A/N: Hey everyone! Thank you for all of the reviews! Please keep them coming!
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Dangerous Business
Chapter 3 – F5
~Smackdown!
~8:00
"Sure you'll be okay to wrestle tonight, Smithy?" Elizabeth glared up at Edge, an irritated look on her face.
"Gee," she said sarcastically, "Maybe three days of recovery won't be enough…"
"I wasn't joking."
"I was," she replied, staring up at Edge. A comfortable silence passed as they continued walking down the hall.
"You really shouldn't have insulted Mr. McMahon on RAW," he said. Liz sighed.
"I count you being the 60th person who's said that," she replied irritatingly. She decided to change the subject. "Got a match tonight?"
"Not yet," he replied, "McMahon said he was making one."
"Oh. I don't have one either," she replied, yawning quietly as Edge reached his room.
"Bye."
"Bye," replied Liz as she continued walking. She continued, uninterrupted, for a short time until someone walked up to her. She eyed him warily.
Liz remembered his name and face from the nights she had watched wrestling on TV. Chris Jericho, she remembered, had long since turned into an egotistical freak.
"Can I help you?" she asked as Jericho's eyes roamed over her body. Her mood quickly soured. She snapped in front of her face and Jericho's head snapped up. "My face is here," she growled.
"Care to meet me after Smackdown?" he asked. Liz almost gagged in his face, but then noticed the camera.
"I'd rather take a bath in hot tar," she replied, "Naked." Jericho narrowed his eyes in ridicule as she stalked off. The brunette ran her hand through her wispy hair as she walked into Jeff's room. Looking around, she saw that the aforementioned wasn't there. Sighing, she laid down on the couch. She snuggled against the leather, ready to give into her lost sleep when the phone rang shrilly. Groaning, she sat up and snatched the phone.
"What do you want?" she snapped.
"Elizabeth?" the other voice said warily. Liz sighed, and replied in a more human voice.
"Yeah, it's me mom."
"You sounded…different," her mother said. Liz sighed quietly and grasped a bottle of painkillers off of the table and struggled to open the lid.
"Oh," she said, digging her thumb into the bottle. It didn't pop off.
"I called to talk to you about your father." The bottle cap flew off and Liz silently opened it, sucking her sore thumb as she tipped the bottle.
"What about the bastard?" she replied. Her vocabulary always seemed to be colorful when dealing with her father. Several blue tablets spilt into and off of her hand, scattering to the floor.
"Honey…" murmured her mother. Liz slid off of the couch and began to pick up the tablets. "…He's in the WWE." Liz jerked her head up, and it slammed against the wooden coffee table. A stream of swears spilt from her mouth as she cradled her head. "Elizabeth, are you all right?" her mother's voice asked from the phone that lay on the floor. Hastily, she picked it up and said one word.
"Who?" she replied, anger seeping through her veins. She could almost imagine her mother over the phone, pursing her lips. "Who was the jackass?"
"He probably had a good reason to leave," her mother started to reason.
"God, mom! How long are you going to defend him? He abandoned you and me when I was what-4 or 5? What kind of a man does that?" she cried. "Now who the hell is it?"
Her mother sighed over the phone-a rush of static in Liz's ear. "Steve Austin."
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Rob knocked on the Hardy door and waited for a response. He heard a loud thud echo through the room, and he creaked the door open.
"Liz?" he said, spotting the brunette sitting upright on the couch. He walked forward and sat on the armchair. He opened his mouth to tell her why he was here, but then he noticed her distant gaze.
"Hello?" he asked, waving his hand in front of her face. "What's up?" Liz jerked back to reality, and noticed him.
"Hi," she mumbled, slowly jerking her gaze to meet his.
"Hi," replied Rob slowly.
"What's up?" she said, then rephrased it, "Why'd you come?"
"Mr. McMahon told me to tell you about your match tonight," Rob answered, watching her face closely for any type of reaction. "It's a tag-team match. You and Edge."
"Versus who?" replied Liz stonily.
"Brock Lesner and Victoria," replied Rob. Liz simply nodded.
"You have a match?" she asked.
"Yeah," replied Rob, surprised by the question, "Against Jericho."
"Kick him in the balls for me, would you?" requested Liz, an insolent smile spreading across her face.
"What'd he do?" questioned Rob.
"He asked me to meet him in his hotel room after Smackdown," replied Liz. She smacked the top back on a bottle of Advil and slipped a couple down her throat.
"What'd you say?" he asked, keeping his voice strangely neutral.
"I said that I'd rather take a bath in hot tar naked," replied Liz, earning a chuckle from RVD. She sighed heavily and stood up, "I'd better tell Adam about the match," she said. Rob saw her wince slightly as she stood up.
"You're back still hurting?"
"61st," was all Liz mumbled as she walked out. RVD shrugged quietly as he stood in the hall, watching her leave.
