A/N: I have to apologise for the lack of updates on this. My laptop has been broken a few times over the last few weeks and I've not been able to write which has made me really upset. I hope you forgive me. This is the turning point in the story, the start of Noah's plan with Vince will be played out in this chapter. Enjoy XxX
Disclaimer: I own Noah. Unfortunately I don't own anything to do with the WWE and I do not maintain to have the knowledge of the wrestler's personal lives and anything used in this story is for the main purpose. Thank You!
Bold: Ring Action
Italics: Normal POV in a Flashback
Bold Italics: Promos
CHAPTER TWENTY
ELIMINATION CHAMBER, ST LOUIS, MISSOURI
Standing in front of the mirror in my changing room was daunting. I knew that my match for the Diva's Championship was up next. And I also knew what the outcome of said match would be. But my mind was flitting back and forth between the events earlier that night and my own match. I took one final look at my ring gear, knowing this would be the last time in a while until I was back here. Until I had this kind of chance again.
Pushing my thoughts aside, I headed for the door, leaving and walking down towards the gorilla position. Mickie was standing there when I arrived and I sidled up towards her, tapping her on the shoulder. She smiled as she flipped around and we both hugged one another.
"I know this isn't how this storyline was meant to playout Mick, but its how it needs to be. Good luck with match" I winked at her to let know what I meant. She thanked me and we linked hands waiting for our signal to head out on the ramp.
I stepped out onto the ramp, taking a look at the amount of fans that had filled out the arena. I headed down the ramp, entering the ring and completing my entrance before standing in the ring. I glanced at the chamber, sitting above my head, knowing it had played a huge part in my break from the show. I sighed wistfully as my eyes moved to the ramp, waiting on Mickie entering.
Her music played throughout the arena, and I bit back a smile at the amount of cheers she endured as she made her way down the ramp. She slid into the ring, pointing at me with narrowed eyes. I paced back and forth in front of the ropes behind me as she jumped down off the turnbuckle and turned to face me. Justin announced us in the ring, stating that the match was for the Diva's Championship. We both agreed to the referee's rules before he rung the bell.
Mickie and I stared at one another before instantly locking up, each trying to overpower the other one. I pushed back towards the ropes and the referee broke us apart. I smirked at her and cracked my neck, backing up to the middle of the ring, as she came towards me again. We locked up once more, trying to overpower each other once again, but we both broke apart as we heard a voice speaking through a mic. I backed away and Mickie turned around to stand next to me as we faced the ramp, watching Vickie Guerrero walk out onto the stage. I shook my head with a sigh and glanced at Mickie as she looked at me, both thinking the same thing: Is this a trick?
"Excuse me!!" Vickie yelled through the mic and the crowd continued to boo her, and even I had to smirk at that. Mickie was almost laughing her head off and Vickie's attempts to get the crowd to listen to her.
"I don't know what you are laughing at ladies?" Vickie said almost pleasantly but you could see the menace behind her eyes "I've been watching RAW and I am sick and tired of hearing the Diva's continually talking about how much better they are than the Smackdown Diva's. So seeing as I am the official Smackdown....I said excuse me!!!" she drew a look of disgust towards the crowd and then turned her eyes towards us "Before I was so rudely interrupted was saying" she smiled "I am the official consultant for Smackdown and I have cancelled this Diva's Championship match. Now you two will team up with one another and verse the two best Diva's in this business. Ladies and Gentlemen...." she drew a hand behind herself and 'You're not enough for me' by 'Jim Johnston' played through the arena and Michelle McCool appeared with Layla by her side. They turned around, showing off hoodies which read 'Simply Flawless' on the back before they were joined by Vickie Guerrero and they all made their way towards the ring. I stood with my hands on my hips, shaking my head as they entered the ring, Mickie and I both moved to the far right turnbuckle. I left the ring, standing on the apron and turned to see Mickie standing in the ring. Layla stepped into the ring and I jumped down off the apron as the referee began to start the match.
Fans started to boo as I backed away from the ring. Mickie turned around to see me walking up the ramp backwards.
"What the hell are you doing Noah!?!?" she screamed at me, leaning over the top rope towards me.
"I'm not waisting my time with this crap!" I shouted over the fans "You're on your own Mickie" I turned and headed back up the ramp, looking up to the Titantron, seeing Mickie turn back into a Dropkick from Layla.
I shook my head, walking back through the curtain.
I headed straight for my locker room, changing as quickly as I could before grabbing my bag and all but running from the arena.
As I got into my awaiting car and told the driver to take me to the hotel, my mind flashed back to the WWE Championship match earlier that night.
FLASHBACK
I sat backstage in Legacy's locker room, watching the match from the TV postioned in there. Cody was hovering near me as I sat on the bench. He was dressed in his ring gear and he touched my shoulder, causing me to turn around and look at him. I had my hands over my mouth and looked up at him.
"Its time Noah". I nodded and stood up, walking out of the room and closing the door behind me.
I flung the door open and stormed into the dressing room, seeing Cody sitting with his arms braced on his knees. He had something silver in colour in his hands and he was juggling it back and forth between his two hands.
