One Last Thrill

by Mark 61

"Well Mike what the Doctor told me is if I don't retire I'm going to wind up in a wheelchair. So I have no other option than to retire." I say trying not to cry. For Jake Reed the end of his career has come

5. Chapter 5

Chapter 5

Because they need to set up other matches I was off the show the week before my final match. I'm now sitting int he back taping my ankles and wrists up. "You ready?" Madison asks. "No," I admit are you ever really to end something like this. "Is he here?" Madison asks talking about the person I am going to face. "Yeah he's here. The more important question is she here?" I ask. "Dixie left something about some important meeting," Madison says. "Good only way I'm ever going to pull this off," I say grabbing for my old leather jacket. FOr this match I'm back to the look I had most of my career. The black leather jacket, blue jeans, and a t-shirt. "Good luck," She says kissing me.

#Break#

Jake's music starts to play. "Taz when you retried what was gong through your mind?" Mike asks. "Well Mike when I retired I didn't have a last match. But I've talked to people that did what Jake is doing having one more big match and it was a very emotional experience for all of them," Taz says as Jake enters the ring and gets a microphone. "There has been a lot of speculation about who I would face in my last match. I have had a lot of rivals in my career and I've had a lot of friends. But who better to face than my best friend," Jake says. Music starts to play. "You gotta be kidding me," Mike says. "Dixie Carter won't like this," Taz says as a figure starts walking towards the ring. "Get Ready to Fly!" Rings out of the PA. "It's AJ Styles," Mike yells. The crowd goes nuts as AJ holds up the TNA World Title Belt he walked out with. AJ take the microphone from Jake. "This match is for the TNA world title," AJ says. Jake and AJ shake hands as the referee calls for the bell. Jake and AJ lock up. AJ Moves into a hammer lock but Jake reverse right into one of his own. AJ elbows Jake in the head to break it. AJ hits a drop kicks knocking Jake down.

Jake gets up and actually says "nice one," to AJ. The two men circle each other. Jake swings with a punch but misses AJ hits the ropes and comes back with a drop kick but this time AJ misses. AJ hits the mat and Jake grabs AJ's leg and goes for a sharp shooter. AJ gets the ropes and Jake lets go. AJ gets up but as soon as he is Jake hits a big front kick driving AJ back into the corner. Jake hits a a shoulder to AJ's stomach. AJ coms out of the corner and Jake hits a big German suplex. Jake rolls through and goes for it again but this times AJ counters and rolls through for a pin count of one count of two. Jake pops his shoulder up. "Mike its clear these guys are friends but they don't' want to lose," Taz says.

Both men get up again. Jake dives in for a double leg and takes AJ down. Jake gets a side headlock. AJ kips out of it and locks on in on Jake. Jake rolls out and puts AJ's shoulder on the mat count of one. AJ rolls off. Jake keeps rolling but this just allow AJ to get the calf killer. Jake quickly grabs the ropes. Jake stands up and AJ hits a spin kick stunning him and than hits a brain buster. AJ pulls Jake up for a rack bomb. AJ goes to the outside apron and waits for Jake to stand allowing him to hit a springboard forearm. AJ covers count of one count of two. Jake kicks out. Jake rolls out of the ring.

Jake takes some time to try and regain his composure. AJ holds the ropes to let Jake get back in. The two men lock up again AJ hits a knee and than a swinging neck breaker. AJ picks Jake up for a back breaker than a gut buster. "That's what AJ needs to do if he want to win and retain that title he walks around with he needs to focus on the back," Taz says. AJ goes for a straight jacket and places a knee right in Jake's back. Jake fight out of it and hits AJ with a big palm strike. AJ is rocked allowing Jake to to hip toss AJ down and than drop a knee. AJ gets up but he's dazed Jake with an over head belly to belly suplex. AJ sits up allowing Jake to hit a rolling neck snap. Jake pulls AJ up and gets him in a Razor's Edge and hits the Nebraska Nuke. Jake covers count of one count of two. AJ kicks out. Jake wastes no time he flips AJ over onto this stomach and goes into the Cattle Mutation. Jake can't keep a hold of the move and lets it go.

Both men get up but Jake is quicker and pulls AJ up onto his shoulders getting ready for the death valley driver but AJ fight into a crucifix position and than he spins around hitting a huge DDT. Both men have to use the ropes to stand back up. Jake goes for a clothesline but misses AJ hits the Pelle kick. AJ waits for Jake to stand up and goes for a discus clothesline. Jake hits a spears as AJ turns around. "You get this in matches with guys that know each other so guys came up together so they have seen all the little tricks the other guy has," Taz says. Jake stands up but thank drops holding his back. AJ rolls to the outside holding his ribs. AJ gets back to the apron and stands up. Jake comes over to try and suplex him back in but this just give AJ a chance to hit a sunset flip. Count of one count of two Jake kicks out. Both men are up Jake whips AJ towards the corner but AJ leaps uses the second turnbuckle to help flip back over Jake hit an inverted DDT. AJ goes back to the outside. "Springboard 450," Mike yells. At the last second Jake gets his legs up. "If AJ didn't' have injured ribs before he does now," Mike says. "Mike now things are even Jake has a bad back AJ has bad ribs," Taz says.

