Here Alexia sat on a huge private airplane, hooked up to an oxygen tank due to low air pressure from being up so high. She was flying from Boston to Boise. And all she could think about is what the hell was she going to do in Boise. The rest of her party was napping. When Vince had was going to bring her to Raw she never even imagined that part of bringing her would be to have her travel in a private plane. She just shook her head amused, he must have really wanted the ratings. But she found herself becoming more excited. She could not believe that her doctors had let her temporarily get discharged. Of course the moment she arrived back to Boston she had to go back to the hospital.
But she was out in the world. She had never left New England before this moment. She was going to savor it for all it was worth. She sat by the window and looked out into the endless sea of clouds. They were almost at their destination. She could not keep the smile off her face now. That giddy excitement that she tried so hard not to have was hitting her in waves. But how could she not be excited?
Mike was the first one to stir. He made his way over to her, he sat across from her and gave her hand a friendly squeeze. "Hey, how was you nap?" she asked him with a smile.
"Good." He replied. He felt just as excited as she did. He could barely contain it. He felt ready to jump out of his skin at any moment. "You get any sleep?" He asked.
"Dude all I do is sleep." She shot back at him. He grinned at her. "What?"
"Who are you most excited to see?" he asked her.
"I dunno." She shrugged. "Everyone I guess. I just wish I coulda met Stone Cold. That would have been epic." She looked over at the rest of the people traveling with them. Her parents, and Cesar and Keith. Then she bit down on her lower lip. "Do you think this is really going to work? That I will really find a match?"
"Yes, I firmly believe that this is going to work." He smiled at her. "You are too special to leave this world this young." He patted her hand again.
"I don't know Mike. Sometimes I am very hopeful but other times I just want this all to be over. I don't want you to think that I am some depressed person. Although if anyone has the right to be it is me. But I am just so sick and tired. It hurts all the time and I just don't want to live like this anymore. Especially when I know it is only going to get worse." she looked away from him so that he could not see her get upset.
"What you are feeling is normal Lex. I can only imagine how you feel on a daily basis. I am scared shitless for you so I can only imagine how you feel. But I honestly have faith that everything is going to be ok. You just need to hold on a little longer."
"I guess I can do that." He rolled his eyes because she made it sound like such a huge sacrifice. But in her case he guessed it was.
–
She was furious, never in her life had she been more embarrassed then she was at that very moment. And she had done some seriously embarrassing things back in her teenage years. After getting off the plane they had met up with Chris at the airport. He had been there holding up a huge sign that said her name on it. All the while wearing a goofy grin as he did so. Holding onto Mike and Keith's arms for dear life she slowly made her way over to him.
"Hiya Sweetheart." Chris greeted her with his customary nickname that he bestowed on her.
"Hey Jericho." She replied back once she was close enough. When had walking become such a hard task for her? She could not remember.
"Lex you need a wheelchair." Her mother insisted.
"I am fine Ma." Lex remarked annoyed. Her mother had been at her since before the plane landed about the damn wheelchair. "I am not an invalid" She was stubborn to a fault. Chris couldn't help but notice this new aspect of her personality.
"Please Honey. If you fall-" Lex shot her a look that told her to quit while she was ahead.
"So I will break a hip or something." The young girl shot back. Her mother gave her father a look. She wanted his help.
"Alexia, please just humor your mother." Her father urged her. Lex rolled her eyes.
"Fine." She snapped. "Go get the stupid chair." Her mother walked off and she glared holes into her back. "You know I am not a child." She said more to herself than anyone around her.
"It's not that bad Alexia." Chris said very carefully. "In fact sometimes I wish I could have people push me around in a wheelchair." Her facial expression softened and she smiled at the WWE superstar.
"Thanks for attempting to make me feel better." She said. Her mother came back with the wheelchair. Reluctantly Lex had a seat in it. "Well you guys can get on with it now."
–
"So Lex you will be very pleased to know that there are a lot of people who want to meet you." Chris told her as he guided the small group through the halls of the backstage area of the arena they were in. The Taco Bell arena was huge backstage. It was so much bigger than Lex could imagine, and she had tried to figure out what the backstage of a WWE even would look like.
"Like who?" Lex asked. She was currently trying to take everything in. She wanted to memorize every detail of what she was seeing.
"Well Vince really wants to meet you. And so does Hunter and Shawn. I think John Cena said he wanted to meet you as well." Lex's face perked up a little bit. Chris thought maybe he had seen a small smile form.
