Chapter 1

Section 1: A Meeting Backstage

"So… you think you have what it takes to be a WWE superstar? We may have picked you over everybody else who tried out, but that doesn't make you special. It just makes you better than everybody else who tried for that spot. I would consider you lucky, getting the opportunity to skip straight to the main roster and not dabble in NXT, this has got to be your big break kid." Triple H said as he was talking to a young kid, probably 28, with brown hair that was wispy and kind of untamed, the guy was about 5'11 and weighed about 214 pounds, and his name was Clayton Hart, yes he was a member of the legendary Hart family. He was the first son of Owen, and he resembled him in his in ring manner. "Yes sir, I am much honored to have been given the privilege of being here in the WWE. I have worked hard and feel that this is the place I need to be now, to honor my father and my family." Clayton said as Triple H looked at him and grinned "I knew your father, he would be impressed, just like I am. Now tonight you are going to debut, you are going to answer Bobby Roode's U.S. open challenge and win the United States title here tonight." Triple H smiled, and placed his hand on Clayton's shoulder "Go out there and show the world that you deserve the name of Hart."

Section 2: In Ring Debut

"Alright ladies and gentlemen, it is now time for the GLORIOUS U.S. open challenge to begin, so anybody in the back who is ready to step up and try to take this title away from me, please come on down, because the challenge is officially OPEN…" Bobby Roode announced as he tossed the mic down and took off his robe, he looked up at the top of the ramp waiting, and then A New Level by Pantera starts to play through the arena. Clayton steps out onto the stage in pink tights, and black trunks with black boots. He begins to head to the ring to face a man he has once faced before on the indies a couple years back, he gets in the ring there isn't much theatrics or showmanship but there is an intense look of determination on his face as he looks across the ring at Bobby and the U.S. championship.

Bobby shakes his head in approval, and hands the US title to the referee. "Introducing the challenger from Calgary, Alberta, Canada, this is Clayton Hart!" The ref holds up the title and hands it to the ring announcer, before calling for the bell. The two lock up and Bobby manages to get Clayton into a headlock, but before he can do anything with it, Clayton backs him into the ropes and whips him off. Bobby is sent across the ring and bounces off the ropes on the other side; he comes running back towards Clayton and hits him with a shoulder block. Clayton lands on his back and Bobby again goes to the ropes, Clayton rolls and Bobby leaps over him, thinking he's in the clear and comes back and hits Clayton with a clothesline. Bobby goes for the quick pin 1…2… and Clayton kicks out.

Bobby reaches down and picks Clayton up by the hair, but as Clayton is coming up he quickly sweeps the leg out from under Bobby and begins to focus on the leg, he starts to drop elbows to the left leg. Clayton then goes for the signature of the Hart family, the sharpshooter, he crosses Bobby's legs and begins to turn him, Bobby tries to fight it, trying to break the hold, but Clayton has him on his stomach, and he gets it locked in tight, before sitting down applying the pressure to the back and the legs. Bobby is reaching for the ropes, and crying out in pain, he can't get there he is too far away from them, then Clayton pulls him back into the center of the ring, but Bobby is still holding out, but the pain becomes too much Bobby begins to tap out. The ref calls for the bell, and goes to retrieve the U.S. title. "The winner of the match and new United States Champion…Clayton Hart!" Greg Hamilton announces to the world as the referee hands the U.S. title to Clayton and raises his hand in victory. The crowd is mixed with boos and cheers, and then Bobby stands up, and extends a hand to Clayton, to which he accepts and shakes Bobby's hand. Then Bobby raises Clayton's hand as Smackdown comes to a close.

Section 3: In the Back after Smackdown!

Clayton is in the locker room after his shower and is changing into his regular street clothes, which consist of a pair of jean, a button up, and a pair of boots. And he notices he's the only person in the locker room, so he changes and leaves the locker room to go find someone to talk to. As he is walking around the arena he has noticed that people are starting to go out of their way to avoid him. He then finds a familiar face, his cousin Natalya. He walks up to her and when she notices, she meets him half way and gives him a hug "You did great out there, I am so proud of you." She said as she broke the hug. "Thanks, why do I feel more like I have leprosy than a championship?" Clayton asked as Tyson Kidd approached and shook his hand "Well, it's because on your first night in the company you won the US title, and your last name is Hart." Tyson answered as Natalya began to finish what he had started "But that doesn't matter, you earned this tonight, I think after a couple of weeks, maybe a few months, things will calm down and you'll be one of the boys." She finished up. "But it seems that you do have a few admirers" Tyson said nodding in the direction of some of the women looking Clayton up and down. "Oh please, like those women think I am any sort of prize, but I do believe that I may need a ride." He asked his cousins "Well on any normal occasion we would have said yes, but tonight is a very special night, it's our anniversary and I wanted to take Nattie out for a special dinner." Tyson answered feeling a little bad about it, but not letting it show. "No, don't worry about it, I get it you two have a nice time, maybe I can get a ride with Bobby or AJ." He hugged Nattie and shook Tyson's hand and walked back towards the locker room to collect his things.

As he walks into the locker room, he sees it has started to fill back up, but he can't find AJ or Bobby. He grabs his bags, and begins to exit the locker room area when someone shouts at him "So you think you are all big and bad because you were given the U.S. title on your first night, why don't you turn around and face me, like a real man." He knew that voice anywhere it was a man he knew very well, it was Sami Zayn. "Well, I would, by I don't know if I could handle to look at that ugly mug." Clayton turns around and sees Sami standing directly behind him. They stare each other up and down, and look in each other's eyes, before laughing and hugging. "It's so great to see you, it has been too long." Sami said as the locker room started to laugh. "Yeah, I know, but I hope we can pick up right where we left off." Clayton said as he broke the hug with Sami and picked up his bags. "Oh, with me beating your ass?" Sami asked as he patted him on the back. "But hey man I got to get going; I would love to catch up though tomorrow at the show." Sami finished. "Sure, thing, again it was great seeing you." Clayton said as Sami walked passed him and out the locker room.

Clayton shortly followed and walked out the locker room and was looking around for Bobby or AJ, he noticed Bobby getting into a car in the parking lot, and didn't get to him in time. "Shit!" Clayton said to himself as he set his bags down and took a seat on the steps leading down to the parking area. Running his fingers through his hair, he rubbed his face, and started to think. "Maybe, I shouldn't of skipped NXT, maybe I shouldn't even be here in WWE." As his face was in his hands, he felt a hand on his shoulder, it startled him and he jumped a little. "Oh, I'm so sorry; I didn't mean to startle you." He knew the accent, it was Irish, and it could have been only one person, Becky Lynch. "I was just coming over to see if you were alright? I seen you earlier talking to Nattie and Tyson, and I heard you needed a ride. And since Charlotte isn't here this week, I have no one to ride with, and if you needed a ride, I have an opening?" Becky asked as he looked at her. "You know what, Becky, I would love a ride. Thank you." Clayton said as he stood up and picked up his bags. "No problem, I'm parked right over here." She pointed over, close to the exit. "Alright, and thanks again, let me get your bag for you, it is the least I can do." He said as he picked up her bag from the ground. "Well thank you then kind sir." She walked over to the car and opened up the trunk, as Clayton put the bags in it. He closed the trunk and walked over to get into the car with Becky, as she drove out of the arena and onto the highway, to their next destination, a house show in Charleston, South Carolina.