Not Fugazi
Twoshot. Sharona Vincenzi retired from the ring in 2012, and as of late 2014, works as RAW GM. However, in the process of working for Triple H and Stephanie, she's exchanged her badass persona for suits and superiority. Nobody on the roster even likes or respects her anymore, and that suits her just fine, until a certain Certified G gets injured, and she's forced to re-evaluate everything. Slight AU.
A description of Sharona can be found on my profile.
Payback 2016, Rosemont, Illinois, May 1st
Castle Hill in the Bronx seemed a million miles away to Sharona Vincenzi these days. Now, she wore designer suits and ran RAW with an iron fist, much to the delight of her higher-ups, Stephanie McMahon and her husband, Hunter Hearst-Helmsley. No longer the badass, tough-talking Latin chick she'd once been, she was now refined, sophisticated...
And hated.
She knew most of the roster couldn't stand her, that a lot of them believed she had 'sold out'. And she couldn't care less. It was her life, and she was going to live it as she saw fit. They were probably jealous-she had a well-paid job, the respect of her employers, an amazing fiance...
Yep. Jealous.
She chose to ignore the momentary twinges of conscience that told her these people were right, that she had sold out, that this wasn't who she really was. Thinking too much about stuff like that would only make her lose focus.
She was getting married in six months, and had a wedding to prepare and pay for. Her fiance Michael had a great job as a manager of a reputable publishing company, but she wanted to work too, had always believed in paying her own way.
But for now, she needed to focus on tonight's pay-per-view. There were a lot of important matches booked for tonight, especially the WWE World Championship match between AJ Styles and Roman Reigns.
Standing backstage, positioned in front of one of the monitors, Sharona didn't see Stephanie approach, until she was standing right next to her. The other woman smiled, but it was a shark's smile, and didn't even nearly reach her eyes.
'I hope the main event goes smoothly tonight.' Stephanie mused, which, Sharona knew, roughly translated into, 'I hope AJ Styles becomes WWE World Champion.' She knew Stephanie hated Roman, and apparently, so did most of the fans, judging by the boos Reigns was showered with on a nightly basis. Clearly, a lot of people didn't believe he'd paid his dues enough to be deemed a credible World Champion.
'Yes. Me too.' Sharona replied politely, and as Stephanie strolled away again, she turned her attention back to the monitor. The pre-show was over, the pay-per-view underway, and the final match in the tournament to determine number-one contenders for the New Day's WWE Tag Team Championships was about to take place, between the Vaudevillains, and Enzo Amore and Colin 'Big Cass' Cassady.
The latter team were making their entrance, Enzo doing his annoying, 'Certified G' schtick, and Sharona rolled her eyes. To think this guy had had the audacity to brand her 'fugazi', a fake. He needed to look in the mirror before he called anyone else fake-did he actually pay someone to do that to his hair? Cass was tolerable, but Enzo was so irritating, with his ridiculous clothes, insane haircuts and loud, obnoxious ways.
Momentarily, she wondered if she found Amore so annoying because she also found him...familiar. They had similar heritages-she was half-Italian, after all-and it wasn't awfully long ago that she herself would have been viewed as sometimes loud and obnoxious.
No, she immediately admonished herself. That was crazy. The guy was just an idiot. Period.
The match started without incident, both teams gaining early advantages, then Simon Gotch tossed Enzo into the ropes, and Sharona watched in horror as Amore's head bounced off the middle rope, his head smashing into the mat, before he slumped bonelessly off the ring apron and onto the floor.
Sharona had been in the business for 20 years, she'd witnessed many injuries, had suffered some herself, and knew instinctively that Enzo was hurt. How badly, she couldn't yet ascertain.
She didn't like the guy, but she would never in a million years wish him harm.
There was a moment of hush when Enzo hit the floor, and then, panic stations, people running back and forth, asking each other if he was hurt, and just how bad it was.
Sharona watched for a moment, willing Amore to get back up, but he just lay there, eyes closed, breathing heavily like he was gasping for air, and her heart sank, as medics rushed to the ring.