Looking up at me, his eyes widened and as I stared more closely I realised the silver item was a metal bar.
"What are you doing with that Cody?" I looked, one hand on my hip, the other pointing at him. He stood up slowly, backing up and almost tripping over the bench, his mouth gaped in surprise.
"Ummmm...no-nothing. Its...."
"Is that for Randy? Were you going to interfere in his match?!?" the pitch of my voice rose as the words tumbled from my mouth.
"I...uhhhh....well...." he scratched the back of his head nervously with one hand, the other gripping the steel pole tightly in his hand.
"That's a great idea, that'll secure him the win. Why the hell didn't I think of that? You're a genius" I reached for the pole, grabbing it out of his hand while he stood there looking a little flabbergasted as I headed for the door.
"No! Noah, wait, its not...." he stammered out, but I was already half way down the hall, heading for the ring.
10 MINUTES LATER
I ran down the ramp towards the ring, approaching the steely structure, gazing up at it and wondering just how much it took to survive something like that. Armed with the steel pole in my hand, I approached the metal bars, pushing my way past referees and ignoring the boos from the crowd.
"Randy!!!" I called through the bars, trying desperately to grab his attention. He was so busy that I just took the chance and threw the bar into the middle of the ring. It landed near him and I crossed my fingers that he would see it.
Standing ringside for a few moments, the bar still unnoticed as it sat despondently in the ring, I started to gnaw on my nails in frustration.
"For god sake, pick up the bar Randy!!" I yelled but to my horror it wasn't Randy who heard me, but Ted instead. He turned to see me, his eyes widening at me, a sadistic, evil smirk coming over his face. He went for the bar and I grabbed the metal chains on the side of the chamber.
"NO!! Ted, No!!!" I yelled, but it was too late, he had already smacked Randy over the top of his head, almost knocking him out in one go. I paced back and forth watching as he dropped to the mat and pinned 'The Legend Killer': One, Two, Three.
I ran my fingers through my hair in frustration, my fingers clenching and unclenching, getting angrier as Ted stared at me with those evil eyes.
I turned and fled up the ramp, not seeing Ted walk into 'Trouble in Paradise' before Kofi secured the subsequent pin, eliminating Ted right after his mentor.
Heading backstage, I took a deep breath, knowing I'd done my part and now the rest was up to Randy when RAW would hit the airwaves tomorrow night.
I headed straight for my locker room, getting changed as I began to prepare for my match later that night.
I threw the locker room door open, my eyes red at the sight of Ted, huddled over the bench, his hands curled around the back of his head, as he groaned in agony. Randy was nowhere in sight and neither was Cody.
"What the hell were you thinking?!?!" I screamed, heading for the bench and pushing him in the shoulder. He looked up at me, licking his lips before standing to his full height, towering over me.
"Back off Noah. I did what I had to do, to help me win".
"And where did it get you, you idiot? Did you win?!? No, like hell you did. You betrayed your mentor and now I have to pay the consequences!!"
"You ain't payin' for what I did, you'll be payin' for bringin' the pipe in the first place!!" he yelled back, both sets of our eyes ablaze at once another.
"You're are the dumbest person I've ever known. I know about the plan. All I had to do was look at Cody to see that the plan all along was to betray Randy. You planned this from the start. Well, I hope you're happy. You'll be able to get back in the ring without relying on anybody, just on the god given talent and money that Daddy gave you!!" I spat.
"At least I ain't ridin' on anybody's coat-tails and sellin' myself".
I lifted my hand and cracked him across the cheek before storming from the dressing room in a tornado of fury.
I stepped back into the locker room to see Ted sitting the same way he had as the promo began. I sighed and went to his side, carding my fingers through his hair gently.
"I hope the slap wasn't too sore" I smiled a little inspite of feeling a little morose that this would be my last time doing a promo with Ted and spending time with him for a number of weeks to come.
His arms came away from his knees and he wrapped them around my waist, pulling me against him as he placed his cheek against my stomach, his arms clasping behind my back. I continued to soothingly run my fingers through his mussed up hair.
"Nah, I think I'll live" he pulled back to look up at me "Just" he smiled softly. I smiled and bowed my head, placing my forehead against his for a few moments before he stood up.
"I guess I'll be away when Legacy ends. Good luck for the near future Teddy. I'll miss you".
"I'll see ya after the show Noah" he murmured softly, cupping my face in his hands and pressing a soft kiss to my forehead. I nodded and headed for the exit.
"Don't you go forgetting about me while I'm gone" I warned him with a wink before leaving the locker room and heading back to mine.
END OF FLASHBACK
Driving half way across the city, the driver pulled the car up to my street. I sighed as the vehicle came to a stop outside my apartment block, and I thanked the driver before getting out of the car, retrieving my small suitcase from the back seat and then headed up into my apartment block, turning back to look across the lights of the city, smiling forlornly at the arena standing tall on the skyline.
I turned and walked inside, knowing I was in for a sleepless night, with thoughts of tomorrow's RAW in my head.
END OF CHAPTER
A/N2:There's another chapter. Hope you enjoyed it. A bit for drama, most of it was a little on the depressing side but a situation like that would be kind of depressing. XxX
