Chapter Ten: All Fall Down
They say hindsight is 20/20. But looking back at it, no one could have predicted that Vince McMahon's triumphant return to television after his stage accident six months ago would end in catastrophe. No one could have thought that slapping Randy Orton would result in Stephanie's father paying for her actions. No one could have foreseen that this was the beginning of something terrible; an unstoppable power trip that would plague the Monday night franchise for the next fear.
And while she felt the utmost sympathy for Stephanie and her father, who had been viciously punt kicked in the skull, a larger part of Haley couldn't help but wonder what this meant for her personally. Watching Randy Orton completely lose his temper to the point where he kicked Vincent Kennedy McMahon in the skull without thought or reason was the final nail in the coffin.
The old Randy Orton, the good, loyal human being whom she had loved as much as she was able, was gone and he was never coming back. In his place was a violent, psychotic, evil to the core snake who would stop at nothing on his quest for power. There was now no one Randy wouldn't step on to achieve what he thought of as his. And with a heavy heart, Haley knew it was only a matter of time now before he came for her.
There were whispers backstage. Hissed versions of Randy's actions and the possible repercussions he would face the following week. Randy Orton had done something so shocking, so controversial that everyone had forgotten about the Royal Rumble event that was merely six days away. All the attention was on the Viper and the aftermath of him punting Vince.
And though she had tried to leave it behind at the arena, she carried the emotional baggage home with her. Haley lay awake, staring at the ceiling. Normally, lying in bed wrapped in Dave's arms, her head resting in the crook of his shoulder, was enough for her to drift off to sleep, but tonight was it eluded her. Instead, she was plagued by the impossibility of sleep and the fear of what would haunt her dreams if she did so.
Unable to stand the silence anymore, she carefully extricated herself from Dave's embrace. The Animal stirred, and she froze, certain that he was going to wake up and ask her where she was going. But her fiance merely groaned quietly and rolled over onto his back. She exhaled in relief and with continued caution, she eased her slender frame off the bed and padded barefoot toward the door.
She had learned the layout of the Ipswich house quickly over their short time living there and was able to navigate the house without an issue. It wasn't until she reached the kitchen that she turned on any lights. She turned on only the light above the sink, letting it cast a golden glow against the steel of their appliances. As quietly as she could manage so that noise didn't travel upstairs, she went about making tea.
As a teenager, Haley had been quite lonely, having nothing in common with the other girls at her high school. For the longest time, Dwayne had literally been her only friend and confidant. Boys avoided her, thinking there must be something wrong with her since she was always by herself at school. So on night's when the school would have homecoming dances, or winter formals, even both proms, Haley would sit in the kitchen and drink Earl Grey tea.
Sometimes she would be lucky and Dwayne would have time to talk to her on the phone. He would make her laugh, assure her that she was a wonderful, beautiful person and some day she would be on top of the world with everything she wanted. Other nights it had been just her and her tea, letting the warmth of the beverage warm her fingers and offer the tiniest bit of comfort.
It was a habit she hadn't fallen back into for quite some time. Recently, when she felt lonely, or scared, or hurt, she had someone to turn to, someone to lean on. Whether it be Dave or Candice, Hunter or Dwayne, Ken or Chris, John or even Randy, she hadn't felt alone in a long time. There had always been someone she could talk to. And now, when her fear was palpable and threatening to overwhelm her, she could tell no one.
With a low mewling sound, Haley pushed the mug away from her and burst into tears. She sobbed so hard that her chest heaved with the effort of trying to breathe at the same time. She collapsed against the counter, burying her face in her arms to muffle the sounds of her weeping.
She didn't know how long she remained huddled there, sobbing, before she heard the sound of shuffled footsteps. Haley tensed, but then just as suddenly relaxed at the warmth of a strong arm encircling her small frame, pulling her back against the hard planes of a body she knew as intimately as her own.
Dave cradled her in his embrace, reaching up with one hand to gently stroke her red hued hair. He didn't know what to say; he didn't know what he could say to offer comfort. He wasn't even fully sure what was bothering her since she wouldn't tell him. And knowing that at the moment he was powerless to help her, he felt his own heart break as well.
It was a long time before Dave had been able to coax Haley back upstairs and into their king-sized bed. It was an even longer time before she finally drifted off to sleep. Dawn was encroaching upon them when her breathing finally even and she lay still against her pillow, her beautiful face finally smooth from the worries and anguish she had felt earlier.
