A/N: Thanks to all who reviewed. Hope you enjoy the chapter. Happy reading!

Chapter 15 – A Sign of Trouble Coming?

"THAT CRAZY SON OF A BITCH!"

Randy was furious by the announcement that Shane made in the ring just a few moments ago. He knew that Shane would do anything to bring him down but what the Raw general manager did was far out of line. The wwe champion was, in no doubt, outraged by this and it was surely been expressed clearly when he threw everything he could lay his hands on. Soon his locker room was in a messy state as his anger burst like wildfire.

"Whoa!" was John's response just as he stepped into Randy's locker room, only to be greeted by a flying object coming his way. Fortunately for him, he ducked in good timing but unfortunately for him, he had to deal with his best friend's not so great mood.

"Hey! Hey! Randy! Calm down man."

"I WILL NOT CALM DOWN!" Randy yelled. "DID YOU SEE WHAT HE DID JUST NOW?"

"Yes I heard his announcement," John said calmly. "And I thought that it was totally outrageous."

"YOU DAMN RIGHT IS OUTRAGEOUS! HE PUT IN FOUR FUCKING MATCHES! HE WANTS ME DEAD BY THE END OF THE NIGHT JOHN! HE HAD HIS WHOLE FUCKING AGENDA PLANNED OUT!"

"Okay now Randy you really need to calm down. I want you to take a few deep breaths with me okay? Let's do it. Breath in. Breathe out."

John inhaled and exhaled slowly and deeply as he continued on repeating the words to the breathing technique. He caught Randy's eye whilst doing this and from the expression he read on his best friend's face, John stopped instantly.

"Okay I have a feeling that now isn't the time to do so."

"JOHN! DON'T MAKE ME EVEN MORE PISSED THAN I AM NOW!"

"I'm sorry I'm sorry!" John said apologetically. "Can you just at least help you out--"

"Help? Help?" There's nothing you can do to help!" Randy snapped. "I have to face five people on my own tonight and I'm damn sure that Shane won't allow me to get any help and you and I both know that!"

"Yeah you're right about that," said John with a sigh and shook his head. "Look let's put it this way. We all have to go through hell at some point."

But that seemed to be a stupid thing to say.

"WHAT THE HELL DID I JUST HEAR?!"

"Just let me talk okay?"

"You better quit with this bullshit--"

"Just let me talk before you rip my head off alright?" John held his hands up in defense. "Is that cool?"

Randy crossed his arms over his chest and stared at him coldly. "This better be good."

John made a weary sigh and went on to say what he was trying to say before.

"Okay let's put this to perspective. I was champion for a year and you know what I've been through to keep that title. I even had to confront the Punjabi Giant of all people! Let's not forget that."

"I haven't forgotten about it John. But how can your past be compared to what I'm going through now?"

"What I'm trying to say is that sometimes we tend to think that we have it all when in reality, there's gonna be someone gunning for us and they would make sure that they could bring us down to the rocky ground. You know my history with Coachman…which I would not get into that…but you got the point."

Randy nodded. "So you're saying that I should just deal with it? Just got out to the ring and act like it doesn't bother me?"

John made a laugh. "Well I don't know about the last part 'cause now you're pissed!"

"Very pissed," Randy said through gritted teeth and punched a fist harshly into the locker. So now he was stuck with having to face his opponents and there was no way that he could escape. "So now I have to prepare for my first match in the next few minutes."

"The first match in the Battle To Survive…" John began and made a laugh. "I'm starting to wonder if his head got screwed in right? Or maybe the Absolut or Mr. Johnny Walker had taken some effect on him? Seriously, this guy is nuts."

"No need to tell me that," Randy muttered. "Shane's so obsessed over his power and will use it at every opportunity, especially now."

John nodded and then made a sigh. "Well all I have to say is good luck."

"I'll need more than that," said Randy. "Trust me."

Then a cell phone rang. Randy went for his bag and pulled out the device to answer it.

"Hello?"

Are you alright sweetheart?

Randy smiled a little when he heard his fiancee's voice on the other line. "Yes I'm fine. There's no need to worry about me."

Well I should be because I'm watching Raw right now! That evil jerk has put you in…four matches?! Who the hell does he think he is?!"

"I know. Crazy isn't it? Look I've gotta go now and prepare for my first match okay? I'll talk to you when the show is over."

Alright, good luck and I'll be cheering for you!

Randy beamed. "Thank you for that."

Please do call when you can alright? I love you.

"I promise and I love you too, Bye."

Randy sighed as he hung up and dropped his cell phone into his bag.

"That was Izzy?" John asked.

"Yeah," said Randy. "She was just as upset about it as I was."

"Well you go out there and do what you have to do," said John. "If Shane wants you to prove to him why you are the Champ, then you'll do just that."

Randy nodded and had remained quiet until it was time for him to leave his locker room to enter his first match of the evening.

-----------------

The Raw general manager was in his comfortable position as Shane had his legs up and crossed upon his wooden desk and had his hands behind his head. Since he had made the announcement, he felt like a king already.

Now Randy knew that he wasn't the person that anyone, including him, would mess with. As he had his attention fully on the monitor, the first match was about to start in just a matter of moments as Ken Kennedy just made his entrance in the ring.

Without warning the door got opened and slammed in a mere second and Shane jumped and quickly got into his sitting position before turning to the person that was now standing in his office. He smirked when it was the brunette woman who in return had a frown on her face as she crossed her arms lightly.

"Maria," Shane began as he stood up from his seat and walked slowly to her. His brown eyes were looking up and down at her appearance. "Oh my goodness, don't you look fantastic tonight."

"Don't try to sweet talk me after what you just did."

