"Getting nervous?"

"Just slightly"

Randy smiled, reaching down to give her hand a reassuring squeeze. "Picture them all in their underwear if that helps."

"Eww. Have yous een some of the people that come to these shows?" The look on Tania's face at that moment was priceless. "I'd rather not."

"I promise you'll do great." Turning around closer towards the curtains, Tania frowned. Her stomach felt like a herd of butterflies had taken residence inside whiel her heart sed up faster than what was possible. "Just relax, take a breath."

Reaching down to adjust the hemof her shirt, Tania rolled her eyes. "Easy enough for you to say. You were born with the desire to be in front of people."

"Are you sure you don't want me to come out there and hold your hand?" Randy teased.

"I don't think it would go over all that well."

"I'd have to say that I agree with the lady on that one." Shane spoke up from his place on the crate. Standing up, he moved over to where Tania was standing and adjusted a few of the strands of hair. Moving towards her ear, Shane helped fit the small piece snug into it. "This will let you hear us back here. If anything goes wrong, we can let you know."

"You'll probably need it more to calm Tania down." Randy noted with a grin.

Giving him the finger, Tania turned back to Shane. "I can't do this."

"Yes you can."

She shook her head again. "I can't."

Feeling a hand rest on her shoulder, she knew it was Randy's. "If you complain or state you can't do this one more time I'll drag you out there over my shoulder and embarass you even more. Understood?"

Biting her bottom lip, Tania nodded. "I guess."

"Come on, you're up." Shane chuckled as he guided her towards the curtains with a hand on the small of her back. "There's no time like now."

"Randy, I'm really starting to hate you." Tania cried over her shoulder in panic. The only response was that of laughter from both of the men. Before Tania could even do anything, she felt Shane giving her a strong push onto the ramp. Stumbling, Tania did her best to regain balance without embarassing herself even more.

"Tan, you're doing fine." Randy reassured. It took a moment for Tania to realize that his voice was coming through the ear piece. "Now, keep walking on down the ramp."

Trying her best to keep a smile on her face, Tania felt light headed. There were a lot of eyes focused on her at that moment, and it was a very uncomfortable feeling. In fact, it was rather sickening. "Rand..."

"Take a breath."

Listening to his advice, Tania took in a deep breath through her nose. It didn't help. "I'm going to start crying."

"They'll probably just think you're overly patriotic."

Moving closer to the ring, Tania knew that stepping in would be the point of no return. Holding her breath, she made her way up the steps and held onto the rope with a death grip. For all the times she had stepped foot into it, never once had she expected it to be during a show...especially with such an audience. "I'm going to pass out!"

"No you're not. You'd make a bigger ass out of herself if you did."

"Like I care right now."

Hearing him chuckle through her ears, Tania wasn't impressed. He must have thought that this entire situation was some kind of riot. "Just think, when it's all over I'll buy you dinner."

Slipping through the ropes, Tania half smiled towards the crew and photographers hanging around. "I can't do this..." Tania panicked as the mic was handed up to her. It was said more to herself than anyone else, but of course Randy had to add his two cents into the situation.

"I have faith in you."

Letting go of the grip her teeth had on her bottom lip, Tania moved the mic up and took a deep breath. "Oh say can you see-"

---

"That was awsome!" Randy cried, pulling Tania into a huge hug as he spun her around while she let out a little cry of suprise. "You were amazing."

Feeling her feet touch the ground, Tania let a shaky smile show on her face. It had been an experience, no doubt. But not one she wanted to relive in the distant future. "I'm just glad it's over."

"Nice trip coming up the ramp too." Randy added. Tania let her hand slap against his arm in hearing that one. She hadn't been too pleased with it herself. "I told you that you could do it."

"He's right, Tania. You were amazing." Shane smiled, walking up to Tania and givng her a hug. He could see that her eyes were glossed over and that she had no doubt been on the brink of tears as she had stood in the ring. Reaching up, he let his thumbs wipe away the dampness beneath. "Not a single one of those fans out there had any idea of how scared you were."

