TBH I can't really remember what years I put the Daddy Dearest story set at.. so it's like this... Catelyn is 25 now, she's been with Edge for 3 years, as of now! These are all just various one shots of the Daddy Dearest Verse... they will NOT neccesarily go in order, and they won't always be connected... i'll let you know at the beginning when it takes place, ok? I don't know why Catelyn has decided to make a reappearance in my life but she has come back... I think it's mostly cuz I can't let go of Edge, so I hope you guys don't mind either...
Title: All Fall Down 1/1
Author: Music
Category: WWE
Rating: Teen
Summary: She knew him better than anyone else, and she knew there was something really bothering him. She just had no idea the news would rock her to the core and threaten their world to come tumbling down.
Disclaimer: I own the OC's, but nothing else..
A/N: This one takes place around WM 27 time and the week after. I decided to finish this off and post it, thanks to WM LOL... I do have other scenes coming :)
... ... ...
She knew him better than anyone else. She spent more time with him than she ever had with anyone else. Although she still kept her room at her dad's house she now called his place, their place. After three years together, even traveling together, it was hard not to know someone really well, and she knew something was going on.
It wasn't anything sudden, it had been going on for awhile. Subtle, at first, so much, she was able to brush it off as her imagination, or him worrying about heading into Wrestlemania. But as time went on, she knew it wasn't her imagination, she knew it wasn't Wrestlemania. She knew how he was around that time of the year and this was something else altogether. Even her dad had pulled her aside to talk to her when he was at Raw and while he, of course, asked how she was doing, he eventually steered the conversation to him to ask if everything was alright.
She could only shrug and offer up a weak smile.
It wasn't until Wrestlemania, when he had disappeared after his match and she had slipped up to the sky box to watch with her dad, did she finally confess what little she knew and how much stress was on the relationship.
"Have you tried talking to him?" Shawn Michaels asked his daughter, his arm wrapped around her.
"Yes, and it ends up in a fight." Catelyn Michaels replied, sounding as if she was on the verge of tears. "You know how we are, too stubborn for our own good but when it comes down to it, we've always told each other what's going on. We don't hold back or sugar coat anything."
"And you're sure there's something there"
"Dad, everyone, even Christian has asked me about it. You have too and you're never really around anymore. There's something going on and he won't tell me."
Shawn sighed as he watched the show, wincing when Undertaker had kicked out after another Pedigree. "I don't know what to tell you Sweetheart, except be patient and hope for the best, hope he comes to you soon."
"And if he doesn't?" She asked in a small voice.
"If it's something important, he will, perhaps he just needs to work it out for himself."
Catelyn sighed before leaning over to pull her dad into a hug. "He's probably wondering where I am, I'll see you after the show?"
"You're not going to watch the match?"
She pulled a face as she stood up. "Still not a big fan and in an Anything Goes match, I don't want to see what they do to each other, watching you face him was bad enough."
He smiled but shook his head. She had been DX's manager for their run as a tag team and his manager until he retired. When he did, she had taken to walking out with Edge full time instead of the occasional time when he hadn't been around. She also had a few matches here and there but for the most part kept out of the in ring action. Even after all this time, and her begrudging acceptance of not minding wrestling as much, sometimes even liking it, she wasn't ready, nor did she want a full time wrestling career.
Catelyn left the skybox, pulling her hoodie up to cover her face. She loved the fans, she really did but right now, she couldn't deal with them, not when this weighed so heavily on her mind.
Smiling at the security to the backstage area, she briefly lowered her hood to show who she was before slipping past them and moving down the hall, wondering if he had returned from wherever he went to.
His match had opened the show and as he had been doing for the past little while, he demanded she didn't walk him out citing his fear of Brodus Clay getting ahold of her, so she stayed in the back, watching with Christian, until the match was over and following him out to the stage. They met Edge at the top by Alberto Del Rio's car and when she went to hug him, he deflected her, instead grabbing the pipe from Christian and destroying Del Rio's car.
After they had their fun and returned backstage, she had tried to hug him again but he had told her he needed to talk to someone and would catch up with her in a bit. She waited around for a bit before deciding to go see her dad unsure of what was going on with him exactly. He'd been acting so distant, so cold. Was this his way of trying to end things with her? If that was the case, why not just say so? Why drag it on and keep her wondering. It wasn't fair.
