10/29/2018
New York City, New York
Angelica had been outside when she got the news of Dustin’s death via overdose. Hearing that kind of news is difficult enough to deal with, but for Angelica it strikes an extra hard blow considering she at one point in her life tried to end it all via overdose. She had once thought that she saw a little bit of herself in Dustin; now she connected with him even more so.
People react to these devastating circumstances in different ways. Some would prefer to take a walk, get a breath of fresh air. Some may want to just find their comfortable bed and cry. Angelica had chosen a different coping method.
Shortly after learning of the horrible news and telling James about it, Angelica had made her way to a nearby bar. There she sat in a far corner with an empty glass in front of her. As she stared at the empty glass, thoughts of what she could have potentially done differently dwelled within her psyche. It tortured her and tormented her. This kid, Dustin, it easily could have been her once upon a time. But she lucked up and survived.
Dustin did not.
People all over the bar spoke and drank, a few played pool on a pool table near the center, but the redheaded Boston native Angelica Jones paid no attention to any of them. She had been stuck in her own mind, focusing on today’s events. Her eyes locked upon an empty glass; she wondered if she should get a refill or if she had enough.
“Hi, mom!”
A familiar voice broke Angelica’s mental focus. She looked up to see one of her twin daughters standing there. Marie and Kimberly are hard to tell apart but a mother knows her children. Besides, Kimberly had dressed in such a way that made it painfully clear it was her and not Marie. Kimberly was wearing torn denim jeans, flip flops, and a “I Groped Mr. D” t-shirt. Angelica shook her head.
“You shouldn’t wear that, Kim.”
“What, you mean the shirt?” Kim smirked. “You can’t stop an entrepreneur! This shirt is the top seller on SCW website!”
“I doubt Mr. D would allow that shirt to be sold on the SCW website.”
“Yeah, well, all successful business people run into obstacles. I’ll figure out how to get this bad boy sold in due time. Then you can be known as the mother of the next big fashion designer!”
“I hate to break it to you, sweetie, but the only two shirts you’ve developed thus far is that one and your ‘STABBY’ shirt...both of which your sister paid for...and you only had one of each made. Not exactly a good start.”
Kim tilted her head to one side and frowned. “Well you’re such a downer today. What gives? Does it have anything to do with why you had me come down here? I got your text.”
Angelica nodded and then motioned for her daughter to sit down. Kim obliged and took a seat across from her mother at the table. Before anything else could be said, Kimberly immediately took note of the empty glass in front of Angelica. Kim pointed at it.
“You were drinking.”
“Yes, yes I was.”
“How much?”
“This was my third glass.”
“Mom…” Kim’s voice trailed off as she showed a rare sign of true emotion. Kimberly Williams typically feigns a carefree attitude but this day she was worried about her mother. “...you know that’s a bad idea.”
“It’s a bad idea to drink water?”
“Oh, it’s just water?”
Jones nodded her head. “Yes, Kim. I appreciate the concern but don’t worry, I’m not going to drown my sorrows in alcohol. Not yet anyway.”
“Well that’s good, because if you got good and drunk died of an overdose or some shit I’d have to go and find me a new mom. And do you know how difficult it is to kidnap and brainwash people these days?”
Angelica stared stoically across the table at her daughter. “Don’t say that Kimberly.”
“Say what?” Kimberly asked innocently. “What’d I say?”
“Don’t joke about overdosing. It isn’t funny.”
“I know, but you know me and my humor. It’s a bit dark. Big deal.”
“No…” Angelica sighed and flagged down a server who came back with a refill of water for Angelica. The server placed it down in front of her and Angelica immediately took a big gulp. “...Kim, you know I tried to kill myself through overdose.”
“You told me.” A wry grin formed on Kim’s face. “I know you love to succeed at everything you do, mom, but I am seriously glad you failed in your suicide attempt.”
Despite herself and despite the situation, Angelica could not help but let a slight laugh escape her lips. It was good to ease up on the tension a little, Angelica admitted silently to herself. Kim always had been good for that.
“Thanks, Kim. I needed that.”
“Glad I could be of service. But seriously mom, what’s up? Why do you seem so doom and gloom right now?”
The matriarch of the Jones family paused. She took another sip of her water and set it back down. Jones wiped a tear from her eyes as she gazed back into the eyes of her daughter Kimberly.
“Dustin died. It was an overdose.”
Kimberly furrowed her brow out of confusion. “Who the heck is Dustin?”
“Dustin was a kid me and James had been working with. He’s been found dead, Kim. Dead via overdose.”
“I see why you didn’t want me to make jokes about that now.”
“I was on the brink of losing my mind, Kim. Months ago I nearly lost it all when I tried to end Jazmyn Rain’s career in a wrestling match just because I couldn’t make her quit. It doesn’t matter how annoying someone is, no one deserves to have their career ended like that.”
“Except her.”
“KIM!”
“Sorry!”
Angelica sighed. “And that wasn’t the first time. I tried to end my own cousin, Glory Braddock’s career because I couldn’t beat her. James Evans was someone who I could relate to, because he had been to the same dark places I had been and survived. He gave me hope that I could pull through. Then we met Dustin. Dustin was battling his own demons. Bad family life, drugs, you know the story.”
“Fuck, I lived the story.”
“But I had that hope back, Kim. I had hope that I could impact his life in a positive way. Helping people like him, helping bring people back from the brink, that’s what I used to do before I even thought about becoming a wrestler. That was what I wanted to do as a nun and I began to actually think I could still have a positive impact on people’s lives. And then…” Angelica’s voice trailed off as she could not bring herself to finish the sentence. Kimberly finished it for her.
