New story time!
Okay, I know I have two stories I'm already working on and don't update on often enough, but after watching Impact, I just, idk, really wanted to write this. This is going to be *MUCH* shorter than my other two stories, but it will still be awesome, of course. This first chapter takes place during the May 19th, 2011 episode of IMPACT Wrestling (where Abyss won *cringes* the X-Division title, Dreamer and Bully Ray worked over a "hurt" AJ Styles and Chris Daniels, and Storm got a concussion during the opening brawl. And well..you'll see what else. All that has already taken place at this point. The other chapters will have more detailed accounts of all of Impact and definitely more AJ and Chris Daniels, but for this chapter, I really wanted to focus on introducting the OC and setting everything up.
Oh, and I only own Stella, and this isn't being written for money, so I'd really like it if no one sued me. Thanks! Hope you like it! And thanks to Instant Classic Superstar Pac and dreamsofhardyz for the help!
Stella Lynn walked around nervously, biting her fingernails. Stella was a 28 year old Knockout for TNA wrestling. She was one of the founding members of the Knockout Division and a clear fan favorite. She tucked a piece of her dark brown hair behind her ear.
Robert Roode sighed watching the skinny brunette, appreciating how her pink top made her figure look and how her toned, tanned legs looked in her mini-denim skirt. Stop it Bobby he mentally scolded himself as his best friend and tag team partner walked over to him, clapping him on the shoulder.
"Hey bud." James Storm said, taking a sip of his beer as he adjusted his cowboy hat.
"Hey. How's the head?" Roode asked, concerned.
Storm shrugged. "Trainer said I might have a mild concussion. Should be fine in a day or two so long as I take it easy." He then looked at the unopened bottle in his other hand, before extending it to Roode. "Beer?"
"No, thanks," Bobby shook his head in decline, watching as Storm merely shrugged in response and put the bottle down on a nearby table. "And what about the others?"
"Kazarian is pretty banged up from the match but nothing serious. More upset about losing his title to Abyss than anything. Same with Daniels. We're pretty much shot for the night so we're going to head off to the hospital with AJ unless you want us to stick around." James explained, taking another drink of beer.
Roode shook his head. "Nah man. I'll be fine. Besides, if anything does happen, you four gimps can't really do anything to help, now can you?"
"You sure man?" James asked, concerned about leaving his best friend behind.
"I'm a big boy James. I can handle this." He said, before he heard Stella's voice. He turned his head to look at her again as she talked to Velvet Sky about something or other.
"Alright, just watch yourself tonight. Don't do anything stupid." James paused before glancing over at Stella. "Oh, um…by the way, you're kinda lookin' like a stalker right now." He pointed out, taking another swig of his beer.
"What?" Roode quickly turned to his best friend, embarrassed at the insinuation the Cowboy just made.
Storm gave him a hearty laugh. "Relax, man, I'm jokin'!" Roode joined in nervously just as Storm's laughter had started to fade. "But, seriously. We all know what you want, and you need to go tell that girl straight up. Even Jackie thinks so, and for God's sake, she ain't even here to see you like this."
"You still talk to Jackie?" Roode asked him, somewhat surprised by this information.
"Course I do! It's Beer Money! The three of us, we're like this!" Storm replied in earnest as he crossed his fingers for emphasis, but soon stopped as he saw a small look of guilt on his financially-inclined best friend's face. "Wait…you don't keep in touch well, do ya?"
Roode gave a reaction tha would best be described as a chuckling scoff. "Are you kidding me? She only calls me, like, five times a year. And I haven't had a chance to return the favor since we got with Flair."
"Wow, that's practically a whole year," Storm remarked, slightly marveling at the lack of communication anymore between two of his best friends. "Anyway, seriously. You gotta go talk to that girl, man."
"Go talk to…wait, we're not talking about Jackie anymore, are we?" Roode quickly realized.
Storm shook his head. "Nope." Another drink of beer.
Roode sighed in reply. "Look. James. I don't want to press things right now, you know. We're in the middle of a war with a bunch of guys trying to take over the company we built down here and remake it in their image like some sort of new world movement or something. I can't get thrown off by taking chances with things getting awkward or going downhill between me and Stella right now. You guys might get hurt because of me if I let that happen."
"So, basically you're scared of gettin' shot down?" Storm assessed, being utterly blunt at the moment.
