Four Days Later, Liverpool, England, Smackdown
La Reina had arrived early to the arena at Hunter's request. He called her and told her to be at the arena in an hour that plans had changed and for her to be ready. He had hung up before she could ask, what had changed? La Reina's body vibrated with excitement and panic as she looked through her suitcase for something to wear. She decided on a black sleeveless short cocktail dress, the skirt portion was pleaded and ended about 5 inches above her knees. If she had to be in action the dress would allow her to move freely, which was why she also chose to wear her favorite gothic boots. They were black with a series of buckles that ran along the sides and laces in the front, they were knee high and had a 1 inch stiletto heel. She had used them before in her matches. She wasn't sure if she was going to just escort Dean out to the ring or if Hunter wanted her to insert herself into Dean's match, she wanted to be prepared for which ever situation occurred.
She still could not believe she would be debuting with Dean tonight. As another tremor of nerves ran through her body at the thought of facing the Unstable, she still had not come up with how to approach Dean and now it seemed she was going to have to wing it. She wondered why they were not waiting until they were in the States like Hunter had originally planned. She had no more time to think as she knocked on Hunter's office door.
"Come in"
When La Reina entered Hunter's office, he stood up from behind his desk and motioned for her to sit in the chair in front of him. He liked her dress which gave her a touch of class and the boots that seem to give her an edge of mystery. Her dark brown hair flow freely around her shoulders, she was an attractive woman. "Hello, La Reina", Hunter greeted her.
"Hello Mr.- uhm Hunter"
"I have your contract here."
La Reina looked at Hunter confused. "I don't understand what the rush is Hunter. I thought you wanted to wait until we were back home before we did this?"
"Well, the creative department has brought it to my attention that Survivor Series is less than 2 weeks away. I need to know if you are going to be able to make it work with Dean. I need him to be focused at Survivor Series, I can not afford for Team Authority to lose. I need Team Authority to go in as a unit, to be united, so your time is now.", Hunter said seriously.
La Reina was uneasy with this turn of events, things were happening too fast and she wasn't ready. How was she going to handle Dean? How was he going to react to her? She could not afford to fail, if she did that was the end of her career.
"Look if you think you can't handle it, then tell me now and we will put an end to this.", Hunter said as he pulled the contract away from her.
La Reina watched as her hopes and dreams were being taken away from her and reached out and put her hand on the contract and looked at Hunter with fortitude. "I can do this.", her voice sounded confident, but inside she was panicking. Hunter handed her the pin and she signed the contract. Once done she looked at Hunter, "How is this going to work? Are you going to introduce me to him?"
"No I think I will leave the introductions to you. If we give him time to think, he try to figure a way out of it.
"I am still unclear what exactly I am to do. Do you want me to just escort him to the ring?"
"No that is only part of your job, I want you to help him win his matches. He is the heel Reina and future of the WWE, heels don't win all their matches fairly, they steel the wins and you are going to help him. You are going to be his partner in crime.", Hunter said with a chuckle. "Is that clear enough for you?"
La Reina smiled and said, "Yes. Do you have any advice on how I should handle him?"
"Yes, be honest, don't let him push you around and stay calm. Good luck, I look forward to seeing how it works out tonight. If, I will be welcoming a new member of the Authority or the farewell of a Diva."
La Reina's palms were sweating, her stomach tied in knots and her heart was fluttering in her chest as she wondered the same thing. She kept her smile plastered to her face, not giving away the turmoil and doubt she was experiencing. She did not want Hunter to see her fear, as she turned to leave the room.
La Reina was in the women's locker room, there were very few superstars there since she had come early to the arena. She sat on a bench with her legs up in front of her, her arms a wrapped around them with her chin resting on her knees trying to figure out how not to screw up her big opportunity. Her nervous were on edge and as it got closer to show time, she was convinced she had made a huge mistake and chastised herself for being so stupid. The locker room soon filled with voices of excitement and chatter of what some of the Divas had done while in Liverpool.
La Reina was still new to the WWE and many considered her competition, because of the push she was getting from management when she initially started. However, her unwillingness to conform with their dress code and her voicing of how ridiculous she had to fight in some of her matches caused friction between her, management and some of the Divas who felt she was insulting their abilities. So, La Reina had very few friends in the Diva's locker room. They were polite to her but pretty much ignored her. It also didn't help that she was an introvert. She was social when she had to be but preferred to keep to herself. She really didn't have anyone to talk to and wished she could speak to her parents and ask for advice, because she knew she could trust them.
"Hey girl, why are you so serious?", asked Naomi as she sat next to her on the bench. La Reina really liked Naomi, they first met down in NXT about 4 years ago. She was one of the few she could honestly call friend.
