Hey hey dearest readers! I hope you're all doing well! I had a demand/request/plead for me to do some updating for this story from a dear friend who needed a little pick me up: and her wish was my command! I've had a pretty rough/stressful couple of weeks myself so it was nice to get some writing done! I have all of these ideas and feel like I have no time to get them out! I will apologize that this chapter is a little short but I think it's a good one- I hope you think so too! So enjoy, leave me some love, and I hope you all have a HAPPY HAPPY WEEKEND!

Chapter 18: Conspiring and Coincidences

The knock on their hotel room door pulled Katherine from her quiet reverie of scrolling through her various social media accounts and sipping her coffee. Shortly after she and Seth had settled in to eat the breakfast he had gotten for them, his mom had called, and Katherine had insisted he talk to her. They had plenty of time together left for the weekend.

He was sprawled across the bed, lying on his back, his arm draped across his eyes and would occasionally murmur a 'yeah' or 'uh huh'. Whatever Holly was telling him, he definitely wasn't interested, and it amused Katherine.

He peaked at her from under his arm when he heard the knock and gave her a smile.

"That's for you," he said, murmuring it softly enough that it hopefully didn't disturb his mom.

She gave him a curious look, narrowing her eyes at him. "What did you do?"

"Just go answer it."

His response was rushed and hushed but there was a bit of amusement in it.

Katherine swatted at his legs before climbing from the bed and heading to the hotel room door. She could hear him telling Holly he needed to go but he would check in later as she peeped through the small peep hole in the door to see who was waiting on the other side.

Katherine smiled softly and quickly opened the door to a warm and strong hug from Renee Young.

"Renee! Aw, I'm so happy to see you!" Katherine crooned as they hugged.

She was greeted by a bright smile from her blonde, new, friend as they pulled back.

"Well when that one told me my Veronica was going to be around this weekend, I couldn't pass up the chance to come be some company for you."

"You came just for me?"

"Yeah, I mean I guess it's nice to get a few extra days with Dean, too, but I'm 99% here for you."

"Aw, you got me a Renee?" Ren gave Seth a teasing smile as he stood from the bed and stretched.

"She's part of the deal, yes. You're welcome; and Veronica?" he gave them a confused look.

"Yeah," Renee replied.

"Betty and Veronica; blonde and brunette, it's us," Katherine added.

"So you two have to fight over me? That would make me Archie."

"No, Dean is Archie," Renee winked.

"Oh yes, I'm actually just here this weekend so I can see him," Katherine nodded.

Seth pursed his lips together and nodded, making a face at both of the women standing in front of him. "Yeah, I think I've made a mistake…" he stated, teasing.

"It happens," Katherine shrugged, throwing a wink at him.

"Gosh I just love you two, you're so cute. But we have things to do today, Rennie, so I hope you're ready," Renee grinned happily.

Ren gave a curious and slightly apprehensive look to the two of them, looking from Renee to Seth.

"You'll have fun, I promise," Seth said.

"I've got it under control," Renee nodded. "Kiss him goodbye and let's go."

Ren rolled her eyes and shook her head, crossing the small space in the room to leave Seth with a quick kiss and a smile. She gathered her messenger bag and followed Renee out the door into the hallway, letting it fall closed behind them.

"I guess I shouldn't bother asking what kind of things we have to do today?" Ren asked.

"No, you'll see."

"I figured as much..."

Renee wiggled her eye brows at Ren as they reached the elevator. "This is all him, not that I think you won't love the whole day, but I'm just saying...it's all him. He asked for my help and he didn't want you to just be stuck with him and a hotel room all weekend."

"I would've explored," Ren shrugged. "I'm good with new cities and stuff but I'm not complaining. It's...I'm glad you came. Shit has been stressful..."

"I've heard bits and pieces; you have to fill me in on all of it. We'll come up with a plan on who's ass we're going to kick and how badly. Dean will help."

Ren grinned. "Thank you."

Despite the fun and action Ren had experienced that day, she was certain that walking in to the hotel room in the next city at two in the morning was going to her favorite part of the day, especially after their late night drive to the next city along the tour. Just kicking back, relaxing, winding down, and getting her time with Seth before either, or both of them, drifted off to sleep.

