"Two...Three" The crowds chanted the count with the referee, and the bell rang. The realisation crashed over her as Roman let go of her legs, Rebel had lost the biggest match of her career, in front of millions, at Wrestlemania. It was like a fresh kind of pain, one she had never experienced before, or at least in such large a quantity. It was...well it was raw, it was almost searing and it was deeper than any cut could have gone. Before she could stop herself, tears fell in a slow trickle from her eyes, soaking in to her hair as they fell towards the canvas. Rebel realised the pain was because her heart, her spirit was broken. Randy had been right all along, she realised with a new horrible, painful pang. She had never been able to win the big one. She rolled over on to her front, trying hard to resist the urge to break down sobbing. Tears mixed with blood, falling to the floor as she forced herself to try get up, to try and move. If she was going to break down, and she could feel it was imminent, she couldn't do it in front of all these people. She managed it, as Roman stood watching her every move a frown on his face. Slowly, Rebel inched herself to the ring apron, then on to the floor, promptly collapsing in a heap. The ref came running over, but she pushed him away, determined to walk from the arena. She was not going to let herself be carried out like The Undertaker at Wrestlemania 27. Looking up, she saw the girl she had seen at the start of the fight, her own eyes teary as she watched Rebel inch her way over.
"I'm sorry sweetheart," Rebel said, as she reached the girl, and enveloped her in a hug. "I'm so sorry." Hands patted her back, fans said it was ok, it didn't matter, she was the real winner, but Rebel couldn't share their enthusiasm. I failed them…I failed them all. How can I show my face at RAW tomorrow? she asked herself. Slowly, dejected, knowing now how John Cena had felt when he faced The Rock the first time at Wrestlemania, she began to walk up the walkway. She had barely started up the slope, when she stumbled and fell. It took the wind out of her, what little was left, and she forced herself to her knees. The referee and the trainer were there in seconds it seemed, and Rebel angrily pushed them away from her, shaking her head as she got back to her feet. A few more shaking steps, and again she fell to the floor. Angrily she slammed a fist on the floor with a scream. What she didn't see was Roman shaking his head in the ring, before putting on his belt and coming out of the ring and over to where she knelt. He bent down and held out a hand to her, only to find it angrily shoved aside.
"No, I can do this myself!" she said, looking up at him.
"Damn it, Rebel, you can't. You're hurt. Let me help you." He said, his brow furrowed in concern.
"I don't need help!" she growled, forcing herself to sit back on her knees.
"Stop trying to be strong, Rebel. You need my help here. Why won't you let me help you?" Roman asked, exasperated. He held out his hand once more, and this time Rebel realised he was right, she needed his help to get backstage. She took the big Samoan's hand, the crowds cheered and he helped her up, putting his arm around her waist and slowly walking her up the walkway to the stage. Reaching it, they turned and Roman smiled at her, before holding her hand to the sky to signal she was really the winner of the bout. They stood there a moment, Rebel surprised at the volume of cheers that had erupted, before Roman turned and said they needed to get her backstage. With a nod, Rebel allowed him to walk her off back through the curtains.
The reaction backstage was almost as deafening. Roman had walked her to a chair, and let her sit there to speak to everyone who was waiting to see her. Everyone, it seemed, was waiting. They cheered and applauded, congratulating her on a fantastic match. People crowded round her, shook hands and clapped her on the back, but she just couldn't share their thoughts. She felt awful, she had let down so, so many people. The Undertaker came over and told her she had fought honourably, and that she should be so, so proud of herself, but Rebel didn't share his enthusiasm, or his view. As she tried to smile, to look at least a little pleased with herself as she guessed by everyone's reactions she should, she saw Dolph push his way through. He paused, looked her up and down, before frowning, shaking his head and putting an arm around her.
"You ok, Bell?" he asked. Rebel knew he wasn't referring to the injuries she had. She shook her head.
"I feel horrible…I just want to go to medical, and then back to the hotel. Please?" she managed. Dolph nodded, and busied himself with getting her through the crowds to the medical bay.
"Ok she needs to be seen by the doc, outta the way people," he said, pushing his way through the crowds and escorting her to medical. Rebel saw Randy Orton stood off to one side with his cronies, and he was quick to give her a smug smile of satisfaction as they passed.
"Ignore him, Rebel," Dolph said, walking her out of the double doors nearby and towards the medical bay.
"I'm trying. Maybe now he'll leave us all alone." She said, although it was a thought half filled with hope.
