Chapter Thirty-Three: You Make It Through the Rain
Randy had opened the show, much to the annoyance of the crowd in attendance for Raw. He had gone on and on about how he had been screwed last night. How the WWE Championship had been stolen from him. Triple H had cheated. The WWE Championship should be around his waist right now and the guilty parties would be punished tonight. He told them how security had removed Triple H and The Rock from the building, how they wouldn't be allowed back in tonight. And for his match later on, he would face Triple H's accomplice one on one to put an end to his mistreatment.
They had booed, jeered and had been genuinely horrified at the idea of Randy Orton facing Haley Mariano in a one on one no disqualification match. For the rest of the show, a cloud of dread hung in the air. When the time finally came for the main event, there was riotous feeling to the crowd, as though they were ready to jump the barricades in protest.
Lilian Garcia stood in the center of the ring, a reluctant look on her face as she announced the next contest. "The following is a no disqualification, intergender match, scheduled for one fall."
The opening guitar riffs of Gavin DeGraw filled the arena, and despite their displeasure at the match, the crowd cheered in welcome. The curtain was pushed back, and Haley rigidly stepped onto the stage, now wearing her pink and black wrestling attire, her hair pulled back from her face in a loose, wavy ponytail. She forced a weak smile for the crowd before starting down the ramp to the ring below.
"Introducing first, from Boston, Massachusetts, Haley Mariano!" Lilian stared at her in sympathy and horror. She seemed unable to believe that Haley was actually out there to participate, but Vickie had left her little choice in the matter, allowing Ted and Cody to stand guard outside the Diva's locker room to make sure she didn't flee the arena.
Haley slowly climbed the steels and stepped through the ropes into the ring. She couldn't bring herself to summon the enthusiasm for her usual entrance. Instead she chose to lean against a far turnbuckle, waiting for the inevitable.
As she folded her arms across her chest, she noticed Jamie's bracelet on her wrist and sent up a silent prayer that the little girl was in bed, not about to witness yet another horrifying and humiliating moment of her life at the hands of Randy Orton. Todd and Junie would be more cautious this time, wouldn't they?
Thoughts of Jamie vanished the moment Rev Theory hit the sound system. Hatred for the Viper was at an all time high, as he had sunk to an all time low. A war against Triple H was one thing, but a match against a Diva, that was something else.
Randy appeared completely unbothered by the boos, the jeers and the waving middle fingers he was receiving. His eyes were zeroed in on Haley as he began his slow methodical walk to the ring. He was enjoying the brief flicker of fear across her face before she would refocus her expression into 'Game' face.
"Sometimes you'll be in the ring with an opponent who's bigger than you," Hunter's voice suddenly seemed to come through the nerves in her head. "You have to use their strength against them. Be smarter. Be faster. Turn their momentum into your favor."
Words of advice spoken long ago, when she thought her toughest opponent would be Beth Phoenix. What she would give for it to be the Glamazon she was facing now. But this was the hand she had been dealt. She had already been Randy's victim once, this time she wouldn't plead with him. She wouldn't beg. She was stronger this time, and if he wanted to punish her, the least she could do was make it hard for her.
"He wants a match." She muttered to herself. "I'll give him one."
"I hope there never comes a day where you have to step in the ring with a Superstar." Dwayne's voice this time. "But both Lita and Trish have had to in the past. Hell, I planted Stephanie with a Rock Bottom once. So if that ever happens, screw the rules. Fight dirty if you have to. Protect yourself first, forget about winning."
Randy stood across from her in the ring, smirking vindictively. Jack Doan had an expression of distaste on his face, but he called for the bell as there were no rules to remind them of, it was a no disqualifications match.
Ding. Ding. Ding.
The moment the last chime of the bell rang, Randy lunged forward, eager to get his hands on her. Focused, Haley ducked underneath his arms, sprinting to the ropes behind him. At the last second, she turned so that her back connected with the ropes, spring boarding her forward to use a running high knee against Randy when he turned around to find her again.
Against another Diva, the hit would have taken her down. Against a man of Randy's size, it only sent him a couple of stumbling steps backwards. Still, a murmur of shock and excitement went through the fans. They hadn't expected Haley to fight back, and since it seemed that she was, they firmly got behind her.