"I was scared shitless." Tania admitted.

"You hid it well."

"Are you going to meet me at my locker room after my match with Copeland?"

Tania nodded as her stomach growled, as if on cue. "You leaving?"

"Yeah." Randy brushed his hands through his hair. "Apparantly his royal highness wants to go over a few more things. God forbid his match isn't flawless." That was the only thing that Randy hated about working with Adam. He hated chaning things around or coming up with new twists in the ring.

"Have fun."

The look that Randy made as he turned to leave made Tania laugh. He couldn't have looked more impressed if he had tried. Realizing that Shane's hands were still resting on her shoulders, Tania looked up at him. "I don't know how you can do that on a weekly basis."

"I've gotten used to it." It didn't have as much of an impact on him now as it did when he was first starting out. It was like everything else, the initial impression wore off in time. "You looked amazing too. I'm not sure anyone else would have been able to pull off that outfit quite like you did."

"Really? What do you want?"

"What do you mean?"

"You're buttering me up Shane." Tania wasn't blind, nor was she stupid. "What do you want?"

Laughing, Shane held up his hands up in defeat. "How about some company? Randy's going to take a while since his match is the main event and he has to shower up. I don't have any work to do..."

Tania thought for a moment. She really wanted to be able to go back to the hotel and find something to change into. Though she had caved into wearing the outfit she still felt naked. "Where do you want to go?"

"I do have my own locker room. It's quite cozy, and we could watch the show from there. I'm sure Randy would be a little disappointed if you didn't watch his match. It's supposed to be a great one tonight too. I heard him and Adam talking about it earlier, and what they were talking about even had me excited."

"I didn't know you felt that way about matched." Tania's grin had grown suddenly almost ten fold, even letting out a small laugh when Shane finally grasped what she had said moments later.

"Miss Bailey, you need to get your head out of the gutter."

"Nah, I like it there. Offers some good times, and a lot of amusement." Tania declined. If Shane were to ask anyone who knew her, they'd all say the same thing. Her mind had a perminant residence in the gutter, and enjoyed it. Deep down, it was actually one of the reasons she didn't mind her job with the fed. She got to go around and see hot half naked men up close if she so happened to choose. "So then. Which way to your locker room?"

---

"Do you think she'd date me?"

Randy's brow furrowed. "Who?"

"The Queen." Randy rolled his eyes. "Tania, of course."

Randy felt the slight reminder of deja vu. "No. She wouldn't. Besides, I have a funny feeling that Shane's going to beat you to that any how."

"You don't seem so impressed by the idea." Of course Randy wasn't. The way that Shane had his hands all over Tania when he had the chance. The way that he was casually flirting with her. It was all sick. Shane had always been about the women. Looking for the next piece of eye candy to have hanging off of his arm. He never cared about them...just saw them as a chance to boost his ego and image.

"I'm not. But Tania's a big girl, and I can't tell her what she can or can't do. I don't even know the girl."

"Then why tell me to back off."

Randy sighed heavily. He had come to talk about the match, not Tania. "Because I know what you are like. Tania's a sweet girl, and doesn't need to deal with you and your shit. You're a heartbreaker Adam, or did you not notice?"

"What the hell do you mean by that?"

"Have you ever been dumped by a girl?"

Adam thought about it for a moment, but was cut off once again by Randy. "Didn't think so. So why do you think it would change with Tania? Leave her alone Adam." Randy felt bad. Tania was about to find herself caught in the middle of a competition between Adam and Shane. One where she was deemed as the prize. It was a pity, she deserved so much more. He wondered if it would be better off to tell her, but doubted she'd even believe him to begin with with.

"Just remember this little conversation when it's my arm she's clinging to, not Shane's."

"I told you Adam, it's not going to happen."

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