Dress Whites & Divas
Disclaimer: Don't own WWE or any of the wrestlers. If I did own the franchise, my life would be a helluva lot better than it currently is.
Pairings: Michelle McCool / OC; mentions of Maria / John, Candice / Jeff, Ashley / Matt, and Mickie / surprise.
Chapter One
Seven-year-old Kailyn Samuels had officially proclaimed this to be the worst day of her life. Right now, she should've been in the gym with the rest of her elementary school, enjoying a visit from several WWE superstars, but no...she had to pick today - of all days - to get a stomachache.
She'd been heartbroken when the nurse told her to lie down, and even though the assembly had started only about ten minutes ago and Kailyn kept saying she felt a lot better, she was still going to miss it because Mrs. Nichols, the school nurse, had told her she had a fever and that she probably needed to go home. That meant the school would have to call her uncle to come pick her up. Oh well...at least she would miss math. Uncle Brent wouldn't appreciate being called away from duty, but he also never hesitated to put aside his job for his niece.
Kailyn's world had been turned upside down when her parents, James and Linda, had been killed by a drunk driver. Then five-year-old Kailyn had been sent to live with Linda's younger brother Brent, then a Lieutenant in the U. S. Navy. At first, Brent hadn't wanted to be saddled with a Kindergartner, especially since his Navy career - that of an F-18 pilot - didn't really have regular business hours, and also because he was then serving on the carrier U. S. S. Abraham Lincoln. But he'd also said there was no way he was going to let his niece be shuffled around the family like unwanted baggage, so he transferred to a position at N.A.S. Oceana.
The first year had been rough; Kailyn had sorely missed her parents, and Brent tried to help her as best he could. The situation was eased a bit by the arrival of Kailyn's great-uncle Herbie, who - despite being eccentric; he'd never quite accepted the fact that the Civil War had now been over for nearly 150 years, and still despised 'Yankees' with every fiber of his being - had taken Kailyn under his wing and been a great source of comfort when needed.
Even so, Uncle Herbie had never failed to remind Brent that Kailyn needed 'a mother's care', which was something neither he nor Brent could give her. However, over the past two years, Brent had developed a deep bond with his niece, who had blossomed under the care of her uncle and great-uncle. Kailyn had started watching the WWE's weekly programs shortly before their parents had died, and Brent - a fan of the franchise himself - hadn't discouraged her from watching. Every Monday, Tuesday, and Friday nights, the two would sit in front of the television and cheer their favorite superstars on. Pay-per-view Sundays were big too, for Brent never missed ordering them now that he'd been assigned to shore duty.
Kailyn loved the Divas. She admired how they strived to make their mark in a grueling lifestyle, where the potential for injury was very, very real. Her favorite Diva was Michelle McCool, and she'd dressed up as the blonde Diva the previous Halloween. Brent had taken pictures of her in costume, and had given Kailyn a copy of the best one to give to Michelle if by some chance Kailyn got to meet her. But now it looked like that chance had come and gone.
Kailyn sighed. At least she knew Brent would try and take her mind off it the entire weekend; they'd probably go spend the day flying in the Rebel Pride, the World War II-vintage Grumman TBF 'Avenger' torpedo plane the two of them had painstakingly restored to mint condition. Every year, Brent flew it in the annual air show that was held at Norfolk's airport, and the smartly-painted aircraft never failed to impress the crowds.
WWEWWEWWEWWEWWEWWEWWEWWEWWEWWEWWEWWE
Michelle McCool couldn't believe her lousy luck. She'd been all set to come out onstage, but one of those stupid stiletto heels she'd been given to wear had snapped, bending her ankle the wrong way and sending her to the floor. At least she'd taken her spill backstage and not out there where everyone could see.
The school's Principal and several other people ran over to her and helped her up, but she quickly discovered that she couldn't bear her full weight on her right ankle.
"I'm so sorry, Ms. McCool!" the Principal - Mr. Victors, Michelle recalled vaguely - stammered frantically. "I'll get the nurse for you so your ankle can get looked at."
"Just help me to wherever she is...it'd probably be easier for her," Michelle replied, and Victors nodded eagerly.
WWEWWEWWEWWEWWEWWEWWEWWEWWEWWEWWEWWE
Kailyn's melancholy was interrupted by a commotion on the other side of the screen. The principal was apologizing profusely to somebody for something that happened, and a woman's voice - which sounded fairly familiar - was repeatedly telling him that she was all right.
