Welcome to chapter Ninety Nine! This is a long one and I hope you like it! Special thanks to Remislady and LameBitch23 for letting me know that the website was broken and that I didn't chase away all of you wonderful readers. YEAH!
Money In The Bank: June 29, 2014
Angel stretched her back and groaned, she was still sore from running the ropes with Dean on Friday. He was right when he said the ropes bite, she now had a nice deep bruise right across her back.
"You alright there?" Renee laughed as she sat down in the metal chair next to her.
"My back hurts."
"Aw, was Dean too hard on you last night?"
Angel's eyes widened as she gave Renee a smack, making her laugh. "Why do you have such a dirty mind?" She shook her head. "It wasn't anything like that. Dean tried to teach me how to run the ropes while my parents were with us on Friday, and it really did a number on my back."
"Ah." Renee nodded. "So, no rough sex?"
"I hate you."
"Hey," She threw her hands up in defense. "I'm only saying, you don't look like you got a lot of sleep last night."
"I didn't" She admitted. "But that isn't why. My anxiety got the better of me." She gripped the cup of coffee that she was nursing.
Renee nodded. "That's understandable. I would be nervous too if both of boys had ladder matches tonight."
"Funny thing is, I'm not really worried about the whole ladder part." She sighed. "I just have a really bad feeling about how everything is going to go. I mean this is Dean's first time up against Seth in a real official match like this. And seeing how everything else has gone, I'm not looking forward to it."
"Really?" Renee questioned. "I would think you would be excited for it. Dean finally get his match with Seth."
"And in some ways, I am. But something just seems off. I mean, it was way too easy to get Dean into this match. Yeah, I know that Seth asked for Hunter to put him in, but if the Authority was smart, they would try to keep Dean as far away from this match as possible. That is unless they have something up their sleeves that's going to guarantee Seth the winner. And then on top of letting Dean into the Money in the Bank match, they put Kane into the Championship one, along side Randy." Angel shook her head in disgust before taking a sip of her drink. "It leaves a bad feeling in my gut."
"I hear you." Renee agreed. "But your boys are smart, I'm sure if something seems fishy, they'll notice it."
"I'm not sure about that." Angel sighed. "I hate doubting them, I really do. But both men are so laser focused on their goals, Dean getting his revenge on Seth and Roman being top dog, that I'm scared that they're not going to see what's right in front of them."
"Well if that does happen, you'll be there right.?"
"I'm going to try." She smiled as she looked down at her phone that just buzzed with an alert that said the 'doors are opening soon'.
Renee's eyes widened as she pulled out her phone and saw the same alert. "Crap, I have to go get ready for the Kickoff Show."
"Oh my god! I almost forgot that you're hosting the panel tonight." She said as excitement for her friend raced through her. "That's awesome!"
Renee smiled wide. "I know! I'm still in shock."
"I'm sure." She laughed. "I would be, if Vince came walking up to me, saying that he wanted me to be hosting the Kickoff Show Panel with Booker T and Christian."
Renee nodded. "You should have been there; it was so surreal!" She squealed in delight. "God, it's so nice to be out of the Social Media Lounge, not that I mind doing it…it's just, you know."
"No need to justify yourself, trust me I understand."
The wrestling world had long been a man's domain and Renee was breaking through a glass ceiling that had been put there years ago. Something that had Angel feeling so proud of her friend.
"Girl power and all that."
Renee laughed. "One small step."
"What are you talking about? It's a huge step." She said not letting her downplay her work. "You're rocking this, first a reporter, now hosting the kickoff panel, hell someday you'll be sitting next to Cole and JBL."
Renee rolled her eyes. "Yeah, yeah, but what about you?"
"What about me?"
"You're talking about me making big plays for the women in this company, but what about you? You're a real female manager, not just a valet who comes out to the ring acting like one."
"There have been other female managers."
"Yeah, but how many of them really do what you do?" She asked. "How many females managers really do all the work that you do. Most only 'work' for their clients in front of the camera. As much as I love Lita and Trish, do you really think they were the ones staying up late to make sure people like the Hardy Bothers and Val Venis had something 'special' to wear for WrestleMania, of course not." She shook her head. "And to top all that off, without having any training, you've thrown yourself into the mix more than once. You're showing the world that women can stand up to anyone, even someone like Randy Orton or Bray Wyatt."
"No, I'm showing the world that I've got a screw loose."
"Speaking of that," Renee's face fell into a serious expression. "what's this I hear about you going down to the ring tonight for Dean's match. Isn't that a little dangerous? You know since it's a no DQ match with ladders involved."
Angel shrugged her shoulders. "Jeb is going to be down there too."
"Yeah but Jeb doesn't have to worry about Seth using him against Swagger."
"That would be pretty interesting to see." She laughed picturing Swagger getting all worked up about Jeb. However, the disapproving looking she got from her best friend stopped her. "I know what you're getting at, but I'm not worried."
Renee's mouth dropped open. "You just said you're having bad feelings about tonight show, but you're not scared that Seth's going to use you against Dean?"
"I know it's weird. But I don't think that's the move the Authority is going to take. I mean sure, using me to get to Dean might take him out of the equation but there is still a chance that someone who's not Seth will win."
"Well, I hope you're right because I don't want to see you get hurt tonight."
"I mean when has that ever happened before?" She teased as a man dressed in a security shirt came walking up to them.
"Angel Miles?"
"That's me." She cranked her head up at the man.
"I was told that you needed someone to escort you outside."
"Oh!" She nearly jumped from her seat. She had almost forgotten that she and Dean had planned to surprise a young fan with the front row tickets that they had purchased for their own plan b, since they didn't need them anymore. "Right, I guess we should do that now."