Randy whirled around, clutched his abdomen with one arm, where she hit him and swung his free fist toward her. Again, Haley used her agility and backed out of the way. If she could stay out of his reach and get little strikes in, she might be able to do some damage.
"Bitch." Randy snarled.
"Come on you fucker, you want a wrestling match?" Haley's voice wavered only the tiniest bit. "Then let's do this."
She was vaguely aware that a 'Haley' chant had risen from the crowd. She didn't dare take her eyes off Randy, especially when he had begun stalking toward her again. She side stepped, her movement seeming skittish to Randy, who grunted and charged again.
At the last second, she ducked and rolled out of the way as Randy propelled himself shoulder first into the steel turnbuckle. It was the very same shoulder that had given him the most trouble over the years and she had hope that would be the shoulder to take the hit. Exploiting Randy's only weakness was her best shot at getting through this.
The crowd was beginning to get excited at her outsmarting Randy, their cheering becoming overwhelming. Especially when Haley hit him with a dropkick as she backed away from the turnbuckle, clutching his shoulder in pain. He hit the canvas with a dull thud, grunting in pain.
She scrambled forward, trying to roll him up, which was difficult considering their size difference, praying it might be that easy.
He kicked out barely past one, the force behind it sending her flying backwards to hit the mat like a helpless rag doll. She was already reaching for the ropes to pull herself back up, not wanting to be caught down by a blood thirsty viper.
Randy was already rushing her, this time she took the clothesline, flipping over the top rope to the floor below. The crowd booed loudly, several fans in the front row screaming at her to get up as she landed in a crumpled position on the black mat covering the floor.
"Fucking Bitch." Randy slid under the bottom rope after her. Fisting one hand in her hair and the other in the waistband of her shorts, he bodily dragged her up and threw her back into the ring. "I'm going to end your career."
Haley scrambled to the corner turnbuckle on her hands and knees, using the triangular padding to pull herself back up. She glared back at Randy. "I won't make it easy for you."
He grabbed her by the upper arm, hauling her against him. "You're going to beg me to make it stop before it's over."
"No DQ right?" Haley grit her teeth. "How's this?" She said, right before driving her knee up and into his groin.
The male members of the audience 'ohed' as Randy's face turned paper white and he fell to his knees, gingerly cupping himself as Haley stumbled back from him. She fell against the ropes and pushed herself forward, hitting him in the chest with a second dropkick.
As she stared at him on the canvas, still in pain, she glanced toward the outside apron. Was it possible? Could she hit him with No Boundaries when he got to his feet? Her hits on him didn't have the same effect as they would against another Diva, but she had kneed him in the groin. She had no choice really. No Boundaries was the only way she stood a chance. She had to try it.
As he rolled onto his belly in order to push up onto his hands and knees. Haley stepped through the ropes and onto the apron, gripping the top rope tightly in her hands. The crowd was in a frenzy around her, daring to believe that she could hit No Boundaries just as she prayed she could.
As he staggered upright, she took the chance, yanking down on the top rope, she leaped. Her feet bounced on the top rope as she was propelled forward. Then Randy turned.
He jumped as well, catching her in midair and reversing her attack into one of his scoop slams. Pain radiated down her spine from the impact and she lay on the mat, immobile. The crowd realizing the mistake and knowing Randy had the upper hand, was wild with fury.
"Mistake." He taunted her, right before moving into his agonizing joint stomping pattern. The more she cried out, the wider his grin became.
He paused, glaring out at the riotous crowd. Event security was having a difficult time restraining them. They had watched her be brutalized by Randy Orton once, a second time was a bit much. And Randy drank in their hatred like fine wine, savoring it for a long moment.
When he turned back to Haley, she was on her side, cradling her delicate left wrist in one hand. He wondered briefly if he broke the joint, then she pushed up onto her hands and knees, using the appendage to support her weight. And his eyes flashed red at her new, unknowingly vulnerable position.
He flew back at the turnbuckle, his mind revving like an engine as his eyes glazed over, focusing solely on her skull. A woman her size wouldn't come back so quickly after a second punt kick. There was only so much her smaller body could withstand.