"Knowing Orton, I hate to say it, but I wouldn't hold your breath." Dolph replied as they headed onwards. Rebel was silent, her head hurt, her chest felt like a lump of lead. She felt crushed, her dream had been ripped away from her. Because it really had been a dream, she realised. In the last month it had solidified in to something achievable, something concrete. She could have done it. She could have beaten Roman and won that belt. But she fell short, and that hurt. Lost in her own thoughts, she let Dolph guide her to medical. She had no idea if he was talking to her or not as they reached the room, she barely registered her friends stood off to one side. They watched as she numbly sat down on the edge of a bed, and the medical staff began to assess her. The flat, empty tone of voice as she answered the doctors questions gave her friends cause for alarm. They didn't like what they could see.
"Is she ok?" asked Dean.
"Bout as ok as she can be. She beat the living shit out of me, Dean, and I don't mind admitting it." Roman replied. "But...she's heartbroken, I can see it in her eyes."
"I think everyone can." Seth added. "I'm not sure I've ever seen her this broken. Mad yes, angry, sure. But the look in her eyes...I've never seen that at all."
"Rebel…come out,"
"No."
"Rebel please, we've got an hour before we have to leave, you haven't eaten and Doc Amaan needs to check you're fit to compete tonight…" Dean pleaded. He looked round at the others exasperated. Dolph, Dean, Roman, Seth and Cena were gathered outside her hotel room. She had point blank refused to leave her room that morning. It was now nine, and they had to get out of their rooms by ten.
"I'll come out when I'm good and ready." She said back. The five looked at each other not sure what to do as The Undertaker approached them, heading down to his car.
"She still not coming out?" he asked.
"Still. Don't know what to do, to be honest." Roman said. "Everyone wants to see her at RAW tonight, I don't know how we're gonna get her to go." Undertaker put down his bag and stood in front of the door.
"Rebel Wild. You know this voice. Open this door." He commanded.
"N…N..No…" her voice was stuttered, and fearful. The others looked at each other as The Undertaker continued.
"Rebel. I will not ask you again. Open this door, or I will open it for you."
"Go away!" she yelled. Undertaker shook his head, and stepped back. He flexed his hands…and the area went black.
Inside the room, Rebel was sat next to her packed bag, wishing everyone would leave her alone. After heading straight to the hotel after being allowed to leave by the medical staff, she had intended to go straight to her room. But getting there, she was collared by Hunter. She'd been polite, and chatted for a minute or two, getting another round of congratulations from him, Stephanie and Vince, and reassurance she was not letting anyone down. Then she had politely excused herself, and gone to her room to go to bed. But it was another few hours before she would sleep, as she spent a long time crying silently to herself, tears soaking in to the pillow as she cried herself to sleep. She had barely slept, and now she was sat, waiting for everyone to go so she could sneak away. She couldn't show her face that night. She couldn't deal with the boos, the realisation that she had let down all her friends, her fans. She was looking at her feet, so when a movement caught her eye, she looked up and tried to scream but couldn't.
"I did tell you I'd open it for you." He took a step closer.
"Don't do that!" she exclaimed. "You scared the shit outta me!"
"Comes with the territory," Undertaker said with a thin smile. "Grab you gear, let's go."
"I'm not going to RAW...I...I can't." She said, shaking her head. Undertaker opened her door and told the guys waiting he would take her to RAW, and not to worry about her. She would be there, and she will be fine. Dean gave him a look that clearly said he wanted to stay, but Undertaker merely repeated that he should go. With that, he shut the door and Dean was left looking at the white wood as he stood outside. Roman put a hand on his shoulder, and indicated they should go.
By the time RAW was due to go on the air, Hunter was getting worried. It was ten minutes till show time, and neither Rebel or The Undertaker had arrived. He was pacing the arena car park, not sure what to do. Roman, Dean and Seth were also on edge. Roman felt like crap, Seth and Dean were convinced Rebel wasn't going to show, and Roman thought the first thing she would do when she got there was punch him in the face. They were watching the screen backstage, cameras focused on the car park as the minutes ticked by to show time. Just as they had all given up hope that the pair would be there, a hearse pulled in to the arena car park. The crowds in the arena cheered, as they realised who it was. The hearse parked up, and the camera crew filmed as the drivers side door opened, and the black boots of The Undertaker stepped out. He straightened up, already in his ring gear. He walked slowly around to the other side and opened the passenger door.
"I can't do this," came a familiar voice.
"Yes, you can." He replied.
"I can't...I can't show my face...all those people I let down...I can't do it." Undertaker gave a thin smile, the most he'd ever given to anyone.
"You can, because you must. You did not back down, why back down now?" he asked, offering a hand. A female hand took it, and the crowds roared when they saw Rebel Wild step from the limo. Bruised, cut, sore, but she was there. "Your audience is waiting for you, Rebel." She nodded, took a breath, and began to walk slowly in to the arena.