“....and then Dustin overdosed.”
“Yeah.” Angelica nodded her head. “Now I have self-doubts. I let him down, Kim.”
“Mom, you’re gonna have failures. It’s a part of life. Y’know? Hell, you should be used to it. You failed thirteen times at least in your wrestling career.”
“Thirteen? What are you…” Angelica frowned as she realized what her daughter meant “...you mean my world title wins.”
“Bingo! You are a thirteen time world champion but that means someone kicked your ass and took the title from you thirteen times as well. Just remember what Slick Willie said. A setback is a setup for a comeback.”
“It’s Willie Jolley, and that’s what I told Dustin before he died.”
“Then take your own advice, mom! Pull yourself up from the bootstraps!”
“It’s not as simple as that. I failed him, Kim. I can’t help but think I could have helped him but I didn’t. Maybe I’m just not cut out for helping troubled youth.”
There was a tense pause as Kimberly and Angelica locked eyes. Kimberly could see the hurt and pain in her mother’s eyes. It was Kimberly who finally broke the silence.
“You’re right, you do have a shit ton of self-doubt. Always have.”
“What’s that supposed to mean?”
“Yeah, you’ve made mistakes. You’ve failed before. I can think of when you gave up one of your children at birth, gave her up to someone who you at least suspected, if not knew, was a known sociopath.”
Angelica knew that Kimberly spoke of herself. Angelica was pregnant with Kimberly and Marie near the end of her tenure in The Sisters of Our Lady of Mercy. She gave them up instead of having an abortion. Kimberly would end up landing in the care of someone Angelica knew and suspected was a sociopath and yet allowed her to take Kim anyway. Being raised by this person twisted Kimberly into a bit of a sociopath herself. Angelica never forgave herself.
“Thanks for reminding me of that, sweetheart.”
“The story didn’t end there, did it? I hated you for what you did. I tried to destroy the family as payback for what you did. But you never gave up on me. You kept seeking me out, you kept fighting for reconciliation, you and Marie both did, and you showed me what love was all about. You proved to me that hope does exist and that the light is stronger than the darkness. I never met this Dustin kid, and it’s tragic that he’s dead, but if you really do want to work with troubled youth, I think you got a pretty damn good record. I’m living proof that you are good at it.”
“But Marie hates me…Jessica HAS lost her mind…”
“Yes, they need your help. Just like other kids like Dustin need your help. And you and James have tag team championships to win.”
“The tag titles…” Angelica sighed “...how are we going to focus on that?”
“Honestly? You just need to get off your ass, find James, and talk this shit out. Get your minds straight and go to work.”
“Easier said than done. This has impacted me a great deal, Kim. I can only imagine how much it impacted James.”
“Yeah, it hurts. I get it. But if anyone can pull themselves back from the brink it’s you. You’ve done it before. So instead of sitting here drowning yourself in alcohol…”
“Water.” Angelica corrected her.
“...you need to listen to your guardian angel. And do you know what your guardian angel is saying?”
“No but I’m afraid you’re about to tell me.”
“Your guardian angel is saying GET UP YOU SON OF A BITCH, BECAUSE KIMMIE LOVES YOU!”
“Quit quoting Sylvester Stallone movies.”
“Sorry,” Kim smirked “but it applies! Get up and get to work!”
“Fine.” Angelica nodded her head. “I’ll find James and we’ll talk about this.”
“Great, and mom, don’t give up on helping troubled youth. I honestly think it’s your calling.”
Angelica sighed and shook her head. “Maybe but I’m still not sure, not after today.”
__________________________________________
“Yeah, James....I heard from Daniel….Dustin has been found and he’s…” James heard Angelica as she began to cry, and he felt a terrible twisting in his stomach. James wanted to calm Angelica, as it seemed she was struggling to speak but he couldn’t find the words. His hand gripped the phone, squeezing it as if he was going to break it and then Angelica seemed to catch her breath. What she said next took James’ as Angelica stated, “...he’s dead, James….it was an overdose,” James said nothing. He felt frozen in time. He took a moment to gather himself, and went to respond but couldn’t find the words, so he shook his head and sighed before ending the call.
James was in the bedroom at the time of the call. He had been so overcome with emotion when he returned to his apartment where he found Braelynn that he kissed her. Her kiss made him feel a little bit better and it was a feeling James felt he needed more of. So they kissed then kissed some more, before clothes were removed from their bodies, which became one on the couch, the floor, before intertwining in the bedroom. The good feeling lasted and it wasn’t something James wanted to let go, but his body reached its climax. Once that happened, Braelynn got into the shower while James lied on the bed, a sense of dread returning to him, as he could not get his mind off of Dustin, his mind coming up with several scenarios, all of them bad. One of them was confirmed with a simple phone call from Angelica.
Now, he stood in the bedroom, feeling weak but unable to take his eyes off of his reflection. He looked like Hell, instead of a man who just finished making love with the woman of his dreams. Flashes of Dustin appeared in his mind. Images of the kid lying down on a bed, his face frozen and his body stiff, as his eyes pointed to the ceiling, a blank and motionless expression on his young face. It was an image that James wanted out of his head, but he couldn’t rid himself of. James dropped down to his knees, unable to look at himself any longer, feeling like he was to blame for what happened to the kid, feeling like he didn’t do enough to make a positive impact on Dustin’s life.
Cupping his face in his hands, James tried to catch his breath, when he heard Braelynn’s voice call out from behind him, “Babe…babe…what’s wrong, are you alright?” Her voice was followed by footsteps coming closer to him and then hands were placed on his shoulders, “James, baby…is everything alright.”
