Chapter 1 – If I have To Wait

"Lauren Walker."

Deep sea blue eyes blinked open as the morning sun started to peek through her bedroom curtains. It was Friday morning and she had tutor groups this morning. She really needed to get up and shower to wake herself up. She slowly rolled over while sitting up and threw her legs over the side of the bed and squished her toes in the soft carpet. She stretched her body and let out a loud yawn as she stood from bed and did the zombie walk to the bathroom.

She looked at herself in the bathroom vanity mirror; a shower was definitely needed.

"Lauren Walker."

20 minutes later she was showered and dressed. She had on skinny jeans, black flats, a white v-neck t-shirt and a black cotton sweater. As the day progressed she knew she'd lose the sweater but some mornings were chilled. Especially since Albuquerque was starting to get into its cooler months. She was standing in front of her bathroom mirror as she carefully slipped the dark green contacts into her eyes.

"Lauren Walker."

She exhaled slowly as she applied her mascara.

"My name is Lauren Walker."

She picked up the red flat iron as she proceeded to straighten sections of her hair. It was hard saying goodbye to her cork screw curls every morning; it was the one feature she actually enjoyed about herself. It took a while to get used to her new blonde locks. She had to admit she hated the color more than losing her curls.

"My name is Lauren Walker. I live in Albuquerque New Mexico. I am a librarian at the University of New Mexico Law School."

She frowned. New Mexico wasn't so bad. After 2 years it had grown on her. Not a lot of snow in the winter which was a blessing. She hated to drive in the snow. She used to make Ro...him do it; shaking her head. She couldn't think of him. It had been two years. He had moved on with his life and was probably married by now with at least one kid on the way; she cringed - that stung a bit.

She took a step back from the sink as she looked at herself in the mirror. Green eyes, straight hair, frumpy librarian clothes; could this get any more boring?

"My name is Lauren Walker and I'm bored out of my skull in Albuquerque."

She grabbed her car keys and purse as she headed out towards the University.

The Blue Ford Escape pulled into the staff parking lot as she threw the vehicle into park and killed the engine. She grabbed her messenger bag as she got out and shouldered it.

Fake dark green eyes stared at the University as she set the alarm on her SUV.

Another day; another dollar.

Once she got to the law school library and into her tutors room she started prepping her chalk board for her students that she was scheduled to see.

"Lauren, guess what my boyfriend got my for my birthday?" A familiar voice asked pulling her from her private thoughts. It was Korey Koppick. She was another tutor for the University.

Dark green eyes turned and faced the female voice speaking. "Okay hit me."

"He got me actual tickets to go see a live WWE event. Can you believe it?! I'm so excited! I can't WAIT to see all those studs live and in color." Korey beamed.

They had become fast friends when Lauren moved to Albuquerque two years ago. The one thing they had in common was the fact that they both REALLY enjoyed watching professional wrestling; Monday's and Fridays were spent at Lauren's place watching Raw and Smackdown.

"That's so great! I've never been; I'm sure you will have a great time. Everyone I've ever spoken to said the live house shows on the weekends are a thousand times better than the live shows on TV." Laruen explained; as much as she wished they could trade places she knew it was NOT possible. If ANY one even recognized her the last two years would've been for nothing.

"No no! You have to come with! He got two tickets and he said there was no way in hell he would ever go and that I should have you come with." Korey stated with a huge smile still plastered on her face. Korey knew this was a long shot. Lauren had explained she'd moved to New Mexico to hide from an abusive boyfriend. "C'mon Lauren! What are the chances that you run into that abusive prick in a crowded arena?"

Lauren stifled a groan. When Korey had asked her why she moved to boring ole New Mexico two years ago she was really put on the spot. Who the hell WOULD move here for no reason? It was damn sure not for the scenery or the job opportunities. She was completely caught off guard and spit out the first thing she could think of. Abusive boyfriend...yea that would work. She couldn't think of a better reason. She felt like an idiot!

Hell she was an idiot for what she was about to say ask.

"Well when is the live event? And how good is the seating for these tickets exactly?"

If she was lucky - REAL lucky they were far enough away from the ring that no one would see her.

Fake green eyes looked over the packed arena. Their seats were on the floor so flat and even with the ring, but they were back all the way against the first tier of stairs. So the chances of anyone seeing her would be slim to none.

She carefully followed Korey around the arena to their isle seats. She was so nervous and yet excited at the same time. They took their seats and relaxed for a few minutes before the live event started. As soon as it started it was loud music and thousands of fans screaming, cheering and chanting at the top of their lungs all around the pair of friends. They couldn't help but join in with the fun. People didn't lie the live shows on the weekend were a thousand times better than on nights they taped Raw or Smackdown.

The entire show was completely amazing. And she felt slightly disappointed that she didn't get to see him - maybe he was on a different Live tour in a different state. It was slightly disheartening but it was still a hell of a show. The whole night had been completely worth it just to see the smile on Korey's face all night long. There was only one match left and they had both decided food was in dire need; they'd both picked Denny's since it was open late.

Fake green eyes widened as the familiar music pounded through the speakers of the arena. She knew that music. It may have changed slightly over the last two years, but the tune remained the same; the only difference was now instead of 3 men coming out through the crowd - it was only one coming down the ramp now.

Roman Reigns.

She had done some online research and saw that they were just 30 days past WrestleMania and she couldn't stop the smile from spreading across her face as she watched him step out at the top of the ramp and held the WWE Heavyweight Championship belt high above his 6'3" frame. He had worked and fought so hard for it; it was nice to see all his dreams had finally come true for him.

She watched as he walked down the ramp and entered the ring. He looked as if he was in amazing shape as always and watched as he posed at the corner like normal. Then she watched as AJ Styles came out and they started mixing it up in the ring.

