Chapter 15 - Explanations & Plans
Joe blinked before his brain finally caught up to what Alison had said as he finally got his legs to move and he scrambled to catch up to her before he followed her onto an elevator and once he watched her hit the floor the guys were staying on he waited 5 seconds and hit the emergency stop button.
"I knew you were going to do that." Alison chuckled softly.
"You can't tell me you know that fuck is screwing around on you and then walk away like that; I'm gonna need a little more if you'd please." Joe stated in a stern tone.
Alison looked down at the elevator floor before she looked up at Joe again. She watched as he backed up and leaned against the elevator wall; he was waiting and he wasn't going to let either of them off the elevator until she started talking. She swallowed hard. "I was really having a good time with Colby. When I met Colby, Aria and I were at a carnival in Chicago. I didn't know it, but at the time he was there doing a signing. I was standing in line for cotton candy and he accidentally bumped into me. The rest is history."
Joe nodded; he already knew all that. "And?" He prompted her to continue with the rest.
"We spent our whole two days off in bed after that kiss; I thought I was so stupid for letting it get to me - letting you get to me like that. All it did was remind me why I never stopped loving you. And why I knew no matter what happened with me and Colby it was never going to work out. For the last three weeks I've been getting the feeling that something wasn't right; that there was just something under the surface that wasn't setting well with me. We came back on the road Friday and I had a gnawing in the pit of my stomach. I couldn't figure out what it was and I couldn't make it go away."
Alison sighed softly as she pulled her fingers through her hair. "Sunday before the house show, I was walking through the lobby. By all accounts Colby told me he was going to go to the gym with you guys before you guys left the hotel room that morning. I was still in bed so I didn't actually see you guys leave together or whatever."
"No he split off and said he had some errands he had to run; said he was going to catch up with us later." Joe interjected.
Alison nodded knowing he was going to say that. "It's always a different excuse with Colby, which was why things haven't been sitting with me well. Anyways I went down to the hotel restaurant with Aria and we ate lunch and then went into the salon and had our nails and toes done. We came out and Aria went to go shopping and I was going to go up get my swim suit and visit the pool; we still had a few hours. I got on the elevator and got off on our floor and turned towards our room. I thought I saw Colby up ahead and opened my mouth to shout his name and get his attention when a hotel room door opened and some blonde chic jumped into his arms. She planted a kiss on him that could have curled his hair because it was so hot. But he suddenly pushed the blonde away and was telling her to keep her hands to herself; when I looked past Colby I saw Jonathan and Joshua walked towards him. He shrugged like it was no big deal and said 'Fans what can you do with them' The twins chuckled as he did and he walked onto the room. I've seen that blonde around, but I can't make heads or tails of who she is. I don't know if she works for WWE or if she is a fan who is actually following him around."
"I don't know who you're talking about; I've never see him with any blonde, but we aren't always together. I know almost everyone working for the company so I'd have to see her in order to know who she is exactly. I didn't want to tell you he was cheating on you but you pissed me off with that 'I'm going give him the courtesy of being a one man woman' bullshit. That pissed me off...Wait a minute. You told me that on purpose...didn't you?" Joe asked as he narrowed his eyes at her.
Alison nodded her head. "Yes. I wanted to see if you would actually tell me about Colby cheating or if you'd play it off and just let me find out on my own. If anyone knows about a dude cheating; it's going to be his friends and not his girl. I know it was a bitch move but I haven't seen you in 9 years and before that kiss I would've sworn you didn't feel anything for me, but I had to be sure after the kiss."
"You played me." Joe stated in a heated tone. "Why wouldn't you just ask me instead of trying to screw with my head? You should know my loyalty would be to you and not Colby." He stated as he smashed the button down to make the elevator move again.
Yea he was pissed.
"Nine years Joe. I have to protect myself; protect my heart. What if you were pissed at me all this time because I didn't return your calls? Which I know you're not because you understand why I did what I did. But you're going to be mad because I tricked you into telling me the truth about my skunk headed boyfriend screwing around on me? Would you rather I find out from someone and be heartbroken and then find out you knew and didn't tell me and me be hurt or pissed at you for not telling me?"
The elevator doors opened and Alison walked off towards their hotel room.
The weeks started to fly by and pretty soon WrestleMania in New Orleans was a smash and the boys won their match. Colby has been so busy between WrestleMania and Extreme Rules he hadn't even noticed that Alison stopped having sex with him. She couldn't bring herself to have sex with him if she even thought for a second Colby was screwing someone else.
The guys had been so busy she hadn't even had time to talk with him. He hadn't even noticed that she and Aria had started staying in a separate hotel room from the guys.
Joe had noticed that Alison was distancing herself from Colby but the dumb son of a bitch didn't even see anything he was too focused on trying to impress the bosses of the company. Colby was constantly pushing for better matches and even singles matches to prove he was just as good alone as he was in the Shield. Joe and Jon kept getting the feeling that Colby was trying to prove to everyone he was better than either of them or anyone else in the company.
