Early the next morning, I woke up to find Maryse still asleep. So I leaned over and kissed her lips and cheek. She groaned happily as she slowly opened her eyes. "Morning, Babe."
"Morning, Beautiful." I smiled. "I'm going out for my run before anything else happens."
"Okay. Be careful." She smiled.
"Aren't I always."
"Remains to be seen." She giggled as I smiled and kissed her again. "In two weeks we go back to work. And as much as I don't want to. I know that you have to defend the Intercontinental championship at Backlash. And we'll be back with just enough time to do some decent promos of your match."
"Yeah. But there's something I'll have this time."
"What?"
"You. I will have you in my corner." She blushed and grinned.
"Well, you better go and get your run in."
"Yes, ma'am." I grinned as I changed into my running gear and she watched me from the bed, there were a few times I noticed her biting her lower lip in the mirror of the open closet door.
"By the way, how did I get into these much less out of my dress?" She asked.
"I stripped the dress off you carefully and put those on. Blindfolded."
"Ha, ha, ha. That I need to see." She got up and approached me as I laced my last shoe. "You are a wonder Daniel Boyce. You helped me through so much in so little time. You've given me a fun night out. You've even given me a home. And despite the many opprotunity's you had to take advantage of me. You didn't." I stood up and smiled. "Those are some of the reasons why I think you are a great man." I wrapped my arms around her waist and she wrapped her arms around my neck. "And hopefully sometime in the next year. You'll be my man." She grinned as she kissed me.
"I wait with baited breath for that day to arrive my love." I kissed her before we let go of each other and I went out for my run.

As the weeks went by and Monroe was taken to her father's by Sophia who was going to head home herself. Maryse and I talked about what would happen if we did come out and tell everyone we were a couple and what would be the dominant backlash of that. We also touched on the possibility of adding onto the house and even touched on the subject of being married and to start a family of our own. Aside from Monroe of course.

The night we came back to Raw, Maryse and I were preparing to head out to the gorilla to find out who would be facing me at Backlash. When she said, "You know. Maybe we should come out and tell everyone that we're together at Backlash?"
"That sounds rather doable. So I agree." I smiled. "Let's come out of the shadows at Backlash and show everyone that we are together. As boyfriend and girlfriend. Although I haven't asked you to be my girlfriend yet."
"You will."
"On the..." She nodded. "Ahh. Little French Canadian Demon." She grinned evilly. I smiled as I kissed her as she led the way to the gorilla.
When we got to the gorilla we waited for my music to hit. Once it did we made our way to the stage and after she laced her arms around my right we headed to the ring. When we reached the steps near the ramp I let her go first and when we were both on the apron I opened the top and middle rope and Maryse slipped into the ring and I swung myself into the ring as Maryse snagged a mic from Jojo.
Before she started the crowd chanted, 'Welcome back. Welcome back.'
Maryse started the segment, "Daniel. Isn't it so touching that they missed us so much?" She asked.
"Yes, it is. Although kind of makes you wonder why since we didn't really go nowhere." I shrugged as Maryse smiled. "Now we may have been gone for a little over a month. But we kept tabs on things here on Raw. And all the reviews we've been seeing recently on social media. Have been startling to us." Maryse reached into my jacket pocket and pulled up a review. 'Raw is the dumbest I've ever seen. Where are the new pair of Maryse and Boyce?' I read one major review. 'Vince better take the reigns back soon or there will be no flagship show much less WWE within a year. #Boyce&MaryseComeBack.' "Now I don't know about you, Maryse. But it seems that the WWE Universe missed us. And that we make Raw worth watching." The crowd erupted into raucous cheers and chants.
"Do you think that makes this show our show since that we make it worth watching that much?" Maryse smiled as she asked. 'Yes, yes, yes, yes.'
"I guess it does, Maryse." I grinned as I wrapped an arm around her. "Now we're here to see who I'll be facing at Backlash. But be warned whoever it is. Will not have the easiest fight taking this from me." I lifted the IC title. Then Dean Ambrose's theme came over the speakers. Once he was in the ring.
"You will be facing me at Backlash and I promise that you won't be holding that title for much longer."
"Well, I'm betting that I'll still be Intercontinental champion. When it's all said and done." I dropped the mic then leveled Dean with the title. Maryse and I exited the ring and grinned as Dean got angry and pulled himself up to his feet leaning over the ropes when he was finally vertical.

