Chapter 26: Beth Ambrose & Hot Ray-Leigh

If Rayleigh Mizanin could describe this so-called meet the Roberts Family dinner that she was sitting through with a horrible case of back pain in one word from the English language, it would have to be: fiasco. Yeah, it was a complete and utter fiasco because the only people that seemed happy to even be there were the kids, Beth and her parents. Jon, Mike and Rayleigh all looked like there was somewhere else that they wanted to be unless one of the kids or Beth's parents were looking at them. And Beth's brothers just seemed to have a look of complete disgust written on their faces permanently.

"Now, Beth told us that you didn't finish high school," LJ commented, as he sipped from the water glass in front of him, "Do you really plan on supporting my baby sister with no real education? You can't expect this wrestling thing to last."

"LJ," Beth admonished.

"No, it's okay Beth, it's a fair question," Jon whispered to the woman beside him before turning to answer her older brother, "School just wasn't my thing, you know? I didn't see myself using anything that they were teaching me, especially when all I really wanted to do was wrestle."

"Beth wanted to wrestle," Oliver added, "But she still had to finish her education first." Beth just rolled her eyes and squeezed Jon's hand with her own. It was obvious to her that they were trying anything that they possibly could to try and get under his skin. They wanted him to lash out in front of his parents and she was just glad that Jon could keep what temper and frustration he had under wraps when she was around him.

"That wasn't my choice," Beth added, causing pretty much everyone, but her family and Rayleigh to look at her wide eyed, "Dad kicked me out of the house and cut me off from everything until I agreed to go back to school.

"I wanted you to have something to fall back on," Lance explained, as he sipped at his wine, "Rayleigh, tell me, did you and your brother have something to fall back on if your wrestling careers didn't pan out." Rayleigh spared Jon a sheepish look before answering.

"My brother has a degree in telecommunications and I received my degree in teaching," she explained, "But, wrestling has always been what we wanted to do, so we just sort of took things that we thought could help us."

"How would a teaching degree help you with wrestling," LJ asked, as he looked at the former Diva skeptically.

"It was the courses involved that helped," Rayleigh explained further, suppressing an eye roll with everything that she had with her body, "My major was teaching, but I had a minor in drama. Look, mine and my brother's education was on the off chance that we wouldn't be able to make it and everyone knows that I was well on my way in this business when I got that degree. I commend Jon for not pursuing something that he knew would just waste his time."

"Education is not a waste of," LJ started.

"It is when you know that the degree or the diploma is just going to sit at home in a box or on the wall somewhere collecting dust," Rayleigh explained, "Looking back, I kind of wish I didn't get the degree, because all it's doing right now is sitting in a box in my mother's attic do exactly that."

"But, you could home school your children," Oliver offered.

"I could," Rayleigh agreed, "But, I don't want my children being anti-social. My daughter already thrives on being social backstage at the wrestling shows and yes, she meets all kinds of people that I know I can trust, none more so than Jon, I wouldn't dream of taking that away from her." Jon could a feel a lump unwillingly forming in the back of throat at the sheer confidence and trust that Rayleigh had in him.

"And I mean I wouldn't have put in a good word for him to be brought up to the main roster a couple of years ago if I didn't think that he knew what he was doing," Rayleigh revealed, taking a sip of the water in front of her.

The moment they got back to their hotel room from the restaurant, Beth and Jon sank down onto the bed and just stared up at the ceiling. Beth knew that her brothers were going to be overbearing, but she never imagined that they were going to act like that in front of someone she could see sharing her future with.

"What did you and my dad talk about when you went to get the cars," Beth asked, finally breaking the silence between them. Jon turned on his side, leaning on his elbow, as he caressed the side of her face.

"Oh, not much," he answered, "He apologized for your brothers and told me that he thought I was a pretty good guy and that he wouldn't mind if you decided to keep me around."

"Did he really say that?"

"Not in those words," Jon chuckled, "But, he basically gave us his blessing, which you know, doesn't really matter to me, but I kind of figured that it mattered to you." Beth smiled, as she reached up and ran her manicured nails through his messed up hair. She kissed him slowly, a small smirk spreading across his face.

"That means a lot to me," she whispered to him, a smile spreading across her lips, "Thank you." Jon shrugged in response, as the couple descended into a comfortable silence once more. The howling wind could be heard shaking the windows, but neither of them seemed bothered. The snow had started to fall again the moment that they had returned to the hotel.

"Did you know that Rayleigh put in a word to bring you up to the main roster," Beth asked, as she slowly sat up. Jon shook his head, as he placed a loose curl behind her ear.

"I knew that Punk put in a word," Jon explained, as he watched Beth begin to get ready for bed, "But, I really had no idea that she put in a word as well. I think the only conversation I had with her before I made it up to the main roster was whether or not I knew where the main office in FCW was and after that and before you, the only time we really spoke was only for professional reasons."

