Title: Righteousness, Revelations and Enigmas: Locked Up in Los Angeles
Author: Kaykyaka
Disclaimer: I do not own any of the WWE and TNA characters used within this fictional story. No copyright infringement is intended and no money is being made by this work of fiction.
Ratings: K+
Characters: Shawn, Cameron, Rebecca and Cheyenne Michaels, Amy 'Lita' Dumas Michaels, Hunter Hurst Helmsley, LC Helmsley, Aurora Rose Helmsley, Chyna Helmsley, Trish, Randy and Randy Orton Jr, Melina, Johnny and Romeo Hennigan, Jeff, Stephanie and Elizabeth Hardy, Angelo and Angela Jericho, Vince McMahon, Marion Cena, Brie and Justin Danner, Alannah Pirelli and Charlotte, Dan and Carla McCool.
Summary: With their friends on trial for attempted murder, Batista and CM Punk try to find Brie to testify against Jericho on their behalf. Will her testimony be enough to stop ATM, Shawn, Randy, Jeff and Joanie from going to prison for a crime they didn't commit?
Chapter Thirty Six – The Verdict
The court room, New Year's Eve, Los Angeles, CA 3pm
Jericho was a nervous wreck. Last night Beth Hardy had told him that three people had come back to life. One being Justin Danner, one being Rebecca Michaels but it was the third person that Jericho had the biggest issue with, Triple H. Not only had The Game come back to life, he had a brand new body and a head full of long shiny hair. The idea that God would give Triple H a new body made Jericho tremble and he was no longer confident that the verdict was going to go his way.
Stephanie sat by her "husband's" side squeezing his hand tightly and assuring him that everything was going to be okay, of course she didn't mean it. Her face lit up when she saw Hunter fresh from Heaven two days ago; her prayer had been answered, along with the prayers of the DX family and the entire WWE roster. In a few minutes DX and their family were going to go free and Jericho was going to wish he never came back to Earth.
Jeff Hardy looked over at Stephanie from the witness table. He saw her holding Jericho's hand and encouraging him that everything was going to be alright. Jeff knew nothing could be further from the truth but it didn't make the sight of Stephanie sitting next to him any easier to accept. Beth told him what Jericho had made Stephanie go through over the last few weeks; he yelled at her and she responded the same each time, by telling him how much she hated Jeff and the DX family and that brought a smile to Jericho's face. She talked about how much she hated Aurora and how once the trial was over she was going to make sure Aurora didn't get a dime of money from her while Jeff was in prison. Stephanie was living a lie because the truth could get her killed at this point, so Jeff waited with bated breath for the verdict because the outcome would be what he and the rest of the DX family had been wanting for a long time, justice.
Brie and Justin Danner were watching the trial from Melina and Johnny's house in Santa Monica but Batista and CM Punk decided to be in court for the verdict and they were sitting with the other WWE wrestlers anticipating the 'not guilty' ruling that they had been hoping for since DX and family were first arrested.
Vince, Linda, Big Kev, Tristen, Tamara and the ARK Angels of DX were also in attendance. Rebecca Michelle and Randy Orton, Jr were also there. The obvious missing person was Aurora, the reason she wasn't there was because she couldn't control her weather power and if provoked could destroy Jericho and end up making things a lot worse. Aurora was with the Undertaker and the Bordens in Houston watching the trial on television. Samoa Joe and Victoria had gathered with Ring of Honor and TNA at their house in L.A to watch the verdict, the whole wrestling world was watching the most important moment in the lives of DX unfold.
"Can the defendants please stand," the bailiff said to the DX family.
Judge Hartmann cleared his throat with his hands clasped before him, "You are some of the most peculiar people to be accused of attempted murder," he said looking at the angelic accused. "You are also some of the most beloved and talented people in the world. If not for the accusations of one man, Chris Jericho, you would not be here today, yet over the past few weeks he has successfully mounted a case against you that disqualifies all the good things that you are all known for and calls your so-called Christianity into question. Could you all have conspired against this man in a vain attempt to hold onto the wrestling legacy you created, or could Chris Jericho be lying to get back at Triple H for disfiguring him several years ago? There is no proof that Jericho is lying and what there is proof of is that you have much to lose by him being alive. This I am most certain of which leads me to make the following verdict,"
Everyone watching leaned forward with anticipation as Judge Hartmann uttered the words,
"I find you Shawn Michaels, Amy Dumas Michaels, Jeff Hardy, Joanie Helmsley, Randy Orton and Trish Stratus Orton guilty of attempted murder of Chris Jericho. I hereby sentence you 25 years to life in a maximum security state prison right here in Los Angeles, CA. This case is now closed," Judge Hartmann said and banged his gavel.
