Waking up in a motel somewhere in middle America, Catherin 'Dove' Ellison (better known as her past identity Hellcat) pushed the sleeping body of that night's companion off the bed, giving him the cold heartless hint that he could get lost. In the last twelve years of her reality had bitch-smacked her so hard that she hardly recognized her former self. Her relationship with the WWE had gone to hell in a hand basket and she was given her outright release from her contract. Family was Family but the company as a whole wasn't the same as she remembered it being as a child. Yes, she still loved and visited her adoptive family regularly and continued her in ring training under the watchful eyes of her adoptive father but that was as far things went, unfortunately.
Once her unwanted visitor was gone Dove got out of bed still in the nude and headed into the bathroom to wash up and get ready to head out. Her hangover was hitting her hard from all of the excessive drinking done the after-show partying done after the show the night before, hell she didn't even remember the name of the guy she ended up sleeping with as a result. This was her life and the only life she knew how to navigate since her early days on the road. These days racing was left long in her past, that was Hellcat and hellcat was DEAD, killed by the reality that no MAN was ever to be trusted after her hopes dreams and heart were slaughtered by the same man for the second time in her young life.
Stepping out of the bathroom clean and wrapped in a towel she checked the messages on her cell as she still had a few good people that mattered, after all her heart wasn't completely frozen!
(Message 1) 'Birdy, I'll be there in a few to pick you up. Orange said you would need a ride after last night. My deepest apologies for not being there.!'
Shaking her head, she couldn't help but laugh as she replied back. 'Do you ever break character?' she asked first 'Thanks for coming to get me, I'll be ready!' she then replied.
(Message 2) 'Hey Kitten, you got a job invite in the mail. Give me or Steph a ring and we'll fill you in. I seriously think you should take it up. Its short term but it's a good opportunity for 'The Dove'! I'll talk to you soon, Love you, Poppa H'.
This message really tugged at her gut and soul, after all her Poppa was her Business Manage and Trainer and if both thought an opportunity was solid, she had no room to doubt them. Hitting call, she called her adopted father up.
'Hey Kitten I was starting to think you were never going to call. You know it's almost noon. Right?' she sighed and cursed underneath her breath, "Yeah Sorry Poppa, so anyway what's this job invite all about?" she asked while getting dressed. 'Your HU have been signed to play along with several other kinds of bands on Rock and Wrestling cruse and they are looking for good new talent to perform in a Royal Rumble like match, they said both men and women are allowed to participate in the match.' he explained sounding genuinely excited about this opportunity for her. Dove sighed and pinched the bridge of her nose "Let me talk it over with Johnny and I'll get back to you on it, Poppa. I'm hungover and Danhausen is already on his way to pick me up and I don't need his cheerful shelf walking in on me naked... again!" she pointed out much to the amusement of the other end of the call. "Yeah, thanks, laugh it up Poppa, I love you too!". 'Sorry Kitten, I'll let your mom know you'll think about it once you've sobered up.' Saying her goodbyes to her adopted father, Dove hung up and finished packing and getting dressed with only a few seconds to spare before her ride knocked.
Opening the door Dove was more than half expecting for Danhausen to be in full makeup so once she opened the door, she automatically busted out laughing when she seen the man behind the face paint "What? You were expecting someone else?" he asked in his Danhusen voice making her laugh even harder. She could always count on him to make her laugh.
"I was actually" she confessed letting him into her motel room "I am still packing because after I messaged you, I had to call Poppa about a job invite..." she was cut off when he grasped her suddenly by both shoulders and looked her right in the face "...What I'd say?" she asked
Looking her dead in the eyes "YOU. ARE. TAKING. THIS. JOB!" he said, emphasizing every word. "I Have so many ideas on what to do in our time off and I need my partner in crime back... Tell your Pop's You're taking it P.L.E.A.S.E." he said rapidly in an overly excited manner.
Nodding her head, she agreed "OK, OK, OK... I'll take the job... my cousin Johnny is already going to be there with his band and if you're going then then I will too." she said feeling much better about this now that she will have comforting faces to be with. "Help me get my crap outta this shithole and I'll call Poppa on the way to your AEW house show." she concluded that made her best friend extremely happy.
