o21

Hazel

"You always have us running late." I groaned, checking my makeup in the car as Dean drove us to the arena.

"You're fucking with me, right? Me?" He pointed to himself, "I make us late? You take forever getting ready while I sit and wait for a good 40 minutes!"

"Yeah then you drive 20 miles an hour like a grandma!" I rebutted, turning up the volume on the murder mystery podcast we were listening too.

"I'd love to see you drive through this without knowing where anything is." He grunted.

My phone vibrated and I pulled up the email from WWE letting us know our spots for tonight. "You're scheduled for 6th. I'm 9th."

He nodded, grabbing a water to take a sip.

"You got this?" I asked, turning my attention towards him.

Due to the significance of both of our matches, we wouldn't be accompanying one another tonight. Dean had to defend his title against Ziggler and I was finally getting my match with Charlotte. We'd been paired together pretty often these last few weeks and though I didn't mind, we still had to show people that we were just as good separately.

"I ain't worried about Ziggler." He shook his head. "You nervous?"

"Nervous?" I raised a brow. "No. Anxious - yes. It's been a long time coming, y'know?"

"Believe me, I know." He chuckled, looking my way. "You just have to remember to keep a cool head."

"Oh yeah? This coming from a lunatic." I laughed.

"A lunatic who landed a title." He returned with a proud smirk. "Alright, we're here. Time to bang out these interviews and get ready. I'll stop by before your match."

After getting out of the car, we grabbed our suitcases.

"Later." I replied.

"Later."

We bumped fists and parted ways going into the separate locker rooms. I didn't feel the need to change before the interviews so I kept on my band tee and skinny jeans, before touching up my makeup.

"I bet creative's having a field day with the amount of time you've changed your hair." Lita said, walking into the locker room with Renee.

The two of them would be doing the pre show panel soon then she'd get a chance to watch my match and help me prep. That was the deal. I needed her to get me there mentally.

Neither of our titles were on the line. We were on different brands, we held that brands Women's title. What was on the line was revenge, respect, and one final fight to prove who was the best. I had no doubt in my mind that I could beat her - what I couldn't do was let my emotions get the best of me.

"Creative can suck my ass." I replied, smoothing a few fly-aways from the freshly dyed hair.

I'd gone back to pink. The same rose gold color I'd had with prior to all of this mess. It made me feel more whole this time around.

They both laughed and Lita fluffed her own hair in the mirror.

"Is Dean still getting ready?" Renee asked, fixing her lipstick.

"Should be. If he's not already upstairs."

It'd been tough for her too. Since they were pushing this whole narrative that Dean and I were together, he couldn't be seen arriving or leaving anywhere with Renee.

"Alright." I stood, looking between them. "I got an hour of interviews, then I can hit the gym for 30 then 10 minutes for a bite, then it's show time."

"Go kick some press ass kid." Lita replied.

I gave them both a hug before walking out of the room to go up to the press floor. The tables were currently full with a few other superstars so I waited for my que all the while going over my workouts in my head. I didn't have a lot of time and between the nonstop travel this past week, I'd been slacking in the exercise portions of my day. Still, 30 minutes was enough to get in the most important stuff.

The smell of a familiar cologne surrounded me and all the hairs on the back of my neck stood up.

"Hey -"

The gravelly voice sent shivers down my spine.

Turning around, I came face to face with Seth. Our outfits mirrored each-other's like they always had.

I didn't respond. I couldn't think of a response even if I wanted to.

He cleared his throat, clearly stuck as well. "Come on - you're not even going to talk to me?"

I still remained quiet. I couldn't think of anything to say. I'd thought of a moment where I'd run into him and we could get everything off our chests but I didn't expect that moment to be now.

"Don't -" He started to say, before stopping himself. "Haz - it might not mean much anymore, if at all, but I do want to say I'm sorry."

The words caught me off guard and it was almost as if my brain malfunctioned. I froze as I looked up at him. I couldn't tell if he meant it or if this was just another mindgame.

"I am. For all of this. I know you want nothing to do with me anymore, I get that. But I at least want to wish you good luck tonight."

Seth

"So?" Stephanie asked as she and Hunter approached me. "Did you talk to her?"

"I did." I replied, wrapping my wrists.

"And?" She pushed on.