"You know Taz Dixie Carter won't be happy this match is taking place but I sure am," Mike says. Jake gets up first and kicks the downed AJ right in the side of his body. "Ahhhh!" AJ yells out in pain. Jake goes for it again. But this time rolls out of the way. AJ is back up Jake trying to keep control of the match goes for a flying lariat. AJ side steps and Jakes goes tumbling over the ropes Jake hits his back on the ground. Everyone goes silent as referee Earl Henber goes out to check on Jake. Madison comes running down the ramp and right to Jake. Earl puts up the x and goes to ring the bell. Some how Jake pulls himself up and stops Earl. "Jake come on. It's over that was to much," Earl says. "YOUR NOT ENDING THIS MATCH!" Jake yells. "Jake you can't win this," Madison says. Jake whispers something in Madison ear and than she nods. Jake climbs back in the ring. AJ holds his hands up. "Jake come on no," AJ says.

Jake scrambles and takes AJ down and locks in the cravat. AJ scrambles out. AJ still holds his hands up up. Jake throws a drop kick that connects. "How and the hell is a guy with a bad back doing this?" Mike asks. Jake covers count of one. AJ kicks out. Both men are up and AJ seeing Jake won't stop hits an enziquir knocking Jake down. AJ covers count of one count of two count of… Jake gets his foot on the rope. AJ can't believe and it so stunned he isn't watching as Jake locks in an arm bar. AJ uses the ropes the that just saved Jake to force Jake to break the hold. Jake lets go and AJ backs away. Jake can barely stand but some how does it. AJ kicks Jake right in the gut and than pulls him for the Styles Clash. AJ hits it count of one count of two, count of three.

The bell rings. "The winner and…. still TNA world champion… AJ Styles!" JB announces. "Its over! This match and Jake Reed's career," Mike says. AJ stands up and his hand raised. He looks down at Jake who is still on the mat. AJ offers his hand and helps Jake to stand and than the two friends embrace. "These two men started there career about the same time. AJ about a year before Jake did. AJ was a part of TNA first and helped to get Jake hired. They have had various problems over the years but it's great to see it end as friends," Mike says both and Taz take off there headsets knowing to just let the rest of this play out. AJ gets his belt and leaves. Samoa Joe, Gunner, Aries, Storm, Eric Young, Joseph Park, Velvet Sky, Sting, Kurt Angle, and many other member of the TNA Locker Room come out and get int the ring. Jake and Madison embrace. "Thank You Jake Thank you Jake!" The fans chant.

#Break#

They hand me a microphone. I really have to talk now can't they seem I'm tired. I take a deep breath. "No thank you! I mean that see at the end of the day I'm just a really big wrestling fan. To my mom and brother Ryan who is at home in Omaha and my dad whose looking down from above along with my brother Brian thank you for everything. To all these guys and girls along with the various other people that have come and gone thank you because this is the best company in the world! I also want thank the WWE for giving up on me because all that did was fire me up to get me to TNA," the fans chant TNA. I take another breath. "AJ Styles I love you ma and to my buddies Chris and Claudio I love you guys too because lord knows you all saved my dumb irish ass a few times. Now this is really stupid to say with my fiancé in the ring but I even got thank my ex-wife Traci Brooks it ended bad but you made me the man I am today," I say needing another breath and to fight off tears.

I turn to Madison. "To you Madison thank you for loving me everyday. Thank you for saving me from the darkest time in my life. You have always have given me a beautiful daughter that shows me I am the luckiest man alive because I get to be her father. And we just found out the new baby is a boy by the way.I'm not going to Terry Funk this retirement I'm not coming back. But I can think of worse ways to end it. So one last time THANK YOU SO MUCH!" I say.

#Break#

Ok you want to know how I kept going in that match? SImple I didn't land on my back I land on my elbow and knee witch are both swelling up big time but other wise I'm fine. I strip off my clothes and step into the shower and it's hear I finally start to cry. I sob big time but it's ok because I'm alone and no one will ever know my man card will be firmly intact. I stay in the shower until the water goes cold. I turn it off and get changed. I asked everyone not named Madison to just leave me alone. I just need some time. I'll be more than willing to talk when I start as an agent. Pulling on my jacket and picking up my bag I look back at the locker room one last time. I guess now it really is over I'm an ex wrestler.

"Hi daddy," Hope says when I exit she sitting with her mother. "What are you doing here? Its past your bed time young lady," I say more to Madison than Hope. "It's a special day," Madison says. "Daddy are you ok?" Hope asks me. I sit down in a chair next to them. "I'm great sweat pea. I had a great dream and now its over and I get move onto something else. And I got you and I got your mommy and the new baby," I say.

"Jake?" Someone says behind me. Way to ruin a moment pal. "Yes… Mr Kay," I say seeing the president of Spike TV. "I just wanted to say thank you. You have done a lot for this network over the years," He says. "The network' done a lot for me," I say. Not a lot of people make me nervous he does since he could pull TNA and replace it with anything pretty much. "Jake I want to make you a job offer," He says. "Well I'm supposed to start as an agent," I say. "Son do you really think Dixie Carter is going to let that happen after tonight?" He says. "Well I figured I would cross that bridge when I got there," I say. "Jake I want you to be a broadcaster. I want you part of the team with Tenay and Taz. I even want you on Bellator and GLORY," He says. "Sir I'm not a MMA fighter or a kick boxer…Than again Joe Rogan a comic," I say. "Jake I know what announcers gets paid and I have an idea what an agent gets paid," He says. "You know what funny when I was a kid and I would tell people I wanted to be a wrestler they would ask what I would do if I couldn't be a wrestler…and I way say sportscaster," I say. Guess I get to live another dream folks.

The End