Wrestlemania Saturday had arrived. Jay could hardly have been more excited about it. The Clementine – Maya match that he had spent months working on was now a matter of hours away, when they would headline the first night of WWE's biggest event of the year.

As had been the case the previous day, Erin had an early production meeting to attend. That was why Jay was up with her bright and early to enjoy breakfast before the day kicked off.

"I've got an idea I'd like to talk to you about," Erin said, bringing a cup of coffee to the table for him. With that done, she sat down and they both made a start on their food.

"Okay, I'm listening," Jay said openly.

"Remember I said I had an idea to start using you on-screen again? Well, it ties in to something off-screen too. You're doing so much creative and management work backstage these days, I'm going to give you a job title. It comes with it's own separate contract and salary. So you'll be paid as a backstage employee and as an on-screen talent. The title I had in mind was Chief Content Officer. CCO for short."

"Woah, that's a lot to take in," Jay said, not in a negative tone. "You're going to pay me two salaries?"

"Two jobs, two salaries," she said simply. "And you deserve it. Like I said, you're doing so much work backstage. I'll have the contract drawn up for you to sign next week."

There was no reason to object. Erin was doing a nice thing by offering recognition for his work. Also, having an important-sounding job title to add to his email signature appealed to his ego.

"Thanks, honey. What matters the most to me is that my hard work is seen and appreciated."

Erin nodded with a smile on her face to indicate that it definitely was. "But I'm not done yet. There's something else I'd like you to do. I'd like you to open the show tonight. It'll be the start of a new role for you on TV."

He knew exactly what she meant. At the first ever Wrestlemania, Hank Voight had stood in the middle of the ring to open the most spectacular show he had ever created. He had done so with a simple but iconic proclamation: "Welcome to Wrestlemania!"

The previous year, Erin had opened the show the same way. She had felt very proud and emotional about it, so Jay knew she wasn't asking him to do it lightly. It was important to her, and therefore it was important to him.

"I'd be honoured," he said gratefully.

"Great," Erin said, beaming. "We'll open the show with your music. That'll be a good surprise for the fans to kick off the night. You'll make your entrance, during which the ring announcer will introduce you as Chief Content Officer. Then you'll do the 'Welcome to Wrestlemania!' and we'll transition to the opening video package and pyro."

"You've put a lot of thought into this," he said, his breakfast now sitting ignored.

"Of course. It's important to me."

"Thank you," Jay said seriously. "You mentioned a new role on TV too. That does appeal to me now that I think about it. What do you have in mind?"

"I'd like you to be the authority figure on Monday Night Raw. You'll be the character who makes matches, keeps people in line, you know the deal."

"Yes," Jay said, remembering his breakfast and resuming eating it. There had been many people cast in that role over the years. He liked the idea of being the next to take it on. Already, he was excited by the fact that he might get to do a promo segment in the ring with Clem. That had never happened before. He might get to do one with Raquel too. That would be great fun. Or with Alexa. "I'm excited about it, actually. Would we start that this coming Monday?"

Erin smiled again because they were on the same page. "Exactly what I had in mind."

"Then it's agreed. Monday feels a long way off right now though."

"I hear that. Speaking of, I need to get moving soon."

Jay leaned across the table for a kiss. "Me too. Meeting up with Clem, Maya and Alexa at the stadium to go over the match. I know Alexa doesn't need to be there for that, but I want her to learn how the business works."

"You're such a good mentor for her. For all of the women actually, but especially for her."

"She's had a very unusual path into the business. It's highly unusual for someone so lacking in experience to be on the main roster. You know that as well as I do. It means she needs to learn, and learn fast. Since I put her in the situation, the least I can do is help her as best I can. Clem is doing the same of course."

Erin looked at him adoringly. "Have I mentioned how proud of you I am?"

"No, never," he lied for comedic effect.

She giggled, got up and went around the table to give him a proper, affectionate kiss. "I'm very proud of you, honey."

Jay's first job of the long day at the stadium had been to speak to Maya and make sure she was okay with Alexa sitting in on the conversation where her match with Clem would be planned out in detail. He hadn't expected her to mind, but asking ahead of time was the polite thing to do. Sure enough, Maya had been fine with the idea.

Next, Jay had tracked down Clementine and Alexa, who he predictably found together, out in the stadium itself, taking in the awe-inspiring sight, even with the seats currently empty hours ahead of the show.

"Looks impressive from this side of things, doesn't it?" he said as an opener as he approached them from behind on the enormous stage that WWE had setup. His comment was obviously directed to Alexa, since Clem had experienced Wrestlemania plenty of times before.

Both women turned to greet him. "Jay! It's intimidating," Alexa said. "I was just saying that to Clem."

Jay gave her a quick hug, followed by one for Clementine. "How you feeling, Clem? All good?"

They both knew he was mostly referring to the condition of her bad knee.

"Pretty good thanks. I've not trained for a few days to make sure I'm fully rested. I'm good to go tonight. At the same time, I'm ready to get the surgery and hopefully put this behind me."

"We're nearly there now," Jay said sympathetically. "I've been thinking about that by the way. What would you say to the idea of me coming down to be there when you get the surgery?"

"That would be very nice of you. I can use all the moral support I can get."

"Yes, that's a very kind gesture. We'd both appreciate it, if you can spare the time," Alexa said.

