Chapter 23

"Matthew better get a handle on things or else he's gonna find himself on the unemployment line."

"No doubt, he's supposed to be handling the wrestlers' grievances and shit, right?"

"Yeah and Mattie boy hasn't been living up to the amount of money he's being paid. Think we should put itching powder in his pants or something? Maybe we should just talk to the Deadman, clear everything up? He can be professional."

"You should quit smoking weed, it's obviously damaging your brain cells."

"Oh yeah, sure. I'll get right on that." Sarcasm dripped in Emery's voice.

"This is the same man who came to my office, after Paul did those flyers, and spanked my ass so hard, I had bruises for 2 weeks. Talking isn't going to fix anything. The ONLY way this ends is if I change the line for WrestleMania and that's NOT happening."

"Okay, so… curious." Randy shifted in his seat so he was staring at Emery. "Why David?"

"Yeah, no shit. He's an asshole, you know that, right?"

"He's the world champion right now and Vince told me he was holding the title until or after WrestleMania. I had no choice. Vince wanted Undertaker in the championship picture, which is why he's winning the Royal Rumble and going onto Mania to wrestle for the title. Batista is new blood, as much as I hate saying it. New blood needs to make their mark in the business. It won't grow without newer stars rising to the occasion and Taker is a veteran. I don't like it any more than you two, believe me."

"Okay, one last question…He's won…14 WrestleMania's, right? Like, consecutively. That's a pretty big deal. I think he's going to buck that line of Vince's, and yours."

"That's between him and Vince then. All I do is come up with the ideas, good and bad, and it's out of my hands after that."

All Emery could think once that footage ended was how screwed she was and could see the fury building on Mark's face through the screen. He was LIVID.

Livid was not the word.

So many things were spilling through him. Had they known they were being recorded? They were talking pretty freely and he wondered if Emery had just been screwing with him, both figuratively and literally, this entire time. David took advantage of the Deadman's obvious issues and speared him to the ground. He had just aired everything, broken some cardinal rules of wrestling and spilled all that personal information for the world to see, providing Vince just didn't order this episode of Smackdown! to be lost forever.

Randy was now being escorted to the trainer's office to be drug tested. What the shit had just happened?

Mark sat up from the spear, adrenaline overriding everything. He didn't give a rat's ass about David Batista right now. Emery had some answering to do. He tossed the other man over the top rope, staring towards the stage, knowing she was watching in the back. His eyes rolled into the back of his head and he dragged his hand across his throat. She had set him up to lose.

That had all been her idea.

She was a dead woman walking.

"Emery!"

Her head snapped up at the sound of Cheryl's panicked voice and looked into the woman's tear-filled eyes, opening and closing her mouth several times, but no words came out. What the HELL just happened?! When was THAT recorded?! Who had set her and the boys up? Her brain was going a mile a minute, her heart pounding in her ears while Cheryl cried her eyes out. Randy was being suspended for 30 days without pay due to failing the wellness policy because of his weed smoking. The truth was out. Everything was out in the open and there was no more running or hiding. No more proxy.

"Cheri, go be with Randy and tell him I'll call him later." She ordered in a monotone voice, watching the woman bolt down the hallway to hopefully catch her boyfriend. "Oh god…" Closing her eyes, Emery buried her head in her hands, wondering if Vince had set this up.

Vince was on his way to Emery. As soon as Mark had gotten backstage, security had been waiting. He had seen the psycho in those green eyes and knew what Mark Calaway was capable of when he lost his mind.

"Get out, you're done for the night," He ordered, putting up a hand when Emery opened her mouth. "Do it. I'm not kidding, get the hell out of here."

"EMERY!"

Jumping at the sound of Mark's angry booming voice, Emery felt true raw terror for the very first time and felt tears sting her eyes. "Vince…"

"Woman, security can't hold him forever! Get your ass up and MOVE!" Vince was in a panic, not wanting anything to happen to his diamond in the rough and began packing up her belongings, shoving everything in her bag. "Go! You have 5 days off and you can take the company jet out of here. It's waiting at the airport."

Blinking, tears slid down her cheeks. "Vince, I didn't…"

"I know, I know this wasn't your fault and you're not being punished for it. This is me saving your goddamn ass, now MOVE IT!"