Now Dave lay beside her, one massive arm wrapped around her waist, holding her against him while his face was buried in her hair. He breathed in the scent of pomegranates that perfumed her shampoo and tightened his hold on her, but not tight enough to disturb her. It had torn him apart inside when she had clung to him earlier, weeping as though everything good and true was lost. The sounds she had made had been akin to the sounds of a dying animal, in pain and ready to cross over, but forced to suffer until the very end.
It made Dave want to break something. No, not something, someone. He knew now, without a doubt, that Haley hadn't told him the whole truth. Something more had gone on between his fiancé and Randy Orton those couple weeks ago. Something had happened that had her so scared, so tormented that she refused to speak about it to anyone, even him.
"Please Baby," He murmured into the stillness of the morning. "Just tell me what happened. I can't fix it if I don't know what's wrong."
Guilt slammed into his gut like a iron fist, knocking the breath from his lungs for several seconds. His mind drifted back to the night after Armageddon. Everything had been so perfect. Hours before the show had started, Dave had laid his heart out at Haley's feet and asked to marry him and she had said yes. Then in the course of four hours, everything had gone straight to hell. Randy had laid him out with a RKO, Haley was screaming and his world had suddenly and painfully gone black.
He'd woken up in the trainer's room with his leg swollen and feeling as though it were on fire. Haley had been there, holding his hand in both of hers with wet stains on her cheeks. John Cena stood behind her, expression grim as the trainer's explained that Dave's hamstring had been torn in the match and would require surgery to repair.
He had left her alone to face the aftermath. Just as she was now alone to deal with whatever it was that had made her weep earlier that night. He had promised to take care of her, protect her and so far he was doing a bang up job of it.
It's all about the Game
And how you play it
It's all about control
And if you can take it
Haley sleepily reached for her ringing cell phone, while Dave grunted irritably at the noise disrupting the room's tranquility and previous sleeping occupants. Haley pulled the phone off it's charger and into bed with her, flipping it open to stop the music and answer the call.
"How's Vince?" She asked in lieu of greeting, already knowing who was on the other line. Her voice was still husky from sleep and a little strained from crying.
"Pretty good for a sixty-three year old man who just got punted in the head." Hunter replied with barely restrained fury. "He's got a nasty concussion and he won't be at one hundred percent for a little while, but there's no permanent damage."
"That's good. I'm glad to hear that." Haley settled back against her pillow and ran her hand through her sleep tousled hair.
"Stephanie's wrecked over it, but at least the old man is going to be okay." He continued. "I mean the old bastard has gone through hell with me in the past and even though he's older now it'll take more than a punt kick to take him completely out."
"Yeah, but it's her father. Of course she's going to be wrecked over it. Like you said, Vince isn't a young man anymore. When he falls down, it takes longer for him to get back up." She reasoned gently. "Just give her a hug from me, okay? Tell her I'm thinking about her."
"I'll do that, Punkin." Hunter replied gruffly. "I'm calling to check on you too, you know. Not just give you an update on Vince. I was worried about you after Randy lost it."
"He didn't come anywhere near me." She assured him. "He was too busy getting the hell out of dodge. I'm fine."
"Well that's something at least." He grunted. "I'll call you later then. I'm going to swing by in a couple days and pick you up. We'll go to Detroit together, okay?"
"Sounds good." Haley agreed with a small smile. "I'll talk to you later, Hunter. Love you."
"I love you too, Punkin." He told her before hanging up.
"Vince okay?" Dave asked once she had closed her phone and put it back on the night stand.
She rolled back over to face him, her hands up over his broad chest to his shoulders, inching her body up until she was face to face with him. Almost immediately, his hands were on her face, sliding back to thread through her hair as he pulled her into a kiss. His touch was warm, light, driving away the nightmares, driving away the cold fear that had her in a vice grip during the night.
When they pulled back in order to breathe, she smiled at him. "He's going to be okay. A concussion is the worst of it. He just won't bounce back as fast, not being that young anymore."
"Well that's good news at least." He stared tenderly at her. "Listen Baby, about last night…" He began, unsure how to broach the subject with her.
She immediately tensed in his arms, her spine going ramrod straight. She was already shaking her head, compressing her lips together, unable to speak for fear of losing control of her emotions again.
