Disclaimer, etc., in part 1.

Part Three

"He's got to be bloody kidding."

Eve looked up at the sound of Layla's voice, the woman noting quickly that only the divas that were going to be affected by Teddy Long's new decree were actually still in the locker room. AJ was long gone, having rushed off to find Dolph - but not before sending the rest of them a mocking smile and laughing about the 'poor losers' that couldn't find men on their own... Kaitlyn had lunged at her then, and AJ had shot out of the room like her life depended on it, which, given the look on Kaitlyn's face, it might have. Rosa had been more sympathetic, muttering about idiot men and their idiot agendas in Spanish before heading off to find Epico and Primo. Naomi and Cameron had left quietly enough, Natalya not far behind them, the woman telling Layla to try not to worry too much before she'd headed out.

Natalya's exit had left the six divas that didn't have current affiliations with any of the men in the room alone, none of them looking very happy about the situation. And while the six of them weren't exactly a group of friends, any animosity amongst them had, at least for a moment, been aimed at Teddy Long instead.

"Why would he do this?" Kaitlyn wanted to know. "Why not just... Give us more matches? Tag matches or something or..."

"Or the tournament to determine a number one contender for the divas' title that Eve mentioned," Alicia put in, waving a hand in Eve's direction as she spoke. "Why haven't you suggested that to Booker?"

Eve arched a brow at the other diva. "What makes you think I haven't?" she wanted to know. "I've suggested things like that for months. I suggested it when Layla was the champion and no one bothered to find her a challenger for over two months. And when the bigshots finally decided to find a contender, they just went with a battle royal instead."

"I asked for more matches when I was the champion," Layla began, and Eve shrugged her shoulders.

"I tried to get you more. Or at least tried to get you a contender. But as Teddy Long has proven here, we don't have the right body parts for the men in power to actually consider us as serious competitors," she hissed out. "So instead, we're relegated to being ringside eye-candy."

"And we don't even get to choose who we walk out with. That's what really makes me mad," Alicia put in. "What if I get someone I hate?"

"It's probably going to depend on how well Teddy likes you," Eve said, then shot a look at Aksana, who was remaining quiet, though she was shifting around uncomfortably. "I'm sure Aksana will be just fine, seeing as she's been sleeping with Teddy again... You know, ever since Cesaro dumped her."

Aksana blinked, her head jerking up. "I... I haven't- You know I-"

"I know you need to password protect your iPhone," Eve tossed back. "Because, you know, after you and Teddy worked so hard to frame me for attacking Kaitlyn at Night of Champions, I just had to check out your phone. I mean, I thought it was Teddy behind it, but I just had to be sure. And I have to say? Some of those pictures he sent you? Actually made me lose my lunch. I don't know how you managed to do the things you did with him."

Kaitlyn snorted. "Please, Eve. You expect us to believe-"

"It doesn't matter anymore. My Teddy dumped me because I couldn't get you fired," Aksana interrupted, looking at Eve while she spoke. "I was to get your job. It should have worked-"

"But it didn't because Booker T realized - at least at the time - that I did more work than him and Teddy combined," Eve spat out. "And I'm sure that Teddy will make sure to show how pissed he is that I'm not gone from the company by teaming me up with the worst person he can think of."

Kaitlyn shook her head, still stuck on the fact that, apparently, Eve had been right about Teddy and Aksana framing her for the Night of Champions attack. Or, at least, Aksana hadn't thought the accusation insulting enough to refute it. "I don't understand. Why would... Why would Teddy Long have me attacked?"

"You were probably collateral damage," Eve replied, then shrugged. "Of course, originally, he tried to get you my job, right? It came down to a match between us, and I won. Maybe he was mad that you couldn't beat me then but you did manage to throw me out of the ring at the battle royal like a week later." She shrugged. "And he made sure you got a few title shots after I won the title. Maybe he considered that as trying to make it up to you for getting you injured."

"This is bloody crazy," Layla said, looking around the room at the women that were there. Tamina had been sitting silently the entire time, looking like she wanted to head out the door, hunt Teddy Long down, and beat the crap out of him. For her part, Alicia looked like she wanted to grab some popcorn or something and just enjoy the show... And Aksana looked a bit like she wanted to disappear. "If what you're saying is true... and Aksana isn't denying it... That man is now in charge of who we're going to be managing. He's chosen it for us. And he's clearly batshit insane."

Kaitlyn lowered her head into her hands, fingers threading through her hair. "I can't believe this. I never thought..." She lifted her head, looking at Eve. "Why the hell didn't you tell the truth before-"

"Would you have believed it? Before now... Before Teddy Long gleefully started screwing with all of our careers... Would you have ever thought I *might* be telling the truth?" the woman wanted to know. "He's the one that reminded Booker that all titles had to be defended that night, by the way. At first I thought maybe he didn't realize that I was the best option for a replacement. But later..."

"You realized that he intended for you to get the match so that you would look more suspicious," Kaitlyn said, then frowned. "But what about the email I saw on your tablet?"

"You mean the one Teddy showed to you? The one from Aksana? It was planted just like all the other evidence. I mean, Kaitlyn, I can send out an email saying I have proof that Zack Ryder is actually in love with John Cena. That doesn't make it true. It just means I sent an email saying it," the woman said, tilting her head as she considered her words. "Although I do kind of suspect..."

The younger woman snorted. "Okay. I get your point. And now..." She turned her head, looked at Aksana. "Tell me flat-out: is Eve telling the truth? Did Teddy Long have you attack me?"

"It was just... No hard feelings. He wanted Eve gone. I was supposed to get job," Aksana said.

"So... I missed out on my first title shot because Teddy Long had a vendetta against someone else. And now, Teddy Long is in charge of our careers? Because face it... Who we have to manage? Is definitely going to affect our careers," Kaitlyn said, and Layla heaved out a sigh.

"We are so screwed," the British diva muttered, and Eve nodded.

"My thoughts exactly."