With a sigh I shrugged my shoulders. "I think it just made her mad. She just walked away."

She smirked, taking a look at Hunter before looking at me again.

"All you could do was try, honey." She said, placing a hand on my shoulder. "If she doesn't want to forgive, she won't. At least you can say you tried. That's more than she's done to fix this."

"Yeah." I nodded, sitting down to strap my laces. "So Ambrose retained?"

"All you need to focus on is your own match with Finn. We're counting on you kid." Hunter replied, patting me on the back before the two of them walked out.

He was right, I had to get my head in the game. This title was rightfully mine. No way I'd let this newcomer take it.

ooo

That match would go down in history as one of the greatest matches of all time. Unfortunately, I was on the losing end. Even with his arm hanging from his body, he beat me.

Had I really gotten that bad?

I knew he wasn't better than me.

So how the fuck could I lose?

Walking into the locker room, I hung my head as I was approached by Hunter and Stephanie. Both of them looked like disappointed parents but no one was more let down in me than I was.

"What was that?" Triple H asked, hands on his hips as he looked down at me.

"I don't know." I returned, washing my face in the sink. "I was off my game."

"You've been off your game for some time now. This is your 3rd championship match and you've lost again." He said said firmly.

I opened my mouth to speak, but Stephanie's phone rang. Both Hunter and I hung back silently as we heard the faint voice coming through the phone mention an injury. After hanging up, she looked between the two of us.

"Finn is injured. Medic is looking at him now but it looks like he'll need surgery. He'll have to relinquish the title on Raw tomorrow." She said.

Hunter gave her a look. I couldn't read it but the two of them had an entire conversation without saying a word.

"You'll get one more chance at this. We'll do an elimination match for the winner. Don't screw this up." He said.

I nodded my head, and the two turned to walk out when Stephanie turned towards me again.

"Hey, I know Hazel's match is up next if you're done for the day, why don't you go watch. It might make you feel better…"

Hazel

The second to last match on the card was between Charlotte and I. I'd been harboring a lot of hate towards Charlotte for a very long time. I'd held a lot of resentment for the past. Tonight, was the night I let it all out, then put it behind me for good.

My rivalry with Charlotte went back a long time. There was a lot of history there. But I needed to move forward. My body had healed, but it was time for my mind - my soul - to heal as well.

As I slide the fishnet stockings up my legs, I could feel how red my chest had gotten from thinking everything over. From how this all began - this big beautiful movement of standing up for what was right - to how it all ended with one person betraying what was considered the greatest faction of all time.

I had to end it all tonight.

"Knock knock."

I heard before the door cracked open and I turned to see Dean walking in eating fries. He innocently offered me one before he took a good look at me.

"Wanted to make sure you were okay. I heard that dick-bag tried to talk to you earlier."

Trying to center my breathing, I replayed the conversation in my head. I shook my head. "He apologized, I guess and came to say good luck."

"That motherfucker." He growled. "What kinda sick game is he playing now?"

"I don't know if it's a game …" I shrugged. "He sounded so fucking sincere but the whole thing threw me off."

"You can't let him have that kinda affect on you. Especially not tonight. How long have you waited for this?"

"Too long." I replied.

Dean put the fries down, taking cupping my face in his hands. "Exactly. Fuck him. He knew he'd done more bad than good coming over to you. But you have to use that anger out in the ring. Let it all out and let it go. That's the plan. "

I looked in his eyes and nodded my head. "That's the plan." I repeated.

He let go of my face, taking my hand in his before grabbing the tape to wrap my wrist. "Now. You're match is in five minutes. Get your head in the game and when you win, drinks will be on you tonight."

I looked up at him and his eyes crinkled as he joked causing me to laugh. "Fine, drinks on me."

After wrapping my wrists for me, he walked me down to the apron. Charlotte had just made her entrance and we waited for my music to hit. Giving me one last hug, Dean stepped back to let me get in the zone before walking out on cue.

The crowd's cheers always got my adrenaline going as I walked down the ramp and into the ring. Charlotte leaned against the ropes on the opposite end. Waiting and watching every movement I made with an amused smile on her face.

I handed the ref my belt and before the bell even rang, I spear Charlotte into the corner. She hit back against it hard and I held onto the ropes to back up and use all of my strength to charge at her shoulder first in the stomach three more times before I was seperated.

