Chapter 20 – The Bracelet
A/N: Chapter 20. Woo.
"I am impressed." Chris spoke the minute he noticed Sam had rolled over and awaken from her deep slumber. She blinks sleepily, yawning.
"…Whu?" she asked, trying to sit up but failing to do so. She just let her body drop back into the head, the coils of the bed creaking in protest.
"You didn't sneak out or anything. I was ready to wake up to see you not there." He commented.
Sam tried not to smile at this. "Chris, you always think I'm up to something."
He eyed her. "…You went out during the night didn't you?"
"Sorry, I have a bad memory. I think last night was blotted out." She continued, with a teary voice, "It's all the years of getting hit with foreign objects."
"I bet." He responded dryly.
"I'm shocked at your obvious disbelief. Would you like me to hit you a couple times and see how quickly your memory lapses?" she offered.
"No thanks. I think getting hit that one time when you went postal was enough for me."
"Wimp."
She was finally able to sit up, and pulled the shirt she had on up because it was huge on her. Then again, it was Chris's, so it made sense that it was big.
"Hey! That's my jersey!"
"Brilliant deduction." She smirked.
"That was in my bag!"
"Yes, and I found it."
"You went through my stuff!" he accused.
"Well, if you didn't put the air down so it made the room negative 20 degrees in here, I wouldn't have had to." She pointed out. He sighed loudly. "I'm sorry if I got my girl cooties on your precious shirt. Here, take it." She pulled it off, instantly shivering since she had nothing under it. She tossed it at him, calmly walking to her bag only bra-clad from the waist up.
"Do you have some strange need to strip in front of people?" Chris raised a brow. She turned, smirking.
"You're shirtless too! It's gender biased that I should have to worry about going around with a shirt." She huffed. "And anyway, YOU were the one who wanted your jersey back so badly."
"…Hey, you have your belly button pierced."
"Hm? Oh, yeah! Innit cool?" she grinned, looking down at it. "I got it a couple of weeks ago."
"Sam?"
"Yes?"
"Put a shirt on."
"Sexist pig." She joked, grabbing a shirt and pulling it on. "Did I mention I'm cold as hell? You Canadians."
"What's wrong with Canadians?" he pouted.
"Nothing Chris." She rolled her eyes. "Hey, where's the food?"
"Food?"
"Oh, excuse me, I suppose I have you confused with a gentleman like Spike or Raven. 'Coz, you know, they feed me."
"What do you think you are, a third world country child?" he shook his head.
"No, I'm a freeloader."
"…Fair enough. Want to find a place to eat?"
"Just let me take a shower." She smiled. "'Coz, if you don't remember, you hogged the bathroom and I just gave up and went to sleep."
"It's not my fault I have more of a head of hair then you do."
"And I think it's REALLY sad that you can say that with a straight face."
"Don't be jealous." He laughed. She gave him a deadpan look.
"Right. Like I really wanna be a blonde. You know, since that is such a great look for Hardcore wrestlers."
"I was a Hardcore champ once."
"I remember hearing about that! You had the title for about a minute, right? Before that Rhyno fellow jumped you?" she grinned.
"…I STILL had it."
She shook her head, grabbing some things from her bag and marched into the bathroom. Throwing them on the counter, she turned the shower on and in a minute or two she hopped in. As she washed herself up, she suddenly found herself thinking of all that had happened so far since she went to the WWF. She didn't need anyone to tell her that she was changed. She knew she was. And she knew why…because people gave her a chance. No one really liked her until then because of her crude attitude.
Chris, and Rob and Raven and everyone else…they had somehow bore into her head that she could be herself without being completely bitchy. She could be strong with friends too, and still not look like one of the sluts that usually are in the ring. However, she still didn't actually know why she had spared Rob from her wraith. She gave the reason, but she wasn't actually sure it was that. She thought about how it all happened, and started to wonder – was it a set-up of some kind? Raven seemed to think so, or at least hint at it. She was starting to believe it herself. Not that it would change anything, because she did love Raven, and she could never just ditch him because she found out her old flame wasn't the sleaze ball she thought he was.