James gasped for air once again as he shook his head, bringing his hands from his face, as he stated, “No…no it’s not…they found Dustin,” James remembered telling Braelynn what had happened when he arrived home and how she did what she could to make him think positively, “They found him. He’s dead…he died of an overdose…a fucking overdose,” he said, with a slight hiss.
Braelynn was shocked when she heard those words come from his mouth. She wrapped her arms around him as she held him. "I'm sorry baby." she said, while thinking of what she could say and do to support him. "I'm right here,” Braelynn wanted to make sure he knew she wouldn't let go of him.
James released a heavy sigh, trying to keep his cool, trying to shake the images flashing in his head, “I know, babe. I just can’t help but feel sad. I spent all day trying to connect with the kid and I thought at one point I had.”
She kissed James’ cheek then his forehead before sitting down in front of him, “What do you mean?” Braelynn asked, taking James’ hand in hers.
James cleared his throat, as he replayed the day with Dustin in his mind, like a movie on a loop as he replied, “He was very short with me. Like when I would ask questions, he would give me short responses, and would come off like a smart ass, like he was sizing me up or something. He didn’t do that with Angelica.”
Braelynn didn’t say anything, but James could tell by the look on her face, she knew why Dustin gave Angelica his full attention. James continued, “We went out to eat before we made it to the comic shop. On the way there, it started to seem like we were breaking ground. We talked about superheroes and stuff like that, before going into the shop and reading some books.”
Braelynn smiled, as she knew James could get through to anyone just by bringing up superheroes, "You at least had found something to connect over. Sometimes even the smallest connections mean the most, without us even knowing it," She said while she thought back to some of the small connections she had over the years, "That connection, and time spent with you, it may have meant something to him."
Her words brought James a tidbit of comfort, but the dread was still there. He recalled what the dread he felt in the past typically led to. It led to the emergence of Abel, a voice that James did all that he could to outrun that voice and that dread, that he took drugs so he felt he was able to relate to Dustin. James let out a sigh, wishing he would have had more time with Dustin so that he could see how similar they were, “I just wish I could know for sure, babe. I don’t know if it would help, but I think I would eventually find comfort in knowing whether or not I made any sort of impact on Dustin. But, I feel that I’m going to wonder for awhile what sort of difference I could have made…” James paused, once again shaking the images of a deceased Dustin lying in some rundown hotel room out of his head, “what sort of difference I could have made...if any at all.”
Braelynn knew there was nothing she could have told him to get him to think he had made a connection, or even a small impact on Dustin in that short time. She lightly shakes her head. "You could wonder about it, drive yourself crazy about it even, but what will it accomplish? You can only look towards the future, and what you can do for your own daughter, for any kids we could have in the future." She looked him in his face, as her face showed a look of concern, as she was worried he would wonder, and bring out Abel.
James immediately shook his head, seeing her concern, sensing that she had some dread of her own as Braelynn knew the story of Abel, “You don’t have to worry about him coming back. I’d like to think I have him under control,” James said, trying to give a reassuring smile.
Braelynn nodded, almost weakly, “I just don’t want this to destroy you, James. That is all. I want you here. Hell, I need you here. And more importantly, Kelly needs her daddy here.”
James smiled once more as he looked into the eyes of his fiancé, “And he will be here,” James said, reaching out and taking Braelynn’s hand in his as he said, “I’ll be here.”
They sat in silence for a few minutes, just looking at one another, gently touching the other, her touch soothing James and he hoped he did the same for her. After some time had passed, Braelynn asked, “So, are you going to continue trying to do this?”
“Do what? Touch you? Of course…” James said with a grin, doing his best to let go of the heartache he felt.
She grinned and shook her head, “No you silly ass,” and then her smile faded, “I meant working with kids like Dustin? I know it’s something you’re passionate about. The way all of this has affected you...you can just tell you give a damn.”
James let her words resonate and he nodded before looking at her and replying, “I don’t know. What do you think I should do?”
She shrugged, “I think you should continue trying. You could make a break through with some kid who really needs it.”
“You think so?”
“I know so.”
James nodded, loving her more and more for her support, “I find it funny…”
“What?” She asked.
“I feel you’re trying to do the same with this whole situation involving my father…” James said, letting out a deep breath, as the thought of seeing his father crossed his mind, “After meeting Dustin’s parents...all I could do was see my own. It has haunted me ever since.”
Braelynn climbed to her feet and James looked up at her, “That just goes to show that you can relate to kids like Dustin a lot more than you, or they, may realize. I think you should keep doing it...now,” she said, nudging James’ leg with her foot, “Let’s go to bed, babe.”
“I’ll be in in a minute,” James said before looking down at his phone, seeing the picture he and Angelica had taken with Dustin.
“Goodnight babe. I love you.”
“I love you too,” James said, watching her as Braelynn disappeared into the bedroom. He returned his gaze to the picture and sat there for only God knows how long, thinking about what he would do next. There was part of him that wanted to go back to Dustin’s home, to see his parents, to let them know how he felt and to tell them that they needed to give a damn. There was that part of him that wanted to see the look on their faces upon hearing the news. James sighed and shook his head, trying to rid if of those sort of thoughts. He took a shower before finally lying down next to Braelynn, who was sound asleep. He curled up next to her for quite some time before rolling onto his back and staring at the ceiling, waiting for sleep to come.
But the sleep that arrived brought something unwanted. James saw himself walking on the sidewalk, near the apartment complex where Dustin lived with his parents. Everything was dark and very quiet. James looked around and saw not a soul around before turning and entering the complex, walking up the stairs. The closer he got to the top, the colder things became. James reached the top and turned to the left as an apartment door slowly creaked open. James looked around to see if anyone else was around, but the hallway he was in was completely empty. James slowly made his way to the door. Once he got there, James took a few deep breaths before slowly stepping into the room and that was when he saw him.
