CHAPTER TWENTY-ONE

NICKY

His laptop was mocking him. Nicky stared at the screen as the cursor blinked. No matter how hard he tried, the words wouldn't come. His history paper was due by the following morning, but he couldn't focus. He sighed. This was useless.

A knock at the door made him jump. He opened it and relaxed when he saw who was on the other side. "Lucas!" He said. "What's up?"

Lucas looked at Nicky with concern. "We were supposed to meet up for a dance lesson, but you look pretty busy," he said.

"Damnit! I'm sorry. I totally forgot."

Lucas took in the mess on Nicky's bed and said, "Is everything okay, Nicky?"

"Yeah... I mean... No, not really. I have a major paper due in history, but I can't focus."

Lucas looked sympathetic. "What's it on?" He asked.

"The Civil War."

Lucas grinned at him. "Well, I just might be able to help with that!"

"Seriously?"

"I've got a few rednecks on Dad's side of the family, and they love the Civil War. I'm practically an expert. Besides, I love history. I got straight A's in all of my history classes."

"You don't mind helping me?"

"Not at all!"

"Oh my God, Lucas, you're a life saver! I've been going nuts trying to balance school and wrestling and it's just so much..."

"Maybe you should slow it down a little."

"I can't. Not right now."

"Well, at least talk to someone. If you're under all this pressure, you need help once in a while."

"Like a shrink?" He was suddenly embarrassed. Did Lucas think he was nuts or something?

"Yes, like a shrink. There's no shame in it, Nicky. My dad used to have a pretty bad Depression issue, but he got help and it saved his life."

"Bo Dallas had Depression?" Nicky felt stupid as soon as he asked. That had come out so rude. And Taylor Rotunda was a real person, unlike Bo Dallas. He was human. Of course he might get depressed.

Lucas wasn't offended, however. Instead of getting upset, he laughed. "It's hard to Bo-lieve, right?" He asked as he continued to laugh. He turned more serious, but still smiled at Nicky as he said, "My dad struggled with Depression for years. It was bad. My uncle Win still won't talk about it because it scared him so much. Anyway, Dad got help, and he's okay now. Mom helped him a lot. It takes a strong person to admit they need help, Nicky. Don't ever be ashamed if you get overwhelmed." He changed the subject then, sitting on Nicky's bed with his textbooks. "Now, let's write the best Civil War paper your professor has ever seen!"

Nicky decided he'd talk to one of the therapists WWE kept on staff and see if they could help him. Lucas made him feel less pathetic about needing help. He also felt like he might stand a chance of getting this paper done now. He realized that for the first time, he had a real friend in WWE. Sure, he had Trixie and Keith, but they were family. Ginny was his brother's Godsister and Molly was practically family, too, but other than them, he hadn't really had anyone he could call a friend until now. It was kind of nice.

TRIXIE

When she finally woke up, it was after ten. Trixie never slept that late. She quickly showered and headed to her first stop of the day.

Fred answered the door. He looked confused but happy to see her. "Are you okay, honey?" He asked.

Trixie hugged him, stunning him into silence. "I'm sorry. I just needed time," she said.

"It's alright, sweetheart. Come on in." He led her into the room.

"I'm not sure what to call you now," Trixie admitted.

"Whatever makes you comfortable, Trixie."

"I... Can we do something today?"

"Of course. What do you want to do?"

She looked at him and smiled like a little girl. "This is our last day in Connecticut... Can we go to the aquarium?"

Fred laughed and it made her feel warm inside just like it always had. "If that's what you want to do, Trixie-girl, I'd love to."

"You took me to this aquarium when I was eight, and it was just you and me... I think we need to do it again... Now that I know... I mean, you were just my awesome Uncle Fred then... Now... You're my dad, and I figured you could take me as my dad."

Fred looked like he might cry at her words. "I'd be honored to."

She looked at him. "You were always my dad, you know. You may not have had the title, but you were. And I know I freaked out, but I love you for everything you've done for me."

"I love you, too." He hugged her.

In a little girl voice, she said, "Now... Take me to see the fishies! And the otters! And just animals in general!" They both started to laugh and Trixie relaxed. Nothing needed to change, even if it felt like everything had.

MOLLY

Sellie worked quickly. The DNA results came back fast, confirming what they all already knew. Sellie immediately drew up paperwork so Mark could take Dillon with him and Johnny could take Randi.

"You can't separate us," Dillon protested. "I'm all Randi has. She doesn't understand what's going on."

"Do, too," Randi argued. "Jimmy Uso is my real daddy... Mom told me Dad left because I was sick, but that's not true, is it?"

Molly refused to let anyone lie to the kid. "No, it's not," she said. "It isn't your fault your dad left. He found out your mom lied."

