A/N: Set the night of WWE Extreme Rules 2011 a.k.a. the night Layla retired Michelle and dashed my hopes for LayCool teaming back up again.
*****'*****
CHANGE ISN'T ALWAYS BAD
Just as they'd planned they televised the ridiculous parody of couples therapy, presenting to the fans the facade of a crumbling partnership. A mockery of a deteriorating marriage. One partner eager to leave and the other desperate to hold on.
It all hit a little too close to home for Layla. The fans didn't know the nature of she and Michelle's relationship, they likely thought the whole thing a sad joke, and they would never know just how true to life these skits were. Thankfully there wasn't the hateful tension between them they were portraying on screen but this story line was certainly taking its toll of them.
Layla had hated the idea the moment it was mentioned. She and Michelle had always operated, since their team formed, as a cohesive unit. Always on the same page, always in each others' corner, always working to help one another. This idea had ripped that all apart. They could have written a friendly split. They could have written the two of them wanting to achieve solo success while remaining friends. But then, she supposed, the images of bad girls they'd cultivated didn't really lend themselves to sportsman-like behavior or maintaining healthy friendships. Being a heel was fun but it could really kick you in the teeth when it was time to get a send-off. People wanted to see you beaten down, wanted to see you experience the pain you'd been inflicting on well liked faces, wanted to see you as broken as they could make you. That's exactly what Team LayCool was expected to give the crowd and that's exactly what they delivered.
For weeks they'd broken down on screen. The joy of their partnership ripped from them piece by piece for the whole world to watch. Michelle spitting venomous words while Layla begged forgiveness or another chance to repair their fracturing friendship. For weeks they watched Michelle stew in resentment and Layla crumble from a heart slowly breaking. Until the catalyst. Until Michelle struck her. Until Michelle walked out and left Layla in that office with tears on her face and her heart on the floor.
Then came the match that was the final straw for put upon Layla. Michelle had made her lose to Eve Torres and that was it. Instead of pleading with Michelle for another chance, instead of cowering and capitulating, instead of taking the punishment Michelle was to inflict on her she finally fought back. Just as she was meant to.
And it all led up to this.
WWE Extreme Rules 2011.
Michelle played her part perfectly. Her anger was palpable to the crowd as she stalked down the ramp to the ring. The announcers making the only noise aside from the theme music. They walked out to the same song, their song, their theme...proving sadly true. They weren't enough anymore. The audience was too shocked that this was happening at all, that LayCool could have devolved to this broken thing where once they'd been unstoppable and unshakeable.
The crowd didn't make any more noise as Layla descended the ramp and climbed into the ring to face off against Michelle. They weren't any happier about this than Layla was.
Layla was actually grateful when Michelle knocked her off the ropes during her intro, the faster they got started the faster this whole ordeal would be over. She was committed to this course of action, seeing this story through to its end, because it's all Michelle has ever asked of her. And Layla would do what it took to make Michelle happy. Even if it meant fighting her best friend on television, even if it meant breaking her heart for the world to see, even if it meant nothing would ever be the same again.
The audience started making noise as soon as she'd plunged from the ropes, crying foul on her behalf. A new, strange, but not unpleasant change of pace for Layla. A small consolation to take away from this later; a crowd actually rooting for her instead of against her. It was almost enough to make her laugh.
But then Michelle was throwing her back into the ring so the match could start in earnest. Layla foiled a quick pin attempt, conscious that they had to put on a good show, and sat up to clutch her aching head. She felt the kick to her back, forcing her to save herself from hitting the mat again, and heard Michelle begin the verbal abuse as she threw Layla around by her head.
Michelle picked her up and held her in position to attempt a move, but Layla spoiled it by taking Michelle down by her legs and flattening them both on the floor. Abandoning technique to show the crowd more of her emotional breakdown and beat on Michelle with the edges of her fists. There were noises coming from her mouth, wordless cries of aggression, that meant nothing but told the crowd she was invested in this. Michelle scrambled out of her grasp and to the ropes while she regained her feet for a charge that sent her sailing between the ropes when Michelle dodged.
When Michelle attempted to kick her through the ropes Layla yanked on her leg and pulled Michelle out of the ring to slam her head first into the announcers' table. When Michelle turned and leaned on the table Layla backed off and smoothed her hair away from her face to show the cameras the devastated emotions she allowed to play across her features for just a moment, selling her torment and pain to each and every person watching, before charging and missing Michelle again. Her stomach slams into the announcers' table and she bounces down to the floor while Michelle, who had taken her place leaning against the ring skirt, took advantage and kicked her while she was down.
Michelle picked her up and tossed her into the ring again, sliding in swiftly after to attempt another pin but Layla rocked out of it after only a two count. Michele grabbed her by her hair, as she'd done after her first pin attempt, and lifted her to her feet to get a better angle to place a fist to her jaw. Layla reeled back and spun into the ropes, Michelle stalking close behind. Michelle threw her across the ring and tried to kick her when she bounced back, but Layla dodged and spun into her own kick to bring Michelle to her knees. Layla followed up by planting both feet squarely between Michelle's shoulder blades and sending the tall blonde face-first into the mat. Layla hurriedly covered Michelle but knew it wasn't yet time for the match to end, they still had more show to put on.