Dustin, appearing cold and lifeless, was on a bed. A needle in his resting in his hand, track marks going up his arm. James stepped closer, seeing that Dustin was truly dead, checking for a pulse, for any sign of life, but there was nothing. James then sat down on the bed for a few moments before beginning to sob. He then turned to Dustin’s lifeless body, and in between tears, James began to apologize, telling him that he wished he had done more, that he wished he had kept talking with him in the comic shop. James then asked him why he left and what made him run away. James took a deep breath then turned into a gasp, as he felt an icy grip on his arm. He turned and saw Dustin staring at him, scared and with black eyes, as he said, “Help me…”
James couldn’t speak. All he could do was watch as Dustin turned to ash, as words slowly came out of James’ mouth, leaving him feeling ultimately defeated as he whispered, “I can’t…”
James sat up in bed, gasping for air and in a cold sweat. Braelynn quickly rolled over and wrapped her arms around him, “James, James...calm down, babe...calm down…”
“I saw him...I saw him...I saw Dustin…”
“It was just a nightmare, babe. That’s it. Nothing else…” Braelynn said, kissing James on the shoulder, as his breathing finally calmed. James looked at her and nodded, kissing her on the forehead. James then climbed out of bed and headed into the kitchen, grabbing a glass of water and guzzling it down, doing his best to shake the nightmare running through his mind like an online streaming video, going on and on like it was on a loop.
He took a seat on the couch, grabbing his phone off of the living room table. He looked up Angelica’s number and called her. Pressing the phone to his ear, he heard her say as she answered, “James...is everything alright?”
James chuckled and shook his head, “Just wondered if you were having trouble sleeping.”
Angelica sighed, “I’ve tried here and there, but what sleep I’m getting is terrible.”
“Why’s that?”
“I can’t stop picturing him…” Angelica said before her voice trailed off.
James nodded, his own nightmare continuing to run through his head, still feeling as real as it did while he slept, “Yeah neither can I. I just woke up actually. What I dreamt...it was just a little too real. He asked me to help him and all I could muster up was telling him that I couldn’t…”
“My dream was along those same lines,” Angelica replied.
“So, is this something that you want to keep doing?”
“Don’t you think it is a little early to really discuss that, James?”
James ran his hand over his face, “You’re probably right, Angelica but I can’t get it out of my way. It’s not something I can avoid. Hell, I feel responsible that you were even involved. I feel I talked you into doing something you didn’t really want to do.”
Angelica sighed once more, “You didn’t talk me into anything, James. You presented the idea to me and I took you up on it. I was there because I wanted to be.”
James took comfort in that at least, “That’s good to hear, Angelica. I appreciate it. I am sure Dustin appreciated it ten times as much.”
James heard Angelica giggle before she replied, “Yeah, I think he was excited at the idea of me having daughters and sisters and all that jazz.”
“Yeah, there is no denying that he thought you were hot,” James said, giving a laugh of his own, “He was a good kid…”
“He really was,” Angelica replied. Silence fell over them for a few moments before Angelica spoke once more, “Is this something you want to continue doing?”
James shrugged, “I have been asking myself that a lot tonight and at this point, I think that it is more than I need to.”
“But why?”
“Why not?”
She sighed once again, “Because James...we met this kid for a day and he ran away. He died from an overdose. It has fucking wrecked us to say the least.”
James looked down for a few moments, gathering his thoughts, not wanting to come off like an asshole in any way, shape, or form. He looked up and cleared his throat, “I take it that you’ve made up your mind then.”
There was a slight pause followed by a quiet sob and a slow gasp for breath before Angelica spoke, “James, I don’t think I can. I don’t think that I am strong enough to do it. At least not right now. Maybe when I don’t have to constantly work through my own shit...maybe I can do it…”
“Angelica…”
Angelica cut James off, “Just please understand where I am coming from. And please...please don’t hold this against me.”
James paused, closing his eyes, as he listened to her. When Angelica finished, he repeated her words in his head before opening his eyes as he nodded, “I understand, Angelica. I really do. I don’t know if I should continue, but right now, I feel like I am obligated to. I don’t know if that makes sense. It’s just how I feel.”
“And I get that….”
Another pause before James felt a smile appear on his face, feeling a little better after talking with his tag partner, “And the only thing I will hold against you is if we lose this tag title match,” James said, giving a slight chuckle.
He heard Angelica laugh as well, “If we lose, I have no doubt in my mind that it will be your fault,” They shared another laugh, “Can we just talk about good stuff until one of us passes out?”
James grinned, “Yeah sure. I don’t see why not, though I am sure you’ll pass out before me...you old grandma…”
“Fuck off…”
“So, should we talk strategy or how many Dior photos Bree will put up in an effort to play mind games with us…”
Angelica chuckled again, “Oh dear God...do not get me started…” James gave a chuckle of his own, telling himself that he was not looking forward to dealing with Bree. Her typical antics in and out of the ring was already giving him a headache.
“Yeah, you’re right. We are supposed to talk about good stuff…”
__________________________________________
10/31/2018
Oklahoma City, Oklahoma
Breakdown
Bree had gone out to brag along with Scott Burnside, who looked like a scared puppy, and her never ending stream of gloating resulted in James and Angelica deciding to go out to have some fun at their expense. Angelica seemed to have the most fun she had had in awhile, especially after being sent through a pod in the Elimination Chamber as well as everything that had happened with Dustin. It made her feel good to be back in an arena, out in front of the crowd, who were eating out of the palm of her hand and hanging onto her every word as she tore into Bree Lancaster. After they finished pissing Bree off, Angelica and James made their way through the curtain.
