.

A grin suddenly grinned across her face. “Kiss him.”

“Excuse me?” Tania wasn’t sure she had heard right. Glancing up at Dave, she also noticed the same surprised look on his face.

“Kiss Randy. If there’s nothing there then you’ll both know it.”

“And if there is?”

Lilian shrugged. “You seem so sure that there isn’t. If that’s the case, there shouldn’t be a problem.” Tania was quite able to see it that way. She just couldn’t see herself walking up to Randy and kissing him. She’d feel as though she were betraying Shane, and that was where her heart was leading her towards.

“What do you have to lose?”

>>