"Nothing", La Reina said as she avoid eye contact with her.
"Ahh come on you can tell me.", Naomi could tell something was bugging her friend. She was usually excited and happy to be in the WWE, hell just being around the sport itself made her giddy even if she didn't have a match.
"I can't Naomi, I promised Hunter I wouldn't say anything.", La Reina said as she played with the buckles of her boots.
"Oh My God, did he make a deal with you?", Naomi said loudly, causing some of the Divas in the locker room to turn and look at them.
"Shhh, I really can't talk about it.", La Reina whispered. "Well at least not right now, after tonight I will."
"But why aren't you happy?"
"Because what if I fail?"
In all the years Naomi had known La Reina weak was not a word she would associate with her friend. She was the strongest person she knew and could not get over the self-doubt she heard in La Reina's voice or saw in her eyes. Naomi stood up from the bench and made La Reina stand up with her and grabbed her friend by the arms and looked her in the eyes. "We have worked hard and sacrificed a lot to get were we are. Are you seriously going to let whatever obstacle that is in your way stop you? You are strong and you are willful and if there is a way you will find it.", Naomi said with certainty.
Naomi's words brought a her smile to her face, it felt good to know that someone believed her. She didn't feel so alone anymore and gave her friend a bear hug which she reciprocated. "Thank you Naomi."
Dean's match tonight was with Ryback, earlier tonight he had insult Stephanie when she tried to recruit him for Team Authority, so the match was made. He really didn't mind considering he never really liked Ryback and had fun when he was in the Shield kicking the Big Guy's ass. He went to the gorilla area to prepare for his match, which was in 10 minutes. He looked behind his back to make sure the minions were not there. He couldn't believe how easy it was to convince Hunter he did not need anyone escorting him to the ring that he could win his matches without help. Dean started to bounce on his tip toes and get his head into the match.
La Reina had went to the gorilla area, she knew Dean's match was next. She slowly approached him, he had his back to her and was bouncing from one foot to the other and was shadow boxing. He looked more like boxer than a wrestler in his black muscle shirt, blue jeans and black boots, she thought. She took a deep breath and tapped him on the shoulder.
He spun around quickly with a frown on his face, expecting to find Noble and Mercury, but to his surprise it was a pretty woman. She had an athletic built and was wearing a short black dress her dark brown hair was long and freely hung around her shoulders. He smiled when he saw she was wearing Goth or combat boots, she had a wild side, he thought. "Look doll face I don't have time for this right now, I have a match to get ready for. How about you come back when the match is over.", he said as he turned around and went back to warming up.
La Reina rolled her eyes, she couldn't believe he actually thought she was some kind of fangirl throwing herself at him. God did he have an ego. She tapped him again on the shoulder but this time a little harder. He spun around again this time with a scowl on his face. "Look-
"No you look Mr. Ambrose, my name is La Reina and I am here to escort you out to the ring.", she said firmly. Dean's face went blank with emotion then suddenly his face flushed red with anger and his light blue eyes went wide with rage as her grabbed her by the arm and pulled her to side.
"Like hell you are. I didn't ok this.", he huffed in her face.
"I am sorry to hear that Mr. Ambrose but Hunter-"
"I don't give a shit what Hunter said. I don't need an escort, a valet or whatever the hell you want to call yourself.", he yelled in her face as his grip tightened around her arm and he used his 6'4 frame to towered over her 5'8 one.
At any other time La Reina probably would have turned and ran from the look in Dean's eyes to the death grip he had on her arm to his looming body above her, but she couldn't back down now she had to much to lose. La Reina clutched her jaw and yanked her arm out of his grip. She remembered Hunter's words to be calm and not to let him push her around. She was about to say something when his entrance theme "Retaliation" begin to play.
He grabbed her again by the arm and yelled in her face, "You are not going out there with me!"
"Yes I am."
"No you are not!"
"The only way you are going to stop me from going out there with you is if you deck me.", she said in a steely but calm voice.
Dean raised his fist as if he were going to hit her, he could see the flicker of fear flash in her dark brown eyes but soon replaced by indignation. He wanted to hit her and he wish he could hit her, if she were a man he would have, but Dean had never hit a woman. As much as this one deserved it he could not bring himself to do it and she was obviously not going to back down. "Aarrgghh!" Dean growled through gritted teeth in frustration. "You better not interfere in my match or I swear I will make you regret it." This would have to wait until after his match, he should have known Hunter had something up his sleeve.
"Dean your up." said a stagehand.