He was so focused, he didn't hear the shift in the crowd, booing turning to excited and anxious cheering. He had only one goal, nothing else mattered. He burst from the turnbuckle, ready to kick her in the head, when a force hit him from the side like a battering ram, taking the Viper down to the canvas hard.
Dwayne Johnson was livid. He had used his fame to con the ticket collectors at the front to allow him in. Once he heard the plan for tonight's main event, he had been borderline desperate, willing to buy them all off with money if he had to. Fortunately, a couple of autographs was all they wanted. He had heard the protests of the crowd as he sprinted through the arena, down the steps in the crowd and vaulted himself over the security barricade. He had seen what Orton had planned and stopped it just in time.
Randy barely had time to cover himself from Dwayne's wild punches. He had been so focused on the punt kick he hadn't seen Dwayne coming, not until he was on top of him.
"Dwayne look out!" Haley gasped out the warning.
The Rock glanced away from where he had been trying to pummel Orton's face a moment too late to prevent the double team assault from Cody Rhodes and Ted Dibiase who had rushed down the ramp to their leader's aid. They took advantage of his distraction, Ted restraining him from behind so Cody could plow his fists into the Rock's solar plexus.
But the crowd was still cheering and moments later, Randy learned why. Sprinting down the stairs through the other side of the crowd was Triple H, who's expression was marred with fury.
"Cody!" Randy barked out, booting the Rock in the gut himself for retribution. "Hunter!" He pointed to the approaching Game, who had just swung himself over the security barricade. "Ted, take him out!"
Ted didn't need to be ordered twice. While Cody and Randy rushed to head off Triple H, the son of the Million Dollar Man reaffirmed his grip on the Rock, and planted him with his finisher, Dreamstreet.
"Dwayne!" Haley cried out, practically crawling to the Rock's fallen form, while Ted joined in on the three of one assault of Triple H. "Get up! Please, get up!"
There was another slam that shook the canvas and she looked over to see Triple H fall prey to Cody's finisher CrossRhodes. And once again, Haley found herself surrounded by three men who had made her life miserable for the past few months.
Randy was glowing with a sick, manic glee. "No one here to save you now, Haley. No more cavalry charge."
"Fuck you!" She spat, forcing herself up to her feet.
"Grab her!"
Ted and Cody moved in unison, each grasping one of her arms to keep her from moving around the ring, holding her in place for whatever it was that Randy planned to do next.
"Don't worry Haley," Randy smirked as he stalked closer. "You're going to join your mentors very soon. As soon as you can say R-K-"
Randy never got to finish his taunt.
Electric guitar riffs hit the sound system and a ripple of absolute shock went through the entire arena, before they exploded in a cheering frenzy. Randy's expression went completely slack, as he whipped around to stare at the titantron in horrified surprise.
Haley took advantage of the distraction and squirmed free, backing away from the three members of Legacy until she hit the corner turnbuckle, her gaze fixed on the ramp as well. Surprise, and hope flared in her chest. She could hear Jerry "The King" Lawler and Michael Cole's stunned remarks from behind her, as well as Randy's repetitive denial by saying the word 'no' over and over again.
But when he stepped through the curtain and onto the stage, the crowd's elation rose to a raucous level. She had to clap both hands over her mouth to keep from bursting into tears of happiness.
Batista was back.
He roared at the top of the ramp, a primal animalistic fury that promised bloodshed, before he broke into a sprint toward the ring, heading straight for Orton. Randy's slack jawed disbelief was all the opportunity he needed, so he slid under the bottom rope, and pushed himself up, hitting Orton with a solid spear. Then he twisted, ducking under an assault from Ted Dibiase and countering with a punch to Ted's face, which sent the rookie stumbling backwards, right into a Rock Bottom.
Batista's entrance had given the Rock enough time to shake off the effects of Dreamstreet, and he was happy to give Ted some retribution.
Cody tried a different tactic. He jumped on the Animal's back from behind, trying to put Batista in a sleeper hold. But Dave would not be deterred, he grasped Cody by the back of neck and pried him loose like he was little more than a doll, slamming him into the mat in front of him. Cody staggered back to his feet, clutching his lower back in pain. But he wasn't back up for long. Triple H also had enough time to recover and had no qualms about giving Cody a taste of his own medicine with one of his pedigrees.