The sound of shock could be heard throughout the court room. Stephanie rose to her feet in a daze and she let go of Chris Jericho's hand. All her pretense melted away in hearing the verdict. She couldn't hide her true feelings anymore, not that Jericho noticed he was too busy celebrating.
"YES!" he cried and he jumped up and down triumphantly. "I WIN, I WIN, I WIN!"
The wrestlers in court were beside themselves and were unable to bring themselves to terms with what they had heard, as were the wrestlers outside and those watching from home like Undertaker and Sting.
Vince and Linda McMahon watched Jericho celebrate making a complete jackass of himself.
"What a moron," Vince said shaking his head, Linda rolled her eyes and Stephanie made a beeline for her parents wondering why they were so calm.
Vince reached a comforting hand out to his baby girl before she even opened her mouth, "Relax Steph, we know something you don't know. The verdict is out but this trial was never in the hands of the judge. It was in God's hands and He shall have the final say," Vince said and Stephanie liked the sound of that.
"Tell me what you know guys," she asked her parents and Linda smiled. "I wanna know it too!"
"Just watch my love," Linda said and Stephanie sat next to her parents and watched just as they were watching. Eventually the WWE roster began to wonder what the McMahons were watching and the TV people began to notice it and the camera men zoomed in on the McMahons. People began to tweet, "Why are the McMahons all smiling?" Soon "McMahons happy with DX verdict" was trending worldwide and soon everyone was talking about it.
Jericho wasn't paying any attention to them, he was too busy celebrating. He bounced up and down and eventually he strutted over to the angelic accused and started to brag about the verdict.
"You're all going to go away and while you're all gone I'm going to take over the whole wrestling industry. Me and Steph are going to be the King and Queen of wrestling and you pious jerks won't be around to stop me!" he boasted.
Randy and Trish exchanged glances, "Should we tell him?" Trish asked Randy but they were soon interrupted by the arrival of Triple H.
"Looks like we won't have to," Randy replied and Jericho zeroed in on The Game.
"Arrest him bailiff, he tried to avoid getting arrested now here's your opportunity!" Jericho said to the bailiff.
Triple H watched as the bailiffs approached him and he waved to DX and family.
"Hey judge, you might wanna tell your guys to hold off on arresting me," Hunter said to Judge Hartmann who was just about to depart for his chambers.
"And why is that? You were supposed to be on trial as-well, why have you decided to show up now?" Judge Hartmann asked the Game.
"Oh judge, I wouldn't miss this for the world," The Game replied and Judge Hartmann frowned at Triple H as did Arthur Metcalfe.
"What is he talking about?" Arthur asked his clients but he didn't get a response from any of them, he would see what The Game was talking about just like everyone else would momentarily.
Sting and Undertaker knew what The Game was talking about. When Stephanie kicked Aurora out of the house in Long Island, she told 'Taker that if Jericho was successful in court she would cause an earthquake to rip through Los Angeles.
"It's SHOWTIME!" Sting said excitedly as Aurora used her God-given weather power to separate the tectonic plates on the west coast. Soon L.A. was shaking but unlike most earthquakes there would be no fatalities, except for one. It was an earthquake sent by God to destroy the evil Chris Jericho.
The court room suddenly and violently shook and the ground split, separating DX and family from Jericho. Soon everyone on Jericho's side slid over to DX's side. Soon the side that Jericho was on began to sink into the lava boiling up beneath the court room floor. He looked into the crimson abyss recognizing it but once again instead of repenting he looked up at Hunter scowling.
"I HATE YOU!" he cried. "I'LL ALWAYS HATE YOU!"