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Liz walked down the ramp, smiling happily at the cheers that rose up. She listened to J.R and the King's comments as she slid into the ring.
"There, JR, is a very talented woman," said the King.
"I can't help but agree with you on that King, but what happens if she gets in the ring with Lesner?"
Liz frowned at the question, but not because she was afraid of being in the ring with him, because she wouldn't mind. But Edge had made her promise to tag him in whenever Lesner became the legal man. She made a face at him as JR said that and Edge rolled his eyes.
As if on cue, Brock Lesner came to the ring. He glared at Liz as he walked. She arched an eyebrow and stared right back, undaunted by his size as she leant casually against the ropes. She stared up at the ramp as Victoria strolled down, accompanied by her boyfriend, Steven Richards. Liz almost laughed as she stared at Victoria's video.
Victoria and Lesner argued for several seconds, but Victoria and Liz started the match out.
Victoria wasn't like Bubba Ray, Liz noted as they wrestled, she came with her attacks quickly, but didn't take the time to put too much power into them. Liz punched her in the jaw at the chance. Victoria stumbled back, and she tossed her against the ropes, hitting the other ropes. As they neared each other, Liz balled her fists and slammed them into Victoria's head. She picked Victoria up and started to suplex her, suspending her vertically for awhile before the dull pain in her back started to bother her, and she slammed Victoria into the ground. Immediately she picked Victoria up and grasped her head and gave her a D.D.T. Liz went for the cover.
1…2…Victoria just kicked out. Growling, Liz pulled her to a sitting position. She yanked Victoria's arms back – twisting them in the process – and pushed her foot into Victoria's back, and kept pushing. The ref was in front of Victoria, asking her if she gave up. After she shook her head, Liz pushed further. She really didn't hate – or like – Victoria, but if she wouldn't give up then she'd have to go harder – even if she did dislocate her arm in the process. Lesner stepped in quickly and broke up the submission move. The ref got up and tried to push Lesner back into the corner. Using this as a distraction, Steven slipped in – Victoria's title in hand – and slammed it into the back of Liz's head and slipped out the other side. By the time the ref got Lesner back into the corner, Victoria had gone for the pin.
1…2…Liz kicked out. Her head throbbed from the title shot. The two women continued to go at it – Victoria usually at an advantage, curtsey of Richards – until Liz managed to tag Edge in. Victoria tagged in Lesner.
For a while, it appeared that Edge had the upper hand. He punched Lesner, gave him a spear, and even suplexed him – but Lesner fought back with amazing strength. Edge gained control of the situation in a minute or so, but Richards distracted the ref while Lesner gave Edge a low blow and retained control. Growling, Liz leapt off the apron and collided into Richards. She picked up the fallen title and – as soon as Richards stood – slammed it into his head. Satisfied, she returned to her respective place.
Lesner was now carrying Edge around like a rag doll. He tossed Edge into Liz's turnbuckle. Liz vaguely remembered her promise to Edge that she wouldn't go into the ring if Lesner were the legal man. She glanced down at her friend worriedly . He was hurt badly.
Without a second thought, she slapped his shoulder – a tag to the ref – and stepped in the ring. Lesner looked astounded. She smirked at him, and then smiled to herself. Bandages were wrapped around his ribs from some other match.
"Did Elizabeth just tag herself into there?" asked a dumbfounded JR.
She really didn't want to hurt him that bad. But, it probably was her only chance at beating the beast. Lesner didn't go to tag Victoria.
"JR, this looks bad," said a concerned King.
"Why isn't Lesner going for the tag?"
Brock narrowed his blue eyes at Liz. She glared back, lining her body parallel to his. He studied her for a second.
"Bring it on," Liz hissed. Brock charged forward. He immediately slammed his fists into her face and then tossed her into the ropes. She bounced back and – for once – was grateful that she was a bit smaller than average. Liz slipped through Brock's legs and slammed her foot into his injured rib. She continued her assault on his ribs until he grabbed her by the throat and tossed her into the turnbuckle. Brock lifted her over his shoulder easily and gave her a side-walk slam. He relentlessly picked her up and delivered the F5.
Liz felt the ground coming up to met her once again. She vaguely felt the pressure on her shoulders. The world seemed blurry. The ref's tapping vibrated the mat, sending a shock of pain through it.
1…Liz mentally shook herself. She was going to lose if she didn't do anything! 2… Brock's arm was still too strong against her shoulders. The brunette jerked her head forward as the ref raised his arm and bit Brock on the hand…hard. He jerked his arm away, breaking the count. As he realized what he just did, his face contorted with fury.
Oops, Liz thought. Brock continued to manhandle her. He had no intention to tag in Victoria, Liz realized unhopefully. She couldn't reach a tag to Edge, even though he jumped in every now and then to give her a possible advantage, but as soon as she got the upper hand, Brock seemed to clothesline her.
