Chapter 39

xXx

Karlee awoke in the early morning, long before Dean. He was still sleeping soundly as she crept softly around to his side of the bed to retrieve her underwear, slipping it into her bag and putting a clean pair on. She teamed a pair of soft leggings with a long shirt, opting to steal Dean's hoodie so she could hide her face as she left the hotel. She felt guilty abut leaving without saying goodbye but it was better this way. It wasn't easy but she would rather that than more tears and more pleas. Karlee zipped up her luggage and slipped her feet into a pair of her old chucks. After making sure she had everything, she stopped to look at the diamonds sparkling on her finger. Was she better to leave it with Dean, or keep his promise that she would come back to give him an answer? She sighed as she turned and left the room, slipping out into the cold morning, alone.

xXx

It had been a long while since Karlee felt like she had enjoyed her job. As she stood in front of the mirror, all ready to fight her last battle, she felt like she had when she was first in ECW. There was a trace of electricity running through her body and the small hairs on the back of her neck stood up. It was all an amazing feeling but tinged with sadness. Karlee couldn't quite believe this was to be her last match in the WWE.

She had her plan set for the night. She was to go and see Vince straight from her match and then leave from there, changing in the airport. Dean's match had been scheduled for straight after hers so there would be no awkward or emotional exchange since he would enter from the crowd this time, per Steph's request. Speaking of requests, Karlee had been put into her own little locker room for the night. One that nobody knew about to let her steady herself for the night ahead. There had been many tears from her side and she knew there would be more come time. Karlee was also fully prepared for the bashing she was sure she would receive from fans, especially when it got out that she had left Dean because no matter how private she tried to be, it would get out eventually.

She sighed as she smoothed out the red corset style top she wore. It went gorgeously with her black leather pants and knee high boots, all topped off with her vibrant curls bouncing around her shoulders. She felt sexy again, something she hadn't felt like in a long time. She felt like her personality and her on screen character were the same person again. After snapping a picture, Karlee decided to to type up a quick thank you to everyone who had supported her throughout the years. It would get posted after her match. Her phone lit up again just as she was about to put it down and she knew someone was trying to get a hold of her. She picked it up and when she realised it was Nikki she relaxed a little more.

''Women's locker room NOW.' Karlee smiled as she grabbed her leather jacket and scooted out of the locker room she had been assigned. As she walked down the hall, she was very much unaware that lots more of the talent knew, since it had been added to the script that this was Karlee's last match. Of course the girls in the locker room knew, Alice and Kaitlyn couldn't keep a secret if their life depended on it but it didn't really bother as long as they didn't hate her because she hadn't told them. She hesitated before opening the door, not bothering to knock. She walked in and was immediately blown away by the sight in front of her. Black and Red balloons flooded the floor and she was almost bowled over by Nikki and Brie, who were already near tears. Karlee hugged them tight, all three of them having a rare moment of seriousness.

"I can't believe your fucking leaving me." Nikki muttered, her arms tightening around her friend. Brie was quiet but actions spoke louder than words. They eventually let go and Karlee took in her surroundings. There was banners hanging from the roof with her name on them and the date of her début and the current date. Grim but amazing. A three tier cake stood in the middle of the table, black with gorgeous sugar red roses decorating the surface. She gasped when she saw it, going over to it in complete awe.

"Guys, you really didn't have to do this." Karlee felt her chest get heavier and knew she was well on the way to breaking down into a complete sobfest. It was the last thing she needed.

"We're really going to miss you Karlee. You've done unbelievable things for our division and showed us that no matter what, if you fight for what you want, you can have it." Naomi spoke up, offering her a hug too when Paige piped up.

"I agree with Nugget, If it weren't for you, I wouldn't have pushed to keep my character and personality when I debuted with the main roster. You showed you don't have to fit the model criteria to succeed here."

"You're going to be missed honey, there's no denying that. But always remember, there is always a place for you here in the Women's locker room." Natalya threw her arms around Karlee as she spoke.

"I've had the pleasure of working with you girls for the past few years of my career and you have no idea how much it breaks my heart to know this will be my last time. The women coming up from developmental have honestly got the best chances a diva could get. If I had you ladies as mentors, I would have been successful years ago." They all chuckled and everyone gathered for a massive group hug. It was silent but sentimental. Alice was quiet, but she was hurting, it was obvious. When everyone separated, Karlee walked over to her and pulled her aside.

"Sweetie, listen to me. I never in my life wanted to leave this company so soon after coming here but I also would never ever have left if I had my match with anyone but you. I'm so privileged to have to fight you for my last time." Alice glanced up at her and couldn't hold it in any longer. Tears burst from her eyes and ran down her cheeks at an alarming speed. Karlee grabbed her close and almost had to cradle her to calm her down.

"You have no idea how much you've actually done for me though and I've never had enough time to show you how much I appreciate it." She said in between sobs.

"Don't you dare say that! You are the only one to credit your success. Alice, you've come such a long way since starting and I'm so proud of you. If you really want to show me though, I want us to go out there and absolutely steal the show, leave no stone unturned." Alice got up and nodded. They both muddled towards the group, speaking and interacting with the other divas until Karlee got a hold of Alice again.

"I'm going to go now, I need a few minutes before my match. I'll meet you at gorilla in a while, okay?" She wiped the tears from Alice's face and placed a kiss on her forehead, thanking everyone but excusing herself.

Karlee was having a hard time accepting this was her last time in a WWE arena. She had asked for indefinite leave from the company. Stephanie and Vince expected her to come back, even after a few months, years even. They had the idea that she may join another company or compete in the indies. They had no idea..