“God, that was so badass,”Angelica said.
James looked at her, cracking a grin, “Yeah. She is probably going to make some nasty Tweets about us, or share a tub of ice cream with someone from the Beauty Factory. Hell, she may even punt her dog.”
Angelica’s laughter faded, “Do you really think she’d do that?”
“I certainly hope not.”
“Me either,”she said, “That girl doesn’t need anymore attention. First it’s TMZ then it’d be PETA.”
“And she has Twitter and a mouth that never seems to close…” James said.
“A lot like her legs apparently,” Angelica added.
James nodded, “Alright well let’s move on. We have a month or close to it to trade verbal barbs with her. Let’s go grab some grub.”
“That sounds good. Let me get ready and call up that fiancé of yours so we can go out.”
James nodded as Angelica went her own way towards her locker room. James made his way towards his, texting Braelynn to get ready and meet them outside of the arena. James felt very fortunate that his fiancé and his tag team partner got along. Just as he was equally thankful that he didn’t have to worry with any drama between them. He hadn’t had a relationship filled with trust in a long time. The same went for his partnership with Angelica. James didn’t necessarily trust Starr or Ace. He did however trust Angelica and the world seemed to dig their partnership.
The reactions James had been receiving since his return had only gotten louder as well as stronger as time had gone on. He had been seen as a good guy before but those reactions didn’t pale in comparison. He wanted to keep them going, just as he wanted to continue working on being a good man and staying that way.
And then his phone rang. Placing it to his ear, he said, “Social Worker Brandy. How are you?”
“I was calling to ask you the same thing. I’m maintaining I guess you could say,” she replied.
James stepped into his locker room, closing the door behind him. He hadn’t stopped thinking about Dustin,”I’m doing my best to maintain as well. Can’t get the kid out of my head.”
“It’ll take time, James.”
“I’m not sure I want to ever forget him. Ever since he ran away, I asked myself if I could have done more. When I found out he died, that only intensified…”
Brandy cut him off, “That will happen but as I’m sure you learned during your brief period in school, that you can’t save everyone.”
James shook his head, “Its not about saving them. It’s about them knowing that someone truly gives a shit about them.”
“And I think you did that, James. I’m not so sure that Dustin knew how to handle or accept that,” Brandy stated before a slight pause, “So are you going to give it another go with the at risk youth program?”
“I’m going to,” James said as he released a deep breath.
“Good,” she said, “Keep fighting the good fight.”
James felt a slight grin form, “You too…”
__________________________________________
-S-H-O-O-T-
I honestly did feel bad for Scotty. Poor Scotty, being used by Bree to prop up her championship aspirations. Poor Scotty, taking such physical abuse and even coming close to costing his girl a match against yours truly on Breakdown. Scotty was used and abused by Bree so that she could continue her life of luxury, just as she always has used and abused people.
But more on her in a moment.
She smirked
Scott is gone and in his place is Andrew Raynes. My partner has some problems with this, which he’ll get into later, but I do try to at the bright side of things, and on the bright side this means the tag team championship will, at least, be contested in a competitive manner. It won’t be a glorified handicap match Redemption against Bree Lancaster. Raynes makes this thing competitive and that’s how I want it. I think it’s safe to say that James wants it that way too. We don’t want the easy road. We want everyone to KNOW that we are the best tag team in Supreme Championship Wrestling because we earned it against a top notch team, not because we had the numbers advantage over an overbearing, full of herself fake Bree Lancaster.
A light chuckle escaped Angelica’s lips.
There’s another reason I love this turn of events and it’s because Raynes and I have some history. We’ve been partners before, we’ve fought on the same side before, so I know how you operate in these situations. I know how Andrew Raynes the tag team wrestler does business. That’s some valuable knowledge that Redemption will use to its advantage.
Jones tapped the side of her head.
Knowledge, Andrew, is a powerful weapon. Knowledge is much more powerful than hatred.
Embrace the hate. That’s what you like to say, isn’t it? And you know something, Andrew? I agree with you to an extent. Hate makes you strong. Hate can help you go places in a cutthroat business like this. I was a world champion on thirteen separate occasions in this business and I’ll be the first to admit that most of those championship victories were driven by hatred.
She sighed deeply.
But hatred has its consequences. You think you can control it but you can’t. Hate controls you. Hate makes you do things blindly, without thinking. Hate will make you do things that you will regret later. Hatred, really, is a double edged sword. Trust me, I know this from experience. So neither you nor anyone else needs to lecture me about hatred.
A cool, confident grin began to spread across her face.
Some of those thirteen championships and other accolades I have achieved in my career...some of them...have been achieved without hatred driving me. I achieved it through pure hard work, dedication, and motivation to be the best. And you know what, Andrew? It feels a heck of a lot better when I win a championship without hatred driving me.
James Evans and I used to be all about hatred. We went down that dark path and yes, it took us to great success, but it also took us to an abyss we never want to go to ever again. Embrace the hate? Sorry, Raynes, but I’ll pass.
Jones nodded her head.
It’s nice that you’re willing to save Bree’s Dior endorsed ass. Nice to see she has friends outside of her yapping dog...oh, and Donatella too...but you’re not getting a damn thing out of this, Andrew. You’re definitely not leaving with the SCW World Tag Team Championship. You’re just gonna leave with knowledge...knowledge that I am STILL among the best wrestlers in the world today and knowledge that embracing the hate could not keep the championships around the waist of Bree Lancaster.
James stepped into view of the camera, as Angelica stepped out. He looked at the camera, replaying Angelica’s words in his head, before he began to address the matter at hand.