As much as it satisfied Hunter to see Jericho go back to Hell there was a part of him that didn't want to see him go there, so he did what he thought he never would. He reached out to Jericho and pulled him up from the sinking ground.
"Daddy what are you doing?" Aurora screamed from Taker's house in Houston and she flew through the air towards Los Angeles while Taker, Steven Borden senior and junior watched in amazement, especially junior.
"I think he likes her Steve," Undertaker said to Sting who nodded, happy that his son was growing ever fonder of the powerful Aurora Rose.
Back in the court room Hunter was going to attempt to help Chris Jericho who was seething with so much hatred it was hard not to see anywhere but Hell as his eternal destination.
"Jericho years ago Trish prophesized that we were eternal soul mates. She said that we would be pals in eternity. Truth said that I was supposed to end up in Hell with you but I turned my life over to Jesus and he saved me, so I don't think we're going to be in Hell together but I'd like to think that there's still a chance we could end up in eternity in Heaven but in order for that to happen, you are going to have to forgive me. Shawn and Amy have asked you to forgive me, LC has asked you to forgive me and all three times you refused to forgive me. But yet you don't wanna go back to Hell, you choose Hell over forgiveness and that's how much you hate me that you would choose death over life, what kind of candy ass moron does that?" Hunter asked perplexed. He wasn't the evangelist that Shawn was but this was the best he could do.
"The kind of candy ass moron that wants you to burn in Hell for all you've done to me and all you've taken from me!" Jericho yelled with eyes dark with hatred.
"That's never going to happen, I'm not going to Hell Jericho and there's nothing you can do to change that," Hunter replied confidently.
"Don't be so sure of that Hunter!" Jericho snapped and he grabbed Hunter by the mane and pulled him towards the hot molten lava.
"No daddy!" Aurora cried flying into the court room and she pulled her father up from the ground high into the air.
"Oh my goodness," Judge Hartmann said watching alongside the whole world in amazement at what he was seeing. "That girl is flying!"
Aurora flew up to the chandelier in the court house and sat with her father there while Jericho who still held onto Hunter now hung from the chandelier swinging it back and forth.
"You can't save him daddy," Aurora said to her father. "He will stop at nothing to destroy you and the whole family,"
Jericho reached for Hunter's leg trying to pull him off the chandelier and into the fiery earth below.
"See, even now he's trying to kill you and you waste your time trying to save him? Daddy you can't force Jesus on people, they have to come to Christ on their own," Aurora said and she got angry at Jericho for shaking the chandelier trying to make her father fall off of it. "Quit shaking the chandelier!"
"Damn you Aurora Rose, your mother should have aborted you. That kick to your ribs should have been a punt to your head you little daddy's girl!" Jericho spat at Aurora.
"Hey I'd rather be daddy's girl than the devil's bitch," Aurora said and she flew off the chandelier with Hunter over to the angelic accused and Jericho continued to hang from the chandelier.
"So this is it, this is how it all ends. Bye Chris!" Vince McMahon said waving at Jericho waiting for him to plummet to his fiery death along with everyone still watching the trial.
"AURORA!"
Aurora looked up to see Steve Borden II hanging from the chandelier.
"Steven!" Aurora cried and she ran up to rescue him before the chandelier fell.
"No Ro-Ro it's a trick!" Trish cried out but it was too late. Steven was not there, nobody was there but Jericho and as the chandelier began to rip away from the ceiling Aurora was thinking that he was hanging from it. If the chandelier fell all three of them would fall into the molten abyss. Jeff Hardy saw the danger.
"I'm gonna have to intercede here guys," Jeff Hardy said to the Ortons.
"What happened?" Hunter asked confused by his daughter's actions.
Jeff caught Aurora as the chandelier fell but Jericho grabbed onto his leg and tried to pull them both in.
"I'm coming!" Cheyenne called out and she ran over to Jeff and Aurora and pulled them out of the ground then she tried to wrestle Jericho off of Aurora's leg. Her Phenomenal Strength was too much for him and eventually he let Aurora go. He pulled Cheyenne's long hair almost like he wanted to tear it out of her head.
"Chey!" Rebecca called out and Cheyenne cried out to her mother.
"Mom help me he's tearing my hair out!" Cheyenne cried.
