Chapter 43:
"Okay, this summer is officially sucking." Haley grumbled as she entered her hotel room several hours later. "I mean this is supposed to be the best time of our lives, we're on the same brand, I had my title, you were well on your way to getting yours, we were headlining the pay-per-views…" She rolled her eyes dramatically. "But instead, we keep getting royally screwed up the ass!"
"Haley Audra Mariano!" Batista bit back a chuckle as he stepped in right behind his girlfriend. "That's some language coming out of your mouth."
"I'm pissed off." She flung herself backwards onto the bed. "I'm allowed to curse and whine and complain when I'm pissed off. It's my prerogative."
"Whatever you say Bobby Brown." He set their suitcases down outside the bathroom and gave her his full attention. "Although, I have to say, I'm right there with you in the pissed off department."
"Is it karma? Are we bad people? Is that why we keep getting screwed?" She sat bolt right up as though hit with a revelation. "Is it because we didn't wait until we got married to have sex, because that's the only even remotely naughty thing I can think of that we've done wrong?"
He gaped at her for a moment, before he burst out laughing at her ramble. He couldn't help it, it was adorable, and her logic had been amusing. "No Haley, I don't think that just because we're having sex without being married makes us bad people."
"Oh my God," Her eyes went wide. "It's because I slept with Randy isn't it? I knew that was going to bite me in the ass, I mean it has already, hence my brief estrangement with Jeff, but I thought that was the extent of it. What if sleeping with Randy is going to ruin the rest of my life?"
"Haley!" He cupped both sides of her face to cut her off mid-ramble. "Would you stop it? You're not a bad person. You've done nothing wrong to deserve bad karma that includes sleeping with Orton. That was a lapse in judgment, not the end of the world. We're just having a bad streak of luck, now enough with the crazy thoughts."
She sighed heavily. "I'm sorry, Dave. I'm just wired and upset, that particular combo makes my brain go into overdrive and nonsense spews out of my mouth."
He chuckled, before closing the distance between them to place a soft kiss on her mouth. "Luckily for you I find it endearing, I just didn't want to see you work yourself up so much." He pressed his forehead against hers. "I know everything seems really bleak right now, but we'll find a way to fix it. We'll start tomorrow."
"What are you going to do tomorrow?" She let her body relax and her mind calm down to its normal rate.
"We still have no General Manager, right?" At her nod he continued. "So I'm going to put myself in charge of RAW and demand a rematch for the World Heavyweight title. I should have won that match and Kane screwed me out of it, so I'll take what's mine if I have to."
"Well, unlike you, I can't force Mickie into another rematch with me." She brought her arms up to link around his neck.
"No, but you can goad her into one." Dave smirked. "Taunt her, mess up her matches, make her so pissed at you she'll be begging for a match against you. Then you can add the stipulation of a title shot."
"Well, while that kind of mind game works for you hotshot main eventers, Mickie got what she wanted and has no need to face me again." Haley pointed out. "I'm going to have to earn it all over again."
He smiled at her. "Then you will, you've done it before. There's no contest that you're the best Diva on RAW right now. You beat Beth Phoenix for your title, and not with a roll-up either. You won by making her tap, or knocking her out for three. I know you can do again."
She leaned forward and hugged his broad shoulders tightly. "Thanks babe. It's just like I know you'll get your World Heavyweight title back again."
"Exactly." He let his large arms encompass her tiny frame. "It'll be all right, Haley, you'll see."
"I know." She murmured, glancing at the clock on the nightstand. "Time will tell."
"Hey, did you hear?" Kelly Kelly knocked briefly on the open door jam before entering Batista's locker room the next night on RAW.
Haley looked up at RAW's newest Diva from where she had been bent over lacing up her boots. "Hear what?"
"About your match tonight?" Kelly practically skipped over to the bench to sit beside her.
"I haven't looked at the match card." Haley shook her head. "Why? What's up?"
"You get to team up with Kofi Kingston to take on Katie Lea and Paul tonight." Kelly explained. "I thought you'd been interested in getting revenge, plus, since I've teamed up with Kofi in the past, I thought I'd tell you he's really cool."
Haley dragged her fingers through her dark hair to shake it loose from the clip she had it in. "I'm impressed already. He stole the title right out from under Jericho on his first night." She smirked. "Someone that creative watching my back out there is a more than welcome thought."
"So not only will you kick Katie and Paul's ass, but have fun while doing it." Kelly giggled. "His thunder clap thing is really cool."
"Mhmm…" Haley moved to the mirror to make minor adjustments on her outfit while half-listening to Kelly reminisce about her match with Kofi back in early March. She was wearing the ensemble Torrie had sent to her last night for the Bash. Hopefully it would bring her better luck tonight than it had before.
"So I have see no problems with you two kicking their ass out there." Kelly finished with a giggle. "He'll be Jamaican-you-crazy!"
It was such a cheesy play off the superstar's heritage, but she found it humorous in spite of of it's cheesiness and laughed. "Thanks Kel, I'll catch up with you later."
"Good luck!" The blonde called after the former Women's Champion as Haley departed from the room.
Meanwhile, in the Intercontinental Champion's locker room, he was hearing similar comments about Haley from Paul London.
"No man, if you're going to have any of the Divas as your tag team partner, Haley's the one you want, hands down. She has a lot of experience doing inter-gender and mixed tag matches, plus, if the girl can get along with Randy Orton and Kennedy, she has to have the patience of a saint." The former WWE Tag team champion informed his friend. "Jeff Hardy says she's not afraid to take any risks and she always watches your back."
"That's good to know, since Paul Burchill is nothing but an asshole." Kofi muttered, his voice heavy with his Jamaican accent. "Haley's also a former women's champion, no?"
"Still should be." London nodded. "It was the Burchill's who screwed her out of the belt in the beginning. Which also gives her extra motive to help you win this match."
"As long as it gets Burchill off my back, I'll do whatever is necessary." Kofi pulled the stretchy headband over his dreadlocks to keep them out of his face before the match.
"It's like betting on a sure thing." London assured him. "Just have some fun out there, you've got a kick ass partner."
"Well, wish me luck man." Kofi rose to his feet, placing the coveted Intercontinental title over his shoulder. "I have to get to the Gorilla."
"Good luck out there." Paul clapped him on the shoulder. "And an early congratulations too."
Kofi shook his head, but smiled at the high flying cruiserweight, before leaving his locker room to head for the Gorilla position. He could only hope that what Paul London said about Haley was true and that she'd be a valuable partner to him tonight.
A/N: So although they're hopeful, Haley and Kofi remain slightly concerned about one another.
Up next, Haley and Kofi take on the Burchills.
Later on, Dwayne makes his big decision, Eve creates a plan to win over Batista at Summerslam, plus Haley and Dave react to their new General Manager.