Chapter 47:
"I'm telling you, Hunter." Haley precariously juggled her cell phone between her ear and her shoulder, while she packed her suitcase. "I have no more options. Adamle is sending me to the Lion's Den. This could be the last time you ever talk to me, because at Summerslam, I'm going to die!"
She heard the WWE Champion grumble a few choice profanities on the other line. "You know, Shane-O's done some stupid things in the past; hiring Mike Adamle as General Manager of RAW, worst one yet."
"That opinion actually depends on who you're asking." Haley struggled with the zipper of her suitcase. "Dave's thrilled because he's been given license to beat the hell out of my ex-boyfriend. Which completely overshadows my coming doom! He keeps saying that we still have time and will figure something out."
Hunter snorted. "Yeah and after Summerslam? How thrilled is Dave going to be when he's standing in the shadows of other guys getting title shots?"
"Good point." She conceded. "I just don't know what I'm going to do. Dave's not being much help, Rey Mysterio is still MIA, Charlie's got the weekend off, Kofi's already in a match and I'd rather chew my own hand off than approach Jericho and ask for his help."
"If I wasn't facing the giant, ugly troll," The Game bit off an oath. "I'd do two matches in one night and you'd have nothing to worry about."
"No!" She stated forcefully, finally succeeding in zipping her suitcase closed. "Khali should be your only focus going into Summerslam. I will not be responsible for you losing your title."
"If was the operative word there, Hales." He drawled teasingly.
"Just promise me you'll come visit me in the hospital before you rejoin the SmackDown tour after Summerslam." She sighed resignedly.
"That's not funny, Haley." He scolded, his voice harsher through the phone line.
"It's what's going to happen." She argued. "What's to stop Paul Burchill from beating me over the head with a steel chair? Because, that's right Ladies and Gentlemen, our genius GM Mike Adamle made a no disqualifications match. And what's that? Oh yeah, Haley still doesn't have a partner and Summerslam is one week away."
"I'm giving that guy a pedigree at Summerslam." Hunter's answering growl was a promise. "We just have to put our heads together and figure something out, Hales. We still have a week. Between you and me, we'll come up with something."
She was mortified to find tears pricking her eyes at the Game's sincerity in his words. She had known as soon as she dialed his number that Triple H's perspective would make her feel better. "Hey Hunter?" She said, her voice sounding shaky even to her own ears.
"What's that, Haley?" His tone grew more concerned as he recognized the change in her attitude.
"I miss you." She stated honestly.
He chuckled softly. "I miss you too, kid."
"The following Diva's contest is scheduled for one fall." Lilia Garcia informed the crowd, as Paul Burchill's music hit the titantron. "Introducing first, from Chelsea, England, Katie Lea!" The customary boos and jeers greeted the British Diva as she pranced cattily into view, with her ruddy-faced brother in tow. Rather than being offended by the reception, she sneered at the crowd, turning her nose up and waltzing haughtily into the ring.
There was a moment of quiet that followed her entrance. Like breath being inhaled with anticipation of what was to follow. The crowd was not disappointed as an electric guitar began to play the familiar opening chords to Gavin DeGraw's hit single "In love with a Girl."
"And her opponent, from Boston, Massachusetts, Haley Mariano!" She appeared on stage with a bright smile on her face, one that she didn't fully mean at the moment. She was a week away from her match with Paul and Katie at Summerslam and she still had no partner. She acted normally as she made her way to the ring in pink and silver, but her thoughts were going in overdrive. She was coming up short in the helpful ideas department. She slipped through the ropes and climbed the turnbuckle to pose automatically rather than with feeling. Tonight was not her problem. She could handle the likes of Katie Lea one on one; it was big brother, who loomed over her shoulder that worried the former Women's Champion.
As referee Jack Doane called for the bell, Haley shook her worried thoughts clear. It was game time now; worries could be postponed. She could at least go into Summerslam with a fresh victory over Katie Lea on her mind. Katie grabbed Haley's legs, tripping her down to the mat. The two women rolled around the ring, trading blows, much to the fan's delight, before Haley managed to get back to her feet and keep Katie down with a standing dropkick.
"Katie, get your head in it!" Paul shouted through grit teeth.
But Haley wasn't nearly done yet. Even when Katie reversed her Irish whip, Haley came back off the ropes into a hand stand, locking her legs around the Chelsea native's neck and swinging her body hard to the left in a whirlybird. The moment Katie became unbalanced; Haley sent her flying across the ring on the release.
Katie very drowsily got back to her feet, thoroughly dizzy and not looking quite sure where she was. That was no matter to Haley, who brought her back down in a running bulldog and made the cover.
Jack Doane only got to two before Katie managed to propel her shoulders off the mat.
Both women got back to their feet, but Katie didn't stay on hers for long. She turned to charge only to have her momentum reversed in a back cracking spinebuster. The crowd roared at a feverish pitch, as Haley pointed to the turnbuckle. It was time to end this right here, right now.
But as Haley began to climb, out of the corner of her eye, she saw Paul stalking his way across the apron towards her. Instead of leaping off the turnbuckle into her finisher, she leapt sideways in a version of a missile dropkick, taking both her and Paul down to the mat below.
Although the move had hurt her almost as much as it had hurt Paul on the landing, Haley couldn't help but laugh at her creative move. She groggily started back to a vertical base, hearing Jack start the warning ten count. She had to get back into the ring and finish off Katie so a count out wouldn't disqualify her.
Katie was in the process of recovering from Haley's earlier spinebuster when she managed to drag herself back into the ring. At least they were still on an even playing field. But Haley was in the mood to end the match, quickly now.
The two women locked up in the center of the ring, Haley allowing Katie to lift her up over the Chelsea native's head. The British Diva thought she was going to succeed in giving Haley a suplex across the mat, but one her body was fully in the air, Haley made a diving motion behind Katie's back, arms locking around her thighs as she went down.
Katie Lea found her shoulders on the mat after a beautifully executed sunset flip. Although she struggled valiantly, Haley had managed to get just enough leverage to hold her down for the three seconds need to win the match.
Unfortunately, it hadn't given Haley enough time to escape the ring before Paul Burchill came back with a vengeance. The brutish man slammed a well-aimed elbow into Haley's lower back, rendering her immobile enough to prevent escape. He seized her by both elbows, lifting her up and holding her hostage to allow Katie to get her shots in.
The pain in her back, kept Haley from paying much attention to anything other than the slaps Katie's palm made across her cheek. She didn't register that the fans, which had been booing with fervor when Paul had attacked, were suddenly cheering at an all time high.
She didn't think to wonder why Katie had stopped hitting her and was crying out a warning to her brother. She vaguely felt her arms being released as she dropped to her knees, and Paul moved forward into a defensive stance.
Only slightly curious now, she looked over to see what had made Paul drop her and Katie back off. All she saw through blurry eyes was dark, almost black hair of a tall male wearing black wrestling trunks. He erupted into the ring went right to work on Paul, while Katie was screaming for the referee to break it up.
As her vision began to clear and breath came back into her lungs at more even intervals, Haley's eyes widened in recognition. "No way!" She gasped in complete shock, suddenly knowing whom her savior was.
A/N: Hmm...the mystery man makes the save. But is it who we think it is? Could it possibly be? You have to review my friends to find out.
I'm still struggling with my email, but I swear as soon as it works again, I will reply to all your reviews. I appreciate everything you guys write to me and I love that you all enjoy my fic so much. Thanks again for sticking with me!
Up next...our mystery savior's identity is revealed and he proclaims himself Haley's tag team partner for Summerslam.