INTERLUDE: Ready To Fall

Virginia Beach || August 4, 2017

Jana walked in with the bouquet of flowers from the photo she'd just posted online and placed them in a small vase on the dresser, looking over at Lex as he sat in the window seat, looking out at the water. "Thank you for indulging me a bit. I just needed time to not be the Boss and just be me."

He pulled himself away from the view, pushing aside his thoughts for the moment. "Always happy to let you be you." He winked, chuckling softly – it was refreshing how quickly the sound of her voice could shift his mood.

"I think that's what I need to be this weekend. Just Jana, not anything else."

"Gotta be in Vegas for Sunday. Then I've got that," there was a catch in his voice, one he knew she'd hear but he couldn't hide it, "ladder match Tuesday. You wanna go to Vegas early? I was lookin' into it, wouldn't take much to change the tickets around – spend the weekend there if you wanna."

"Anywhere with you is a getaway..." Jana crossed the room, resting her hands on his shoulders as she leaned in to give him a kiss. "And I'd love to."

"Touristy shit." Lex replied with a small smile, his hands warm against the small of her back. "I was gonna joke we should go to one of them Elvis chapels and pretend we eloped but probably wouldn't be funny."

Jana's eyes went wide as she ducked her head, whispering in his ear, "are you ready to jump back into.... that already?"

She'd seen right through his feeble attempt to test the waters with a joke. All traces of laughter gone, he nodded. "Honestly? With you? Yeah. I know that's kinda... fast maybe? But there's this... it's like I've known you forever. Does that make sense?"

She smiled, nodding. "Are you and Claire legally split? I don't think either of us are Mormon." Her eyes widened along with her smile.

"Yeah. It's already done. Officially. Uncontested." His smile came creeping back. He didn't feel that pang of sadness that had plagued him for months. Now it just felt like a part of the story, a chapter that was necessary – the marriage to Claire hadn't been awful, not by any stretch. They'd never even had a fight until the very end. "I think," he finally said, realizing he'd been quiet too long, "that she's happy to have it over with. Seen her on Twitter more. Seems like she's in good spirits."

He swallowed hard, shaking his head with a rueful chuckle, "an' maybe that's not what you really wanted to know, was it?" Lex studied her for a few seconds, "you sayin' you'd wanna? I wasn't meaning to push you into..." he stumbled over his words, "I was just..."

"Jana.... Danielle... Collins..." she drew it out, watching him. "Hmm," she had a slight smirk on her lips, seeing that hope bloom in his eyes, "think it sounds okay?"

"Has a good ring to it."

"So, you really wanna do that? In Vegas? This weekend? With me?"

Not yet, his mind screamed, only fools rush in, remember?

He licked his lips, trying to think of a way to phrase it without sounding like backpedaling. "I don't wanna rush, Jana. Haven't even given you a ring. I'm coming at this all sideways-" he broke off, laughing sheepishly.

"How about this then," she took his hand, no traces of anger or rejection there, "no rush and no doubt. I love you, Lex Collins, I don't want to be with anyone else, and the answer is yes. The timing is whenever we feel like it." She kissed his ring finger and smiled, "sealed with a kiss."

His eyes were bright, unblinking because he felt the prickle of tears, "definitely a keeper," he whispered.

"...happy to be kept," her words came out soft, tickling his ear as she hugged him tight, climbing into his lap.


Las Vegas || August 6, 2017

Jana tapped her phone and let the song that he'd just tagged her in play. Setting it down, she walked up to him and ran her hand along his cheek, down his neck and shoulder. "I will always... love you... forever... and a day," she stretched up and kissed his lips ever-so-softly, "as Mrs. Jana Collins."

Lex pulled her in closer, starting to sway to the music as he chuckled, "you got the hidden message. I knew you would. Haven't changed my mind." He murmured, kissing her back, "nice to see you haven't either."

"I won't let you either," her hand rested against his cheek, "because as much as you want this – us – I want it too."

"Want." He kissed her softly, "need," he kissed her again, lingering.

"Have," she corrected, melting against him as the song continued to play.

He was quiet for a while, until it ended, content to just enjoy the warmth of her in his arms before he sighed, the words tumbling out. "Promise you'll still love me if I don't win... if I don't get to be champion?"

"Lex," she sounded amused, "you already are my champion."

"You really mean that, don't you?"

"I do."

He stopped swaying, looking down at her. "Can..." he hesitated, "can I ask why? Seriously. What have I done that's so exceptional to deserve bein' up on a pedestal like that?"

"You treat me as an equal. You love me unconditionally. You let me be me. You guide me when it's needed. And most importantly, you don't try to be Superman or a hero or a villain.... you are the genuine article, the genuine Lex."

"Man, I wish I was Superman. Guy's bulletproof." He cracked a smile, "wouldn't have to sweat a rumble or a ladder match. He'd just go out there an'…" he shook his head, "I'm not a good actor. Forget the lines too much... an' why wouldn't I treat you equal? You're..." he blinked, "you're a human being. Like me. Honestly should treat you better. 'Cause you are."

She protested, shaking her head, "I'm not better – just different. Like you. We're two halves of a whole." She took his hand, her fingers linking with his, "see? We fit." She gave it a squeeze, "fate brought us together... and I'm not letting go."

"Jana..." he lifted her hand up to his lips, kissing the back of it, "you... God you make all the words fly away... like startled birds."

"Then show me how you feel," she whispered against his lips.