Brock glared down at the brunette at his feet. What made her keep going? He had already delivered his finishing move – twice! – yet she still managed to kick out, even fight back. He narrowed his eyes down at her. She smirked back at him and mouthed the words, 'Quitting already?'. He growled and bent down to yank her up again.
Liz slammed her foot into his face as he bent down. From there, she attempted to tag Edge. Her neck, back, arms, everything, hurt like a sledgehammer had attacked it. It probably didn't help that she kept taunting him when she had the chance to, but she'd be damned if she didn't get something in besides a few kicks and punches here and there.
Brock caught her foot and twisted it, sending her body twisting to the mat with it. Still, her hand reached to Edge's. Brock grabbed her by the hair and dragged her to her feet. He was going to end this match soon. He easily lifted Liz – what did she weigh anyway, she was too damn light too be a wrestler! – and held her up there, one hand on her throat, the other on her knees. He walked to the ropes and threw her over, smiling as she went flying.
Liz's lower and most of her upper back slammed against the barricade, but her neck snapped backward painfully. She curled up, her eyes narrowing in immense pain, but she refused to let her eyes even begin to water. The brunette didn't notice Edge being beat away from her side.
As Brock fought with an angry Edge on the outside with the ref telling Edge to go back to the apron and Brock to go deal with the legal opponent, Richards and Victoria approached the vulnerable brunette. Victoria yanked her to her feet to receive a high kick from Richards. As soon as she went down, she was up on Victoria's shoulders, being delivered Widow's Peak.
"Somebody needs to go help that girl out!" said King worriedly from their new Smackdown position by the ramp that had been made to keep like RAW. The replay of Brock throwing her over the ropes played on the TitanTron.
"She might've broken her neck right there, King," announced JR, staring down at the sickening scene.
Soon, though, Brock had delivered the F5 – for the third time in a row that night – on Edge – but on the steel ramp, and headed back into the ring. He rolled the heavily injured brunette back into the ring. The ref checked to see if it was a KO.
It wasn't.
"Tag me in!" Victoria screamed at his tag team partner. She growled at him as he ignored her, delivering painful attacks to the defenseless Liz. The raven-haired champion had had enough. She leapt from the apron and grabbed a steel chair, scaring away Garcia in the process as she barred her teeth at her.
Liz bounced against the ropes for the countless time that night. Her head throbbed, but she tried to keep her mind from straying. Already, bits of darkness ate at her vision. Brock waited for her return in the center of the ring. Anger bit at Liz, and she fueled her running. He didn't notice. A few feet ahead of him, Liz pushed off of her feet and slammed her shoulder into Brock's injured ribs. He groaned in pain. Quickly, she whipped him into a corner. As she hoped, Victoria tagged herself in.
Liz didn't notice her drop the chair to Richards as she looked back to her corner. Edge stared back at her, blood seeping from his forehead. The brunette used her remaining strength to tag him in. She huddled herself into a ball on the apron, trying to regain her strength as she watched Victoria attack Edge, and then watched Edge respond. He, obviously, had the upper hand in a short time, despite his bloody forehead, which was making quite a mess in the ring. Soon, Edge delivered his spear, and covered Victoria for the pin.
1…Liz slipped around the apron to Brock's corner as he stepped out to break up the pin.
2…Brock came closer to her corner, closer to breaking up the pin. Only about 4 more large steps of his.
"HEY BROCK!" Liz shouted. He turned around, and she leapt from the turnbuckle, and just barely reached him. Her legs locked around his head and she delivered the hurricarana, her injured neck and head slamming into the mat themselves.
…3! The bell rang and Liz dimly heard Garcia announcing the winners. Almost immediately, she saw Brock stand up, fury blackening his blue eyes. He started to shout at Victoria, and then after a brief exchange of colorful words, he lifted her up and started to deliver the F5. Richards slipped in with the chair, however, and slammed it into the back of Brock's skull. As he went for Edge, the Canadian kicked the chair into Richards' own head. Victoria pulled Richards out of the ring and they retreated into the back. Soon after throwing Edge and Liz an angry look, a bloodied-up Lesner followed them.
Edge knelt over Liz, blood falling down his face from his forehead and dripping on to her.
"Liz," he said gently.
She looked at him, the distant remains of a smile on her face, "We won," she murmured happily, her eyes flickering shut. Edge quickly moved her to the apron, slipped through the ropes, and picked up the unconscious body of the brunette, cradling her small form against him as he walked up the ramp as fast as he could.
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Jeff's room – now also Elizabeth's had been torn to shreds during the match. The TV lay in pieces, the glass shattered against the fallen Hardy. On his bare, slightly bloody, back three numbers were spray-painted.
3:16.
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A/N: WOW! All in one sitting, too! I hope you liked it! Please, please review!