Reaching his locker room, she paused to regain her composure before opening the door with with a bang, her mind set on finding out exactly what was going on. She didn't realize what she saw would have her stopping in her tracks. That she would have difficulty breathing, or that it would bring tears to her eyes. This wasn't right.
"What- what's going on?" she whispered.
He looked at her, fear ingrained deeply in his eyes. "I can't make it stop."
She had never heard him sound so defeated, so scared, and she rushed over to him, dropping to her knees beside him and grabbing his hands.
"Adam, don't keep me out anymore, what is going on?"
He looked at her, wanting nothing more than to wipe the tears that escaped her eyes, but with no control over the trembling in his hands and arms, there was little he could do.
"There's something wrong with me." He whispered.
She looked down at their joined hands, wishing there was a way to make the trembling stop, to know how to stop it, to know what was going on.
"I need to get you to a hospital."
He shook his head, trying to keep his voice from wavering. "My MRI results will be back later this week."
"Results? You already went?" She asked in disbelief. "I mean, that's good but how can you keep this from me and MRI on what exactly. Adam, what's going on?"
He pulled a trembling hand away from her, running it through his hair. "My necks been bugging me. A little while ago, my arms started going numb, then they started shaking. Vince sent me for MRI's but until I knew what it was I didn't want to worry you."
She let out a breath she didn't realize she had been holding as the tears came faster.
"Little One, please don't cry."
"How could you keep this from me?" she asked, standing up and moving away from him"You've been pushing me away and I had a right to know. What if something happened? How could you wrestle knowing it could be something bad?
"Because I don't think it is" He argued. "I'm sure it's just a pinched nerve."
"But what if it isn't? Adam, I've been worried sick about you, how could you keep this from me?"
She turned away, unable to look at him and silence descended upon them as she tried to grasp what was going on. What all this could mean for him, for them, his career, everything.
"Please, don't leave, I need you." he whispered
Catelyn turned back to him, unsure if she really heard it or it was a trick of her imagination. He was always so strong, so confident, so sure of himself, there was no way she could be hearing this. "what did you say?"
"I need you. Don't leave." He pleaded with her.
She hurled herself at him, being careful with his neck and arms, which were no longer noticeably trembling. She turned her head into his chest as his hands wrapped around her, his face turning into her hair.
"You doofus, how could I ever leave you? I'm mad you didn't tell me but whatever happens we're in this together."
"I'm scared." Again he was so quiet that she wondered if she was really hearing this.
"we'll get the results, we'll be okay." She whispered, unable to stop the new onslaught of tears at hearing how upset and scared he was and how she felt the whole situation was out of control.
... ... ...
She sat outside the arena they were in that night, the show was getting ready to start but she didn't care, much preferring the early spring air. The fans had yelled for her when she had first stepped outside but she could do no more then smile and wave at the moment, moving around the corner of the arena to be alone.
It was 8 days after wrestlemania, 6 days after they received the results from his MRI and she was still reeling. This was his life, everything he had worked so hard for, all he had ever done and now... now she just didn't know what to do, what to say, how to fix this. He had become so quiet once he heard the results and she had burst into tears. When they got home, he called his mom while she called Becca and her Dad and in between sobs had told them what had happened. When they finally hung up, she was all cried out for the time being and went to go find Adam, who was in their home entertainment room, watching videos. She gasped, seeing a younger Edge, his hair longer and blonder, sunglasses covering his eyes, a long trenchcoat on.
"Earlier in my career." he whispered. "Come watch?"
She sat down beside him on the couch, his arm automatically going around her as she snuggled into his side. It was how her dad found them hours later, having hopped on a flight as soon as they got off the phone. Catelyn ran to him, her eyes dampening as she hugged him tightly. When she finally released him, Adam stood up and held out his hand to Shawn but instead, her father reached forward, pulling the younger man into a hug.
Without another word, they resumed their sitting, watching Edge's career play out on the screen.
It was so quiet in the days leading up to Raw, she had no idea what to do, how to react, she was still in shock. And now that Raw was here, she still didn't know what to do. Edge decided to speak to everyone before the show and all the Superstars, Diva's, agents, anyone apart of the show were gathered in catering while he told everyone what was going on and what he would say tonight. She stood at the back of the room, listening to his speech, not bothering with the tears escaping her eyes. When he started choking up, she couldn't take it anymore, fleeing the meeting and the arena altogether, hoping to find solace outside.
