The rain was louder than you thought it would be. Maybe it was just you, but rain sounded different when it hit different surfaces. And as it hit the very top of the apartment building, and onto the concrete surrounding the empty pool that belonged to the complex, it felt like it was in surround sound.

You knew the storm would pass soon, maybe last a half hour more if you were lucky, but it was perfect for right now.

Even though it was 2 AM, the lights scattered among the buildings gave a soft glow in places. It was still fairly dark overall, only with spots of light.

It was peaceful. No one else in sight, out and about. Not that you expected anyone to be at this hour and in this weather, but there could always be someone like you who wanted to be out.

Things had been…a lot different lately.

Just a bit over three months ago, you'd had a decent understanding of your life. You'd suffered a big loss in your father's death, but you were figuring it out. You were wrestling for NXT and training new ladies on the side. You had great friends and colleagues surrounding you. Best friends, a family, even.

And then Finn had kissed you.

That night in your apartment, it still felt as fresh as it had happened yesterday. Finn helping you decorate, having established a routine of seeing one another on weekends. An unspoken calmness and understanding between the two of you.

After that night…there had been many more kisses. There had been actual cliché dates, nights at restaurants and movies and mini golf. Finn had made sure to properly court you in his own way, making sure you understood with each date that he was serious.

The relationship between the two of you was building with each day. There was a strong foundation of friendship and a new strength in your intimacy. It helped that he was around Florida a lot, working through his injury. You'd gotten to really know each other, have time together. Come to care for and rely on each other.

You spent every day together in some capacity.

And then this weekend came, and Finn eagerly got to return to the ring, actually have a real match, at the house shows. When he had found out he'd be doing it, he had grabbed you and spun you around like a ragdoll out of his excitement.

You had been happy for him because you knew he was happy. He loved wrestling, it was what he did, and it was where he belonged. But the selfish part of you, that part of you was bitter that he was one step closer to being back on the road full time. And therefore one step closer to being away from you more often than not.

Everyone assumed he would have been at RAW tonight given his weekend in-ring return, but instead he'd had you take a picture of him with the TV remotes, teasing that he was at home.

His home, where you'd been spending a lot more time since the new year. Though, he'd been spending equal amounts at your place.

The sound of the sliding door behind you didn't startle you. Somehow you'd known Finn would find his way out of bed and onto the balcony.

"Hey you." His voice was quiet, still full of sleep. You glanced back over your shoulder, finding he had put on a t-shirt before coming out, as he'd only gone to bed in shorts. His hair was sticking up more at the front, mussed up in the back in its own way.

"Hey," was your whispered response, watching as he shuffled his way onto the balcony. You were sitting in the chair in the corner, your legs crisscrossed under yourself. Finn dragged the other chair over, placing it next to yours. You watched him through all this, smiling softly when he less-than-slowly plopped down into the chair. "You coulda stayed in bed."

"Nah, it's fine," he replied, leaning back, looking out over the balcony. "You've been out here a while, yea?"

"Not sure," you shrugged, though he wasn't looking at you. "Hour or so, I guess?"

"I heard you get up. Figured you'd come back not too long after. You usually do."

You usually do.

The sentence stuck with you for some reason. Three months in, and he already had an idea of your routines, your habits, an understanding of who you were. To be fair, your friendship for long prior to a relationship fed into it, but your bedroom behaviors were definitely only a recent discovery.

"Why did ya come out here?"

"Rain is kind of…my thing," you stated, shifting in your chair to bring your knees to your chest, resting your chin atop them. "When I was little, Kate and I would go outside and spin around in the showers. We'd sit together in the garage and watch the lightning." A wistful smile was on your face as you tried to see as many of the droplets in the air as possible. "And whenever…whenever I've felt like I truly needed my dad, needed some sign that it would all be OK these last few months…it's rained."

"Did you need that tonight?"

"Maybe? Sort of, but not really. It's always a nice reminder," you mused, throwing him a look before turning your eyes back out over the balcony.

"That was…a vague and unhelpful response," Finn pointed out. You had to give him credit for calling your bullshit.

You took in a deep breath, slowly letting it out.

Mind as well just let it all out now.

"I'm gonna stop wrestling."

"WHAT?!" His reaction was immediate. Finn sat up straight in his chair, turning as much as he could towards you.