After she wished Renee good luck, the woman forced her to promise that she wouldn't intervene in the match, at least when ladders were in use. She then turned and followed the security guard out of the room and toward the public area. Halfway through the empty public area, Angel forgot that she was supposed to stick with her guard, and she took off. She busted through the door that lead to the line of people waiting to get in for the pay-per-view. Instantly she was greeted with a wall of cheers, which stopped her dead in the tracks. That was until she realized it was for her.
Smiling, she waved at the crowd of people. She watched as everyone pulled out their phones and started to take her photos or videotaping her. However, she didn't care, because she was on a mission. Running her eyes down the line, she took note of each child. Then she realized it was harder than she thought it would be to find a kid with one parent or adult.
"Angel!" A booming voice came from behind her as she heard the door behind her open and close again. "You can't just run off like that."
She turned around and saw the guard looking at her with his arms crossed. She gave him a coy smile before turning back to her task. Giving one last look at the line, she turned and noticed what looked like a father kneeling on the ground tying up his son's shoes. They weren't in line; in fact, they were standing far enough away that she almost thought they weren't hear for the show. But then she saw the small paper Money in the Bank briefcase that was in the little boy's hand.
Hoping that it was really just the two of them, she ran over to them. "Excuse me." She called as she smiled at the little boy, who looked like he was trying to figure out how he knew her.
The dad looked up and his eyes widened. "Uh, Hi." He cleared his throat.
"Hi!" She giggled as she waved at the pair. "If you don't mind me asking, are you coming to show tonight?"
"We are." The dad rose to his feet.
"Oh good! Is it just the two of you?"
"Uh?" He grew puzzled. "Yes, just me and boy."
Excitement raced through her as she snagged her little backpack off her shoulder and fumbled with it until she was able to get out the two sheets of paper she had sitting neatly inside. "Strange question, where are you seats."
"Towards the back, on the announcer table side." The dad gestured as if he was pointing to a map of the arena.
"Oh well, if you wanted, I just so happen to have two front row, floor seats that I don't need anymore." She said holding out the papers.
The dad blinked at them. "I, we…um I couldn't."
"Sure, you can." She smiled at the man. "Dean and I were going to use them but since he was put in the Money in the Bank match, we don't need them anymore and I would hate for them to go to waste."
"Are you sure?" He ran his fingers through his hair. She nodded. "Oh, wow." He took the tickets. "Thank you, thank you so much." He bent down to his son. "Cam, say thank you to Angel here, she just gave a front row seats for the show tonight."
"Tank you." The little boy said even though he didn't know why he was saying it.
"You're welcome buddy." She smiled at him. "I hope you enjoy the show tonight."
He nodded and held up his little briefcase. "Money in the Bank."
"That's right. who do you wanna see win?"
The dad patted his son's belly. "Tell her who's your favorite, Cam."
"Roman Reigns!" He cheered.
"You like Roman?"
"I do!" He nodded really enthusiastically.
"I like him too." She laughed. "I hope he wins tonight."
"Me too."
"Angel." The guard called for her. "We really should be getting back."
She nodded at the man who was standing a few feet away, with his arms cross. "Well, I have to go get ready for the show. See you out there."
D.D.D.
Dean nodded his head to the beat of his music playing through his earbuds as he taped up his hands. Tonight, was one of those night that his mind was running wild and he thought a little music might help him calm it. But it wasn't really working. His mind kept running back to what he was going to do to Seth. All the different possibilities.
Ripping the end of the tape and pressing it down hard to make sure that it was secure, he looked up to see Angel coming around the corner with a big smile on her face. "Why so smiley, Babygirl?" Roman laughed.
"I just made a little boy and their dad's day." She said proudly.
"Ah, did you give them our tickets." He asked pulled out his earbud. "Were they excited."
"The dad was, the little boy wasn't sure what was happening, but he did say that he wanted Roman to win."
"He knows what's up!" Roman laughed.
"Didn't you hear her? She said the little boy wasn't sure what was happening, he was confused." He picked.
"You're just jealous, he didn't say he wanted you to win."
"Are you two done?" Angel sighed. "We only have fifteen minutes before the doors open, and you two are here bickering when you should be getting ready."
Dean raised his brow and put his arms out wide. "I'm already done." He said looking himself up and down. He was dressed in the grey wifebeater and jeans that he wanted to wear tonight. His boots were already laced and as of two seconds ago he was done taping his fist. What more did she want?
She eyed up the knees of his jeans which were ripped opened from the last time he wore them in the ring and sighed. "I was more or less talking to Roman." She turned to the man who was still in a hoodie with his hair up in a bun on the top of his head.
"Hey, I have until the end of the night. You're the two who have to be ready at the start." Roman defended himself.
Angel took a deep breath. "Fine, but if you find yourself running around at last minute don't come crying to me. 'Angel, I can't find my brush'." She put her things down and pulled out her phone.
"Hey that only happened once."
"Yeah, yesterday." Dean laughed thinking back to the house show.
"Well, shit." Angel cursed out of nowhere.
"Something wrong?"
She threw her phone on the pile of bags. "Well, it looks like we have a last-minute promo to do. Apparently, the higher ups forgot that before Dean was added to the match, they had recorded a little promo package for it; you know something along the lines of each man in the match saying something about how it's their time to win and blah, blah, blah. So now they need Dean to throw together a quick promo to go with it. But since I don't know what the video package looks like, how the hell am I supposed to make sure it matches."
Dean inhaled slowly as he tried to shake off the frustration that was building. He knew that the Authority enjoyed making her job harder and as he watched her get more and more upset with each antic, he couldn't help but get pissed off.
"I guess I need to get a camera and we need to find a place to film…" She mumbled to herself as she got out her outfit for the show. "I still have to ready. And I wanted to catch Renee on the Kickoff show but that doesn't look like it going to happen."