"Don't worry, ma'am," Mrs. Nichols was saying, "you just twisted it slightly. We'll put an ice pack on it and you'll be fine by Monday, although it might be sore throughout the weekend. I wouldn't recommend any matches at the shows."
"Thanks," the woman who'd been saying she was all right replied. The sound of an ice pack being filled could be heard, and then the sound of it rattling as the nurse gave it to the unknown woman. Then Mrs. Nichols' footsteps faded as she left the office. Unable to resist, Kailyn slid off her cot and peeked around the screen that separated her cot from the rest of the office. Her eyes widened in surprise when she saw Michelle McCool sitting on the other cot, holding a bag of ice to her ankle.
Kailyn froze when Michelle looked up and saw her and smiled at her.
"Hi...what's your name?"
Kailyn finally remembered how to speak.
"Kailyn," she replied.
"I'm Michelle," her favorite Diva replied, and Kailyn nodded.
"I know...you're my favorite Diva."
Michelle smiled.
"I am? Thank you! Would you like my autograph?"
Kailyn nodded and grabbed her Hannah Montana purse to pull out the photo she'd brought for Michelle to sign. After the blonde Diva had signed it, Kailyn produced the photo she'd swiped from Brent's room that morning before heading downstairs. Her brother's photo was one from one of Michelle's bikini photo shoots, and Michelle raised an eyebrow at the photo.
"It's for my uncle," Kailyn explained. "He takes care of me, and I know he'd like your autograph too."
"He takes care of you? If you don't mind me asking, what happened to your parents?"
"They died...some man had too much to drink and hit their car," Kailyn replied, and Michelle's heart wrenched at the statement.
How sad...she's a sweetheart...it must be killing her.
"So you live with your uncle?"
Kailyn nodded.
"And my Great-Uncle Herbie."
"What's he do?" Michelle asked.
"Uncle Herbie likes to fight Yankees," the little girl stated, and Michelle smiled at this strange statement.
Ok...talk about a strange job.
Michelle was about to ask the little girl something else when the office was invaded by Divas. Mickie James, Candice Michelle, Ashley Massaro, and Maria Kanellis all crowded into the room and headed straight for her.
"Are you okay, Michelle?" Mickie asked worriedly.
The blonde nodded. "I just twisted it a little. They said I'd be fine by Monday if I kept ice on it."
Her statement seemed to relax the four women, and Candice noticed Kailyn for the first time.
"Who's your friend?"
"This is Kailyn," Michelle replied. "She was in here when I came in."
"I came in with a tummyache, but I felt better by the time the assembly started. I wanted to go, but Mrs. Nichols wouldn't let me." Kailyn stated.
"Are you a wrestling fan, sweetie?" Candice asked, and Kailyn nodded.
"Me and my brother both are. Michelle's my favorite Diva." She reached into her purse again, pulled out a photo, and handed it to Michelle.
"I wanted you to have this...Uncle Herbie took it last Halloween. I dressed up as you."
Michelle was touched when she looked at the picture. In it, Kailyn was dressed in a miniature costume of hers and grinning at the camera. Standing with her was a handsome young man dressed in John Cena apparel and flashing the 'Word Life' hand sign at the camera.
"Look at this," she turned the photo so the other Divas could see, and reactions of 'Aww, how cute!' and 'That's so sweet!' were expressed.
"Is the guy in the picture your uncle?" Ashley asked, and Kailyn nodded.
"He surprised me by dressing up as John Cena. He took me trick-or-treating that night and told everyone we were tag-team partners."
"That's so cute!" Mickie exclaimed.
"Is he single?" Candice muttered under her breath, and Ashley smacked her arm.
"He doesn't have a girlfriend," Kailyn replied. "My Uncle Herbie keeps telling him he needs someone, but he always says he has us."
The conversation was interrupted by Mrs. Nichols.
"Kailyn, what are you doing out of bed?" She turned to Michelle. "I'm sorry if she bothered you and your friends, Ms. McCool."
Michelle and the other Divas shook their heads.
"She's been keeping us company," Michelle replied.
Mrs. Nichols nodded reluctantly before turning to Kailyn. "Kailyn, we've managed to reach your uncle. He'll be here to pick you up shortly."
Having said that, she left them alone again, and the Divas resumed talking to their starry-eyed young fan.