"Could I meet Randy Orton?" she asked. "I really liked him while he was in Evolution."
Chris looked hesitant for a moment. "We'll see." She nodded in acceptance. Randy Orton was not a bad guy by any stretch of the imagination but he had a temper and the last thing Chris wanted for Lex was to have to deal with any verbal whiplash from a certain third generation star. But then he smirked from what he had seen of Lex so far on this trip he thought that maybe she might give Orton a run for his money when it came to temper.
Sure enough Vince McMahon was waiting for them near the catering area. Lex couldn't help but notice how much bigger he looked in person as opposed to the television.
"Hello Lex." He bent down so that he was her level. "I have heard a lot about you."
"Thank you Mr. McMahon I cannot tell you how much this means to me and my family." Then she laughed. And motioned for Vince to come closer. He did as she requested. "I think my friends are about to have strokes." She whispered in his ear. They both turned to look at three equally stunned young men.
"I think you are right." He agreed. Then he straightened back up. " If all of you would follow me through these double doors there are some people who want to meet you."
Chris held one door open while Keith got the other one. Her mom wheeled her slowly into the room. Mike was walking next to her holding her hand. There were people everywhere, she squeezed Mike's hand tightly. There were people she had grown up watching, and some new faces that she had come to like. She felt like she might cry, to her this was like Christmas. She had no idea what to do first.
"Everyone this is Alexia." Chris announced. He gave the sick young woman a smile and wink. He laughed a little at her expense as she sat there starstruck. "Well go on make some friends."
"I dunno. I am so overwhelmed." Was all she could say.
The superstars seemed to be having the same reaction. That was until a certain Glamazon stepped away from the group, dragging her partner in crime Anthony "Santino Marella" Carelli with her. "Hi Lex." The tall blonde Diva greeted the young woman. "How are you?"
"A little freaked out at the moment. I feel like this is a very incredible dream." She looked over at Mike who was standing there with his mouth wide-open. He worshiped Santino Marella. "Excuse me Mr. Marella would you mind saying hello to my friend Mike he is such a huge fan of yours."
Santino's face perked up. "Of course I will. But please call me Tony."
"Ok Tony but you have to call me Lex." She smiled at him.
"Deal." Tony agreed. He patted her on the cheek before going over to talk to Mike.
"Beth please don't leave me." Lex begged the female wrestler. "I am so nervous. I have no idea why but I am."
"I am here until you tell me to leave." Beth stood next to the young wheelchair-bound woman.
The next superstar to come up to her was Jeff Hardy. Much to Lex's delight because she was such a huge fan of his.
"Hello Darlin." Jeff said flashing her a smile.
Lex felt that she could literally pass away at that very moment and it would have been ok with her. There she was talking to Jeff Hardy, her childhood hero.
"Hi Jeff." Lex sniffled. She just could not control her emotions any more. Her body erupted in silent sobs.
"What's the matter?" Jeff asked concerned. He felt bad that he had made her cry.
"I am such a huge fan of yours. My best friend Katrina and I have followed you and your brother Matt since your debut. We used to pretend to be your guys. She was always Matt and I was always you. Just seeing you here brings back such amazing memories." Jeff Hardy was so touched at that moment. Sure he had had some emotional fans but there was something about Lex's admission that touched his heart.
"You have no idea how good that makes me feel Lex." He gave her the biggest smile in the world. He wrapped his arms around the sick young woman's tiny frame. "I am going to win my match tonight for you." Lex nodded and wiped away her tears.
"Thank you." Jeff walked back over to the group in order to give someone else a few minutes to talk to Lex. The next one to walk over was Ric Flair. Lex felt she was going to jump out of her skin.
"Dad, it's Ric Flair." Lex beamed at her father.
"Hello." Ric said quietly.
"It is wonderful to meet you." Lex could not stop smiling even if she wanted to. "I grew up watching you on television. My dad won't say so but he is a big fan of yours."
Ric looked Lex carefully. She was so happy that she was literally beaming. It broke his heart that she was so sick. Now he knew why Chris had been so insistent on helping her. Ric himself had a daughter her age. He could not imagine what he would do if it was her who was sick.
"Have you been watching wrestling long Lex?" Ric asked.
Lex nodded. "Only like my whole entire life. Although I do take breaks. But for the most part I have been watching since before I could remember."
