Disclaimer, etc., in part 1.

Part Forty-Two

"So, Sunday's the day, right?"

Eve shifted the phone in her hand so that she could hold it between her shoulder and her ear, the woman grabbing some groceries off the counter and taking them to her refrigerator. "That's the plan," she replied, listening to the sigh on the other end of the line. "What is it?"

"I just wish I was going to be there, but they want me to stay out for another couple of weeks, so I won't be. Teddy Long doesn't want me to be at the shows until I'm cleared to compete. I think he's afraid that I'll get hurt doing something stupid and will be out longer. Either that, or he's afraid that I'll be attacked again," Kelly told her, and Eve made a face as she started putting the fresh fruit she'd bought where it went.

"Yeah, but the only person likely to attack you is out, too. Dolph Ziggler told me that Maria wouldn't be back for another week. He said she wouldn't be at Night of Champions."

"Ziggler told you? Since when do you talk to Ziggler?"

Eve snorted. "Since he figured out that Maria's a bitch that's in love with Jeff Hardy. Dating one guy while being obsessed with another to the point that you would actually attack someone for him? Not likely to sit well with the boyfriend. He's really not thrilled with her, from what I could tell, and he was also sorry for knocking me into the barrier on SmackDown."

"Well, technically, Rey knocked you into the barrier."

"But only because Ziggler kicked him into me on accident. He says he didn't realize I was there until too late. I decided to believe him," Eve said, taking a few grapes over to the sink and washing them off before popping them in her mouth. Once she'd chewed and swallowed, she spoke again. "So what happens when you come back? You planning to demand a match against Maria? Because I'm guessing she'll be returning right around the time you do."

"I'd like to fight her. I mean... The bitch attacked me with a tire iron. And seriously, how white trash is that? Attacking me with a damn tire iron. And she goes on about how she's all classy and she thinks she's the most fashionable diva when she wears some of the dumbest things I've ever seen," Kelly spat out, and Eve arched a brow despite the fact that her friend couldn't see her.

"Gee, Kels, tell me how you really feel."

The younger diva sighed. "Sorry. I just... I hate sitting here at home and not being in the middle of it all because I'm hurt. I've been banged up some before and missed shows here and there, but I've never been stuck off the road for this long. I mean, I know it's only been a few weeks or whatever, but by the time I get to come back, it will have been over a month. Sitting at home for over a month while I'm watching you and Melina have all the fun is really boring."

"Yeah, because getting knocked into the barrier at SmackDown was loads of fun," Eve replied ,then sighed, sitting down heavily on the couch in the her living room. "I get what you mean. You wish that, when I got to face Maria one-on-one a couple of weeks ago, that it had been you instead. You wanted your own payback and all of that. But hey... The good news is that you're healing, and you're going to be back soon. And when you come back, you can beat the hell out of Maria, and Melina and I will stand at ringside and cheer you on. And if she tries to run from you before you're done kicking the crap out of her, then Melina and I will catch her and toss her back in the ring. And something makes me think that it's unlikely that Dolph Ziggler will run out to rescue her anymore."

"Probably not. But what about Jeff? Would he play the hero for her?"

"Unlikely. I mean, he's obsessed with the fans thinking he's the good guy, and right now, the fans all think that you deserve your retribution for what Maria did to you," Eve replied. "I mean... All the fans know is that Maria came after you with a tire iron and actually broke your ribs. It was basically an unprovoked attack, and when I faced Maria a couple of weeks ago, she got booed. She also got booed at the live event when she faced Melina. I mean, it's not like she ran out there and attacked Michelle McCool, because she'd probably get a free pass for that... She attacked you."

"It would be kind of funny if someone did run out there and attack Michelle McCool," Kelly mused, reminding Eve of just how much the younger diva didn't like the older blonde. Not that Eve could blame her for it or anything... An attack by Michelle McCool several months before was what had actually led Eve to making her in-ring debut back in February. The woman had, once upon a time, actually been nice enough, but as her ego had grown, so had her bitchiness... And Eve sincerely hoped that Melina would be able to put McCool in her place once Night of Champions rolled around. Less than a week to go now. Personally, Eve wished she could be at ringside for her friend, but she knew it just couldn't happen. If she went out there, Layla would probably go out there for Michelle, and the possibility of Melina getting distracted would definitely go up. Not to mention the fact that Jeff would probably throw a fit if Eve walked out with someone else before walking out with him for the world heavyweight title match.