Nodding, Emery would save her cry for later and took her stuff, flying out of the arena in the opposite direction where Mark was currently being contained by security. She didn't stop running, not for anything while people just stared after her, the shock written on their faces. David had completely destroyed her with that revelation and now she had no idea how she was supposed to continue her job with the WWE.

Vince was pretty proud of himself for getting her out of there. He was saving her, sure, but he was also preparing for the hell coming his way, from everyone. Removing her from the building would help a little bit, but not much.

"Now, Mark… Mark, MARK!" He let out a strangled sound when the giant's hand wrapped around his throat.

"Where. Is. She?" He hissed, tightening his grip with each word.

Vince was having a hard time replying, his face turning red.

Snarling, Mark dropped his boss and looked around, his face showing his rage, acidic eyes spitting fire. "WHERE IS SHE?"

Where was his popcorn? He needed popcorn! Matthew needed this on video, so he could watch it again and again. This would be his favorite DVD of all time. Served that bitch right! It wasn't just the Undertaker, he knew there would be others who would want a word with her. This was going to be the best shit storm ever.

Emery was long gone and tried calling Randy, but didn't get an answer. She hoped he didn't hate her because she had nothing to do with him being outed for smoking weed. Crying once she was on the private jet Vince had waiting, Emery threw her face in her hands, shaking her head. Being a billionaire had its perks. It was headed toward Phoenix and she would drive the rest of the way to Scottsdale. There was no way she could go home, Mark knew where she lived and would no doubt track her down. He didn't know here her parents resided though, or she hoped he didn't, remembering his conversation with Frankie.

Had the man mentioned where exactly they lived? Emery couldn't remember and sighed, looking out the window as silent tears slid down her cheeks. Things would never be the same between her and Mark again – all the lies had finally come back to bite her square on the backside. Everyone in the company knew she was the true lead script writer – all those ideas had been hers that were portrayed on television. Emery would not quit her job, she loved the WWE too much to walk away and would handle the storm headed her way after her 5 days off.

"Emery, what happened?" Her mother demanded the moment Emery walked through their front door. "Honey…" Seeing the streaks from tears staining her daughter's face, she pulled Emery into her arms. She shot her husband a helpless look, deciding now would probably not be the time to tell their daughter about the black roses that had arrived… along with the card that read: Sorry for your loss.

Mark had remembered and also beat the hell out of Vince's personal assistant, after acquiring addresses and phone numbers galore.

"Oh Mom…" Emery held her tightly, wrapping her arms around her mother's neck and cried, trembling from head to toe. "I messed up. I messed up a lot." She sobbed, feeling safer in the presence of her parents. After being guided into the house, past the black roses, Emery sat on the couch and explained what happened in shaky voice. "I didn't mean to hurt anyone. I was just doing my job and figured having a proxy was the smart thing to do. I'm a woman in a man's world…who the hell would've listened to a dork chick like me anyway?" She started crying again, calling herself the same thing Mark had when they warred against each other. Emery was not mentioning him, not if she could help it. "Why is this happening to me? All I did was my job…"

"Honey."

Her Dad kneeled down in front of her, frowning as he considered how he was supposed to word this. This was just… in all her years at that company, they had never had any issues. She had never had any issues. Those roses weren't the only thing that had happened. They had been receiving phone calls, Queensryche playing, but nothing else. They were guessing it was for Emery.

"It'll be okay… you just wait here and everything will blow over before your days off are up."

"You really think so, Daddy?" Emery rarely called him that, but at the same time she was terrified and it showed in her sky blues. Sky blues that mirrored his perfectly.

"Of course, has your man ever steered you wrong?" He smiled, tapping her nose and kissed her forehead, pulling her into his arms hugging her close. "I promise, it'll all blow over and you'll go back to work to do what you do best."

Nodding, Emery believed in her father and felt a little better, wiping her tears away. "Thanks Daddy. I've missed you." She planned on staying here for the duration of her 5 days off before going back to the company, unless Vince wanted her to stay away longer. "I'm gonna go freshen up and see if my room is the way I left it."

"Okay pumpkin, go for it. Momma is making dinner, your favorite. So bring your appetite and take a shower. It'll make you feel better."

"Okay."

"We should have told her…"

"No. Just… let's see if it stops. Get rid of the flowers, and I've already deleted the messages off the answering machine."