"Me? What did I do?"

Maria scoffed in disbelief by Shane's act but she didn't fall for that one bit.

"Four matches Shane? Are you insane?"

"Oh," said Shane with a laugh. "You mean Orton. I thought you meant Melina."

"I am upset about that too Shane. But not as more upset as I am now about this! You've put Randy through too much and that makes me sick. Everyone keeps on telling me how crazy you are, but I don't think the word crazy fits in your profile."

Shane laughed. "Maria, let's not forget that I'm running the show here and I'm giving the fans what they want to see--"

"What they want to see? That's a whole pile of bullshit coming from your mouth. This is about all about you and your stupid little vengeance! You know that--"

"How's the baby doing? Shane cut in. "You know you shouldn't be too stressed right? You know it's--"

"Don't you even dare try to change the subject!" Maria snapped. If he had thought that he could get himself out that easily, he had to think again.

"Well Randy is not that important now, is he?" Shane asked. "The baby is."

Maria scoffed and rolled her eyes. "You disgust me. I can't believe I was that stupid enough to trust you to keep my secret. I feel like puking right about now."

"He doesn't deserve to know anyway," Shane said simply. "He cheated on his fiancée and played with your heart at the same time. That's really low of him and you should see to that!"

"It wasn't like that!" Maria yelled in defense of her best friend. "We just had a …wait, why would I explain myself to you if you wouldn't believe me?"

"Look I know that you and Orton are really close and you're trying to put all the blame on yourself for this. I understand that. But you really--"

"Yeah I've tried to do that but then I realized that it's not going to fix things. As much as I hate myself now for keeping this from him…"

Maria paused and looked down on the floor. She had been talking to her friends and they had been encouraging her to do the right thing. She was very hesitant at first since telling Randy would destroy everything and she didn't want it to happen.

But then something made her have second thoughts. Maria opened her mouth to continue.

"...I don't think I can keep this any longer."

Shane's eyes widen with shock. "What?"

"The baby needs a father Shane," said Maria. "This little boy or girl I'm carrying deserves to have what every child should have."

"Maria let's think about this for just one sec--"

"There's nothing else to think about!" Maria snapped. "I never got the chance to know my own father since he abandon me and my family. I'll be damn if I let the past repeat itself!"

"Wait…your dad left you?"

Maria wiped a tear from her face as her dark past came back to her. She was determined to stay strong and to not cry in front of him. That was the last thing she had in mind.

"Yes…" said Maria. "I'm trying to not think about that now but yes he did. He left his own wife and three children for whatever reason I don't even know. But now I don't think I could care less."

"How old were you then?"

"Four. My mom had to work two jobs just to support us."

Shane was amazed by this bit of information that he hadn't known about her.

"I had no idea."

Maria nodded and sighed. "There were hard times back then but in the end we've made it through. I'm very lucky to have such a strong amazing mother like her."

"Yes you are lucky," said Shane and made a smile and leant back slightly to his desk. "And I think I could see her right through you. She's a fighter just like you are with your wrestling skills. You really have been improved a lot Maria."

"I know," said Maria. "And that's why I think that it's time that Randy knows that he's going to be a father."

"Let's sit down and think about this okay?" Shane asked in desperation to keep it quiet but then Maria slapped his hand before it could rest on her shoulder.

"I'm not going through this again! Maria said hotly. "I'm going to tell him what I've should have told him back in the hospital and that's to tell him that I'm pregnant with his child. Don't try to stop me 'cause I'm already made up my mind."

"But--"

"It's over Shane," Maria cut in before he could finish his sentence. "This secret keeping game is over and right after his first match, I'm going to tell him--"

And just as she had mentioned him, the bell rang and that brought their attention to the screen.

"What?! Shane yelled in disbelief. "He won?!"

Maria smirked as her green eyes were looking at Randy with his belt raised high into the air as he stood victorious in the ring.

"And I think my time has come now. So goodbye."

Shane stood like a statue in shook and as he turned back, he was now facing not the brunette woman, but the back of the door instead. He pounded his fist onto his desk in frustration.

"Damnit!" Shane exclaimed and turned back to the screen. The wwe champion was walking backwards up the ramp with a huge smirk on his face.

But that was just the first match. It wasn't over just yet. It was only just the beginning….

---------------

Maria was looking for Randy's locker room as she had thought of waiting there until Randy would arrive. She was about to tell him what he must know and there was nothing that was going to stop her. When she found it at last, she took a deep breath to calm her nerves.

"Okay Maria you can do this," Maria told herself as she closed her eyes for a minute and took in another breath. She opened her eyes again only to face the door once more. "You can do this."

After saying those words to gain courage she needed, Maria pushed the door open and went inside. As the brunette woman disappeared behind that door, another door that was adjacent to that locker room creaked open soon after and a pair of eyes made a peek to make sure that she was not seen before stepping out.

Melina had her eyes onto the door of Randy's locker room and made scoffed with disbelief. She was planning of thanking Shane once again for the title opportunity but then she found that to be a good reason why she had went over there in the first place.

Or she wouldn't have known the real reason why Maria couldn't compete.

"This is so juicy!" said Melina with a smirk. "She's pregnant? Wow, what a bombshell! Maybe I should give her my best wishes now."

And then the idea hit her like a lightning bolt.

"…or maybe I should but in a different way?" Then she sneered. "Oh Melina you're a genius!"

She refrained herself from facing the brunette woman again so instead she was going to save her energy on her match that was coming to a close. But as she walked down, she couldn't help but to chuckle at her idea that she thought was her best yet.

"Oh I'll give her my best wishes alright," Melina said with a smirk. "And I know just how to do it."