"I'm coming baby!" Shawn said jumping over the witness table towards his daughter but Rebecca stopped him.
"No Shawn I got this one," she said.
Rebecca suddenly realized what she would have to do. She would have to make sure Jericho went to Hell but in order to do that she would have to once again become an angel of the Lord and leave Earth for Heaven, which meant she couldn't be a mother and wife again like she wanted to. With a heavy heart she made her choice.
"I'm so glad I brought this with me to court today," said LC coming up to Jericho showing off her Ax of Judgment and she brought it down on Jericho's hand severing it from his body.
"ARGHHHH!" Jericho cried out but LC didn't actually cut his hand off, it was the fear of God that caused him to think she would. By the time he realized his hand was still there he had let go of Cheyenne's hair and now he had nowhere to go but down.
Rebecca peered down at Jericho as he clung to the hot earth quickly disintegrating underneath him.
"It is not the will of God that any man should perish, all that go to Hell go of their own will. Now go back to the place you decided to call home for all eternity and never touch God's anointed ones again!" Rebecca said and the seething, hissing and tormenting soul of Chris Jericho fell into the baking earth which then closed up around him and he was gone.
"He's gone, he's really gone!" Jeff Hardy cried.
"YAY!" cried all the wrestlers and now it was their turn to celebrate. The world watched in amazement as Chris Jericho was sent to Hell by Shawn Michaels' wife who everyone thought was dead.
Arthur Metcalfe was now convinced that the DX family had been right all along and Chris Jericho really was from Hell, he had never seen a human being behave like that.
"Judge Hartmann I request for this trial to be dismissed being that Chris Jericho was not the man he claimed to be whereas my clients are exactly what they always said they were," Mr. Metcalfe said smiling at his clients relived that he was on the right side of the law.
The judge looked at the angelic accused in amazement. "So all that stuff you said about being on assignment from God, that was all true," he asked them.
"Yes it is and our work isn't over yet," Trish Orton said.
"Its not? Oh man!" Hunter complained and Randy Orton rolled his eyes at him.
"And your children have divine powers too just like you said," the judge said.
"Yes they do," Shawn said hugging Cheyenne while Hunter scratched his head wondering what had happened to Aurora, she nearly lost her life.
"I have the answer," Randy said to Hunter who looked Randy's way and the King's Oracle indicated for him to wait for the judge to finish talking.
"It seems to me that you are all far more extraordinary than I realized for Chris Jericho to harbor so much hatred towards you to the point of using demonic forces against you and your family," the judge said.
"Many are the afflictions of the righteous but the Lord delivers us out of them all," Amy said quoting Psalm 34:19.
"Indeed He does and I'm going to deliver you too to where you will be safe. This trial has been covered worldwide and there will be a lot of people horrified by what they have seen, after all not everyone believes in the God that you serve. So I will retract the guilty verdict and dismiss the charges brought against you all, including those brought against Melina and Johnny Hennigan wherever they are. But it is also my ruling that you leave this country and live somewhere else for awhile," Judge Hartmann said. "Just until all this media attention wears off,"
"Judge we've got just the place," Trish Orton said with a smile but the wrestlers didn't think it was so great.
"So we lose you guys anyway?" Kelly Kelly said sadly.
"Yeah that doesn't seem right," Kofi Kingston added.
"Just see it as a short vacation," Amy added. "We'll still be back and running things in no time right guys?"
"Right," Hunter and Shawn said. "Thanks your honor,"
"Thank you all for reminding me that I too serve a righteous Judge," Judge Hartmann replied and he left while the bailiffs tried to figure out the best way to get everyone out of the court room. Even though the flash earthquake was over people outside were still discussing the second death of Chris Jericho in Los Angeles. Many wanted to repent, many were touched by what they had seen in a positive way and many wanted to see DX and the ARK Angels and ask them questions about God, Jesus, Heaven and Hell and Judge Hartmann was having none of it. He arranged for them to be privately escorted out of Los Angeles as soon as possible.
Shawn looked at Rebecca amazed at her selfless act.
"You gave us up to continue working with God in Heaven," he said and Rebecca nodded.