Jay waved off the concerns about his time. "My main job is as Clem's agent. Besides that, I like both of you guys on a personal level. You're not just employees to me. I'm offering to be there because I want to be."

"Then it's decided," Clem said with a smile on her face.

"Listen, that's not why I came to find you," Jay said next. "Clem, you and I are going to sit down with Maya a bit later and put the match together. I want you to join us Alexa. You don't need to contribute, but I want you to listen and learn about the process. How wrestlers work together, how a match is laid out, how individual big moves can be planned in detail, that sort of thing. I've already run it by Maya and she was fine with it."

Now it was Alexa's turn to look grateful for his efforts. "I'd love to do that. The more I can learn, the better I can get at my job. Thanks, Jay."

"No need to thank me. Your development is something all of us, and the company, will benefit from. I'll call you all together later, probably out here in the stadium where we can have some relative peace and quiet to work in."

When the main event of Wrestlemania night one concluded with Clementine beating Maya, thanks in part to interference from Kylie, Jay felt pleased with the contribution of everyone involved. They had all done him proud. It hadn't been the best match ever, but the crowd had been into it and that was always the main thing.

He was encouraged by Clem getting through the match without obviously struggling physically, and also by the performance of Alexa at ringside. Her reactions to the match's big moments, when she had been briefly shown on-screen, had been on point. There was little question over her acting ability now. It was all about teaching her the wrestling business and how to cut effective promos.

Jay had watched the match in his office backstage, where he had been joined by Raquel. Watching the match he had worked so hard on with his best friend had been a nice experience, particularly as she had offered praise several times. As Clem celebrated the win in the ring with Alexa, the latest praise came.

"She's got something, hasn't she?" Raquel commented.

"Who, Alexa?"

"Yeah. I can see why you signed her. Other than the obvious chemistry with Clem, she's got charisma, and good mannerisms. Are you thinking of putting her in the ring one day?"

Jay looked at her and smiled. "Let me teach her to walk before we think about running."

Raquel laughed. "Right."

"Come on, let's go meet them when they get backstage. Maya will be there soon and I want to be the first to tell her she did a great job."

"I'll let you go do that. I'll catch up with them in the locker room," she said as they both got up. Then she gave him a hug. "Don't underestimate your own part in putting that together. Great job."

"Thanks, mami," Jay said with affection. With that, due to the urgency of getting to the production area, he made a quick exit.

A couple of minutes later, he walked into the production area just behind the curtain. The show was still on the air, now featuring Clem's celebrations with an elaborate pyro display both inside the stadium and up in the air outside it. That meant Erin was still at the production desk, directing.

Barely had Jay arrived when Maya the wildcat walked through the curtain. She looked liked a wildcat now. Bedraggled, battle scarred, tired, but still with an aura around her that suggested she was not to be messed with. She went straight to Jay, who hugged her.

"Great job out there, Maya. You killed it. I'm really proud of you."

"Thanks, Jay. It was a good match, but not my best. And I had to lose. I'm frustrated."

By now, Jay knew Maya was an emotional person and could be difficult to handle at times. On this occasion, he figured the frustration was the most important thing to address. "Don't be frustrated. Remember, we're near the start of the story we're telling between you and Clem. This isn't the end. The payoff will come."

"Yeah, I know you're right," she said, seeming placated by that. This was emphasised when she gave him another hug. "Thanks, Jay."

"Of course," he said, and the hug ended. "Wait for Clem to come back, go hit the showers, then go see Doc Mikami. I already set her up to give you both some physio and ice treatment."

"I appreciate it."

A few minutes later, Clem limped through the curtain with Alexa right behind her. Jay had experienced how injuries suddenly felt much worse when the adrenaline from a match started to wear off. Clem would be hurting right now, but at least the injury would soon be dealt with via surgery.

He watched Clem and Maya hug each other and exchange thanks for the match. As frustrated as Maya was with having to lose a Wrestlemania main event, she had immense respect for Clem and showed nothing but that in their exchange.

Next, Clem wanted to go to Jay. As she began walking, her limp looked even worse. He stepped forward and put an arm around her for support, guiding her to a nearby chair. "Here, Clem. Sit down."

"Shit, it hurts," she said.

Jay didn't think he had heard her curse before, but he couldn't blame her in this situation. He looked at Alexa. "Go get Doc Mikami. Tell her I said to get here with some ice."

"I'll go," Maya said to Alexa. "You stay here with her."

"Thank you," Alexa said. Even as a seasoned FBI agent, she looked shocked to see her fiancée broken down. Jay understood. Clem was a pillar of strength for everyone around her. Unfortunately her body wasn't holding up its end of the bargain.

"Here, Clem," came Erin's voice. She had found a towel from somewhere and she handed it to the Women's Champion. Alexa was currently holding the title belt itself.

Clem took the towel, held it over her face and burst into tears. "Make this pain stop, Jay. I can't do this anymore," she pleaded as he crouched beside her with an arm around her back.

"We're going to stop it, Clem. We're going to get you fixed up good as new next week," he promised her, adding a light kiss on the top of her head.

He looked at Erin and Alexa and saw how much they admired and appreciated what he had just done. He still wasn't used to being thought of or looked at like that, but he liked it. It made him feel proud of himself. Yes, that was possible. He could be genuinely proud of himself.