At Under Attack, as you all may know, Redemption gets a shot at the SCW World Tag Team Championships. We outlasted and survived the Elimination Chamber to earn this shot, making through a Twin Killing in order to get here. But in saying that, I know that this fight is still going to be an uphill climb in order for us to be declared champions.
And I am okay with that.
James said with a slight shrug, looking a little carefree as he continued to speak.
I am also okay with the SCW World Tag Team titles, as well as the division that the belts represent, are getting their fair share of the lime light. It is typically the World Championship and whatever feud Regan Street or Selena Frost is involved in. That isn’t a knock on either of them, but the thing is, the Tag Team division and its championships are typically placed on the backburner. But here there, front and center, and as I said, I am okay the belts are getting their fair share of the limelight, what I am not okay with is how the belts are being used.
The carefree attitude James exhibited changed once he stated there was something he wasn’t okay with. He appeared to have turned the volume up as he continued.
Bree Lancaster and Jason Helms earned a tag title shot at Fatal Fortunes, as we all know. Bree threw a hissy fit about the situation, which isn’t anything out of the ordinary. Jason Helms was injured and had to be taken out of the contest, and Bree chose Scott Burnside to take his spot. Bree and Scott defeated the Lohans to claim the tag titles as their own. After that, we were on a collision course for Bound by Blood.
But that isn’t where things stopped. Scott decided that he couldn’t be in the ring and he couldn’t defend the belts against us, so Bree elected Andrew Raynes to be her partner. Now you may ask what my deal is with all of that. It is fairly simple. The division and the championships were picking up momentum and then they take a backseat to the never ending circus of drama that revolves around Bree Lancaster, as well as many of her cohorts.
It irks me, which is why I am even more determined to wrestle those belts out of her clutches. That is why I am more than ready for the challenge that awaits Angelica and I. Many people wondered if I would be nervous or be thrown off of my game due to the inclusion of Andrew Raynes, but that couldn’t be more further from the truth. Raynes is someone I have had my eye on for quite some time. I know that he has had his back and forth moments in the SCW, brief stints here and there, but he has always been someone with great potential. I saw that even when he and Amy Chastaine were teaming up early on in her tenure with the company.
Even when things didn’t really pan out and Andrew didn’t quite reach his full potential, you could tell that he had all of the tools to make something of himself in the land of the Supreme.
And he proved just that when he returned. He had a new look plus a new attitude, and a new drive. That new drive led to him truly exploding onto the scene. You could feel his anger. You could sense the venom in his words every single time he was in front of an audience or cutting a promo. A fire had been lit under his ass and he has never looked back. That new mentality led him to compete against Gable Winchester, a man who has had my number in the past, and Raynes defeated him for the SCW Adrenaline Championship, a title I have held, so I know how hard it is to come by, just as I know how hard it can be to survive in that division.
And Raynes survived in that division, leading the charge as its champion for months, becoming the longest reigning champion of 2018. He cut some of the best promos of his career, as that fire continued to burn. He put on match of the night contest after match of the night contest, propelling himself into the spotlight of the SCW, giving the Adrenaline Championship and its division a much needed boost, all while spreading a message, telling the world and those he faced to embrace the hate.
Well, Andrew I have waited for quite some time to be able to lace up my boots before stepping into the ring against you. You are one of the best talents that the SCW has to offer. You are a true work horse. You have proven you can back up what you say, by taking the SCW and the GCW by storm. In looking at what you’ve accomplished as a performer here, I know there is a damn good chance you could pin myself or Angelica, in order to continue the tag title reign that was handed to you. I know you could beat us, but that isn’t going to make me embrace the hate, Andrew.
I embraced the hate long before you came along and I know what living that sort of life can do to a man. It can give you everything that you thought you ever wanted, but you will never truly be happy. You will want to hurt anyone and everyone. You will dig yourself a deeper hole, plunging yourself into a darkness that will become a struggle to break free of, when you realize that you’ve done more harm than good when it comes to who you are as an individual.
I’ve been there, Andrew. It led to me becoming the SCW World Champion, but I was labeled a monster…and don’t worry, Bree…we can address the narrative you are going to preach to the world here momentarily.
Embracing the hate, Andrew is not worth it and I think, deep down you are starting to learn that. You have embraced it for so long that you have been blinded by your anger. It has cost you everything that you worked so damn hard to get. You held the SCW Adrenaline Championship for so long and you let that hate, and that violence consume you, it became like the air you breathe, but in the end…it cost you. You lost the SCW Adrenaline Championship. You hate Rayvn Taylor, just as you hate Christy Matthews and Marie Jones. You are seeing nothing but red, and it is only going to destroy you more, Andrew.
You can laugh at me and call me an idiot, followed by whatever other derogatory term you can come up with as you hurl insults at me, but the one thing you will do is ignore the truth behind my words. I know it is easier to be the bad guy, as I’ve said…I’ve been there. It is more of a struggle to stay on the straight and narrow path, walking that path of the hero, to be a good person and to fight for what is right, to fight for you as a performer need, as well as what this industry needs, instead of fighting for what you want. Embracing the hate only made me take and take and take. I have to repay those sins and I have been. I’ve given and I have given. I will continue to do so, because I know that giving back to this industry provides rewards of its own.
Angelica and I won sacrificing our bodies, giving our blood, sweat, and tears to the SCW at Under Attack. In doing so, we were given a shot at the SCW World Tag Championships. But it wasn’t handed to us. Like I said, we had to give parts of ourselves in order to earn those shots.