When we got back to the locker room. Me and Maryse were laughing as we in our view did a great promo.
"You were amazing babe."
"So were you." I smiled as she sat next to me.
"You know. I can't wait for Backlash."
"Why's that Maryse darling?"
"Because not only will you retain your Intercontinental Championship but also we come out of the shadows." I slid my right arm around her and pulled her in closer as we watched the rest of our first Raw back. Then there was a knock on the door.
"I'll get it." I opened the door only to be mobbed by all the brands girls.
"Maryse. We heard that your divorce is close to being finalized." I crawled to the door and pulled myself to my knees. Maryse noticed and cooed and cringed. "Are you okay?" Lexi asked and Maryse pointed to me as Natalya stood behind Maryse.
"I'm fine by the way."
"Oooh, Lexi, Mickie would you mind helping Daniel to his feet." Lexi and Mickie helped me to my feet.
"Thanks." I said popping my back in and my knuckles.
"Girls if I'm more than fine. If it wasn't for Daniel being there for me the entire way. I probably would not have come back at all."
"As much as I'd like to take all the credit. It was also the fact that you had to be strong for Monroe. But I'll take some just not all the credit." I smiled.
"So how has Monroe adjusted to the divorce?" Victoria asked.
"Aside from the fact she's taken to Daniel like crazy. I mean whenever he holds her she's out like a light." Maryse smiled.
"Your kidding?" Natalya asked.
"Your confidence is overwhelming." I told her.
"Well, Daniel has also been holding out on all of us." I looked at Maryse.
"How so?" Ember asked.
"He can play guitar and sing." I looked temporarily at Maryse but decided to go with it.
"No. Daniel." Lexi pointed at me.
"Again with the confidence attacks. Yes, me. It's the only way that Monroe gets to sleep now. Although now that I think about it. We should have told Sophia to pass it along to Mike."
"Oooh, your right." Maryse looked down for a moment. I think he's possibly figured it out by now."
"Maybe." I smiled.
"Is there something going on between you two?" Lexi asked noticing the looks we gave each other.
"We're going to keep it secret until Backlash." Ember, Mickie, Victoria, Bayley and Mercedes all picked up as to what was going on.
"You two are dating?" Bayley said.
"Ugh." I growled.
"Babe." Maryse patted my right hand that was on her left shoulder. "Daniel and I were hoping to keep it a secret and come out to everyone including the WWE Universe at Backlash. So as long as you guys don't tell anyone else. Our plan can still work."
I walked up to Nia. "That includes you. Miss gossip." I snarled.
"I'll keep it a secret." Nia said.
"I should hope so. Because if you do tell anyone else." I took my glasses off which had everyone especially Maryse worried. "You will understand the term 'Hell on Earth'. Rather intimately." She gulped hard. "Get me?" She nodded. I put my glasses back on. "Good."
"So do you guys promise to keep us a secret? Dan and I want it to be a surprise."
"We promise." The girls said in unison.
"Good. Thank you guys." They all left and I returned to Maryse' side. "To be honest babe. You worried me with how you looked at Nia."
"Let's not forget Maryse, Nia is the gossip queen around here."
"True. So what you did even though you did go overboard was the right thing to do."
"Glad you agree." I kissed Maryse and she grinned. "Since they already know." I looked at her and held both her hands in mine. "Maryse Ouellet, will you be my girlfriend?"
"Yes. I'd love to be your girlfriend." She smiled.
We enjoyed watching the remaining matches and interviews of the night. Once the night was over. We packed our arena bags and headed to the hotel. During the drive to the hotel. I surprised Maryse by speaking in french and the reason she was surprised. Is that she taught me how in 2014. And it's been a long time since I spoke a word of french. We had a lovely conversation on the way to the hotel and continued it until we reached our hotel room.

Once we changed into our sleep wear after eating some room service and yes I ordered myself a couple baked potatoes and Maryse ordered a rather large chef's salad. Once we were done eating and cleaned up our mess, took a couple showers, and as mentioned before changed into some sleep wear.
"I still can't believe you remembered everything."
"I had a good teacher." I smiled.
"Oooh, your such a sweetheart." She smiled.
"Maybe." I took off my glasses and put them on the bedside table. "But as of an hour ago. I'm your sweetheart." I grinned.
"Very true." She smiled. I turned off the overhead light. I turned to her and she pulled me in for a passionate kiss. After a moment or two we pulled away from each other. "I love you." She smiled.
"I love you more." We kissed once more.
She laid her head on my shoulder and rested her left arm on my chest. It didn't take too long for us to fall asleep.

