For the first time in ages, Alexa wasn't having to consciously be positive. In truth, she was on cloud nine. Whether it was Vince McMahon, Paul Heyman or Clementine who was behind her getting this spot as Clem's partner, it was the chance that Alexa had been literally begging for.

Standing out in the arena, hours ahead of fans showing up, Alexa was listening to Heyman and Clementine putting together a segment for the show. She found herself thinking back to Clementine's comment three weeks earlier about having faith that things would get better. At the time, Alexa had mentally mocked the idea of divine intervention. Now, however, she was seriously considering saying a prayer to ask for tonight to go well. If it did, it could be a kick start to her main roster career. If not, she might as well head home and forget wrestling because there would not be another chance like this for her, she knew that for sure.

"Alexa?" Heyman asked, looking to her for any additional input she might have regarding what he had just been discussing with Clem.

"Sounds great to me," she said with a smile. Although it would have looked better if she had made at least one suggestion, Alexa was keen not to rock the boat, not on this night. All she wanted to focus on was knocking her performance out of the park on Raw.

"Alright, good," Heyman said. "Now, I want to reassure both of you, particularly you, Alexa, that this isn't going to be a throwaway deal. There has been too much of that recently, starting things only to give up on them after a couple of weeks. That's not going to happen with this."

"Brilliant," Alexa said, beaming. The more she heard, the better things were getting.

"Lastly, more of a general point. We're bringing Lita in as an agent," Heyman revealed. "I thought it was a good idea to have a woman giving some input into the women's division, and Vince went for it. Lita loved the idea, so she's starting next week."

"Awesome," Clementine said. "Can't wait to work with her."

"Okay, I think that'll do it, unless there are any questions?" Heyman said.

Alexa and Clem confirmed that they had nothing to ask, so they were free to head backstage.

Walking beside her soon-to-be new partner, Alexa found herself wanting to thank Clementine for whatever she had done to bring this opportunity her way. But on the other hand she realised it would be the best idea to come across like a complete loser. They were going to be a team, which meant she had to believe in herself to hold up her end. It was easier said than done when she was so lacking in confidence, but she had to summon everything she'd got and put it to good use.

Not long after getting backstage, Alexa saw the writer named Ashley approaching her. They had seen each other briefly earlier when Ashley had been hurrying to speak to someone else. This time Alexa was the one she wanted to see. "Lexi, I have you for a backstage segment. Can we run through it?"

"Sure," Alexa said brightly.

"Catch up with you later," Clem said, parting ways with a pleasant smile.

"She's so down to earth," Alexa said quietly to Ashley as they moved over to the side of the hallway where they could talk without getting in the way of other people.

"Yeah," Ashley smiled. "Obviously I've known Clem since she made the main roster. Even though she's blown up like crazy this past year or so, she hasn't changed a bit."

"I've never really spoken to her all that much," Alexa said. "I keep myself to myself. Nia and Mickie are the only real friends I made, and now they're both injured."

"Well, I don't think you'll go wrong having Clem for a partner." With that Ashley looked at the printed out notes that she had in her hand and got down to business. "Right, it's you and Shane in his office. Drew's going to be there too, but he doesn't have anything to say in this one. You're going to demand an opportunity for yourself. You're going to talk about all of the frustration and pain you've been through since you've been on Raw. Talk about how you're sick of being the one who is left out of everything. Talk about being done with seeing everyone else get chances that you never get."

Alexa took a deep breath and gulped it down. Just hearing Ashley mention it all made her feel like she was on the brink of tears. "I think I'll cry if I start venting all that at him," she warned.

"Perfect," Ashley said, surprising Alexa. "People have been getting upset and annoyed on your behalf recently. Show them the pain. Show them that you've had enough. Give them a reason to really get behind you. Speak from the heart. And if you cry? So be it."

The suggestions made perfect sense, Alexa knew. She felt fire burning inside her. This was her chance to show what she could do. It was going to be the best damn promo she had ever given.

Before the commercial break at the end of Raw's first hour there had been a backstage segment with the IIconics paying Shane McMahon a visit in his office. In recent weeks they had been used backstage, mocking various female wrestlers. That trend had continued in Shane's office, with McMahon and the two Australians sharing a laugh at the expense of Naomi and Natalya.

After the break, Shane's office was shown again. The alleged best in the world was talking to his henchman Drew McIntyre, whose sense of humour had been absent while the IIconics had been in the room. He looked equally unimpressed when Alexa Bliss walked into the shot. Out in the arena, there was a small cheer from the limited number of fans who wanted to see her utilised more often on TV.

"Alexa," Shane said, turning to look at her. He sounded a little surprised to see her in his office. "Is there something you want?"

"Yes, there is something I want," Alexa said in a more strident tone than people were used to hearing from her. "I want an opportunity! I want a chance! Every week I show up just like everyone else. I train as hard as everyone else. No one is as committed to making a success of themselves in WWE as I am. I've had enough of being overlooked and forgotten about. I want an opportunity to show what I can do. I want to wrestle, damn it!" Her voice had broken a couple of times and she felt tears stinging her eyes. On live TV, her real feelings had come out for all to see. She felt like it had been a good promo.

Shane nodded thoughtfully in response to what she had said. "Alright," he said after a moment. "You want an opportunity, you can have one. Since I just had the IIconics in here, I'll tell you what I'll do. I'll give you a shot at the Women's Tag Team Championships. All you have to do is find yourself a partner."

There was a look of surprise on Alexa's face, but she responded positively to what had been offered. "Okay! Find myself a partner. I can do that. I'll go do that right now."

After Alexa hurried out of the shot, McMahon and McIntyre looked at each other. "You're giving her a tag team title shot?" McIntyre asked, making it clear that he didn't find Alexa deserving of it.