"Do you really have to put it that way?" An exasperated Roode questioned.
"Yeah. I do," Storm nodded chipperly, as Roode sighed in response. "Look, somebody's gotta tell you like it is. I mean, I know what you're saying about the domino effect this could have on Fortune if it goes bad."
"And I think it's something you should take seriously," Roode insisted.
"But there's the other side o' that. If it goes well, that's a huge pickup. You know how much motivation you could get off that?" Storm reasoned.
"That's still a pretty big risk to take just to see me with a woman, you know?" Roode retorted.
"Bobby, the situation between you two, it is right there. Everyone can see it. It's like you and Stella are the only ones that can't," Storm affirmed, completely undeterred by Roode's objections as he put an arm around the older guy. "Besides, are we or are we not the same group that stood tall when Ric Flair stabbed us in the back for Immortal's brass ring, and then when he helped Bully Ray powerbomb AJ off the stage and through a table?"
The Wizard of Wall Street had no choice but to nod in agreement; Storm was telling the truth.
"Exactly. So you can rest assured that if things get wonky and you end up losing your focus, which I don't think you will anyway, the four of us can pick up the slack. So, you got nothing to be afraid of."
"At least," he concluded with a sly smile, "not unless you're just scared of gettin' shot down." He brought the bottle of beer to his lips, taking another swig.
"Okay, okay! Fine!" Roode threw his hands up, finally giving in to his buddy's persuasions. "I'll talk to her tonight."
"Details tomorrow?" Storm asked, his eyebrows perking with mischievous interest.
"Sure. Whatever. Just…let me take care of this on my own, okay?" Roode implored.
"Hey, it's your life," Storm said nonchalantly, before…
"Hey James!" a voice called out to them from behind the Tennessee Cowboy.
The Beer Money, Inc. duo turned toward the other side of the hallway near the parking lot, where Christopher Daniels, the man who that voice belonged to, was standing with Frankie Kazarian.
"Come on, man, we don't have all day here!" Kazarian shouted.
"You're sure keeping our friends waiting getting in my business," Roode quipped toward Storm, hoping the younger man would get the message.
"Shut up and handle your business like you belong here," Storm replied without any trace of holding back, before tapping him on the shoulder and giving him a quick five. "Seriously, Bobby, take care. I'm out."
"Right. Thanks." Roode said, as the two quietly waved to each other and Storm walked off in the direction of Kaz and Christopher. Looking at the three of them, Roode couldn't help but to smile. Storm was one hundred percent correct about the strength of the union. Fortune was like an unfaltering brotherhood of success that could never be deterred; possibly the strongest faction Roode had ever seen in his time with the company. Being that they were representative of all those men over the years whose hard work had indeed laid the groundwork to the success of what was now Impact Wrestling, about the only part of this that ever surprised him was just how incapable Eric Bischoff was of getting it.
Bobby had always envisioned, as Ric Flair once did, that Fortune would be the benchmark of the company, even laying this out in so many terms once on an episode of ReAction back when Fortune was "in league" with Immortal. Being a part of the collective personally, alongside his best friend and tag team championship partner to boot, was the one thing he was most proud of in his career. He was fortunate, pardon the pun, to have friends like them in the middle of all this, knowing without a shadow of a doubt, had they either not been worse for the wear or had he asked them to, they would have stayed to watch his back.
"Do it for Fortune!" Kazarian suddenly shouted, shaking Roode out of his thoughts as he threw up the group's signature hand gesture, despite the fact that there wasn't any specific "it" that statement was backing that he knew of.
Roode, marveled at the fitting timing of Kaz's rallying call, chuckled at his friend's antics. "You got it!" He reciprocated the gesture, throwing up the handsign as well.
As Storm ran over and caught up to Kazarian and Daniels and Kaz and Roode both put down their Fortune hands, Robert would watch the others turn to the right and leave his sight, before direcing his attention to a, once again, pacing Stella Lynn. He frowned, knowing why she was upset. That night she had watched four of her closest friends be decimated by Immortal and here he was about to go down to the ring, a good possibility that he could become Immortal's fifth victim by the end of the night. He knew Flair would be calling him out soon and decided he should update Stella on everyone's conditions and try to comfort her a bit before he headed to the ring and slowly took off towards her.
He didn't see the looming figure that was standing around the corner and had been since James had gotten there.
