Chapter 24

The next night was so exciting. Colby took on Samoa Joe and the crowd went wild when he made an entrance. Colby that was. He gave a great performance with Joe. Colby was so happy when he came backstage after the match. Mercedes gave him a bear hug and a big kiss when he came back.

"You're next, baby," He said. "You're next."

"Am I facing Goldberg? Because that would be awesome!" She said.

Colby laughed and kissed her. Mercedes smiled against to herself.

The next day, it was "Sasha's" interview with Michael Cole.

"Ladies and gentlemen, today I have a special guest. It was almost a year ago that I had an interview with this guest. It has been about ten months since we have this guest. Please welcome my guest at this time, Sasha Banks," Michael said.

The camera focused on Mercedes. She smiled as she wore one of her old Legit Boss T-shirt with her gold glasses pictured, her hair freshly colored and straightened.

"Sasha it is great to see you!"

"Thank you, Michael," Mercedes replied. "It's great to see you too and be here again."

"How have you been? The last time I spoke with you, you revealed to the world that you were attacked and pregnant. There were positive responses from people. But then negative. How did that make you feel?"

"I will answer your second question, first," Mercedes said. "I was happy for the positive responses. It made me feel good to give hope and encouragement to other survivors of sexual assault. I don't give two craps about the negative. Everyone is entitled to their opinion. But I honestly don't care what those people said. I stated what happened.

"To answer your first question, I have been great! The last year has been amazing for me. I decided to keep my baby. I had that baby back in July and I am very happy I did keep her and she is my world!"

"Congratulations on the birth of your daughter. Can we know her name?" Michael said.

"Evelyn. She is two months old," Mercedes answered with a smile.

"Mostly everyone knows about your life since we last spoke. We have all heard it. It was reported that at a WrestleMania Axxess…" Mercedes grinned. "…that fans saw you kissing Seth Rollins and you shouted the two of you are dating. This is in fact true!"

"We are engaged, actually!" Mercedes exclaimed.

"At this time, I would like to welcome WWE Superstar, Seth Rollins."

The camera moved back revealed Colby. Mercedes smiled as she looked at him.

"Welcome, Seth."

"Thanks for having," Colby replied.

"Well, Sasha wanted you here for this interview and I would deny that for her."

Colby nodded his head.

"Now you and Sasha have been together pretty much since she told the world about her assault and pregnancy. Were you two dating before it happened?" Michael asked.

"No, we weren't," Colby replied. "We got together shortly after she had her last interview with you.

"You see when I came back last May from my knee injury, Sasha and I began talking more outside of work. We would call and text each other, and she would always answer me. But when we were on some days off and I contacted her, she didn't respond. When we came back to work, I asked her about it and she said she was going through some things."

"A common thing to concur," Mercedes interrupted. "Is for a survivor to not want to be touched by anyone or come into any contact of any kind. That's how it was. I was in our catering room and one of my best friends of the roster came up behind, picked me and said something. I screamed. He said to me he didn't mean to scare me. Everyone was looking at me and I quickly ran to my locker room. As soon as I got through the door, I collapsed onto the floor. I ended up telling the girls what happened.

"A couple of the girls went back to catering not too long after that to get me and themselves some food. Another superstar asked one of my best friends of the two girls what happened. She said it was none of his business. As she was leaving catering, her boyfriend came up to her and asked what happened. My friend replied, it is no one's business and I would tell everyone when I wanted to."

"I remember that," Michael said. "I wondered what happened."

"Sasha was supposed to perform that night and that weekend at the events we had but she was pulled. Everyone wondered why. I did too. I thought about it and I realized was she attacked," Colby said.

"Everyone was whispered about my outburst in catering," Mercedes added. "I am not one to outburst like that and everyone was especially talking because of my friend telling her boyfriend and the other superstar to mind their own business. I had another outburst telling everyone I was attacked and I told them to talk about that. And that was how everyone found out."

"After that I went up to Sasha and told her that I was there for her if she ever needed anything. I know she had many of the girls wanting to be there for her and take care of her," Colby said.

"I didn't talk to Seth for a couple weeks. Not outside of work anyway. But after a few weeks, I feeling a little better after my attack. I went up to him and we talked. We started talking a lot outside of work again. After I found out I was pregnant, I didn't answer him. However, when we returned to work, I went to Stephanie McMahon and Mick Foley telling them I was pregnant. I asked that we call a meeting between all the workers and tell them. They agreed to it. And Stephanie told everyone about my pregnancy."