She left without a jacket and it had just started to rain so she was left shivering, sitting on some stairs, out of sight from the fans and she was miserable.
"Hey, why'd you run off?"
Catelyn looked up to see Kelly, her best friend in the WWE since Maria was let go, unfairly in her opinion but she wasn't the boss, so she really couldn't say anything. Hell, she was pretty sure Vince McMahon had forgotten she existed. While she was now contracted by the WWE and had been for years, it was very rare that any storylines were thrown her way. They seemed fine with her going out with DX, then her dad, then Edge, only having the odd storyline mostly started by one of the other Diva's when they were trying to go after Edge or were working with one of his opponents and they were stuck in a series of mixed and intergender tags. Edge felt that with Shawn and him in her corner, as well as her highly respected last name and her being so adamant about not being a wrestler, Vince was more than happy to leave her be as a Valet since she was out there so often anyways. She still thought Vince forgot about her existence.
"Cay?"
She pulled herself from her thoughts and looked at Kelly who was looking at her in concern, her expression becoming more worried when the taller girl didn't even react to the nickname she only used when she was trying for a reaction.
"8 Days ago he was wrestling and I thought he was being weird cuz he wanted to break up with me and now... Kelly, his career is over and I'm so scared, even if he's done wrestling, whose to say nothing bad will happen, I can't lose him."
"You won't. He's strong and to ensure it, he made the smart decision to stop now because he wants to be around for you. He loves wrestling but he loves you and he won't to anything to endanger himself."
"But it could still happen."
Kelly moved to sit beside her, an arm around her shoulders. "Hey now, why all the negativity? You're usually so positive."
"Because I'm scared." Catelyn whispered.
"Do you remember the night I was fired? Do you remember how Vickie made me wrestle with Edge's title on the line and everyone doubted me?"
Catelyn turned to look at her friend, wondering where she was going with this.
"I ended up doubting myself and thought for sure I would lose the belt and you and Edge would hate me."
"I could never hate you Kelly, you're my best friend."
"Exactly but that night I was so scared and all I could think about was the worst possible outcome. Do you remember what you said to me?"
Catelyn shook her head in confusion, unable to recall her exact words.
"You told me that all I could do was try my hardest and believe that only good things would happen because if I let the negativity bring me down it would swallow me whole and the thing that I feared would happen, will."
Catelyn sighed, rubbing her forehead in distress. "Kels, this is different, it's not like if I sit here and worry that it will happen, that it'll actually happen. You had to go out and wrestle, and you did, a hell of a match. Winning with Edge's move of all things."
"Yes, but I'm talking more about the message, you can't sit here and let the bad thoughts swallow you up, Catelyn. It sucks, and it's scary and horrible but he needs you, Adam needs you. You are his everything and if he sees you fall apart and worrying about all the bad things that could happen, it could affect him to the point where, without meaning to, something could happen."
The taller girl let her head drop into her hands as she breathed in deeply, slowly letting it out before standing up and offering a hand to Kelly.
"You're right. He needs me, I can't afford to fall apart."
The younger blonde stopped her friend from moving. "Don't get me wrong Cay, you are well within your right to be upset and to cry, even with him around. Just remember, you can't think negatively all the time and you both have your friends with you.
She nodded, throwing an arm around Kelly. "I know, I get it... but don't call me Cay."
Kelly smiled, finally able to get a reaction out of her best friend.
... ... ...
"Where'd you go?" Edge murmured, pulling her into his lap as soon as she entered catering.
"I needed some air." she replied, giving him a quick kiss. "How did everyone take it."
He shrugged. "Shock, more or less."
"How are you?" She softly asked, looking into his eyes.
"Ok, now that you're back."
"I'm sorry I bailed, I just didn't want to break down in front of you again."
His arms tightened around her. "Don't you ever worry about that, I don't mind comforting you, Little One."
"I should be comforting you, I mean, this is all about you."
"But I'm getting by, we'll get by, all this means is we can go home and have the biggest ice cream binge ever, I don't have to put my tights on tomorrow."
