A/N: I want to say that this story is winding down. But when I consider all the things I want to do, it seems unlikely thatit'll fit into five more chapters. So to be safe, I'll say 5-10. Thank you guys SO much for the reviews and all the support, it means the world. I'm anxious to hear what you think after this chapter.

Chapter 24
A week had passed. Seven days earlier, the unthinkable had occurred. Something that could change the face of Monday Night Raw. Batista turned on Triple H. The sometimes reluctant, yet always loyal Animal broke free from his chains. And he beat the shit out of his leader. The prayers of wrestlers and fans alike were finally answered. A warrior, in the form of Dave Batista, had knocked the king of Raw right from his throne. No one saw it coming. But everyone relished in it.

And so, one week after driving Triple H straight through a table, Batista made his way to the ring. Decked out in a suit that Trish claimed made her want "lick him from head to toe," Dave entered the arena to a deafening ovation.

Beneath the thick jacket, goose-bumps covered his arms. The people appreciated what he did – not only for them, but for himself. They appreciated his tough situation, and they appreciated the definitive manner in which he escaped it. Despite Hunter's earlier threats to "beat him within an inch of his life" if he showed up, Dave boasted a proud grin in the center of the ring.

When the applause finally began to dwindle, he grabbed a microphone. He began his speech, speaking with a pride and confidence no one had ever seen in him. He explained, to no one's surprise, that Hunter was always the center of Evolution's attention, even after he won the Royal Rumble. He was sick of being ordered around, of being mocked, and of being overshadowed by his leader.

Then, he paused for a moment, an arrogant smirk crossing his face. "It's all about the game, and how you play it," he quoted the all too familiar lyric. "Well last week," he said, flashing the audience a brilliant grin. "Last week, The Game got played." The crowd roared until he concluded his mantra, candidly stating that come Wrestlemania, he would become the man.

When the anticipated sound of Motorhead finally filled the arena, the cheers ominously turned to boos. Out came Hunter, a red-faced Ric pacing by his side. The two charged for the ring, but Dave barely budged. Their intimidation tactics would not work on him. Not after last week. Not after he saw the fear blazing through the eyes of his former leaders. He shed his jacket and took a protective stance, fully prepared for a fight.

Ric sacrificed himself to the ring, diving head first onto the apron. Dave easily decimated his old mentor, tossing him like a rag doll before laying him out with an earth-shattering spinebuster.

As he expected, Hunter never stepped foot in the ring. The cowardice beneath the cocky exterior started to show. As the troubled champion headed back up the ramp, Dave's eyes rested on the belt held snugly over his shoulder. The gold gleamed through his eyes. In a matter of weeks, that belt would belong to him…


"You know, man, now that you got your own room I can come by whenever I want," Randy remarked with a smile as he waltzed into Dave's private locker room.

Glancing up from the gym bag he was packing, Dave rolled his eyes. "I can't tell you how much that excites me, Orton," he spoke sarcastically, shaking his head. He turned his back to Randy, letting a small smile touch his lips. Though he'd never admit it, he missed having the kid around. Even if he was a punk.

He zipped up his bag and tossed it to the floor, sauntering over to the couch Randy had apparently made himself comfortable in. He relaxed into the opposite end, shifting his body so he was turned towards Randy.

"Did you hear about your match next week?" Randy asked, helping himself to one of the several unopened water bottles on the table beside the sofa.

Dave nodded, watching the younger man sip his drink. Almost immediately following their encounter, Hunter ran to Bischoff, demanding that Dave be put in a match against Ric the following week. And of course, Bischoff was quick to grant Hunter his wish.

"Yeah, I heard," he replied with a shrug. "If what I did to him tonight is any inclination of how our match will go, I'm not concerned."

Both men allowed themselves to be distracted by the sound of an entrance theme playing on the monitor. Christy Hemme, peppy as always, danced down to the ring, enjoying a mildly warm reception from the crowd. She leapt excitedly, set to reveal the cover of the Playboy magazine in which she'd be featured.

