A/N: Strong Language. Adult Scenes. Thanks For The Reviews.
Carlos nodded his head to an imaginary song in his mind. All he had to do was stay calm.
Team meeting.
It was a great chance to re-group and talk to his team, but he knew he'd get his ass handed to him on a plate. He'd been training, but not the in way he'd like. Jase had had promotional tours all over place. Carlos was helping him out, taking him to interviews and running errands for him. He couldn't explain that to his coaches so he decided to keep quiet. He shook hands with three of the coaching staff Justin, Trevor and Mike as they sat down to discuss his plans.
"Georges ST Pierre...are you ready?" Trevor asked. Carlos nodded. He wanted to be ready. Georges ST Pierre was seen as the best fighter in the Welterweight division, to some people Georges was the best in the world. Carlos had to prove that he could beat Georges on all levels standing, on the floor, defend his takedowns, and prove that he could take on a competent wrestler. Carlos had faced people that were rated like Georges, but he'd been watching tapes and DVD's of Georges fights for more than a year.
He'd become a Georges ST Pierre fan without knowing it. Carlos had bought UFC 79 with Georges submitting Matt Hughes with an armbar, UFC 83 Georges beating Matt Serra with dangerous knees to get his belt back, and his most recent fight of UFC 129 against Jake Shields ending in a unanimous decision. Carlos was on edge, but he wasn't worried. If he could beat a ferocious Nick Diaz, then he could give George a run for the title. Carlos realised that Georges couldn't underestimate guys. Matt Serra was a huge underdog and he defied critics and did what many men dreamed of doing: he beat Georges in front of a shocked crowd. Carlos wanted to do the same.
"You've been out and about for while, are you training right now?" Justin asked. "Yeah...cardio and weights" Carlos said. The trainers all looked at each other. "You really need to start thinking about Sparring, takedown defence, we'll bring in wrestlers, jiu-Jitsu guys to help you out" Mike said. "I've got Jiu Jitsu guys, can I bring them here?" Carlos asked. "Sure" All of them said. Braulio was going to be first on the list. He went back to Miller's apartment to tell him that he couldn't make his film première.
"What? You helping Braulio?" Miller asked. "Well...he's helping me" Carlos corrected. My team wants me to start training for GSP" Miller nodded. "Oh, well...I'll see you tomorrow" Miller said leaning over to give him a pat on the back. "I'll need you too tomorrow, maybe you can come and visit, help out?" Carlos asked. Miller nodded. Carlos helped Miller pack a bag and wasn't going to be a clingy prick by walking him to the station. He packed a training bag for himself, reading to train with Braulio for GSP, but first his friend wanted the inside scoop on Nick.
Attacking him on the mat Braulio trapped himself in Carlos's guard on purpose, left his arm out for submissions and slid himself into being mounted all with the same question. "What would Nick do?" Nick was the last person that Carlos wanted to talk about. Yes, Nick was talented and a force to be reckoned with, but he was also a trash talking trouble-maker who lived to make Carlos's life difficult. "Look tomorrow my friend Jase, he'll be here and he can tell you about him" Carlos said as an attempt to get Braulio back onto his training page.
Braulio nodded and Carlos got expert training without any hitches of mentions of Nick's name. At the ending of training, he callsed his ex to tell her he was coming over to get new gloves and tape. She sounded confused, but she let him in. "I thought you had gloves" She asked. "How's Owen?" Carlos asked, thinking about his son. "Asleep" She said. She let him in and followed him to his MMA stockroom full of his clothes and fighting equipment. "Let your assistants have the day off?" She asked. "What?" Carlos asked. "Your friends already came round to get gloves for you" She told a surprised Carlos.
"Who? What did they look like?" Carlos asked, she told him and Carlos was stunned. He wasn't going to go to Nick's apartment, he had Louise and he didn't want to cause a scene in-front of her, she seemed too nice to be involved or hear what Carlos had to say. He called Braulio to set up an offer, an offer that Nick's pride wouldn't be able to refuse. Miller came back from his première at one O'Clock in the morning and Carlos was up waiting for him. "How was it?" He asked. "Super-crazy-cool" Miller replied.