Maybe that was why Raven never came out and said it...just mentioning it was commendable, though, considering that Raven always did seem to have issues with girls leaving him for someone else. It was only natural he was worried about her doing the same, especially since she and Rob were so…
But it was in the past. She shut the water off and exited the tub, drying herself off. Just as she finished that, a knock was heard.
"Calm down Princess." She called, pulling on her clothes. "I'll be out in a second."
"Sam…"
Her ears perked up. That wasn't Chris. She finished dressing and opened it quickly, brightening at the fact she was right.
"Raven!" she instantly gave him a hug, not caring that Chris was less then a foot away staring at them.
"…For you, she moves her ass AND gives you a hug. For me? I get called Princess and she threatens my life. I don't get it." Chris commented, rolling his eyes.
"It's the dreads." She joked, which made Raven chuckle lightly.
"Hmmph. One day I'll be appreciated around here, you know."
"Would you feel better if I said you had a nice ass?" she offered.
"…It's a start."
"What are you doing here Raven?" she asked, turning to him.
"Couldn't wait." He echoed her words the night before.
"Please, can you two refrain from making kissy-faces in my room?"
Sam finally remembered that they were in Chris's room, and did quit the whole sappy attitude. "You're just jealous Chris."
"Ah, so that means you two are to that point." He realized, nodding his head sagely. "Not that I'm utterly surprised."
"I'm glad." She smirked, then turned to Raven. "Can I go back into your room yet." The look said it all. "…I can't, can I? No?"
"Stephanie is going crazy. Ever since last night…"
"I think I'll go take a walk." Chris spoke up, knowing that his presence was slightly annoying. He did leave, giving a quick wave as he went.
"…So, no way?" she sighed.
"I'm sorry, Sam." He spoke, shaking his head. "Oh, by the way…I don't know if this slipped off your hand…uh…here." He jutted out his arm, which had her bracelet on it. He started to take it off but she shook her head.
"No, I wanted you to keep it." She interjected. "Call it a present for the time being."
"But this is your favorite bracelet. I remember, you said your mom gave it to you."
"Well, then you'll have to be that much more careful with it." She smiled.
"Are you sure you're okay with this? Because maybe it would be good that you stay with your own federation for a while. I'm sure it would make your life much easier…"
"This war won't go on forever." She pointed out. "So it'll be okay. I know it will."
"Sometimes I wonder…"
"Well, that's because you're always negative. Look on the bright side. Once Steph stops going nuts, we'll be back to normal. And then everything will be alright."
"Well, when you're the one that's optimistic…I guess I have no choice but believe you." He shook his head. "Anyway…I suppose I ought to get going now."
She knew he was right, but it didn't stop her from being completely depressed over the matter. So she didn't say anything, in fear her stubborn side would come out, and faced the facts. She pulled him into a fierce kiss, allowing herself to memorize how it felt, because, no matter how optimistic she was trying to be, she had this feeling things were in the making of happening. She felt him pull away, and cupped her face in his hands with much gentleness.
"Don't get into trouble." He warned. "And be nice to Chris. I don't think his little heart can take your assaults."
She managed to crack a smile, almost even laughing. "I think it's his little ego that takes a beating."
Raven just rolled his eyes and patted her shoulder. "Be good, Sam."
"Yes mother." She smirked.
After another kiss, he was gone, walking out of the room as abruptly as he entered.
~~
Precariously walking down the hallway away from the room, Raven let out a large sigh that seemed to echo through the empty white-washed hallways of the hotel. Inside, though, he didn't think the sigh was enough to express his annoyance at the entire situation. He shouldn't have to leave her like that. He shouldn't have to worry for her safety. If it wasn't for the damned Alliance-WWF battle, he wouldn't have to worry about this at all.