"Wow there!" He called as she almost whipped her pants across the hallway after they got stuck in her bag. "Deep breaths, baby." He walked over cautiously and wrapped his arms around her shoulders, hugging her from behind. "Deep breaths. We got this, it's just a promo. And fuck what it looks like, right? Since they didn't think it was important enough to include me in whatever video thingy they put together then why should we care?"
He felt her take a deep breath before she turned her head awkwardly to look up at him. "You know what, you're right." She smiled. "Why am I getting bent up over a promo, you can put together a good promo in your sleep."
"It's true, I've heard it." Roman laughed before pretending to be half asleep. "Fight me…you son of a can of catfish… I'll rip your arms off and beat you with them… then I'll kick your nose off and shove it up your ass to make you smell just how big of a piece of shit you really are."
"That does sound like me."
"It does doesn't it." Roman said with a proud smirk on his face. "If you ever need someone to stand in for you, just call."
"Roman isn't there just one little problem with that." Angel asked as she wiggled out of his grasp.
"Yeah what?"
"I think the fans would notice."
"Right." Roman snapped his fingers. "My hair is too long. It would give it away."
"Yeah sure, your hair is what would give it away." Dean laughed.
"Well then, I'll have to say sorry my man, because I'm not cutting his mane off for just a promo."
"No worries."
As he and Roman joked around, Dean noticed that Angel had ducked back behind a couple road cases to get dressed for the show. Just as he noticed her bright red shirt that she had been wearing drape over the top of the cases that she hid behind, he pushed himself up on his tiptoes, trying to sneak a glance. Though when her shoulders came into view, Roman cleared his throat.
Glaring at the man who was obviously trying to get him in trouble, he mouthed 'asshole'.
'Pervert', was thrown back at him.
Shrugging, he dropped down off his toes just in time for Angel round the crates now wearing a grey wifebeater that mimicked his own. Stopping in front of him, she eyed him up as if she was expecting him to be so close to where she had been changing. She shook her head and walked over to her bad and snatched out her new leather jacket.
"How does it look?" She asked throwing the jacket on.
"Looks good." He nodded as he felt a rush traveling south.
"Maybe you should be the one replacing Dean in his promos. You fit the bill." Roman pointed out. "Oh but wait, the hair. Sorry man, everyone just has too much hair to be able to pull off a convincing you." Almost in sync, Angel and he rolled their eyes at the man. "But seriously, you look great. Like a tiny hard ass."
Tiny hard ass… Dean smirked at himself just as that bright smile appeared on her face.
A.A.A.
"Are you sure you got it?" She asked the crew member who 'volunteered' to help them film their promo.
"Yeah, I should good." He said without a hint of worry in his voice, which she knew was only there because he didn't know how erratic and intense Dean's promos could get. She had to admit that sometimes they almost knocked her off her feet. "Alright, give us a moment." She turned towards Dean who was pacing in a small circle while rubbing his forefinger and middle finger against his temple. "You ready?"
"Just roll it."
Knowing better then to question him, she nodded at the man behind the camera before changing her position so that she was watching Dean with her arms crossed.
"Three. Two. One…"
Dean stopped moving instantly. "Seth Rollins, you have no idea I badly I want to grab you by your tie," He acted out what he was saying. "the lapels of that shiny new suit and just rip you apart. But climbing up that ladder, grabbing that briefcase tonight means everything. Because in that briefcase is a contract for a WWE title match. So, the question is, do I climb up that ladder and grab that briefcase or do I use that ladder and smash your face in?" Dean held out his hands as if he was weighting the options. "Case or face, case or face?" Angel cocked her head as he turned towards her like he was asking her which he should choose. "Case or face?" He punched himself in the cheek, while turning back to the camera. "Why not both!"
Angel let out a small laugh at the happy tone of his voice. "You know, I used to think that Seth was smart." She said walking up so that she was standing next to Dean. "He was the Architect, right? But now, I'm starting to think that maybe, just maybe that was also a lie." She turned towards the camera and smiled. "Because by asking for Dean to be put into a LADDER match with you; not only are giving him the chance to get a contract for a World Heavyweight Championship match, but you're also giving someone, who you think is crazy, a chance to use a LADDER as a weapon. I think that's a very foolish thing to do for someone who prides themselves in being the brains of the operation. Am I wrong?" She looked up at Dean.
"No, you're not wrong." He shook his head before turning back to the camera. "Seth you like to think of yourself as a master strategist but as Angel said, you've made a biiiiiiiigggg mistake when you asked your daddy, Triple H, to put me in this match tonight. Because when I walk out of Boston with that briefcase and a contract for a WWE Championship match, Seth, Daddy's going to be mad at you!" He grabbed the camera and pushed it away.
"Huh, cut…" The crew member stumbled to get his footing.
"How'd it look?" Angel asked almost instantly. After filming a lot of the Shield's and Dean's promo's she hated not knowing how it looked from behind the camera.
"I think…" He cleared his throat. "I think it looks great. Very intimidating. In a good way."
"That's what we go for here." Dean smirked.
"Yeah." She said fighting the urge to grab the camera and look at it herself.
Suddenly a heavy weight slumped against her shoulders. "God, you're getting better and better at doing promos." Dean complemented. "You're even picking up some of my stylish YELLING AT RANDOM thing!"
She cringed at the sudden outburst and pushed him away. "Sure, but I'm nowhere near as LOUD as you are."
"Keep working on it. You'll get there." He joked.
Angel rolled her eyes and turned to the crew member, who she almost forgot was standing there. "Can you get that back to production?" She asked sweetly.
"Yes, Ma'am." He nodded before walking off as fast as he could.
As the crew member disappeared out of sight, Angel turned to head back to where their things were stashed, when she felt Dean wrap his arm around her again, making it so she couldn't move. "Yes, Dean?"