He wasn't moving.
Her mind made up, Sharona raced to Gorilla, then down the ramp and down to ringside. The medical staff were already tending to Enzo, who still hadn't so much as moved a muscle, trying to move him onto a stretcher. The Vaudevillains were standing around looking dazed, and to their credit, remorseful, and she could see Cass standing next to his fallen partner, worry and fear etched all over his face.
Enzo Amore was normally a constant blur of motion; Sharona had never seen him so still, and she realized that this was serious, potentially even career-threatening.
The guy didn't deserve this. Nobody deserved this.
Approaching cautiously, she asked one of the medics how Enzo was, and he replied tersely, 'We're not sure yet, ma'am. But he's unconscious, and we need to move him quickly.'
She followed the medics, carrying Enzo, out to the waiting ambulance, aware that Cass, also following, was eyeing her warily all the while. She couldn't say she blamed him-she'd never exactly treated him or Enzo with respect in the past. No, that was an understatement-she'd treated them like a couple of jokes, so she wasn't really in a position to judge Cass for his lack of trust.
Cass wanted to ride with Enzo in the ambulance, but was told he was too tall-'We won't have enough space to work on him.'-and as he turned away, looking dejected, Sharona reached out a hand in an attempt to comfort him, and he rounded on her, dejection turning to anger, apparently no longer caring that she was technically his boss.
'What the Hell are you even doing here?!' He exclaimed. 'You don't even like 'Zo, you don't like either of us, so just get out of my face!'
Cass stormed away, and now Sharona was the one feeling dejected-but again, she couldn't exactly place blame. She watched the ambulance pull away, and slowly, she turned and headed back into the building. She would ask if she could go and see Enzo, she needed to make sure he was ok. She didn't quite know why, but she almost felt responsible for what had happened to him.
As she neared Stephanie's office, she could hear voices, Stephanie and Hunter evidently having a heated discussion. She was about to turn and leave when she heard:
'Did you see her go out there? She looked concerned, Hunter!'
'So what? The guy was hurt, Steph, she was just...checking.'
'Why? She doesn't even like him! It worries me.'
'Steph, honey, come on. It's fine. Sharona knows where her bread is buttered-she'll obey when it counts. She'll do what's best for business. She was trailer trash before we made her respectable. So, relax, we...'
And that was all she needed to hear. It was Sharona's first instinct to kick the office door open and tell them to shove their job and their 'respectability' up their collective asses, but no. Not yet.
It wasn't even what they'd said, really-she'd heard worse said about her.
From the same guy who was now on his way to the hospital:
'You're nothing but a fugazi, you know that? You used to be a badass, you used to be someone I actually respected a lot. Until you sold out, for what? A nice suit? More money? Hell happened to you?'
He was right. Enzo was right. And had been all along.
And she needed to tell him that.
Like, right now.
But first, she needed to change out of this lame-ass suit.
She kept a change of clothes at the office, something casual, in case of emergencies, she'd told herself, but that wasn't quite true. It was in case something happened with this job.
And now, something had happened.
Five minutes later, in a t-shirt and ripped jeans, she felt better, more herself, and less the other her, the woman in the suit with the airs and graces, the woman she no longer recognised, Heading to the exit, she spotted Cass, looking surprisingly dapper in a navy suit, and rushed over to him. As soon as he saw her, he looked angry again, and was about to say something when his gaze fell on her outfit, and his face crumpled in confusion.
'Why are you dressed like that?' He asked, and Sharona actually cracked a grin. 'I was about to ask you the same thing, bub.' She replied. 'You heading to a dinner party, or something?'
If anything, Cass now looked more confused than ever. 'I, uh..these were the only clothes I had with me.' He stammered. 'The rest are back at the hotel. I need to go and see 'Zo, make sure he's ok.'
'Cool.' Sharona replied. 'Do you have a ride?'
Cass gaped at her. 'Did you...have a personality transplant in the last five minutes, or somethin'?' He demanded. 'Why are you even talkin' to me?'