"True enough," Eve finally replied, shifting a bit in her seat. "But unfortunately, if someone did that, she'd probably end up getting the title defense delayed, and Melina definitely deserves her shot on Sunday."

"You've got a point. But hey... Maybe Melina can, like, stretch Michelle into a pretzel or something and make her cry. That would be awesome."

"I'll certainly be rooting for that to happen," the other woman said, moving again so that she could stretch out on her couch, laying so that her back was against the cushions, her legs dropping down over the arm and dangling over the side. "I'd really like to see someone put Michelle in her place, and it may as well be Melina, you know? I mean, I'd love to be the one to do that myself, but... Even if I am getting a few more matches lately, I'm still not exactly in contention for the title or anything."

"Give it some time," Kelly told her, then sighed. "I bet you end up winning a title before I do."

"Kelly-"

"I'm probably right. That's not the point right now anyway. So... Other than hoping that Melina puts Michelle in her place... I'm guessing what you're really interested in is actually the world heavyweight championship match," the blonde woman stated, and Eve nodded slightly despite the fact that Kelly couldn't exactly see her at the moment, since they were on the phone and all.

"Obviously. I have to be careful, though. I have to make sure that, when I make my move, it's behind the ref's back. If I attack Jeff, I can't let the referee see it, because then Punk will be disqualified and Jeff will get another title shot," the woman stated. "It would be better if it was a no disqualification match, because then it wouldn't matter what I did. I thought about trying to push Jeff toward demanding that, focusing on how Punk got DQ'd at The Bash, but I decided that would just make him suspicious. Even if Jeff thinks the whole rest of the world loves him, he knows well enough that I see through his shit now. He just thinks that I'm still his manager because I have nowhere else to go."

"Which is totally not true," Kelly put in. "I mean, you've got Punk, or you could form some sort of team with Melina, or you could be on your own. Or, you know, when I come back, me and you and Melina could form a group and really beat the crap out of Michelle and Layla. That would be fun. But, you know, only after we beat up Maria first."

"Yeah, well... I know I have options now, and I'm hoping that Jeff doesn't realize between now and Sunday night that I have more options. Obviously he's not going to realize that walking out with Punk is an option, but he could see me forming a team with Melina - or you and Melina - as an option. Even if he doesn't give a damn about my career, he's bound to notice that I've been missing at ringside more lately because I've got matches of my own. Of course, if he's high enough, he's not going to notice anything."

Kelly snorted. "Gotta wonder how many brain cells he's killed over the years."

"Enough to think he can get away with anything. I wish there was a way I could get him caught. He's already two strikes down. A third strike means he's gone."

"He'd probably try to blame you, then get Maria to back him up and say you planted it."

"Somehow, I don't think Maria's the best person for him to get to back him up right now. A lot of people think she's lost it with the way she attacked you and all."

"Not to mention her going after you backstage. And the way Jeff went after you for that... Kind of a little bit of tarnish on his armor or whatever. Hurt the image some, even if it was only backstage."

"True enough. But I already decided that I don't care what the fans think of me when I turn against Jeff. The important thing is, I know why I'm doing it. And if I get a chance to speak..." Eve shook her head. She'd been embarrassed when this had all started, not wanting people to really know what had happened, but now? She was sick to death of Jeff's sense of entitlement, of the way people fawned all over him and acted like it was just a travesty that he wasn't the world champion right now... Like Punk was in the wrong for cashing in when he did, which was ridiculous because the year before? Punk had cashed in on Edge after Batista had beaten the crap out of the guy, and people had loved it. But because Jeff was their hero, suddenly Punk shouldn't have been allowed to do it.

"If you tried to tell everyone what kind of an ass Jeff Hardy really is, then they'd probably cut your mic off," Kelly replied, then sighed. "Look, I gotta go. I promised my mom I would head over for awhile today, and I'm going to be late if I don't head out soon."

"Have fun with your mom."

"I will. And you have fun with Punk."

"Punk's in Chicago right now."

"Doesn't mean you can't have phone sex," Kelly retorted, and before Eve could protest that, the woman continued. "I won't be there on Sunday, but I'll definitely be watching. And I will be cheering like crazy when you help Punk retain the title and turn against Jeff. So good luck and all that."

"Thanks, Kel. Get healthy soon."

"I will. And when I do, Maria is so gonna get what she deserves. And come this Sunday? I hope Jeff does, too."