Things had never looked so bleak for Randy Orton and Dave Batista. During the weeks after Undertaker's hospitalization, Lesnar and Bradshaw seemed to make a habit of crushing any superstars who got in their way.

The first match the duo had was against the WWE Tag Team Champions; the Legion of Doom. Lesnar and JBL dominated the entire match, but when Animal hoisted Bradshaw up for the Doomsday Device, everything went downhill. MNM stormed the ring and attacked the LOD -resulting in a disqualification- but Lesnar and JBL weren't finished. Alongside MNM, they went to work completely dismantling the Legion of Doom. And that was just the beginning.

The next week, Lesnar and JBL attacked Hardcore Holly. The week after that they beat down Rey Mysterio and Booker T with the help of Eddie Guerrero, Orlando Jordan, and MNM. People were beginning to wonder why Dave and Randy weren't on Smackdown! The answer was simple; Vince McMahon.

Vince had ordered Randy and Dave not to appear -or even go- to the arena for the past three weeks, simply stating that he couldn't afford the two of them to be crippled like so many others were doing.

And so it was on September thirtieth that Dave Batista and Randy Orton were finally allowed to return to the ring. With just under two weeks until No Mercy, Orton and Batista were intent on making as big an impact as possible…

"Listen, playa," Teddy Long said. "I wanna help you all out." Long had called Randy, Dave, Stacy, Christy, and a multitude of other superstars into his office. "If we allow Lesnar and Bradshaw to continue with what they're doin' then there's no hope for any of us: Smackdown! will be ruined."

"Well what can we do?" Bobby Lashley –the newest wrestler to join the roster- asked. "Hell they have six guys on their side! I mean, Dave's good and everything, but even he can't handle those odds."

"Well then I suggest we even those odds, playa," Long said with a smile.

"You have a plan?" It was Ken Kennedy, without the usual vibrato.

"Damn straight," Teddy laughed. "Tonight, I'm scheduling a tag-team match: Randy Orton and Dave Batista against Brock Lesnar and John Bradshaw Layfield. And just to make sure everything goes fairly, I'm sending Bobby Lashley, Ken—I mean Mr. Kennedy, and Christian into the audience just incase JBL's cronies come through that way. I'll also be sending Paul London, and the Mexicools to block off all entrances to the ring from backstage." He turned to Dave and Randy. "I'm countin' on the two of you to beat the living hell out of those two sob's."

Randy cracked his knuckles and Dave began to rotate his shoulders. They were going to bring it like never before…

The crowd in the arena was going nuts, but neither Dave nor Randy could hear them over the sound of their blood pounding in their ears. Batista and Lesnar were in the ring trading blows back and forth while Orton and Layfield were on the outside.

Batista hurled Lesnar into the ropes and then knocked him outside of the ring with a vicious clothesline. Dave then slid out of the ring after him and the two giants began fighting their way up the ramp towards the backstage area.

Meanwhile, JBL had thrown Randy into the security wall and then back into the ring. As Randy Orton rose to his feet, JBL rebounded off the ropes and lashed out with the Clothesline from Hell. But Orton –predicting this move- just managed to duck underneath it. When JBL turned around he was met with a thumb to the eye and was then introduced to the mat for the three-count thanks to the RKO…

"Randy!" Stacy called out. The young Orton spun around to meet his girlfriend who practically tackled him to the floor. She locked her arms around his neck and refused to let go even once he got up.

"Where's Dave?" Randy asked, his tone deadly serious. The last he saw of Dave, the "Animal" had chased Lesnar out of the ring.

"Right here," Dave answered as he walked up behind Randy. Dave was sporting a black eye and had a slight limp, but seemed to be in good spirits. "Long rescheduled some of the matches for this Sunday at No Mercy. I'm defending the title against Lesnar in the main event. You're facing JBL," he said to Randy. "The Mexicools are facing MNM, Kennedy is taking on Guerrero, and Lashley is facing Orlando."

"So we got our work cut out for us, don't we," Randy said. Batista simply nodded. Randy sighed. "Well I'm heading back to the hotel. JBL knocked me pretty good earlier."

"I'll see you tomorrow," Dave said as he clasped Randy's hand. "Take it easy."

"You, too." With that said, Randy and Stacy left the arena…

"You coming?" Dave asked Christy after they had both showered and changed after the show. "I'm heading back to our hotel to get some rest."

"I'll be with you in a little," Christy answered. "I'm going to head over to the local hospital and talk to a doctor; I haven't been feeling so great recently."

"Want me to come with you?" Dave asked.

"No," Christy answered. "I'm sure I can handle this myself."

Dave smiled. "Okay, but don't take too long. And watch your back. No telling what Lesnar may do to get the hand over me for this Sunday." Christy nodded, gave Dave a quick kiss, and sped out of the arena parking lot…

Three Hours Later…
The phone rang and Randy Orton rolled over to answer it with a groan. "This had better be important," he growled.

"Randy, it's Dave," Batista said into the phone. Randy heard the edge in his voice; something was seriously upsetting him.

"What's going on?" He asked, slightly more alert.

"Christy hasn't come back yet," Dave yelled into the phone. "She said she was going to see a doctor, and that was three hours ago."

"Dave, calm down," Randy said sternly. "I'm sure there's a perfectly logical explanation for this. Maybe she's just taking longer than expected."

"I'm going out to look for her," Dave blurted out. "I need to find her." He hung up after that.

"What's wrong?" Stacy asked sleepily. "You sounded upset."

"That was Dave," Randy said quietly, the seriousness of the situation just beginning to sink in. "Christy went to the doctor after the show and she hasn't come back yet. It's been three hours."

"Oh," Stacy said. Fear, suspicion, and worry laced that one syllable. After tonight she had thought not to contact her backup plan, but now she was beginning to reconsider.

"Yeah," Randy sighed. "Oh…"

(A/N): Any ideas as to what's happened? Who is Stacy thinking of calling? John Cena? Big Show? Shawn Michaels? Stone Cold? The Rock? Would she be so desperate as to contact Triple H or Ric Flair? Or does she have someone else in mind? Who exactly is "the man" and will he be willing to help? Remember, Reviews are greatly appreciated.

-Now for my chapter critique: I don't think too highly of this chapter, mainly because it seems to be more of a transition chapter, setting up for more of a storyline. But I suppose it's all necessary.