Disclaimer, etc., in part 1.

Part Twenty-Eight

"I think I should walk out there with you."

Eve jerked slightly at that, the woman wincing at the slight pain in her shoulder at the motion. Turning toward the man that was standing in the doorway leading to the office, she arched a brow at CM Punk, then gestured for the stagehand to leave. Shooting a look at the man as he left the room, Punk stepped further into the room that was being used as the General Manager's office that night... Or, more accurately, the Executive Administrator's office, since that's what Eve happened to be, and she was the only one from the administration that was at that night's live event.

"Sorry if I interrupted," Punk said, stepping closer to her, and Eve shook her head.

"We were finished. He was just letting me know that all of the talent has made it and that the final match listings have been distributed. You're facing Daniel Bryan."

He nodded. "I saw that. And hey, if Laurinaitis booked the cards for the show and just made you be here to make sure it all runs smoothly... I guess I'm just glad I didn't end up in a handicap death match or something. The guy's hating me more and more."

"Are you telling me that the feeling isn't mutual?" Eve said with a laugh, and Punk smiled.

"Definitely mutual. I'm looking forward to someone finally putting that bastard in his place. I figure it has to happen sometime. Law of averages and all of that," the wrestler said, then came to stand in front of Eve, his eyes on hers. "You didn't say anything."

"Excuse me?"

"What I asked when I came in. You didn't answer," he said, and Eve arched a brow at him.

"It wasn't really a question," the diva told him, and Punk frowned, considering his own words, then shrugged.

"I guess you're right. But the statement still stands. I think I should walk out there with you tonight when you go out there to do your spiel about what a great show we have and all of that," the man stated, and Eve sighed, the woman making her way over to the couch in the room and sitting down. She was dressed more casually than she usually was at the various shows... On RAW and SmackDown, when she was in her business mode, she always had on nice dresses or skirts, most of which he found highly sexy, and then she usually had those glasses of hers on... Which were also hot, whether she actually needed them or not. Tonight, however, instead of the little dress and heels and sexy glasses, she was wearing skinny jeans and a tunic-style blouse and a pair of boots. She still looked gorgeous... Just less 'sexy librarian' or whatever.

"I'm not sure that's a good idea," Eve said, and Punk had been so busy thinking of how good she looked - whether it was in business or casual wear - that it took him a minute to realize that she was responding to him.

"Why not?" he asked, making his way over to the couch she was on and sitting next to her, the man thankful that he was still wearing a pair of cut-off sweats and a t-shirt over his ring gear, because the couch was leather and he hated the way skin sometimes seemed to stick to leather furniture. It was kind of gross.

"Are you seriously asking me that question? Punk, you walking out there with me would just make people talk even more-"

"It's not even a televised show, Eve," he reminded her, and she arched a brow at him, the diva letting out a laugh.

"And your point? Plenty of sites post the results from live events online, and people post videos and pictures, and pretty much any fan with an internet connection could pretty easily know that you walked out there with me by the time Monday rolls around. It would just reinforce what people already seem to believe."

"So?"

"So... John Laurinaitis is going to get a report back from the show. He would know that you walked out there with me, and he would have it in for us even more."

"Eve, he has it in for us whether I walk out there with you or not, and I think you know that. The guy's an ass that is pissed because he thinks that I got what he wanted," he said, and Eve made a face.

"That makes me sound like some sort of a prize or possession. I'm not-"

"I know that. I may be an asshole on occasion, but I also happen to be a somewhat enlightened male at times as well. You're not a possession or a prize to be won. I'm fully aware of that. Just like I know that you should have never been turned into a pawn in this whole mess, and I'm sincerely sorry that my stupidity did just that," he told her, the man leaning forward a bit, turned toward her as he rested his elbows on his knees, his expression more earnest than Eve was used to seeing.

Sighing, Eve reached up, rubbing at her temples with her good hand. "Punk..." She trailed off as he reached out, put a hand on her wrist.

"Just hear me out. Laurinaitis already has it in for us. You and me. We know we have to team up to get through this, and there's pretty much no way we're going to convince him that we aren't together. And even if he's not here tonight, AJ Lee is," he said, and Eve nodded.

"I know. She's wrestling against Kaitlyn tonight, and I'm sure you can guess who I'm rooting for," Eve said.

"You're cheering for Kaitlyn, just like I am. But the thing is... AJ has already shown that she isn't afraid to attack you... Whether it's at ringside after you've beaten her in a match, or backstage at a show. She might come out there during the show."

"And earlier I said I could have security walk me out, and you were fine with that. Your whole thing then was just getting me to travel with you. And what are you going to do when you have to go out there for your match? Hire a babysitter for me?" she wanted to know, and he smiled a little at that despite her obvious annoyance.

"I was thinking maybe you could hang out with Kaitlyn then, actually," he said, then leaned in close. "And you're right. I didn't have a problem with security being who was out there during your 'welcome to the show' spiel at first, but I thought... We're in this together, whether you like it or not. I didn't mean to drag you in it, but I did. And John Laurinaitis already has his mind made up about us, so it doesn't matter what what we do when it comes to him and what he thinks. But the thing is, the more I'm around you, the more I stick with you, the more I show AJ that going after you is just going to make me get more and more fed up with her... Maybe she'll realize that coming after you isn't going to do her any good, and she'll leave you alone."

"And if she doesn't realize that?"

"Then I'll be there to make sure she doesn't get to you. Starting tonight. What do you say?"

"I'll think about it," Eve said, and Punk gave her a slight smile.

"Better think fast. The show starts in twenty minutes."