Dean turned and gave the stagehand a death glare causing him to scurry away. He then released his hold on her arm and turned and headed to the ring. La Reina smiled to herself and ran to catch up with him. As Dean made his way to the ring La Reina was a few steps behind him. Dean grimaced as he heard Lilian Garcia say "Introducing first being accompanied to the ring by La Reina, weighing in at 225 pounds Dean Ambrose."
Damn it, Hunter had planned it from the beginning, how could he been so stupid to think Hunter would have caved so easily. He entered the ring and raised his arms up as some of the crowd booed him and some cheered him. Dean turned to see La Reina had not followed him into the ring, she stood on the outside ropes with her arms crossed looking at him in irritation and then the ropes. Dean rolled his eyes and growled as he went toward her, he couldn't believe this shit. "What?", he barked.
"Act like a gentleman and hold the damn ropes down for me. They are kinda of hard to maneuver with this dress on.", she said only loud enough for him to hear. Dean plastered a smile on his face showing off his dimples as he had another idea. He leaned over the ropes and grabbed her by the waist and lifted her up over the top rope. She was startled by his action. She yelped and gripped his shoulders to balance herself. She could hear some of the fans laughing and some whistling in approval of Dean's action as he placed her on her feet and walked to the other side of the ring. She was glad his back was to her, so he could not see her blush.
Lilian then introduced Ryback, soon the match was about to start. Dean turned to La Reina before she knew what was happening, he picked her up bridal style. Her arms went around his neck instinctively as he carried her to the ropes. "You stay out of this match Princess.", he hissed in her ear as he placed her on the other side of the ropes. Again some of the fans laughed and others whistled.
"My name means The Queen, not Princess.", she said hotly.
"Your kidding", Dean said in disbelief, she was definitely full of herself to name herself The Queen. "Look just get off the ring and stay right there", he said as he pointed to the steel steps.
"Whatever", she flipped her hair and begrudgingly did as Dean demanded.
The match went back and forth, until Ryback did a wicked clothesline on Dean. He was laid out on the mat in the middle of the ring. Ryback then rolled out of the ring to get something. La Reina was pounding the mat and screaming, "Dean wake up! Dean! Dean get up! Dean!
La Reina saw Ryback get back into the ring, he had a steel chair. She had to do something and rolled under the bottom rope into the ring.
Dean was slowly coming to, he could hear La Reina yelling his name and suddenly Ryback stood over him with a chair in hand. He was about to get hit and braced himself but the hit never came. La Reina had pushed Ryback and the bell went off. Dean could hear the ref declare the match a disqualification in favor of Ryback. Ryback turned to charge La Reina but before he could do anything, she did a Pepe Kick getting him full in the face. The force of the kick was not enough to knock him out but enough to stun him causing him to drop the steel chair and take a few steps back. As Ryback got his bearings, he made another attempt to charge her but she rolled out of the ring before he could. Dean pick up the steel chair and as Ryback turned around Dean hit him in the mid section. As he hunched over from the blow of the steel chair to his mid section, Dean hit him in the back of the head with the steel chair, knocking Ryback out. Dean threw the chair across the ring as he eyed La Reina, damn her. He told her not to interfere in his match. His blood was boiling as he stalked over to her.
La Reina was smiling but soon it faded as she watched Dean angrily come toward her. She was about to run toward the ramp when Dean jumped over the top rope and landed in front of her. Her eyes widen in fear as she backed away from Dean. He grabbed her by the arm again in a vice grip as he did earlier in the gorilla area, he then dragged her along with him as he took long stiff strides to the back. La Reina was having a hard time keeping up with him and her arm was hurting from how hard he was gripping it. The fans were cheering and whistling as they made their way backstage.
Dean went directly to the Authority locker room, once inside he shoved La Reina onto the sofa and slammed the door shut behind them. She was sprawled across the sofa and used her arms to raise the upper half of her body as she looked up at Dean who was towering over her. "I told you not to interfere in my match. I don't need your help", he roared, as angry blue eyes meeting brown.
"Well you could have fooled me. You were flat on your back when I interfered. You should be thanking me not yelling at me.", La Reina shouted back boldly. Dean came closer to her blocking her from getting off the sofa.
"She's right you know, she saved your ass out there.", Hunter said coolly.
Both turned to see Hunter standing at the door. "You son of a bitch, you lied to me."
"Oh come on Dean, you should know me by now. Did you honestly think you could win that argument so easily? La Reina leave so I can speak to Dean alone.", Hunter said calmly.
La Reina looked up at Dean, he had not moved and she dared not go. She did not want to anger him any further. Hunter could see that Dean had not moved away from La Reina. "Dean your anger is with me, she only did what I told her to now let her leave."
Dean took a few steps back from La Reina, she got off the sofa rubbing her arm. She then looked from one man to the other before leaving the room.