It had been a fun day, though.

The 'things' that Renee and Katherine had to do had been a much needed and much appreciated, total relaxation spa day; thanks to Seth. It was perfect and everything she needed and would have never thought to ask for or do for herself. The feeling from the day with Renee, and their late lunch with Brie and Nikki, and time backstage, on top of how perfectly blissed out and relaxed she was, had lasted well in to the evening as she watched the house show and as they traveled.

It was the first time in several weeks she remembered feeling relaxed, and light, and genuinely content and happy. It was a good feeling. It was good to remember.

She couldn't even begin to imagine how she would ever make up to Seth for how amazing he had been to her and for her. Not that she would need to but she was determined to find something, some way, to really say 'thank you' to him.

Her feet were pulled up into the seat of the passenger's side of the rental car; comfortable in leggings and thick socks and a hoodie just big enough that it felt cozy. Her eyes were darting around, watching cars that would pass by them and occasionally glancing at Seth as he drove. They were in a comfortable silence although not for a lack of conversation between them. It had just been a moment to let the music fill the car and share space.

There was a big of Hot Tamales resting in between them in the cup holder area of the arm rest, nestled next to his large coffee and her tea, and she reached for it. She fished a few out of the small opening and studied them for a moment before popping one in her mouth.

"I didn't even know I liked these until you introduced them to me," she stated.

His glance darted to her in the dimness of the light in the car, the only glow coming from the various lights on the dashboard and radio.

"They help keep me awake; the cinnamon taste. They're highly underrated as a candy."

"We always ate sunflower seeds," she responded. "Something about having to concentrate on cracking the seeds and spitting them out would keep me awake. There would just be bottles half full of sunflower seed shells all over our van or whatever car we were in."

"I'm not a hundred percent sure how I would feel about watching you spit shells into an empty bottle."

"That's fair enough. I was never trying to impress anyone so I can't say I ever thought about that."

"You're still trying to impress me?" he smirked.

"Of course I am."

"Babe I've woken up next to you drooling on yourself. All of my illusions have been shattered."

She scoffed and playfully pushed his arm off of the armrest. "I do not drool. Ever! That's a boldfaced lie."

He had started to laugh and moved the arm she had just pushed away further over to cup her leg and give her a reassuring squeeze.

"Fine that was a lie but the point is still the same."

"We aren't that far beyond the honeymoon stage, dear. I still like to be impressive for you; clean myself up or doing something awesome or…I don't know, suffer through a workout right by your side."

He cast a glance at her across the dark of the car and gave her a warm smile. "You do all of that plus some."

"Good," she returned his smile.

She cast a glance at his phone that was doubling at their GPS and sitting in between them, somehow staying propped up in the cup holder along with all of their other items. They only had a few more miles until their exit and then the hotel and truthfully, she was grateful for that. She could feel the day start to catch up with her; she was tired.

As if he could read her thoughts in that moment, Seth yawned. Katherine smirked softly to herself and reached for his hand.

"Can I ask you about something?" he questioned out of the blue.

"Yes."

She was met by another quick glance from him.

"Have you…um," he paused and cleared his throat lightly. "Have you considered us? The WWE? Like working with us?"

"Working with you?"

"Yeah."

She gave him a studied and questioning look. "What makes you ask that?"

"Well…I just, I don't know. Roman said something about it earlier this week; I don't know if it was a joke or if he was serious but I was just curious."

"Renee asked me that same thing earlier today."

"What?"

"Yeah, at lunch with Nicole and Brie, she just dropped 'you should just come work with us' super casually. Are you conspiring with her?"

"No," he shook his head emphatically, "no I haven't had a single conversation with her about it. I just…it popped into my head."

"Uh huh."

"What did you say?"

"What did you say? To Roman?"

"I didn't, it wasn't really a deep conversation, but I told him I didn't think you would want to…"

She looked at him silently, waiting for him to continue. She could feel a 'but' at the end of his answer, even though he had paused.

It was a moment before he spoke as he put his focus on navigating them and changing lanes.

"But I don't know…getting to the arena today and you were already there and hanging out backstage with Naomi and Brie and sitting in the makeup chair; you were just relaxed and natural and you kind of just seamlessly fit in."

