Chapter Twenty Six: Summerslam

The next few months went by in a blur of excitement. I finally spent some time down at the NXT development and got to meet Sara del Ray who helped me immensely with some of my wrestling moves. She was so happy to be able to help a woman who was fighting in the men's division. After all, as she trained the Divas down on NXT she taught them there isn't anything the guys can do that they can't do too. We hit it off really fast and in the month I was down there, I found I had a female friend that was almost as close to me as Denise had been. She couldn't ever replace her, but it was nice to have someone I could all on whenever to talk about anything. Like me, Sara had had to fight to get everywhere she did in the business. Only her fight was with the industry. She found my fight with Dad more impressive.

While at NXT, I also got to meet some of the Superstars that were trying to make it to the main roster. There was one in particular I got close to, and when I left NXT, I argued for her to be promoted as part of the family. Paige. She was amazing in-ring and she was the anti-diva, much like I was. She would fit perfectly into the Family of Destruction. At Summerslam, she would be elevated to the main roster, as my thought-to-be-dead twin sister. I was excited as much as she was. Sara was happy to see her go, because she thought Paige held too much talent to stay in development.

My match at Summerslam was going to be a title defense. My Intercontinental Championship title was up against Bo Dallas, the real-life brother of Bray Wyatt who had been promoted to the main roster a few months prior. He was a solid technical wrestler, but he was afraid of the family, both his brother's and mine. He avoided his brother like I did. As for me, off-camera we were friends, but once I put on the make-up and the title was around my waist, he became a bit intimidated. I was looking forward to the match against him. I hadn't been in-ring with him yet, but what I had seen, once you got past all the jeering from the fans, was impressive. He may not have the flare most wrestlers did, but he had talent and technique. So far, our encounters had all been mind games, mostly on my part, to scare him going into Summerslam. Now we'd see how well he'd hold up.

Other than all of this, the time between my encounters with Ivy and Summerslam had been filled with Trinity and Ariane dragging me dress shopping for the wedding and planning the actual wedding. Going with the true "demonic" nature of the Family of Destruction, Joe and I decided on a Halloween wedding in Salem, Massachusetts. Luckily, we'd been able to make arrangements at one of the most amazing hotels in Salem, the Hawthorn Hotel for the wedding, which was across the street from Salem Commons. We were going to get married the Saturday after Hell in a Cell.

Ivy had shown up a few more times with Dean, but each time, Joe and I dealt with them. I made sure that she didn't hurt Joe, but it was harder to keep my mother from hurting me. During one of these incidents, Ivy went to use a spell on Joe that would have brought him to his knees in pain. I deflected it, and it hit Dean instead. In her anger, Ivy threw a spell at me, one that would damage my physically, not just inflict pain. I started coughing up blood. My rage happened so fast I could barely spread my energy onto Joe to keep him safe before I let the force of the elements free from me. An inferno lit up the alley while a wind storm bordering on a tornado blew around us with hurricane rains and the earth shaking as if the plates of the earth were colliding just below us.

For Ivy, it wouldn't have been too much to shield herself, but she wasn't expecting it, and she was thrown into a wall. Before she could lose consciousness and before I killed him, she grabbed Dean and ran. I continued coughing up blood in Joe's arms as the world turned black and my rage continued to run rampant around us.

I woke up in the basement of the house in Texas. When I did, Dad was sitting next to me, holding my hand. For a minute I was upset that Joe wasn't with me, until I realized where I was and what it meant. If Joe tried to be at my side I could have killed him.

"Is Joe okay? I lost control when Ivy attacked me. I didn't hurt him, did I, Dad?"

"Cassie, he's okay," Dad said gently. "You spread your power to him before you lost control. You didn't hurt him with your power. It didn't touch him."

"But?"

"But, you did hurt Ivy and Jonathan Good. What were you thinking?"

I shook my head. I couldn't believe he was going to try to pin this on me.

"No. Technically Ivy hurt Dean, Dad. All I did was deflect the spell she had flung at Joe. It hit Dean. I didn't fling any of my own spells at him."

"And Ivy?"

