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Dangerous Business
Chapter XXXIV
RAW is War
Rob raked a hand through his hair, which had long since fallen from its ponytail as he watched Steven continue to destroy Liz, who was making feeble attempts to fight back, but between the two minutes that Steven and Victoria had isolated her, it looked like they'd re-injured her arm and ribs. He licked his lips, watching helplessly as they double-teamed her. Rob resisted the urge to cry out in frustration. 'Big Show or me… Big Show or me…' echoed throughout his head like a mantra. He balled his fists against his forehead. He couldn't make the decision on time… Time… That was what he really needed. More time… Even if he did leave her during the match… He didn't think that he'd have the heart to actually hit her with a sledgehammer. Rob didn't think he could even hurt her at all. His head jerked up sharply as Liz countered "Widow's Peak". She crawled toward Rob, her hand reaching out. Rob stayed where he was, like a deer in headlights. Time seemed to speed up, leaving him with no time. He had two choices… Tag or no tag…
Victoria had made the tag, and Steven Richards leapt through the ropes. RVD didn't miss the crazed look in his eyes. He looked down at Liz. 'One day Paul is going to make me chose her,' he knew, 'and he's going to keep hurting her until that day…'
Biting down on his lip, he reached forward, his fingers slapping against her palm. "I'm sorry," he whispered as he ran by, and doubted that she even heard him. Exactly when his foot crashed against Steven's chin, music poured through the speakers, and he froze where he landed.
He looked up the ramp, where the Big Show and Paul Heyman sauntered down the ramp. Rob looked at Liz, his expression sad and helpless. She didn't have time to escape… He looked up, lip-reading what Paul was screaming at him as he advanced to the ring.
"Wrong decision."
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Liz tossed back her hair as she held an arm protectively over her abdomen, watching RVD leap through the ropes… What was that look in Rob's eyes when she went for the tag? It almost looked like he was going to back out… Liz shook her head and leaned against the post of the turnbuckle. Anything was possible right now, but honestly, she didn't believe he'd do something like that... Then again, this was the man that was meeting with Paul Heyman. The brunette pulled herself up, using the ropes, scolding herself silently for letting her thoughts stray.
'It doesn't matter,' she told herself, struggling to think solely about the match. 'Concentrate!' she ordered uselessly. The mat shook beneath her feet as Rob's foot collided with Steven.
"What?" the whisper fell from her lips as music began to sound from the speakers. Turning, her eyes widened. Paul Heyman…the Big Show?! What? What did they have to do with the match?!
She unconsciously bent her knees and moved to the side of the turnbuckle that was farther away from the ramp. Her eyes didn't leave either of the men until she heard the slap of boot against flesh. She swiveled, only to see Rob hit the mat, down from a Steven Kick. Biting her lip, she glanced between Steven and the two men walking down the ramp. Quickly, she leapt to the turnbuckle, and pulled off a body splash to Steven. Victoria, enraged, jumped through the bright red ropes, her arm flying out for a punch. Liz grabbed Victoria's arm, and in one swift movement, brought it behind the Diva's back. She shoved Victoria to the ropes, and clotheslined her over them. As Victoria careened to the padded concrete, Liz looked to the Big Show and Paul Heyman, who were entering the ring.
Paul grabbed a microphone, watching with a smile on his face as the Big Show loomed over RVD. Liz shifted, unsure of what to do. Did she stand next to her partner, or did she run? She froze, unmoving as Paul began to speak.
"A while ago… About five or six weeks, say," Paul began, watching as Rob tried to struggle to his feet while warily watching the Big Show. "You," he pointed to RVD, "broke up with Liz." His dark eyes skittered to Liz for a brief moment. She lifted her chin and met his stare defiantly. He turned to the fans, shoving the referee away. "Did any one really wonder why R-V-D," he mimicked Rob's pose, "was thinking when he did this? I mean, to give up such a hot-" Liz strode over to Heyman, shouldering past the Big Show. She grabbed his microphone, effectively ending the man's sentence.
"Number 1, Paul, my face is here," she snapped when his eyes wandered down her body, "Look at it when you talk to me, or else I'll shove your beady little eyes up your ass," she smirked at the expression on Paul's face, and was about to speak again, when Paul snatched the microphone back.
