Chapter 33:
"No!" Michael Cole exclaimed. "It can't end this way! Not like this!"
"Mickie's got the cover." King commented grimly, as he watched the action in the ring.
Pain stemmed from Haley's neck downward, effectively rendering her immobile as the Richmond native covered her and Mike Chioda turned around to make the count. The crowd around them was jeering loudly.
"1...2…3." His palm hit the mat three times and he called for the bell.
"Here is your winner, and the new WWE Women's Champion, Mickie James!" Lilian Garcia grudgingly announced, still in shock from what had just transpired.
Katie Lea and Paul Burchill slid into the ring with their congratulations, while Mickie grinned lecherously, holding her newly won belt to her chest. Just moments before, Haley had looked to be closing the match, she had been measuring Mickie for one of her spinebusters, when Katie Lea came through the crowd and distracted the referee by getting on the apron.
Annoyed with her antics, Haley had started in her direction. She didn't see Paul Burchill come through the crowd and into the ring from behind her. The burly man from Chelsea had grabbed Haley from behind and dropped her in a wicked Twisted Sister. Mickie had recovered by then and made the cover, while Katie dropped off the apron.
Mickie and Katie Lea embraced one another and smirked down at Haley, who was just beginning to come around from the devastating maneuver she had been on the receiving end of.
"Not so tough now, is she?" Katie commented with satisfaction. "No longer queen of the locker room."
"Ladies, much as I'd love to gloat, let's get out of here!" Paul pointed to the ramp, where Ken Kennedy had appeared and was charging the ring.
They fled the ring, as Kennedy came through the ropes, maniacally hollering after Burchill. Mickie, Katie and Paul made it to the safety of the ramp, smirking triumphantly at Kennedy. The Green Bay native had dropped to his knees by Haley's side to check on her.
"Haley?" He brushed the hair out of her face. "Haley can you hear me?"
The brunette blinked and moaned in pain. "Ken?"
"Easy Hales, take it slow." He helped her up into a sitting position.
The sound of Mickie's music echoing through the arena reverberated in her ears and pained expression crossed her face. "I lost." She whispered.
"They cheated." Ken shook his head. "Mickie must have planned this, Hales. Katie was just a distraction so Paul could do the dirty work."
"She has the belt." Tears stung the back of her eyelids. "I'm not the women's champion anymore."
"You'll get it back." He assured her. "If anything, Paul Burchill should be the Women's Champion, he's the one who beat you. You'll get it back, Haley, I know you will."
She didn't try and stem the disappointed tears that spilled over as Ken helped her back to her feet and out of the ring. "Mickie betrayed me." She shook her head in disbelief. "I can't believe it."
"Nobody can." He helped her up the ramp and through the curtain. "You just have to hang in there, Haley, you'll get it back. Now come on, we'll go get you checked out.
"Mickie!" Todd Grisham called after the new Women's Champion. "Mickie, can I just ask you one question?" He had doggedly pursued the trio out to the parking lot.
Paul Burchill made to step forward and tell the man off, but Mickie held her arm out to stop him. "Sure Todd, what can I do for you?"
"Well Mickie, I think the question on everyone's mind is what made you do it? What made you turn your back on your friend, Haley?" Todd held the microphone out to her, hoping to get his question answered.
Mickie smirked satisfactorily. "It's simple Todd, Haley had everything I wanted. She has the perfect relationship with one guy, while another, the one I'm pursuing wants her back. She has the Championship, something I've wanted back for over a year."
She shared an evil chuckle with Katie Lea. "Now, I can't do much to change the mind of John Cena, but I could get my belt back. These two offered to help me so I took it. Now I'm the Champion, and with all her friends on SmackDown and Melina and Candice out on injury, Haley's alone and has nothing there to help her get it back."
"When it comes to strategy, I have Haley beat. Now she only has her boyfriend, who's too busy with Edge to do anything to help her right now." Mickie flipped her hair over her shoulders.
"Want to bet?" Batista roared as he stormed onto the scene. A red haze had clouded his vision and his only objective was to kill Paul Burchill.
Katie Lea screamed as Paul dove out of his way just in time. The trio took off for their car at a full out sprint, while Dave reversed his course to chase after them. Their car had been closer than he thought and they peeled out of the parking lot at break neck speed.
Dave stood near Todd, huffing and puffing. He couldn't get into his own car and chase them down; he had a match in twenty minutes for the World Heavyweight title. But he made a mental note to kill Paul Burchill on RAW tomorrow.
Todd tentatively held out the microphone in Batista's direction, not wanting to piss him off any further.
David growled at him. "I hope Edge is paying attention, I'm officially in a very foul mood. You know what they say about caged animals, when they're unleashed, they're vicious. I can't fight Burchill right now, but Edge is going to be on the receiving end of this. No one messes with Haley and gets away with it."
Todd nodded silently as Batista re-entered the building. There would be hell to pay on RAW tomorrow. That much was certain.
Do, do you have first aid kid, handy?
Haley grappled with her phone, before flipping it open and shoving it towards her ear. "Boy am I glad to hear from you." She answered dejectedly.
"That bitch!" Candice Michelle hissed on the other end. "When I come back I'm going to kick her ass!"
"Thanks Candy." Haley sighed. "All of this was about John Cena."
"That's because she's an idiot." Candice barked out in disgust. "I mean it; I'm going to kick her ass. She sided with that British skank and had her brother put his hands on you."
"She took my belt." Haley still couldn't believe it. Her dream had been stolen from her.
"You'll get it back." Candice stated confidently. "I'm pushing my rehab, Hales. You shouldn't be alone there."
"Don't reinjure yourself." Haley ordered. "When you come back, I want you to be back for good."
"You can bet your ass on it. We're going to war." Candice declared. "At least now we know who our real friends are."
"It's not Mickie or Chris Jericho, that's for sure." Haley breath hitched in another sob. "I really miss you right now."
"I'll be there as soon as I can, Haley." Candice's voice dropped into a soothing tone. "Just hang in there."