"I wanted to be with you so badly but in that moment when I saw Cheyenne's hair being pulled by the ravaged demon-possessed Jericho I realized that you need me much up there than you do down here," Rebecca said and she hugged Shawn while Amy looked on relieved that she wouldn't be leaving her family after all. The Ortons smiled, they knew she wasn't really going anywhere.
Tamara Nash came over to them wanting to talk to Rebecca before she went back to her Heavenly duties.
"I was so wrong about you Rebecca, you are a woman of God and I'm so sorry for the awful things I said to you yesterday and for throwing water in your face," Tamara said sincerely.
"You did what?" Shawn said outraged. "You disrespected Cheyenne and Cameron's mother?"
"It's okay Tammy I forgive you," Rebecca said to her old friend.
"So you're going back to Heaven, I kinda don't want you to go now," Tamara said.
"Kinda?" Rebecca said with a frown.
"Well I still don't want to lose Amy," she said and Rebecca laughed and she turned to Amy. She didn't get a chance to say anything to her as Amy hugged her tightly and cried over her, eventually Rebecca cried too.
"I always respected you and now I respect you even more, don't be gone long Rebecca I want my daughter to know what she was missing," Amy said.
"I'll always be around," Rebecca said.
"Okay guys your limo is waiting to escort you to LAX," one of the bailiffs said to DX and family.
"Hey we've got our own limousine," Hunter said and he called their driver to have the DX machine pull up to the court house from LAX airport.
"But we can't just leave like that, we have to say goodbye to everyone first," Shawn said.
"This is the judge's decision and it is final," the bailiff said and they all sighed.
"Okay we'll make it quick," Jeff said and they hugged as many people as they could.
The Ortons picked up their son who was sitting with Rebecca Michelle the whole time.
"You know how this is gonna go down son, we'll call you from Jamaica," Randy Orton said to his little boy.
"Guys aren't you forgetting something?" RJO said to his parents.
"No," Trish and Randy replied.
"Rebecca sent Jericho to Hell but he was in Uncle Hunter's old body," RJ said. "That body was baptized it can't go to Hell,"
"No son Uncle Hunter was baptized not his body, the baptism is of the spirit not the flesh because the flesh is evil," Trish replied. "Ain't that right Randy?"
Randy wasn't so sure, "Let's talk about it on the way to Jamaica," he said.
"Don't worry we'll be watching things over here," Rebecca Michelle said.
"That's good to know," Trish replied and she kissed Remi on her cheek. "Rebecca would have been a pretty good stepmom you know,"
Rebecca Michelle nodded. "I never gave her a chance, once you've had the best you forget all the rest," she said loving on her mom and the Ortons smiled at her.
Amy and Shawn hugged Cheyenne and Cameron, "Guys you know the drill, we'll be in touch as soon as we get to Jamaica. Just make sure no-one outside of the wrestling world knows where we are," Shawn said to his children.
"What about the wedding?" Cheyenne asked him.
"What wedding?" Shawn replied and Cheyenne grew angry.
"Daddy!" she said and Shawn remembered.
"Is that still on?" he replied and Cheyenne was outraged that he had forgotten that she was getting married to Tristen.
"Yes daddy it is still on," she said with her hands on her hips.
"Look the only people getting married in the New Year are these two," Shawn said to Cheyenne pointing to Cameron and LC. "Now Hunter's back in the flesh there's no need for them to wait, you on the other hand can wait a little longer,"
"Are you insane?" Cheyenne asked her father.
"No I'm your father and there is no way you are rushing into this, it's obvious Tristen is pushing you to do this because he . . ."
"Because he's what?" Cheyenne said offended.
Amy and Cameron looked away not wanting this to get worse.
"Shawn we gotta go," Amy said to her husband as Rebecca Michelle skipped over to her and jumped into her arms for a loving embrace.
"Yeah Chey we can talk about this later," Cameron said pulling his sister away but her Phenomenal Strength was in action and she wasn't going anywhere.
"Okay let's ask your mother what she thinks about this before she goes back to Heaven, if she approves I'll agree to it as-well, how's that sound?" Shawn said to Cheyenne.
"Yeah okay that's fair, mom what do you think. Should I get married to Tristen next week or not?" Cheyenne said to Rebecca and now everyone was listening.