Before anyone knew it the Payback Pay Per-View came and went on June 1st.
On June 2nd, everyone was in Indianapolis, Indiana for Monday Night Raw and no one knew how the night was going to end.
Alison had been on cloud nine. Payback was her first Pay Per View she was allowed to be at the announcers table and called the matches. She loved watching the way the matches would come to life; of course her favorite had been the Shield vs. Evolution. It was the second time the two groups had come together with the Shield being victorious both times. The matches were simply amazing.
Who knew how great 6 guys could meld together in the ring and make one phenomenal match?
Payback had been an official success in the WWE Pay Per-View books. The match with Evolution got physical for all participants, especially Joe. He had his vest and muscle shirt ripped from his body as the members of evolution proceeded to slap a kendo stick across the bare flesh of his back. He had red angry looking welts on his back when she went to check on him in the trainers office afterwards.
Alison had never felt so drained and tired and she was completely ready to head home for her days off. Vince was officially giving everyone Wednesday through Saturday off; but first Raw and Smackdown.
Alison was walking through the arena and she looked up and noticed both Mark and Joe were approaching as she stopped in front of them and smiled softly. "What's up boys; Mark what are you doing here?" WrestleMania was over and Mark more than likely would not be making any other PPV appearances until the next WrestleMania.
Joe licked his lips as he looked down at Alison. "Mark said he needed to talk to you about something but he didn't want to do it alone, so I volunteered to come alone; do you have a few minutes to come with us someplace private?"
"Umm sure yea." Alison answered; suddenly getting a burning in the pit of her stomach as she watched them turn and she felt Joe's hand go to the middle of her back as he guided her down the hallway into a empty locker room that didn't appear to be being used by anyone. She walked over and sat down on the couch in the room as she watched Joe close and lock the door.
"Okay you two - you're freaking me out; what's going on?" She asked as she watched Joe sit next to her on the couch and Mark grabbed a metal fold up chair as he swiveled it around and sat backwards in it.
Mark pulled a folded up piece of paper out. "I received this a few years ago and...you know what just read it and then I can answer your questions." He unfolded it and handed it over to the mahogany haired girl. He still couldn't believe how much she looked like her mother and still couldn't believe she was his daughter.
Alison hesitantly took the paper and did as Mark had asked her. Her amber orbs followed along the words on the paper and she almost couldn't believe any of it; almost - if it hadn't been in her mother's hand writing she would've NEVER believed it in a million years. "I don't - I don't - I don't understand. What the hell is going on Mark?" She could feel the tears building up in her eyes.
Mark cleared his throat softly. "When I first met you a few months ago, there was something about you that was just so familiar to me. At the time I didn't think anything of it; in this business I've met tons of women, but for some reason you stuck out to me. I started thinking about a different version of you that I'd met 26 or 27 years ago. A little bit of a girl who looked exactly like you Marie Alison Merker. I can now understand why she named you after her. We spent one night together as she explained in the letter. I received it in the mail after she gave birth to you, but I hadn't actually opened it until I went home on my days off after meeting you. I don't know if you want to get to know me or anything but I wanted to let you know you've got 3 sisters and a brother from my three marriages and if you'd like your half siblings would like to know you, but it's entirely up to you Alison. I won't push you but I just want you to know if you need anything for any reason you can call me."
Alison blinked as the silent tears spilled over her eye lids as her amber eyes took in the man sitting in front of her that essentially was her father. She couldn't believe her mother cheated on her father and her mother never told her that Michael Merker wasn't her real father. She felt a warm hand on her jean covered knee as she looked over at Joe. "I-I-I'm not sure." Her eyes went back to Mark. "I don't even know what to say?"
Mark sighed heavily. He knew he was taking a chance by telling her the truth. Every son and daughter deserves to know where they truly came from. Mark figured it was better for her to find out now rather than down the line if she ever had health problems and needed to know her real parents health history. "Look you can walk away and never speak to me again, you can walk away and we can pretend we never had this conversation and remain co-workers who just happen to be related but don't acknowledge it or you can decide you'd like to have one living parent rather than two deceased. But either way it's your decision and you get to make it." Mark stated honestly. "If you need to get in touch with me talk to Joe, he knows where to find me." Mark watched as she nodded. He stood up and started to walk out of the room before he leaned over and softly kissed the top of her head than exited the room.
Amber orbs turned back to Joe. "What - what am I supposed to do Joe?"
Joe shook his head. "I don't know babygirl. We can figure it out together; I'll help you as much as I can." He hoped she didn't mind him using the term of endearment towards her. It was hers and he had never called another woman that before. He had done it one to Renee Young while she was interviewing the Shield, but it was just for fun. "C'mon we have to get ready for Raw."