As Backlash neared, Dean's attacks started becoming less focused on the title. And more on my personal life.He kept alluding to knowing a big secret between me and Maryse. But I ignored his threats. Mostly because no matter what he thought he was doing. It would just come back to bite him at Backlash.

Finally, Backlash arrived, And Maryse and I arranged for Monroe to be there for me and Maryse' announcement. I spent the last few days promoting the match against Dean and working out until I was exhausted. My match was the main event of the evening. One of the very few times a lesser card title headlined and main evented a pay per view of WWE.

"You ready?" Maryse asked as she looked at me as I was smiling at Monroe playing with her ring tower and learning cube building blocks.
"Yeah. I'm more than ready." I said.
"Babe." I looked at Maryse. "I want you to come back in one piece. I don't care if your bloody, tired or scarred. As long as you are in one piece. I'll be okay with that." She slid her right hand over my left cheek and gently pulled me in for a kiss. "I love you, Daniel. And I don't think that I can stand the thought of losing my guardian hellion. And to be honest. I don't want to think about ever losing you." She started to tear up.
"Hey, Maryse. You'll never lose me. I may get bruised, broken, or opened up. But I'll always love you and Monroe and I'll always come back to you." I told her as she smiled a bit amidst some more tears and sobs. Monroe noticed her mother wasn't feeling like herself and crawled over to  us. I picked her up and sat her on my right leg and Maryse's left leg. Maryse slowly calmed down and smiled as Monroe reached out for both of us. "Do you think she knows something we don't?"
Maryse smiled and we both hugged Monroe.
"I hope that we have a family of our own. But I also hope that you and I will eventually take the final step to becoming a permanent couple."
"Our time will come." She smiled as we pulled away from Monroe. "What do you think little one. Would you like a little brother or sister?" Monroe clapped and smiled.
"I'll take that as a yes. But I don't want to rush into it. I just hope that we can..." Maryse put a finger to my lips.
"Has anyone ever told you that you talk too much?" She grinned.
"Nobody that's still alive. You'd be the first." I grinned.
"I want a family with you as well, I want to take that final step to becoming a permanent couple as you put it." She smiled.
"I love you, Maryse Ouellet."
"I love you too, Daniel Boyce."
"I will prove it one day."
"How about tonight after we get back to the hotel. And of course when we put Monroe to bed."
"I look forward to it." I grinned evilly.

My match finally came around and it originally was supposed to be Deans style of an Asylum Match. But since he kept attacking my personal life with Maryse. I begged and threatened and cojoled the higher ups to change it to a match type that was and has been my specialty since it's inception in 2013.
A HELL'S PLAYGROUND BRAWL. No rules, no time limit, no count out, the only way to win is to beat the living hell out of your opponent until they either said I quit or were unable to stand. Period.
I stood up and gently bounced Monroe a couple times before handing her to Maryse who was barred from ringside at Deans constant request. "Good luck babe. And bring that title back and yourself in one piece, if not for any other reason. For your girl and your niece."
"Thank you Maryse. And I will on both counts." I smiled as I leaned down and kissed Maryse and she planted a smaller kiss on my right cheek. I soon left for the gorilla to stretch and prepare for my entrance.
Dean approached me as the rivalry video started playing on the monitor behind him.
"You may have gotten lucky with Seth. But I'm not Seth. I'm the lunatic fringe. The re-creator of hardcore and insanity.
"I'm sorry, all I heard was, blah, blah, blah. I'm a dead man." The last thing we heard from the rivalry video was a clip or sound bite of me saying, 'Dean, You wanted a war and you picked the wrong man as an adversary.'
"You seem to forget your place."
"My' place. How about you. I fought and clawed my way to the top. And I'm not going to have some moron who thinks he's more insane than I am, crazier than I am. Tell me that I don't know my place. I was doing extremely dangerous things while you were still in high school. I broke my arm seven times before you had your first college cheerleader. So don't tell me that I don't know my place. You should learn your place. This title." I lifted a bit the IC title that I had draped over my right shoulder. "Isn't going anywhere. The only person or thing that will be going somewhere. Is you. You will be taken to hell and beyond. You will be put through the most punishing match ever conceived. My personal creation that has been my specialty match for years. And tonight. If you say one thing about Maryse. I don't care what will happen, I don't care what they do to me. I. Will. Kill you." My music hit and I made my way past a very shocked Dean, through the curtain and down to the ring.