"After she attacked me, I lost control. She got caught in that. But I was coughing up blood, Dad! She attacked me! Technically I was defending myself!"

"Alright, we'll figure this out, Cass. Don't worry about it now."

"How long have I been out?"

"Two days. We were worried. You lost a lot of blood before I could calm your power to get to you and Joe."

"How bad?"

"Bad enough."

"Who knows about this?"

"Only me and anyone directly involved. You'll be fine by the time you have to go back to work so there's no need to tell anyone there. Michelle doesn't even know."

"Thanks, Dad."

"No problem," he said as he hugged me. "Are you up to being upstairs? Or do you think you need to be down here for a little longer?"

"I think I'll be fine upstairs."

Ivy had disappeared after that. She wasn't hanging around with Dean anymore and she wasn't coming after me. As Summerslam approached, I put her out of my mind. Instead, I focused on what I needed to do in-ring, which was beat Taylor Rotunda aka Bo Dallas.

The afternoon of Summerslam, I was getting ready for the match against Bo. There was a knock on my locker room door.

"Come in." I called.

When I came out of the bathroom, it was Seth Rollins, who had left me alone for months.

"What do you want, Colby?"

"Joe isn't here, is he?"

"No."

"Good. Can I please just talk to you? I know I have no right, but I would really appreciate it if you would do it anyway. I've tried to show that I've changed the last few months by respecting what you've asked of me, Cassidy. Unlike Jonathan, I've stayed away."

I looked at him hardly and sighed. He was right. He had given me my space. He'd stayed away from me, exactly like I'd told him to. I knew he wanted to challenge me for my title, which there was nothing to stop him from doing, but he'd kept to the sidelines, knowing I didn't want him anywhere near me.

"Fine," I said sitting down. "Sit down and speak. Joe won't be here for another hour or so. He went to get something for us to eat."

Colby looked shocked and excited at the same time. He sat down, as far away as he could get from me, and folded his hands in front of me. I had to give him credit for trying to come across as unintimidating as possible.

"I really am sorry, Cassidy. I don't know why I did the things I did, and I don't deserve anything less than you hating me, but I am sorry. I'm not that guy and I don't understand what got into me."

From what I'd heard about Colby from some of the guys who didn't know what he'd done to me but knew him from his Indy days, he wasn't that guy. They all thought he was great. It didn't change what he'd done to me though.

"People tell me that a lot. I've heard from Bryan and from Claude and even from Phil that you weren't a bad guy, Colby. By it doesn't change the fact that you raped me. I said no, I begged you and Jonathan to stop and you didn't. One of you got me pregnant. The two of you have tortured me for years. Even before becoming part of the main roster, and I have no idea why."

"I don't know why I did it, Cassidy. I could sit here and say that it was all Jonathan's fault, but it's not. He didn't force me to do those things. He may have come up with the ideas, but I could have said no. I could have tried to stop him. I didn't. I can't take those things back and I have to live with that for the rest of my life and I know that you do, too."

"So what do you want from me, Colby?"

My thoughts were racing. My life had fallen apart after what he and Dean had done to me. I'd nearly killed myself a few times because of them. I couldn't stand the feeling of them on me.

"You hurt yourself because of us?" Colby asked, reading my thoughts.

"How did you know?" I asked in shock.

Colby started to cry. Right then, I knew he would never hurt me again.

"I'm a telepath, Cassie. I'm sorry. I never knew you would take it out on yourself! It doesn't make it better, but I'm so sorry! Please don't hurt yourself because of me again!"

Colby crossed the room really fast, still crying, stayed on his knees in front of me, took my hands in his, and looked into my eyes.

"I promise I will never hurt you again. I don't care what Jonathan says or does, I don't want any part of it."

Looking into his eyes, I knew he meant every word of what he was saying.

"I believe you, Colby. I don't know if I can forgive you, or I can ever forgive you, but I believe you're not gonna hurt me again."

"Thank you, Cassidy."

"Cassie."

"What?"

"Cassie. Call me Cassie. Really only my father calls me Cassidy and its usually when he's pissed off at me."

"I didn't want to assume you'd want me to call you that. It seems like something a friend would call you."