After about an hour she had met pretty much the whole Raw roster. Her parents were busy talking to Chris and her friends were candidly chatting with various wrestlers. She looked around, nobody was really watching her. It was hot in that particular room so she decided to take a few moments to just be alone and get some fresh air. She rolled herself out the now open double doors that lead to the catering area.
–
Lex was bored and utterly lost. She was going to turn back when she saw a lone figure sitting on a production crate. He was clad in a pair of black cargo shorts and a black hoodie. Now normally her mind would scream at her to go the other way but she felt bad for the man sitting all alone. Without thinking twice about it she rolled her wheelchair up to him.
"Hey." She said coming to a stop just before the crate. He looked up at her with almost annoyed green eyes.
"Can I help you?" he asked giving away that he was very annoyed.
"No I am good just wanted to say hi." She replied. Then she looked him up and down. "Cool tattoos."
"Are you supposed to be back here?" He asked.
"Yea Vince knows I am here. It was his idea to bring me."
It was his turn to look at her. Sitting there in her wheelchair with her oxygen attached she looked so frail and helpless. But she was smiling and there was this sparkle of amusement in her eyes.
"So you sick or something?" he asked taking a minute to look at his phone.
"No, I was just a little too excited about my skinhead costume for Halloween." Was her reply. He looked back up at her a little surprised by her blatant sarcasm. "You're that guy. The straightedge one. Uh- CM Punk right?"
He nodded. "I think that is really cool." She gave him her approval. "I was never into drinking and drugs either."
"But aren't you on morphine right now? That's a drug." His tone was almost condemning.
"Dude, I am dying. I have no choice it's either the drugs or I am in the worst pain you have ever felt all the time. As it is I am still in pain." She explained. "I could say the same thing about you 'Mr. I Don't Do Drugs Yet I Drink Coffee And Pepsi' caffeine is a drug too ya know."
"Did someone send you over here to torture me?" He asked.
"No, I kinda escaped from all the people who were watching me. I needed some air, you know some time to be by myself."
"Yet here you are with me?" He raised an eyebrow.
"Well at first I was just coming over to say hi but now I like this conversation. The sarcastic banter is refreshing."
"So what is wrong with you?" He asked but then he mentally winced. The question came out all wrong.
"I have leukemia." She explained. "I had it before when I was younger and I was in remission for a long time but it came back and the chemo and radiation are not enough. I need a bone marrow transplant. That is why I am here Vince wants to make a public plea on my behalf."
Punk shook his head. "Sounds like something that crazy old man would do."
"Hey if it helps save my life I cannot really complain." She shrugged. "I wish I could have met all you wrestlers when I was healthy." Then she laughed. "You probably wouldn't have given me the time of day though."
"Why is that?" He asked.
"You have that I Hate The World vibe going on right now. You remind me of the kids I hung out with in high school. The ones who were bitter and mad at the world but really had no reason to be." His eyes narrowed. "I mean think about it this way, you have a job I am guessing you spent most of your life working hard to get. You have your health, dude you have hair." He couldn't help back crack up at the last part. "So you really have no reason to complain but yet you walk around with a chip on your shoulder telling everyone to fuck off."
He looked at her stunned. How could she possibly know that. She then smiled at him. "I can read people very well huh?"
"You have no idea what you are talking about." He retorted. He crossed his arms over his chest. He felt uncomfortable. Nobody could possibly be that intuitive with a complete stranger.
"Uh huh- sure thing buddy." she remarked with a smug grin. They both suddenly looked up when they heard people shouting. "Shit." She cursed. Then she turned towards him with pleading eyes. "I will pay you a thousand dollars if you do not tell them that I am here."
"Now why would I need your money." It was his turn to smirk. Then next thing she knew he opened up his mouth. "She's over here!" he shouted back to the mob of searching people.
"You're a douche bag!" She exclaimed.
"Now who's mad at the world?" He asked feeling good about his retort.
"Obviously still you. I am not mad at the world but I am mad as hell at you at the moment."
Soon her parents and Chris came into view. None of them looked very happy with her at the moment. Punk sort of felt bad for ratting her out. "See ya later." He said as he hopped off the production crate he had been sitting on and strolled off.
"Jerk." She yelled after him. She could hear him chuckle as he walked down the hallway.
Her family caught up to her. Her mother looked like she was not sure if she wanted to ring her neck or cry.
"Mom I swear I am alright. It was just a little too hot in there so I rolled out into the hallways and ended up getting lost. And then I started talking to one of the wrestlers."