She smiled, leaning in to kiss him but they were interrupted by someone clearing their throat.
"May I have a word with you?" Vince McMahon asked, sitting down across from them.
Catelyn made to move to the chair beside Edge but his arms tightened around her, holding her in place. She looked at him and could see the fear in eyes and she wondered what it was for this time.
"Would you like me to leave you guys alone?" She asked.
Vince shook his head, "I was actually hoping to speak with you, Catelyn. And you're both fine where you are. Edge knows what I wish to speak with you about."
She glanced at her boyfriend before turning back to Vince. "What did you want to talk about?"
"You, and your future with the company."
She let out a breath she didn't realize she was holding. "What about it?" She hesitantly asked.
"You always walked Edge out since your father retired."
"You noticed?" She whispered, mostly to herself.
Edge poked her and Vince burst out laughing. "Of course, you two worked so well together how could I not have noticed."
"Is there something else you want me to do now?" she grew nervous, realizing for the first time that she might have to continue while Edge stayed at home.
"I know you only ever re-signed your contract with the stipulation you walk out either your father or Edge, or if it came to it, someone of your choosing."
"I haven't thought of anyone else." Catelyn replied with a frown.
"I understand that. You both have a lot on your mind right now. Your contract expires in 6 months though, so I was hoping we can come to a new sort of agreement."
She frowned, wondering where this was going.
"Edge will still be making appearances-"
"Excuse me?" Catelyn cut him off. "No. You know what the doctor said. He can't wrestle."
"Catelyn he won't be wrestling but he will still be making appearances for storyline sake and I was hoping you could help out with that."
She frowned. "How so?"
"We're pushing Christian to win the belt now that Edge is retired. And if he does, in fact, win it, we will have Edge to help celebrate. But until then, I was hoping you would valet for Christian."
"For how long?"
"at least until the next Pay Per View. We can re-evaluate then. If you do agree and decide after, that you would like to retire with Edge, we'll be more than happy to let that happen, and let your contract run out. All we ask is you do make the odd appearance when called for."
She looked at Edge. "What do you think?"
"It's up to you." He quietly told her. "If you want to keep doing this, I'm not going to tell you to stop, we'll deal."
She rolled her eyes. "Honestly Vince, I love my friends here but the main reason I stuck around so long was for him and my dad, so I accept. I'll valet for Christian and when that's up, I'm going home with Edge, for good."
"And if we ever need you?"
"Then call but I'm happy to retire with Edge."
She heard Adam let out a sigh of relief as Vince stood up. "Thank you Catelyn. I know this is a hard time for you both and if either of you need anything, call me."
They both nodded as he walked away.
"You can't give up your career for me." Edge told her.
"What career?" She asked with a weak smile, resting her forehead against his"I would've been gone with Dad if you never appeared in my life. I stayed because you were here and I didn't want to be stuck at your place or my dad's place while waiting for you to come home."
"But you love it."
"To an extent." she agreed. "But it's not worth it without you here."
"I love you." He whispered. "Will you come out with me tonight?"
"I love you too and there's nowhere I'd rather be."
... ... ...
He sometimes wondered how he got so lucky. He spent half his career being the biggest asshole in the company and then she appeared and he wasn't being booed anymore. He was being cheered and he knew most of that was due to her. But he wouldn't change it for the world, not even if it meant he would have a few more years of his career. He had given everything to this company and it sucked that he was going out this way but having her here made it that much more bearable. Knowing that she was more then willing to leave it all behind to be with him, made it even better. He would never ask her to do that, he never expected it, he just never realized she was still here because of him.
He really was one lucky bastard.
It had been emotional. First telling the locker room, then telling the world live on Raw. But she was there through it all. When he was about to break down in the ring, she grabbed his hand, giving him a quick kiss and with it the ability to continue. He saw the tears in her eyes, much like he had since the results came back but she stayed as strong as she could, leading the crowd in a thank you Edge chat, of all things.
Years later and he was still in shock she chose him.
"Are you ready to go?" She asked, entering their locker room.
He inhaled deeply before standing up, not bothering to pick up his bag.
"Almost."
"More people you need to talk to?"
He smirked at her as he grabbed her hand and pulled her closer, closing the door behind her. "No. I just realized there is one last thing I need to do before we leave."