As she walked around the arena with her hood up and her hands in her back pocket, she inhaled her surrounding, carefully pinpointing little details about her favourite place to be. The stupidly overpowering smell of coffee coming from the offices and trailers. The sounds of weights clanking in the pre-match gym. The idiotically placed posters advertising the event. She would miss the company, the business and the feeling of having a family.

Karlee clambered onto a production cart and leaned against the wall, trying not to think about anything. Anyone. There was someone on her mind but she couldn't think about him. She couldn't face him.

She must have been day dreaming because she didn't notice the stage hand running along thee corridor looking as though he had lost something. He was waving frantically at her and she grinned. Her time was up.

"You ready for this?" Karlee asked Alice as they stood at the opening of the stage, waiting for the theme music to blast. Alice nodded and the two locked themselves into a hug, so tight that it hurt. Alice's music was up first and she let go reluctantly, not bearing to look at Karlee before exiting through the curtain. Nikki was recording her last entrance for some reason but Karlee new she would like to see it in years to come.

Karlee's music started and she cracked her neck from side to side. She had to savour the moment and so she let her music hype her a little. She bounced from foot to foot, shaking every worry from her body before stalking through that curtain.

The crowd was always 100% supportive of Karlee and after everything was made public about the ordeals she had suffered, she gained their sympathy for not only what happened but how she kept fighting. Alice was leaning against the back ropes and didn't move when Karlee entered the ring, shedding her jacket and running her hands through her hair. This was it. This was where she left an impact and where she had to try her hardest to make the fans know what she was to the Diva's division.

The two girls squared up, locking up with Karlee getting the upper hand and twisting Alice into a headlock. She tightened her grip until Karlee saw her chance and ran forward, jumping up onto the rope and bouncing off, sending Alice straight to the mat. Moves like that allowed her to get a moment with the fans and truly cherish her last moments in the ring. Alice was back up quickly, sending a blow to the midsection and bouncing off the ropes to deliver a clothesline, sending Karlee down. They traded punched before both running into the ropes and double clotheslining each other. They groaned as they sat up and quickly made eye contact, the grin clear in both of their faces showed this would be an explosive match.

Twenty minutes in and the crowd were invested in the match. Karlee and Alice were slugging it to each other, their sweaty bodies showing how hard they were working. They were both verging on their time limit, but none of them cared. Alice was dominating but not to clearly. It had been a fair fought match and even though Karlee had been booked to win, she knew what she needed to do. She needed to let Alice have this match. As Alice came towards her, her intentions were to land her finisher and go for a count which Karlee was meant to kick out from, Karlee took the kick and sold it perfectly. As she lay flat on the mat she allowed Alice to pick her leg up and go for the count, winking at the ref to let him know.

1...

2...

3...

"And here is your winner, Alice DeLori!" Lillian announced and Alice stood up, shocked with her jaw on the floor almost. She put her hand out and Karlee grabbed it to get back on her feet, holding the back of her head to sell Alice's kick. Now, this was it. Lillian handed her the mic, knowing full well what was about to happen. Alice left the ring, giving Karlee space to talk. The moment was hers. And she had no idea what to say.

The crow were going nuts, expecting a promo of some sorts that could be directed at Alice. She had no idea what to say or how to start it.

"First off, I just want to say congratulations to Alice. That was a hard fought match and a well earned victory and I can't wait to see her win more matches like the one we just had. She is some woman and I'm so glad to call her my best friend." The crowd cheered, some a bit confused as to where she was now going with her speech.

"I knew that this would be hard and I honestly have no idea where to start." The audience started chanting her name, the die hard fans starting to realise what was actually going on. Karlee felt the tears starting and her hand shot up, squeezing her eyes and screaming at herself to hold them in. She took a deep breath and stood up straight, turning to the crowd.

"I want you all to remember this, before I say anything. You guys are the reason I have lasted so long here. When I wanted to give up and pack it in, you kept me strong. You fans are the reason I come into work every day, the reason I have kept going for so long and I feel so heavy hearted in having to tell you that this is the end."

The audience erupted in boos and angry fans trying to shout their voice to the top. Some started crying and a few even left the arena.

"Its taken some consideration but I've finally decided to call it a day.-" Karlee had to stop talking as the crowd silenced. Deadly silent and the hairs stuck up on the back of her neck.

"I want you to know that you guys were the only thing that kept me here so long and I feel as though that by leaving, I'm letting you down."

"You've given me ten long years in this business and it's not only been a job. I've met my family through the WWE and I owe them my happiness, as I do you guys. I will never forget the years of support you people have given me. I will cherish it forever.

"It's with a heavy heart that I say I am not only leaving. But this will be my last match in a wrestling ring. I'm officially retiring..." Karlee allowed the flood of tears to open and her legs suddenly felt heavier. Alice rushed to the ring and held her best friend while the stage filled with the entirety of the locker room. Karlee sobbed into Alice's shoulder and she cried, finally able to tear her self away, the only thing she could do was look at her fans. She would never be able to blow enough kisses, shake enough hands and sign enough autographs to give back to them the way they had given to her.

The whole arena were on their feet, applauding Karlee as she stood in the middle of the ring. Her heart was beating so fast and she couldn't contain her emotions any more. The only thing that would have made the moment better, was if Dean was by her side. But he wasn't. She was leaving everything behind. Everything good.

But this was anew start for Karlee, even if she had to convince herself so.

xXx

Ahh..I felt so emotional writing that. Hope you felt it too! Review and let me know!