Chapter 12
Lonely Road of Faith
"Look Steph, all I wanna know is where Melanie is." Brock said eagerly. "She hasn't returned any of my calls since Sunday. I need to talk to her, and if you know where she is, you need to tell me." Stephanie sighed. The fallout from a pay per view was never easy for a General Manager. Superstars demanding rematches, revenge for some injustice that had happened. Stephanie thought Brock would be harassing her for a rematch with the Big Show.
"Look Brock, I wish I could help you. But Melanie already came in here." She said lowering her head. "She asked for release papers. Melanie quit." Brock's mouth fell open. Stephanie continued.
" She doesn't want to cost you anymore matches." She said. " She might still be here. If you go now, you might be able to catch her at her car." Brock turned around and ran out of the General Manager's office toward the parking lot.
Melanie was carrying a box of her possessions out to her car. She remembered all the good times she had with the company. Tears began to form in her eyes as she struggled to unlock her car.
"Mel… wait! Hold on!" a distant voice said. Mel didn't have to turn around to know it was Brock. She knew he wouldn't give in this easily. He grabbed her arm.
"What's this I hear about you quitting?" Brock asked. Melanie tore him away form her.
"Go back inside Brock, it's cold out here." Melanie said, not making eye contact. Brock grabbed her again.
"You didn't answer my question. Come on, talk to me. What did I do wrong?" He asked. Melanie slammed the door shut.
"You? You didn't do anything wrong. It's me. I cost you the WWE title." She said trying to sound calm. "The title was the most important thing in your life, and I took that away from you. I think it's best if I just leave" Brock ran his hands through his hair. He couldn't believe what he was hearing.
"Are you joking?" he asked. Brock began to pace back and forth. "You are the best thing that has ever happened to me. How can you think that any of this is your fault?" Melanie slammed her hand on the hood of her car.
"Brock, I'm fricken cursed! We can't be with each other! It'll just end badly." She said screamed. Tears were running down her cheeks as she continued.
" I don't wanna hurt you! Every time I get close to someone, they get hurt because of me! I loved my mother and she was taken away from me." Brock blocked her path to her car door.
"I need you. Heyman betrayed me. I have no manager, I have no title. I need your help." Brock said helplessly. Melanie shook her head.
"I am sick and tired of hurting the people I love." She said sadly. She gently pushed Lesnar out of her way and left the arena. Brock stood in the middle of the parking lot.
To hear Paul Heyman tell it, the end came for Brock Lesnar at Survivor Series, when Big Show accomplished what no other superstar in World Wrestling Entertainment could do: pin The Next Big Thing and win the WWE championship. But as Heyman, Show, General Manager Stephanie McMahon and the Smackdown superstars striving for No. 1 Contendership would discover in the final weeks of 2002, Lesnar was anything but finished.
Stalking the backstage area of the Hartford Civic Center, Brock Lesnar wanted to personally welcome Paul Heyman and Big Show to the first Smackdown that he wasn't champion. He patiently waited for them to arrive. No one dared to look in his direction while he was in the locker room, except Matt Hardy.
"Hey Brock! I just came here to say that I was impressed with your F-5 to Big Show this past Sunday buddy." He said arrogantly. "Too bad your agent had to screw you out of the title. Maybe if you had a few more Mattributes and touched a little more on Mattitude, then you probably wouldn't have suffered such an unfortunate Twist of Fate and perhaps you would be holding in your arms that Melanie Halliwell you've been drooling over." Brock smiled and nodded toward Matt. He patted Matt on his shoulder… and threw him through a wall!
The unconscious Version 1 was certainly in no condition to report Lesnar's assault to The GM. It didn't stop Eddie Guerrero and Chavo.
"Listen senorita, Lesnar is turning Smackdown into a very unsafe work environment ese." Eddie said agitatedly. Stephanie sighed.
"Eddie, things have been pretty hectic around here. Brock has been going through a very difficult time. I'll go talk to him and I'll see what I can do." She said.