"How enlightening, but honey, I'll look where I please," he faltered slightly at the dangerous look in her eyes. "But my reason to come out here isn't really about this… Now, before I was so rudely interrupted, I was talking about the day you two broke up. You see, that day I paid a little visit to Rob." Liz's eyes darted to Rob and then back to Heyman. "I spoke to him about your relationship… And I might," he added, trying to look sheepish, "Have made a threat or two…" Liz froze, her eyes darkening as her mind jumped to conclusions. She stared at Paul, and knew, from the proud smile on his face that she was right.
"You bastard," she hissed, leaping at the man with newfound anger. The Big Show simply grabbed her around the waist and tossed her into a turnbuckle. RVD leapt at Big Show, and the larger man proceeded to decimate him. Liz moved to help him, when music struck up from the speakers once more. She froze, and slowly turned.
Brock Lesner ran toward the ring, Vince McMahon sauntering behind him. The brunette stumbled backward, her eyes flashing between Paul and Brock. She turned, only to see RVD become victim of a hellacious chokeslam. Liz whirled around, bracing herself as Brock walked into the ring, immediately charging for her. She snapped to the mat as he neared, intending to slip beneath him. With one sharp movement, he lifted her off of the mat, and tossed her into a turnbuckle, her flailing arm slamming against the ropes and into her body painfully; her neck jerking back as she hit the pads. Brock closed his hand around her throat, pinning her against the turnbuckle.
"I told Rob that he had a choice. If he stayed with you, I would send Big Show after you… I'd send him after you with a sledgehammer. His other choice was to dump you, and do as I say. It goes on record that Rob, being the protective boyfriend that he was," his voice turned sickly sweet, a malicious glimmer in his eyes, "Did as I told him. He's been doing my bidding until now. Rob," he stepped toward the martial artist, who was currently pulling himself to his feet using the ropes. "No one, no one, betrays me without paying for it."
"This has all been a game to me," Paul announced loudly as Big Show stomped on Rob's ribs. "Everything… Making Rob and Dominique bend to my will," he trailed off as Liz lashed out, gouging Brock in the eyes, and leaping toward Paul. Brock grabbed her hair, and pulled down, snapping the brunette's body to the mat sharply. She clasped her neck as he lifted her, tossing her back into the turnbuckle once more. "All this time, you've been the center of my little game. I've been tearing you down, little by little," his face twisted in glee, "Maybe, Liz, maybe you wondered whose game this was. Maybe it was fate, you might've thought. No. This is my game, little girl, and I want you to remember…I am the Gamekeeper. I'm the one who's been controlling your life for the past 1 ½ months or so." He sighed, and stepped back, attempting to wait out the crowds boos. "Frankly Liz, I'm starting to get sick of this game. My plan's out and the game is nearing an end. All I need to do is to finish the last level," his sick smile returned, and an image appeared behind him on the screen, showing the locker room's locked from the outside, storage cases and whatnot piled against the doors. "Here's level 10," he stated, and stepped to Liz. "No one can help you. No one is going to," he stepped away, watching both RVD and Liz. "This'll be your final stand together," he told them. "Because I guarantee you that after tonight… You'll never dare to step a foot in the ring again." Paul passed a smile to the two. "Sayonara," he whispered, and slid out of the ring, standing next to Vince. Slowly, he reached out his hand.
Vince shook his hand, and turned to the ring once more. The Big Show and Brock glanced at each other, and passed a smile, turning to the two wrestlers.
Liz looked at RVD as the Big Show slammed into him. Her gaze slowly turned to Brock. "This is far from over," she said hoarsely.
He pulled her to him, and hissed in her ear, "Give it up. It's already over."
As he shoved her roughly into the turnbuckle, she looked at him, a desperate, helpless feeling growing in her stomach. Her jade eyes sparked as she replied with the first line of her entrance music. "Forfeit the game."
He grinned at her, a heartless laugh escaping his lips. Brock grabbed her hair. "The pace is too fast…You just won't last." He finished. She almost believed him.
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Author's Note: That's it, I hope you like! The next chapter might be up sooner—I had to march in the parade this weekend, and I spent the night at her house—because I don't have much to do next weekend, I don't think. Anyway, I'm off to Algebra homework… Ugh… 50 problems with no calculators and explanations for each one… I'm already bored out of my mind. Anyway, please review!
LittleKnux2008
P.S ~ I've thought of a plot line for Dominique, but it could go either way, with her living or dying… I think I'm leaning toward one, but what do you guys think?
P.S.S ~ DiscoInferno1 – I think I explained it in the 28th chapter… I'm not quite sure, but it's around there… There also might (MIGHT) be a semi-explanation in the next chapter.