Thirty minutes in...
The match had gone from the ring to the production area near the gorilla, Dean had begun the match earlier with a very forceful flurry of attacks that caused bruises to quickly manifest on my ribs, cheeks and back. However, I had the upper hand now as I was sporting a very angry look that actually would have given Brock Lesnar, Braun Strowman or any other heavy hitter pause, while tightening a chord around Deans neck. I let go after a few moments and wearily walked down the hall and picked up a shock wand used by riot police. I walked over and shocked him relentlessly with barely a few seconds break in between the shocks. 'Come on, Dean. All  you have to do is say I quit.' Dean shook his head. 'Alright then, time to pursue more, dangerous, methods.' I walked over to a props box that was left by the arena staff after a prior performance of Oklahoma by the local theater guild to help raise funds to renovate the local performance auditorium and pulled a bail hook from it. I then buried the bail hook into Deans leg and he writhed and screamed in pain, I pulled him along and I dragged him all the way to the parking lot. Then attached the handle of the bail hook to a cable attached to one of the production's pulley carts used to set the ring posts in place among other things. 'Last chance before I string you up like the catch of the day.' He spat in my face and I sighed. 'Alright.' I started the pulley cart and it cranked the cable I attached to the bail hook and when it started pulling him up he shrieked and howled.

Twelve minutes later...
I had let Dean down from his upside down hanging and then walked to a weapons can and pulled a baseball bat and a kendo stick. Then pulled the bail hook from his leg and stood on the now open wound in his leg. He screamed loudly. I took the baseball bat and swung it around for a bit before tossing it aside then began beating him with the Kendo stick. It shattered on the twelfth swing. I then took my foot off his wounded leg and walked to the baseball bat. 'Say goodnight gracie.'
I swung the bat against his skull and he was out cold. In the arena I could hear the crowd screaming their approval as I slowly made my way back to the ring, grabbed my Intercontinental Championship and gingerly held it over my head at the bottom of the ramp. I slowly made my way to the back and was greeted by Maryse and Monroe. "Congratulations on a good match babe." She said happily amidst tears. She was holding Monroe in her right arm.
"Thank you darling." I kissed Maryse on the lips and forehead. "There's one thing to do before the camera's go off." Maryse nodded. "Bring Monroe with  you." I smiled as Monroe giggled and clapped a bit as we headed back out to the stage with a mic in my hand. The crowd cheered and chanted, 'Daniel, Maryse, Daniel, Maryse.' "Okay, okay. Umm, Maryse and I. Have an announcement and I'm sure that it will surprise most if not all of you." I started. "Maryse and I are officially announcing that we are together. We have been for at least..." I looked to Maryse.
'Three weeks.' She smiled.
"Three weeks. Sorry for my addled thinking. So you are now well informed of me and Maryse' relationship status. I think that tomorrow night will prove interesting. But as much as I'd like to be there. I think I'll probably be home healing up from the glorious match I just won. But if you do see me on Raw. I'm sure that I will have bandages galore. But if push comes to shove. I'll do what I've always done. Put on a brave face, fight through I the pain and give you all a really good show." The crowd erupted in response. "Now, I'd like to make one thing perfectly clear. Maryse and I aren't enemies of the Miz. Nor are we going to try and sever ties with him. Mornroe here," I gestured to Monroe who was now sucking on her thumb. "Still needs her father. And I will not deprive her of that. Maryse and I are still friends with Mike and will stay that way in the forseeable future. So if anyone thinks that Maryse filed for her divorce from Mike because of some hidden love for me. Or because of me in general. I can assure you that she did not. She did not file for the divorce because of me. She did not file for the divorce due to some hidden feelings for me. In life  you all should realize that things don't always workout. And the marriage between Maryse and Miz was just another casualty of that fact. So I hope you enjoyed the match. And have a great night. Maryse and I have to put this little one to bed. Ta." Maryse and I waved to the crowd as they cheered again and a moment later, we made our way to the back and then our locker room. The trainer made a locker room call. Maryse packed her arena bag and Monroe's diaper bag as I finished getting checked out by the trainer.
"That was a hell of a match, Boyce." He said.
"Thank you. So what's the prognosis?"
"Well, you have a few bruised ribs. You may have a bruised cheek bone and your back looks like you may have to be very careful as to how you sleep for a couple days."
"Thanks, doc."
"No problem, Daniel. Now I will suggest that you get some rest and I will update Hunter and Stephanie that you may need some time off. But we'll see what happens tomorrow."
"Okay." He packed his medical bag and left and I gently walked over to Maryse. "Hey." I said wrapping my arms around her waist. "I kept my promise."
"Yes, you did." She smiled as she turned her head and kissed my left cheek. "I'm so proud of you for giving the crowd a match to remember. But I'm even more happy with the fact that you brought yourself back in one piece and the IC title with you."
"Well, I had a couple good reasons to do my damndest to bring myself back in one piece but also to bring back the Intercontinental Championship with me. You , and Monroe." I smiled.
"Are you sure you would like to keep with our little plan after we get back to the hotel. I mean I would understand if you wanted to put a rain check on it."
"No. I'm okay. We just can't do anything too stressing on my back, or ribs. Aside from that. There is no way, I'm going to break the one promise I want to keep above all else." I gently breathed on her neck making her wrap her right arm around my neck and slide her left hand up and down my left arm. "I love you." I kissed her neck gently and she smiled as she slowly turned her head and I met her lips with mine. She turned in my arms and we were making out rather passionately. Then Maryse and I pulled away from each other after a few moments. "I'm going to get a shower in."
"No. You get your arena bag packed and we'll go to the hotel. I'm going to have my way with my Country Hellion." She grinned as did I.
"Looking forward to it." I changed in a hurry into some casual clothes and after packing everything into my arena bag that I brought including the Intercontinental Title. We headed to the car and then the hotel.
While in the car, Maryse looked at me with a fiery lust in her eyes. It was fun seeing her hold Monroe and trying to keep her composure at the same time.