"Yeah, but think about it. Who's going to team with her?" Shane said, amusing himself with his own quip.

It was enough to crack McIntyre's tough exterior. The two men stood there laughing at Alexa's expense as the segment came to an end.

The match for the Tag Team Championships was the main event of Raw. It was one more thing to add to the seemingly ludicrous turn of events for Alexa. Waiting behind the curtain in Gorilla while the IIconics made their entrance, she wondered if she ought to pinch herself and check if all of this was real.

"They do a good job, don't they?" Clementine said, referring to the IIconics talking their usual smack on the way to the ring.

"They irritate the hell out of people, so yeah," Alexa said. She was trying not to let her nerves show, firstly because she didn't want Clem to doubt her, and secondly because Vince McMahon and the production team were sitting a matter of feet away. They would undoubtedly be keeping a close eye on her.

Finished with their trash talk, the IIconics entered the ring, preparing for their unwanted title defence, which they had just described as unfair. Fighting champions was definitely not something they aspired to be.

Alexa took a deep breath, knowing that her moment was at hand. Her music hit, drawing a small cheer from the crowd. She walked out through the curtain, performed her pose at the top of the ramp and headed down to the ring. Climbing through the ropes, she was met with contemptuous looks from the two Australians.

"Where's your partner, Alexa?" Peyton asked, mocking her.

"Yeah, have you got any friends?" Billie asked before looking at her partner. "We can't relate." They both laughed loudly at their own humour.

Looking a little downcast, Alexa walked over to the corner of the ring and took a microphone. "I, uh, don't have a partner," she admitted. "I couldn't find anyone who wanted to team with me."

The champions laughed again, considering Alexa to be completely pathetic. "I'll tell you what, Alexa," Billie said. "Why don't we make a deal? You forfeit the match, and we won't kick your ass two on one."

"How about it?" Peyton asked.

The fans booed, not wanting Alexa to take the easy way out.

"No!" Alexa insisted. "I can't remember the last time I wrestled on Raw. I'm damned sure not giving up an opportunity to do it now. If I have to fight both of you by myself, I will." Receiving a cheer from the fans for her defiance, she dropped her microphone and prepared to defend herself.

The IIconics seemed happy enough to oblige her with the ass kicking they had promised to deliver. They both tossed their microphones out of the ring and started advancing across the ring towards Alexa.

That was when the distinctive guitar note that signalled the start of Clementine's music hit. Turning to face the stage and selling surprise, Alexa took in the ovation that Clem got. Everyone in the arena seemed to have come to their feet for her. She hoped that one day people would come to love her that much. Right now, it was a lofty ambition. There was an element of surprise in the reaction as well, because Clem's character was a cocky, sarcastic loner who fought alone regardless of what odds faced her.

Clementine walked quickly down the ramp, throwing her baseball cap out into the crowd as she always did while making an entrance. Alexa knew that the commentary team would be reminding the audience that the IIconics had ridiculed Clem the previous week. Apparently their comments hadn't gone unnoticed.

Reaching the ring, Clem slid under the bottom rope and started laying into Billie and Peyton with right hands. Kay was knocked down, while Royce was sent flying over the top rope. The crowd cheered Clementine on, fully aware that when she was pissed off and on a roll, there was almost no one who could stop her.

Billie quickly bounced back to her feet, only to take a floatover DDT, one of Clem's signature moves.

Clementine got up, hit the ropes on the entrance side of the ring, ran towards the other side and hurled herself between the top and middle ropes, taking Peyton out with a suicide dive.

Rushing back into the ring, Clementine found Billie getting back to her feet. Groggy from the DDT, Kay saw Clem coming and tried to take her head off with a Big Boot. Unfortunately for her, she missed wildly, and as she turned back around Clementine dropped her with her version of DDP's Diamond Cutter, named Diamond in the Rough.

The fans erupted, knowing that no one kicked out of Clem's finisher. She rolled Billie over and a made a cover.

"One!"

"Two!"

"Three!"

The crowd went off once again as the bell sounded and Clem's music started playing. Alexa had been standing in the corner the whole time. She raised her arms in celebration of the victory that she had not contributed to.

Mike Rome made his announcement. "Here are your winners, and the new WWE Women's Tag Team Champions, Alexa Bliss and Clementine!"

Clementine was back up, only now seeming to realise that she had just won the championships because the referee was trying to hand one to her. She snatched one of the belts and walked towards the entrance side of the ring, leaving without celebrating the win. The only acknowledgment Alexa got was an unfriendly glare.

Cheers followed Clem all the way up the ramp, continuing until she disappeared into the back. Alexa was left in the ring by herself, with her supposed partner's music still playing. Although she had done literally nothing in the short-lived match, she was holding a championship in her hand. Some applause came her way as she gave a theatrical shrug that said, 'I guess I'm a champion.'

Imagining the commentators selling the extraordinary fact that Alexa Bliss was one half of Tag Team Champions, she stepped into the middle of the ring. She had been told that the show would end with her posing with the belt. On the spot, she came up with a pose that she had never seen anyone do before. Holding the belt in both hands, she put in behind her so that it looked like it was sitting on her shoulder. Smiling, she looked into the hard camera.

Inside, Alexa was overjoyed. Only a matter of hours ago she had arrived at the arena expecting to spend the night doing nothing, as usual. Now she was closing out Raw as a champion. It almost seemed unreal. She couldn't wait until the next Raw episode, when she would find out where the storyline was going next.

A/N: Huge thanks to everyone who showed support on chapter one. The reaction blew me away.

Alexa didn't do anything to contribute to the victory, but she is now one half of the Tag Team Champions. Unfortunately her and Clem don't exactly seem like much of a team. What do you think will happen on the next Raw episode?