Bobby walked up behind Stella and placed a gentle hand on her shoulder. "Stells." He said softly, causing her to jump slightly before she turned around and was almost instantly wrapped in a hug. "James is fine." He started. "He just has a mild concussion and a headache the size of Texas. Trainers cleared Chris, but he's gonna have a boot sized bruise on his jaw come tomorrow and Frankie is gonna be feeling that match for a few days."
"And AJ?" She asked quietly into his chest, her Georgia accent clear as day.
He sighed. "He didn't get off so lucky. He's actually being taken to the hospital right now to get an MRI and X-Ray done on his neck."
She looked up at him with sad, chocolate brown eyes. He looked down at her and quickly shook his head. "Hey. Don't you get upset. I'm sure he's going to be just fine, eh." He looked over the top of her head and saw Flair making his way to the tunnel. "Stells, why don't you go get your stuff packed and I'll drive you over to the hospital after I'm done in the ring?"
She looked at him, a worried expression on your face. "Bobby, please don't go out there tonight. The rest of Fortune can't help you if you get jumped and you know how Immortal is. Just wait. Please."
He shook his head sadly, hugging her again. "Stella, I gave my word earlier that I'd go out there. I have to go to the ring tonight."
"But why Bobby? Seriously. I can't see you get hurt and I have a bad feeling about this. Just wait until next week. Please."
"I can't do that Stells." He said before releasing her from the hug. "I'm gonna be fine, I promise. Just get your stuff ready and I'll take you to see AJ when I'm done. Besides, I, uh…I have something I want…need to talk to you about."
"What's that?" She asked curiously.
He scratched the back of his head. "I can't tell you just yet because there isn't enough time. But, I probably should have brought it up a while ago. It's kinda important."
The look Stella gave him confused him. It almost looked, hopeful. He shook it off though, thinking nothing of it. He didn't have time to right now. He had Flair to take care of.
He heard the Nature Boy demand for him to come out and frowned. "Well, it looks like that's my cue. I'll see you in a little bit Stells."
The 5'7" brunette beauty stood up on her tip-toes and gave him a quick kiss on the cheek. "Be careful Bobby." She said, before she walked past him towards the locker room, no doubt to pack her stuff.
He placed his hand on his cheek where she had kissed him, standing in thought for a moment before a stagehand looked at him. "Do we need to play your music?"
Roode, not quite sure what had been said, looked at the smaller man confused. "What?"
"Are you going out there? Do we need to cue your music?" He asked. Roode nodded.
"Do it."
*In the ring*
Ric Flair had just entered the ring and was handed a microphone by So Cal Val. "Roode! Bobby Roode! I told you an hour ago when I told you to march, you march. Get you're a** down here solider. Now!"
Beer. Money! Sounded through the arena, generating a large pop from the Impact Zone audience as Bobby Roode emerged from the tunnel in his fortune shirt and a pair of blue jeans.
"Well this much we know. The issues between Fortune and Flair date back months to the time when Fortune turned their backs on Immortal." Tenay began. "But things came to a head at Lockdown during the Lethal Lockdown cage match."
"You're not kidding." Taz agreed. "A nasty arm bar by Bobby Roode to get the win for his team and he got it on Ric Flair and tore up Ric Flair's shoulder in the process." As Taz spoke, clips from Lockdown could be seen by the viewers at home.
Back in the ring, Bobby was now standing face to face with Ric Flair, the latter of whom began to address why he had even called Bobby out. "You ever been so mad at yourself that you can't sleep at night. You can't live with yourself because you're so p***ed off about something you did. Well that would be me. I have not, I repeat, been able to sleep or live with myself since I tapped out to you in Cincinnati buddy. And I want to know what the h*** makes you think you can jump on the Nature Boy, Ric Flair, like that and live, and live in this business for any length of time going forward."
Bobby waited patiently until Flair finished his rant before he responded. "Ric, listen. With all due respect, look when you came to this company I was one of the guys you came to first. You took me under your wing, you mentored me, okay? You taught me a lot. Lockdown? That's what you're talking about. Lockdown and your shoulder? Lockdown was a war and you know it. It wasn't a wrestling match, it was a war. And one of the things that you taught me was taking opportunity. I had an opportunity that night and I took it. You taught me that." He was forced to pause as the crowd cheered in approval.
"And what happened at Lockdown, you know as well as I do that if the shoe was on the other foot, Ric Flair, you would have did to me what I did to you. Now look, that was then. We need to move on Ric. It's done."