Alison watched as Joe stood and she followed suit as she nodded and followed him out. They were walking down the hallway when Alison stopped. She heard a giggle. It was a familiar giggle. Something she had heard before. Her amber eyes looked around the hallway and saw something out of place; a single red high heel sitting on the floor outside of a partially open door.
Joe stopped walking as he looked back and watched Alison as she had stopped and was looking around the hallway. "Ali, what's wrong?"
"Do you hear that?" Alison asked as she pointed to her ear and then to the partially open door. "That giggle...I know that giggle." She walked closer to the door; she leaned over and picked up the red high heel before placing her hand palm down against it and slowly pushed it open. Her amber eyes narrowed as the full view of the tiny janitor's closet came into view.
Joe walked over when he noticed Alison had frozen into place and as he peered into the doorway his eyebrows rose all the way into his hairline. "Whoa..." That pretty much summed up what Joe was witnessing with his own two eyes.
Standing in the janitor's closet was Colby with a blonde chic wrapped around his body. One high heel on her foot and the other in Alison's hand. Alison knocked on the door and the two pulled themselves apart. As soon as Colby's eyes landed on Alison he dropped the blonde on her ass on the floor.
"Alison baby, I don't know who this ring rat is or how she got in the building but she's been following me; she attacked me and drug me into this closet. I thought it was you." Colby spit out the excuse fast.
"You're pathetic and disgusting and now I know why I agreed to room with Aria away from you." She watched as his face contorted trying to think if she was right or not. "You didn't even notice did you?" Her eyes went to Joe. "Do you know who she is?"
Joe nodded. "Yup, she's Stephanie's assistant. She started with the company a few weeks after you and Aria." He cocked his head towards the blonde. "Is she the same one you saw him with at the hotel?"
"Yup. Well I'm glad I finally got proof that you were screwing around on me with some no name whore because we're through." Alison stated before she stepped up and slapped the taste out of Colby's mouth.
"WHAT THE FUCK ALISON!" Colby screeched at the top of his lungs as he held his jaw. She had a hell of a slap on her.
Joe grabbed Alison's upper arm and pulled her behind him when he saw Colby getting ready to throw a fit. He stepped chest to chest with Colby when he turned and started to reach for Alison. "Don't even think about it. Go cool off before our segment on Raw."
Colby's brown orbs narrowed at Joe and then also towards Alison. They wouldn't know what hit them later. A smirk slid across his lips. "Yea...no problem BRO." He put plenty to emphasis on the word bro.
Joe watched as Colby grabbed the blonde by the wrist and drug her down the hallway in the opposite direction of the Shield's locker room.
Alison sat at the announcers table as she softly spoke with Michael Cole and JBL off mic about the matches that they had covered so far that evening. She watched as the guys cut a promo about their match from the night before at the PPV.
Michael Cole looked at Alison. "How are the guys anyways?"
Alison shook her head. "They are so sore; surprisingly enough Joe is actually moving around pretty good. I thought we were going to have to transport him by gurney but he actually got up and came in on his own free will; stronger than anyone realized I guess."
JBL chuckled. "They really put their bodies on the line last night."
The three announcers went silent as the Shield's music hit and they watched as the three stable mates marched down the steps of the arena through the crowd and hopped the barricade and made their way into the ring. They each had something to boast about from the PPV the night before.
Then Evolutions music hit and only Paul and Randy came out; Paul carrying his patented sledgehammer. At that point Colby slid out of the ring and grabbed a couple of metal fold up chairs. Paul spouts off about adapting better than anyone in the company and that the night before was Plan A and tonight was Plan B; there is always a Plan B.
Alison's eyes widened as she watched Colby swing one of the metal chair back before swinging it forward and cracking Joe across his bruise welt covered back. Her hands came up and covered her mouth; none of it was in the script that they handed her for the night...none of it. She watched as a shocked Jon turned and stared at Colby. She could tell by just the look on his face that neither he nor Joe knew anything about this.
Alison was completely horrified as she watches Colby beat the hell out of Jon and Joe both before he threw the chair away and curb stomped Jon on the other chair in the ring before he takes the chair and hands it over to Randy Orton and he gets in the ring next and goes after Joe as well. The tears were pouring down her cheeks as she tried to make heads or tails of what was really happening in the ring. She watched as Paul and Colby got in the ring once more before Paul threw his arms over both the guys shoulders and boasted as Raw went off the air.
As the fans were starting to file out and the referee's were checking on Jon and Joe. Paul, Randy and Colby exited the ring still putting on a big cocky measuring show for the fans that remained behind. Alison crawled into the ring as she sat between Joe and Jon she watched as Colby walked over and slapped the ring mat a couple of times.
"Let's not do this again anytime soon BRO's." Colby stated in a condescending ton before his eyes landed on Alison. "Catch you later baby; have fun with these two losers."
He chuckled from the back of his throat and disappeared up the ramp.