"Training good? Ready to kick Georges ass?" Miller asked dumping his rucksack on the floor. "I will be Carlos said. "Braulio wants your expertise, you wanna come tomorrow?" Carlos asked. "Yeah whatever" Miller said as he took his jacket off. "Gonna go in the shower, wanna join?" He asked. Carlos shook his head. "Gotta stay focused...don't tempt me" He said. Miller got in the shower and Carlos controlled himself, mainly because he was so confused. Miller could have been drunk, but Nick? Why? Thinking about Nick and Miller talking to his ex made Carlos's head hurt.
Nick was being cuddled by Louise on the sofa when his cell-phone rang. "Hello, umm...this is Gabe, Braulio's Head coach" The guy said. "How did you get my cell?" Nick asked leaning up. "Jake Shields is a friend of mine" He said. "We wanted to set up a meeting, uh, between you and Braulio, just for a formal announcement and maybe a press conference would you be willing to do it?" Gabe asked. Nick nodded. "Whatever" He said moving away from Louise. "Tomorrow you can come to the gym any-time and meet the guys, they're very friendly and Braulio would really like to meet you" Gabe said. "Yeah right" Nick thought. "Tomorrow morning" Nick said ending the call.
"Who was that?" Louise asked. "Just work?" Nick said getting up. "Do you want me to make you lunch?...I could even come with you" Louise said. "Nah...umm...it's boring stuff" Nick said getting up to go to the fridge. He knew Lou was being sweet and supportive, but he really did want her to back off. Even if he was fighting on the weekend, he wouldn't invite her. Fighting was his job and he wanted to keep parts of his life seperate. He didn't want to tell her that, it would hurt her feelings and she'd give him the silent treatment. He'd had that from Nate after the head-lock and he didn't want it every time he arrived home either.
He knew she was suspicious of him, she served herself up on a plate, with the slow romantic music, lacy lingerie, lifting up his shirt to massage him with body oil, but he couldn't do anything, he had to refuse and that pissed Louise off. He slept on the sofa and watched TV before he fell asleep. If Braulio wanted to grapple him to prove a point in-front of his buddies Nick had to get an early night. He woke up early in the morning, ran around the block, got a shower and packed his training equipment.
He parked the car and walked into see the Head coach. Gabe greeted him with a handshake. "Nick right? Come in, Braulio's with training partners but come on" He beckoned Nick to the training hall to see a bunch of guys tossing each other around on mats. Amateurs. "Nick this is Braulio, your match up" Gabe said patting Braulio on the shoulder before leaving them to it. Nick looked him up and down. Braulio was tall and looked strong but that wasn't enough to scare him.
"Hello...umm...Nick?" Braulio said. Nick nodded and they shook hands. "Hi Nick say Hi to my training team" Nick looked around to see Carlos and Miller grappling on mats. Two seconds in, and already too much information. He looked at Braulio, ignoring them but Carlos got up and held his hand out. Nick didn't shake it. "I need to talk to you" Carlos said. "You don't" Nick said. He asked where the locker rooms were and took his trainers off. Carlos followed him. "You saw my ex" Carlos said with his arms crossed. "So?" Nick asked.
"You took Jase with you to try and get a confession out of her. Nick I have nothing to hide. I got the belt, I've got Jase and you're not gonna take either of them away from me understand? Stay away from my family...and Jase" Nick stayed silent putting his bag in the locker. Carlos walked out and Nick sat on the bench waiting until he was sure that Carlos wasn't there. He walked out and Braulio paired him with Miller. Nick glanced at Carlos and Carlos said and did nothing.
Carlos watched the them sprawl on the mat and acted like a professional coaching Jase when he got into difficult spots. "Jase standing guillotine, get out of there" Carlos called out as Miller got out from Nick's arms. They grappled on the floor Nick avoiding Miller's submission attempts as Braulio called time and they had to swap. Nick would have trained with anyone else, but surprise, surprise Braulio had Nick train with Carlos. Nick wasn't gonna go to hard on him.
