Blazing Forward

Chapter 1

A/N: Dedicated to @BROLLINS2019 for reminding me that I need to love this story again! Here we go.

Nothing in this world makes me as happy as my family does. With that being said, my world is absolutely expanding and I was not ready for that. Leaving work is obviously necessary but I miss the ring and in a way only people who do this kind of a thing for a living can understand, I miss getting beat up and beating people up. That's just who I am.

Thankfully, I'm still able to work for the WWE. Stephanie approached me about doing some appearances and stuff now that I have the downtime so I've been helping out with that along with my own personal work. That is something that I'm grateful for as well so I really can't complain. Having any amount of extra time to dedicate to my personal business is always a plus, especially now that I"m working on expanding my brand. It's gonna be great!

Le and I are going as strong as two people who only see each other once a week or so can be. He's so attentive when he's home, the past two months have been an adjustment period on both of us after being on the road together for so long but we've made it work. Whenever he's home, he always lays down with Jojo and I and the two of them talk to the bean all of the time. I swear it's the most adorable thing ever. My little butterfly is so excited to be a big sister, she worries about me so much.

"It's the preggers!" Jon shouted as he walked into my house.

"It's the lunatic! Hey guys." I smiled as my husband walked over to kiss me.

"Hey lalelei." he muttered against my lips.

"I know that the two of you enjoy doing that . . . obviously, but can you please hold out for a while." Colby complained.

"On the outs with Becky?"

The architect has been dating Becky Lynch for a few months now but they have been keeping things on the down-low for the time being. He did tell me that they plan on possibly going public soon but they're enjoying the private time and that's good, they deserve it. The redheaded Irish woman is a blast to be in the ring with and she's a really good person. Colby deserves to be happy and I'm glad that they're enjoying this time together.

"No, she's on the UK tour for the week." he sighed.

"Aww, you miss your loud mouth?" Jon asked as he walked inside. "Hey momma." he said, kissing my cheek.

"How are you Jon?" I asked.

He has mentioned his dissatisfaction with his performance in WWE as of late and has mentioned to me that he was thinking of leaving. I really would miss him if he does but he's not comfortable with things anymore and I know how that feels.

"I'm good Ari, all good for now."

"Jon . . ."

"I promise, if I'm in a bad place I'll call you." he smiled, rubbing my belly.

I've quickly come to realize how much pregnancy makes random people think they can just invade your personal space to rub the belly. Not me bitches! I'm very picky about who can touch the bean's protective barrier and these three men are some of the few.

"You better call me, if not, I'm gonna have my husband kick your ass." I smiled.

"She's gotten more violent." Colby said.

"You have no idea." Le chuckled.

"What do you all want for dinner?" I smiled.

"I love your wife." Jon smiled back.

"I'm keeping her, so keep your greasy paws away." my husband replied.

"You don't have to cook for us you know?" Colby asked.

"Excuse you, she's my wife and when I come home she cooks for me." Joe argued.

"That's sexist." Jon argued back.

"That's a fact and it's that way because I want it that way." I replied, shutting the argument down.

"Well, since you insist . . . how about some of . . ."

"Something light, so you don't have to be on your feet for too long." Colby interjected.

"I've got some seafood salad in the fridge if you want a snack." I said.

"Yes!" All three guys said before Le got up to grab the bowl.

The three of them in my kitchen means a mess but it also means my boys are home. I wouldn't have things any other way . . . well, technically the gang isn't complete without the twins and Trin but I'll see them soon enough since I'll be flying with Joe when he leaves this week. Their happy noises made me smile, this is my life now, mother of many including Colby and Jon. I wouldn't change it for the world.

Four and a half months pass in the blink of an eye. When I found out I was gonna have my bean, I was already six weeks strong and now at six and a half months I'm very close to going insane. My bean is a blessing but I miss work, this all happened within a year and a half, and what an amazing time it's been. In the past 19 months, I returned to work, met the man of my dreams, got my ass handed to me within an inch of my life, lost a stalker, got married, adopted a little girl, and now I'm pregnant. It really has been amazing and I've managed to keep me and baby bean busy. No gender revealed just yet because I want Le to be there for it.

Wrestlemania is two weeks away so my husband has been very busy traveling the past few weeks, only coming home for a day at a time when possible. He's gonna be home all week this week because the Miz came in sick and got half the roster sick, so they sent the infected home. He's not sick but since he's immunocompromised they wanted to be safe. It's the first time that we have this much time together since I took off but it's not all peaches and cream.

Don't get me wrong, I love that he's home but he doesn't seem to love it as much as I do. We're day three into his visit and we've barely spent three hours together. He's decided that now is the time and he has to put the nursery together this week. Mind you, I barely spend any time here and after bean is born I'll be in Orlando primarily but that's not really important right now. Being home is driving him crazy and I know the feeling, I'm just handling it better.

"Mi amor, you realize that the baby isn't due for another three months right?" I asked from the door of the nursery.

"I know, but what if you go into early labor? Or what if I'm not here and you decide that you want it all put together. I'm not leaving you any heavy lifting." he said without looking at me.

"Okay, I'll give you that penultimate point." I agreed, rubbing my belly.

"Let me finish the crib and then I'll come down." he stated, still not turning around.

"Yeah, right." I muttered.

"You say something?"

"No, nothing, nothing. I'll see you when I see you."

He'll be there all day, just like yesterday and Monday. Yesterday's focus was a dresser and changing station, how it took all day to do that I don't know. What I do know, is that I won't spend all day trying to get him out of the nursery again.

I haven't been able to come to the Pensacola house for a few weeks now, so I went into our room and changed into a bikini. One of the things I miss the most about my Pensacola house is my pool and I look damn cute with my little belly. After the wedding, I moved in with Le and gave my apartment to Amelia for college this year. We have a nursery in Orlando but I want one here too just in case.

I grabbed a book, sunglasses, a pretty hat, and I sat on a lounger by my sacred pool to soak up some much-needed vitamin D. It's been raining for the past eight days and the sun is finally out so I'm gonna take advantage.

There hasn't been much downtime in the past four months. I've been dedicating more time to the gallery in Orlando, sold the one in Pensacola, and I've been doing a lot of WWE appearances. I've been traveling between New York and Orlando every two weeks for business; opening a new gallery and construction branch in New York in between appearances. It's a little more tiring, a little taxing, but it still has a purpose and I miss being on the road so it helps. I miss fighting and I'm going to have to miss it for at least, another 8-12 months, depending on how I see my situation with the baby. Motherhood and work . . . a juggling act that I will learn how to balance. I have to.