"Relax," you instructed, your tone light, as you looked over towards him. "I was talking with Matt and Sara, and I think I'm gonna switch over to full-time trainer. And Hunter mentioned wanting me to come on the road some too, to work with the ladies on the main roster."

Finn looked…still a bit panicked, to be honest. But the tension appeared to leave his body more as your words seemed to process in his mind.

"Are you…are you sure about this? I mean, I'll support you, I will…. But, have you done everythin' you've wanted to? Is there a reason you're doin' this?"

"Do you remember when we were at the zoo last summer?" He seemed confused at the topic change.

"A little, yea."

"We were talking about the future, and I said that someday I would just know when I was OK to walk away from wrestling," you remembered. "Finn, I'm OK to walk away now."

"…we were talking about havin' kids," he seemed to suddenly remember.

"Technically, yes, we were. But that's not…that's not what now is. Please, don't think I'm trying to plan some crazy ass future for you and me and us, that's definitely not happening. I'm just…I'm good to stop this part of my life, and do something…more, different, that I still love. I want to feel useful, not lost in the shuffle."

Finn's gaze moved over you, apparently trying to assess your seriousness and honesty. You could understand why he was surprised; you had anticipated it. The few informal talks, and then more formal meetings, you'd had at NXT about this idea you hadn't told him about. You hadn't wanted to bring it up until you felt sure of it, felt you had a good idea of what you wanted to do. Looking down towards the concrete, you awaited his next question or statement or concern.

"What if…what if I want to plan for our future?"

Your eyes unintentionally widened as you heard his question, as your gaze cut back towards him. He was no longer watching you, his own eyes back out into the rain.

"I would say your sleep drunk and I don't think you're thinking right," was your answer.

"I'm thinkin' just fine, darlin'," Finn countered, looking towards you, the picture of seriousness. "We've known each other a long time. This, us, this isn't just accidental. This isn't just for fun, at least not for me. There's a…reason, we've ended up here, together. And I just…I want to know, we're thinkin' about the same things for the future. I'm not saying tomorrow, I'm not saying next year even. But I want to know, at least some day, these things are at least possible for us."

Every part of your body felt frozen, and at the same time like it was vibrating.

How had a discussion about your career path turned into a discussion about the state of your relationship with Finn? Why did he have to remember that detail about kids from the conversation from the zoo? Your heart was beating irregularly as you took in his words, understanding he wasn't just talking to talk.

"Anything is possible in the future," you finally spoke. "Things can change at any moment. But right now, if I had a say in it, had any control… I don't see myself without you."

The smile was almost immediate on his face, if not a bit bashful as well.

It seemed a bit…intense to be having this conversation at only three months into this relationship. But Finn was right in saying you'd known each other for a long time, been good friends for months on months prior to becoming more. It wasn't like you didn't know he wanted to have kids someday, and he clearly knew you did too. You just hadn't ever thought you'd be having the conversation with Finn about doing that with Finn.

But, it was nice to know you were at least both on the same trajectory for life, together.

"C'mon," you stated, sliding off your chair, the rain having slowed significantly. "Let's go back to bed."

"When are ya gonna switch over to training?" Finn asked, still sitting as you stood before him.

"After Wrestlemania. Why?"

"Just wanna know how much longer I get to cheer on my girl." You rolled your eyes at his words and the grin that accompanied them.

"Goober," you declared. His smile only widened at that. Reaching out your hand, you waited for him to take it. He finally did, lacing your fingers together as he stood up. Except when you went to walk towards the door back inside, he didn't move. You turned back to him, awaiting an explanation.

"You're sure this is what ya wanna do?" Finn questioned softly, his eyes searching yours as you stood a few inches apart.

"I'm sure," you answered.

"Alright," was his response, before stepping closer in order to kiss you lightly. You stood up on your toes ever so much to meet him, sliding your arm around his waist.

You understood his hesitancy, uncertainty, over your decision. This was going to be a change for you, having been an active wrestler for so many years. And it was going to be another change for him, as he was working towards being back on the main roster, and being away from you.

The long hope of you ever joining him on the main roster was gone. Though, not entirely, as you had the opportunity to work backstage at least.

By the time you broke the kiss, and both finally headed back into the apartment, the rain had stopped.