He pushed her up against the door, enjoying the heat that instantly flared up in her eyes.
"Are you ok for this?" She asked, knowing exactly what he wanted.
"For this? Always." He grabbed her around the waist, also enjoying the small girly squeal she let out as he lifted her off the floor, her legs automatically wrapping around his waist.
"I think I just might miss this the most." He murmured, nibbling on her neck.
"We still have a few opportunities." She gasped. "Plus I'm sure we'll just have lots more time to be creative."
"I do love the way you think." he replied, his mouth moving lower.
They were interrupted by pounding on the door. "Seriously, we sent your girl in there to get you out of there, not trap you in there and hook up with you, we can all hear you." Christian yelled at them.
Catelyn's eyes widened as she remembered that she had been sent in there for a reason.
"Oops." She whispered, a guilty smile gracing her lips.
He chuckled as he put her down. "I still have a few more appearances to finish this."
"Ew." Christian cried through the door. "Definitely not if you're sharing a locker room with me."
"Hm, now there's an idea." Edge pondered.
"Ugh, you disgust me, will you just get out here?"
Catelyn giggled as she moved to grab Edge's bag, ignoring his protests as he tried to take it from her. "Just go, before Christian whines some more."
"I can still hear you."
She opened the door, giving Christian a quick kiss on the cheek. "I know."
Edge laughed, following her out of the room and stopping at all the Superstars and Diva's silently waiting for him, a big cake in the middle of the hall saying "Thank you Edge. You will be missed."
He looked around at everyone as they began to clap and Catelyn moved up beside him, an arm wrapping around his waist. "This was you?" He asked.
She shook her head. "This was actually not my doing, I was told about it 5 minutes ago. Something about not being able to keep anything from you."
"You had one job, just one." Christian reminded her.
"I can't help it if I'm easily distracted by 6'5" of hotness." She replied sticking her tongue out at him.
"Gross." Christian replied.
"I'm really beginning to doubt this new partnership between you two." Edge interrupted. "It can't lead anywhere good."
"Edge, come have some cake." The Bella twins cried.
Catelyn raised an eyebrow at them, she couldn't stand them in the least. It didn't help that they tried to openly flirt with Edge in front of her, acting like she didn't exist. You'd think after her and Kelly totally destroyed them in a tag match that they would've backed off, apparently not.
"If they try to feed you, I will feed them my fist." She told him, a sickeningly sweet smile on her face.
"How about you cut me and my girlfriend a slice." Edge suggested.
Their looks noticeably soured but with everyone watching them, they had no choice but to cut 2 slices, smiling as they gave a piece to Edge before practically throwing Catelyn's at her.
"Not going to miss them." Catelyn muttered.
"And if I need your help in a match against them?" Kelly asked, moving up beside her.
"So there." She cried.
"I'm going to miss you both." Kelly cried, throwing her arms around her friend.
"Kels, I'm not gone yet." Catelyn laughed. "I'll see you at the next Smackdown."
"I know but then you're just that much closer to being gone."
Catelyn giggled. "You live, what? 10 minutes from me?"
"So?" Kelly pouted. "You still won't be on the road with me anymore."
"well, I'm yours for at least a month." Catelyn reminded her.
"Excuse me." One of the twins asked, "but did you just say-"
"-That you're not leaving right away?" the other continued. "That you'll still be here-"
"-For another month?"
"Doesn't finishing each others sentence get old?" Catelyn asked with a raised eyebrow. "But yes, my contract hasn't expired and Vince and I worked something out."
"Ugh, for real? They're just keeping anything these days." The first twin spoke again, Catelyn would be damned if she knew which was which.
"Says the girls only kept around cause they're identical." Kelly said with a giggle
"Whatever." The other one said. "Come on Brie, let's go find some better company."
"I'm so heartbroken." Catelyn sneered as they walked away.
"You would've been a great heel." Kelly giggled again. "too bad you went and turned WWE's biggest heel all soft."
"Excuse me?" Edge asked, entering the conversation. "I am not soft. I'm still a big heel. The biggest and baddest."
"Of course Dear." Catelyn placated him, patting him on the hand. "eat your cake."
Everyone around them laughed to see him doing just that.
... ... ...