"I was standing with a few of our friends. I saw Sasha standing there with a few of the girls. I wanted to go up to her. I stood for a few seconds and then I went up to her."

"I saw him coming toward me and I went up to him and I hugged him. I wanted to be close with him for weeks."

"It started out with us as friends. I said I wanted to take care of her and be there for her. But I wanted more between us. And it happened eventually."

"Soon after we had our last interview, Michael," Mercedes said. "I went to the doctor for my pregnancy. It went very well. But I got to hear the baby's heart, my daughter's heartbeat for the very first time. And when I heard it, my heart skipped its own beat. I then saw her as a tiny thing on the ultrasound. I then made the decision to have her, keep her and raise her as mine, because she was mine! I am her birth mother!"

"I'm pleased to hear that," Michael said.

"Our relationship as a couple began shortly after I saw the doctor. Seth was with me the whole time throughout my pregnancy," Mercedes said. She grabbed onto his hand with both of her. He looked at her with a smile. "He enjoyed it with me like a father would."

"I wanted nothing more than Mercedes and she needed me most. And talking with some of my best friends, they told me about being a dad and the pregnancies with their wives, fiancées, or girlfriends. They were right," Seth said.

"So you two were dating throughout the whole pregnancy," Michael said. "When did you ask her to marry you?"

"It was at WrestleMania," Mercedes answered. "He did it in the middle of the ring before the event. Before any fans filled the arena."

"I wanted her to have her WrestleMania moment. "

"That is great," Michael said. "But tell me how you both feel about being parents. You particularly, Seth."

"I love it! Evelyn is my little girl! Everyone knows it! I will take care of her until the day I die! That's my daughter and no one will ever take her from me!"

Mercedes smiled.

"And you, Sasha?"

"Like I said, Evelyn is my world! She's my daughter! I carried her inside me. I brought her into this world and I have loved her since I held her in my arms for the first time. I am disappointed a little I am away from her. She is being taken care of by some family," Mercedes replied.

"I have a very important question. One I am such all of your fans will want to know. Will you make a return to WWE?" Michael said.

"YES! Yes, I am! That is in the works right now!"

"That is great! I know I would love to see you back myself!"

"Thank you, Michael. And I will be in the coming months."

"Yes, I have been working with her myself," Colby added.

"Yes, I have been working with him at his wrestling school," Mercedes smiled.

"She has been great! She very impressive one day! She was working with my students individually and kicking their asses! I took videos and I showed Stephanie McMahon and Mick Foley. They are all for her return!"

"Fantastic. How about Evelyn?" Michael said.

"We are going to bring her on the road with us," Mercedes replied. "We'll have a nanny and she'll be taken care of by that nanny while we are working, competing that is."

"Well, this is a family business. Hence Stephanie and Shane McMahon being Commissioners of Raw and SmackDown appointed by their father, Vince McMahon."

"Yes."

"Great," Michael said. "Is there anything else we wish to talk about?"

"No," Mercedes said. "That is all." She looked at Colby.

"I think so too," Colby said. "We're good here."

"Then that is all," Michael said. "Ladies and gentlemen, thank you for joining me. Once again I am Michael Cole."

The camera showed Mercedes and Colby. They smiled at each other. Mercedes was still holding Colby's one hand with hers. He brought her hand to his lips and kissed it.

The camera crew were done after that.

"That was great," Mercedes said.

"It was," Colby replied. "We can tell anyone who talks shit about us to fuck off together."

"I like that!"

"Now we have Raw to look forward to tomorrow."

"Yes, I can't wait! And it'll be fun with Byron Saxton."

"Yes," Colby said.

"Thank you for this whole year," Mercedes said.

"I love you, Mercedes and I have been since last September."

"I have since then too."

"I wanted you every day when you were recovering," Colby said.

Mercedes nodded her head as tears streamed down her cheeks. Colby wiped away her tears.

"I never really loved Zahra! And I never loved Leighla the way I love you, Mercedes! I will take care of you forever! As well as Evelyn! I will not let anyone hurt you ever again! And I will not let anyone hurt her!"

Tears continued to stream down Mercedes's cheeks. "I love you so much, Colby!"

"I love you too, Mercedes!"

Mercedes slowly leaned in and kissed him passionately. She then pulled away, hugging him. Colby returned the hug. She squeezed him tightly. Colby kissed her cheek. Mercedes continued to cry a little.