"Well let's just get you back. There is no need for you wondering all over the place." Lex rolled her eyes when her mother turned her back.
"It's alright guys I will wheel her back." Chris offered. "I just wanted to show her something real quick."
"Alright." Ted ushered his over-worried wife away.
"What did you want to show me?" Lex asked.
"I wanted to show you one of my favorite places to think." He started wheeling her away from the direction that her parents had went. He wheeled her through the gorilla and down the ramp to where the ring was.
"Wow." She looked around at all the empty seats. "This is the coolest thing I have ever seen."
"You wanna go in the ring?" Chris asked. She give him a 'did you really have to ask' look. Carefully he helped her removed her oxygen and then climb into the ring.
"This is amazing." She stood holding onto the ropes.
"Come here." He patted the spot next to him. She walked over and had a seat next to him. "Lie down." She did as she was told and he did too. "Sometimes I come here and just stare up at the ceiling."
"What do you think about?" Lex asked.
"My family. I have a wife and three kids but you probably already knew that." he looked over at her.
"Yea I did. Your wife's name is Jessica. And your son's name is Ash and you have twin daughters Cheyenne and Sierra." He didn't bother to look surprised. He was a public figure and knew his information was out there.
"I told them about you." Lex raised an eyebrow. "I told them how I met this brave young woman who is battling this horrible disease. Every time I talk to Ash on the phone he asks about you."
"Tell him that I am doing alright and that knowing her cares makes me want to fight harder so I can meet him."
"I will." Chris promised. "But now it's time to get you back. Your mother is probably frantic."
"You're probably right."
–
Vince McMahon's music hit. A very somber looking owner of the WWE walked down the ramp. Tonight he did not do his usual strut. No he walked slowly, he could hear crowd booing him. Well some of the crowd, there were cheers too. He got into the ring and motioned for a microphone.
"Ladies and gentlemen, tonight I am here. Not as Mr. McMahon the character you all love to hate. Tonight I am here as simply a man trying to send a message. About a week ago I was told about a very special young woman, her name is Alexia Marren, and she is very ill. Alexia or Lex as she likes to be called has leukemia and will die if she does not receive a bone marrow transplant." He paused there. Trying to figure out what to say next. "America she needs our help. I am asking each and everyone of you to go out and have your bone marrow tested. If you are not a match for Lex then maybe you can help someone else. The WWE is setting up a program within the National Bone Marrow Donor Program for Miss Marren. Please one simple cheek swab could save the life of someone battling leukemia or many other cancers." The Raw theme music began to play and Lex was rolled out by her new personal hero Beth Phoenix. She had a microphone in her hands.
"Hello all you WWE fans out there." she waved to the camera. "I cannot force you to go and register your bone marrow. But I can strongly encourage you to. More than ten-thousand people people are out there right now waiting to be matched with a bone marrow donor. About half of them will be successfully matched. But if every single person in this audience and those of you watching at home registered with The National Bone Marrow Donor Program we might just actually be able to save those ten-thousand people. So on this very night I am asking that you all stand with me and save lives. Because together we can. Thank you." With that she gestured for Beth to wheel her backstage. But not before she heard the crowd cheering her name.
–
"You did such a good job Sweetheart." Chris hugged her tightly. "Ash was watching tonight and he wanted me to tell you how cool he thinks you are and that he was cheering your name right along with the crowd. My wife had to remind him that he was at home in our living room." They both laughed a little.
"Thank you Chris for everything you have done for me." She hugged him again. "I don't think I can ever thank you enough."
"You can by getting better." he playfully tugged the bandana she always wore down over her eyes. She groaned and fixed it.
"Come on Lex we have to get going." her mother reminded her.
"Call me?" Chris asked.
"You know it dude." She started to wheel herself over towards where her parents were standing.
"Hey Lex." She turned her chair around to come face to face with The Legend Killer himself. "That was a really brave thing you did out there."
"T-thanks Randy." she found it hard to phrase words at the moment. Even though she swore up and down that she did not like Randy Orton, the man or the character, she really did.
"I have my eye on you now kid. You'd better get better and come visit us again."
"I will Randy I promise." she gave him a grin. "And I never break my promises. But if you are ever in Boston look me up."
"Will do Kiddo. Have a good night."
"I cannot believe my life right now." She shook her head and continued wheeling over to where her family was waiting. "Life is good." She told them when she reached them.