We embraced the possibility of defeat and turned it into a positive, and here we are. A tag team that has earned its way to this point every single step. Can you and Bree say the same thing? The answer is simple. No, you can’t. It is not the hate that you need to embrace, Andrew.
You need to embrace facts. Such as the fact that Bree selected you because she had no one else. She has burned more bridges than she has built. Such as the fact that you were a last resort for Bree, as she is more concerned with being a champion than anything else. Belts are accessories to her, because it keeps her in the spotlight so the world can supposedly be envious of her. Such as the fact that this reign wasn’t something you earned man, and I know that will leave a bad taste in your mouth much sooner than later, because you look like the type of person who would rather earn his way. You wanted to evolve and take your game to the next level? This isn’t the way to do it, taking hand outs. You are forcing yourself to digress, Andrew. I am sure you don’t see that now, but you will and by then, it will be too late.
The hate that has been awoken inside of you, it will have consumed you, taking you down a path that leads to you having nothing.
If that is what you want then bring that mentality into this match, because I am going to give it my all to ensure that Redemption are declared the new tag team champions of the world and you are left to embrace the fact that you lost again.
James finished speaking before stepping out of view, just as Angelica returned to the camera’s view, beginning to speak once more.
Bree Lancaster; what we see on the surface is the glitz and the glamour. We see beauty and elegance. We see the endorsement deals shoved in our face as if we give a damn about any of the Dior shit. What we don’t see is what lies behind the curtain. The life of luxury is just a mask to hide your true face. I know because I’ve been there. I’ve been there and done that before you laced up your first pair of wrestling boots.
Jones glared at the camera in a stoic manner.
Behind that mask of elegance and the facade of beauty and class is a twisted sociopath.
At Under Attack I witnessed you use Scott as a tool. You used him to take Jason Helms’s place, just so you could still have your slim chance at becoming tag champion, and yet slim was all you needed. You put Scott in harm’s way but it paid off. You won the tag titles. Congratulations.
She mockingly applauded Bree but clearly did not mean it.
You try to hide who you really are through the mask of elegance and class but I see who you really are because, let’s face it, we’re not that much different. I was once a lot like you, little miss priss. The only difference is that I never pretended to be someone I wasn’t. Everyone knew I was a monster and I didn’t deny it.
Don’t get me wrong, though. I’m not judging you. It would be rather hypocritical of me to judge you when I was guilty of some of the same damn things earlier in my career. I’m just here to tell you that this act you put on of you being a little princess living the life of royalty is not unique.
Jones shook her head.
I can find find hundreds of Bree Lancasters out there. You’re not unique. You’re one in a million. I made myself unique because not only did I live that life but I also didn’t choose to hide behind a facade. I was a monster, a Dragon, and I lived up to the hype.
My problem is that I lost control. I got lost in the darkness. That darkness, that dragon, it permeated my entire life, even beyond the ring. It caused me to make mistakes. But now, like James, I’ve worked to make amends for my past. I’ve become a better person outside of the ring.
A sinister grin formed on her face.
But inside the ring The Dragon still exists. While Andrew finds out why I am still among the best in the world today you will get the unfortunate task of finding out why I am still among the most dangerous.
See, I may not be very active on social media, but I do pay attention. You think I’m going to pay for my daughter’s sins against Andrew Raynes? Bree, sweetheart, you have no idea what you are talking about and you have no idea about the relationship Marie and I have. Marie is a grown woman. She does what she wants. I’ve done what I could to raise her right. Do I always agree with her judgment calls? No. But they are hers to make. We have an understanding that I leave her alone to live her own life as she wants.
But you’ve now brought me into this. You’ve poked an angry mother bear with a sharp stick.
She shook her head.
Not very smart, princess. This doesn’t intimidate or phase me in the least. If anything it pisses me off because you made it personal. If anyone is going to be paying for sins it’ll be you. You’ll pay for your sins at Bound by Blood when James and I defeat you and Raynes for the SCW World Tag Team Championship.
James stepped into view of the camera once again, as Angelica stepped out. He looked at the camera, thinking about every Bree Lancaster promo that he had mustered the strength to watch, and he thought about the one thing most of them seemed to have in common.
Now, I could stand before you and show off what I’m wearing. I could model it for you and tell you that the clothes on my back make me totally hot and fabulous, and that my appearance is something you should all be envious of, but that’s not my style. That belongs to Bree Lancaster as well as the Beauty Factory. That takes away from what this business is about, and that isn’t fashion. It is about wrestling and that is what I, alongside Angelica, bring to the table.
Speaking of bringing things to the table, Bree…I know what you will bring besides a long line of fashion tips and Dior photos from another shoot. You told Angelica that you have plenty of things to say about me. You will paint this picture of how I was a monster. How I used to be a mental patient and you will poke fun at the mental health issues that I have suffered, by using not so funny quips and jabs. You can do that but I will still be right here.
James stared into the camera, displaying some confidence, before continuing to speak.
Tell the world how I stalked Amy and hurt Kara. Tell the world how I hurt you as well. Tell the world all of the terrible, nasty things that I have done due to being dumb enough in the beginning to not seek help for those mental health issues. Tell the world how they should not cheer me and bash them for doing so, simply because I am a wolf in sheep’s clothing. Tell them that, Bree and watch as Angelica and I enter the ring at Bound for Blood. Watch as we enter the ring but pay close attention to the sound you will hear. It will be the sound of thousands of fans jam packed in that arena, cheering me on because I have been to Hell and back. I embraced the hate and it destroyed me, only for be to rise from the ashes of the bridges I burned.