The match spilled out of the ring and then suddenly she watched as the big man threw AJ Styles over the barricade like he weighted absolutely nothing. She was enamored with the match as they went into the crowd and exchanged blows back and forth while shoving each other into tables and equipment trunks that lined the back wall on the first tier.

She could feel herself breathing a little heavier as the wrestlers made their way to their isle. Korey grabbed her arm in excitement as they started changing blows while making their way down their isle. In a split second fake green eyes locked with familiar grey orbs. A look of surprise and familiarity crossed his handsome face when he stopped in his tracks and a split second later he was sucked back into the match when AJ rammed his knee in the grey eyed brutes gut before steering the match back to the ring.

Once Roman got the three count the fans went crazy in the arena as Korey and Lauren took off and headed to the car. They knew traffic coming out was going to be insane and they at least wanted to TRY and beat it.

Roman posed on the turnbuckle with his belt held up high in the air as his grey eyes searched the crowd on the floor seats over and over. Her face - if he didn't recognize anything else he knew that face. The green eyes were fake and clearly the hair was dyed blonde - but the face was completely recognizable; not to mention her body. He had gotten to know every contour and curve on her body PERSONALLY; there wasn't a spot on her body that was foreign to him.

But it was impossible...

Wasn't it?

He had said his goodbye's to her almost two and a half years ago standing at her grave in the small cemetery in Sacramento, California per her sisters request.

Once he hopped off the turnbuckle and exited the ring he met up with AJ at the top of the ramp as the older co-worker clapped him on the shoulder. "You alright big man? Something spooked you out there tonight and threw you off your game." AJ's Georgian accent asked.

Roman pursed his lips as he shook his head. "I thought I saw...someone."

AJ looked at the younger gentleman with concern as he looked up when his twin cousins walked up. "Hey Uce, what happened out there?" Jimmy asked as they slapped hands on approach.

Jey stared at his cousin. "Yea is everything aight; you looked like you saw a ghost out there." He asked.

Roman shook his head. "No. I thought I saw Mackenzie."

Jey and Jimmy both stopped in their tracks. "Uce that's impossible." Jimmy pointed out.

Roman glared at his cousin. "Don't you think I know that?" He snapped.

Jimmy threw his hands up in defense as he stepped back slightly. "Sorry! I just wanted to point out the obvious up front."

The four man continued down the hallway to their locker room. "Maybe it was someone who just looked like Mac." Jey offered.

Roman pinched the bridge of his nose. "She had fake green eyes and fake blonde hair but she had Kenzie's face and body. That's not possible for someone to look exactly like her but with different eyes and hair."

AJ looked between the twins. "So whose Mackenzie?" He asked in a soft voice; clearly not wanting to upset Roman any.

Jey fell behind in step letting Roman and his twin walk ahead of them a little ways before he threw his arm over AJ's shoulders. "Mac was a girl who worked for the legal department in WWE. She and Uce dated for a while and he was getting close to asking her to marry him, but at the same time she had a stalker abusive lawyer ex-boyfriend; he created all kinds of trouble and got us all arrested with Ambrose when we came back from Jimmy and Charisma wedding - shit the second we walked out of the airport we were in handcuffs. Anyways something went down at her apartment and Mac ended up getting stabbed by him, but in the process she shot his ass too. Unfortunately neither of them made it out of the hospital alive."

AJ shook his head. "Jesus..."

Jey nodded. "Yea, if he thinks for a second he is seeing Mac - it can't be good."

Roman sat down in the locker room as he picked up his cell and stared at it for a few minutes.

"What are you thinking Uce?" Jey asked curiously.

"I'm thinking - I'm thinking I need to call Alice." He tossed his phone back into his bag as he grabbed a towel and a change of clothes and headed into the bathroom. He had already stripped out of his vest and boots. Once he had stripped completely he stepped under the hot sprays of the shower.

The last two and half years had not been great for Roman; the first 6 months in particular. At the beginning of June that same year the writers decided to break up the Shield by having Seth turn on him and Dean; that was painful to say the least. In September an old football hernia reared its ugly head and he had to have emergency surgery while on the road in Nashville Tennessee. It put him out of commission for 3 months.

When he came back his popularity with the fans spiraled downward out of control. It didn't matter how hard he worked to come back from his hernia surgery or how hard he worked in the ring the fans were just not happy with him. He didn't care though he still had his own diehard fans that they had happily named themselves the Roman Empire; he loved it!

The following January 2015 he won the Royal Rumble and the fans hated him even more...actually they practically booed him right out of the building. He still didn't care. The fans paid good money for their tickets and they could have any opinion they wanted. To him they earned that right. When it came time for his match at WrestleMania.

He really tried moving on from Mackenzie, but no one could quite hold his interest or his heart the way she had. He'd visited her grave on multiple occasions and even kept in touch with Alice, Dain, Neela, Nathan and McKenna. Alice always made sure to invite him for a home cooked meal and told him he was welcome whenever he was in town; hell he was welcome whenever he wanted.

Maybe he wouldn't call Alice; maybe it was time for a visit.

Fake green eyes looked at the reflection in the mirror as she carefully removed the colored contacts. Sometimes she couldn't even recognize herself; other times she didn't want to. She washed the make-up off her face as she patted it dry. She really did have a wonderful time at the arena watching the show, but it was definitely too close for her comfort level.

She hung the towel up as she looked at her reflection once more.

"My name is Lauren Walker and I'm a big fat liar...My name is Mackenzie Brewman and I faked my own death to save myself and the love of my life. And If I have to wait for forever; I will to get back to him." She wiped the stray tears from her cheeks as she turned the lights off and laid in bed; even if sleep wasn't coming soon.