"That's where you're wrong." Ric said calmly. "If the shoe had been on the other foot I would have put you out of wrestling for the rest of your career. That's the difference between you and me. And mentoring you and helping you become a man are two different things. Taking you and James out, showing you the town, getting you drunk, getting you laid. That's what I was doing. I was teaching you how to be a wrestler! How to be a real wrestler!" He shouted, pointing at Roode.
"Impact! Wrestling! Wrestle hard, play hard. Wrestle hard, play harder. Wrestle longer, play harder. Impact! That's what we're selling now buddy!" Ric shouted as he took of his sports coat, wanting to start a brawl.
Bobby shook his head and put his free hand up. "Ric, I'm not doing this. What happened at Lockdown was business. It was business. It's nothing personal. There's no one in this business that respects you more than I do. Okay? But don't you ever underestimate the fact that I am not a man. Okay? I've been a man for a long time and I will continue to be a man long after you're gone, okay Ric? So let's just forget about what happened at Lockdown. What happened at Lockdown was business, we need to move forward. Okay? This is my time now, you've had your time, I respect you."
"I've had my time?" Ric Flair cut off.
Bobby quickly responded. "Yes."
"They've been telling me that for 25 years, you a**hole! And I'm not Ken Anderson calling you that, I'm Ric Flair, you got it? Two different ideas, two different places in the world. Okay. I'm not saying you did anything wrong, I'm glad you did it. Here's what I wanna see. You know, I've got a saying, 'to be the man you gotta beat the man.' Well, you beat the man, right? Well, understand this. Being a man and staying a man are two different things. Break it again right now!" Flair demanded with a crazy look in his eyes.
Roode looked away and Flair got in his face. "Break it again right now!"
"Ric, I'm not doing this." Bobby protested.
"Break it again right now!"
"Ric, it's over. I'm not doing this." Bobby tried to walk past and out of the ring, but Flair grabbed his arm and turned him around, before slapping him in the face. The shock of it caused Bobby to take a few steps back, but as soon as he recovered, he instantly got toe-to-toe with Ric, angry.
"Nothing's over till I say it's over!" Flair shouted. "You don't walk away from God. You're gonna learn." He shouted, putting his hand on Bobby's neck as he pushed him back. "You're gonna learn, a**hole."
Bobby struggled for a few seconds, but by this point was seething, and quickly grabbed Flair's arm and forced him to the ground, locking in the armbar yelling in anger and frustrating as he put more pressure on Flair's shoulder.
"Oh my God!" Tenay exclaimed as he saw what was going on in the ring. "You can just feel it boiling between Ric Flair and Bobby Roode."
"He's got that same armbar on there, look at him."
"Bobby Roode couldn't help himself Taz."
"Nah Bobby got pushed over the edge. Right over the limit. Oh God, here comes Immortal now and Bobby Roode flying solo."
Hearing the crowd's changing in reaction, Roode quickly looked over his shoulder and saw Immortal running towards the ring. He released the hold and stood up right as Matt Hardy was running into the ring, knocking him down with a couple of big shots before doing the same to Chris Harris. He fought the two off for a good few seconds before Bully Ray got into the ring as well and it became a 3-on-1 assault and the numbers soon caught up with Bobby, who found himself on the ground, being stomped by the three Immortal members, which soon became four once Abyss made his way to the ring.
The shots rained down the tag team champion as Bully Ray took a step back and undid his chain from his jeans. He pushed Hardy out of the way as Chris Harris held down Bobby's legs. The former Dudley Boy soon brought the chain down across the midsection of Roode, causing him to forget his struggles and roll to his side, as best he could, in pain. Ray then brought the chain down against his side and back causing Roode to once again yell out in pain. Ray then dropped a big elbow where he had just used the chain before Hardy grabbed Roode's arms and helped Harris stretch him out.
"Abyss! Abyss!" Ray shouted. "Go get two chairs! Go get two chairs!' as the crowd booed loudly. He then brought the chain down again and again on the midsection of a defenseless Bobby Roode, who continued to cry out in agony.
Finally, Abyss reentered the ring with the chairs and Hardy and Harris released Roode, who instantly curled into a fetal position, attempting to protect himself as best he could as Mike Tenay and Taz reminded the people at home that the rest of Fortune was unable to help Robert Roode due to the injuries they had sustained at the hands of Immortal earlier that night.
