~ Coming Home To You ~
Author's Note – This is the one-shot I promised 'MarryTheNight25' when we reached 100 chapters of 'What Lies Beneath'. I figure the topic of CM Punk leaving the WWE is pretty big right now, and while everything is speculation, I thought this emotional little one-shot would be nice. I sincerely hope it's a work, but who knows? I hope you enjoy this made-up version of events. Songs used all follow the theme and relate to the story so check them out. They are Pixie Lott 'Bright Lights', Fall Out Boy 'Thanks For The Memories', Imagine Dragons 'Every Night' and Of Mice and Men 'You're Not Alone'.
Warnings - Strong language throughout
Disclaimer - I own no-one but Grace in this story. This is merely a work of fiction; it all came from my brain. At no point do I suggest this story reflects reality, it's entirely made-up. Any songs mentioned also belong to their respective owners.
~ Coming Home To You ~
'Flash lights and the good life keep calling out my name
And I pray somehow something's gonna change
Bright lights in the skyline won't let me lose my way
Cause I know somehow something's gotta change'
"Phil...just think about this for a second..."
He lifted the heavy gear bag onto his shoulder and headed for the exit.
"Phil...come on man, you don't wanna do this"
"I've thought about it. I'm done"
"Phil! Just wait..." the man pleaded.
He sighed and spun on the spot, causing the man to narrowly avoid crashing into his heaving chest. The look in his eyes told the story. He'd never looked so devastated.
As John stared at his burned out friend, it was then that he knew Phil wasn't taking this decision lightly. He knew the consequences and he knew that if he walked away from this now, there was no going back. He always did have a habit of burning bridges...
"I have to go, Cena. If I don't, I'll do something we'll all regret"
And with the slightest apologetic brush of his hand to John's shoulder he was gone.
That was an hour ago, and news was only just beginning to spread of the explosive confrontation. To say it had descended into chaos would be an understatement. Panic was rife and just a hint of anticipation hung heavy in the air. He'd done it again; brought the whole company to a grinding halt with his acid tongue and passion for his craft.
Grace's phone had blown up with texts and emails with links to news articles. John himself had called her and explained the situation.
Grace was a twenty eight year old junior doctor. She'd met Phil in the least romantic of circumstances. She was tasked with preparing him for surgery on his knee and while cleaning up his leg, he'd made some interesting comments.
"Don't get too close to the junk there...I might have to report you for sexual harassment"
She smiled at the cheeky grin on his face. "Don't worry about that Mr Brooks, I'm nothing but professional"
"Well that's a shame" he winked.
As it turned out, he'd asked his surgeon for her number and the rest was history. Things hadn't always been smooth though.
Glancing over at the photo of them on the beach last year in its frame on the bedside table, a sad smile took over her face. Those were happier times. The corners of his eyes were wrinkled the way they were whenever he smiled properly, his green eyes bright and his expression playful. Her dirty blonde hair was full of sand and salty water from where they'd been play fighting, his bare arms wrapped around her golden skin. They looked like the perfect couple on the outside, but things had never been that simple. Not with his job. In the two years they'd been together, she'd refused his offer to move in with him twice. On asking for the third time, she'd warily accepted. It wasn't that she didn't love him, she did. She loved him with all of her heart. But she'd always come second to his job. And while she couldn't tear herself away, she was reluctant to let herself think things would ever change.
She sent him a text, worried out of her mind.
Please call me as soon as you get to the airport. I'm worried.
Grace xxx
She would never get used to seeing him like this. The last few weeks had been hell. He wasn't sleeping, he wasn't eating and he'd been for more MRI's than she could remember. Of course it was bound to come to a head, he'd been playing down his internal turmoil for months now. She just hadn't expected it to be so soon...
"Excuse me?" Vince asked, in complete disbelief at the words he was hearing.
"I said I'm not doing it. I'm not going out there and giving the fans some bullshit cover up story about how me and Bryan are being held back by the authority. It's not a storyline. This is real life. These are people's careers you're playing with!"
"Phil...how about we sit down and discuss this in private?" Vince suggested, used to Phil's temper tantrums.
"No"
"What did you just say?"
"I said no. I'm done" Phil stated calmly.
"I'm sorry?"
"I'm going home. I've got a seat booked on the next flight back to Chicago. It's over" he replied, walking away before Vince could even form a response.
'One night and one more time
Thanks for the memories, even though they weren't so great
One night, yeah, and one more time
Thanks for the memories, thanks for the memories'
She heard the key in the door and released a sigh of relief, almost bursting into tears at the sound of his bags hitting the floor.
"Why didn't you call?" she asked in a whisper.
He released a low breath.
"Phil talk to me...I'm going out of my mind here" she pleaded.
"I don't know what you want me to say" he sounded terrible; weary and low. He moved past her into the bedroom, sinking onto the end of the bed with his head in his hands.
"Anything" she begged. "Just tell me what you're thinking..."