When Michelle rolled out of the pin she held her hands out to stall whatever move Layla would have made next to try and talk her down. Layla, knowing Michelle's usual tactics and knowing the crowd knew those same tactics, was having none of it and kicked out catching Michelle in the side. Then Layla reached out and took Michelle by the wrist to swing her around, which backfired as Michelle wrapped her up and slammed her into the mat where Michelle went for another cover. Michelle practically roared when Layla rolled out, playing her part of frustrated villain extremely well, and picked Layla up by her waistband yet again and sent her rolling under the bottom rope and to the floor.
Layla crawled to the padded partition separating the crowd from the ring action and pulled herself up. She barely heard Michelle's charge and just managed to slip out of the way when Michelle's leg came up to stomp her and instead got hooked over the edge of the partition. Layla didn't wait for Michelle to recover and slammed into her then grabbed a hold of her hair and shoved Michelle's head down against the top of the partition and stepped back. Michelle hung balanced along the partition and Layla used her to climb onto it herself, pulling Michelle up as she went intent on sending them both flying. Michelle, of course, turned it around on her as they'd planned over a week ago. Layla was plunged to the floor and hit with force and Michelle followed in a simple fall and sprawled on her back. She lunged up quickly and started running her mouth as she grabbed Layla to fling her into the ring again. Layla didn't even know what Michelle was saying, nothing flattering she was sure, the words not important as they were all bluster anyway.
Michelle set Layla up in the corner and geared up to slam into her. But Layla lashed out punching Michelle in the face, rocking her enough to take control. Layla grabbed a handful of Michelle's hair in one hand while she used the other to balance herself as she climbed up to the top ropes. She sat on the ropes a moment to allow them to gather themselves for the next move, making sure they were both prepared, then she leaned over Michelle with her arms wrapped around Michelle and launched herself from the ropes into a devastating Layout. Michelle lay on the mat stunned and Layla quickly crawled on top of her for a cover hooking one of Michelle's legs with her arm. For a moment it looked as though this would be the end, but knowing it was too short Michelle kicked out and rolled away.
Layla screamed and slammed her hands into the mat, showing that she'd finally reached her breaking point. She climbed to her feet raking her hands through her hair and yelling in frustration. She threw herself onto the ropes and slumped down, her hands holding the top rope tightly as her arms stretched out above her while she sank to her knees. Sobs shook her shoulders. She was done. She'd never wanted this fight in the first place and while the whole crowd had known it was true before Michelle had betrayed her they knew it was perhaps even more true now. Her brief show of emotion having won her more crowd support, and allowed her to release the tiniest fraction of the actual heartbreak she was feeling, was over and she reigned herself back in and got to her feet again only to take Michelle's foot to her face before she'd completed two steps in her direction.
Face down on the mat was a position she'd grown sickeningly familiar with throughout the long decline of Team LayCool, loss after loss contributing to the split that had brought them to this point. Then Michelle flipped her onto her back, another position she was familiar with though usually with Michelle it was in more pleasant circumstances, and went for a pin. It was Michelle's turn to scream in frustration as Layla kicked out.
Michelle dragged Layla up by her hair and roughly pulled her into position for her signature finishing move the Faith Breaker. Layla didn't let Michelle hook her arms though. Instead, with a little boost from Michelle rocking her up, she rolled all the way up until she was upright hunched over Michelle's head. Jumping down from there she hit Michelle and quickly moved in and performed her own signature Layout. Michelle hit the mat and Layla once again crawled over her for a cover, but was thwarted by Michelle's foot flung over the bottom rope.
Layla, in another show of emotion, lifted her voice over the crowd and rolled away from Michelle. She knelt in the ring and grabbed her head displaying all her built up frustration and grief for the crowd to see before flinging herself forward to bash the mat with open palms. She set her sights on Michelle and made a move towards her still kneeling counterpart, but Michelle hooked herself around and kneed Layla in the face. They both landed with their faces planted in the mat sprawled in a V shape beside one another. Michelle recovered first and rolled Layla over, pulling one of her legs up and laying on top of her to try for a pin but Layla lifted her shoulder at the last moment and rolled onto her side.
Michelle let her frustration show as she yelled something at Layla and dropped her head to the mat for an instant before lifting herself to her knees even as Layla attempted to do the same. Michelle got there first and pulled Layla to her feet by her hair yet again, Layla would be having words with Michelle about this later, and tried to get her into position for another go at the Faith Breaker. But Layla yanked Michelle's feet out from under her and sent her onto her back then she flipped over Michelle's bent knees and clamped her own knees on either side of Michelle's head and rolled them over. Somehow Michelle managed to regain her feet with Layla hanging from her front and slammed Layla down into the mat landing directly on top of her and rolling off. They both lay there exhausted from their efforts, time ticking away for a few long seconds. Michelle pushed Layla onto her back again and lay across her for a cover. Layla let the ref reach a two count before hooking Michelle and rolling until Michelle's shoulders hit the mat and holding until the ref counted out the full three count.
