Close Quarters Chapter Two
Disclaimer, Summary, etc, Check chapter one.
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Mel made her way through the hallways in a semi daze. She hadn't seen Randy Orton in person since he'd left with John, Kristi, Carlito and Kurt from her house all those months ago. She had hoped he'd call her but he never did. She could have asked John for his number but that in her mind would just make her desperate. And she didn't' want to be like that. She figured if he wanted her he knew how to find her. And so as time went on she realized he like every other man it seems didn't want her.
That had hurt. Especially after all she'd shared with him. So to get over him, Mel had thrown herself into her work once she'd graduated from graduate school. She'd become a specialist in past trends and how to utilize the past for the present and future. It was this component of her work that had interested her in the WWE. So she'd done a very through resume and submitted it. She'd heard back from them after a day and a half, was interviewed two days later, and now one week later, she was the newest producer of Raw. She was essentially being groomed by Stephanie she was told. Stephanie wanted to cut back her work load, stay closer to home. The reason for this was the announcement of Stephanie's first pregnancy. Stephanie McMahon had married Adam Copeland a little over three years ago and now she was four and a half months pregnant with their first child.
Mel looked up in time to see that she'd arrived at Stephanie's office. She took a deep breathe as she entered the office, but found that Steph was not a lone. She had a visitor. The visitor was Melissa's boyfriend of six months, Hunter Helmsley. The sight of him was enough to ease Mel's jumbled mind.
The man smiled at her as she entered the office, but he made no move to go to her. They'd' talked about it once Mel got the job; they would be professional on the clock so to speak. Mel smiled at him in return then at Steph who was seated at the desk.
"Melissa, I'm glad you made it back when you did. Now we are just waiting on one more person and we can start our impromptu meeting."
Melissa nodded her head, moving to take the seat to Stephanie's right. Hunter was seated in one of the two chairs on the other side of the desk.
"If I may ask," Mel said, "whom are we waiting on?"
"Randy Orton. He and Hunter are about to enter into a program together and I'd like you to be here because you are going to be the creative director so to speak of their angle." The brown headed boss's daughter said to her new protégé while Hunter looked on.
"I believe you know Hunter?" Stephanie asked Melissa. A question to which she nodded. Melissa and Stephanie had spoken at length about expectations and being unbiasest when it came to work and personal lives.
Hunter tipped his head at Mel and when Stephanie wasn't looking blew a kiss that caused her to smile.
Just as she was about to return it the door opened and in walked the still t-shirt and trunk clad body of the WWE champion.
Randy looked from Stephanie, to Hunter and finally to Melissa. Stephanie smiled at him, directing him to the empty seat beside Hunter right across from Mel. Mel's brown eyes looked him over, catching his eye but quickly moving on to Hunter then back to Stephanie.
"Well since everyone is here we can get his little meeting started."
"Yeah, what is this about exactly?" Randy asked. "And why is she here?"
"Melissa is here in an apprenticeship capacity and in the capacity of being your own personal producer so to speak."
Randy and Hunter both raised an eyebrow, oddly enough thinking the same thing, but not knowing the other thought it as well.
"So Steph," Hunter asked, "what exactly does that mean?"
"It means that I go on maternity leave in about three months, when that happens, Melissa will be taking over my job on Raw, while others will do so on ECW and Smackdown. After my maternity leave this process or replacements will stay depending on their performance. I am as most know going to be on a lighter work schedule and I will be traveling less and less. So think of Melissa as me. I know what you're thinking Hunter and no don't drug her and run off and marry her."
Laughs went around the room, except for Randy, he didn't' find the joke funny at all.
"Moving on, this is the easiest way I can figure for her to learn. She is going to be slowly taking over more and more storyline, but for now she is to personally over see your storyline."
"Okay, well what exactly is our storyline?" Randy asked trying his hardest to stay focused.
"Well if you'll look at your script packets, essentially Hunter you are going to start trying to teach Randy a lesson so to speak. Randy you have the onscreen persona of being a Legend Killer, a cold and calculating man who is so self-centered you care only for yourself and the title. Hunter sees this and sees you turning into him and he doesn't want that for you or him. So he'll try to teach you to learn to care, to love and help people so to speak, but while doing so he'll be playing you for your title."
"Sounds like fun. Ya up for it kid?" After all these years Hunter still thought of Randy as the green kid who'd first been just Randy Orton before becoming apart of Evolution.
"Yeah. I'm Game if you are." Randy got a gleam in his eye. "So while doing this Melissa…"
"Umm I'd prefer if you both call me Ms. Garner."
Randy raised an eyebrow. Why would he call someone he'd been in side something so formal was beyond him.
"Fine. Ms. Garner is going to be personally in contact with us, going over storyline, tweaking…all that good stuff?"
"Yes. That is the idea."
"Stephanie, Ms. Mahon," Hunter smirked, "sounds like a fun idea. And a good way for Ms. Garner (even bigger smirk) to learn just how hard your job is."
"I think so. So starting tonight Melissa and you two are going to be sharing space as much as possible. I want you three to travel together, eat together, but don't be seen too much in public together, we do have an angle to sale."
The three nodded their heads, the men raising.
"Well if that is all ladies, I believe Orton and I have matches to get ready for."
The two men nodded their heads at the women who returned them. The men then left the office.
Melissa felt a weight lift from her shoulders.
If Stephanie noticed, she didn't' say anything.
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As Hunter and Randy exited the office, the men walked down the hallway together. They were both silent, but as they neared a dark hallway, Hunter reached a large hand out to grasp a hold of Randy's upper left arm. He then pulled the young man into the darkened hallway.
Randy muttered protest but had no choice but to follow the Cerebral Assassin into the darkness.
Hunter pulled Randy several feet down the hallway, then pushed his up against the wall,
Hunter looked Randy in the eyes before speaking.
"I don't know what the hell your problem is but stay the hell away from Melissa."
"What?" Randy questioned trying to not give away too much before he knew what Hunter knew.
"You know what I mean. Stay away from her. I know what you did to her. And I don't like it. So listen to me Kid, stay away from her. Other than a working relationship, stay away from her."
"I don't know what you mean. But she doesn't like to be called Melissa."
"How the hell would you know that? I bet you didn't' know she was nearsighted did you. Why you thought it was weird she was in glasses. I saw how you looked at her."
Randy didn't' try to hide anything. There was no point.
"Fine. I didn't know everything about her, but I wanted to."
"Could have fooled me, kid. Could have fooled me."
Randy had had enough he pushed back at Hunter.
"Fine. Whatever. I bet you don't know what it's like to hold her in the night though and feel her skin against yours. I bet you don't know what it's like to see passion etched in her features, passion directed at you. You may think you know her, but I know her better and I intend to know her again."
Hunter let Randy go once he pushed, but his gaze still held the younger man's.
"Whatever Orton. Just don't pursue anything more than a professional relationship with her. She is mine. You got that? Mine."
Randy just shook his head. "Well see about that. See you at dinner H."
He started to walk away but was briefly stopped by Hunter's last words.
"Oh tell Maria hi when you see her."
Randy just shook his head and walked off. He definitely needed to enlist help for this mission, and there was only one person he could think of to help.
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