Ray directed traffic in the ring, ordering the others to flip Roode on his stomach and 'stretch his shoulder out.' Roode tried to struggle to get free, but a few stomps from the Immortal members as well as Ray hitting him with a chain a few more times allowed Immortal to be able to do whatever they wanted to him.
Abyss and Ray held Roode's left arm stretched out as Hardy lined the chair up on Roode's shoulder, Harris standing beside the chaos with the other chair in hand. After a few horrifying seconds, Harris brought his chair down on the other one, causing a sickening clang as well.
Bobby instantly started writhing in pain, shouting, nearly crying in pain as he gripped his bad shoulder. Ray got into his face as he flopped around on the ground, as if trying to move away from the pain in some way. "Don't you ever disrespect Ric Flair." He shouted, as Abyss flipped him over and began poking him with his foot.
Matt Hardy got into his face. "That's what you get!" He screamed as Ray repeated the same thing he had said earlier right into the camera. The men raised their hands in the ring, smiles on their faces as Roode screamed in the background, before finally leaving in the ring.
Bully Ray watched from the ramp with a big grin on his face as Robert Roode writhed in pain in the ring. He, Chris Harris, Abyss, and Matt Hardy were watching their handiwork when he felt someone brush by him.
Stella sprinted down the ramp, past Immortal, and straight to the ring, sliding under the bottom rope and bear-walking over to Bobby, where he had his face driving into the mat, his legs kicking as he held his shoulder. She could hear him crying out in pain and it nearly broke her heart.
"Bobby." She exclaimed, hurrying to him. She knelt beside him on both knees, turning him onto his back before taking his head in her lap as she brushed the hair that had come out of the pony tail out of his face.
"Oh God." He said, taking in a shaky breath before he just let out a yell of pain, writhing in her arms.
"Shhh. Shh." Stella rested her hand on his face, rubbing his cheek with her thumb. "It's okay Bobby. It's gonna be okay."
"Stella?" He questioned, as if finally being able to see through the pain enough to see her.
She placed her other hand over his uninjured one. "Yeah Bobby. It's me."
"It hurts. I- ah, f***." He exclaimed through gritted teeth before turning over onto his side, burying his head in her leg as she tried to quiet him again.
"I know hun. I know. I'm here though and the medics are on the way." She ran a hand through his hair, hoping to somehow comfort him until something more could be done.
Stella was so focused on Roode that she didn't see the sick smile that crossed Bully Ray's face as she ran down the ring. He motioned for the other members of Immortal to watch before he walked down to the ring, stepping in through the ropes behind Stella as she tended to Bobby.
He quickly grabbed her by the arm, hauling her to him, eliciting another cry of pain from Roode as his shoulders and head bounced against the mat.
"AH GOD!" He yelled, as Stella looked towards him.
"BOOBY!" She screamed as Ray turned her around, grabbed her by the waist and pulled her close. She struggled against him, trying to get free. She pushed against his chest as she wiggled in his arms. "Let me go!"
She glanced over her shoulder and saw Roode writhing on the ground, eyes squinted shut in pain. With a new found determination to get back to the Fortune member, she quickly lifted her thumb up and poked Bully Ray in the eye, causing him to hold it in pain as he let her go. She quickly took a step back, but stayed between him and the injured Canadian.
"What the hell is the matter with you?" She yelled, glaring at him. "That was between him and Flair! You had no right to do that to him! It wasn't your fight! Just leave already! You've done enough!"
Stella then turned around to go back to Roode, but as she did, Ray smacked her on her butt. She turned around in disgust and saw his smirking face. "Nice a**."
This caused her anger to reach a boiling point before she reared back and smacked him across the face, hard.
"You sick son of a b****! Keep your d*** hands off of me!"
He raised an eyebrow at her. "Oh, don't act like you don't like it you filthy tramp."
She smacked him again. "Just get the hell out of here you fat bastard!" She prepared to turn back to Roode, who was still writhing on the ground, but out of the corner of her eye she saw Angelina Love and Winter making their way past Immortal. She watched for a few seconds, confused and slightly worried.
"Ah f***." She heard Bobby cry out in pain. Instantly forgetting the two Knockouts heading toward the ring, she turned to go back to Bobby.
As she faced Bobby, Matt Hardy snuck in the ring behind her, grabbing her by her hair as she began to kneel down, throwing her against the mat, hard.