The instant the ref's hand slammed the mat for the third time Layla released Michelle and rolled onto her stomach. There was a moment of elation that the whole thing was finally over, less about her winning the match than about no longer having to fight her best friend and love. She got to her knees and pressed her hands over her heart as the crowd went wild around her.
She was crying as the ref lifted her arm in victory and as her eyes fell on Michelle, crying as she watched Layla in her triumph, it all hit her. This was the end. The end of their work together, the end of an era, the end of Michelle's wrestling career. Layla would no longer come in to work and have the most important person in her life at her side. She was certain her face reflected the change in her thoughts. She knew that her tears of relief turned to ones of grief as she watched Michelle sob into the mat. She fell to her knees and cried, her eyes catching Michelle's as her counterpart rolled to her side and stared brokenly at Layla.
This show of elation turned to devastation was planned for but the real emotions behind it were something that took them both by surprise. When Layla couldn't take it anymore, when she'd reached the point where it was either leave or have her heart explode in her chest, she rolled out of the ring and away from Michelle for the last time.
She cried the whole way up the ramp as the announcers reminded the crowd that this was what it looked like when a friendship fell apart. That this was Layla losing her only friend in the company and it was breaking her. Her entire foundation, the support that had gotten her this far, was laying behind her in the ring and now Layla would have to face everything to come alone. And here Layla showed them all that the Layla they'd known before was gone; the woman who stood before them now was defeated in her heart, lost without her best friend, but determined to soldier on. Layla gave a final salute to the crowd, and to Michelle, before turning her back and exiting to the backstage.
As soon as the cameras were off her and she had reached the relative privacy of the locker rooms she let herself finally break down completely. Until this moment Michelle's leaving had all been a distant event, something that wouldn't happen for weeks and weeks, but now it was here and real and Layla was in no way prepared for how that made her feel and what it meant. It was all sinking in now and all she could do was cry.
***'***
Long minutes later the door clicked open then closed and weary footsteps shuffled closer.
"Lay?"
Layla lifted her eyes and met Michelle's own watery gaze. "I hope Kharma didn't hurt you too badly."
Michelle rolled her eyes and took a seat beside Layla and slung an arm around her shoulders, "Nah, she's a soft touch."
Layla snorted. "Right. They gave her the creepy music and maniac laugh because she's a total softie."
Michelle squeezed Layla with a laugh. Her tone took on a more serious note as she asked, "You okay?"
Layla put her head on Michelle's shoulder and said, "No. Everything's going to be different without you."
"It won't be that different," Michelle protested.
"You won't be here anymore," Layla said quietly, "I'll be all alone."
"You'll be showing them that you never needed me out there, Lay," Michelle said. "It's a good thing. Once they see how good you are you'll be so busy with matches you won't even notice I'm gone."
Layla pulled back to make sure Michelle could see how very not impressed she was with that argument.
Michelle pursed her lips, "Okay, so we both know that's not how this'll go. But I'm not going anywhere. Not really. You know that. I'll be waiting at home for you every night."
Layla sighed. "I know. It's just a big change. But I know it's going to make you happy and that's all I want."
"It's all part of the plan, Lay. One of us had to get out of wrestling if we wanted to start a family." Michelle said softly, "Are you having second thoughts?"
Layla locked her eyes onto Michelle's, shocked that she could question her commitment, "No. Not at all. Starting a family with you...God, Chelle, that's a dream come true." Layla kissed Michelle once fiercely to make sure the words sank in. "I'm just going to miss having you with me all day every day like we've been for the last two years. But it's a change I'm thrilled to make for the chance at a family with you, Chelle. Never doubt that."
Michelle smiled and leaned in to give Layla a kiss of her own. "Just making sure," she whispered against Layla's lips, "Now can we please go home? After a night like tonight I really just want to get you naked."
Layla grinned. "Well, who could turn down an offer like that?"
"Certainly not you," Michelle said confidently as she stood and pulled Layla up with her. "I'm so glad we already had the farewell party."
Layla shot Michelle a confused look, "Why?"
Michelle grinned wolfishly back at her lover and replied, "It would get really awkward really fast if I had to sit through toasts and stale cake when all I'd be thinking about is how much I'd rather be in bed with you."
Layla laughed. "Okay, let's get you home. You've got me all worked up now. You'd better make good on all this talk, Chelle."
Michelle wrapped her arms around Layla from behind and leaned down to press heated kissed to her neck, "Don't worry. I plan to. And you know how I am with my plans."
THE END
*****'*****
A/N: A reason for everything.