Dave took a deep breath, tightening his grip on her and looking her directly in those brown eyes he loved so much. "Baby, you and I have never kept secrets from one another. Not ever. I know you think you're protecting me from something. But Sweetheart, it's killing you. And don't tell me you're fine because after last night, I know you're not."
"I told you," She lied, dropping her eyes. "I'm fine. I'm just in a bad patch, that's all. Everything's in an upheaval right now. And I miss you so much when I'm on the road. And I just hate being alone."
"You're not alone." He leaned close, pressing his forehead against hers. "Baby, please just tell me the truth. You don't cry like that unless something's really bothering. Please, just tell me. I can't help you if I don't know the truth."
Haley closed her eyes, her stomach was twisted in knots; she worried for a second that she was going to throw up. A long moment passed. Finally, she lifted her head, leaning back just enough so that she could look the him in the eyes. "I'm not telling you because there's nothing to tell," she whispered. "I'm just a little lonely. And Raw sucks right now. With all this crap going on. I'll be better after the Rumble when things change. That's all. Wrestlemania's coming and that's my favorite time of year."
Dave sighed, the sound of hollow defeat. "All right. Hopefully after the Rumble things will be better then. Who knows, Randy's looking at the likelihood of being fired and then we can celebrate."
Haley forced a chuckle. "Gone before you even come back to kick his ass."
"Hey, I'd gladly pass up that opportunity if it means he's gone forever." He kissed the tip of her nose. "Come on, we better get up. Tutera's going to be here in a couple hours to begin harassing you about wedding dresses."
"Mhmm…now see, that's the kind of stuff I want to be thinking about right now." She rubbed her nose against his. "Our wedding."
"Then keep those thoughts in your head." Dave told her, flinging back the covers. "I'll go start the coffee. I need to take my pills anyway."
"I love you, Dave." She told him honestly.
"I love you too." He leaned back over to brush his mouth lightly over hers, before getting up and hobbling his way to the bathroom.
Once inside, Dave's smile vanished and worried frown took it's place. What aren't you telling me, baby? He pleaded silently. What happened? What drove you to start keeping secrets from me?
Meanwhile, still in bed, Haley's thoughts were just as desperate. Please, don't let him find out! He can't know the truth. I won't let Randy hurt him again. I couldn't bear it.
"When do you leave for the Rumble?" Dave asked her awhile later. He was sitting on a stool at the breakfast bar, sipping idly from a mug of coffee and watching his fiancé go through the motions of putting breakfast together.
"Friday." She answered him, using the edge of her spatula to scramble the eggs sizzling in the pan before her. "I'm going to meet Hunter in Greenwich I think, then we'll go to the house super show together and be in Detroit Sunday morning."
Dave nodded, though the frustration in his eyes belied how much he wished he was going too. The Royal Rumble was the starting point on the journey to Wrestlemania. Wrestlemania was the grandest stage of them all. Superstars and Divas alike competed with everything they had to achieve a covet spot on the biggest spectacle in sports entertainment. A spot at Wrestlemania, a chance at a title match was what turned superstars into legends. It turned careers into legacies. Dave had competed in three Wrestlemanias in his five year tenure with the WWE. Two of those matches had been for the World Heavyweight Championship. The first one had been coming off a win in the Royal Rumble match, where he had secured himself a world title shot, just as this years winner would earn the same.
Haley had gone from a rookie diva with potential to one of the best competing today by winning her first Championship at Wrestlemania. Dave had a feeling that had Randy not screwed her out of her title opportunity this coming Sunday, she would have most likely gone into Wrestlemania this year defending the Women's Championship. Now he knew she was going to the pay-per-view for pretenses only. Maybe she'd get a backstage appearance or Hunter would ask her to be in his corner or something. But other than that, she was going to the Rumble to be just another body backstage.
If he were going…
He shook his head. Those kind of thoughts tended to anger him these days. He was so frustrated with his injury for many reasons. The more he thought about the things he was missing while being stuck at home, the more resentful he got about it.
Haley didn't notice the tension her fiancé's muscles as she scooped eggs onto a plate and passed it over to him. She was thinking about the Royal Rumble as well, but not in the same context as Dave.