"Our mom," Randi corrected her.

"Really, Midget, you can keep her... Anyway, Johnny... That's Jimmy's real name... He can and will take really good care of you."

"What about Dillon?"

"His dad is the Undertaker... Mark."

"I know, but will I still see him?"

"Of course you will," Johnny said. "He's your brother, your uso, and I'd never keep you from him. Family's everything to me."

Molly noticed Sellie talking to Ms. Raymond and looking concerned. She looked more like the Sellie she was used to, in a Captain America t-shirt and jeans. Her hair was back in the pigtails she'd worn for as long as Molly had known her. Sellie had never been a typical lawyer and she only dressed like one when absolutely necessary. The concern on her face didn't match her casual outfit.

"What does this say to you?" Sellie asked Ms. Raymond as Molly approached. She had medical records in front of her.

"Hmmm... Admitted... Forty-three times in two years?" Ms. Raymond asked in horror.

"Look at the symptoms."

"Stomach pain, vomiting, including vomiting blood, discoloration of urine, blood in urine, no obvious cause for any of it... No diagnosis. Usually cleared up within a few days of being admitted on its own..."

"If it looks like a duck, and talks like a duck..."

"You're thinking Munchausen by proxy?"

"Aren't you?"

"I'd say so..."

Molly realized what they were discussing. "Wait... You're saying that bitch actually poisoned the kid?" She demanded.

"I'd bet my comic book collection on it," Sellie replied. Considering her collection was her most prized possession, that was saying something. "My guess is she saw the kind of attention she got when Randi was diagnosed with Von Willebrand and decided to milk the kid for as much attention as possible."

Ms. Raymond nodded. "Sellie, my friend, I think you just won your case," she said. "There's no way a judge will let her have these kids back if we can prove Munchausen by proxy."

"I always win, Margo," Sellie said with a laugh. "You should know that by now." She shook her head. "Those poor kids..."

"Johnny is on the road a lot, though. With Miranda's medical issues, that may be a problem."

"His wife's home most of the time, and if that fails, Mark is my backup plan. He's taking her brother in. If he agrees to take Randi in part time, the kids will still get to see each other a lot and Randi won't have to be on the road all the time. She can stay with Johnny and Trinity when Johnny's home."

"You've thought this through."

"I always do."

"I want her to pay," Molly said suddenly. "Losing them isn't enough. That bitch belongs in jail for what she did. Randi's just a baby... She's ten, for shit's sake!" She'd found out their ages earlier that day. Dillon was about to turn sixteen.

"I'm going to do everything I can to make that happen, Molly," Sellie promised, "but that will take work. The first step is getting their fathers sole custody and getting the kids restraining orders so she can't hurt them anymore."

Molly's reply was cut off when Gabe rushed into the hospital with Trinity running after him trying to stop him. Oh, boy, she thought. This should be interesting.

"Is it true?" Gabe asked Johnny, the hurt clear on his face. "Did you cheat on Mom?"

"Gabriel, I told you, it was when we were separated," Trinity insisted. "And I knew all about it. We just had no idea that he had a child as a result."

"I can't believe you! You're always telling me that a man doesn't cheat on his wife!"

"Gabe... I'm sorry," Johnny said. "I should have told you."

"That you were a hypocrite? Yeah, that might have been good to know!"

"Gabriel, stop speaking to your father like that," Trinity said harshly.

"He deserves it!" Gabe insisted.

He might have said more, but a tiny voice squeaked out, "Oh my gosh! You're Naomi! I've seen your old matches. You're so cool! I wanna be a wrestler just like you when I grow up! Like you and Molly and the girls who really wrestle, not just the dumb ones walking boys to the ring! Wait, you're married to Jimmy... Are you my step-mom?" Randi looked stunned at her realization.

Trinity couldn't help but smile, just like everyone who met this kid. "Yes, sweetie, I am. My name's really Trinity," Trinity said kindly.

"Jimmy Uso's my dad, Naomi's my step-mom, Jey Uso is my uncle, Roman Reigns is my cousin, Molly Moxley's my sister, her dad is Dean Ambrose, my big brother's father is the Undertaker, and you're my big brother, too! I've got the coolest family ever!" Randi informed Gabe.

All of Gabe's anger suddenly vanished. He swept Randi up in his arms and proclaimed, "Yeah, Kiddo, you totally do!"

Molly smiled. Randi was one magical kid. She began talking excitedly to her newest brother and Molly joined them. "That's Randi, short for Miranda," Molly told him. "She's very shy," she added jokingly.