"I don't know what I'm thinking. All I know is I can't carry on like this" he replied tiredly. "I've been riding this bullshit train for ten years now. I can't sacrifice my personal life for this anymore. It's fine when you love what you do. But I don't love this anymore. I haven't for a while. This Rumble shit was the final straw. You know how it feels to be passed up for the main event of Wrestle Mania time and time again just for some part timer to come in and get handed everything you've worked your ass off for? I've pulled this train for years now. I've destroyed my fucking body for this business. I've sacrificed having a family and countless relationships for this job. And what did it get me? Nothing. Because it doesn't matter how hard I work. It doesn't matter how much the fans support me. That company and its blind, short-sighted executives are always gonna shit on me and anyone else with any real talent and passion for this business. They'll run it into the ground. Did you hear the boos when Dave won the Rumble? And they want to turn this into a storyline? As if they meant it that way? No. They wanted Dave to come back and everyone to fucking buy it. I have nothing against Dave, but to have him come straight back and steal my spot? Or Bryan's spot? That's fucked up. Fuck this"
She swallowed hard when she saw the tears in his eyes. She knew he was serious but she just couldn't have predicted the emotion it would stir up in him. She should have known how much this meant to him. Just because he didn't love it anymore didn't mean it didn't hurt. He was bitterly disappointed. Looking into his eyes, she could see the young boy who fell in love with wrestling...who idolised guys like Roddy Piper. That young boy had been let down. He'd done everything that was asked of him and more to achieve his dream. But he'd realised it was unreachable.
Crouching at his feet, she smoothed a palm over his face and caught the lone tear with her thumb before it made its way down his face. He reached for her, pulling her into his arms and holding her like his life depended on it.
"I'm sorry" he mumbled into her hair.
"You don't have to be sorry. You have nothing to be sorry for" she whispered.
"All those times I was gone. All those times you fucking needed me and for what?"
"For the life you dreamed of for as long as you've been alive" she breathed. "I know it's been hard, but I could never resent you for following your dreams Phil. I'd never hold you back. I love you"
She ran her fingers through his hair soothingly as he pulled her further into his lap and took comfort in her warmth against him for the first time in a few weeks.
"I know you're sad but this doesn't have to be the end...you could just take a break for a few weeks..." she said softly.
He shook his head against her shoulder. "It's the end. I realised that I've been waiting...waiting for my chance to be the star...to be the top guy and it's never going to happen"
"Oh Phil..." she sighed.
"...it's not. It's never going to happen. I'm kidding myself, the fans are kidding themselves...they dangle a carrot and then snatch it away. They made Ziggler champion and ripped it away, they teased Bryan getting the title and then took that from everyone...they let me be champion for all that time and then had Dwayne take it with a fucking people's elbow for Christ's sake. I won't go back. I've given up everything for this job. I gave up my body, I gave up my chance of living until I'm ninety, I gave up my chances of having a normal personal life..."
"You do have a normal personal life..." she frowned, lifting his chin and meeting his gaze.
"That's bullshit and you know it" he replied, almost angrily. "I've missed your birthday every year we've been together, hell...I even forgot it last year because of the schedule...I couldn't come with you to your grandmother's funeral, I miss valentine's day, I'm never around when you have a bad day and need someone to be there...I barely see my family and I never had any kids"
"You're thirty five Phil...you still have time to catch up with all that stuff" she whispered, looking down at the floor at the mention of kids. That had been the source of one too many arguments between them.
Grace had always dreamed of having a big family but she'd always ended up in tears when she discussed it with Phil. One of her friends would ask her if she was getting broody yet, or mention that she wasn't getting any younger. She'd call him, sounding upset on the phone and he'd ask why. Of course, he hated the idea of having kids on the road and didn't like her putting pressure on him. It hurt, but she loved him and she was willing to sacrifice that for him. Her parents always told her she was stupid...that he'd leave her and then it would be too late to have children. But she still held onto the hope he'd come around.
This time it was his turn to pull her attention from the floor. He brushed a strand of curly blonde hair from her face and took her hand. Her hazel eyes met his and she rested her forehead against his, their noses brushing.
"Professional wrestling took my life from me. And that was fine when it was my number one love. But that's not the case anymore"
"What are you saying?" she asked, breathing in the scent she'd missed all those lonely nights.
"I'm saying I'm coming home. For good. I'm coming home to you, every night now for the rest of my life. I made up my mind"
She couldn't help but burst into tears at that.
'I'm coming home to you, every night...
Coming home to you, every night...
My mind is made up, nothing could change that
I'm coming home to you, every night...'
"I'm sorry for making you feel like second best. I have so many people to make things up to...Chez, Cassie, Chalene, Dan...mom...Cabana. But you've helped me through some hard times and I know I took my frustrations out on you...but I promise I'll make it up to you"
"I love you" Grace whispered through her tears. "But I don't want you to give up everything because of me..."
"I love you, and you deserve more. Don't see it as me giving up everything, see it as me finally realising where my priorities should be" he smiled. "I had a good run. But it's time to stop letting life pass me by. I want to move out to a big house in the mountains where no one will ever see me again...I want to be able to go to baseball games and UFC events without getting shit from people, I want to be able to hold your hand in public without the threat of cameras taking pictures. I want my life back..."
Grace wiped at the tears on his cheeks.
"I'm gonna be a normal person" he grinned, pressing his lips to hers and initiated the most passion-filled kiss she'd ever experienced. "This isn't the end. It's just the beginning..."
'Don't let the world bring you down
There's always hope for the willing
Don't let the world bring you down
I't's not over, you're not alone any more'
CM PUNK! CM PUNK! CM PUNK! CM PUNK! CM PUNK! CM PUNK! CM PUNK! CM PUNK!
"Punk has given himself 110% to the business over the last few years. His schedule amazed me because there was no way any human should have had to endure it. He gave his heart, soul and body to WWE and every wrestling fan. My take on all this is it is best now to just leave Punk alone. Let him recharge, refresh and get his life back. He mentally and physically needs it. If and when he's ready to do something, I'm sure he will. Just leave him alone and let him be." - Gabe Sapolsky.
I wanted to capture the mixed emotions of sadness and excitement. Regardless of whether it's real or not, we'll continue to support our Second City Saint. I hope you liked it. Let me know :)