My Once Upon A Time

WWE

Disc: None of the characters you recognize belong to me

Rating: PG

Notes: Just a short one-shot piece that popped out of my head.

Part 1/1

I can see how they look at me, the condescension that lines their faces. I know what they think about me, what they say about me behind my back. I'm not stupid – I know I can't take anything they say at face value – I have to look for a deeper meaning. There's always a deeper meaning.

Even as I walk through these halls, I can feel the disgust that pours off them in waves. They call me a freak – and if actually wanting to go out there and wrestle means I'm a freak, than, yeah, I am a freak.

Sometimes, I don't know why I stay here, why I keep coming back. This used to be fun. It hasn't been for a long time. Now, it's all I can do to put on a fake smile for the crowds.

So yeah, I'm not sure why I do keep coming back. Sure, the women's division is the best that it's ever been with Ivory, Victoria, Jazz, Trish, Gail and Molly. And with Austin here to keep Bischoff in line, even the gimmick matches had begun to die out.

But none of that can hide the fact that the divas are all here for one reason at times - tits and ass, as Bischoff had put it to me once. And there's only so much a woman can take.

They think I'm vulnerable now – I can see it in their eyes, cold and calculating. Jeff's gone now, has been for a long time. I guess I am kind of vulnerable when I think about it. I'm kind of drifting along at the moment, no one there to watch my back.

And in this business, that's not a good thing.

I look around at the dull walls, scraping my hair back away from my face. My hair's another reason they call me a freak, well, that, and my tattoo.

My mind keeps whirling, and I can't help but long for those days gone by, when I had Matt. Not that I want anything to do with Matt Hardy. I just want to be held again, to be loved again. I guess somewhere deep down; I just want the fairy tale.

My steps slow as I catch sight of Test heading towards me, a leering expression on his face. I sigh, the sound contrasting sharply with steady tap of my heeled boots. I don't want to deal with him at the moment, and I close my eyes, waiting for the inevitable moment where he would accost me.

As the seconds turned into minutes and nothing happened, I cautiously open my eyes, only to find myself staring into piercing blue eyes. The eyes are familiar, as is the concerned look on his face. But I haven't seen him look at me like that for what seems like eons.

I think I'm staring at him, but I don't care. I just want to know what the joke is this time. Only, as I stare at him, I think that this time, there is none. He's offering me his hand, and I can't help but smile at the puppy dog expression he's giving me.

I'm walking these corridors again, but this time I'm not alone. My eyes linger on his face, my mind taking in what he's saying. I laugh at something he say's. Ever since that day a week ago, I've been laughing more. Chris could always make me laugh. I guess he still can.

I look down to where my small hands are wrapped in his and smile. Who knows? Maybe Jericho is the one I've been waiting for. Maybe one of these days I'll have my own once upon a time.

Maybe.

End 1/1