A huge grin spread across Danhausen's unpainted face hearing this, not only was she actually taking him up on finally going to an AEW house show few that but she was going to take the job on the rock and wrestling cruse with him and her cousin (whom he was the one of the very few selected people that knew about this member of her already famous family, by marriage anyway). She almost always declined going to a taping or even a house show. They had been friends for several years as she helped him out in the beginning of his wrestling career and though he knew about her adoptive family there were huge span of years that she would almost edit through when asked about but the faint pain in her eyes when asked was enough for him to know that her needed to respect her wishes and drop the topic. It didn't take long for them to get her stuff packed and take off and like normal she was sitting in the passenger seat of his rental ready to make her important phone calls while he drove the first shift of the lengthy drive down to Florida.
"Hey Poppa," Dove spoke up having her call "Well... I was talked into taking the job by Danhausen, who also is working it too. Yes, no, just... don't ever mention that name... I don't care, work is work regardless of whether it's on sea land or air!" jumping suddenly her whole body got ridged as she held the cell out away from her ear as a lecture could be heard on the other end. "Yes sir, Yes Sir, Sorry Sir." she responded respectably to her adopted father "I'll play nice Poppa, I swear on Grandma's gr... I swear on my sisters that I'll behave!" Hanging up, she sunk back into her seat and diverted her eyes away from his view. It didn't take genius to know that she was struggling with her emotions after receiving some less-than-ideal news.
Dove didn't speak for many hours, that's even with changing seats to make the marathon drive, so she did her voice was very shaky and struggling to keep from braking. "One of my Ex's is running this cruse..." she stated truthfully. "You're the only one I can turn to right now and … Now you're going to get all of the answers to all of those questions you've asked me about my early years in the business."
The rest of the drive down to Florida she revealed everything starting from her childhood with having a twin dying with Leukemia all the way to the night her Ex broke her heart for the second time and her former wrestling persona being killed off forever. Danhausen's heart broke several times as he listened to her heartbreaking words, he busted out laughing many times right along with her as she talked about taking on NEXUS. Though she never once reviled her most recent Ex's real name nor of his wrestling persona, he knew that he'd find that information out soon enough as the cruse was soon and frankly, he was shocked she got the invite this late in the game.
Once again behind the wheel, Danhausen pulled into a Starbucks and got them both large hot chocolates before sitting with Dove on the back of the rental they had still had time before the house show and he wanted to make sure that she was awake enough to have fun. AEW was nothing like the WWE and this was his chance to prove it to her and with any luck get her to except a job within it somehow. She was a great wrestler and training partner and he felt that she would be a great fit, especially now that he knew why she parted ways with her family's company.
"When we show up to the arena, I want to show you around backstage at some time if you agree. There are plenty of us back there who would love to see you again." he pointed out casually "It's just a standard live show with no taping so..."
"Just spill it, you want me to join in on your match tonight..." she muttered keeping her voice soft as to not draw attention to themselves. "Fine... Just for once I'll indulge your wish and take up your offer as long as the boss is cool with the idea." she went on, giving him a genuine nod of agreement.
Part of him wanted to jump for joy but he withheld his childlike excitement "Great, I'll talk to Tony about it as soon as we arrive and go get your all access pass."
His happiness was infectious; Dove couldn't help but smile and laugh softly at how happy her best friend was. She hated the looks of disappointment at turning this down before since his joining AEW but there were just too many former WWE wrestlers making their way over and after the lecture she had received that afternoon she realized just how selfish she truly had been these last few years. Her own family (both adopted and biological) had been on here about making the jump just for the creative freedom at the very least. She knew the odds of running into 'Him', but that was another matter that she had realized that she had been running from for far too long. It was just time to suck it up and face the bodies in her closet. First up, her fear of the AEW and putting shame on her adopted family.
She was about to make some inspired speech about facing one's fears when her cell started going off ('Undead' being screamed out as the tell tail ringtone) in her hoodie pocket "Hey J3T, I'm in Florida heading to Daily's, why? Shit, you kidding me? Shit yea, of course I'm going... Pops finally set me right on priorities over fear! Say, I'm about to get my scrawny ass in deep shit tonight... can I use it? SCORE... You're the best In-law EVER! So, what was it you were calling about anyway?" she asked not to have given the other end much of a chance to talk.
"BOO" a group of male voices shouted just out of her line-of-sight startling not just her but several passing customers at the same time.
Jumping nearly out of her skin, and Danhausen narrowly catching her cell before it smashed on the pavement, Dove jumped off of the trunk of the rental and dove into a massive group hug "MOTHERFUCKERS..." she exclaimed happily seeing her cousin In-law and the rest of his band for the first time in what felt like ages.
Danhausen just laughed and shook his head "Surprise Birdy" he exclaimed in his persona's voice "Now you've got some company at tonight's show!" he said surprising her completely.