"Your people are really great. I have fun. So far they've been really welcoming and friendly. You guys are just like a touring band; it's a little family."

"We are for the most part. What did you say to Renee?"

"I didn't answer her. She really did drop it casually and carried on; there wasn't a discussion about it. It's just very coincidental."

"I swear I had no part in that."

"Honestly I hadn't thought about it. It wasn't on my radar. Like, I didn't know that was something I could consider. This is your world, essentially, and I've loved getting to be part of it and learn about it and watch you and meet everyone; it's great. I love it. Not…in the sense that you love it but I love it."

It was his turn to feel like there was a 'but' at the end or her statement.

"But?" he asked.

"But it's your world and I think I would kind of worry that I was crossing some kind of line."

"Ren, you-"

"And," she interrupted him, "look what I'm walking away from right now. It would be trouble with my luck."

"Yeah except I'm not harboring a secret, jealous love for you. I'm pretty damn open about it."

"You get what I mean," she frowned.

"I do," he replied quickly, nodding slightly. "I get that, that was part of my answer to Roman. That I wouldn't want either of us to lose a piece of what works with us because we do have our own things and we share that and respect that. I still try to impress you, too. It's…I'm a pain in the ass sometimes, I'm moody."

"Oh baby I know that," she chuckled lightly and squeezed his hand. "Just because you've been miles away and on the other end of the phone when you've been in a bad mood doesn't mean you could hide that from me. I just let you think that."

"How kind of you," he deadpanned.

"Is it something you want?" she asked. "To try and explore or whatever?"

"No. Yes and no."

Katherine smiled.

"I'm not going to tell you or ask you; it's a decision for you to make. Either way I'm on board. But, knowing you have a means of work that feels like a home for you and getting more than a few days together every couple of weeks; there's no bad way to look at that. I guess I'm just saying it's a thought."

"Something to think about," she said quietly.

"Something to think about."

It was definitely something she would think about and she would think about it quite a lot. She had already been thinking about it in random spurts of time throughout the day and the show that night. It was one hell of a coincidence that it had been brought up more than once; in joking or in all seriousness.

There was a slight shift in the atmosphere in the car and the space between them after Seth's last statement. They had stayed quiet through the last few minutes of their drive and as they unloaded their bags and checked in to their hotel room.

But her hand hadn't left his in the moments she could easily slip her hand in to his, and he had still held open doors and guided her with the lightest touch on the small of her back. She could tell he was slightly in his head, a little worried that maybe he had crossed his own line by even mentioning it. He just wouldn't own up to that; not out loud. She could sense it, though.

He held the door open for her to move past him and into the room before shutting the door behind them and securing the locks while she searched in the dark for the first lamp switch she could find. It was a series of movements they were used to; part of their routine.

She crossed over to him as he turned on another lamp beside the bed and wrapped her arms around his waist, leaning her head against his shoulder.

His hands found hers and he turned his head to the side to get a glance at her.

"Get outta your head, Colby," she said.

"I'm not, I promise."

"Uh huh," she responded, completely not believing him. He turned around to face her and she wrapped her arms back around him, looking up at him. "It is something to think about it and I will and that's all the weight it needs to carry."

"Okay," he nodded.

She reached up, caressing his face and his beard and running her fingers through his disheveled hair. "I love you and I love being here and I'm just happy and thankful to have this and you and I'm just trying to enjoy the moments and have some faith that what is going to come, will come. You've been…far more than I have probably earned or deserve and…I'm just happy."

Her smiled widened as she watched his smile form and she bit her lip slightly as she linked her hands around his neck.

"And yes, I love you."

He kissed her and tightened his hold on her. "I love you, too, Ren."

"Why the fuck has that been so hard to say?" she exclaimed, laughing lightly as he dropped his hands and hold on her and picked her up, her legs linking around his waist.

"I have no idea but I'm right there with you," he murmured, kissing her neck. "Days…"

"Scaredy cat," she retorted.

"Shut up."

She did, aided by his mouth on hers, and followed by several more 'making up for lost time' utterances of the phrase in between kisses and a night that saw little sleep.