She got to medical, and as suspected, was not cleared to fight that night. All Rebel wanted was to go home, but now the crowds knew she was there, she had to stay. They would want to hear her, want to see what she had to say. Leaving the medical bay, she found Dean, Seth and with a sheepish grin, Roman waiting for her.
"So, he got you to come after all, did he?" asked Seth.
"Yeah...we talked for a long, long time. I still don't want to be here, I don't know if I can face them all. I let so, so many people down." Roman looked at her incredulously as she hung her head, the black eye highly visible against her pale skin.
"Let people down? Are you mad?" he asked. "You gave the best performance anyone has ever given at Wrestlemania. Fuck, people roared louder when i held up your hand than they did when I won. And hell, you see this shiner?" he asked, pointing to his eye where the skin was blackened and bruised. "That was your doing. You have a mean swing, Bel."
"How guys? How can i face them all, how can I even step in that ring and talk to everyone who I failed? So, so many people believed in me and I feel like I let everyone down." She said, looking at her friends with a pained expression. Seth put a friendly hand on her shoulder.
"When I destroyed The Shield by planting Roman with that chair, I feel a little like you do now. Like I'd let down all my fans, all the Shield fans. How could I show my face again after what I did?"
"How, Seth? How do you do it? How do you keep going when you feel like this?" she asked, her eyes watering. She looked at her friend, not noticing Roman give Dean a nudge and nod towards her. He got the hint, and stepped forwards, wrapping his arms around her as she let her tears run.
"One day at a time, Rebel. It's all you can do. Yes it hurts, yes it feels awful, and I'm not going to lie, it will hurt for a while. But the pain fades, the feeling you've let people down fades. In time." He replied.
"It will be ok, Bel," Roman said. "You'll be ok." Dean said nothing but held her, not able to communicate how he felt, or adequate words to express how sorry he was for her.
It was the final moments of the show. Stood backstage as Roman made his entrance, Rebel could feel her stomach churning, her knees were weak and she was shaking. She was nervous as all hell. Dean was with her, as was Seth.
"What do I say, guys? What do I tell them?" she asked.
"The truth." Dean finally spoke. Rebel gave him a weak smile and the three fell silent, waiting for Roman to bring her down to the ring.
"I will be honest with you, I took no pride in taking out my sister last night. Yeah, I said sister." Roman said as the crowds reacted. "Rebel is my sister in all but blood. You see, Rebel made me promise not to go easy on her. Made me promise to let her see what she could do against me for the ultimate prize. As you can see by the shiner and the cuts, she did a hell of a number on me." Roman paused and looked around at the crowds before looking up at the stage. "And i know she's watching backstage. Rebel, come down here, Sis." There was a pause, Rebel's theme song ripped across the arena, and she walked slowly out from backstage. The crowds roared as one, they adored this woman. They chanted her name, making her smile as she walked slowly and painfully down to the ring. Roman pulled open the ropes and let her in, waiting till she had a microphone to speak once more.
"How you feeling, Bel?" he asked. She took a breath before speaking, the crowds chanting "Thank you Rebel" before she spoke.
"Sore. In pain." She took another breath. "Crushed. Heartbroken. And like I let every single one of you down." Rebel shook her head.
"sore and in pain, I can understand. I can even understand crushed and heartbroken. But letting everyone down...are you even hearing yourself?" Roman asked incredulously. "You kicked the living crap out of me last night. You showed everyone that Diva's are a hell of a lot tougher than they look, that you are every bit as good as me." Roman put his hand on her shoulder and Rebel, who had been looking at the floor, looked up. "You were the winner last night, Bel. Not me."
"Maybe, but I fell short. That was the biggest match of my career, of any Diva's career. And at the end of the day, I didn't win the belt. I'm sure you can see just how much that hurts. And it hurts more to know I will never, ever get that shot again." She said, shaking her head sadly.
"What do you mean, never again? Who says you won't get another shot?" Roman asked, his brow furrowed. He was about to say he'd insist on another match, when he was interrupted by a familiar voice.
"Well, if I have anything to do with it, she won't." The pair looked up at the stage to see Randy Orton walk out. The crowds booed and hissed, furious at his actions the day before. "What an absolute waste of a main event yesterday was. You really outdid yourself, Roman. Allowing your...sister...to monopolise her ill gotten headlining slot. You wasted the chance, Rebel, and we all know it would have been better if you'd let someone else have it."
"Shut your mouth Orton before i come up there and shut it for you," Rebel growled, stepping over to the ropes.
"Well that's not very nice."
"Since when did you care about being nice?" Rebel retorted.
Anyway I did give you a warning, I told you I'd start going after those you care about. How is that certain someone anyway?" he asked with a nasty smile. Rebel felt her heart catch in her throat.
"Dean..." she gasped, before dashing out of the ring as best she could and running towards backstage, Roman following close at her heels.