Her hands instantly shot to the back of her neck, holding it tightly as she now hissed in pain.
Bully Ray shared a smile with Winter as she and Angelina made their way into the ring. Winter walked over to Stella and stood her up with an evil glint in her eyes before she delivered a devastating swinging side slam backbreaker finisher.
Stella's back jarred on impact. She slammed her eyes shut as she tried to fight against the darkness creeping in along the corners of her vision. She finally opened her eyes in time to see Angelina Love stepping over her and looking in the Cramp submission, a modified camel-clutch looking lock.
Stella cried out in pain as she tried to get free, but couldn't.
Stella's shouts broke past the haze of pain that was surrounding Robert Roode. He glanced over at her as Love was moving off of her finally and Chris Harris was entering the ring.
Bully Ray pointed to Stella and yelled something at Harris, instructing him to pick up the nearly unconscious Stella, setting her up for a power bomb. He gestured for him to wait a minute, however, as he got an evil glint in his eye and grabbed one of the chairs, laying it flat on the ground in front of Harris as the two shared an evil smile.
"Stella." Roode said through gritted teeth as loudly as he could as he tried to use his feet to push himself towards her and Ray. "No."
However, Hardy stepped in front of him and quickly kicked him in his bad shoulder. "AH!" Roode screamed as he cried out in pain again, writhing on the ground.
"That's what you get for disrespecting Ric Flair." He shouted, as Harris picked up Felicity and powerbombed her onto the chair, knocking her out completely.
The former Dudley Boy looked at his handiwork with a smile before yelling something that the ring microphones didn't pick up at Winter and Matt. They nodded, as Hardy laid down on top of Stella where his body was fully on top of hers while Winter stuck her foot on Roode's chest as he glanced over at Stella. Bully Ray got down on the mat and did a slow "3" count as if he were an official and this had been a match. He then stood up and had his hands raised by the others. They celebrated in the ring for a few moments, before finally leaving again.
Medics rushed to the ring as Impact went to a commercial break. They ran to Bobby first, who was laying on his back, face contorted in pain as he tried to glance over at Stella to see how she was but had to keep squinting his eyes due to the fire shooting through his shoulder. However, he managed enough strength to wave the EMTs off with his good arm.
"Help her…first." He said through gritted teeth and with shallow breaths in-between.
"But Mr. Roode…" One started.
"Her…first." He practically shouted, rolling away from them enough to make sure they got the hint and went to Stella first. The ones already by his side went to the unconscious Georgia woman, as he continued to writhe in pain.
TNA-TNA-TNA-TNA-TNA
Stella lay on her bed in her hospital room. The two-time Knockout Champ (and one time Knockout Tag Team Champ) had woken up from the attack in the emergency room and the doctors had instantly given her pain meds before they went to do the MRI and X-Rays. She had been in a ton of pain before, and still was in some, but the medicine was slowly starting to kick in and while it was numbing the pain, it was also beginning to make her tired and all she wanted to do was go home and sleep, but she couldn't do that since her house was in Marietta, Georgia and there was no way she was in any condition to drive or fly.
She heard a quite knock on the door.
"Come in." She said weakly as the door opened and Frank Kazarian walked in with a small smile on his face.
She smiled back. "Hey Frankie."
"Hey sweetie, how you feeling?" He asked, walking over and giving her a gentle hug and kiss on the cheek before sitting down in the chair next to the bed.
"I'm okay. The first three moves didn't phase me too badly. I mean, I am kind of a veteran after all." Her southern accent clear. "But that powerbomb onto the chair…" She rubbed the back of her neck gingerly. "That was just a horse of a different color."
Kazarian chuckled lightly as he shook his head at the random southern expressions his friend would use.
"I'm sorry you lost your title, Frankie. It's a d*** disgrace that Abyss is running around with it."
He shrugged. "It is what it is. I mean, with Immortal pulling the strings around here it was only a matter of time before something like this happened anyway. We'll outsmart them and make it right though."
"How's Bobby?" She quickly asked, causing him to roll his eyes.
"Oh, thanks for asking Stella. I'm fine. It's not like Abyss beating the crap out of me hurt or anything."
"Frankie…"
"I'm only messing with you Stella." He shot her a playful smirk. "Seriously though, I'm fine."
"I know, you said that." She raised an eyebrow. "Bobby?"