He chuckled. "You know it wasn't lying when I said you're getting better at promos." He whispered in her ear, dropping his voice low. "It's fucking sexy as hell."
She blushed and looked around hoping that no one was around. "Dean."
"What?" She felt his stubble rub against her cheek. "Am I not allowed to find my girlfriend's growing confidence sexy?"
"I mean you are, it just…"
"Just what?"
"Do you have to whisper it in my ear?"
He hummed and let her go. "I could always scream it out to the world." Her eyes widened as she heard him draw in a deep breath. "I GET TURNED O…"
"Stop!" She turned around on her heel and reached up to cover his mouth the best she could. "No that's worse!"
He asked a muffled "Are you sure?"
"Yes, I'm totally sure." She said thinking about how embarrassed she would be if the entire backstage area heard Dean yell out that he got turned on by her promos. "Much, much worse." He shrugged before a warm wetness dragged across her hand making her pull back. "Did you really just lick me?"
"Yep." He said nonchalantly before walking away.
"You're such a child."
"I thought you liked it when I lick you?" Angel opened her mouth to retort but then she was hit with what he was truly trying to say, and she just gasped. "Am I wrong?"
"Shut up!"
He laughed loudly making people look at them. "You should see your face."
"I said shut up." She gritted her teeth. "What has gotten into you?"
"Nothing, just hyped up for my match."
"Well I'm glad, you're hyped. I just hope you can stay hyped for about two more hours?"
"That sounds like a lot of work." He said. "Can't I mellow out and work back to hyped closer to the match."
"I guess that will work too, but can you get mellow?" She asked.
"What you mean I'm not cleared!" A loud British voice boomed through the hallway from the trainer's room.
"I'm sorry Wade, but we can't clear you with your shoulder."
Some more yelling came before the doors blasted open and Wade Barrett came stomping out with his shoulder all taped up. The man paused and looked around only to give the two of them a glare. "What are you looking at?" He asked before stomping away.
"Looks like Barrett just got some bad news."
…
Angel bit at the hangnail on her thumb as she stood there in the line of men who were waiting to out of to the ring and the officials that kept each of them separate. She guessed they were expecting a pretty hostile area, and with Dean and Seth feet a part that was probably smart on their part.
The sound of the ring bells going off to quiet the crowd down for Lillian Garcia to do her job of announcing the match and wrestler inside, made Angel jump slightly. She dropped her hand and took a deep breath. This was it. This was the Money in the Bank Ladder match. This match could end very well for Dean or very bad, depending on what happens, and she was praying that it wasn't the latter.
If nothing else, please let him get out of this match in one piece. She begged.
Suddenly Seth's music started and everyone in the gorilla paused for a moment as they realized it was go time. From there the line of men grew smaller and smaller as Rob Van Dam's music started, followed by Jack Swagger, Dolph Ziggler, Kofi Kingston, and then it was only her and Dean standing there.
"Ready?" She glanced up at the man who was cracking his knuckles.
He nodded. "Are you?"
"As I'll ever be."
And just like that Dean's theme played. "Being escorted to the ring by Angel Miles, from Cincinnati Ohio, weighing in at two hundred and twenty-five pounds, Dean Ambrose!"
Trying to keep up with Dean's long strides, Angel followed him out onto the stage and down the ramp. They didn't hesitate, didn't stop for a second. Dean was all business as he headed down to the ring with his eyes locked on Seth. Just as they were about to reach the bottom of the ramp, she gave him a pat on the shoulders and stepped out of the way, just in time for him to take off and launch himself into the ring and right at Seth. As she knew he would.
As Seth and Dean started to brawl, she made her way calmly around the ring and over to where she saw Jeb standing. Keeping her eyes locked on the action, she cheered as Dean threw Seth into the timekeeper's area before he jumped over to continue the fight.
"Your boy needs to get his head on right." Jeb said loud enough that she could hear it over the chaos of the match starting up.
She glanced up at the older manager. "'My boy is just fine."
"Fine? Look at him, he's over there in a pile fighting with Seth Rollins when he should be focusing on the match." He gestured to the ring where Swagger and Kofi were now fighting over a ladder. "Look at Jack over there. He's in the match, ready to go. Showing everyone that real American spirit, like a true fighter does." Swagger won the tug of war.
However as if the world wanted to watch Jeb eat his proud words, Kofi came back into the match with a vengeance. He used the ladder that Swagger was holding as a ramp and attacked Rob Van Dam before rolling him out of the ring. He then turned around and focused his attention on Swagger, who had dropped the ladder. Kofi stopped the larger man with a dropkick, knocking down onto the ladder. He then took off to use the ropes for momentum before coming back to his Swagger with a running kick to the side of the face. Swagger seeming dazed from the hit just laid there letting Kofi land a Boom Drop on him, smashing him into the ladder underneath.
Angel smiled and looked at Jeb out of the corner of her eye as Kofi knocked Swagger out of the ring. The man looked furious and embarrassed at the same time and she loved it. So much for the real American spirit.
Turning her attention back to the ring, she saw that Kofi was going for the ladder already.
"Come on, Jack get up!" Jeb yelled even though she knew that Swagger couldn't hear him from his spot on the floor across the way.
Rolling her eyes at the man, she turned her attention to Dean who was crawling his way out form the timekeeper's area. He brushed himself off and looked around. When his eyes landed on her, he winked. She shook her head and pointed to the ring.
"Alright, alright." He smirked, sliding under the ropes. Calm as can be, he walked over to were Kofi was climbing, grabbed each of the ladder and slowly titled it over until Kofi was forced to jump off, or go crashing down with the thing.
Somehow in Kofi fashion, the man landed with both fee on the top rope. It was only for a second, but it was impressive none the less. He then leaped off, full force landing right onto RVD, Ziggler, and Swagger who were getting to their feet on the far side of the ring.
