Chapter 2
So thank you to everyone that has been reading already. Also special thanks to those that have put me or the story on favorite and alert lists. I don't have an exact length planned for this story but I can't see it going anymore than ten.
"Madison will you please say something?" I say as we walk into our hotel room. She stay silent. After the match was over and I was helped to the back she came into make sure I was fine. She than yelled at me for being so damn stupid and since than nothing. I actually missed the yelling. "Madison I understand why you are mad. I should have…." "Shut up Jake," she says. Okay now I miss the not talking to me. "Do you want to wind up in a wheel chair?" Madison says taking off her earnings. Great now I'm not sure if I should shut up or. Worth rolling the dice. "Of course I don't. Madison one match isn't going to be me in a wheel chair." "Do you remember what happened? You would take one bump to the back and your body would shut down," She says turning to face me.
"I know trust me I've had enough nightmares about it. But it didn't happen tonight. And now I'm retired again," I say. "Jake do you think it's that easy?" "Well I lost so it's not like Omega is going to be asking for a rematch. And I won't lose it again like I did tonight," I claim "Speaking of which? What made you jump into the ring tonight?" I take a deep breath this might take some time to explain. "Madison I'm still a man. I got my ass kicked to start the night and than I have to deal with those guys trying to pat me on the damn head. I've been able turn the other cheek in the past… something about tonight just set me off. Maybe it's just years of still wanting to be in the ring. Maybe it was seeing what they did to Rich after I got knocked out earlier. Maybe its going stir crazy from the god damn year. I promise it's not going to happen again," I swear. "Jake you just broke the promise you wouldn't wrestle again. How do I or the kids know you won't snap again," Madison says.
"Come on Madison don't bring the kids into this," I responded. "This kids are a huge part of this. They love you and thank god my mother didn't let them watch the show tonight. Think about them seeing you dropped on your head," She rants. "Guess I wasn't think about that," I say. "And I also don't you becoming a target for someone looking to make there name. Now people know you can be baited," Madison adds. "I won't let anyone bait me again I swear." I take hold her and embrace her. "Madison I don't want to scare you and I sure as hell don't want to scare Hope and JJ. Its just I have my limits and I got pushed past it. But I got lucky okay. My back feel okay for the most part. I did get that numb leg feeling. Tonight was a blip on the radar. Hell Omega made it pretty clear he is targeting Rich and we will talk to D'Amore about me not doing backstage interviews for a while. Hell I think after tonight he is going to keep me far away from the talent maybe move to that post show with Jimmy Jacobs," I think out loud.
Meanwhile
Kenny Omega was pacing. When he and Don decided to do this stuff with AEW and Impact Wrestling there has a very clear plan in place. Get the AEW world title, go to the Impact shows, reunite with Gallows and Anderson, match where could pin Rich and than take the Impact belt. Yet tonight the plan had changed. When they went out to attack Swann they were taking a risk in hurting him. And than Jake Reed stepped into the ring. He knew Don wouldn't be happy but Kenny wanted this. After all plans change right? Writing a text he sent it. Don rarely took long to get back to him. Sure enough less than three minutes later Kenny phone vibrated telling him he had a text. "Let it be. I am begging you." To himself Kenny thought, "not a chance."
Impact Wrestling Taping That Tuesday
I stood in the ring to start the show. Damn it was strange being in a wrestling ring with no fans in the arena. On Sunday I had been so caught up with the match it hadn't hit me that much. Now though looking at the empty spaces where fans should be I couldn't help but long for them. I looked right at the hard camera. "I asked for this time to address what went down at Hard to Kill. To answer the first question... No I am not coming back full time. And no I'm not coming back every once and a while. I love wrestling and at one time I would have been willing to run myself into the ground to keep wrestling. But those days were before I became a father," I say before taking a pause. "The truth is I shouldn't have..."
"Damn right you shouldn't have gotten involved!" Don Callis yells after appearing on the ramp. Don is power walking down the ramp followed by Gallows and Anderson. Don climbs into the ring and gets right into my face. "Just who do you think you are? You are here as an announcer. But on the biggest night this company has held in nearly years you try to make it all about you," Callis yells poking his finger in my chest. "Unless you want to lose that finger I'd stop poking me," I warn. Callis just keeps poking me. "Now you understand this. I am your boss. These aren't the old days where Dixie would let you do what ever you wanted. What I should do is fire you and ban from the arena," Don says.
"You want to fire me Don?" I ask. "No I won't fire you. See they don't just call these guys with me The Good Brothers just for a gimmick. See they really are good brothers. Because they along with Scott D'Amore have convinced me you already paid the price when the best wrestler in the world, the real world champion dropped you on your head using the greatest finishing move of all time The One Winged Angel," Don brags. "So can I go?" I ask annoyed. Karl Anderson takes the microphone from Callis. "Easy Outlaw. I get it. You have your pride and hell the big man and I even respect you being willing to get into the ring again," Anderson claims before handing the microphone to Gallows. "Look that's right. You stepped up and fought when a lot of other guys wouldn't. You have my respect," Gallows says extending his hand.