"Maybe Rayleigh watched FCW when she had been on maternity leave," Beth suggested, as she pulled her red hair into a high ponytail.

"I doubt it," Jon sighed, "No one watched FCW. That was one of the reasons why Hunter developed NXT."

"I barely had a conversation with Rayleigh before she said that she would try and get me a contract with WWE," Beth reminded him. It was then that Jon had started chuckling causing Beth to turn and look at him with a very confused look written on her face.

"What in the world are you laughing at?"

"I knew Rayleigh was a dedicated match maker," Jon explained, "But, I didn't think she was that dedicated." Beth shook her head, a small giggle escaping her lips.

The audience applauded and cheered as Miz stood in the ring a large smile on his face. He had won the Royal Rumble. Only twenty men are able to say that they had won the Royal Rumble before him, and now he could say it as well. But, tonight, this exact moment, wasn't about him. This wasn't about the twenty men before him. No, it was all about her and her wonderful career.

"Ladies and gentlemen, a few years ago, this glimmer of hope and beauty came into my life and I-I never looked back," he started, "I-I was the friend that she needed, and the lover she chose. She is my best friend, my wife, my partner in everything that I do and she is your next hall-"

The Miz was interrupted by a familiar theme that made the WWE Universe both boo and cheer as he made his way out onto the stage, microphone in hand. John Cena, in his bright yellow t-shirt, looked at the Miz in the ring before saluting the audience, continuing his normal ring entrance.

"Whoa, whoa, whoa, John, look, we all know what was decided in the back," the Miz started, as John finally turned to face him once again, "And it was decided that I would have the pleasure of introducing the third inductee in the Hall of Fame class of 2015."

"Miz, I know, but it didn't feel right," John said, taking his hat off of his head and scratching his scalp, "I mean I've practically been there from the beginning. I was with her when she won the Women's Championship and throughout every single one of her Diva's Championship reigns."

"Liar," Miz shot back, "You weren't there for all of them. What about her seventh reign? The two of you weren't even speaking to one another during that championship reign."

"Noted," John said, placing his hat back on his head, "But, I was there when she united the two championships against the tag team formerly known as Laycool."

"I put my career on hold when she got injured."

"Yeah, well, I protected her from the Nexus."

"I'm the father of her children," Miz argued, causing John to smile and nod.

"That you are," John answered, "But, I guess there's no point in leaving the WWE Universe in the dark anymore. Ladies and gentlemen, it is both our honor and privilege to introduce to you, your next Hall of Fame inductee in the class of 2015."

"My wife, my lover and the mother of my children," The Miz continued, a large smile spread across his face, "She is the former Diva's champion and the only Diva that was Diva enough to manage the giant buffoon beside me. She is Hot Ray-Leigh." A video package played on the titantron of Hot Ray-Leigh's greatest moments spanning from the brood all the way to her official retirement, but the moment that the video was over, a familiar theme music started.

'You make me so hot, make me wanna drop-'

The crowd roared in appreciation for the woman who now stood on stage, a large smile on her face as she blew kisses both to the crowd and to the two men that stood in the ring. She made her way down to the ring. Even heavily pregnant, she was the absolute picture of grace and sophistication as she got into the ring and took the microphone from her husband, the crowd cheering her the entire time.

"Thank you," Hot Ray-Leigh started, as she listened to the crowd cheer after her Hall of Fame induction announcement, "Thank you, it really means a lot-" The cheering for the former brunette was cut off by a familiar music that had many fans looking towards Hot Ray-Leigh fearfully. The Shield along with Beth made their way down and into the ring, while Hot Ray-Leigh did nothing, but look completely and utterly bored. Cena and The Miz were standing by the announce table, but she had signaled for them to stay put. In her opinion, The Shield and Beth posed no threat to them at the present moment.

"Well, well, well," came the familiar voice of Beth Ambrose, "The infamous Hot Ray-Leigh, the most recent Diva to be going into the Hall of Fame. Do you really think that you out of all the other great Divas des-"

"Oh look who it is," Hot Ray-Leigh responded, now looking Beth up and down with a clear look of disgust, "The wanna-be Diva's Champion and the mutts of the Authority. Look kids, you don't scare me."

"Is it because you're pregnant," Beth responded, pouting at her former mentor, "Is it because you know that as long as you carry that child no one in this company can touch you?"

"I'm not scared of you and the mutts of injustice because I've dealt with a whole lot worse, girly," Ray explained. Beth looked at Rayleigh skeptically, and just as she was about to say something she tried to attack the future Hall of Famer instead. Quickly, the blonde dodged the attack and grabbed the red head by her ponytail.