Kaz sighed. "I'm honestly not sure hun. He was still getting it looked at when the doctor told James and I you were awake. But, I'm sure the he'll be in here as soon as they're done with him. Doc said nothing was too serious with you, right?"
She nodded. "Yeah, just, kinda bruised my spine, screwed up some muscles and my neck a bit. Should be fine in about two or three weeks."
"Glad to hear it."
"How's AJ?" The concern for her friend showing on her face.
"He's okay. Chris already took him back to the condo though so he could rest. Doctor just said he needs to watch himself the next couple of weeks and probably not wrestle. We'll see if he listens though. We didn't tell him about what happened to you or Bobby though, because we knew he'd want to stick around or something and he definitely needs his rest."
She raised an eyebrow. "You didn't tell him?" Kazarian shook his head, causing her to chuckle.
"Well, that's oughta go over like a fart in church."
"Where do you come up with this stuff?" He asked, shaking his head at her expression, when a quite knock on the door sounded before it opened and a tired looking Robert Roode stepped into the hospital room, his left arm in a sling. He attempted a smile at Stella, but frowned when he saw the look she was giving him.
"Oh no. Bobby." She said, as he quickly walked to her and put his good arm around her, gently hugging her.
"Hey. I'm fine." He encouraged as Kazarian quietly slipped out of the room, seeing Storm outside motioning for him, no doubt to tell him how Bobby was.
Stella rolled her eyes. "Yeah. They put people who are 'fine' in slings."
Roode rolled his eyes as he sat on the edge of the bed. "I'm fine. Are you okay?"
"Uh-uh" She shook her head. "We ain't changing the subject until you tell me what the doctor said about your shoulder."
He looked at her as if to challenge her, but knew better than to argue with a southern woman and sighed. "Strained about every ligament up front and almost separated my shoulder. He wants me in a sling for at least a week and no wrestling for probably three."
"But nothing is serious?" She asked, hope in her voice.
"Nope. It should heal up fine unless I try to wrestle on it. If I do that, there's a good chance I could screw it up bad."
She looked at him sternly. "You're going to take a few weeks off, right?"
He nodded. "Now, how are you? James said the doctor said it was just some bruising?" The concern was clear in his voice.
"Yeah. On my spine. Messed up some muscles in my back and my neck. I'll be right as rain in two or three weeks though." She said with a small smile.
Bobby looked at her and nodded. "Stells I am so sorry you got caught up in all this. Especially since you were down there to take care of me." He looked away.
She frowned and placed her hand on top of his. "Hey." He looked up at her. "I'm okay. I'm a founding TNA…Impact Knockout and I'm from Georgia. I've been attacked by Kong, Roxxi, ODB, Flash, Rosie…This ain't my first time in a hospital bed. Won't be my last either probably. Just comes with the job."
"But unlike those times, this is on my head, on Fortune's head, because they hurt you because you're our friend."
She rolled her eyes. "They hurt me because they're douchebags Bobby."
He looked up at her and his face was growing red with anger and his eyes narrowed. "Well, regardless of the reasoning, they're going to pay Stells. I swear to you, they're going to regret this."
"In three weeks, right?" She gave him her best authoritative look.
He couldn't help but smirk at her. "Yeah. I'll let myself heal up first, but once I do…"
She smiled up at him. "I wouldn't expect anything less." Raising an eyebrow, she sat up straighter. "Hey. Earlier you said you had something to talk to me about. What was it?"
He looked at her, and she thought she saw a mix of anxiety and regret on his face, but he soon recovered and shook his head. "Oh, never mind. Just forget it."
"You sure? You said it was important and that we should have talked about it a while ago." She pressed.
He inwardly sighed. He had planned on telling her how he felt, but how could he now? All she had done was go to check on him and Immortal laid her out. What would they do if they were actually together? And plus, Stella deserved a guy who could be there when she needed him, protect her. Not lay helplessly on the mat while he and his friends' arch-nemesis assault her.
"I was wrong. It was nothing." He glanced back over at her, and couldn't help but notice the disappointed look on her face. Chalking it up to her just being curious, he waved it off as she sat next to him, her feet dangling off the bed as she rested her had on his shoulder.
"I'm tired." She said groggily. He smiled down at her, wrapping his arm around her.
"Pain meds?" He asked.