She knew it wasn't what Dean had planned but it worked to his advantaged as everyone in the match was either down or MIA at the moment. "Climb Dean!" She yelled as he grabbed the ladder and pulled it back to its feet.
However, he didn't get halfway up the ladder when a choir of boos echoed through the arena. At first, she thought it was because Dean was heading up for the case, but then she noticed Seth sliding under the ropes.
Grabbing Dean by the waistband of his jeans, Seth pulled him off the ladder before starting to climb himself, but Dean came back and just did the same to him. Both men took turns ripping the other off the ladder, that was until Dean grabbed Seth by the back of his head and smashed him face first into the ladder, knocking both it and Seth down.
When Seth tried to get back to his feet, Dean grabbed him once again. Wrapping his hand into the man's hair, he whipped the man backwards, smashing him back to the mat.
"There you go!" She clapped as the audience cheered Dean's name. Feeling a bit cocky, she turned to Jeb and smiled. "Like I said, my boy is just fine."
In the ring, Dean was setting up one of the smaller ladders in the corner. Feeding off the crowd's excitement, Angel's energy suddenly started to rise and soon she was cheering along with them. "LET's GO AMBROSE!"
The chanting stopped as Seth and Dean fought to get control of a suplex that was aimed right at the ladder in the corner.
Adrenaline rushing, Angel rushed up to the side of the ring. As Seth got reversed the move a second time. "Get out of there Dean!"
Dean reversed it again, this time turning locking both of Seth's arms in a Butterfly Suplex. Holding her breath, she watched launch Seth up and over his head. She knew that if he wasn't careful, Dean could end up hitting the ladder himself, but luckily the man's body fell right next to the legs.
Letting out the breath, Angel tried to calm her nerves. She knew this match was going to be hard to watch, but she didn't realize that just the thought of Dean possibly hitting the ladder in a move he set up was enough to make her feel sick.
Maybe it was a bad idea to come out here. She told herself as she watched Seth thrash around to the point that he fell out of the ring right next to her. She felt bad for him, Seth Rollins, the man who betrayed her, Dean, and Roman. She couldn't imagine what she would feel like if it was Dean. Keep calm. You can do this. You're out here to cheer Dean on. To support him if needed. You got this.
Trying to get her mind off of what could happen, she looked up to see Dean was climbing up the ladder in the middle of the ring once again. Only to be pulled down again, this time by Swagger.
Now it was Jack Swagger's turn to take turns with Dean on the ladder, that was until Kofi and Dolph got back into the ring. Everyone was fighting to get on the ladder when Dean who was more than halfway up launched himself at Swagger. Fists flying, he took the man down to the mat, through the ropes, and down to the floor.
"Jack, get that buffoon off you."
"Excuse you?" Angel crossed her arms at the other manager.
"You heard me."
Biting her tongue, Angel tried to rein in her response which she knew would not be appropriate for the cameras behind her to pick up. Giving her neck a crack, she turned her attention back to the match just in time to see Swagger throwing Dean off him.
Giving a kick to Dean's head, Swagger made his way back into the ring to go after Kofi and Dolph who were fighting at the top of the ladder. As she watched the three men in the ring, she didn't realize that Dean was getting back into the ring. Racing over, he threw Swagger over the top rope, only to get knock back out himself by both Kofi and Dolph. She hissed when Dean hit the grown, too close to one of the ladders for comfort.
Whatever action was happening in the ring, Angel wasn't quite aware of as she moved around to check on Dean as he crawled towards the barricade. "I'm alright, just need to catch my breath." He answered before she could even ask if he was ok. Nodding, she gave his shoulder a small squeeze, to let him know that she was here for him.
As ladders flew around in the ring between Seth and RVD, she stepped back. She didn't want to chance getting caught by one of them. She also knew that Dean could focus better if she wasn't right up in the fight like she normally was. "You got this, collect yourself and get back in there." She called to him.
As Dean crawled his way up to the steel steps, Angel readied herself for whatever was about to come. She knew sooner or later Dean's luck was going to run out and he was going to get hit with one of those ladders littering the ring.
As RVD hit Seth with a Rolling Thunder, Dean took the moment to get into the ring. He took off for RVD, but the veteran was able to get under him and toss him up and over the ropes. Much to her surprise, Dean landed on the apron with no problem. However, her relief didn't last long as RVD hit him with a huge kick to the side of the face.
She gasped as Dean crumbled to the floor. Not able to stop herself, she raced around the backside of the ring, careful not to step on any of the men who were strewn about. Pushing past one of the refs in charge of the match, she slid to her knees next to Dean.
This time, there wasn't any instant assurance from him. He laid there looking up at the light above him, looking more then a little out of it. "Dean?" She grabbed his hand, hoping to feel him squeeze back instantly but no such luck. Panicking, she squeezed once again. "Dean, are you ok?"
He let out a grunt as he finally gave her the squeeze that he was looking for. "What's happening."
She didn't need to even think about what he was asking. "Seth and RVD are on the top of a ladder in the corner, not near the case." She peeked up into the ring. "Swagger is joining them and looks to be setting up RVD for a powerbomb." Her breath hitched as she found out that her hunch was correct. "Oh my god, he did it. Swagger powerbombed RVD and now it's just Seth up there."
At those words, Dean quickly pulled himself up to his hands and knees and crawled over to the ring. Knowing that Dean wasn't going to pass up the chance to do some damage to Seth while the man was on top of a ladder, Angel started to pray as she made her way around the ring to get a better view at what was about to happen. Her friends, those angry beetterflies were back humming and buzzing about her stomach as Dean smashed Jack Swagger's face off the ladder before starting to climb.
"Please, please."
"You care too much for your clients." Jeb said in between her pleads.
"You manager your way and I'll manager mine."
"Your feelings are getting in the way of doing your job correctly."