Talk about how I have to use medications to keep that anger and the rest of my mental health issues at bay. Preach to the world your narrative as you try to weave a web of negativity, to paint this picture of me as a monster, but you see the SCW fans…just as I do, just as Angelica does…those fans will see right through the façade. You talk about Angelica and I have a façade, when the truth is…it is you with the mask on.
You wear a mask for many reasons, Bree and no matter how hard you try, your mask slips more often than you would probably like, as the world sees you for how ugly you truly are.
James paused for a moment or two, as if he were letting his words sink in.
You were once a quiet and respectful person. You won matches here and there. You fought for class, but because it didn’t bring you the things you wanted, you embraced the hate if you will. You did that because you wanted more spotlight. You wanted people to be jealous of you instead of Syren. You wanted the world to look at you the way that they were looking at Sienna, so you became a model, striking seductive poses, doing all that you could to ensure that all eyes were on you, that the world gave you its full attention. You didn’t want to be remembered for all of the hard work you put in. No, you just wanted to be remembered any way that you could.
You poke fun at the flaws of others, and ignore your own. You made fun of Angelica and I for our issues. You did all that you could to destroy Amy for the issues she had suffered from. Do you hear or see anyone bashing you for the narcissistic personality disorder you’ve clearly got going on. You have an exaggerated sense of self-importance. You, along with Beauty Factory, make it seem like the SCW cannot thrive without you, yet the SCW has survived for over 15 years and continues to go strong. You are a spoke on the wheel, just as we all are.
You have a sense of entitlement and require constant, excessive admiration. You claim the world should be envious of you, but why? Because you have looks? There are over six billion people on this planet. You are not the only good looking person walking amongst us. Because you have a deal with Dior? You aren’t the first, nor the last, person to have any of that. Because you are the SCW United States Champion? That is an honorable and prestigious title, something that I have held myself, but that doesn’t mean anyone should be envious of you. People should strive to reach that level, to step their game up in order to take that championship away from you. Hell, you seem to expect to be recognized as superior even without achievements that warrant it. You make it seem like you are bigger than the SCW and its roster, yet you failed to capture the SCW World Championship and how many tries have you had?
I know it is easy to paint it as some conspiracy to mask your failures. I have been there and done that, but it is better to accept the truth that you are not always ready for that level. That is just another one of your flaws, Bree. Just like you are so desperate to stay in the limelight that instead of dropping your tag title shot that you won with Jason, you went for the match anyways, and you brought in someone who was not, and still isn’t, experienced when it comes to being a wrestler. Scott could have been injured or far worse, but you wanted to be a double champion, so you could have something else to gloat about, that I am sure the thought of his safety did not cross your selfish mind.
And I know you have said that you respect the tag titles and its division, but if that were truly the case, then you would have just shut the hell up and fought for them alongside Jason, without all of the over dramatic crap the world witnessed every single time you were on screen. You can be one hell of a performer and you’ve proven that when you can get your head out of your ass, that you can get it done in the ring. Case in point, your match against Jake Starr for the United States title. You defeated him soundly and cleanly, without the knack for the overdramatic that is typically on display when it comes to you.
If you respected the tag titles then you wouldn’t have made a mockery of them by giving one half of the belts to a non-wrestler. Your actions made those belts look like nothing more than props or accessories as I said earlier to Andrew. Your actions proved to the world that no matter what narrative you spin about me, the truth is that you are indeed a monster.
The Tag Championships should be respected just like any other title in this business. They should not be passed around like a 40 .oz. at a keg party. Getting passed around and having different partners may be something that you are used to, but what you do in your personal time is your business. If you want to disrespect yourself then so be it, but you shouldn’t do that to championships. Championships should always have meaning and importance, not be treated like some side show.
Now, in saying that, I do believe that you are better than that, Bree. You don’t see it right now and that sucks if I’m being honest. You put on the mask, telling the world that you think highly of yourself, but when you get down to it, when you dig a little deeper and peer into that ugliness you have inside, you can tell you are doing anything and everything to have some sort of identity. That you don’t know who you are. You think the photo shoots, the never ending stream of drama, and championship belts will make you a person and that it will give you an identity, but you will never be satisfied with who you are, Bree. I hate that for you, but until you realize that and see the light, then there is no saving you, and only you can save yourself.
I cannot save you. What I can save are the SCW Tag Team Championships of the world. Those belts are in the wrong hands. They belong in the hands of people who will respect them and defend them with honor. You can talk about how I want achieve Supreme Champion status and yeah that is a high honor, but to defend the tag titles, and help build the division, and to keep the momentum going, that is what it is all about. If Angelica and I lose, which we know we can, it is something we can address and accept unlike some people who simply approach every match like they have it in the bag…but if we lose, then Redemption will continue to fight in this division. We will fight as a team, to redeem this division and to redeem tag team wrestling in the eyes of the industry as a whole.
That is what Redemption is about. Has nothing to do with relevancy. You don’t see us doing anything and everything to ensure that we get TV time or multiple segments. We aren’t consistently posting on Twitter. We show up for work and we get it done in the ring. Win or lose, the fans and this industry know who we are. According to you, we are trying to be relevant but that is you coming up with anything to keep the focus on yourself, even if what you speak are lies. You are bound not by blood, but by your lies.
Here is some truth. Once this battle is over, there is a good chance you won’t be as photogenic. You may bring more disappointment to your friend Raynes. Hopefully you can live with that as Angelica and I beat you in the middle of the ring, bringing not only redemption to those championships but also...a little class.
James flashed a smirk, before stepping back as Angelica joined him in front of the camera. They glared, giving a look to inform the world as well as their opponents that they meant what they had said and planned to follow through. A look letting the world and their opponents know that they knew a battle lied ahead of them, but they would not back down, and then the feed faded to black.
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