Chapter 21.
Dean had been looking for Nikki for nearly an hour. Everyone said they saw her somewhere but no one actually talked to her and she still wasn't answering her phone.
Dean must have left seven voicemails by now but that wasn't going to stop him from leaving another one.
"Nikki, it's me.. again… listen… please don't push me away. I know you're worried about everyone else, but I'm worried about you so just send me a text or anything to let me know you're okay?" he sighed and hung up. He sat on the production box and leaned his head box, having no idea what to try next.
"dean…" he opened his eyes.
"Nik!" He jumped down "we've been looking all over for you"
"I know, I know, I'm sorry" she apologized, "I just uh needed to be alone. I thought some alone time might help"
"Did it?" Dean asked
"until I saw the matches for tonight" She sighed
Dean nodded
"Brie was just in the damn hospital, and you all went through hell last night…" she went on
"and id take on every single 7 foot 280 lb man to ever step foot into a ring if it meant that pain in your eyes would vanish." He sighed
Nikki just wanted to cry " I can't fall apart Dean, When I fall apart I become so self destructive and I make terrible choices and I hurt myself and everyone else, Dean I can't go there, if I go there, don't think I'll ever come out" she cried.
"We're all going to be okay" Dean hugged her "it might not seem like it right now, but we will be. You promise me that you know you can always come to me."
"I promise" She kissed him
"good, now let's go see your sister, she's as worried as me"
"there you are!" Brie exclaimed when Nikki and Dean approached them
"I'm sorry" nikki apologized
"are you okay?" Brie questioned
"yeah… I just uh needed some time to myself is all" Nikki told her
"You ready?" Roman looked at Seth "you're up"
Seth took a deep breath
"Seth… uh" Nikki went to say
" nope." He stopped her "I know what you're about to say, don't" He gave her a hug.
His music hit, and the rest watched from the monitor.
"This is going to be a long night" Brie huffed
They made it though all of the boys handicaps, they got out with just a few bruises and absolute soreness.
"are you sure you're okay?" Seth asked Brie as she stretched
All your fussing is very sweet, but yes, I'm okay."
"come give me a hug" he laughed
"uh huh" Bryan cleared his throat
They pulled away
"Bryan…Hi' she said surprised to see him since they still haven't talked much.
"I heard about your handicap match, I wanted to see if you were okay, which clearly you are, and you've got him for whatever you need…. So I'll just go" He started walking away
And then he stopped "Just so I'm clear though, we are done right? Or are you just openingly cheating on me?"
"what? Bryan it was a hug" brie laughed
"Im not stupid Brie. People see things, I hear things, you've been attached to him way before our fight" Bryan snapped
"Bryan you're being ridiculous, we're friends" Brie said
"I'll just go…" Seth went to walk away
"No, stay." Brie stopped him "I'm offended you'd assume I'd cheat on you. Yes I'm having a hard time, with you and everything else, doesn't mean that after one night, the last six months mean nothing to me, Seth has been there or me, as a friend, an amazing friend, he's made things easier, when you've done a damn good job of making things harder"
She grabbed Seths hand and dragged him away.
Brie and seth said nothing as they approached gorilla
"listen Seth, I'm sorry, I just used you as a pawn. I shouldn't have done that" Brie apologized
"Nah, I don't feel used, and hey even if I did, can't argue when it's a pretty girl doing it" he laughed
She smiled & her music hit and Seth was left with the rest of the group to watch from the monitor.
It wasn't long before, Eva, Cameron and Rosas 3 on 1 got the best of her. The match ended as the three no longer cared about tagging in and out they just attacked her.
Her friends look on backstage, then they saw the ref throw up the X.
"Did he just…?" Paige questioned
"Let's go" Seth said
With that Seth, Nikki, Dean and Roman got the producer to hit their music and they rushed the ring. Nikki knelt down next to Brie as the boys stood around as protection and the show went to commercial.
When they got back, they showed Roman carrying Brie back up the ramp
"She never should have been out there" Seth mumbled as they stood outside the trainers' room.
"My match is next" Nikki said coming out of the room
"I'll stay" Seth told her
"really? She asked
"yes, definitely" Nikki hugged him and went off with Dean for her match.
"What are you doing here?" Brie asked when seth walked in "Nikkis next"
"I know, we're going to watch from in here until you can be looked at and then we'll head back"
Brie smiled
"So cole what do you think of this gauntlet that Nikki has been placed in?" Lawler asked
"I think it's totally unfair, she just captured thee title last night in quite the controversial way, it's almost as if the decision makers are against her" cole said
"what are you talking about she's the champ, she should be a fight champion" Byron added
Lawler and Cole just rolled their eyes
"What the hell is this?" Cole exclaimed as Randy's music hit and he was joined by RVD and Luke.
"seriously?" Dean exclaimed
"If they can be out there, why can't we" roman said
Deans face lit up. He was about to get seth when him and Brie came down the hall
"are you kidding me " Seth said
"our thoughts exactly" roman said
"Let's go" and they all headed out to support Nikki
By this time Nikki was facing her first opponent of the night Alicia Fox, and randy had jumped on commentary.
" as nice as it is to have you out here" Lawler began " why are you out here"
Randy smirked "that's easy, our girl Aksana will be participating in this, so we wanted a front row seat."
The shields music hit and while Nikkis face lit up, Randy looked furious. The music was enough to distract Alicia and Nikki was able to get the win. AJ and Paige were next and they all but laid down for her which was a sigh of relief, Layla and Tamina were no easy feat and while she was fighting Tamina Dean couldn't help himself, he started yelling at Randy to provide a distraction long enough for Nikki to hit her with the title, and now it was time for Aksana. She was so tired, but she refused to get all this way and let her, out of all of them, be the one to defeat her. Randy and his group got up and clapped as if the queen of England had just arrived and had made themselves comfortable at ringside instead of commentary. Nikki looked to be closing in on Aksana until Luke hauled off and punched Dean, which lead to a brawl between all three. Dean was laid out, Roman and Seth barely holding on as Kane and Henry joined the fight. Nikki was so overwhelmed and consumed it was easy for Aksana to catch an already exhausted Nikki off guard with a stiff kick to the head, leaving her laid out in the ring. Aksana covers her for the one, two, three. She grabbed the womens title and her and the men all ran up the ramp.
A shook up Dean, Seth and Roman got into the ring and Dean carried Nikki out. The arena cheered as they left, still standing, regardless, but Nikki was a mess. No one knew what to say or what to do, they piled into Romans SUV and headed out to the hotel, just praying that tomorrow would be better.