"It is, but if you're serious about not hurting me, the least I can do is let you call me what I prefer to be called. Besides, if you're willing to try so hard to respect me, maybe I can try to give you another chance. No promises, but maybe, we can be friends someday."

Colby nearly jumped to the ceiling with joy.

"Do you mean that, Cassie? I don't deserve it."

"I know you don't deserve it. But, I know it tears Joe apart that he still cares about you two and he's lost hope on you both. Maybe he can have you back, if you prove to be trustworthy."

"I promise I'll be the best friend you can ever ask for."

"No, you won't. I had one of those and you can never compare to her."

I felt Denise, still invisible, in the room with me. It was then that I realized that maybe she had something to do with this.

"Have you eaten? I could call Joe and ask him to pick up lunch for you before he comes back. It would probably be better he knows you're here before he just walks in and sees you. He might try to kill you if he does."

"Sure. Where'd he go?"

"Burgers. Bloody burgers and fries are my friends, and the strawberry milkshake is my mistress."

Colby laughed and told me what to ask Joe to pick up for him. Joe was shocked, but said we could talk about it at the hotel after work. When I got off the phone, I reassured Colby Joe wouldn't kill him.

"So how do you eat like this and keep in shape?"

"I burn through the food pretty quick."

"How?"

"I just do. I need an iron-rich diet. So I tend to eat red meat a lot, especially when I'm stressed or hurt."

"Most of the Divas I know live like I do, on a diet with Diet drinks, energy drinks, and eternally doing Cross-Fit. Do you Cross Fit?"

"1-I'm no Diva, and I need my strength to take on the Superstars I do. 2- Diet soda? Yuck. That shit makes me want to hurl. 3- Energy drinks would probably have me high as a kite. I'm not supposed to be a bouncy character remember? And 4- Cross Fit? You mean the exercise cult? No, I haven't done that. I lift weights and Joe goes for a run with me twice a day."

"You should Cross Fit with me. Joe used to do it all the time. Why don't the three of us do it together sometime? Maybe before Raw tomorrow?"

"No."

His head dropped.

"I understand. Sorry."

"No, you don't. It would be stupid for me to try a new training regiment right before a show. Maybe Wednesday or Thursday."

He lifted his head excited again.

"Sure! I'll bring the Kill Cliff!"

"No way! I'm not touching that shit! I'd like to be able to sleep this year," I said laughing.

As I said that, Joe walked into the locker room with the food. He looked from Colby, still on his knees at my feet, to me.

"What's going on?" he asked.

"Colby is trying to convert me to a Cross Fit and Kill Cliff addict."

"Baby Girl I don't think you need Kill Cliff to get high like him."

"I told him no," I said laughing again. "Besides, I value the ability to sleep. Something tells me if I start on that shit, I'll never do it again."

"You might not, but who needs sleep?" Colby said happily as he got up and helped Joe set up our food. "How do you let her eat so badly, Joe? Milkshakes and burgers? Salad and water is healthier."

"Hey!" I said interrupting. "Don't forget you ordered yourself a bacon cheeseburger Two-Tone!"

"She's got you there, Colby," Joe said.

"Okay. You got a point. I just never met a woman who eats like her. She eats like the guys."

"I also wrestle like and with the guys. Don't treat me differently. I'm not that fragile."

We sat down and ate. I could tell Joe was wary of Colby, but at the same time, it was almost as if he didn't know what had happened between me and him. It was very clear that Joe missed Colby's friendship. It was just as clear that Colby missed Joe. Maybe Joe could help Colby stay on the right path.

When Summerslam officially started, Colby left the locker room because Seth Rollins and Dean Ambrose had the second match of the night against Jimmy and Jey Uso. When he left, Joe didn't have time to question me because I had to finish getting ready for my match against Bo, which was right after Colby's match. Joe walked me down to the gorilla position where Taylor was waiting for his music to start. When it did, he gave me a huge smile and bounced out onto the stage. Joe gave me a hug and then Colby came running over to us.

"Guys, I'm going out with you," he said quickly.

"What? People think you still hate me."

"That's why I'm coming down a minute into your match. You need back-up, Cassie and Joe isn't ready to go yet."