Randy was back on his feet, and for the first time in a long time, something akin to fear flickered through his vacant eyes as he surveyed the fallen forms of Cody and Ted.
Batista came at him like a rampaging bull, forcing him into the corner, driving the air out of his lungs with shoulder block after shoulder block. Stepping back, he grabbed the Viper's arm and propelled him toward the ropes with an Irish whip. Orton hit them and bounced back, only to be caught in mid-step and planted onto the mat with a thundering spinebuster.
At this point, the crowd was going absolutely haywire as the Animal paced around the ring, roaring and shaking the ropes with almost enough strength to tear them out of the turnbuckle post. The fans around them all held their thumbs up with Batista for a scant few seconds, before it was thumbs down for Randy Orton.
He hauled Randy to his feet, forcing his head between his thighs before flipping him up onto his shoulders. Randy flailed his arms in a last ditch effort to save himself before he was falling backwards, being drilled into the mat off a Batista Bomb with so much force behind it, it was a wonder that the ring itself didn't collapse under their feet.
Triple H was at Haley's side, gently pushing her out of the corner. "Pin the Son of a Bitch!" He told her.
In all the chaos, Haley had momentarily forgotten that this was still a match.
"One-two-three, Haley Baby!" The Rock called to her encouragingly.
Randy lay unmoving on the canvas, completely knocked out after such a devastating finishing maneuver. And with a huge smile on her face, Haley rushed forward and pressed her hands down onto his shoulders, glancing over at Jack Doan as he slid down onto the canvas beside her, his palm slapping the mat for the three count.
"Here is your winner, Haley Mariano!" Lilian Garcia announced, sounding just as thrilled as the rest of the crowd.
She was vaguely aware of Gavin DeGraw playing through the arena again. She was all but deadweight as Hunter lifted her back up, crushing her against him in a warm hug. She felt Dwayne's hand on her lower back, heard the mumbled words he spoke to Hunter, but her eyes were on Dave, who stood a little ways off, glaring down at Orton's form.
"EXCUSE ME?!" Vickie's shriek of outrage, amplified in sound by the microphone she carried, immediately silenced Haley's music, ending the brief celebration.
"What the hell are you doing?" She continued, looking furious from her spot at the top of the ramp. "I barred you from the arena!" She directed towards Triple H and The Rock. "And Batista what are you evening doing here? You ruined my main event!"
They didn't even get the chance to answer her before new music followed her screeching. It seemed to be a night for unexpected returns. Vickie's face was absolutely milk white as the Chairman Vince McMahon strutted onto the stage beside her.
"Vickie," He said in his deep, authorative voice. "SHUT UP!"
Vickie flinched as though he physically struck her. Meanwhile, Ted and Cody managed to drag Randy's groggy body out of the ring. All three of them leaning against the security barricades before the ramp, gazing up at Mr. McMahon with trepidation.
"Hey Orton," Vince glowered down at him with disgust. "You think you got cheated last night? Well I've got the perfect solution. You'll get your rematch for the WWE Championship at Backlash." He announced. "But it'll be in a three on three tag match! It'll be you and the rest of Legacy vs. Triple H, The Rock, and The Animal, DAVE BATISTA!"
"NO! NO! NO!" Randy shook his head in horror as he glanced back at the three men who stood in the ring still.
Triple H grinned broadly, slapping The Rock on the shoulder. Obviously he liked the idea of this match and by the Rock's answering smirk, the People's Champion had no qualms with the idea either.
It was Batista however, who looked the most elated by the announcement. He leaned over the top rope, smirking down at Randy. "Oh yeah!" He shouted. "Remember me?! I'm going to make you pay for everything you've done, especially to Haley! I'M GOING TO BREAK YOU IN HALF!"
This time it was Batista's music that filled the arena, as Dave turned away from Randy to exchange black slapping hugs with The Rock and Triple H. Then he was moving past his teammates, lifting Haley up into his arms and holding her tightly against him.
All Haley could think was that it was about time.