'I don't have time to explain right now, Cass.' Sharona told him. 'But I'm heading to the hospital, and I was wondering if you wanted to come with me.'
Cass just stared at her for a moment, then nodded. 'Yeah.' He said quietly. 'Yeah, I...thanks.'
They didn't talk on the short journey to the hospital, Cass looking impossibly cramped in her car. He also looked extremely worried, something Sharona definitely shared with him. She kept replaying Enzo's injury over and over in her mind-his head bouncing off the rope, him falling helplessly to the floor, knocked out cold. Lying there, still and silent.
It had frightened her. The thought of Enzo being hurt frightened her.
And she didn't want to consider the possibility of why.
It was only as they pulled up to the hospital that Cass finally broke the silence. 'The Vaudevillains got the match.' He said. 'Stephanie and Triple H, they decided that since we couldn't go on with the match, since Enzo couldn't...they awarded 'em the W.'
Sharona's hands tightened on the steering wheel, her knuckles turning white. Enzo had been injured, and those two chumps had just decided that he and Cass didn't deserve a second shot.
'I bet they did.' She muttered, and Cass now looked alarmed. She guessed she looked pretty scary-she'd often been told she did when she was angry. And she didn't care. She was now back at the place where she wanted to punch both of them in the face...but she also knew that would solve nothing.
Right now, she just wanted to make sure Enzo was going to be alright.
The receptionist looked up and smiled as they approached the main desk. 'We're looking for Enzo Amore.' Sharona said, injecting as much authority into her voice as possible. 'He was brought here a short time ago?'
The receptionist typed something into the computer, then nodded. 'Yes, Mr. Amore was admitted about twenty minutes ago.' She told them.
'Is he alright?' Cass demanded, and she responded, 'I-I'm not sure. Are you family?'
'I'm his...friend.' Cass replied, then gesturing to Sharona, he added, 'This is...our boss. One of 'em, anyway.'
'I'll call the doctor who attended Mr. Amore when he was brought in.' Her smile was back. 'He should have some answers for you.'
The doctor who approached them looked very businesslike, early 40's maybe, tall. Not Cass tall, but tall nonetheless. 'I'm Doctor MacKenzie, I treated Mr. Amore when he was admitted.' He introduced himself, shaking both of their hands.
'Is Enzo ok?' This time, it was Sharona who posed the question, and blessedly, the doctor nodded.
'He regained consciousness in the ambulance, so he wasn't out for very long, which is a good sign.' He explained, and Sharona could actually hear Cass sighing with relief. 'We still have to run some tests, but preliminary examinations suggest that he has whiplash and a mild concussion. I was told he was...wrestling?'
Cass explained what had happened, and the doctor nodded again. 'It sounds like it could have been a lot worse.' He mused. 'The medics reported that his vitals were strong, and he was able to move his limbs, which is, again, a good sign. It doesn't look like there will be any permanent damage, and if these tests come back clear, he'll be out of here in a few hours.'
'Is he awake?' Cass questioned, and this time, the doctor actually smiled. 'Oh, yes.' He replied. 'He's very much awake, and talking. And talking. And indeed, talking.'
Cass grinned. 'Yeah, he, uh, does that a lot. Can we see him?'
'I don't see why not.' The doctor replied. 'Not for too long, though, he needs to rest up, he's still a little dazed.'
After he had directed them to Enzo's hospital room, Sharona turned to Cass. 'You go in first.' She said. 'I know you need to check on him, and...you're closer to him.'
Off Cass' look, she smiled, and added, 'Go on. I'll wait out here. I got a couple things to say to him when you're done.'
She watched Cass disappear into Enzo's hospital room and sat heavily on a nearby plastic chair, her thoughts whirling.
Could she really do what she was contemplating doing?
Could she really walk away from WWE for good?...
Final chapter next: Shar has a long chat with Enzo and Cass, and finally makes a decision that has some serious repurcussions. Hope to update soon! Please R&R! Ellen.