Once we were at the hotel, I unlocked the door and opened it and held it open for Maryse. We put Monroe down for bed in a rather small crib that was collapsible for travel. I smiled at Monroe as Maryse slid into my side. "Maryse?"
"Hmm."
"What do you think our children will look like?" I asked her.
"Well, they'll have your brains and my looks." She giggled.
"That sounds fair. But they'll also have your intellect as well. Not just mine. But they'll as you said. Have your looks and my bearing." She grinned as I said that.
"Now. I'm going to the shower. You better be in there in the next few minutes babe. Because courtesy of your little breathing and kissing of my neck. I'm ready to go."
"I'll be there in a few darling." I kissed her as she sultrily walked to the bathroom. I had a hard time taking my eyes off her as she slowly closed the door. "Well, little one." I said looking at Monroe. "You better get some sleep." She smiled as she gently yawned and as I sung a short song by Red Skelton. She fell fast asleep. 'Goodnight little one.' I kissed her forehead then headed to the shower.

"So, Monroe's sleeping. Which means as long as we can be careful and quiet. We should have no trouble in having 'our' fun." I said as I stripped down to nothing and slid into the shower.
"Good to hear babe. Now. Come here." She smiled as she wrapped her arms around my neck and I wrapped my arms around her waist as she pulled me into a deep, passionate kiss.

After two hours and sixteen minutes, Maryse and I were laying on the bathroom floor. Me on my right side and she was laying on her back with her left leg draped over my left thigh since I was still inside her. "Damn. That was amazing babe." She grinned.
"Thank you. You were pretty incredible yourself darling." I kissed her left cheek.
"Have you been with any other girls since Ashley?" She asked.
"No. Your the first one in a long, long time."
"I'm flattered." She giggled as I kissed her neck and lips. "Well, let's get to bed babe. Thank you for that mindblowing round."
"Your welcome and it was just as mindblowing for me." I grinned. We got up, showered again, dried off and dressed into our sleepwear, slid into bed and she slid into me, her back to me, and after we found a comfortable spot. "Goodnight, babe." She turned her head and kissed me. "I love you."
"I love you too, darling." After our heads hit the pillows we were fast asleep.