When he left the WWF, he hadn't known her. He didn't even know Kurt Angle even had a female relative that was not a lesbian or disfigured it some way, mind or body. But he knew his choices would have greatly changed if he did. He wouldn't have thought twice about not leaving the WWF. It would have been a given. But it wasn't how it went. He should have known that the minute he started speaking to her, the minute he realized her ploy…
He brushed the thought from his mind. He loved Sam, and he never would act as though she hadn't gotten him through the last couple of months. Before he had met her, he was better off dead. He didn't have anyone to speak to, never mind anyone to call a friend. Jericho, especially, who had given him a sympathetic glance when they crossed paths as he was leaving. Jericho would have never been nice to him if she hadn't given him a chance. He never quite understood her thought pattern, besides the theory that he was so damn cryptic the first time they met she couldn't help but search him out. He knew what he was thinking, and how he knew he would likely get punched in the jaw for speaking to her like that…
But the night he had really seen her…not the match they had, but when Rob had brought her to the bar…he was instantly intrigued by her actions. She seemed so vicious and wild, with no inhibitions. He knew instantly though, that she would end up with Rob, one way or the other. Her face had etched exactly how she really felt about him. When she had left, and Rob just looked kind of dazed, he should have realized then not to get involved…but he did anyway, and then it progressed to what it was at that moment. Where she looked at him with the same utter affection, not giving a shit about who saw her…
And, besides the anal retentive Kurt, no one seemed to mind.
"What a dumbass." Raven heard a sneering voice call out. He stopped a few feet from the edge of the wall, suddenly feeling as though he needed to listen in.
"Who?"
"R-V-D." the other spoke, this time letting out a short laugh. He sounded like he was completely drunk.
"What? Why?" asked his companion.
"Y'know what Steph did? She found out the jackass was dating that bitch Sam. You know, the one that could acts like a guy? I bet she IS one, ha ha!"
"Best lookin' man I ever saw, then."
Raven controlled his anger and heard a slap, as if one had hit the other.
"You stupid? Saying shit like that gets people suspicious, especially the almighty McMahon siblings. Anyhow, I was jes remembering something. Yanno how I said Rob and Sam were all dating? Well, I was the one who saw it. That's why Stephanie likes me."
Raven's eyes opened in shock. He inched a little forward.
"Yeah, see, I saw it ALL. They were hugging and kissing like idiots. Then that dope Raven came up behind me and scared the crap out of me. You know that bump he had for a bit? That was from me."
"So how did Stephanie break them apart without Rob knowing?"
"Far as I know, he set the idiot up. Stacy went and did her slut thing and Sam went nuts. That's why we've been suffering. Scorned rage is what she's been feeding on. I pity anyone who has to enter the ring with that psycho. Why do you think I faked my injury last night so I didn't have to be back up? 'Coz I knew what happened last night would happen."
"Yeah, her backup was strong enough. I don't know how a bitch like her can make friends like them."
Raven took a breath. He knew he had to act as though he heard nothing. Gathering himself up, he walked over to the elevator, noting the two who were speaking. Shawn Stasiak was obviously the one who was drunk, while the one he was speaking to was Justin Credible, and they gave him dirty looks when he walked up behind them, acting as if he just got there.
"Raven." Justin acknowledged.
"Ha, look who we have here. Raven, I heard you've been screwing around with Sam too."
"Sam who?" he said calmly.
"The chick that's just as weird as you." Shawn answered, smirking.
"I don't know what you're talking about." He shook his head. "I got my ass kicked with the rest of you. My leg's not the same since last night."
"He's got a point."
"Heh, why would a catch like her like him anyway?" Shawn rolled his eyes. Raven tried not to lose his temper.
"Right, and I see people flocking to meet you. Last time I checked, all you've been doing is kissing ass instead of getting it."
Justin looked shocked at Raven, as did Shawn. It seemed that gone were the days of a very quiet, very easily targeted Raven. Usually when he spoke back, it usually was so cryptic that the diss was lost to them. But this time, he was so clearly attacking Shawn that he couldn't even really say anything back for a moment.
"W-Well, you suck!"
"Excellent response. Your witty negative IQ banter has punctured me harshly." He responded dully.
Shawn, seeming confused, answered as proudly as he could: "Damn right it did!"
Justin rolled his eyes instantly at the response, echoing the thoughts of Raven exactly. As he passed them to get in, Shawn caught a glimpse of the bracelet around his arm, a sharp contrast against his semi-tanned skin.
The wheels started turning the moment he realized that it looked like an awfully familiar trinket that he had seen Sam have on.