"My feelings are why I'm so passionate about my job, why I would do anything for my clients…" She trailed off as she watched Dean and Seth exchange blows about twenty feet above the mat.
Bile rose in her throat as Dean threw Seth's arm around his neck, setting up for a Superplex. She didn't know what was going to happen, but she what she did know was that Dean was going to be falling off that ladder one way or another.
It was just a small jolt of both men's bodies and suddenly Seth was coming up and over the top of the ladder while Dean fell backwards. She was sure that the move happened in a blink of an eye, but Angel saw it in slow motion. She watched them fall from the great height, watched as they crashed down on the mat, watched as the impacted of the hit made Dean flip around onto his stomach.
"Oh god." She struggled for air as she watched Dean's face. If she thought the man looked out of it before from the kick, there was no one home from this. He stared ahead, while his body slowly fell to the mat. Fighting both the urge to puke and the urge to get in the ring to make sure that Dean was ok, she reached up and grabbed onto the bottom rope. Looking back and forth at the two men who laid on their stomachs in the middle of the ring, the only thing that stopped her from climbing up onto the apron was the fact that she could see Dean blinking. Which mean that the man was at least conscious.
"Come on Dean!" She called. "Come on!" She tried to move into his line of sight, but Jack Swagger was in the way, still out from Dean hitting his head off the ladder. "Dean! Come on!" She cried over the chants of 'Holy Shit'. "DEAN!"
Dean body jolted from the mat and one thought raced through her. Thank god.
"There you go!" She clapped her hands as he looked around. "Get up!"
A look of determination filled Dean's face as he tried to push himself up off the mat. However, it seemed like his legs didn't want to comply with that demand as he slowly dragged himself around the ring.
When he was finally able to get his knees under him, Dean sat up on his hunches. Without warning he started to hit himself upside the face a few times, something that Angel had realized at some point was his way of getting his head back into the fight.
D.D.D.
Dean cursed his own body as he used the ladder that somehow ended up in his hands as a crutch to get to his feet, which was easier said then done since his entire body was yelling at him to stay down for once in his god damn life. But no, Dean wouldn't listen to even himself. Which as a pair of white boots filled his vision, he almost found himself regretting his choice of standing up.
Luckily for him the ladder caught the hit, but unluckily for him the hit threw his already struggling to stand body off balance and he went stumbling backwards until he hit against what he quickly realized was the ropes.
"Shit." He fought to catch his breath, he didn't notice the body that was being flung at the ladder that was still laying on top of him until the steel smacked him right in the face, sandwiching him between the it and the ropes.
Head spinning anew, Dean slipped out from behind the ladder, through the ropes, and out onto the floor. When he felt his boots touch the ground, he attempted to put his weight on them only for his knees to give out.
"Dean!" He heard Angel call out to him.
Blinking he turned his head and saw her kneeling down next to him with her hand in his. Knowing what she was waiting for, he squeezed her hand and tried to put on a smile. "Hey there, we keep meeting like this, don't we?" He said to make her feel better.
"You ok?" She asked as she looked back and forth at his eyes, probably checking for a concussion.
"I'm just peachy, darlin'. No reason to worry."
"No reason?" She laughed. "You took one hell of a fall just a few minutes ago and you're trying to tell me there's no reason to worry about you?"
"Sounds about right."
She shook her head. "I don't know why on earth I'm asking this, but are you good to continue?"
"Yeah." He said without hesitation.
"Good, because RVD and Swagger are on the top of the ladders in the middle of the ring."
Whipping himself around faster then he wanted to, he saw exactly what she was talking about. Giving her a quick kiss on the cheek in thanks for the heads up, Dean pushed himself off the floor and into the ring.
Once he got his beaten-up body into the ring, he went right after Swagger and grabbed onto his boot. With a bit of force, he ripped the man from the ladder. However, Swagger was able to land on his feet and gave him a good punch to the head.
Stumbling backwards, Dean grabbed the ropes, stopping himself from falling through before using them and catapult himself back at the larger man, knocking both of them down.
As he worked once against to push himself back to his feet, he heard the distinct sound of someone hitting the mat on the far side of the ring. Glancing toward the noise, he saw RVD laying on the mat, while Seth stood there staring at him.
A.A.A.
The air seemed to sit still for a second as Dean and Seth eyed each other up. She knew they both were trying to assess just how much the other had left in the tank. Then in sync they both scrambled up the ladder, meeting at the top with fists flying.
Once again, her heart was thumping in her chest as she watched the two standing more the halfway up the ladder, throwing blows after blows at each other. This time however, the blows didn't end up in a death defying Superplex, nope a good whack to the sigh of the head sent Seth falling backwards.
Which meant that Dean was the only one left on the ladder. "Oh my god. Climb!" She cheered as the fans seemed to realize it as well.
Out of nowhere, Jack Swagger appeared and grabbed Dean's foot trying to rip him off the ladder. Angel inhaled sharply when it looked like Swagger had succeeded, only to realize that somehow Dena was able to reverse it into a DDT.
How? She questioned.
Though quickly she stopped caring when she noticed that Dean seemed like he was now favoriting his left arm, his weaker arm. Covering her mouth, she watched in horror as Dean fought to get to his feet while Seth climbed slowly up towards the case. Her eyes bounced back and forth between the two men. There was a part of her that wanted Dean to stay down and nurse whatever happened to his left arm, but most of her was screaming for him not to let Seth win like this.
Seth was already more then halfway up the ladder, by the time Dean got up onto his feet. Not wasting a moment, he went to knock the ladder over by pushing it with both arms, when his left one gave out. Cringing, he switched tactics and rammed the ladder with his right shoulder, throwing the ladder off balance and sending Seth down towards the ropes.
Eyes plastered on Dean, Angel watched and followed him as he used his right arm and his legs to push himself back into the corner. "I need a medic."