"Sweetheart, I'm not scared of you because I've gone through tables at the hands of The Dudley Boys, I've been thrown off and into ladders by the Hardy's. I've faced your heroes Trish and Lita more times than I can count, and I've been speared and hit with chairs by my own brother and his best friend. I won the Women's Championship off the Billion Dollar Princess with DX gnawing at my ankles and I've made more enemies than you've had boyfriends. Not to mention lately, I've got the Undertaker coming after me and the overgrown ape over there that I call my best friend, whether I'm carrying this baby or not," Rayleigh snapped at the foursome, "You and the rest of the Authority don't scare me, hell, they didn't scare me when they were the Corporation. Why the hell would they scare me now?"

"You set your mutts on me, try to triple power bomb me through the announce table or any other table in this or any arena for that matter and you'll only anger the Deadman," Rayleigh explained, a smirk spreading across his face, "He wants to get his hands on me personally and if anybody gets their hands on me before he does, they'll be facing hell a whole lot quicker than I will be."

"So, you admit you and Cena are facing hell at the hands of the Undertaker," Beth said, looking at the blonde former Diva with wide eyes. Hot Ray-Leigh couldn't help, but chuckle maliciously at her words.

"I've been barreling towards hell since the day Edge, Christian and I walked out on The Ministry of Darkness," Rayleigh told him, "The only difference is, is that I've walked through that same hell in six inch heels countless of times before and came out with a smile. So, you and the mutts, you're nothing. Nothing but child's play." Letting go of Beth's ponytail, Rayleigh dropped the red head to the ground. Beth made to scramble back into her husband's arms, but Rayleigh kicked her side before she could. Ambrose growled at the Hall of Fame inductee and made to attack her, but was quickly held back by Seth and Roman.

"Oh lookie here, the mutt doesn't like when his bitch is hurt," Hot Ray-Leigh taunted, "Well, mutt, if you don't want her hurt, I suggest that you and the rest of your pack let my boys and I pass without harm or the Undertaker will get his hands on her first, I guarantee it." Dean Ambrose looked down towards Beth before shooting a glance at Reigns and Rollins. Both John and Miz looked ready to jump in the ring should the Shield attack, but the audience watched in awe as all three members of Shield stood down and let the future Hall of Famer pass. Hot Ray-Leigh smirked as she passed the Shield and made to exit the ring, but as soon as she was on the steel steps the arena went black. Shrieks in the audience could be heard, as the titantron lit up with yet another message from the Undertaker.

A small set of lights turned on, so that the audience could see Hot Ray-Leigh's reaction to seeing her younger self as well as a younger Edge and Christian receive a beat down at the hands of the Ministry of Darkness, while the Phenom looked on. She watched as her brother faced the Deadman in a Hell in a Cell match and she watched as she herself tapped out to the Hell's Gate maneuver. Hot Ray-Leigh watched stone faced as the referees and ring side doctors had to pry the Undertaker's hands off of her younger self in fear that she wasn't breathing any longer.

"You don't scare me, Taker," she muttered, as John and Miz helped her down the last couple of steel steps. She shook her head at the video that kept playing on the titantron, as the three made their way up the ramp only to pause as Druids slowly entered from the back. John and Miz gently pushed Hot Ray-Leigh behind them as the arena grew dark once more.

The lights were off for what could have been only a few moments, but when they came back on the audience's volume grew as the Undertaker was spotted standing right behind Hot Ray-Leigh. Hot Ray-Leigh's wide eyes were looking up at the titantron seeing the Undertaker right behind her. In the ring, The Shield and Beth were laid out flat on their backs as if the Undertaker had taken them out before coming after her.

"Your time is coming to an end," the Undertaker said, as he made to grab the future Hall of Famer by her natural blonde hair. Hot Ray-Leigh moved from his grasp, as Cena and Miz attacked quickly giving her the ability to run or in her case waddle up the ramp and past the Druids before the Undertaker could get his hands on her once more.

Cena and Miz held him off before running up the ramp and into the back as well. Frustrated, the Undertaker walked into the ring just as Beth was starting to get to her feet. The Shield was still in a state of disarray as the Undertaker pulled Beth up to her feet by her hair, and wrapped his hand around her neck.

"You cannot escape fate for much longer," was all the Phenom said before he lifted Beth into the air and choke slammed her onto the mat. Ambrose made to grab the Phenom, but was quickly picked up in the same hold and thrown just like his wife.

"At Wrestle Mania, I will get my hands on you John Cena and your pretty little manager too."

A/N: Well, I hope everyone had a good Holiday Season and for those of you that are still celebrating, I hope you enjoy your Holidays as much as I enjoyed mine.

Well, we're on the road to Wrestle Mania, which means the poll on my profile must come to an end. Ladies and gentlemen, keep reading to find out who Rayleigh chose to induct her and please let your voice be heard once more because as soon as she's officially finished with Beth and Jon, Rayleigh will be at it again. Let me know who you want her to set up next with the new poll on my profile.

Don't forget to review and let me know what you think of the new chapter.

xo