Chapter 42:
"The following contest is scheduled for one fall and it is for the WWE Women's Championship." Lilian Garcia informed the crowd, once the stage crew had finishing assembling the stage after Mark Henry and Tommy Dreamer's match.
"In love with a Girl" by Gavin DeGraw roared through the airwaves, sending the crowd into a euphoric frenzy, as Haley appeared on stage in coral and white.
"Introducing the challenger, from Boston, Massachusetts, Haley Mariano!"
Haley took her time going down the ramp, exchanging high fives with the fans and scanning the front row for the three people she was looking for. Kostas Mariano was not hard to pick out of a crowd, and it took her only another second to locate RJ and Lucas beside him, cheering wildly for her.
Haley leaned over the barricade and hugged her father tightly. "I'm so glad you could make it, Dad."
"Wouldn't miss it for the world, Sweetie." He kissed her cheek. "Good luck in there."
"Kick some ass, Sis." RJ encouraged, while Lucas seconded his opinion, after she gave them both respective kisses on the cheek.
"Thanks guys, I love you." She stepped away from them to jump onto the apron of the ring and salute the fans, before entering the ring and doing the same on the opposite turnbuckle. As the guitar riff of Gavin DeGraw slowly diminished, Haley took a moment to just listen to the crowd, they were in her favor tonight and she hoped she didn't disappoint them.
She hopped off the turnbuckle and exhaled a breath she didn't realize she had been holding. It was just in time for Mickie's music to hit the sound system, causing the crowd's reaction to shift into boos and jeers as three people appeared on stage.
"Introducing her opponent, being accompanied by Katie Lea and Paul Burchill, from Richmond, Virginia, she is the WWE Women's Champion, Mickie James." Lilian left the ring, flashing Haley a wink before she did so, to show the Boston native that the announcer supported her in this match up.
Although they made attempts to taunt her outside the ring, Haley valiantly ignored Paul and Katie Lea. Her eyes were only for the Women's Championship, that referee John Cone held up to signal that it was at stake in this match. Haley had once toted that piece of leather and gold proudly, and she was determined to do so again.
Mickie was smirking at her evilly, feeling she had the upper hand with her two friends outside the ring.
The bell rang to start the match and the two women locked up in the center of the ring. There was no customary hug like they used to share when faced against one another in the past, that was sign of friendship and as far as they both were concerned, their friendship was over.
Using a leverage advantage, Haley pulled Mickie into a side headlock. She then rammed the Women's Champion chest first into the corner turnbuckle, ducking underneath to slide her arm between Mickie's legs and roll her up for a quick pin. Mickie managed to kick out at two, but as she rose, she found herself flat on her back again with a bench press from Haley.
Mickie squealed and attempted to cover up as Haley assaulted her with numerous left hands. Finally, the woman from Richmond managed to wriggle loose and return to her feet, but Haley was quicker and attacked with a vicious clothesline, followed by another and the third time Mickie rose, she met a Randy Orton replicated standing dropkick.
The crowd was roaring as Mickie used the corner turnbuckle to get back to her feet. Haley was using some pretty standard, but effective offense and Mickie had yet to get a shot in. The Richmond native turned around to try and gain some momentum, only to get seized and lifted into a bone cracking spinebuster.
Haley made the cover, hoping it would be enough, but Mickie just barely managed to get a shoulder off the mat before three.
"Come on Mickie!" Katie's voice grated on the former Champion. "Kick her ass!"
"Do something Mickie." Paul encouraged. "Get your head in it."
There words of encouragement seemed to take an effect, because as Haley bent down to haul Mickie to her feet, the Women's Champion lashed out with a boot to the chest. Haley stumbled back a few steps, sucking deep lungfuls of air while Mickie used the opportunity to get to her feet.
Haley ducked under her attempt at a clothesline and met Mickie with a left hand shot to the face. She stepped back, leapt up, locked her legs around Mickie's neck and used a hurricanrana into a roll-up attempt for a victory. Again, Mickie just managed to kick out before three.
Both women rose to there feet, this time Mickie with the speed advantage. Haley saw stars as Mickie sent a harsh kick right to her face. She fell over backwards, shaking her head trying to get refocused.
Mickie continued her offense by using the ropes to get in a sharp low dropkick. She made a quick cover and out of pure instinct Haley kicked out just before the ref reached two.
"Come on!" Mickie complained.
"Two Mickie." Jack reprimanded firmly.
"It's all right, Mickie, you can do this!" Paul pounded on the mat. "Don't let it get to you, stay on her."
Once Haley managed to weakly get back to her feet, she found herself on the receiving end of one of Mickie's springboard headscissors. She followed it up with her own bench press and this time it was Haley who covered up from numerous right hands thrown by Mickie. She bucked upwards, dislodging Mickie and made a mad scramble back to her vertical base.
"Ah!" Mickie charged forward, looking to use a Thez press this time, but Haley countered with another grade A spinebuster.
"I don't think so!" Haley marched determinedly to the nearest turnbuckle, causing the crowd to go wild.
Just as she reached the top, she noticed that Katie Lea was once again on the apron, distracting Jack Cone. Worried for the shades from her last title match, Haley glanced around for Paul Burchill, only to find him right behind her. One heavy shove sent her sailing from the top turnbuckle and crashing painfully into the mat below.
"Put her away Mickie!" Paul shouted, once Katie jumped down from the apron.
Smirking lecherously, Mickie dragged Haley back to her feet, hooked and arm around her neck before leaping into the air, spinning around and implanting Haley into the mat headfirst off her Tornado DDT.
Nonchalantly, Mickie made the cover, ignoring the boos she received.
"One…two…three!" Jack Cone signaled for the bell to call the end of the match. It was over, Mickie had retained her title.
"Here is your winner and still, the WWE Women's Champion, Mickie James."
Paul and Katie slid into the ring to celebrate with her while Mickie's music hit the airwaves for the second time. The crowd was jeering loudly, none louder than Haley's family.
Yeeeeeeeeeeaaaaaaaaaaaaah!
I WALK ALONE!
"Shit!" Paul cursed, going pale as Batista roared out onto the stage. If looks could kill, they would be six feet under. "Run!"
They fled the ring as the Animal burst through the ropes, running frantically for the backstage area. Although he would love nothing more than to go after them, Batista dropped to his knees beside his girlfriend, who hadn't moved since receiving that DDT.
"Baby?" He cradled the side of her face in one hand.
She blinked groggily up at him, before her vision cleared and she groaned. "Not again."
"I'm sorry." He helped her back up to a vertical position. "I couldn't get down here quick enough."
She moaned and cradled her head as Lilian got back into the ring. "It's not your fault. Let's just hope you win yours at least."
"The following contest is scheduled for one fall, and it is for the World Heavyweight Championship. Introducing the challenger, in the ring, from Washington D.C., weighing in at two hundred and ninety pounds, Batista!"
"Good luck." She dropped and rolled out the ring, moving over to hug and reassure her father and brothers before turning to watch Dave's match. If she couldn't have her gold tonight, she hoped to God, Dave would have his.
A/N: God, Mickie and the Burchills are so evil...I love it. Guess our girl is going to have to find another way to get her title back, meanwhile, Eve continues to plan to get her hands on our precious Dave.
Up next, Haley and Dave make plans for the upcoming weeks. And when Haley and Kofi discover they're tag team partners in an upcoming match, they contemplate how they're going to work together.