Her thoughts, much as she was loathe to admit, were once again on Randy Orton. No matter how hard she tried to push the Viper out of her life, he just kept coming back. At this point they had been everything another person could be to one another, friend, mentor, coach, confidant, fan, lover and now finally, enemy. The line had been drawn at Armageddon between them both. But after the events of Monday night, Randy Orton was coming dangerously close to crossing it.
After punting Vince McMahon in the head on Monday, Randy's job security came down to winning the Royal Rumble. The winner of the Royal Rumble signed a contract upon his victory, entitling him to a match against any World Champion he chose at Wrestlemania. If Randy won the Royal Rumble on Sunday, he would sign that contract and Stephanie wouldn't legally be able to terminate him. And while Randy was a lot of things; impulsive, sadistic, arrogant and downright psychotic, he wasn't stupid and Haley would bank on him knowing that.
Out of the thirty superstars who would compete in the Royal Rumble, Randy Orton had the best chance of winning. The Royal Rumble was an every man for themselves kind of event. If any alliances were made, it was spur of the moment and short lived. It was every man's desire to be the last man standing in that ring, therefore friendships, tag teams and history were forsaken in the chance for glory. Until now, anyway.
All three members of Legacy had gained a spot in the Rumble match. And unlike other past factions, there was only one member with a distinguishable goal cementing himself as the leader. Randy Orton had set himself up well. Cody Rhodes and Ted Dibiase Jr. showed no sign of personal investment. Each of them displayed a dog like loyalty to the Viper. They would eliminate themselves from the match if it came down to Randy winning the Rumble, no questions out. And if the luck of the draw was in his favor, and even one member of Legacy wound up in the ring around the same time he made his entrance, Randy Orton would have the best shot of lasting to the end.
With Dave on the sidelines, Kennedy rehabilitating and John already the World Champion. Haley would have to invest all her prayers and hopes in Triple H. Last year, the Game had entered the Rumble like a man on fire, so hungry to win, he had eliminated so many superstars in ninety seconds that it seemed unreal. Only the surprise return of John Cena had preventing him from winning the whole thing. She could only hope that he could just as systematically eliminate Legacy this year.
Almost robotically, she leaned over and brush her lips over Dave's cheek as he chewed his breakfast. "I'm going to go take a shower." She informed him lightly. "There's more eggs in the pan if you're still hungry."
"Thanks Baby." He swallowed his food before speaking and looked over his shoulder to watch her walk through the doorway and down the hall toward the staircase.
He exhaled heavily once her heard her footsteps on the stairs. Her secrets built some kind of wall between them, barely perceptible, but there. And if she continued in holding her silence, then things between them were only going to become more and more strained. He'd thought that, once he'd pinned Randy at Armageddon, it was all over. They had put Randy behind her and she could focus on her future, their future while he and Randy resolved their issues without her being involved.
He'd been naive. While Haley was more than willing to forget Randy even existed, Dave should have known the Viper would not give up so easily. Randy loved Haley as much as Dave did, and because of that, Randy had the ability to hate her more intensely than anyone else in the world. Dave had forgotten his former teammate was capable of that kind of darkness. But he had been reminded of it upon watching Randy punt the Chairman remorselessly in the skull.
Randy Orton was a psychotic son of a bitch who should be locked up. But he was still a human being made of flesh and blood. He could be overpowered, defeated, bleed like any other man. Dave had done it before and wouldn't hesitate to do so again if it weren't for his damn leg. But all the strength and raw power the Animal possessed wasn't enough to keep Randy from hitting his fiance right in her most vulnerable place; her heart.
Randy Orton had no boundaries. No one knew where his madness began, or what he would do when the insanity took over. Orton had the capacity to be as manipulative and as evil as Triple H had once been, but he was also a ticking time bomb. When the rage took over he stopped thinking and just acted, exploding in fits of violent that could not controlled, even by Orton himself. That made him much more dangerous than Triple H of the Evolution Era. It wasn't a question of whether or not Randy Orton would lose it, it was a matter of when.
"If you touch her, Orton," Dave swore, his grip on his fork so tight that the skin of his knuckles showed no color. "I will end you."
A/N: I know this chapter lacked a lot of action. It's more of a bridge to the story's climax. Plus, going into the coming events, I wanted to give you all a little insight as to what's going on in Haley's head, as well as Dave's. The Animal is going to be absent for the next couple chapters, as they're going to revolve around Haley, Randy, Triple H and Stephanie. But don't worry, Dave can't stay out of the action for too long!