He'd just found out Nick saw his ex behind his back with his current "whatever" and Carlos was fuming. Nick faked clumsy submission attempts while Miller and Braulio were practising on a nearby mat. He noticed Carlos wasn't exactly into "light practising" Carlos tried to get him in an armbar, and knee lock before pouncing on his arm again for a kimura. Nick pressed his arm forward to take the pressure off, but Carlos used his legs to create a gap and twisted Nick's arm in a bizarre position. Maybe this was a secret move that Carlos only used when he was pissed off. "Get off asshole" Nick said trying to pull his arm away, but Carlos was on his arm like a dog with a bone.
"Tap" Carlos said twisting the arm further. "Fuck you" Nick replied rolling over to give his arm more leverage. "Tap" Carlos said again, Nick stayed silent until Carlos felt his arm being pulled away and an arm hoisting him up by the chest. "That's a move I haven't seen before" Miller said standing up and looking at Carlos kneeling. "I'm gonna get cleaned up" Carlos said as he walked past Miller. "Nice note by the way...very high school" Miller said to a confused Nick as he walked away to catch up with Carlos.
embarrassed Carlos turned away from Miller as he began packing his things.
"What the hell was that about?" Miller asked.
"I know what you did Jase" Carlos said.
"Carlos what I don't know what you're talking about, because this isn't the place for a "I know what you did last summer moment" Miller said.
"You and Nick saw my ex behind my back and were asking her questions" Carlos said. "Did you honestly think I wouldn't find out?" Carlos asked.
"I wanted to know the truth that's all" Miller said.
"Right, so you thought you'd take Nick Diaz along for the ride" Carlos said. "You know how much he hates my guts, he's pretending to like you" Carlos said.
"Stop freaking out" Miller said sitting down. "Carlos I trust you okay"
"I've spent my free time driving you to premieres, helping you with your new film, stopping my training to help you out and this is the thanks I get?" Miller stayed silent as Nick walked into get his trainers. Nick ignored them and the awkwardness surrounding them like thick smoke caused by the flames of anger that flickered in Carlos's eyes. Carlos left and it gave Nick the time to quickly ask Miller about his behaviour lately.
"Weird interview" Nick said talking about Miller's interview with Ariel on The MMA Hour.
"I was in character Nick, you know like you get into before a fight night" Miller said.
"You went psycho" Nick said grabbing his rucksack.
"Not psycho enough to put notes through people's doors" Miller attacked.
"You know I didn't" Nick said. "What did it say anyway?"
"Strikeforce or UFC anytime, anywhere fucker? Sure sounds like you" Miller said.
"Whatever" Nick said pulling his rucksack over his shoulder and leaving Miller there. He thanked Braulio and Gabe for having him over and made a pit-stop to his little brother's apartment to see what kind of games Nate was playing. Bottled water in tired hands, he asked his brother if he'd he sent that note through Miller's door.
"He asked for it" Nate said. "If he wants to fight, I can bring it to him, he's shitty fighter anyway"
"Nate...stay out of this" Nick told him.
"Miller gets away with so much shit you know" Nate told him. "He's laughing at us"
"Come on, you saw that interview you know, he went bat-shit crazy" Nick said.
"What if it's an act?" Nate asked. "At Carlos's party you should of let me knock him out. Would have knocked some sense into him" Nate said.
Nate this ain't your battle Okay? It's mine. You've just gotta train your ass off until your next fight. Stay away from Miller. Don't think about that loser. He's a has-been, he's not worth it, you know. If anyone's gonna fuck with him, it's gonna be me" Nick said. Miller told Carlos to meet him at his apartment and decided to tell Carlos he was going to help him train to make up for what Nick got him into. He made Carlos a grilled cheese sandwich and explained that he'd never go behind his back again. "I've got two more days of shows and promotional crap, and then I'll really help you" Miller said.
Miller felt that all was forgiven when Carlos leaned on his shoulder and ran his hand through his hair.
"GSP...Champion...tough guy...How can I beat him?" Carlos asked.
"Talk to a guy he's faced" Miller suggested, leaving one secret out.
"You're right I need to find one who's survived Georges...you're so smart" Carlos said kissing the bridge of Miller's nose. Miller was surprised his nose wasn't getting longer. He'd conveniently forgotten to mention that he'd faced Georges ST Pierre in the past and lost. After the all the trash Carlos had hurled at him earlier, Miller didn't need Carlos knowing that he'd tried to take Georges ST Pierre on at event UFC 152 and had failed...miserably.