Dave couldn't help but groan, tilting his head back and staring at the ceiling. Tearing his gaze from the television, Randy reverted back to their conversation.

"You know it'll be a two-on-one," he said. Dave simply nodded. Everyone, himself included, understood that when Hunter requested Batista vs. Flair, he was essentially getting a Handicapped match. "I just want you to know, I got your back," he said sincerely. "You know, in case things get out of hand."

Dave smiled gratefully, but he politely declined the offer. "I got this, man," he assured. Christy proudly unveiled her cover. It was decent, but as Playboy covers went, he'd seen better. "I gotta do this on my own. I have to prove that I can handle whatever shit they throw my way."

Randy was silent. He knew Dave would refuse his help, but he felt compelled to offer regardless. Their attention drifted again to the screen, both men drawn by loud giggles filling the arena. Trish made her way the ring, mocking the newest Playboy bunny. She taunted the redhead, wondering aloud why Christy was billed as a champion diva when in face she hadn't even wrestled a real match. Dave was surprised that Trish kept her insults at such a professional level… even when she pulled out a can of red spray paint and covered the word 'Champion' with a bold line.

When she suddenly laid Christy out with a jaw-breaking Chick Kick, Dave's eyes widened. As she hovered over her prone body, Trish beamed, giving the paint can a good shake. His gaze grew serious, but Randy cracked up.

"This is the Trish I like to see," he said, pointing as the blonde haired diva leaned down and began to spray paint across the back of Christy's conveniently white outfit. As the word 'SLUT' was spelled across her back, Randy too felt his eyes grow wide. "Oh, shit. She just destroyed and humiliated her. That was awesome!"

Dave shook his head. He still felt partially responsible for the mess between Trish and Christy. But at least he knew that Trish obviously had a handle on things. And Trish's triumph over Christy was just another sign that Hunter could not control his life.

"Hey, weren't you trying to throw Hunter off your trail? To keep him off your back?" he asked, suddenly recalling a previous conversation. "If you want to lose his attention, I don't recommend you openly volunteering to whoop his ass for me."

Randy sighed, his gaze dropping a bit. "Well, I sort of gave up on that whole idea to keep him away from me. The Christian thing fell through right away… him and Tomko are teaming up now, they had a match during the Heat taping. We couldn't keep that charade up anyway." He paused, taking a sip of his water before sealing it up and putting it down. "I just figured if I couldn't get him to go away, I'd get right in his face and fight him with you. As long as he stays away from Stacy, I really don't care what happens to me."

Dave eyed Randy curiously, surprised to see his younger friend giving up so easily. Orton was normally so dedicated to his ideas that no one could sink through to him… now he was just giving up on himself?

"That's a little uncharacteristic of you," Dave told him bluntly. "You're a smart guy, Randy. You could figure something out if you just keep trying. Just because Christian didn't pan out doesn't mean someone else will." He paused, laughing quietly. "You're a pretty annoying guy. I'm sure you could strike up a decent feud with someone."

Randy's eyes lit up at Dave's statement. He had thought of someone else to focus his attention on. To this point, no one had even been willing to hear him out. It was crazy, and following through with it would cause him a hell of a lot more trouble then Hunter ever could. But it would certainly keep Stacy safe. And give him a chance to immensely boost his career.

"There is someone I had in mind…" he began, his gaze tentative. Dave glanced him, nodding for him to go on. "You'll know soon enough."

The time on his watch told Randy he was supposed to be meeting up with Superstar Billy Graham, who was in town to help promote Wrestlemania, in two minutes. He hopped off the couch, extending his hand to Dave. The two men shook hands, and Randy headed for the door.

"Hey Randy," Dave called after him. Randy paused at the door, turning back to him. "Don't get too bent out of shape over Hunter. He's gonna have his hands full with me."