The words echoed in Angel's head causing her heart dropped. Never before in all the times she had known or watched Dean had she heard the man call for a medic. "What's wrong?" She asked as she scrambled around bodies and ladders to get to him. "Dean, what's wrong?"
"Arms out of place." He gritted through his teeth as he tried to fight through the pain.
Before she could say or do a thing, both a medic and a ref pushed around her to get to Dean. "You asked for a medic?" One of them asked, while trying to still him. "Dean what's wrong?"
"I need you to pop my arm back in."
"Pop your arm back in?" They both questioned.
"Yeah, what part of pop it back in don't you understand?"
"We need to take you to the back, Dean."
"No, you just need to pop it back in."
Tears brimmed in Angel's eyes as she watched Dean fight with the officials. Just by the way he was moving around, the way his jaw ticked as he talked, the way he kept putting his head against the ropes, she knew just how much pain he was in. But she also knew how much he wanted to continue the fighting.
"Pop it back in."
"We can't we have to take you backstage and check it over before we do that."
"Pop it back in."
"We can't."
"Pop it back in!"
"Dean."
"POP IT BACK IN!"
"Dean if you dislocated your shoulder…"
"I'm going back in." He tried to slide back into the action.
"Dean." All the officials at ring side, grabbed for him, stopping him.
"Pop it back in!" Dean yelled again. "Pop the son of a…"
"We have to go to the back to pop it back in."
Not able to take much more of this, Angel hopped up onto the apron and crawled over to the corner where everyone was pinning down Dean. "Hey." She said in the best soothing voice she could muster at the moment. "I know you don't want to, but if they need you to go backstage to pop it back in, then let's go. The longer you fight, the longer you'll be out of the match."
Those dark, angry eyes landed on her and she knew that he realized she was making sense. "Fine." He spat. "Let go pop it back in then." He pushed himself from the ring.
Pissed off and in pain, Dean stomped his way up the ramp. Every few steps, he would stop and turn around, which sparked all of the officials to jump on him, trying to stop whatever outburst they were waiting for. And in return just pissed the man off more.
"Hey!" She pushed one of the medics away from him. "Don't touch him."
"We're just trying to help."
"Yeah well, you're only making it worse. Let him go back by himself. Trust me." After her little warning, no one tried to touch him again.
As soon as they made it passed the curtain and into the the gorilla, Dean spun around and waited for the first medic to make it through. "Now will you please POP IT BACK IN!" He screamed.
"Dean."
He shook his head wildly. "I came backstage because you said I need to come back here for you to pop it back in, so POP IT!"
One of the medics, the bravest of the bunch came over to Dean and probed at his arm for a moment and sighed. "It's dislocated."
"No shit, now pop it back in."
"Dean, if we pop it back into place, we can let you go back out."
"What?" Dean voice grew deadly low and calm.
"If member of the WWE medical staff as to pop a dislocated joint back in, we are not allowed to send that person back out into the match."
"You mean you made me come back here for fucking nothing! Then fuck it I'm going back."
The medic stepped in front of him almost instantly. "We can't let you. We aren't allowed to let you go back out into the match with a known dislocated joint."
Dean's eyes went wild as he back the poor medic up to the concrete wall. Everyone in the area backed away from the seething man, even Angel took a step back as a dark chuckle came from him. "You are going to put my arm back in its socket and when you are finished with that you're going walk away. Do you understand?"
"Dean, I can't do that."
"I don't give a damn!"
"Dean!" A raspy powerful voice echoed over the room. The crowed parted quickly as if whoever the voice belonged to was toxic. Looking over her shoulder, Angel saw Vince McMahon himself walking up to them.
Slowly, Dean turned away from the medic and faced the principal owner of the company, glare still firmly present on his face. "What?"
"Listen to me. I'm the one who put together the rules on what the medic staff can and cannot do. They aren't allowed to send you back into a match with your shoulder dislocated, and they are not allowed to let you go back out if they pop it back in place."
The look on Dean's face darkened even more and Angel silently begged him not to punch Vince McMahon. Suddenly a look of realization hit Dean. "They?" He cocked his head. "So as long as 'they' don't pop it in, I'm free to go out?"
"If a member of the WWE medical team pops your arm back in, they aren't allowed to clear you to go back out." Vince said with a smirk.
"So, I just need someone else to do it."
Dean looked around at the room full of people, no one was volunteering.
My feelings are why I'm so passionate about my job, why I would do anything for my clients. Her own words from before hit her like a ton of bricks. And without a second thought she raced her hand. "I'll do it."
Dean's eyes snapped to her and for the first time since he hurt his arm they softened. "Darlin' you don't…"
"Yes, I do." She cut him off. "As your girlfriend, I can't just sit here was watch you suffer like this, but as your manager I can't let you give up on match this important. So, someone tell me what to do and I'll do it."
"Are you sure?"
She nodded. "Now are we done wasting time? You have a match to get back to."
"Right." He said turning back to the medic that he still had pinned to the wall. "Instruct away."
The man sighed. "The way I want to do it will take to long…so Dean lay down."
"Roger." Dean quickly did as he was told.
"Now, Angel never force his arm to do anything, you'll do more harm then good if you do that."
She swallowed hard at those words. "What do I have to do.
"I can't believe I'm doing this." The medic looked up at Vince. "Take Dean's arm, and slowly move it out to the side, horizontally." Taking a deep breath, she knelt on the ground, grabbed Dean's wrist and pulled it away from his body slowly. "That's good." The medic said when she got it far enough away from him. "Now pull it towards you steadily. All you're trying to do is make the head of the joint slide back in."
Looking at Dean's face, which was already twisted in pain, she pulled his arm towards her. Biting her lip, she kept pulling even as she watched his face twist more and more. "It's not working."