"What the hell is going on, Colby?" Joe growled.

"I just heard Jon talking to one of the NXT guys. They're gonna ambush you during your match. Joe go get dressed. Cassie, I'll follow you out. I'm not letting him hurt you. He's got Corey Graves with him."

Joe gave me a quick kiss and rushed off to our locker room. He was almost ring-ready, but he needed to change a little more. I was worried. I knew Taylor wouldn't have done this. This was all Jonathan Good.

"At least he can't be down there himself, but you know he's gonna see this, Colby. Are you sure you're ready for that?"

"I promised you. I meant it."

"I appreciate the warning and the help, but I'm just warning you to remember what happened when Joe turned on you and Jonathan. You're facing that now. If you choose not to, I'd understand and would still trust you because you warned me what was coming."

I hugged him and had to leave before he could respond. My music had started and it was my time to head to the ring. He had to think about what was best for him. I didn't want him blindly doing things because of me.

The bell rang and Bo came at me. We locked up center ring for about a minute. I broke away from him and hit him with a right hand, knocking him halfway across the ring. He ran back at me and I grabbed him, performing a swinging neck breaker. When he got back up, he grabbed me and performed a power bomb on me, picking me right back up and hitting me with a suplex. As he rolled over and covered me he whispered to me.

"Did I hurt you, Cassie?"

"I'm fine. Don't worry. I'm tougher than I look," I replied as I kicked out at two.

I got up and performed a sidewalk slam on Bo and then grabbed him by his left arm, forcing him to his feet, led him to the ropes, where I climbed to the top rope and performed Old School on him. While he writhed around in pain on the mat, the music hit, Corey Graves was running to the ring. Just before he got to the ring, new music hit, Joe's. And as he came running down to the ring, Colby came running with him.

The two of them went to work on Corey Graves until everyone heard it "Sierra. Hotel. India. Echo. Lima. Delta. The Shield." Dean Ambrose came running from behind them and attacked Colby. While Dean and Seth went at it, Roman and Corey Graves went at it. I went back to my match. In the background I could vaguely hear the announcers going crazy over what was going on.

"SETH ROLLINS AND DEAN AMBROSE ARE HAVING AN ALL-OUT FIGHT! DEAN AMBROSE HAS ATTACKED SETH ROLLINS!" King screamed.

Bo hit me with a DDT. Instead of covering me, he started to showboat. While he did, I sat up like my father did in matches. When he turned back to me, he flinched. I got to my feet and chokeslammed him. As he stirred, I picked him up and Tombstoned him. I covered him, and won the match. New music started to play. Paige.

Paige made her way down to the ring. She ignored the carnage of Corey Graves and Dean Ambrose. She ignored Bo pretending to be out cold in the ring. She didn't acknowledge Roman who was at my side or Seth who was just outside the ring. She came right to me, with a mic in her hand.

"Morgana. It has been too long, hasn't it, Sister?" she said with her British accent.

"Who the hell are you?" I said, playing my part.

"Don't you recognize me anymore? You should. We are twins after all," she continued.

The lights went out. The gong rang. The temperature dropped. Dad made his way to the ring. He looked from me to Paige. He was playing his part well.

"Where have you been hidden all these years?" he asked her at last.

"You will find out when the time is right, Dad. But I'm here now, and decided to say hi to my darling sister who has obviously forgotten all about me," she said turning to me. "Or did you, Morgana? Did you forget the man you saw grab me when we were little girls?"

"I… I don't know what…" I stammered through my lines as I was supposed to.

"Morganna?" Dad looked at me questioningly.

"I don't remember," I said, looking away from him. "I thought she was dead like you did, Dad."

"Do you know what she's talking about?"

"No! I don't!" I exclaimed.

I went to storm past her, but Paige stopped me.

"Don't worry, Sister. This is our dominion. Our family will show all these pathetic creatures. We'll take control of everything," she said as she smiled at me.

I smiled back at her and she raised my arm, the one with the Intercontinental Championship, in victory for my match. Together, Paige and I made our way out of the ring, with Dad, Roman, and Seth trailing behind us.