She sank into the corner and I ran to the opposite side, climbing to the top rope before launching myself feet first into her to knock her back more.

The pin would've been easy. Charlotte had never stood a chance against me, but I didn't just want a pin. I wanted to drag this out. I wanted to dish out all of the punishment I'd been craving for so long.

I backed into the again letting her crawl away from the corner and as soon as she went to stand, I ran across and curb stomped her head back into the mat.

The crowd cheered and I looked down at her as she rolled onto her back in agony before I stomped on her right hand, then her shoulder, then her head, then her left shoulder, then her left hand, all the way down to her legs before performing a standing backflip onto her stomach. The reff came down to make the count but I stood up, going back towards the top rope where I stood, I looked down at her, centering my breathing as the barely conscious woman laid still, the ref checking on her. Turning my attention towards the crowd, some were red in the face from how much they were yelling and chanting. I'd missed them. All of them. They'd followed me through this journey and it was finally time to end this chapter.

Then I looked down, closer to the front row and I could see my dad watching, my mom stood beside him and next to her was Holly. Then I saw him. His hat was down low so he could blend in but his eyes were fixated on mine as he clapped and cheered with the rest of them. What the fuck was he doing there?

My brows scrunched but before I could do anything I was pushed off the top rope and thrown into the barricade. Everything went black for a few seconds.

"Come on Haz, get up! You got this!"

I could hear his voice but a tugging at my hair distracted me. I was lifted by my head and opened my eyes to see I was being thrown back into the ring. I groaned, getting up on my knees before my head came crashing down in to matt as Charlotte did her Natural Selection finisher.

Boo's erupted from the crowd and she picked me up by my hair again, bringing her face closer to my ear as she held me in a chokehold.

"Why keep putting yourself through this? I'm starting to think you just like getting your ass kicked." She laughed, her bleached teeth shining brighter than usual.

I grabbed her arm, the reff asking if i was ready to tap. I shook my head.

I laughed, lowering my head to shake it. "Me?" I pointed at myself. "If my memory serves me right, you're the one that's been running from me this whole time."

I could feel the smile leaving her lips as she strenthoned her hold around my neck. "Don't forget who took you out of the game." She threatened.

I could feel myself losing oxygen but I had to hang in there. I looked through the crowd and my eyes landed on Seth again. He looked concerned, but I didn't trust him. If he interfered in this match whatsoever I'd kill him.

I grabbed ahold of her extensions to pull her head down while I forced myself up to headbutt her in the nose. She let go, her hands immediately going to her face to check for blood and I got the chance to stand, grabbing her by her hair again before I pulled her head forward and kneed her in the face.

"Don't forget you had help." I reminded as she fell to the ground. "There's nobody here to help you today, babe."

"All these years and you still can't fight fair." She yelled, wiping her lip and checking her hand for blood.

I laughed, watching her carefully. "Fighting fair? Everything you've ever gotten has been because of someone else. Let's talk about how you got the title off me to begin with!"

She went for a spear and I lifted my leg to kick her in the face to knock her back down.

She laughed, spitting out blood after I kicked her in the face. "You really think your better than me?" She asked, grabbing my leg out from under me to knock me to the ground.

I turned but she got on top of my back, grabbing my by the hair to slam my head off the ground.

The pain rang through me but I managed to turn around, hitting her with an elbow to the face and using using all my strength to kicked her in the stomach, throwing her across into the corner before getting up and drop kicking her in the head. She tried to get up on her hands and knees, but I kicked her in the stomach.

"Let's get one thing straight," I said, kicking her again. "The only reason your holding a title at all is because the brands split. You wouldn't be the Raw champion if I wasn't on Smackdown."

Announcer: There's a lot of talk happening in that ring tonight. No doubt these women have a lot to get off their chests.

Announcer 2: There's a lot of history there that nobody wants to get in the middle of.

I kicked again and again until she was on her back, unable to get a footing to stand up on, I rushed to the ropes and I watched her carefully. This time, she was mine. She was mine for good. I looked at my mom who screamed my name. I looked at Holly and Seth who clapped for me. It felt right but that didn't mean it sat well.

Closing my eyes I jumped back, performing a backwards 630 senton landing on Charlotte then the ref came down for the count. The crowd counting with him.

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