"She has the right to know that someone is… I don't know, but harassing her?"

"Or it could just be a coincidence."

Or it could be a pissed off ex-fuck-buddy who did not appreciate being toyed with or lied to. Volume Two of her comic was on its way to her house. Mark had spent all night and a lot of money, but it was done. It had started with their new relationship after that night, where Volume One had ended. And the ending of this comic was her betrayal of him, followed by a sneak peak of Volume Three. Where he tombstoned her so hard, her head exploded.

Emery would have a rude awakening when she arrived home, but she wouldn't be going there for a while, deciding staying in the safety and security of her parents was the smart thing to do right now. Homecooked meals and playing video games with her father made everything a lot better. Her mother had even made her favorite dessert, pumpkin cheesecake. She laughed at something her father said regarding blowing him up in the current game they were playing.

"I swear, the more things change the more they stay the same." Dana shook her head at her husband and daughter, though it did her heart good to see them together again.

"Dad, there's one on your left!"

"I see it, you got my back?"

"Always, just don't get us blown up…FUCK!" Grenade had blown her character to smithereens.

Shaking her head, Dana went to go get the door. "Oh my…"

Mark stood there, smiling brightly. His scruff was trimmed, hair pulled back and he wore light blue jeans and a white t-shirt with a dragon print on it, shades tucked into his collar. "Hello, ma'am, my name is Mark Calaway." He held out his hand. "I'm Emery's boyfriend."

"Her…"

"Boyfriend." He repeated, shaking her hand when she slid it in his. "Emery took off during the Smackdown! taping, after what happened, can't say I blame her. I've tried calling, but her cell must be off and Frank gave me your address. If she's here… could you give her a message?"

"Emery has a boyfriend?"

Mom was a winner.

"Come on in, I'm so glad someone is on her side… she's been… depressed since she got home. Maybe you'll be able to cheer her up."

"I hope so, ma'am."

"Mom, who is…?" Emery's words trailed off at who was at her parents' front door and swallowed hard, sky blues wide.

"Emery, sweetheart, why didn't you tell us you had a boyfriend?"

BOYFRIEND?! Since when were her and Mark in a relationship?! Did Emery miss the memo somewhere? "I – uh…" She could see the evil gleam in Mark's eyes and felt her father walk up to stand beside her, feeling his hand on her shoulder.

"Who do we have here?"

"This is Emery's boyfriend, apparently. Sweetheart, care to explain?" Dana asked sweetly, looking back and forth between her daughter and Mark Calaway.

Emery grunted when Mark swept her up in his arms and hugged her, knowing she had to put up a front for her parents. She couldn't let them know this man wanted her head on a silver platter. The anger radiating off him wasn't missed through the embrace, but Emery returned it regardless and felt her feet touch the floor again. "Sorry…a lot happened and…I thought he was going home to Texas for his days off. Mark, this is my Dad, Trent and my Mom, Dana."

Dana grinned, seeing her daughter had snapped out of her shocked state and shook the giant's hand before he moved to her husband. "My goodness, I'm making a feast tonight to celebrate!" Finally, her daughter had found someone!

"Uh Mom, I don't think…" Emery groaned when the woman didn't pay attention to her and shook her head, her insides quaking.

What the hell was Mark doing here?

"Ma'am, I would be grateful for the hospitality." Mark said, keeping his arm wrapped firmly around Emery's shoulders and dropped a kiss on the side of her head. Trent did not look as easily placated as Dana, or fooled, and he surveyed the 'head nerd' thoughtfully. "Sir."

"Where are you staying, son?"

"There's a motel 6, I got a room there, sir."

"Good."

"Dad, I'm gonna give Mark the tour. Finish up the siege for me, will you?"

At his nod, Emery grabbed her 'boyfriend's' hand and guided him through the house, not bothering to show him any of the rooms. She headed straight for outside and immediately released his hand, knowing they had to keep their voices down. Wrapping her arms around herself, Emery knew her judgment day had finally arrived. Running to her parents had been a mistake because now they were caught in the crossfire of what would undoubtedly be a fight.

"What are you doing here, Calaway?" Emery finally asked, knowing they were far enough away from the house where their conversation wouldn't be eavesdropped on.