I am reluctant but takes I Gallows' hand. After the handshake I go to pull away but Gallows won't let go at first. When he does Anderson hits the Gun Stun gives me the Gun Stun. I'm dazed but not totally out. Kenny Omega swaggers down to the ring holding his AEW title belt and wearing his gun glasses. Kenny hands down the belt and than takes off his glasses and jacket. As the Good Brothers take hold of me. Omega finally gets into the ring and than gives me a V trigger. Kenny picks up the microphone and stands over me.
"Jake did you really think it was going to be that easy? Did you you think you could try to ruin my fun? Let me answer those questions for you Jake. You thought it would be easy because you are an idiot! And no you don't get to ruin my fun!" Omega yells before stomping on me. "Well let's have a little way back when. See years ago back when this company was called TNA I couldn't even get a tryout match. Yet who was the world champion at that time? YOU! I've wanted this for years I have wanted to prove not that I am better than you. But just how much better I am. Listen to me though, I don't want Jake Reed. I want that dark side I want that side of you that had fire I want that part of you that had so many fooled. I want the Omaha Outlaw!" Kenny says before tossing the right into my chest.
The four of them leave and I'm still down in the ring. Some of the referee's make there way out to help me but I wave them off. Instead I pull myself up using the ropes. D'Amore has come out. "Jake you alright?" He asks. "No I'm not alright Scott," I snap. Some are still trying to help me but I tell them to not touch me. I get to the top of the ramp and am just about to get through curtain. Just as I do a steel chair comes down across my head. I look up and see Omega standing over me just before my eyes start to sting from the blood flowing into them.
Trainer's Room
"Just a few more Jake and we are done," The doctor says as he gives me stitches. "How many is that?" I ask. "Ten it could have been worse. He got you pretty good," The doctor tells me. "I noticed the massive headache was a hell of a clue," I say. He goes over to his bag and pulls out some Tylenol. "Can't give you anything stronger but this should help. Let me get you some water." I take two pills. Madison had checked on me before having to head back to call the show. She wasn't mad this time she isn't the type to victim blame. Hell that is what I am a victim of an assault. Thankfully no concussion just a bad cut and some bruises no doubt. "Look Jake I'm not therapist but you look like you need to talk," the Doctor says. "I'll be fine," I lie. He clears me to leave. I head out of the trainer's room and frankly I have no idea where to go.
When Scott agreed to give me a chance to talk at the start of the show I told him I would than get on commentary which was supposed to be my actual job. Of course that was before I got attacked and busted open. I'm sure Scott would get if I wasn't up to do commentary. But than where do I go? Hell I might just wind up running into Omega and company again. I pass by a monitor Josh and Madison are on screen. Of course they show a replay of the attack on me from the opening. I feel my blood boil.
Jake and Madison's home days later.
"Mom is something wrong with dad?" Hope asks walking into her mother's office as Madison sits her desk. "He had a rough few days honey," Madison says worried. If the kids were noticing Jake was in a funk he was worse than she thought. "Is dad going to wrestle again?" Hope asks. "Now what makes you ask that?" "Mom he just wrestled a few days ago. My friend Billy showed me the footage of that Kenny guy beating up dad again. Plus he's watching wrestling with JJ," Hope says. "He and JJ watch wrestling all the time," Madison says. "Mom do you not want dad to wrestle again?" Hope asks. "Hell… I mean its not an issue. Your father has a bad back. He retired and what happened on Sunday is not going to happen again," Madison claims. "Okay," Hope says before leaving and heading to her room.
Madison turns back to the e-mail she is working on but than gets up. She walks down to Jake's den/man cave. "No see what he's got to do is break the grip of the hands. That is how a you get out of hold like that," She hears Jake say to there son. "That Joe looks he's got really big hands," JJ says. "You have no idea buddy," Jake says. Before Madison can knock she thinks better of it. She can talk to Jake later and frankly she needs to think.
Kenny Omega's home
Kenny and Don were in a zoom meeting. "I thought you said you were done with that Being the Elite Show?" Don asks after he Kenny mentioned he would be appearing on the upcoming episode. "Ah its mind games. Freaking Tony is demanding I give Moxley a rematch. Plus I can also take some pot shots on Reed here check out what I wore," Kenny says getting up and pulling a leather jacket out of the closet. "Oh that looks just like the one he used to wear. Although I hate to think you are wasting your time. I though that beat down would get Reed to snap instead he ran off and hid on at the taping," Don says. "Look Don if Reed doesn't fight he proves my point and I can just go after Rich instead," Kenny says.