She nodded. "Pain meds. I seriously think I need to put something on some form about how tired they make me so they won't give me as many."
Bobby chuckled at her. In all the years he'd known Stella, it still amazed him that anytime she got hurt and had to take pain killers how quickly they could zap her energy.
"I just want to sleep." She pouted. "But my house is hours away."
"Oh, no no no. You are not driving home tonight. You're staying at the Condo with us."
"Okay." She mumbled, and Bobby could tell how tired she was because she'd normally argue about not wanting to be an imposition or how she was fine to drive.
"How much longer till we can leave?" She asked, her eyes closed as she leaned against him.
"Just a little bit longer. James and Frankie are getting our discharge papers and then we can go."
"Good." She muttered groggily.
He rested his head on top of hers. "Thanks for coming out there for me tonight Stells."
"What are friends for?" She said tiredly, not seeing the slight frown that crossed Bobby's face as she said friends, as if he knew that's all they were destined to be.
TNA-TNA-TNA-TNA-TNA
Kazarian maneuvered the car into the driveway of the condo. James smiled as he looked into the rearview mirror and saw Stella, asleep, resting her head on Bobby's shoulder.
He put the car in park before glancing over his shoulder. "She still asleep?" He asked quietly, as Bobby nodded.
"So, do we wake her up or…" The former X-Division champ wondered aloud as James shook his head.
"Nah, I'll carry her in." He stepped out of the passenger seat before opening the door and slowly and carefully lifted Stella out of the car.
"Don't hit her head." Bobby instructed, causing his tag team partner to roll his eyes as he adjusted the tiny woman. Her eyes slowly fluttered open.
"Bobby?"
"Sorry to disappoint ya Peach, but it's just me." He replied as she looked up at him, forcing a small, but tired, grin.
"Hey Jimmy-J. Where are we?"
"At the Condo. Now, go back to sleep, alright?"
She nodded slowly in response as she fell back asleep almost instantly while James followed Kazarian up the sidewalk to the door. The California man walked in, quietly setting his keys on the table before he walked wordlessly to his room, wanting nothing more than to sleep at the moment.
James turned to look at Roode, who was closing the door. "What should we do with her?"
Roode nodded towards the hallway. "Just put her in my room. She can sleep in there." He suggested, as he and his tag team partner made their way to the room.
Bobby pulled the covers down as his partner laid Stella on the bed. She soon rolled over onto her stomach, no doubt to alleviate the pain in her back before she grew motionless again, still asleep.
Roode covered her back up, gently tucking the blankets around her with his good arm.
James looked between Bobby and the sleeping woman. "There are so many inappropriate things I could say right now about you finally having Stella in your bed."
Roode gave him a warning look. "James…"
The Tennessee cowboy laughed quietly. "I'm just playing man. But seriously, where are you going to sleep?"
"The couch I guess."
"You sure? I mean, that won't be too comfortable with your shoulder and all."
Roode nodded. "I'm sure. I'm so tired I could probably just sleep standing up if I wanted to. I'll be fine."
"Alright, well, I'm hittin' the hay. I'll see ya tomorrow."
With that, James left. Roode glanced over Stella before sighing. He quietly got a pair of basketball shorts out of his closet before leaving the room. After changing in the restroom, which was no easy task with his shoulder the way it was, he grabbed a blanket and made his way to one of the couches. He laid down, groaning at how it wasn't wide enough and was barely long enough for him to fit. And the elevated arm rest dug into his shoulder a bit, causing him to sigh in both pain and annoyance.
He covered himself up with the blanket the best he could before finally giving up. He closed his eyes, frustrated by the uncomfortable nature of the couch and the injury he had sustained that night. Finally the pain meds he had been given kicked in and he fell into a less than comfortable slumber.
Well, there it was. And, just so everyone knows, I risked a tornado to save my laptop (and the stained glass I made for Edge) for this story inparticular, so I hope it was worth my near kamikazee mission. :) I really hope you enjoyed it. Please, please, please (don't be cruel and make me beg) just hit that little "review" button there and drop me a line or two letting me know what you think. Thanks for reading! And, if you want to read some other stories of mine, please do. The only two I'm still currently writing are "Family Doesn't End With Blood" (another TNA story) and A Bitter Place and A Broken Dream (An Edge and Christian story with an "adopted" little sister OC twist. Read it and you'll see what I mean.)Until next time...
*Casey*
~James 1:12~