"You might need more leverage." The medic sighed. "Take your foot and push it against his side."
"Um…Ok?" She gently put his arm down so that she could shift herself around so that she could place her foot against Dean's side. "Like this?"
"A little higher up." She moved it. "There, try again."
Readying herself, she took his wrist once again and pulled. This time, after a few seconds, she felt the pop and Dean's body shot up in as he held in a yell. "Mother…." He used his good arm to smack against the floor.
"Did it work?" She questioned immediately standing up and stepping away from him like it was her that was causing him pain.
"Dean, touch your right shoulder." The medic told him. Rolling and moving his left arm for a moment, Dean did what he was asked to do. "It worked."
"Does this mean, I'm good to go back out?" Dean glanced around the room until his eyes landed on Vince.
"Well your arm isn't dislocated anymore, and the medics didn't have to reset it so there's nothing in the rules that said you can't."
A smirk appeared on Dean's face before he practically jumped up to his feet. A new energy wrapped around him, and just when she thought he was going to bolt out to the ring, his eyes landed on her.
Not seeming to care that there were at least twenty people around them, he grabbed her arms and pulled her into a searing hot kiss that left her breathless. "Thank you."
"Stop wasting time." She said nodding towards the curtain. "Go."
Without another word, he took off.
Trying to follow behind him, Angel stumbled towards the curtain, only for her knees to go weak. Her mind was racing, her vision spinning and felling that was wrong filled her gut. She felt like she was either going to pass out or puke, maybe both.
"Angel, you ok?" The medic asked as he helped her sit down on the cold concrete floor.
"I just need a moment." She could still feel the way his arm popped.
"You deserve one after that." Renee appeared out of nowhere with a bottle of water. "Not everyone is able to just pop their boyfriend's arm back into its socket like that."
She took the bottle of water and held it to her chest. "It felt so wrong. To cause him all that pain." Renee rubbed her back and sat down next to her, when another presence filled the space next to her.
She looked up to see Vince McMahon standing there. "I really admire that man of yours. He really has that ruthless aggression mentality that I like so much."
"He does." She agreed as she turned her attention to the screen.
D.D.D.
As Dean made his way out to the stage, what he saw made him sick. Seth was climbing the ladder with no one else around. Not going to happen, my brotha.. He pushed himself as hard as he could down the ramp and into the ring, only to spy a metal chair laying at the foot the ladder.
"Up to your old tricks again?" He grabbed the chair and wailed Seth in the back with it. "Not this time." He hit him again.
A rush of adrenaline like nothing he had ever experienced before hitting him as he took in the sight of Seth on his hands and knees in front of him, while he held a chair. A flash of a memory filled his mind, one of the two of them just like this but in each other places. He remembered what it felt like to look up at his brother-in-arms, his teammate, his best friend as he brought the chair over his head. Now it's my turn.
Over and over, Dean hit Seth, not caring in the slightest where the chair landed. All he thought was, this was for what he did to Roman, for what he did to Angel, for what he did to him, however with every hit came the realization that it wasn't enough. This wasn't enough. This didn't make up for what Seth had done to them. This was only physical pain…
When finally, his left arm gave out from the pain that came with a new relocated joint, he threw the chair away and kicked Seth out of the ring. Glancing up at the Money in the Bank briefcase, he knew what he needed to do. He needed to climb that ladder, defy the odds, and win the contract. If he won the contract and ruined the Authority's plans, maybe then Hunter would lose faith in Seth and drop him like the pile of shit he was. Then Seth would be the one abandon, betrayed, and hurt…
As quickly as his arm would let him, Dean climbed the ladder, ignoring all the other pain in his body. With each rung he climbed, he realized that not only was he inching closer to the goal of getting back at Seth for all that he had done, but that he was also inching closer to his childhood dream. That dream that made him drag his broken body around for years in one brutal match after another, the dream that would probably cost him years off his life. Just a few more steps and he could finally tell his mom that he did it.
An explosion of fire filled the arena and Kane's music started, making him jump and smack at the case, sending it flying around on its tether that held it above the ring. Shit. He tried to snatch it but that was easier said then done with one arm.
Turning his attention to Kane who was reaching out to snatch him off of the ladder, Dean kicked his legs about until he connected with the man's face. Come on! He yelled at himself.
The next time that Kane grabbed him, he wasn't able to fight him off. Trying to at least land on his feet, Dean fell back against the ropes. Now that he was off the ladder, he knew that unless he put Kane away, there was no way he was going to be able to get back up there. Pushing himself off the ropes, he went for the 'demon' only to find himself up in the air for a chokeslam.
As soon as he hit the mat, dark spots filled his eyes. However, before he could do anything, a sharp pain made every muscle and nerve in his body shoot tight as can be, as he felt his body being lifted by his left arm. The pain blocked out everything, he didn't know which way he was facing, didn't know who was holding on to him, he didn't even know if he was still in the ring. The next thing his mind comprehended was yet another jolt of pain, this one coming from his neck, and then he was out cold.
Labinnacslove: They did take her parents to the show, I thought that would be sweet. I never really want Angel to be a wrestler, but she might pick up a think or two from her boy.
Michellefliehman: I hope I got your user name right, I looked at it for a long time to make sure. But Thank you for the review and I'm glad you like the story. TEN TIME is a lot. It's a long story, that's a lot of time out of your life. Man, I'm honored. Thank you again! I hope you continue to read.
BrookeWorm3: I'm glad you like it, I'm trying to add little moments into random things. Like sweet kisses. Yeah! Don't die though. Please.
Guest: I'm glad you like the Chapter! I'm writing 100 as we speak. Yeah! This is going to be so long. Because I wanna go until Dean leaves WWE...I might change things up the closer we get to that point due to the fact, I didn't enjoy him as a heel. Thank you again.