Sellie joined them and said, "I've got a surprise. I figured you and Dillon could use a good night after all the stress," she told Randi. "I called up Triple H and told him I want seats to Smackdown tonight. He was surprised, but happy to hear from me and he promised me tickets for me and the two of you."

Dillon suddenly looked interested. "Really?" He asked. "That's awesome! We watch all the time, but Mom never let us go with her to shows."

She probably didn't want you in the way in case she wanted to fuck someone, Molly thought bitterly.

"You mean I get to see my dad wrestle!? And my brother and sister?" Randi asked.

"Yeah, I'm on the card," Molly said.

"Us, too," Johnny confirmed.

"I'm wrestling with the Orton boys," Gabe said.

Randi looked even more excited. Molly could see wheels spinning in Gabe's head. "I have an idea," he said to her.

"Should I be concerned?" Molly teased him.

"You know how Keith lives to prank all of us? I have an idea for revenge, and I think the kids will love it!"

Molly was intrigued in spite of herself. "Okay, Uso... I'm in," she said. "What's the plan?"

KEITH

Gabe, Nicky and Keith had an open challenge that night. They'd been issuing those a lot. It was the same routine. Some or all of the members of the New Legacy would gather in the ring, proclaim themselves better than everyone else, challenge the legends, and beat the crap out of whoever answered the call, always by cheating. The brothers and Gabe stood in the ring now looking arrogant. "We're the best guys in the business right now," Keith declared. "If any of you losers calling yourselves legends want to prove us wrong, come on out here and try! I dare you!"

He dropped the microphone as he and his partners waited for the Prime Time Players' music to start. It was supposed to be Fred, Thaddeus, and Ron (R-Truth) of all the random people, against the three of them, but their music never began. Instead, the lights went out. Keith was confused as he realized the temperature dropped about twenty degrees... And then, he heard the gong.

What the... Oh fuck, oh fuck, oh fuck, there is no way this is happening right now! Keith thought as the crowd began getting over their shock and cheering wildly.

The lights came back on in time for Keith to see Nicky's eyes widening in horror as the Undertaker (the fucking Undertaker!) grabbed him by his throat and chokeslammed him. Gabe had run out of the ring and vanished. As the Undertaker came toward Keith, he knew he was screwed. The crowd was cheering and going more insane than they had in years. Undertaker hadn't been seen in a WWE ring in nearly two decades. No one had expected him to show up at a random Smackdown taping in fucking Connecticut of all the places.

Fuck it, Keith thought. It's not like I can run. Might as well give the people what they want. He sold his shock and fear, which wasn't hard to do, as the Undertaker approached him. Keith shook his head defiantly until the Undertaker picked him up roughly and flipped him upside-down. Fuck. I knew it was gonna be a fucking tombstone, Keith thought. Seconds later, he hit the mat. Undertaker pinned him and stuck out his tongue just like he had in the old days. Part of Keith marked out. He could hear good old J.R. in his head saying, The boyhood dream has finally been realized! He'd just gotten tombstoned by the Undertaker. It was actually kind of awesome.

After Undertaker took an appropriate amount of time to let the fans celebrate his shocking visit, he walked out to his music. Keith and Nicky had both watched enough Taker matches as kids to know they weren't supposed to get back up. They waited for referees as well as Lucas and Molly to come help them backstage.

When they got backstage, Nicky exclaimed, "Did that really just happen? I mean... Oh my God, right?" He was still partially in shock.

"Dude! You should have seen your faces!" Gabe proclaimed between fits of laughter.

"You did this?" Keith demanded.

"Kind of," Gabe admitted. "You guys were like 'what the shit?' And I escaped while you guys were busy looking like this!" He made an exaggerated horrified face and held it for a minute. Now Molly was laughing, and so was Ginny. Lucas tried to look sympathetic. Trixie had the night off and so did Brandon, so they wouldn't get to see this until it aired on television in a couple of days.

"Dude," Keith said, "it is so on!" He didn't admit aloud that he was secretly impressed Gabe had punked him and Nicky so well. He was going to have to up his game to save his reputation as the prankster of the stable.

"Bring it, Orton! I'm the new Prank Ninja!" Gabe declared. "Fear me! Mwahaha!"

"An evil villain laugh? Seriously?" Ginny asked, but she was still laughing.

"Sometimes, you just need to let out a good mwahaha," Gabe said. "I stand by my choice."

"You're such a dork." She rolled her eyes and walked away.

"She wants me," Gabe said confidently. This made Molly laugh harder, and now Lucas was laughing, too.

Nicky shook his head. "You messed with the wrong guy," he told Gabe. "Keith is undefeated. You're screwed now."

"Damn right," Keith said. "Nice knowing you." He immediately began plotting Gabe's demise, even though the prank had actually been pretty awesome. This might just be fun.