Approaching him in the parking garage, the GM began to speak to Brock.
"Look Brock, even though Edge has a title shot against Big Show later tonight, you'll get your rematch." She said quietly. " And I am sorry that Melanie left you, I should have done more to stop her. However, I will not tolerate your actions in the locker room or put my Smackdown Superstars' lives in jeopardy. If you so much as lay a hand on Paul Heyman, the Big Show or any other Smackdown superstar tonight," She cautioned, "then I'll be forced to suspend you." Brock shot a look at her, but she didn't budge. He walked off.
Within minutes of Stephanie's warning, Big Show and Paul Heyman arrived to the arena. Before Lesnar could make his move, Stephanie called him to her office.
"Just a fair warning Brock," She began, "Show and Heyman are headed toward the ring. I have to give the new champion some airtime, and in your recent state of mind, I'm just afraid that you'll fall for Heyman's more than likely attempts to provoke you." Brock stared at Stephanie. Did she really think he wasn't going to kick Heyman's ass tonight?
"Brock, I refuse to let a viable commodity to Smackdown hurt himself like that. If you don't control your rage, it will ultimately destroy you." She whispered. "Just repeating my warning, lay off." Brock headed toward the door, but not before turning to Stephanie. His voice was cold as he replied. "That's bullshit."
Lesnar's music hit the arena as he walked toward the ring with authority. Paul Heyman came out shortly after, wearing the WWE title around his waist and bouncing back and forth as if he were Brock Lesnar. He bounced to the bottom of the ramp and stopped just before the ring.
"I urge fans everywhere to credit my extraordinary greatness that led Brock to King of the ring, plotted the end of Hollywood Hulk Hogan, provided the necessary tools to defeat The Rock at Summerslam and ensured Brock's victory over Undertaker at No Mercy." He said proudly. "But when the monster stopped listening to Dr. Frankenstein, I had to show Brock Lesnar who was boss." He claimed pointing to Brock. Big Show came out and began forged a tear or two.
"Thank you Brock!" Show sobbed, "Thank you for giving me a title shot, and for being so hot headed and helplessly in love, leaving the door wide open so that I could take everything that you had. If only you hadn't driven that hottie away, we could have had some fun!" Brock's blood began to boil as Heyman took the microphone.
"I officially dumped you as my client, but not before I negotiated one extra clause in your Survivor Series contract. And that clause." He revealed, "Is called no rematch." Brock felt his blood begin to boil.
Suddenly, Brock's Music hit. All three men looked up as Melanie came out. But she wasn't alone. She rode an ATV down the ramp, toward where the 2 men were standing. Melanie nailed Big Show in the back with a chair. He fell to the ground and dodged out of the way of the vehicle as Melanie chased Heyman around the ring. Steel chair in hand, she took a swing. BAM! She missed Paul's head and hit the ring post. Heyman began running up the ramp with Show beside him, narrowly escaping another chair shot. Melanie turned around and parked the vehicle beside the ring. She got into the ring, where Brock was standing there, smiling.
"I'm glad you came back." Brock said grinning. Melanie smiled
"I'm glad I came back." She said. There was an awkward moment of silence between the two. Then, they embraced in the middle of the ring. Stephanie McMahon's music hit as she came out holding a Smackdown contract in her hand.
"I'm glad you've decided to come back Mel." Stephanie said. "Even though you may think I gave you that offer just to keep you around, that proposal still stands. Are you going to accept?" She asked. Melanie looked at Brock, then at the crowd.
"Yes, I accept." Melanie said proudly. Brock scratched his head.
"You accept what?" He asked. Stephanie immediately answered his question.
"Ladies and gentlemen, I would like to introduce you to your new co-general manager… Melanie Halliwell!" She said. The fans cheered. Stephanie saw the look on Brock's face and quickly added, "Of course, she will still remain Brock's now full time manager. This is just another job to keep her busy." Brock sighed and congratulated her.
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