"I'm sorry Chey I can't answer that question. My job is to carry out the instructions God gives me, this one is out of my hands now," Rebecca said and Cheyenne stamped her foot with a Phenomenal stomp.
"Grrr!" she grunted and the ground started to crack.
"Oops, Chey I think you stomped too hard," Cameron said to his sister and the crack in the ground widened.
"I can't help it I'm so mad!" she said and she stomped her foot again and the crack got wider.
"Cheyenne stop stomping your foot," Cameron said but Cheyenne wouldn't listen.
"No!" she said and she stomped her foot again, the ground beneath her split and lava splashed up on her face burning her.
"ARGHHH!" Cheyenne cried.
"Quick get the balm of Gilead!" Shawn said and Amy quickly got a bit of the balm on her finger and quickly Shawn smeared it all over his daughter's face.
"Daddy it hurts!" Cheyenne cried as Shawn rubbed the balm into her face.
"The burn's gone Chey, don't cry," Shawn said hugging his daughter and Rebecca watched the crack in the ground.
"Okay guys don't freak out but I think we got a problem," Rebecca said.
"What's wrong?" Amy asked her and Rebecca slid between the cracks.
"Rebecca!" Shawn cried out but she slipped down into the hot earth below.
"Mom!" Cheyenne cried out in horror.
"She's okay guys," Cameron said and shortly after Rebecca appeared back up on the surface with Hunter's old body in her arms.
The body was no longer cosmetically altered to look like Chris Jericho, it was just as it had been before Jericho took possession of it.
"RJ was right," Randy said to Trish as everyone looked down at Hunter's old body. The sight of it was overwhelming for Hunter who was now in a new body given to him by God.
"Oh my God, I really did die, Jericho killed me," Hunter said with tears falling down his cheek.
"What are we going to do we can't bury you daddy," LC said.
"No way," Aurora said.
"There is something I can do," Rebecca said. "Remember Enoch in the Bible? God took him to Heaven, he never really died. I can do the same, I can take this body to Heaven with me," Rebecca said.
"Thanks Rebecca," Hunter said and he hugged her warmly.
"That's one smart kid you've got there," Rebecca Michelle said to the Ortons and Rebecca agreed rubbing RJ's head affectionately.
"RJ was right on the money because the problem we've got now is that while Cheyenne was throwing her tantrum, Jericho's spirit escaped from Hell – again," Rebecca said and everyone cried out in anguish.
"My bad," Cheyenne said and everyone looked at her resentfully.
"Just for that you and Tristen are not getting married in the New Year, I am officially postponing your wedding until further notice," Shawn said and Cheyenne didn't dare protest this time.
"So Jericho's not in Hell anymore," Vince McMahon said annoyed.
"Nope he's airborne again, probably looking for another host," Rebecca said and she walked up to Stephanie. "But don't worry as soon as me and the other angels track him down we'll let you guys know,"
"Thanks Rebecca," Stephanie said and Vince and Linda hugged her.
"You guys better get out of here," Kevin Nash said to DX and CM Punk and Batista exchanged weary glances with Brie and Justin Danner.
"So if Jericho's loose that means we're in a lot of trouble, right?" Brie said to Punk and Batista thinking that he would definitely be coming after them.
"Who cares, we're on our way to Jamaica!" Justin said excitedly and Brie remembered that the angel Rebecca said that they would have to relocate with DX and their family for safety and suddenly she didn't feel so upset.
"What about you guys?" Brie said to Punk and Batista. "Why don't you come with us?"
"We'll be fine, you guys go and get the much needed break you deserve," Punk replied and the Danners hugged them both.
"Thanks for everything guys," Brie said to Punk and Batista who hugged them back.
"It was a pleasure working with you guys and we're gonna be seeing you again soon," Batista said and the Danners smiled at them both and headed out of the court room for LAX with DX, Jeff and the Ortons.
Edge looked at the crack in the ground and wondered why it hadn't sealed up.
"Guys do you think anything else is gonna come out of this hole?" he asked Big Show and Kofi Kingston.
"Let's not wait to find out," Big Show replied and the wrestlers cleared out of the court room and headed to their hotel rooms, eager to get out of L.A as soon as possible.